Posted on 09/11/2001 9:00:04 PM PDT by Pokey78
Edited on 09/03/2002 4:49:18 AM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]
This is not crime. This is war. One of the reasons there are terrorists out there capable and audacious enough to carry out the deadliest attack on the United States in its history is that, while they have declared war on us, we have in the past responded (with the exception of a few useless cruise missile attacks on empty tents in the desert) by issuing subpoenas.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
I despise Charles Krauthammer, but he nailed this one on the head.
Thank you for saying what I have been saying for 20 years and repeating incessantly today. War, not Miranda rights, not OJ juries, not innocent until proven guilty, not this court will recess until 1 o'clock, not objections your honor, not ACLU, not some some silly constitutional amendment, war, my fellow small l libertarians. It's high time we distinguished between the things just mentioned and war. This is and has been war.
W hiding behind Karen Hughes's skirts was very nearly as despicable as Slick hiding behind Janet Reno after they torched eighty men, women, and children at Waco.
W is every bit as bad as we had feared.
death to allah!! (which means death to the people who take their 'death to America' seriously)
This is precisely the argument that Krauthammer is ridiculing. If the passports of the hijackers on those jets were issued by the Afghani government, then W must convene Congress, demand a declaration of war, obtain a declaration of war, and then go on world-wide television to inform the civilian population of Afghanistan that they have 24 hours to evacuate their cities, after which time said cities will cease to exist.
With due respect to Mr. Krauthammer (who is always spot on), I don't see how flying planes into 3 buildings (even three very important buildings like the WTC and the Pentagon) could possibly bring America to its knees. Given this, the attack seems senseless. There seems to have been no strategic purpose behind the attack, except to kill as many innocent people as possible in as public a way as possible. Thus, in intent and effect, the act was a symbolic act of madmen. In fact, the only thing that has been accomplished by the attack is to focus America's resolve in destroying terrorism and the terrorists who carry it out. So perhaps someone could explain, given the deviousness with which the attack was carried out, how could people so tactically clever, engage in an action that will have such dire strategic consequences for them and their goals?
You are an idiot. President Bush was in the hands of the Secret Service.
W is every bit as bad as we had feared.
President Bush has acted masterfully. Your WE must be the wee willard in your pants.
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But Krauthammer's point, which is a point I've been trying to make to my friends and family all day, is that in war you don't ask for permission to kill your enemy. Truman didn't place a long distance call to Tokyo and ask, "Mr. Tojo, may I please have your permission to wipe Hiroshima and Nagasaki from the face of the earth?"
Krauthammer's exactly right: Colin Powell is wrong.
GW could replace Powell any day and I wouldn't shed one tear. At best, he's pedestrian and lackluster. Today was not one of Powell's best...either infuse him with testosterone, hide him in back of a state department closet or replace him.
Ask Tojo the same question re: Pearl Harbor. Ask Hitler the same question re: attack on USSR. Ask the Dems re: nomination of algore.
Stupid is as stupid does. Evil is as evil does. Scorpions sting because they can, it is their nature.
WHEN they get nukes, they will use them. They have shown that today. The only question is, will we stop them now, or wait for the nuke.
Our response to today's act of war should be of sufficient force as to convince 'a group like that' not to even think about using nukes.
W is every bit as bad as we had feared.
Oh please!!! Would a Clintonesque performance, biting his lip, forcing out some crocodile tears, and telling us he feels our pain, have made you feel better?? It was obvious that GWB was taking the advice of his security/military advisors in keeping his whereabouts secret. He addressed the nation twice, not live, but it's hard to imagine everything that must have been going on in Air Force One. There has never been an incident like this on American soil, ever.
Personally, I felt secure knowing that the President was in constant contact with Cheney, cabinet members, etc. AND that he was in a safe location.
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