...is the return of the draft to fight the republican's wars (Iraq now, Iran, Siria and North Korea tomorrow). With more than 2800 dead and 30,000+ injured so far, guess what the toll would be as we "stay the course" in Iraq.

Yes, Europe (most of it at least) is an excellent example. Does people in Norway or Sweden live the the same fear as we in America?

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Making you think twice......

Syria fell to the Ottoman Turks in 1516 and remained a part of their Ottoman Empire for four centuries. During this period, Syria witnessed great deterioration in economic, social, and political fields. In 1916, the Arabs took the opportunity of World War I to revolt against the Turkish rule. Arabs received British military help and promises that after the War ends, Arab countries will be granted full independence. On 6 May 1916, the Ottoman authorities hanged tens of Syrian national leaders in Damascus and Beirut. This day is still celebrated in Syria and Lebanon as the Martyrs' Day. The Arab armies under leadership of Sharif Hussein of Mecca soon achieved victory over the Turks, and in early 1918, Arab and British armies entered Damascus ending 400 years of Ottoman occupation. Syrian have never called themselves 'siria'. You may want to tell them you use a spanish translation of their countries name.

www.syriatourism.org/

See even they call themselves Syria - you dolt.

I have never heard of Siria - where is it? As for Norway and Sweden - funny you named them. Did you know the most popular baby name in BOTH of those countries is now Muhammad (up from 74th in 2004)? I guess not since you picked those two as examples! Ha!

Siria is where it has been for the last 5000 years. That is the correct, original name for the country, as Irak is for Iraq and Sverige is for Sweden. But then, why should I expect a moron like you to know this?

Why the spike of Muhammads? Why not George or Tony? Doesn't that tell you something?
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Making you think twice......

Where was it 5000 years and a day ago InDrag?

Yep, found it several places. The spanish version of the French name for SYRIA is siria. Oh la la - no wonder you amore' the europe so muchie! LOL....

الجمهوريّة العربيّة السّوريّة

It is hard to believe that a Governor could behave in this fashion. I would agree with your characterization of his commercial as "childish antics". More troubling for me, though, was the brash manner in which he offers to sell for "$20 million or $10 million". Difficult to imagine a politician more out of touch with his constituency, isn't it? What is lacking on both sides of the aisle is decorum, decency and accountability. There are some honorable politicians left but very few.

As a Republican, I welcomed Perdue, the former Yellow Dog. However, Perdue lost my vote first by raising taxes, then lying about the flag vote and then being assessed a $2,000 ethics fine for his daily use of an unreported helicopter (it proves that it was a knowing violation). I believe that Perdue is the most corrupt Governor in Georgia history since Marvin Griffin.

In a lot of ways. I usually vote Republican but I am mad at them for letting our jobs go overseas and down below the border. I know this from first hand experience. It seems they just do things to help the rich and screw the middle class. I don't know if you watch Lou Dobbs on CNN, but I agree with a lot of what he says. The middle class is becoming non-existent.

All the US companies want cheaper labor and higher profits so they go to other countries. Other countries don't have the labor laws and regulations like we have here. They take advantage of workers in other countries because they can't here...I could go on and on but my point is maybe you are right, why vote at all.

No question. Both for local and national reasons.

I like traditional values - I oppose gay marriage - I think the UN needs to be tossed out of the US and the US needs to withdraw from the UN - I oppose abortion except for Rape/Incest/Life of the Mother- I support the so called torture (if you call the hazing at Abu gharib torture - and a heck of a lot more than that - yep - even if some die - read Sun Tzu's Art of War) of our enemy when deemed appropriate by the military.

I support the Patriot Act - I think children should say 'under God' when they say the pledge every day - I think someone will always be offended,so what - I think the ten commandments should be in EVERY courthouse in America. I think we are overtaxed - I think we should build a helluva big wall AND relocate the military troups from europe to the Texas/Mexican border - I think all American reserve bases should be located on the Southern and Northern borders. I think we should drill in Anwar and the gulf and build more refineries.

I don't think terrorists should have the same rights as American citizens - I think there is a culture war in America between the draft dodging professors in major universities and their incubus offspring in the liberal media and the rest of us in 'fly over country'.

I think Hollywood is part of what's wrong with America but not nearly as much as the lack of good parenting, liberal public schools that preach 'political correctness', and the requirement for both parents to work so one can pay the family tax bill.

I support term limits and oppose finance reform. I oppose quotas because I believe we are all created equal. May the best man, or woman, win. I think every man in America should have to serve at least two years in the Military - even if it's washing cars.

I could go on and on but you get the idea. Those that think I'm clueless, I pity. Those who agree need to get it together and make some noise - VOTE.

I am too old to make a difference and to tired to argue. I won't change your mind- experiance will. You certainly won't change my mind at 70 years of age - it tool me that long to figure it all out. Regardless, you asked and now you know where the Old School stands!

