Laura Bush visits a classroom for women trainees at a police training academy in the Bamiyan Province, Afghanistan, June, 2008. (SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)
by Mark Silva
First Lady Laura Bush, who has waged a considerable amount of personal diplomacy in Afghanistan, says that she hopes to pursue work there after her husband leaves office - perhaps in conjunction with the research institute that President Bush plans at his presidential library at the first lady's alma mater.
"I'll stay involved, and I hope I'll have a chance to stay involved through the presidential library,'' Laura Bush says in an interview that FOX News Channel will air this evening on Special Report with Brit Hume. FOX's Wendel Goler interviewed Laura Bush, who says, "I hope I'll have the chance to go back.
""I think Afghanistan needs a very strong commitment from the international community to help in the ways that we can help them build infrastructure,'' the first lady says in the interview. "They need roads. They need schools. They need hospitals. They need medical centers. They need all the things that can help them build the infrastructure that will allow them to have an economy that can help grow their people out of -- out of poverty."
The urgency of the battle in Afghanistan also has come to the forefront of the presidential election contest, with both Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama supporting additional troops there - and Obama contending that the Bush administration took its eye off the real front in the war on terror, Afghanistan, with the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. McCain maintains that it is "two-front war.''
""I know the United States will stay involved.,'' Laura Bush says. "I know that, no matter who's elected president in November and is inaugurated next January, that the United States will keep its commitment."
The Bush presidential library planned at Southern Methodist University in Dallas will include a research institute devoted to Bush's policies. This has made the library controversial among many leaders in the Methodist Church, which owns the campus where Laura Bush was schooled, with many opposed to the war in Iraq.
Bush authorized an invasion of Afghanistan soon after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, which was planned by al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, who had supported the Taliban in Afghanistan and was believed to be operating there. Bin Laden remains at large, and the security situation in Afghanistan has largely deterioated.
"It takes time,'' Laura Bush says of Afghanistan's rebuilding. "I mean, look how long it took us in the United States. And we had the very perfect document, the perfect Constitution. And it took us so long to -- and we still everyday have to work on making sure our country is what we want it to be."
Asked about the potential for "backsliding'' in Afghanistan, particularly for women who were denied rights under the Taliban and have found them under the government of Hamid Karzai, Bush says: "That's right.. I met this group of women, parliamentarians, and they're -- and women teachers. And they're afraid...they're afraid they'll be targeted... But on the other hand, lots and lot of girls are in school. Lots of women are teaching. And they're -- and obviously, there are women members of parliament. There's a woman governor. And they're making strides."
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Comments
Boy Laura Bush really brings Class to the white house and the Republcian Party. But as Classy as she is, McCain is a train wreck of a candidate. Could you imagine McCain even having enough energy to run your local Mcdonalds. Seriously. Think about it next time your in line watching the Mcdonalds manager run around taking orders and shouting orders. McCain couldnt do it. So I ask You, how will McCain be president??? Looks as though the RNC got behind the wrong candidate and they will pay for it., Guess they should of let the primary season play out without trying to minupulate the outcome. My candidate lost, my vp isnt going to be on the ticket. Wow bummer. Good news is i think McCain is just about done, I wouldnt doubt the GOP ditch him at the last second and run a younger more charasmatic charachter. They could site his Cancer scare as the reason. I dont doubt that they will, Becuase he is becoming more unelectable by the day, with gaff after gaff. Did you see him knock all that stuff off the shelf at the supermarket. the video is at http://www.mccanes.com all the while barack obama is looking like an NBA super star, (arrogence and all) even taking time to stop and have a cigar break video at http://www.theobamaplan.com I mean really what is the GOP going to do. McCain cannot win at this point and we havnt even started the debates.
Posted by: Paul | July 29, 2008 1:49 PM
From posting on the Swamp for over 2 years...it's funny how those on the left have been talking about finishing the war in Afghanistan and now people are falling in line with the same idea. Just 2 years too late.
Posted by: bill "Hussein" r. | July 29, 2008 2:08 PM
Laura Bush says: "we had the very perfect document, the perfect Constitution."
Which her husband with the complicity of Congressional Republicans and the supreme court has tried to trash.
Posted by: athena | July 29, 2008 2:26 PM
As usual, the clueless of the most clueless and the classless of the most classless (the Loons on the Left) write their drivel in an item that is about one of the best First Ladies this country has ever had.
Posted by: John D | July 29, 2008 3:08 PM
John D, are we supposed to prostrate ourselves when Laura Bush is mentioned, or will a deep bow from the waist suffice? We certainly wouldn't want to show a lack of proper deference to the nobility like Lady Laura. It's not like this is a democracy or anything.
Posted by: Peasant | July 29, 2008 4:41 PM
I fully support and understand Laura's desire to find work that will get her out of the house after George retires.
Posted by: Quippy | July 29, 2008 5:47 PM
Hey, Laura, we in this Republic, need roads, bridges, schools, health care, energy, not tax breaks for the wealthy, you should have showed up in the Senate, instead of Afganistan. whiteagle38
Posted by: Whiteagle38 | July 29, 2008 10:28 PM
I have always liked Laura Bush. She has some very fine qualities to admire.
I think the one that is sometimes overlooked, is her ability to stand back when her husband is in the spotlight. She recognizes the hard work that he has put into> where he's gotten, and she shows that by her actions.
I think that is one of the things that gives Cindy McCain her appeal as well. She doesn't try and hog the attention that her husband is getting. She proudly shows her support by standing beside him in his endeavors and I'm sure these men do the same for their wives.
The otherside could learn from this, or have they already?! Michelle got a much needed publicly named RE-INVENTION. Prior, I was seeing clips of her out front, and center, doing most of the talking and controling things to the point it was unappealing to those watching. I saw one clip where she was actually walking way out ahead of her husband, leading the group somewhere in a bold way.
The opportunities woman have been afforded in moving ahead and finding their dreams in life, were a good thing, but something that was missed in all those new teachings, was that MEN, still existed, and they deserve to have the respect that we want them to show us. A double standard, in Mainstream anyways has been shown to be a turn off.
Posted by: Teresa | July 30, 2008 5:14 AM
Teresa on Cindy M: "She doesn't try and hog the attention that her husband is getting. She proudly shows her support by standing beside him in his endeavors and I'm sure these men do the same for their wives."
No, John just calls her filthy names in front of the press, while using her millions to fund his campaign, That's the way he supports his wife. Not to mention the FIRST Mrs. McCain. She was too disabled and not wealthy enough to support his plans.
Posted by: athena | July 30, 2008 9:36 AM
"I saw one clip where she was actually walking way out ahead of her husband, leading the group somewhere in a bold way. "
Oh my Gosh, she didn't walk three steps behind her husband? That bra-burning libber hussy!. Any propoer woman knows to follow her husband meekly and quietly, right Teresa? After all they're the boss and we're just their maidservants.
Posted by: Emily Post | July 30, 2008 10:08 AM
I haven't heard McCain speak like that to Cindy. I am not saying couples don't snap at eachother, I hardly think anyone is perfect, especially in times of heavy traffic ha ha ha.
I would hardly hold it against McCain after coming back from being held captive for all those years, and his wife going thru her own ordeal and them not making it. I give them both credit for trying for 7 years before they gave up.
I;ve never said a woman can't be her own person. We have all these opportunities, BUT, when it's your husbands opportunity, you support him, not try and drown him out. Michelle was saying some things that were not helping her husbands case he was trying to make to the US. They did the right thing taking her out of the lime light. There is no shame in being a homemaker. Right?
Posted by: Teresa Halter | July 30, 2008 2:21 PM