Posted on 11/23/2006 8:26:38 PM PST by UnklGene
I have truly enjoyed your posts and just wanted to say thank you and welcome to FR.
Comment about GWB failing has to do with perception, not anything he believed or said. Only that he/they didn't stop popular opinion from desiring or expecting a one or two year flip.
I didn't say you were a leftest, just that your points are common among leftists, perhaps because they are simplistic half truths that many conservatives have a hard time answering.
1. Probably won't invade Iran, but if he or the next administration decides to, our military is in the right place. Invading Iran would have been far more difficult and bloody if we had not removed Saddam first. Invading Iraq first was and still is the right thing to have done no matter how much the pansies vetch about it.
2. Even with the Rino's I don't think a declaration of war (which actually needs to be against a specific nation) was doable. Getting a declaration of war without a provoking act and proof of it is just not happening. And because of terms of the Desert Storm cessation of hostilities, a declaration of war wasn't needed. Why expend the energy and political capital on that which you do not need? Getting a war declaration was impossible at the time and still is not possible even under current conditions. I think there are a lot of chickenhawks who are hoping Bush (or Israel) will take unilateral action to destroy their nuke program, but they don't want to go on the record as saying so.
3. A war on islamofascism isn't enough, because we have other fascists that are non-islamic that also need to be taken down, namely Fat Kim and Chavez, because they are stupidly assisting the islamofascists under the enemy of my enemy is my friend rubric.
4. Destroy holy sites, carpet bomb cities, yeah and then get impeached and stand trial for war crimes. He doesn't have the political back up to do what you want him to do. He can't order total war because Congress would have him in leg irons with the press singing hosanna.
5. He should cut the Palies off, I agree. It's past time to stop the diplo-dance of dummies.
You may want scorched earth tactics, but you aren't the elected leader of the free world. Unfortunately, the majority of voters seem to be against your tactics. I think the Bush Administration's single biggest failing is losing the media war.
"You can probably trace it back to our arming of the mujahadeen in Afghanistan so they could defeat the Soviets."
Oh, good grief. A few stinger missiles and some small-arms ammunition does not constitute "arming" a country.
"So before you discount him"
Before you accuse people of discounting anything, you should first bother to understand what has transpired.
"because he dared to challenge your rather shallow understanding"
Yeah, yeah, I haven't spent any time in the Middle East. Right.
"perhaps it would have behooved you to engaged him further."
Funny, I am under the impression that it was he who bowed out of our discussion.
"As for me, if you find me self-righteous, condenscending, or any other insult you can muster, I'll just take it as a compliment."
Take it any way you like.
Let me insert some words into Secretary Rice's speech [in brackets] that the State Department minions probably redacted in the interest of maintaining diplomatic sensibilities.
"The great majority of Palestinian people," said the secretary of state, "they just want a better life [in heaven after they die in jihad]. This is an educated population [educated in terrorist training camps]. I mean, they have a kind of culture of [terrorist indoctrination] education and a culture of civil society [in which citizens compete to kill Jews]. I just don't believe mothers want their children to grow up to be suicide bombers. [Mothers and fathers hope that the complete worldwide annihilation of the Jews occurs before their children get that opportunity.] I think the mothers want their children to grow up to go to university [to recite the Koran, get indoctrinated in Islamofascism, and learn to wage jihad against us, the infidels]. And if you can create the right conditions, that's what people are going to do."
1. Yes, invading Iran instead of Iraq would have been harder and costlier in lives and money and we would have had to do it entirely without the support of any other country. Britain and Australia would not have supported a unilateral action against Iran at the time. There were strategic military reasons for doing Iraq first, not the least being that we were fairly certain no other muslim country would also declare open war against us to help him. That is not what would have happened if we had invade Iran instead of Iraq, we very likely would have instantly faced a very united opposing coalition of Arab nations.
2. Technically the failure to abide by the ceasefire terms from Desert Storm was the provocation and another declaration or provoking act was unnecessary.
3. Declare multiple wars on multiple fronts? LOL, yeah, that's feasible. I prefer a WOT with the identified Axis of Evil.
4. Human history is generally a chronic state of war with an occasional peace breaking out. Get used to it, the cold war is over and it's now lukewarm. The time for total war is not yet, and may even be avoided if eurotrash pull their heads out of their keesters in time. I don't know that the US will pull their nuts out of the fire this go round.
I do not call people who openly support taking out Iran's nuclear program chickenhawks. I was referring to those who secretly hope someone (Bush or Israel) will do it, but do not openly support the action. These are the same people who will vetch that Bush did nothing or will recoil in horror at his gunslinger mentality if he does. You know the type, they want something "done" without having to take responsibility for it, typical leftist magical thinking. You just can't win with these creatures of the welfare state.
Also you seem to forget that the WOT has electronic and monetary fronts that naturally are kept out of the press as much as possible. Iraq is a just one battle, one move on the chessboard that keeps the focus and the energy of the enemy over there and not over here.
Every soldier wounded or killed over there is personally protecting me and my family from harm and I remember that always.
Your post is amusing. I'm glad JEBS has a water boy.
And I'm glad you did not disappoint.
As for knowing what transpired...it was written in English and therefore is very easy to understand what happened.
Actually, your posts were the most fun to read. You have a great sense of humor and made a very strong case.
No, I think he posted after Maynard's assault on his character.
Thank you for your permission.
All right, I thought you were saying that I had bullied him.
You're welcome.
Furthermore, the moderate governments (especially the Egyptians) warned Reagan that this was a mistake and would only emboldened them.
Reading their literature and the fatwas clearly show that they saw their defeat over the much tougher Soviets as proof that Allah was with them and would aide them in destroying the West.
The two acts are related.
He has not wavered in his doctrine. If he has not been heard, it is not because he hasn't been speaking, but because 1) we aren't paying attention. 2) one man (no matter how big the bully pulpit) can't drown out the media.
I lurked a long time before I started posting. I read countless threads about the President's inability to speak. I disagree most heartily with this assessment. He has done a very good job in laying out his objectives and the length of time it will take us to win. He has told the Americans why they must stay and fight and win in Iraq.
Now, I know that I am in the minority with this view. But, to me, he has been very vocal and articulate. His views (except for his policy towards the Palestinians) are why I support him.
And like I said, I enjoyed your posts very much.
Where did your time in the Middle East?
Whoops, should have been: Where did you spend your time in the Middle East.
As I see it, there are only 2 possibilities here -- either (a) Rice is sucking up to people she hopes to be able to influence, perhaps even cut a deal with, or (b) Rice is a blithering idiot.
I vote for option "a." Same reason Bush talks about the barbaric cult known as islam as the "religion of peace." Assuming she made these comments to Thomas with a straight face, she would also qualify as an exceptionally disciplined actress.
Hahaha, thanks for editing Condi's speech. It makes it so much more real.
Pakistan and Bahrain. Also had dealings with Iran and Iraq during their 8-year war.
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