[Texasforever]

PING

[Deb]

Good one.

[mdittmar]

Never forget:

IN MEMORIAM: Enduring Freedom Casualties

[sinkspur]

The new War, in the minds of many, is now called, “The War on Our Civil Liberties” and is now being fought on the familiar battleground of politics and agendas.

Yeah. The libertarians can be counted on to gripe and bitch, like the kid with a sack of marbles who's constantly counting them, thinking somebody took one when they weren't looking.

It's hysteria.

[Ahban]

It is a war against the possible abuses of a government that many people are far more afraid of than an enemy that appears to have given up.

That sure describes me.

PS- Ignore the bush bot. The pesky critters are pre-programed to hop on a thread and insult anyone who does not genuflect quickly enough.

[San Jacinto]

Nice post.

America was attacked within its own shores by its sworn enemies. Thousands of our fellow citizens were murdered. America's resolve came forth and was on open display for the first time in a long time. However, retribution must not just be certain. Retribution must be adequate.

The war continues. The outcome is undecided. If America is strong, determined, and resolute, then it will prevail. Our enemies abroad are no match for the stength we possess. On the other hand, if we succomb to the idolitrous worship of timidity advanced by the enemies from within, then the impotent cockroaches who attacked us may yet have their way.

[OrthodoxPresbyterian]

Surprisingly, you write real good.

I say "surprisingly" not as any kind of dismissive insult... I just didn't know that you could really write. Well, call me gobsmacked... this is not bad writing.

I don't even necessarily agree with your overall perspective, I just think that your prose ain't half bad.

If you enjoy writing, maybe you should take up a Guest Column for some local Texas paper as a diversion. Offered strictly as a point of personal observation -- no agenda or particular interest -- you might enjoy the exercise. Justa thought.

[RLK]

For nearly a year now anybody who has nothing else to write about concocts some new hysteria about 9/11. Personally, I don't need it.

The analysis has been lousey. We are in a holy war with an aggressive self-perpetuating psychosis palming itself off as a religion. It is a continuation of a pattern which has occurred for more than 1,000 years in that group of people. Few people want to admit it for fear of offending somebody.

The quickest way to lose a war, or to lose support for it, is to fail to adaquately define the enemy.

There is also an element of Marxism involved. Various cultures, religions, leaders, or political system expect the United States to support their deficiencies and feel the right to take resentful and aggressive positions if this support is not forthcoming. This position is not refuted at the top levels of the U. S. government. Consequently, our position is weakened and without moral support.

[abner]

You are right. Last month, I talked to someone that truly did NOT know that we are at war. I had to explain it to her.

[terilyn]

I fear political correctness and complacency from our own citizens and politicians almost more than the terrorists. At least they are real and we can fight back.

I got teary reading your post. Very well done. Thank you.

[Starwind]

You summarized and conveyed your thoughts well.

I personally believe that most americans in fly-over country have neither forsaken the administration nor forgotten about the enemy and why/where we fight.

I do belive the media however conveys the opposite. If you belive the media is an accurate guage of America, your fears would be well founded, but again most 'folk' read the same reports you do and scratch their heads wondering why has everyone else given up? Am I the only one who cares? There is a large untapped consensus to fight this thing thru and rid ourselves of a menace.

That said, we do live in interesting times and there is much to contend for the common man and the medias attention. Weapons of mass distraction as it where. Stock market, banking stability, corporate scandals, church scandals, child molestation, world famine, etc.

Normally a war would get a lot more attention, but there is only so much attention to go around.

[Mo1]

I would truly hate to be in the shoes of this or any other president given public’s loss of urgency in the War on Terror

You know .. I don't think the public has lost it's urgency

I think most folks just trust this President to take care of it and to protect them

There will always be folks out there that don't have a clue as to what is going on .. but I think in general .. most trust this President

And if we are attacked again .. that is if history is any indicator .. they will hit us again .. I believe folks will continue to stand by this President and the War

BTW .. nice thread .. there is a lot to think about here

[Starwind]

Should add, the administration shoots itself in the foot when it frisks blue haired old ladies in airports, can't seem to police the borders, and can't seem to investigate a terrorist's PC until they blow up the WTC, or investigate who was behind OKC.

