DES MOINES, Iowa — This was supposed to be the week when Jeb Bush finally would lay out his own thoughts on how to combat the Islamic State and put Hillary Clinton on the defensive — and wrest himself away from his family legacy in the process. But over several days, it has become evident that his ideas on the subject are remarkably similar to George W. Bush’s ideas.
His new struggles with the issue also come as he is fading in polls and being drowned out by the angry outsiders dominating the race.
According to Bush this week, the removal of Saddam Hussein from power “turned out to be a pretty good deal.” The 2007 troop surge was “an extraordinarily effective” strategy. By the time his brother left office, he said, the “mission was accomplished” in Iraq because security had been restored.
Bush also said he won’t rule out waterboarding in the interrogation of terrorism suspects, although he added, “I do think in general that torture is not appropriate.”
The Washington Post