You are totally removed from reality. We are about to lose the war in Iraq creating a haven for terrorists and the likes, and republicans still sticking to the same losing policy (stay the course that is).
As an Iraqi war veteran recently told me, I can honestly say that the policies regarding Iraq must be reviewed and changed. It is abundantly clear to everyone that for every step we take forward in Iraq, we take two steps back. Bush and his "yes" men will never see or accept this - ergo there must be a change in power. With elections approaching, there is hope. The argument against withdrawal is civil war - show me a country that hasn't had civil war; they are few and far between. There is no doubt the Iraq mess must be reviewed, reconsidered, and redone. This is a war based upon trumped up causes from cherry picked intelligence. It is a colossal military blunder that has cost thousands of precious military and civilian lives and BILIONS of dollars. Speaking of draft dodging, where are Bush's 2 daughters and 12 nephews in military age? Is any son or daughter of the promoters of the Iraqi war serving? Bush has backed himself into a corner with his failed war and most noteably his "Stay the Course" rhetoric that any change in policy now will look like a defeat for him. Bush's style of democracy does not work in Iraq. In fact it doesn't work in the USA. The time for a regime change is now and I do not mean in Iraq. So, VOTE!
You're not totally clueless, oldtimer, you just don't know reality of today's world, and by world I mean the entire world and all its crap, well beyond your little safe, secure PTC hamlet.

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Making you think twice......

Why do you think that they stratagy isn\\\'t changing daily? You obviously don\\\'t know anything about War College. Here a just a few, as of last year, of the accomplishments in Iraq as listed on an Iraqi website ( http://www.iraqblc.com/iraq-accomplishments.htm ) :

Education Accomplishments in Iraq

Assistance has helped Iraq move away from rote learning methodology in decrepit, unsanitary classrooms to interactive learning in rehabilitated buildings. Since 2003, nearly 3,000 schools have been rehabilitated . Over 20 million new textbooks have been supplied. By 2006, more than 133,000 primary school teachers – a third of Iraq’s educators – will have received training and technical assistance. Already, the most recent primary school enrollment numbers show a 19 percent increase from pre-war levels.

*
Through September 2005, over 2,800 schools have been rehabilitated, and 45 constructed.
*
Internet access and computers have been installed at the Ministry of Education and in all 21 Directorates of Education. To improve planning and resource management, official baseline data has been gathered and an Education Management Information System (EMIS) is being developed.
*
Over 47,500 secondary school teachers and administrators nationwide have received training.
*
More than 80 primary and secondary schools are being established to serve as model schools. At these “centers of excellence,” teachers will receive up to five weeks of training, and schools will be equipped with computer and science laboratories.
*
Hundreds of thousands of desks and chalkboards have been distributed countrywide.
*
USAID edited, printed, and distributed 8.7 million Iraqi math and science textbooks.
*
More than 550 out-of-school youths completed a pilot accelerated learning program. An expanded program, targeting more than 11,000 youths, is being implemented during the 2005–06 school year.
*
School supplies have been distributed to one million primary school children and two million secondary; sports equipment has been distributed to every school.
*
An early childhood learning television series is currently being developed.
*
Through university partnerships, more than 1,500 Iraqi faculty and students at 10 Iraqi universities have participated in workshops, trainings, conferences, and courses in Iraq, the greater Middle East, Europe, and the United States.
*
At 10 Iraqi universities, 23 specialist libraries, 23 computer laboratories, 20 specialist science labs, and 17 auditoriums or classrooms have been rehabilitated and equipped. These efforts have benefited approximately 50,000 university students in colleges of law, engineering, medicine, archeology, and agriculture. In addition, books and electronic resources have been provided to university libraries.

Health Accomplishments in Iraq

*
2005 emergency campaigns supported the immunization of 98 percent of children 1-3 years (3.62 million children) against measles, mumps, and rubella. As a result, there has been a 90 percent reduction in laboratory confirmed cases of measles between 2004 and 2005.
*
97 percent of children under five (4.56 million) immunized against polio during the 2004-05 national polio immunization campaign, enabling Iraq to maintain its polio-free status.
*
Vaccinated 3.2 million children under five and 700,000 pregnant women, with UNICEF and WHO.
*
Provided supplementary doses of vitamin A for more than 1.5 million nursing mothers and 600,000 children under two, and iron folate supplements for over 1.6 million women of childbearing age.
*
Trained 11,400 staff at over 2,000 community child care units to screen for malnutrition and to provide monthly rations of high protein biscuits to malnourished children and pregnant mothers.
*
Renovated 110 facilities and equipped 600 centers with basic clinical and lab equipment.
*
Trained over 2,500 primary health care workers, improving access to essential primary health care.
*
Provided skills training to 3,200 primary care providers and physicians, improving service delivery.
*
Trained 2,000 health educators, teachers, religious leaders, and youths to assist in mobilizing communities on hygiene, diarrhea, breastfeeding, nutrition, and immunization issues.
*
Established training and education centers in five governorates to support local health care training.
*
Vaccines and cold chain equipment provided to selected remote health centers along with training of staff and social mobilization has increased routine immunization coverage from 60 to 74 percent.
*
Minimized epidemics by re-establishing Iraq’s disease surveillance and response system. Addressed urgent water and sanitation service needs to prevent disease outbreaks: Other USAID programs, particularly in water and sanitation, have immensely contributed to improvements in Iraqi health. USAID partners have repaired 1,700 breaks in Baghdad’s water distribution network. Key supplies have been procured to service water treatment facilities in Baghdad and other cities. Water treatment facilities across four governorates have been rehabilitated. Over 100 sewage pumping stations, rainwater stations, and collapsed sewer lines have been repaired countrywide.

