Jon Stewart explains the difference between Obama's and Bush's wars on terrorists

Jon Stewart explains the difference between Obama&#039;s and Bush&#039;s wars on terrorists

(Image credit: Daily Show)

last updated 8 January 2015

On Monday night's Daily Show, Jon Stewart celebrated the expansion of President Obama's anti-ISIS coalition to include 40 countries, including several Arab nations, despite the early griping from American punditry's "coalition of the kvetching" — Stewart included. But he had a bone to pick with the Obama administration's mixed messaging on whether the coalition is fighting a sustained counter-terrorism campaign or a "war," as well as its iffy legal justification for bombing Syria.

At the end, Stewart compares Team Obama's war on ISIS with George W. Bush's wars in the Middle East. "This really does point out the difference between the Bush and the Obama administrations," Stewart said. "The Bush administration was incredibly disciplined and focused when the time came to persuade this country to do the wrong thing, whereas the Obama administration would like us to do the right thing, in as chaotic and confused a way as possible." --Peter Weber

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.