Posted on 08/16/2005 7:13:40 AM PDT by Brigadier
``We set out to establish a democracy, but we're slowly realizing we will have some form of Islamic republic,'' said another US official familiar with policymaking from the beginning.
(Excerpt) Read more at thestandard.com.hk ...
Talk to the Guard members there on their 2nd round.
I am a mom to a career Navy and a mom in law to a career Air force that was pulling the dead and maimed US military out of the bombed cars and buildings in Iraq trying to save their lives . She was not thrilled to be there. It was her job and she did it.
How many family members do YOU have CURRENTLY in the military? In Iraq ?
Howlin, you're always welcome to ping me no matter the reason.
If giving money and aiding the terrorists is worthy of invasion maybe the President needs to stop holding hands with the Saudis on his ranch and launch a rocket their way instead
Another 'mom who says no'?
I believe Sheehan has a tent and some fine, homemade granola for folk just like you.
According to Robert Spencer of DhimmieWatch/JihadWatch, Indonesia is also moving toward a more conservative form of Islam (which brings with it Militancy) and Indonesia is already shifting to Sharia (which removes human rights and installs a medieval form of governance).
Pakistan is ruled (tenuously) by a strongman and is still a hotbed of world terrorism because of its Madrassas. And Turkey (while a democracy) holds Islam at bay using violence (which, frankly, I approve of since I think Islam is the world's greatest problem at present).
With regard to Iraq, I don't second guess the decision to go in there one bit. It was completely necessary. However, with 20/20 hindsight I can see that there is a great chance that "real" Islam will creep back in. Looks like the only way for the problem to be handled is for the U.S. to say, "hey, we got rid of Saddam for you, and we are not just gonna pack and leave this joint so the likes of Muktada Al Sadr and other thugs can take over. Ergo, we ain't leaving." After all, we stayed in Japan and Germany until they had a real democracy set up.
Bottom line, I think "real" Islam is the enemy (I define real Islam as the Islam practiced by serious muslims...the Islam of the Quran and Mohammed...not some watered-down Western form of Islam). And real Islam only understands force. I am one of those who think that Islam has declared war on the Judeo/Christian world (1,400 years ago) and they will not stop until the west is converted or dead. The goal of Islam is now and has always been a "world caliphate." Any real muslim, if were honest, would tell you that.
I see the Dixie Chicks have an account on Freerepublic...
Tell that to Kuwait. The reason that we invaded Iraq was because Saddam violated the terms of the cease fire after we kicked his raping, looting, and murdering army out of Kuwait.
Today the country is overwhelmed with terrorists that are MOTIVATED by our presence in the mid east.
It is not "overwhelmed with terrorists". They are not fighting because WE are there; they are fighting because they are no longer in control of the government, and they want that control back.
It is more a Terrorists training ground now than ever before. WE gave them motivation.
That is absolute nonsense. The people of Iraq are sick of the terrorists. You need to get your information from somebody other than Teddy Kennedy.
Because of that war more money is pouring into the coffers than ever.
More nonsense. They are suffering a severe funding problem, the likes of which they have never seen. Just because you say something, that doesn't make it so.
I have heard they do not know if "elections' in Afghanistan can be held as planned because of all the NEW foreign terrorists flooding in there.
You heard this where? You need to stop listening to the "voices" in your head.
Bush has opened a Pandora's box, and try as he may I do not think he will be able to stuff it all back in. We are now between a rock and hard place, staying is a catastrophe and leaving would be unthinkable because of what we will leave behind.
Get back on your meds. Staying is not a "catastrophe", it is necessary until the Iraqis can take care of themselves. That time is getting ever closer. Leaving right now would be unthinkable, because we would be leaving the Iraqi people at the mercy of their neighbors. Those neighbors are the ones supplying the arms, funding, and personnel for terrorism.
So now we threaten Iran with the military option.
Iran is attempting to build nuclear weapons for the specific purpose of attacking Israel and the US. They have made this very clear. If they continue to pursue this course, they will likely face the military option.
And what is your ideas for peace in the middle east, appeasement?
Bush helps an old man up the steps, and you want to bomb them?
Warmonger.
Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation [I could be wrong] is moving steadily towards democracy.
Look at their last election. The Islamist parties got their heads handed to them, same goes for Malaysia.
Well put!
They had security--if they didn't cross the regime, the same kind of security that Stalinist Russia enjoyed, the security that prisoners in a minimum security prison enjoy.
Where were you between December 3 2001, and September 17 2004?
And where have you been since September 17, 2004?
Neo-cons, hunh?
Hmm.. I know someone you'll get along with famously:
"Am I emotional? Yes, my first born was murdered. Am I angry? Yes, he was killed for lies and for a PNAC Neo-Con agenda to benefit Israel."
"My son joined the Army to protect America, not Israel."
"Am I stupid? No, I know full-well that my son, my family, this nation, and this world were betrayed by a George Bush who was influenced by the neo-con PNAC agenda after 9/11."
http://tinyurl.com/8jcbw
"My first born was killed violently for a neo-con agenda that only benefits a very chosen few in this world."
http://tinyurl.com/avwer
“George Bush and his neo-conservatives killed my son.”
http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/Printable.asp?ID=17915
Her name is Cindy Sheehan
OK, so all of the ugly stuff about Sadaam was made up by the US? I guess all the dead Kurds were just a figment of our imagination. All those young women who disappeared after a night of bliss with Sadaam or his sons are actually lounging somewhere in luxury in the Middle East. All those women who were gang-raped by Sadaam's Baathist henchman for whatever reason truly wanted it?
THINK woman!
++You need a history lesson.++
The Reagan administration sent "special ambassador" Donald Rumsfeld to meet with Saddam to improved relations with Iraq in 1983 and 1984. It dropped Iraq from the list of nations sponsoring terror, renewed diplomatic ties, and provided intelligence and aid to Iraq to prevent its defeat by Iran.
The U.S. tried to build up Saddam Hussein as the new western strongman in the Gulf. In 1988 and 1989 , the U.S. government approved licenses to U.S. firms to sell biological products to the Iraqi Atomic Energy Agency and electronics equipment to Iraqi missile-producing plants. Other Western allies, like Britain and France, also helped to arm Saddam.
But when Iraq invaded and annexed Kuwait in 1990 that relationship ended. If you remember at the time Saddam said he believed that he has US permission to do that .
We have a history of doing what we think is in the US best interest and having it explode in our face ( Castro another example)
Bush's program to establish a constitutional democracy in the heart of Arab culture was always a long shot. But it was the morally right thing to do, and it it is succeding better than I might have expected.
If Islamism triumphs over democracy (or Westernism actually) then we will have to kill them all or be killed or convert ot Islam.
Somehow I think that you, Brigadier, are akin to Cindy Sheehan, and would welcome the death of "Neocons." Shameful.
I think that question was answered on Jan. 30th
I think you mean Kuwait (remember that ?)
Yeah, I think that a republic is what we've had in mind from the start. Democracies tend to have short, violent lifespans. People need to start understanding the difference.
People think that just because it says Islamic Republic it equals Iran, and the media does nothing to dispel that idear. China calls itself a republic too. So did the Soviet union. Oh, so do we.
Are there any functioning "democracies" in the world? I don't know of any. Or are parliamentary governments like England and ??? "democracies". Actually I DO know that England is a Constitutional Monarchy, which more or less makes it a Republic AFAIK.
Don't lets let the rats fool us, it's just another line of attack. F'n bastards are trying to get us all killed. I'll never understand why. They'll be the first to go.
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