Water and Sanitation Accomplishments in Iraq

Sewage treatment plants have been rehabilitated, expanding access to sewage treatment to over 4.4 million urban Iraqis, processing 339.7 million gallons daily. Over 4 million Iraqis who had no clean drinking water in 2002 now have safe, potable water piped to their homes following efforts to refurbish and expand 19 water treatment plants in five cities. Providing clean water and efficient sewage treatment has greatly improved sanitation and contributed to a decrease in waterborne disease. Plant-level operations and maintenance (O&M) training are being provided at major water and wastewater plants nationwide to ensure that these plants remain functioning. By December of 2006, USAID and implementing partners will restore water treatment service to 8.1 million Iraqis, and sewerage treatment service to 8.8 million.

In 2003, Iraq’s 140 major water treatment facilities were operating at about 35 percent of their design capacity (3 billion liters a day) due to inadequate maintenance, lack of plant operators, power shortages, and looting. Iraq has 13 major wastewater treatment facilities, operating at about a quarter of their design capacity. Baghdad’s three sewage plants, comprising three quarters of the nation’s total sewage treatment capacity, were not treating waste for more than six years before the conflict, allowing raw waste to flow into the Tigris River. In the rest of the country, most wastewater treatment facilities were only partly operational before the conflict, and a shortage of electricity, parts, and trained staff exacerbated the situation.

Power and Electricity Accomplishments in Iraq

In 2002, Baghdad had access to electricity 24 hours a day; the rest of Iraq was limited to 3-6 hours of electricity daily. Currently, all 18 governorates receive roughly 13 hours of electricity daily on average, an incredible improvement for a country emerging from decades of conflict and neglect. USAID programs have added over 1,200 MW of new or rehabilitated generation capacity to the national grid, increasing availability to over 4 million Iraqis. Access to electricity – powering hospitals, machinery, and homes – improves the lives of ordinary Iraqis and enables local business and industries to take succeed.

*
Repaired thermal units, replaced/ added turbines, rehabilitated the transmission network, and installed and restored generators.
*
Returned to pre-war daily generation levels of 3,958 MW by October 2003 and reached a peak of 4,584 MW during July 2004.
*
Added 1,086 MW of generation capacity through new generation, maintenance and rehabilitation work, and repaired the 400 KV Khor az Zubayr-Nasiriyah transmission line.
*
Rehabilitating or constructing 25 distribution substations in Baghdad to improve the distribution and reliability of electricity for more than two million residents. Eight critical substations were energized early in anticipation of the summer peak.
*
Operations and Maintenance Program (O&M) at the 19 generation sites throughout Iraq to improve the output and reliability.

Transportation Accomplishments in Iraq

Iraq’s transportation networks are vital supports of Iraqi commerce, culture, and infrastructure. By 2004, a series of crucial bridges had been built, reconnecting Iraqi cities and provinces while reestablishing key commercial links to neighboring countries. A new railway connects Iraq’s only deep water port to a faster and more reliable distribution system, improving the movement of goods and equipment throughout the country while befitting local exporters.

*
The Al Mat Bridge is a key link on the main highway between Baghdad and Jordan used by more than 3,000 trucks daily. Work was completed and the bridge was reopened to two-way traffic on March 3, 2004.
*
The Khazir Bridge is critical to the flow of fuel and agricultural products in northern Iraq. The bridge’s four lanes were completed on May 1, 2004.
*
The Tikrit Bridge is an important link for passengers and commerce over the Tigris River between Tikrit and Tuz Khurmatu. This two-lane bridge was reopened to traffic on September 15, 2004. In addition, USAID also repaired a floating bridge over the Tigris River at Al Kut, improving traffic for 50,000 travelers a day.

Airports

USAID’s Infrastructure Reconstruction program restored two of Iraq’s most important international airports. As conduits for humanitarian supplies, commercial goods, or personnel, the airports at Baghdad and Basrah serve as vital links both within Iraq and to the outside world. Since July 2003, Baghdad International Airport (BIAP) has processed over 5,000 flights. Currently, BIAP services over 60 civilian flights daily. Two airlines–AirServ and Royal Jordanian–operate daily international flights.

