George Bush’S Great America [EN]: Chapter 367

George W. Bush’s Great America – Episode 366

< Episode 366 >

***

‘How soft. If it were 100 years ago, they would have torn each other apart.’

This was a comment on the EU’s handling of the Greek economic crisis, made by an elderly man of Australian nationality. His name was Claude Choules. He had directly witnessed not only World War I but also the scuttling of the German Second Empire’s High Seas Fleet. Born British, he served in the Royal Navy. However, by World War II, he had changed his nationality and was part of the Royal Australian Navy.

In any case, he was a living ‘107-year-old’ human history book and one of the few people who knew both the bitter and sweet tastes of imperialism. What such a person said was not just a passing comment but a word with immense authority.

“Well, now. Let me see the newspaper.”

Bush, who had never dreamed that he would experience the remnants of World War II even indirectly, couldn’t help but chuckle. However, only Bush knew that this man would pass away from old age three years later at the age of 110.

He clearly remembered the newspaper reporting that his death meant there was only one remaining ‘World War I veteran.’ A few months later, the last survivor, Florence Green, also died of old age the following year, and World War I disappeared forever into the world’s memory.

“I guess the world has changed for the better.”

Bush, rarely lost in sentimentality as he searched through his past life’s memories, was awakened from his thoughts by his chief of staff’s words.

“It’s the age of cowards. They’ll do anything to protect what they have.”

“Mutually assured destruction, you mean? It seems to me that anyone who can attack even after knowing that is more reckless than brave.”

“It’s a little different from that. It’s like the law of the international community that the attackers are at a disadvantage. It’s the era that our older generation created. Well, if the laws made by shedding blood and carving bones for tens of thousands of years are flimsy, that’s a problem in its own right.”

In fact, that wasn’t always the case. The person who attacks first isn’t necessarily at a disadvantage. If they can subdue all the countries that would unite in response to the attack, they can attack as much as they want. For example, in the case of a hyper-superpower like the United States.

“Anyway, the EU can’t abandon Greece, no matter what. Even if the Eurozone, the EU as a union of nations, collapses, they can’t abandon Greece.”

That’s right, they can’t abandon it. They can’t unilaterally kick Greece out unless Greece voluntarily leaves the EU or creates such an atmosphere. The EU is that kind of organization. They can’t just grab Greece by the collar and shake it down. It is absurd for an organized union of countries created for the peace of Europe to exploit a member state.

So, in the end, they have no choice but to bail them out. Moreover, Bush had a reason to be sure. Of course, it was because he knew the future. And this Greek economic crisis was one of the few events in the original history in this now much-changed era.

‘My memory is hazy, but maybe the EU wrote off 50% of the debt?’

To be precise, it was Germany. Germany held the unofficial title of leader of the EU, and the largest part of the Greek economy, as well as the EU economy, was occupied by Germany. In other words, the battle with private creditors was ultimately with Germany. Well, the name is IMF [International Monetary Fund], but that was the case anyway.

“Germany must be in big trouble.”

The only fortunate thing was that the Greek economy was not that big from the start.

That was all, but conversely, this was barely preventing the Eurozone from collapsing. If this were France or Germany, the Eurozone and the EU would have been shattered a long time ago. It is because it was Greece that the EU is still intact.

The country that became a support for Greece, which seemed to be on the verge of collapse, was not only Germany.

There was Turkey, which had recently joined the EU. Turkey had just joined the Eurozone last year and was in the process of converting its existing lira to the euro. Moreover, contrary to popular belief, Turkey’s economy is quite solid.

The lives of the people may be just barely surviving, but Turkey itself is not particularly poor. Even if it cannot become a developed country, it is at least a middle-income country for sure. It is a member state that occupies a fairly high position among EU member states.

To be precise, it was not a support for Greece but a support for the Eurozone, but anyway, the existence of the Eurozone meant that Greece’s chances of being rescued were slightly higher.

However, Turkey was not without its problems, and that was the refugee problem that Europe was also experiencing. In fact, Turkey is somewhat better off because, although it has no state religion, about 98% are Muslim. In fact, there are some cultural differences, but it is just that a few more neighbors have increased.

However, it was not that they had no complaints about the refugees, but the difference from European countries here was ridiculously the difference between whether a ‘fist’ went out first or not. In fact, this had already been proven in Russia.

Since Turkey was originally on the way to Europe, it was originally accustomed to dealing with refugees, but the most important thing was that it took strong action at the private level in advance. Refugees who deviated from the law were regarded as social evils and enemies attacking Turkey, so they were usually immediately sanctioned.

