[BJR]

Come on now. How about speaking softly and carrying a big stick... in other words using "quiet" diplomacy while still doing a massive military buildup? Just using a little common sense instead of: motivating millions of people around the world to demonstrate against the war, making that frog Chirac the darling hero of the ant-america crowd, getting troops stuck in a desert and revved up to fight while you go off to a luxury resort, and destroying your own credibility as a president who "means what he says."

The length that some people go to excuse inexcusable performance is truly astounding!

[Miss Marple]

Perhaps you would like to document the multiple instances of Presidient Bush "running off his mouth." To my recollection, his statements have been more along the line of "the use of force is a last resort," "Iraq must disarm or we will lead a coalition of the willing to disarm them" and "the Security Council must decide if it means what it says and if it will enforce its resolutions."

I do not consider that especially belligerent. Now if you are taking the words of pundits who have said more belligerent things, well, that is inaccurate.

We maintained quiet diplomacy through December, going to the UN and not saying much at all. Meanwhile we were ramping up our forces. I would like evidence of your accusations.

[TomB]

Come on now. How about speaking softly and carrying a big stick... in other words using "quiet" diplomacy while still doing a massive military buildup? Just using a little common sense instead of: motivating millions of people around the world to demonstrate against the war, making that frog Chirac the darling hero of the ant-america crowd, getting troops stuck in a desert and revved up to fight while you go off to a luxury resort, and destroying your own credibility as a president who "means what he says."

So you think that if Bush didn't say anything, and just sent troops over to the Gulf by the tens of thousands, there wouldn't have been any protests?!

The length that some people go to blame Bush for everything is truly astounding.

[TomB]

Another question.

Seeing that support for this war is over 60% in this country, how can you call it an "inexcusable performance"?

[TLBSHOW]

performance

The end result which should be by the 17th. This isn't over yet......

I see this as a exercise in voices of opinion. The opinion is finish off the madman and get out of the UN.