Completed work preparing Al Basrah International Airport for commercial operations. Projects included:

* Rehabilitation of the airport’s wastewater and water treatment plants.
* Restoration of the runway, taxiway, and apron striping.
* Installation of two baggage x-ray units.
* Replacement of the perimeter security fence.
* Rehabilitation of control tower and building.
* Installation of toilets, passenger lounges, signs, and baggage carts.
* Installation of VSAT satellite and a radio communication system for airport administration.

Completed infrastructure work at Baghdad International Airport for civil air operations, including:

* Rehabilitation and modernization of the Air Traffic Control Tower
* Repair of Terminal C and administration offices.
* Construction of a security checkpoint and 240-car parking lot.
* Installation of VSAT communications systems and 6.5-megawatt power generators.
* Repair of perimeter security fence.
* Restoration of substation transformers and generators.

Umm Qasr Seaport

Immediately following the spring 2003 conflict, USAID began work to refurbish and reopen the Port of Umm Qasr, Iraq’s primary commercial port that had become inoperable due to neglect. The USAID program both dredged the port and helped the Iraqi Port Authority build key capacity, providing extensive equipment and support. Two Iraqi dredgers, rehabilitated by USAID, will ensure continued maintenance.

The port reopened to commercial traffic mid-June 2004, servicing the first passenger vessel a month later. Since then, as many as 80 ships offload cargo at the port every month. Cargo volume continues to increase across a range of commodities, including cement, sugar, and wheat.

*
All 21 berths were dredged for deep-draft ships; the entire port was dredged to an average depth of 12.5 meters. Two Iraqi dredgers, rehabilitated by USAID, perform ongoing maintenance dredging the harbor.
*
Applied port tariffs on June 20, 2003, contributing to financial sustainability of port operations. Port revenues now outpace costs associated with handling cargo, and will help support capital repairs.
*
The grain-receiving facility was renovated, allowing it to process up to 600 metric tons of grain an hour, thus unloading a standard grain freighter in 3 1/2 days. Maintenance and management of the grain-receiving facility have been handed over to the IZ Grain Board.
*
Renovation of the administration building, passenger terminal, customs hall building, and near-by the electrical substations has been completed.
*
Installed generators, energizing all three 11-kV ring mains for power distribution and restoring power to critical parts of the port.

Telecommunications Accomplishments in Iraq

Since early 2003, telephone subscriptions in Iraq have increased almost four-fold, rising from 1.2 million land lines to 4.6 million land and cell lines. Extensive work has been completed to restore and expand Iraq’s vital telecommunications network, connecting government agencies, businesses, and Iraqi citizens to each other throughout the country and to the outside world. In 2004, emergency repairs to the wired network reconnected 20 major cities and 70 percent of Iraqi subscribers. Key equipment was replaced and expanded. Iraqi engineers also received the training necessary to operate and maintain the equipment.

*
Audited more than 1,200 km of the national fiber optic backbone network.
*
Performed emergency repairs to the national fiber optic network from Mosul to Umm Qasr, connecting 20 cities to Baghdad and the 70 percent of Iraqis that have landline telephone accounts.
o Purchased tools, equipment, and parts and provided management oversight to assist ITPC in the restoration of the fiber optic network.
o Replaced obsolete transmission equipment between Baghdad and Basrah in collaboration with the ITPC.
*
Reconstituted Baghdad area phone service by installing switches with 240,000 lines at 12 sites.
o In total, USAID installed 12 domestic switches and one international switch, fully integrating the new equipment with the existing switches. The switches provide connection points for ITPC to connect subscribers.
o Installed a satellite gateway system and restored international calling service in December 2003.
o Trained ITPC engineers and technicians in the operation and maintenance of the satellite gateway system and the new telephone switches.

Democratic Accomplishments in Iraq

Democracy must prove itself through service delivery and local solutions to local problems. Program efforts advance local governance in Iraq, empowering community organizations to hold local governments accountable for their performance and actions. Representative provincial and municipal governments are more capable of delivering essential services to their constituents. The Local Governance Program also supports the U.S. Government’s Provincial Reconstruction Teams’ (PRTs) initiative to coordinate at the provincial level to strengthen political and economic lines of operation. Countrywide, USAID has supported 670 community action groups focused on civic education, women’s advocacy, and anti-corruption projects.

