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The Economist also had a great article about all Bush has done in Africa--more than any President before, and has done it quietly, without making a lot of hoopla about it. He's done a lot for global aids and malaria prevention, and his administration has tied aid to improvements in governance through the Millennium Challenge Corporation. Millennium Challenge also gives the aid to the recipient based on plans THEY submit, not ones we cram down their throats. In other words, Liberia (say) says they want to fix the road infrastructure from X to Y, not us telling them they will do what we think they should do with the money. This makes it THEIR project and give them a much bigger stake in the success of the project while the US stays in the background.

The common theme with Bush that I think runs through all of his policies is that he's really a global meliorist like Woodrow Wilson. I really think he believes he is spreading democracy and freedom, in this case in Africa and in another case in Iraq. I'm really surprised that liberals and progressives can't get past their blind hatred of the man and at least respect this aspect of him and maybe agree with some of his motives if not his methods. But I guess that's American politics for you. You can't be civil or admire any trait of your opponent or show him respect.

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