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Article: Trooping to Bosnia: an ode to virtual democracy. (Pres. Clinton's consultation with Congress on deploying troops to Bosnia was largely symbolic)
- Article from:
- The Humanist
- Article date:
- May 1, 1996
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1996 American Humanist Association. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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In the distinctly postmodern Clinton presidency, where illusion has totally supplanted reality, promise is everything, performance nothing. Thus when the president said that he would seek congressional approval before committing U.S. troops to Bosnia--even as he let it be known that he would not feel bound by congressional rejection--he pretended to lead; Congress, voting with its feet, pretended to exercise responsible oversight; and we, the people, our civic and moral consciousness dulled by the Cold War, pretended to enjoy democracy.
What Clinton did with this show of contrived deference was the only thing he knows how to do. Acting not from a position of strength ...