*
Over 790,000 Iraqis participated in 22,000 democracy dialogues conducted by the Local Governance Program (LGP) to educate citizens on democracy and political transitions.
*
The LGP established or rebuilt 16 governorate councils, 90 district councils, 194 city or sub-district councils, and 437 neighborhood councils.
*
The program trained 2,000 council members (15 percent women), 28 governors, 42 deputy governors, 420 Director Generals, and key staff in 380 departments.
*
The LGP supported the Women’s Associations that defeated Resolution 137 (Sharia’h Law).
*
Throughout Iraq the LGP organized elections for governors, mayors, and local councils.
*
To clarify and reinforce their roles in Iraq’s developing democracy, the LGP held National Agenda Dialogue Conferences that engaged stakeholders such as academics, journalists, women, lawyers, health professionals, tribal leaders, community leaders, and civil society organizations.
*
The LGP awarded $17.3 million in rapid response grants to enable local authorities to deliver services, including agriculture, education, health, electricity, sanitation, and water.
*
Over 500 new provincial council members elected in January 2005 received LGP training.
*
The LGP held regional constitutional conferences for Provincial Councils (PCs) about the role of local governments in the draft Constitution.
*
The LGP assessed Provincial Reconstruction Development Committees and, with citizen participation, assisted them in identifying and prioritizing local development projects.
*
Drafted action plan to support overall PRTs local governance efforts in Iraq.

I suppose by now all the positive news you don\\\'t get on CNN is making you angry so I will leave it there. Dissent is the first form of cowardess.

OoRah and Semper-fi girls.

Stick with opinions, my friend, facts seem to confuse you.

As of October 18, 2006
Electricity Levels In Baghdad At Lowest Level Since U.S. Invasion

ArmyMajorRetired will be along momentarily to spin this as a glorious victory for the Bush Administration.

ROTM,

You obviously are a half brain. Same crap as in Vietnam, "we are building schools, clinics, helping to create jobs, building bureaucracy, etc, etc, etc, etc, etc."

Talking heads and half brains do not dissent, they simply don't think, they only repeat what they are told --- Semper DUMB!

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Making you think twice......

The people of Iraq are certainly better off. Seems like the only ones who want us out are the terrorists and the libs. Semper-Fi bro - thanks for the 'good news'!

As Iraqi as hotdogs and Coke... oh fools! wake up!

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Making you think twice......

As usual, Lee Harvey "Old Fool" Football distorts facts.

A whopping nine percent of Iraqis want Americans to stay in Iraq. 71 percent of all Iraqis want the US out within a year or less.
LINK

Also, 2 out of every 5 Americans are either liberals or terrorists, according to my friend Lee Harvey Football. 40% of Americans want the United States out of Iraq. (39% think America should stay, the rest undecided).
LINK
As you can see from the second link, Faux News deliberately hides unfavorable news polls from its gullible audience.

NewsHound says "we watch fox news so you don't have to". No bias there Abdul. CNN- enough said. Mark Twain said there are three types of lies. Lies, damn lies and statistics. If he would have know you and your ilk - he would have known there are also the lies of CNN. One thing that your statistics do point out quite well is that you are clearly in the center of the masses, thinking like the majority, towing the party line.

In fact, your close minded lioberalism is proving that there are no ideas and no understanding or creativity in your party. In case you are interested, I too want us out of Iraq, as does George W. Bush - but only when the time is right for us to leave and in the way we need to leave. I wouldn't expect an Army Private to understand that - especially one with such hatred toward the military and traditional values. But just out of curiosity, why don't you be consistant and call for us to withdraw from europe, and asia??

I am equally sure the Iraqis want to take control of their own country and allow us to leave - that is why, despite thousands of police being killed, and thousands more applying to be police are being blown up while they wait for applications, they just keep lining up.

Truth is, they have more courage than the masses here. Remember the pink ink? They also have a desire for autonomy and freedom and would like to see us leave. They also want to see us finish what we started.

We clearly disagree about everything (thank God) but your sophomoric attempts to bash all that is conservative is quite telling so you are an easy read. If you were more creative you could be an iconoclast but instead you are indeed just the PFC of cut and run. OoRah Abdul.

...and that's the closest you came to being accurate. The 'little world' I live in has included more country's than you have ever even visited. I just love being lectured by those who think they know but have to rely on second hand information. Don't ask where others are in service to their country, ask where YOU are.

So, of all I listed as a conservative you decided to rant on Iraq? Maybe your house will be the next front on the war on terror. I know this, 1)we have not been attacked again since 911 and 2) you and the terrorists agree on our withdrawl. Who were we pissing off on September 11th?

Who will you blame for the world when Bush is gone?

It's a bit early for halloween - that is a mask isn't it?

....all the targets, too. I am also a very well traveled man. In fact I just came from my n-ism trip to Old Europe (I am originally from Transilvania). I am relying on first-hand information, heard by myself in person, you should stop watching too much Fox News and peek out to what's happening in the real world. The fact we have not being attacked since 9-11 should not deceive you. Iraq is the Vietnam of our times, with the difference that once we lose that war, they will follow us here. Our borders are porous, Bush's border protection policy is a JOKE! More sooner than later (unless serious change happens) we will have the terrorists HERE! Our government and politicians fail to see the real menace, stop chasing Pedro and start looking for Mohammed!

