Posted on 02/20/2003 6:09:08 AM PST by Billie
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02-17-03 President's Day |
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"War is my last choice," Bush said Tuesday at the White House, reacting to the weekend protests as U.S. and British diplomats begin crafting a final U.N. resolution, daring France to veto. "But the risk of doing nothing is even a worse option as far as I'm concerned."And so do I. And so does Tony Blair, our biggest supporter on his side of the pond...'Ouch!' squealed the peaceniks. In two brief sentences, Bush knocked the wind out of their sails. They were back on defense, the spotlight -- and onus -- was back on Saddam.
Without a hint of wavering, the President noted that "some in the world don't view [Saddam] as a risk to peace. I respectfully disagree."
And so does Mark Steyn...Tony Blair: The price of my conviction
Excerpt:But there are also consequences of 'stop the war'. There will be no march for the victims of Saddam, no protests about the thousands of children that die needlessly every year under his rule, no righteous anger over the torture chambers which if he is left in power, will remain in being.
I rejoice that we live in a country where peaceful protest is a natural part of our democratic process. But I ask the marchers to understand this.
I do not seek unpopularity as a badge of honour. But sometimes it is the price of leadership and the cost of conviction.
If there are 500,000 on the [Stop the War] march, that is still less than the number of people whose deaths Saddam has been responsible for. If there are one million, that is still less than the number of people who died in the wars he started.
So if the result of peace is Saddam staying in power, not disarmed, then I tell you there are consequences paid in blood for that decision too. But these victims will never be seen, never feature on our TV screens or inspire millions to take to the streets. But they will exist none the less.
President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair of England walk out to address the media in Cross Hall at the White House Nov. 7. "We've got no better friend in the world than Great Britain," said the President during his remarks. White House photo by Paul Morse.
Mark Steyn: The curtain will come down on the peaceniks
Mark Steyn: Marching for terror
And so do Iraqis...
And why I will not [join anti-war demo, by an Iraqi living in the UK]
Excerpt from the "Marching for Terror" by Steyn:
Why not ask an Iraqi what the disadvantages of stalemate are? As far as Saddam's subjects are concerned, the "peace" movement means peace for you and Tony Benn and Sheryl Crow and Susan Sarandon, and a prison for them. I was in Montreal last week, which has the largest Iraqi population in North America. I've yet to meet one who isn't waiting eagerly for the day the liberation of their homeland begins. Then they can go back to the surviving members of their families and not have to live in a country where it's winter 10 months of the year.They're pining for war not because they like the Americans, or the Zionists, or me, but because they understand that, as long as there's Saddam, there's no Iraq. Saddam has killed far more people than Slobo, Iraq has been far more comprehensively brutalised than Kosovo. Marching for "peace" means marching for, oh, another 15 years of Saddamite torture and murder, followed by a couple more decades under the even more psychotic son, until the family runs out of victims to terrorise, gets bored and retires to the Riviera.
It's easy to say it's up to the Iraqi people to get rid of Saddam. That theory worked well in the days when all the peasants had to do was storm the palace and dodge the muskets. It doesn't work against a man who can poison an entire village from the air. Marching for "peace" means marching against the Iraqi people: it's the equivalent of turning them away as, to their shame, many free nations in the 1930s turned away refugees from Germany.
Amen, friend. The soul of Winston Churchill resides in him.
JH2, I was hoping that you were gonna be the cook for today's breakfast...your words are always sunnyside up and as tasty as thick-sliced, hickory-smoked bacon...thank you.
Dubya's response to the protestors was both terse and sublime, and Ari's was pretty good too.
Hello to all my FRiends here at the finest...wishing you all a lucky day as the snow melts back East.
Here on the Left Coast, the horizon is blue, the sky is clear...I'm ready for another Thursday.
Semper fi, Freepers.
May you all be safe and well...)
Thank you for the flowers!
It sure was. Quite refreshing -- the kind of stuff you just don't come across often in the press. Kudos to Benedetto.
Yep! Here is a short speech excerpt by him, btw...
Not much warmer in Texas today than Maryland!
neener! neener!
Good Morning, (((MEEKIE)))!
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