Thompson sees 'bigger picture' in Bhutto slaying-'This is a war, a clash of civilizations

Worldnetdaily ^ | December 27, 2007 | Jerome R. Corsi

[SJackson]

Reacting to the assassination of former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson told WND, "This is a war, a clash of civilizations." Thompson, commenting at the FAIR talk radio row in Des Moines, Iowa, said he suspected al-Qaida was responsible for the attack.

"The chance that a secular woman had a possibility of ascending to power in Pakistan drove the more radical Islamic elements in the country to violence," Thompson said.

The former Tennessee senator said the Bhutto assassination was "part of a much larger picture."

"This is an international war we are engaged in," he emphasized. "Bhutto's assassination is not a law enforcement matter. This is a global conflict, and al-Qaida wants to bring Western civilization to its knees."

[Phsstpok]

There was no violence at all before Bhutto went back, obviously!

Darn, darn, darn, darn, darn, darn, darn, darn, darn, darn, darn, darn, darn, darn...

I was all set with a snotty post challenging the above, involving snarky alussions to your recent sign up date, aspersions on your character and even suggestions about your identity, with lot's of hints about kittys, lightening bolts and vikings...

And it started off so well, too...

And your silly comment has anything to do with what Fred Thompson said because..... ?

and then I did a foolish thing and looked up your recent posts in the forum...

Darn, darn, darn, darn, darn, darn, darn, darn, darn, darn, darn, darn, darn, darn...

The above question about relevance to what Fred said still stands, but this is a preemptive apology for what I was thinking of posting to go along with it.

I'm out of practice from having not posted much in several weeks.  I've been under the weather and under big year end pressure at work.  I shouldn't try posting anything "good" until I get back in practice.  My "shoot from the hip" judgement appears to be needing some tweaking. <g>

[Tarpon]

Chucklebee offers his condolences and apologies...

[rintense]

Oh I see. So in your daily life, you never come into contact with people who believe differently than you?

My priorities are just fine, thank you- the first of which is to not judge others and what they believe. But clearly you're a better person than I am.

[Mr. Mojo]

"Bhutto's assassination is not a law enforcement matter.."

Accurate slap at both the Dems and Ron Paul.

[Yaelle]

You have some excellent points. I hope the campaign is listening. I have great hopes for Fred, but I agree that he has NO HELP from the MSM to get his solid foreign policy credentials across. In some ways, his comments on the Bhutto assassination may help - how sad that it took such a tragedy to get a real good eyeful out there (if it’s even given airtime) of his knowledge and understanding of this World War we are in.

[Churchillspirit]

Excellent analysis.

[daylilly]

Here’s a link. Popular Mechanics has a book out on the subject. They interviewed a lot of engineers and also interviewed eyewitnesses. Some of the eyewitnesses were used as proof of conspiracy ideas, but when Popular Mechanics went back and interviewed them they disagreed with the conspiracy theories. I read the book. I don’t know if these links have all the information the book has.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/military_law/1227842.html

[Churchillspirit]

I like Hunter also, but he's not going to make it.

Me too.

Thompson/Hunter ticket.....Tennessee/California.

Would that work?

[daylilly]

This poster obviously doesn’t know very much about you or would not have said this. You have a good reputation for backbone and courage rintense. Where you live, it would be a stretch to find a like minded person.

Sunny doesn’t have any kind of reputation that I know of.

[Mr. Mojo]

I hear ya — an old buddy of mine believes in more than a few popular tinfoil conspiracy theories. ...chem trails (gov’t out to poison us all), 9/11 “inside job” BS, ETs with different agendas fighting each other for control of the planet. ...the works. Tried on numerous occasions to talk some sense into him, but no go.

But he’s still my old bud.

[Petronski]

That wasn’t “a” war. It was a series of wars separated by years of no military conflict; an era called the Cold War....That’s why it’s called the “Cold War.”

[counterpunch]

He has mentioned it several times, but you’re not going to hear from the MSM, which now includes FOX.

But he was speaking to Fox News live on the air today and didn't take the opportunity to mention his foreign policy or terrorism/proliferation credentials. You cannot blame the MSM or Fox news for that.

[Finny]

Thank you for your reply -- it was civil, sincere, well-thought, and truly appreciated. It also showed me the difference between a reply and an answer. I deduce that the simple answer to my question on the purpose of your post complaining about how Fred has waged his campaign: to vent your anger that he hasn't done and isn't doing it the way you think he should.

Now, if you were going to use that as evidence for people to doubt his ability to support him and join you in opting for another, "better" candidate, that would be one thing, even if I disagreed with it.

The purpose of your post accusing Thompson of "not campaigning until now" was, then, not to "discuss the issues" so as to suggest wiser alternatives that we can support, nor to recommend any actions that we can take to further our cause or try to prevent the encroachment of the opposition. Apparently, the only purpose of your post was to indulge your outrage. I can't dare to call you out on that, because I've done it myself often enough! We are both human.

Now I'll tell you the purpose of my post to you: to persuade you to rethink peoples' reasons for wanting to read Free Republic. I suppose it should go to FReepmail, but then again, maybe not -- I hope I've got company in my assessment of posts that are more about venting than sharing actionable ideas in the discussion of the issues and elections.

One of the things I'm grateful for this wonderful Christmas -- Free Republic, and that includes you, counterpunch! :^)

[Ghost of Philip Marlowe]

FT’s was the right response. Far better than HRC’s, where she used this tragic event to remind people of how much experience she has. Typical selfish C (that C stands for both C words).

[taildragger]

Yaelle, Thanks, I gave too. I hope more here on the “Freep” do as well.

[Oliver Optic]

Reading the link I thought he was saying he was sorry to hear she had been killed. If he misspoke and said he apologized for killing her I wouldn't read anymore into it than he's tired and goofed.

I'm not locked into any one candidate at this point. I'm not going to eliminate one for speaking poorly. In this instance I think Thompson made a better comment.

Hey, quit being rational and sensible around here.

[UKTory]

Lol!

It had no relevance really, that part just jumped out at me and tickled me a little. It’s the kind of thing that someone will say in an unscripted comment that would not get through in a prepared speech.

I’ve got some time on my hands today and was a little bored, so chuckled at that part. I’ve no excuse other than that really!

Of course, for real entertainment value, some of your other Presidential candidates offer more than Mr Thompson. Bill Richardson, for example, and his views on how to stabalise Pakistan at this time by overthrowing the government and seeing what happens then. Now that’s comedy!

[wmfights]

Hey, quit being rational and sensible around here.

LOL, thanks.

I don't know about others, but for me other than Paul or McCain, I will support any nominee vs. what the Rats are putting up. Right now I like Huckabee, Romney and Thompson. I wish Hunter were more in the mix though.

[sageb1]

If you remember correctly, he was cut short. I watched the segment too. Compare that with all the time FOX gave to McCain.

[counterpunch]

Actually, my reason is if enough people start talking about it, then maybe it might get the attention it deserves, including from the candidate himself.

As far as suggesting a back-up candidate for if (and when?) the wheels come off the red pickup truck, I have come to the conclusion that McCain would be the best choice if Republicans want to win in Iraq — and in November. McCain’s promise to veto every piece of legislation sent to him that contains pork is very enticing. None of the other issues really matter if our elected leaders can’t even get this most basic (and most broken) function of government right.