A Much-Needed Reminder and Reality Check

White House ^ | 7/14/06 | VP Dick Cheney

[Coop]

Vice President's Remarks on War on Terror at AEI (July '03)

This worldwide campaign began after the attacks of September 11th, 2001... We lost more people that morning than were lost at Pearl Harbor... the merest glimpse of the violence terrorists are willing to inflict on this country. They desire to kill as many Americans [and others] as possible, with the most destructive weapons they can obtain. They target the innocent as a means of spreading chaos and fear, and to shake our national resolve. This enemy holds no territory, defends no population, is unconstrained by rules of warfare, and respects no law of morality. Such an enemy cannot be deterred, contained, appeased, or negotiated with. It can only be destroyed, and that's the business at hand.

For decades, terrorists have attacked Americans - and we remember every act of murder, including 17 Americans killed in 1983 by a truck bomb at our embassy in Beirut; and 241 servicemen murdered in their sleep in Beirut; an elderly man in a wheelchair, shot and thrown into the Mediterranean; a sailor executed in a hijacking; two of our soldiers slain in Berlin; a Marine lieutenant colonel kidnapped and murdered in Lebanon; 189 Americans killed on a PanAm flight over Scotland; six people killed at the 1993 World Trade Center bombing; 19 military personnel killed at the Khobar Towers; 12 Americans killed at our embassies in East Africa; 17 sailors murdered on the USS Cole; and an American diplomat shot dead in Jordan...

And something else is different about this new era: Our response to terrorism has changed, because George W. Bush is President of the United States. For decades, terrorists have waged war against this country. Now, under the leadership of President Bush, America is waging war against them.

[Coop]

We're coming up on five years since the 9/11 attacks, and given the escalation in Middle East violence I thought we could all use Dick Cheney's poignant words to put things into perspective. While directed more toward Americans, it really applies to all freedom-loving people. His entire speech is well worth the read.

[goldstategop]

Someone should ask the Vice President why the Defense Department extended Geneva Convention protections to who would chop off the heads of our captured troops. The other side doesn't take prisoners.

(Go Israel, Go! Slap Down Em Hezbullies!)

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Great post as usual, Coop.

[Coop]

Ping

[Coop]

I knew it wouldn't take someone long. People here just can't help relieving themselves at the most inopportune moments.

[Lurker]

I have no problem with applying the GC to the folks at Gitmo.

Properly done the executions can start on Monday morning at dawn.

L

[SJackson]

This enemy holds no territory, defends no population, is unconstrained by rules of warfare, and respects no law of morality. Such an enemy cannot be deterred, contained, appeased, or negotiated with. It can only be destroyed, and that's the business at hand.

Can you believe Condi said that?

[SJackson]

Not only is it an old statement, the old geezer is 65 already.

Personally, he'd be at the top of my who I'd like to vote for list for 2008.

[SJackson]

If you'd like to be on this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

High Volume. Articles on Israel can also be found by clicking on the Topic or Keyword Israel.

also Keywords 2006israelwar or WOT [War on Terror]

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[SJackson]

I have no problem with applying the GC to the folks at Gitmo. Properly done the executions can start on Monday morning at dawn.

OK for now, but in the future that won't work. As illegal combatants, they are entitled to a court martial, but detention to execution might only be a matter of days. They won't have time to enjoy the food at Gitmo, or get their complimentary Korans.

As an aside, post wwii I understand the Brits used a guillotine on the wolfwhatever resistance members they caught fighting out of uniform. That would be a nice touch.

[jan in Colorado]

Such an enemy cannot be deterred, contained, appeased, or negotiated with. It can only be destroyed, and that's the business at hand.

[Lurker]

As illegal combatants, they are entitled to a court martial

Fine. Give it to them.

but detention to execution might only be a matter of days

A week, tops.

post wwii I understand the Brits used a guillotine on the wolfwhatever resistance members they caught fighting out of uniform.

The German Werewolf Resistance was dealth with even more harshly by the Soviets. They executed whole villages for even a single act of resistance.

L

[RushCrush]

Great post and great question.

[no-to-illegals]

He (our Vice President, Mr. Cheney) certainly has the experience for the office of President. I would vote in the affirmative if he entered the quest for the office.

[Coop]

It was a ridiculous question. The DoD did no such thing. Go find your precious little source article. In the first para, you'll have your "great" question answered. DoD and the VP had nothing to do with it. But we couldn't let slide a chance to throw a dart or two, could we?

[Fred Nerks]

[Coop]

Freedom - something we all too often take for granted.

[Southack]

[jan in Colorado]

Nice graphic Fred!

[sheik yerbouty]

"Why We Fight!"