Yes, I rant on Iraq because this conflict will be the mark of our times...mark my words, our country will suffer for a generation because of this awful misstep by Bush & Co. When Bush is gone I will still blame him for this mess. Republicans as well will bear this guilt. Why do you think some republican candidates are running away from the White House? They don't want to share in this mess but it's too late now. The Democrats should start investigations into how the prewar intelligence was misread, and how Halliburton-the Carlyle Group-Big Oil-Pharmaceuticals -etc. got us to where we are today. Is there enough room in the prisons for them all? I would love to see the whole BushCo crowd in the docket. They're either totally incompetent or 100% evil.

Halloween is upon us...and no, this is not a mask, this is a picture of the real me, in fact a copy of my passport picture.

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Making you think twice......

I am certainly not surprised you are from europe - I can smell it a mile away. I am quite familier with Vietnam I assure you. I also have a son who spent a year in Iraq (with black Betty - a .50 Cal machine gun for you draft dodgers) after college and before going in to professional sports because he felt it was his 'duty' - and it was. I will let you read what RightOn wrote about Iraq and leave you with this:

The Top Twenty Reasons I am Not a Democrat (Like You):

Charlie (Chawwee Wangle)Wrangle
Nancy (deer in the headlights) Pelosi
Hillary (thunder thighs – stand by her man) Clinton
Shelia (man on mars) Jackson-Lee
Jessie (I have a scheme) Jackson
Al (Tawana Brawley) Sharpton
Cynthia (hit (that)man) McKinny
Rosie (Mack (n cheese)) O’Donnel
John (before and against) Kerry
Ruth (hater) Bader Ginsburg
Eleanor (carpet smells funny) Smeal
Ted (the swimmer - hiccup’) Kennedy
Barney (Bawny C my wittle Fwank) Frank
Gerry (I had sex with that intern and he liked it!) Studds
Al (Internet) Gore
Marion (Crack video) Barry
Cindy (I didn’t have custody) Sheehan
Jane (Hanoi) Fonda
Harry (land deal laundry) Reid
DragNet and his Stuart Smalley logic

----Here is the other part of the list (or The Top reasons I am not a republican Like You):

George ((W)MD) Bush
Donald (Screw the Generals) Rumsfeld
Dick (Artificial Intelligence) Cheney
Condo-lease-a (deaf lady) Rice
Tom (fuzzy thinking) Delay
Tony (white lie) Snow
Dennis (I know nothing) Hastert
Lynn (TDK) Waste-more-land
J (pedophile trainee) Foley
J (easy money) Abramoff
Shawn (Talking Head) Hannity
Bill (Irish Thug) O'Really
Old Timer's (Black Betty) son
OldSchoolFottball and his Mickey Mouse's view of the world

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Making you think twice......

You sure have a way with words....hmmmm...

Typical liberal - never an original thought. Copy my political views not my sense of humor.

I am neither republican nor democrat. Back to the serious discussion:

George Bush, the worst president the U.S. has experienced over the past 230 years, is slow to react to the conditions in the Middle East.The diplomatic experts in the U.S. are certainly ignored daily by those in Bush's "special circle," resulting in the chaos of Iraq.One has to remember that until George Bush became president he NEVER traveled outside the U.S. He has no skills in international diplomacy. And yes, it is time for a change. What we have been doing in Iraq is a failure. I am always dismayed that the current presidentail administration labels any attempt at change "cut and run," when staying the course is not working and is so incedibly costly. As to their constant claims that the Democratic Party has no plans, well, apparently neither does the Republican party, so why not change?

I think that as obvious that it is to the current administration that we should stay in Iraq, it is equally obvious to the now majority of us that we must leave Iraq. It is not just frustrating, but maddening to see our children, spouses, friends, and neighbors being used by our government to perpetuate a mistake if not an outright lie.

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Making you think twice......

I disagree that Bush is the worst president we've ever had. In recent history, I'd give that title to Jimmy Carter. But of them all, I'd say it was Woodrow Wilson. He makes all the others look like Rookies, when it comes to making bad decisions.

No, you are a defeatist. The US MUST win this war of wills with Islamic fundametalists or our children will be fighting them here. Look at Europe for an example of being overun by Islamic fundamentalists.

Yes, it is expensive in lives and cost, but since someone tried to compare the recent Iraqi violence to the Tet offensive, Tet resulted in over 5,000 casualties. We won on the battlefield, but lost because the media and idiots like you gave up. Result, millions dead in Vietnam, Cambodia and more refugees/boat people.

Smash Al Queda in Iraq, show strenght not weakness and we will all be safer.

Retired Army Major, you are an idiot, too. It looks your mind retired years ago, before you were removed from the Army.

