Where Have the "Armies of Compassion" Gone?

President George W. Bush shocked European allies of the United States last week when he announced that Iran's persistence in pursuing nuclear weapons could lead to World War III. He was quick to mention that the US is still seeking a diplomatic resolution to the conflict, but maintained that all options are on the table.

Despite the belief that a strong national defense is what's best in the long run, the conservative movement has never been about outright and unprovoked attack. If you'll recall, conservatives helped to propel Bush into office in 2000 mostly because he referred to himself as a "Compassionate Conservative" who wanted to lead not just one, but many "Armies of Compassion" both here and around the world.

As early as 2005, conservatives began to turn on Bush. Fred Barnes, a conservative who writes for The Daily Standard, listed a number of reasons why. Summed up, he says Bush isn't a conventional conservative and has grown arrogant since winning re-election. Bush has also ceased his courtship with conservatives and has all but legitimized media reports about a growing feeling of disenfranchisement from conservative politicians. Finally, his nomination of Harriet Miers for Supreme Court Justice provoked deep anger among conservatives who believed she would not further the conservative agenda.

While Barnes made his points in 2005, they are just as valid today, if not more so. Barnes predicted the conservative revolt would continue and it has. I'll pick up the mantle by looking at Bush's comments last week and asking one simple question: "Whatever happened to the "Armies of Compassion?"