I love seeing people come to their senses. I wonder when (if ever) the rest will awake from their ideological nightmares.
[quote=“The American Conservative: GOP Must Go”]
It should surprise few readers that we think a vote that is seen—in America and the world at large—as a decisive “No” vote on the Bush presidency is the best outcome. We need not dwell on George W. Bush’s failed effort to jam a poorly disguised amnesty for illegal aliens through Congress (actually, one of the few things I think he’s gotten right) or the assaults on the Constitution carried out under the pretext of fighting terrorism or his administration’s endorsement of torture. Faced on Sept. 11, 2001 with a great challenge, President Bush made little effort to understand who had attacked us and why—thus ignoring the prerequisite for crafting an effective response. He seemingly did not want to find out, and he had staffed his national-security team with people who either did not want to know or were committed to a prefabricated answer.
[…] The war will continue as long as Bush is in office, for no other reason than the feckless president can’t face the embarrassment of admitting defeat. The chain of events is not complete: Bush, having learned little from his mistakes, may yet seek to embroil America in new wars against Iran and Syria.
Meanwhile, America’s image in the world, its capacity to persuade others that its interests are common interests, is lower than it has been in memory. All over the world people look at Bush and yearn for this country—which once symbolized hope and justice—to be humbled. The professionals in the Bush administration (and there are some) realize the damage his presidency has done to American prestige and diplomacy. But there is not much they can do.
There may be little Americans can do to atone for this presidency, which will stain our country’s reputation for a long time. But the process of recovering our good name must begin somewhere, and the logical place is in the voting booth this Nov. 7. If we are fortunate, we can produce a result that is seen—in Washington, in Peoria, and in world capitals from Prague to Kuala Lumpur—as a repudiation of George W. Bush and the war of aggression he launched against Iraq.[…][/quote]
ring-ring, ring-ring Hello. Hello? Gentlemen, this is your wake up call. Hello? Are you there?
Not taking THAT call. We saw the alternative before 911. We have seen the alternative with regard to Europe and its use of “soft” power. Any time you notice any great accomplishments at the UN or courtesy of European negotiations, be sure and let me know and I will think about changing my mind. In the meantime, I pray that Bush takes out Syria. I pray that Bush works actively to overthrow the regime in Iran. I pray that the next terrorist cell that pops up gets a nice welcoming gift via cruise missile.
Yes, the world is united in its dislike of Bush and for that we have to thank the core of journalists all over the world who have united to present to us the gross abuses of Abu Ghraib and the alleged abuses of Guantanamo while remaining dead silent on the abuses that are occuring with far greater frequency elsewhere lest they be expelled from the country where they are reporting OR have themselves roughed up a bit or maybe even worse. Yes, the courage and fortitude of the pampered journalistic corps in their five-star hotels is truly a heart-warming spectacle. We should have understood what was coming after they produced the endless staged photographs from the Palestinian conflict.
It ain’t easy being No. 1 but it sure beats having the future that Europe seems to have assured itself, becoming a Third World multiculturally confused grouping of nations with an ascendant Islam that will sweep its “concerns” aside and leave its prided tolerance in shreds. Luckily for Canada it falls in a very luck place geographically.
[quote]PHOTOGRAPHS of German soldiers holding up a bleached skull, apparently of an Afghan fighter, sparked outrage across Berlin yesterday as the Government debated the scope of future deployments overseas.
Reaction to the pictures, published in the mass-circulation newspaper Bild, could tip the public mood against further German military missions abroad.[/quote]
[quote]One picture shows the skull balanced on the headlight of an armoured car.
In another, two soldiers are sitting on the bonnet of a Mercedes jeep with the skull jammed on to a cable-cutting device.
Most shocking is the image of a soldier holding his penis next to the mouth of the skull. [/quote]
[quote]I meant noone here on F.com
It seems to be a non-issue as long as we can’t beat up Bush for it.[/quote]
Exactly. Or maybe it’s just because the German government has been dealing it from the moment it became known, without trying to ignore it or trying to cover it up even. Most soldiers have already been identified and some were disciplined.
Are you suggesting that the US did not investigate allegations of torture, abuse or inappropriate behavior? tried to cover it up? Got any proof of that? As I recall, the media interest in Abu Ghraib came a full year after the army had started investigating the case and those involved were eventually duly tried, sentenced and punished.
Nice to see, however, that we can rely on Rascal for the usual double standards. Regardless of whether the German government was doing anything about the matter, I certainly would have expected shrill condemnation from Rascal regarding the outrage. No? Oh well, surprise surprise surprise… NOT!