In my recent trip to the UK, I saw this editorial in The Guardian:

"---The US only knows the language of violence. Every problem is solved by guns and bombs, and the only time American people took note of the effects of their disastrous foriegn policy is when 2 planes crashed into the WTC. To the current administration, a policy shift just means bombing Iran or Syria instead of Iraq. The skill of diplomacy has been side-lined in favour of irresponsible brute force. You either help us or "we will bomb you back to the stone age". Its time for regime change in the US".

Not that I agree, but this is the view the world has about the US. The US cannot do anything right at the moment in Iraq: IN or OUT of Iraq, it will all be wrong. Their presence and strategy in Iraq failed even before the invasion. It is simple, the Bush Administration does not listen… moreover, it does not learn from its mistakes. It’s a pity that this administration has forced many non-Americans to think all Americans are probably the same. Shame!

Never before I felt so threatened while traveling. This is all product of the misguided Bush policies. WE ARE NOT SAFER.

Focusing on Mr. Bush comment is beyond the point. The man is removed from reality on the ground and his verbal interventions amount to little more than a matter of ridicule.
Bush and Blair started this Campaign in what seems now to be
termed IRAQNAM.I will not call it a war, as no threats from Iraq
were made against the U.S. or U.K. to justify any incursion.
Bush and Blair are totally responsible for the current situation today.And with rendition, secret prisons, Gitmo, abuse and torture.
Not forgetting the many thousands of innocent people killed or
maimed, in the name of WMD and shortsighted republican interests. Torture is not acceptable at all. What ever happened to the USA and our democratic principles?

--------------------------------
Making you think twice......

You said that "Never before I felt so threatened while traveling."

I guess you felt pretty safe on 9-10-01 when box cutters and many other weapons were allowed on flights.

You felt better when Al Gore had 8 years to fix holes in our airline security system.

You felt better when minimum wage HS drop outs screened luggage.

You felt better when Jaime Gorelick's "wall" kept terrorist info the CIA had from the FBI.

You weren't safer, you were ignorant and obviouly from your Bush hating induced ramblings still are.

Do us all a favor and move to the UK, perpare for Sharia law and pick a good Muslim name, or be slaughtered like the infidel pig you are.

From "The Guardian", the leading UK daily:

"A day after George Bush conceded for the first time that America may have reached the equivalent of a Tet offensive in Iraq, the Pentagon yesterday admitted defeat in its strategy of securing Baghdad.
The admission from President Bush that the US may have arrived at a turning point in this war - the Tet offensive led to a massive loss of confidence in the American presence in Vietnam - comes during one of the deadliest months for US forces since the invasion.

Yesterday the number of US troops killed since October 1 rose to 73, deepening the sense that America is trapped in an unwinnable situation and further damaging Republican chances in midterm elections that are less than three weeks away.

The bleak assessment arrives as official thinking appears to be shifting on the war, with reports that a study group led by a Bush family loyalist and former secretary of state, James Baker, could be drawing up an exit plan for US forces in Iraq.

Such a strategy would once have been unthinkable for Mr Bush, who famously vowed to keep US forces in Iraq even if he was supported only by his wife, Laura, and dog, Barney.

On Wednesday Mr Bush admitted for the first time the existence of a parallel between Iraq and Vietnam.

------------

So here you have it, things will change soon enough, we are defeated in Iraq, as we are in the Mexican border. CHANGE is what we need and we can start it on the November elections.

-----------------------------------
Making you think twice......

The EDITORIAL you cite takes the President's interview WAY OUT OF CONTEXT.

Asked by George Stephanopolis if the current increased violence is similar to Tet he said yes in that it is before an election and trying to influence American action.

Yeah, the Democrats would make me feel much safer, NOT.

Here's a change for you, STHU and support the troops and their mission. If people like you were around in 1943, we would be speaking German right now.

Stop rooting for the US to lose you loser.

This is not an editorial, but news reporting. It is there, on any serious newspaper and news outlet in Europe and the US. READ!
"Support the troops" is just another mantra designed to help us swallow this deceiving conflict. Real support for the troops means not continuing to put our youth and best men in harm's way to sustain a LIE and the stubborn LIERS in the Bush Administartion. Supporting the troops means to uncover these lies and take conscience of what really is going on in Iraq. Military commanders know very well that we are in a no-win situation.

As for languages, we will be speaking Spanish in the future, also thanks to Bush's immigration policy.

Major, your retired brain needs to take a hard look at reality. Stop being a talking head and examine what's going on. You are making a disservice to your brothers in arms. You should know when a retreat is tactical (Yes, call it tactical retreat if you do not want to call it a defeat as the military commander in Baghdad is calling it).

-----------------------------------
Making you think twice......

There is alot more going on in Iraq than the American public knows about. They can call it Operation freedom all they want to but the real reason I think they are there is to wipe out the terrorist networks. Look at how many top al-qaida members have been killed so far..

