Posted on 09/12/2002 7:02:45 AM PDT by Howlin
Live discussion and comments about Bush's speech to the U.N. today, and the reaction to it.
I'll look forward to the debate.
No at all. I think Bush won't attack Saddam for prudential reasons. And, I'm not saying he will *never* attack Iraq. I think there will be an escalating military campaign against targets in Iraq, probably starting next year after the UN and the Congress kill a few months debating this and that. Bush needs time: all this tough talk to the UN is briar rabbit stuff -- he wants them to kill more time with debates and weapons inspection bullsh*t.
We are going to try to isolate Saddam Hussein by many means. But we are in no better position to remove Saddam from power today than we were in 1991 -- in fact, we are in a much worse position. This is not a question of conventional military strength. We could kill him tomorrow and install an obliging, pragmatic general in his place if that were the issue. That would certainly take care of the WMD problem and the terror sponsorship problem. But, Saddam isn't suicidal. There's a reason for his defiance. He's not as weak as he looks.
In 1991 Saddam's insurance policy was his ability to strike Israel with anthrax and botulinum toxin. Now he has shown his reach extends to the continental United States. That is logical, because his provocation is much worse this time, so the insurance has to be that much better -- else he would never have attacked us. He's not stupid.
Saddam's ability to inflict mass death on his enemies in a final showdown is the ultimate governing factor in determining the risks he is prepared to take. In 1991, when his reach extended only to Israel, since his WMD were limited to liquid anthrax and botulinum delivered by aerial bombs and Scuds, he could take a chance on grabbing the world's oil supply -- calculating that he could always pull back if we took after him. Now he has aerosolizable, hand-deliverable anthrax and access to a pool of human bombs to release it here on command. That's a pretty good back-end threat: as of today, there is nothing we can do to stop him following through. That's what emboldened him to destroy the WTC and attempt to destroy the Capitol last year. Bush has no answer to that -- yet.
Right......in either case not worth your valuable time, or your vastly superior intellectual capability........or mine. :o)
I don't approach this forum with that level of deceit.
Have you been in a cave for the past two days? Or do you have difficulty understanding plain English?
The President is in no way 'punting...to the UN.' Listen to his actual words, GS, without your truth denial program filtering out the reality of what he's saying. He just belittled the Dims this morning for the preposterous plan of going to the UN to decide what is best for the US. Did you somehow miss that??
We're going to act with, or without them.......and soon.
Saddam is much better at this game than we are, I'm afraid. And why not? His life depends on it.
Observing the CBS documentary Wednesday night, it couldn't be MORE clear. Pelley presented the Iraq question like "are you goingtto remove Saddam Hussein from power", and Bush answered succinctly "This nations policy is to ensure a regime change in Iraq." Then Pelley brought up Skowcroft etc ... Bush blabbed platitudes but when pushed by Pelley, the Pres with his steely look said "The policy of this nation is a regime change in Iraq." LOL.
Perfect. Consider it done.
Maybe we can install Scott Ritter as the new Poobah of West Persia.
If sakic had the moral capacity to understand the consequences of his absurd statements, he would be ashamed. If he had the intellectual capacity to think through the consequences of his absurd statements.........well, they would never be made.
IMO it is total arrogance for one such as he, who is so uneducated as to the underlying facts and intelligence regarding the Iraq situation (as are we all), so completely unaware of the morality and character of the President, and so blinded by his own warped worldview, to engage in the kind of character assassination that he so flippantly has just done to President Bush.
To subject the young men and women in our fine US Military (including my 18 year old son) to danger and possible death for political gain, family pride, or oil is something that only someone totally devoid of character (such as his slimy amoral predecessor) would do. To not recognize the difference in this President and the last is something that only someone totally devoid of common sense and reason would do.
I'm paying attention. I'm reading, and I'm listening. You, obviously are not.
I don't know what posters you are referring to who were sure that we were "just about" to launch an assault on Baghdad a year ago, but I would guess they, in spite of their different opinion, were blowhards just like you.
I've seen predictions of imminent attacks Iraq on this forum all this year. Lots of chest-beating, lots of "inside info" about troop movements, bases in Qatar, yada, yada, but no action. We're out of spare parts ("no, that's just to fool Saddam, we're going in any day now!"), it's too hot ("no that's just to fool Saddam, we're going in on the next new moon"). And so on and so forth. Well, Bush put the ball squarely in the UN court yesterday, which means nothing will happen until next year, at the earliest.
Beautifully observed and stated. What an FR truth.
That is a pandemic affliction around here. It's lazy and dishonest: "they're all the same, RINO and Dem." It's narcissistic "At least I still have my principles." It's annoying: "The GOP left the Real Patriots and True Conservatives"
Gladly!
Can you imagine ANY professional campaign organization ... Coleman, Thune, Talent etc. ... that would spend five seconds tolerating these guys in their midst? Bush is pursuing this Iraq campaign for oil, his daddy or election advantage? Saddam is blackmailing W with an Anthrax weapon? Holy moly, are we in the Twilight Zone or what. You can't even go into the local bar with that patter.
FR is their one megaphone in life. God Bless America. I like Satan better than sakic.
Ah yes, but in your local bar 'everybody knows your name.' Here you can hide in anonymity and be as stupid as you want.
I'll bet there aren't 10 people in the whole country who really believe that George W. Bush would let young men die to win an election, or make his 'daddy' feel better, and they certainly don't all hang out it sakic's bar.
He can't say the stupid stuff he's said here out loud and be taken seriously anywhere.
How do you debate someone who says that the agenda is political advantage, personal satisfaction and family financial benefit? That's an insult to this forum. That's an insult to our President, who has no standing to be insulted in that way. sakic is mimicing the crap on SmirkingChimp and Bartcop. It's a stinkbomb.
I like you though OhioWFan! I remember when toenail or some guy told you to grow up and go back to school! You're a professor, right? LOL. That's a faux pas he missed totally I'm certain! Have a great weekend, I need to attend to my biz for one hour or so here. (I've been working on and off all night I swear).
Yes, I'm a professor......albeit in music! It's been fun fighting the good fight with you, Arne!
Have a good afternoon!
I remember his first moniker "Infected sore". No self image issues there.
Regards!
I can print the names for you if you're interested.
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