As to me, sorry, but kicking around a skull… Ain’t high on my list of gross abuses. Threatening a kid with a gun. That is different. Overall, I am completely satisfied with the German government’s approach and its efforts to handle the matter. No criticism of the German government from me. Just interested in the non-responses of certain posters who shall remain nameless, right Rascal? haha
[quote]I am outraged, I am outraged. I condemn the behaviour.
Was that shrill enough?[/quote]
Actually, it was just fine. haha Seriously, I have absolutely no beef with the German government on this whatsoever and I think that it is handling the matter with the utmost sensitivity and propriety. You know me though. How could I stand by and not make at least an effort to rattle Rascal’s cage.
Also, Fredfest V is going to be East Prussian Hunting Festival Dec. 9. Wanna come? The number of anti-Bush posters will clearly outnumber the core group of staunch Republicans.
Fine Fred, go ahead and parade your cultural insensitivity around again. Personally I am outraged too. I mean, didn’t those verdammten Schweinehunds know that in the Middle East it is the custom to cut off heads of living enemeeeees when you want to make a political statement?
They will get their due though. I bet they will be sentenced to sensitivity classes, 60 hours minimum (if not I will cut someone’s head off, I swear).
Anyhow, more serious again:
You want to quote this as an excu … I mean justification for invading Iraq? “Latest Rationale: Immigration was mishandled in Europe, thus Saddam had to be removed”? Or were these just unconnected ramblings to distract from U.S. misfortunes when handling the Mid East?
Well, given that you see the sollution for domestic problems of Western Europe in invading Iraq I am surprised you even found Canada on a map.
When someone makes a move
Of which we don’t approve,
Who is it that always intervenes?
U.N. and O.A.S.,*
They have their place, I guess,
But first - send the Marines!
We’ll send them all we’ve got,
John Wayne and Randolph Scott;
Remember those exciting fighting scenes?
To the shores of Tripoli,
But not to Mississippoli,
What do we do? We send the Marines!
For might makes right,
And till they’ve seen the light,
They’ve got to be protected,
All their rights respected,
Till somebody we like can be elected.
Members of the corps
All hate the thought of war;
They’d rather kill them off by peaceful means.
Stop calling it aggression,
Ooh, we hate that expression!
We only want the world to know
That we support the status quo.
They love us everywhere we go,
So when in doubt,
Send the Marines!
Btw Fred - after we got your “no comment” on “What was my oppinion of Saddam before he became ze enemy” … is it save to assume that we get the same regarding the question “What have failures of European immigration policies to do with the invasion of Iraq?”
I have not the faintest idea what you are talking about. First, Saddam was never our “friend” and was often our “enemy.” We cooperated with him during the Iran-Iraq War during the early 1980s out of necessity as we have done with the Soviets against the Germans, etc. etc. I see no reason why this should be incessantly raised as some “gotcha” moment. It merely reveals the lack of understanding among the poster about the unfortunate realities of real-world compromise. That is all. Was there something else?
Well, for sure no explaination what this yap-yap about “Europe has a problem with immigrants” has to do with Iraqi Freedom or the topic at hand.
Shall we just out it down to your usual smoke-screen and vague fear-mongering in your feeble attempts to make the misabventure in Iraq look half as bad?
I agree with the assertion that was made earlier and am therefore writing to reiterate that support because it relates directly to my position which has always been that I support the view that the position that was discussed is the one that has relevance here. I think we need to agree on that before we move ahead or this discussion cannot in my view progress. So do you agree that the position should be supported or should it not? It is THAT simple. You have to decide if that position is the one that is relevant to this discussion before this discussion can proceed as to the merits or demerits of supporting that position. Do you understand? So, let’s cut to the chase. Tell me in plain English with no Germanisms whether you agree that the position is relevant and that support of that position has been my position relative to this discussion.
No, not relevant. Question is … why did you think it was?
“Europe has bad immigration policies” - “Invasion of Iraq” … connection? Relevance?
Not the first time you refer to that European issue in discussions about U.S. policies in the Middle East. You really that desperate these days when it comes to finding support for those misadventures?
Btw … how did you find Canada on a map? I am still surprised.
Let me explain it to you… The entire post was gibberish, nonsense, garbled… There was no assertion clearly defined so the entire exercise was one in jabbering. I thought you would get that… You did not… I am disappointed. I guess I will have to look to Stray Dog for intellectual conversation… haha
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