Moreover, it was not just a strong response. They also took some conciliatory measures. For example, granting citizenship if they completed several employment or job programs. In other words, they filled the empty seats left by the Kurds with these people. With cheaper and more obedient refugees.

Some say that the era of the Ottomans [a former Turkish empire] is coming again. However, this was not enough.

That’s because Turkey ultimately longed to enter the EU, and their history also wanted to enter Europe, not Central Asia or the Middle East, so it was no different from opening a new horizon rather than the Ottomans. If you have to force it, you can call it the 21st century Byzantine [the Eastern Roman Empire].

In fact, it was the Ottomans who eventually devoured Byzantium, so it was not particularly awkward to call it the Ottomans. There will be fierce disagreements to the point of grabbing each other’s necks and even fistfights, but in any case, it is an undeniable reality that Turkey has become so powerful that it has to be compared to such things.

“Is it almost the presidential election?”

As Bush had predicted early on, the candidate did not change. Well, there will be a primary for the candidacy, but in reality, it was as good as decided.

In addition, the approval ratings of both parties have become somewhat equal. In fact, the Republican Party was slightly more dominant, but in reality, it was a rebellion against the Republican Party with the dichotomy that if it is not the Republican Party, it is the Democratic Party. Therefore, depending on the Republican Party’s actions, there were plenty of opportunities for the Republican Party to regain a majority.

Not just such clichés or metaphors, but literally so many opportunities that they could be kicked around. That’s why the Democratic Party was desperate, but the Republican Party was still showing a lukewarm response. The Republican Party had just finished its candidate primary, but it was already confident of victory.

‘Anyway, Obama. I didn’t think this guy could run anymore.’

Bush remembers the incident last year when Obama was defeated due to his insane approval ratings. From the start, Obama was not in a position to come out. This was a political failure in itself. Losing to Bush in the election has no room or value to be discussed as a political failure. This was inevitable. Bush’s re-election itself was fate, and Obama’s defeat in the election was also fate.

Then what is a political failure? The reality that he was pushed out to the election itself was a political failure. If it was an election that was worth trying, then maybe, but an election that was destined to lose. If this is not a failure, then what is it?

However, conversely, this became a blessing in disguise. In exchange for a crushing defeat in the election, he properly made his name known. As a result, the above-mentioned good news overlapped and overlapped, and he was able to grab the shoulders of the Republican Party, which had run far away, and pull it down to a reasonably equal level.

“To be honest, I’m not very interested in the presidential election. Well, one of these two will be the future of the United States, but in the end, what they can do will be limited. And you and I will make it that way.”

Perhaps Bush still had a conscience, so he swallowed the words that the forced metric system was not the end.

“You really are a great person, Mr. President, to the end.”

Half of it was sincere, and half of it was irony. The former does not need to be explained, but the latter was an unconscious desire to rest now. That’s because Andrew Card was already approaching middle age when Bush took office.

Now he was 61 years old. If the chief of staff was an ordinary member of society, it would not be strange if he had already retired. In fact, he resigned in 2006. In the case of the original history, he resigned for political reasons, but in the case of the chief of staff standing next to Bush now, he was trying to resign because he was afraid that he would not live his life due to overwork.

Of course, it was Bush who stopped it. He succeeded in dragging this loyal chief of staff, who was trying to run away on his own, to the very end. Bush had his own selfishness that he didn’t want to die alone, but in reality, he had a way of handling things that was specialized for people like Bush who were arbitrary.

Well, until then, either Bush’s mind was moved after sufficient consultation and discussion, or Card’s mind was moved, but since 2001, Bush had been unilaterally moving everything.

Anyway, Bush, who was reminded of the fact by the chief of staff’s words, seemed to be pricked by his conscience, and he stuttered and hesitated in a way that was unlike him, and then opened his mouth.

“Would you like to resign and step down now?”

“Now?”

“I was just saying.”

The chief of staff swallowed the word ‘bland’ and remained silent. Then, when the documents related to the forced metric system gradually disappeared and the weight was reduced to the point where it could be easily lifted with one hand, he opened his mouth again.

“Still, it’s a pretty good job, except for the boss’s daily tyranny.”

“……Does that mean I’m a son of a bitch?”

“Of course not. How can a son of a bitch do such a great job? If you have to pick, you’re the greatest dog in the world.”

Bush, feeling something strange, had the words ‘But you’re still a dog?’ rising to his throat, but he held them back. Then, all he said in the end was.

“White wouldn’t like it very much.”

That was all he said.