Posted on 09/07/2002 11:43:18 PM PDT by ivegotabrain
Sept. 7 Seeking to build a case Saturday that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was developing weapons of mass destruction, President Bush cited a satellite photograph and a report by the U.N. atomic energy agency as evidence of Iraqs impending rearmament. But in response to a report by NBC News, a senior administration official acknowledged Saturday night that the U.N. report drew no such conclusion, and a spokesman for the U.N. agency said the photograph had been misinterpreted.
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.com ...
Welcome to FR!
Did you receive a FReepmail yet? ;o)
Having checked the profiles of some of the posters, I'm assuming that at least a few are DisrUptors. They Know who they are. Likewise, let us assume, for safety's sake, that employees or operatives for OBL and Saddam Hussein lurk around the Net from time to time. Remember this.
Someone posted to me on the thread that they were asking questions and demanding an accounting from the President because they wanted to make sure that "American boys" were fighting the good fight, and were not treated as they were upon their return from Viet Nam. This got my brain working.
First, let me spell out some ugly FACTS. First, no matter what we all want or don't want, American military personnel will be in combat within the next few months. It will probably be in Iraq, but that's secondary. Secondly, the descision will be made by our elected officials in Washington, NOT by anyone here, which is how the Constitution (which so many seem to be experts on) mandates it. War is not put to a popular vote, for very good reasons (read some of RnMomof7's posts for one good reason). These facts are, barring miracles, incontrovertible and inevitable.
Thus, how best to "support the troops"? There is, believe it or not, only one way, and that is to DEMAND THAT THEY HAVE, AND RECIEVE, ANYTHING THAT THEY REQUIRE TO WIN! Support them AND their cause 100%,no matter what. The best thing anyone in our line of work can know is that the American people believe in US, and most importantly, IN OUR CAUSE! There is, sadly but truthfully, no middle ground.
If you "support the troops, but not the war itself", as so many flower-wearing misfit cowards CLAIMED to do during Viet Nam, all you ultimately do is undermine our mission, and provide ammo to those who wish to see us lose. Read some of the posts here, you know the DU'ers and al Queda are. They can use ANY argument to get their way, don't forget, hipocrisy doesn't bother them a bit. Whether you intend to or not (and I'm sure most here don't), you help the enemy, ANY enemy, when you fail to support us 100%. You put yourself in the position of holding the sack of rotten tomatos for the "peacenik" to toss at a returning G.I.
Don't misunderstand me...you all obviously have the right to free speech and thought, as well as opinion (contrary to what many here believe). Sometimes, however, staying silent does more good than speaking. Just because you HAVE a right, doesn't make its exercise right.
If you dislike the war or our aims in it (although to be honest, I can't understand how you can see those photos in my posts and NOT wish death to anyone who even thought about doing that), you have a remedy. Vote. Vote out the President and replace him with Ralph Nader if you must, along with a Democratic-unanimous legislature. Or, do not vote at all. But please, constant carping only aids those we battle against, and their enablers here in the states. THINK, at least, before you spout off about the "goobermint", "Bubba 2", "War Powers", etc. CONSIDER, please, that when you holler "But what about (China, Saudi, NK, fill in the blank) that your words give encouragement to the Bad Guys, both by giving them talking points AND by giving them the warm and fuzzy feeling that comes when your opponents are fighting EACH OTHER. Besides, how do YOU know we aren't going there next?
Look, you're going to say what you want anyway, and it is your right, all I'm asking you to do is to PLEASE, consider holding it in. Support the war effort 100% and stew inside. Fly flags and silently vote your conscience. Trust me when I say that it DOES MATTER. Viet Nam became the debacle it did partly because some on BOTH sides started asking "innocent" questions in public. The Left just picked up the ball and ran.
Flame me if you must, but those FACTS above will NOT change one bit. Friends and students of mine are ALREADY in the fight, and I will be by next Summer myself. Give us a country united behind us, wherever we are. Hold the venom against the President and the Congress and the war itself UNTIL IT IS WON.
It will not only end faster, but there will be less American blood shed, as the acrimony will only lengthen the fight.
Sorry this is so long, but one more thing, and I'll end this rant. One person here cracked on me for posting the Black Tuesday photos, calling me a "keyboard warrior". Acknowleged. So here's one more, that we never, ever forget the WHY in our battle over the WHERE and WHEN:
Thank you all for listening. I have a 0500 preflight, so goodnight, all.
Having checked the profiles of some of the posters, I'm assuming that at least a few are DisrUptors. They Know who they are. Likewise, let us assume, for safety's sake, that employees or operatives for OBL and Saddam Hussein lurk around the Net from time to time. Remember this.
Someone posted to me on the thread that they were asking questions and demanding an accounting from the President because they wanted to make sure that "American boys" were fighting the good fight, and were not treated as they were upon their return from Viet Nam. This got my brain working.