Many 'folk', myself included, would be more comfortable with the added security machinery if we saw the existing machinery being fully utilized.

[AntiGuv]

Perhaps if America wasn't out fighting everyone else's wars for them, then we wouldn't have insane Muslim terrorists trying to kill us. As Pat Buchanan basically said: If the price of empire is our own freedom, then give up the empire.

http://www.theamericancause.org/patwhatprice.htm

September 11 represents a turning point in our nation's history, and I hope that after this initial shock passes, that turning point means getting the Federal government out of other people's business, and getting the Federal government out of our business.

[Sabertooth]

It has been almost a year since the last attack and we are beginning to wonder if all of this inconvenience is required.

Setting aside those on the fringes, I think this comment is true for folks who perceive a skewed sense of priorites in the application of inconveniences. We hear "Islam is peace," and Secretary Mineta tiptoes around every politically correct sensiblity rather than take the common sense measures necessary to make airlines more secure.

I believe I read a criticism of Netanyahu's, where he said, "In Israel we screen for terrorists, in America you screen for weapons." I think the aphorism is apt, and I think it's the source of much of the criticism you refer to.

One thing we have learned is that no “war”, without public support and cohesiveness of purpose, can be won and certainly not a war that is without a defined battleground and an easily identifiable enemy that is what we are used to and that image is ingrained in our national psyche.

Well there's the dilemma.

We're at war with this amorphous concept called "terror." Or so we've said.

I happen to believe that we're at war with all of Islam... if not this time, then next time, or the next. But we can't really come right out and say that yet. Better to fight the "Clash of Civilizations" one Moslem terror state at a time.

I do have my doubts as to whether or not President Bush is of that view, but it's really moot at the moment. We wouldn't want to telegraph the punch anyway.

In any case, I think a lot of your worries are unfounded...

The war is going to Iraq, and things are going to get a lot more interesting... and probably scary.

You didn't ping me? I'm crushed!

[mjaneangels@aolcom]

Very well written article, thank you.

Your point is well taken. I too, have feared that people would go back to sleep. I haven't and will not for a long time to come. Afterall, how long was it between the US Cole and 9/11/01, how long was it between the embassy bombings in Africa and the US Cole? Al Queada were taking lots of time between events before they were disrupted. We need to not become complacent just because someone else is, we need to be vigilant now more than ever or we will be hit again. Vigilance is the only thing that might completely stop another attack. Complacency would serve no purpose except, possibly to help allow another attack.

[nunya bidness]

Well done. Next time let me know when you let one fly.

[swheats]

The new War, in the minds of many, is now called, “The War on Our Civil Liberties” and is now being fought on the familiar battleground of politics and agendas.

Based on an unfounded belief system of fears that we will allow another Clinton or Gore steal another election and abuse their powers, again.

great article.

[Byron_the_Aussie]

...[“The War on Our Civil Liberties”] is a war against the possible abuses of a government that many people are far more afraid of than an enemy that appears to have given up. They may be right. I pray they are...

So.....you're praying, people are afraid of the government? Or you're praying the enemy has given up?

Or both?

[CWRWinger]

This is an unconstitutional war. Where is the formal declaration of war from Congress? There is none.

This so-called war on terror lost its momentum and credibility when its leader went weak and did not permit the arrest and conviction of Arafat. That demonstrated to the world that Bush is just playing games and this war is really about something else, like say the NWO and destroying America.

The leader of this unconstitutional war lost credibility by not closing the borders to the hoards of illegal aliens, along with potential terrorists, flooding into the USA.

How can the government and its minions demand patriotism and vigilance from the citizens when they don't care themselves?