First, let me spell out some ugly FACTS. First, no matter what we all want or don't want, American military personnel will be in combat within the next few months. It will probably be in Iraq, but that's secondary. Secondly, the descision will be made by our elected officials in Washington, NOT by anyone here, which is how the Constitution (which so many seem to be experts on) mandates it. War is not put to a popular vote, for very good reasons (read some of RnMomof7's posts for one good reason). These facts are, barring miracles, incontrovertible and inevitable.
Thus, how best to "support the troops"? There is, believe it or not, only one way, and that is to DEMAND THAT THEY HAVE, AND RECIEVE, ANYTHING THAT THEY REQUIRE TO WIN! Support them AND their cause 100%,no matter what. The best thing anyone in our line of work can know is that the American people believe in US, and most importantly, IN OUR CAUSE! There is, sadly but truthfully, no middle ground.
If you "support the troops, but not the war itself", as so many flower-wearing misfit cowards CLAIMED to do during Viet Nam, all you ultimately do is undermine our mission, and provide ammo to those who wish to see us lose. Read some of the posts here, you know the DU'ers and al Queda are. They can use ANY argument to get their way, don't forget, hipocrisy doesn't bother them a bit. Whether you intend to or not (and I'm sure most here don't), you help the enemy, ANY enemy, when you fail to support us 100%. You put yourself in the position of holding the sack of rotten tomatos for the "peacenik" to toss at a returning G.I.
Don't misunderstand me...you all obviously have the right to free speech and thought, as well as opinion (contrary to what many here believe). Sometimes, however, staying silent does more good than speaking. Just because you HAVE a right, doesn't make its exercise right.
If you dislike the war or our aims in it (although to be honest, I can't understand how you can see those photos in my posts and NOT wish death to anyone who even thought about doing that), you have a remedy. Vote. Vote out the President and replace him with Ralph Nader if you must, along with a Democratic-unanimous legislature. Or, do not vote at all. But please, constant carping only aids those we battle against, and their enablers here in the states. THINK, at least, before you spout off about the "goobermint", "Bubba 2", "War Powers", etc. CONSIDER, please, that when you holler "But what about (China, Saudi, NK, fill in the blank) that your words give encouragement to the Bad Guys, both by giving them talking points AND by giving them the warm and fuzzy feeling that comes when your opponents are fighting EACH OTHER. Besides, how do YOU know we aren't going there next?
Look, you're going to say what you want anyway, and it is your right, all I'm asking you to do is to PLEASE, consider holding it in. Support the war effort 100% and stew inside. Fly flags and silently vote your conscience. Trust me when I say that it DOES MATTER. Viet Nam became the debacle it did partly because some on BOTH sides started asking "innocent" questions in public. The Left just picked up the ball and ran.
Flame me if you must, but those FACTS above will NOT change one bit. Friends and students of mine are ALREADY in the fight, and I will be by next Summer myself. Give us a country united behind us, wherever we are. Hold the venom against the President and the Congress and the war itself UNTIL IT IS WON.
It will not only end faster, but there will be less American blood shed, as the acrimony will only lengthen the fight.
Sorry this is so long, but one more thing, and I'll end this rant. One person here cracked on me for posting the Black Tuesday photos, calling me a "keyboard warrior". Acknowleged. So here's one more, that we never, ever forget the WHY in our battle over the WHERE and WHEN:
Thank you all for listening. I have a 0500 preflight, so goodnight, all.
It's similar to loving the country while
hating the government. Not only is
that possible to do, but may be the
only honest response.
Whatever, I'm only asking for PUBLIC support. Think whatever you wish, vote however you like, but keep it PRIVATE, until the victory party. THEN, air the dirty laundry free from danger. Is that too much to ask?
If you want rights, if you want freedom, YOU FIGHT! Let the cowards sit this one out. Let the patriots win the war.
A coward dies a thousand deaths, a brave man dies but one!
For every one of them, that has a journalist's voice, there are 100 of us that have a patriot's heart!
When the fight is over, tell the man, to his face, he is a coward, and a traitor, and tell him strong and proud! The sweat of your brow doesn't come from the point of his pen, it comes from the depth of your heart, and the strength of your character and the love of this nation.
And please, feel free to cut and paste the post. I think it's very important.
The Canteen is, IMHO, one place where the concept I outlined above is put into practice. I have no Idea HOW any of you all feel about the war ITSELF, and I have no need to know. You all support us 100% regardless.
No where in that list do I see an imminent threat to the United States of America -- Bush sure as heck needs to get approval of Congress, for it is they who control the purse strings, fund operations, provide the bullets and the butter.
We were told from DAY ONE that Bin Laden and his ilk were responsible for Sept. 11, (this Hussein complicity now being discussed all these months later is coming across as an after thought), that we were going to go to war to rid the world of his crud. Suddenly now, for the good of posterity, we are to drop our hunt for ol' Osammy, take the boys out of Afghanistan and head on to Iraq to rid the world of his crud.
I for one don't give a fig about the UN, don't require their ok for any of this. But we start a war on a sovereign nation, I want it done by-the-book, that being by the strictures of the USCon.
Ignorance.
I will never forget you said this...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.