And uses one liberal cliche after another. I love how these non-serving draft dodgers tell us how the military works and how to represent "our brothers in arms". What is the LIE you are so obsessed with DragQueen? You use lie, lie, lie in everything so what is the lie? Try to make a coherent, cogent argument if you can.

"Stay the Course" and "Support the Troops" are cliches.

As for the lies you don't seem to be able to identify, how about these, as a sample:

"Iraq has WMD"
"Iraqis will greet us as liberators"
"A free, democratic Iraq, an example in the Middle East"
"Mission Accomplished"

Do you recognize them? Do you remember who said them?
The only incoherent and ignorants I see around is OldFool and you.

-----------------------------------
Making you think twice......

"Mission Accomplished"

I know that you do not realize that military operations come in phases, like Normandy did not end the war but rather was a single mission, but it does. This contortion of the end of a dangerous part of this endeavor by you liberals who would love to make Bush look bad is exactly what it said it was- a celebration marking the end of the invasion and capture of Bagdad – the end of a MISSION.

I will not change your mind and you will not read what I have already written. But anyone who would like to know the truth can find it here. So much for your LIES. Before you call a sitting President a liar – get your fact straight.

“I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Ms. Lewinsky” and “I was named after Sir Edmond Hillary” – those are lies.

"A free, democratic Iraq, an example in the Middle East"

Some have described the situation in Iraq as a tightening noose, noting that "time is not on our side"and that "morale is down." Others have described a "very dangerous" turn of events and are "extremely concerned."
Who are they that have expressed these concerns? In fact, these are the exact words of terrorists discussing Iraq -- Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and his associates -- who are describing their own situation and must be watching with fear the progress that Iraq has made over the past three years.

THEY get it why don’t you??

A post-invasion record of 69 troops have died in Iraq this month.

Military commanders are now stating for the record that the military goals in Iraq may not be tenable.

But feckless sheep like you continue to insist that things are getting better in Iraq...if we only wave our flags just a little harder.

"Iraqis will greet us as liberators"

George Bush never said this. Donald Rumsfeld did.
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/1109-11.htm

here are your Democratic Talking points – they do not even say that Bush said this:

http://democrats.senate.gov/dpc/dpc-new.cfm?doc_name=fs-108-2-211

Looks like it’s YOUR lie. But just in case you have forgotton:

Iraq: Were we greeted as "liberators"?
By Larry Elder

Apr 27, 2006

Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist Mike Luckovich explained in a National Public Radio interview why Vice President Dick Cheney provides such good red meat for satirists. Luckovich said, "First of all, he's sort of a colorless and seemingly humorless individual, and something about that type of person is sort of fun to caricature. And he's always so certain when he talks, like when he's on 'Meet the Press' -- 'Well, we'll be greeted as liberators, Tim.' You know, he's so certain, and then he's just completely wrong... " [Emphasis added.]

Just completely wrong? Recently I received the following letter from a soldier who served in Iraq:

"In April 2004 I was in the first push through Fallujah after the four American contractors were murdered, desecrated and hung from a bridge. I was critically wounded after I was shot through the hip in a firefight and nearly bled out on the battlefield. It was six months before I was able to walk semi-normally on my own more than 20 feet unaided by crutches or a wheel chair. In December of 2004 I was medically retired, and even now over two years later I still cannot run and I honestly don't think I will be regaining that ability in this lifetime.... Well I have had multiple people ask me about what I think about everything going on over there and I always respond the same way.... I reach into my wallet and pull out a card and let them read it. It speaks for itself; I don't need to say a word. I received this shortly after the invasion in 2003, a young boy walked up to me with his father who was standing behind him with his hands on his shoulders and just reached out his hand and gave this to me.... Sure there are those who want us dead and gone and will do anything to get rid of us, but they are a minority."

The soldier enclosed a copy of the card. It has a big heart on the front, and inside it reads: "Thank you George Bush. Thank you American soldiers. Thank you Marines [sic] soldiers. To save us. We are so grateful. Your friend, Ali Ahmed. An Iraqi boy, 9 years old. 2003.4.15 Wedensday [sic]."

Okay, so that's one soldier. But a reporter from The New York Times saw things the same way. On April 10, 2003, John F. Burns filed this story from Baghdad:

"Saddam Hussein's rule collapsed in a matter of hours today across much of this capital city as ordinary Iraqis took to the streets in their thousands to topple Mr. Hussein's statues, loot government ministries and interrogation centers and to give a cheering, often tearful welcome to advancing American troops.

" ...Army and Marine Corps units moving into the districts of eastern Baghdad where many of the city's 5 million people live finally met the kind of adulation from ordinary Iraqis that American advocates of a war to topple Mr. Hussein had predicted....

"Much of Baghdad became, in a moment, a showcase of unbridled enthusiasm for America...

"American troops, but almost as much any Westerner caught up in the tide of people rushing into the streets, were met with scenes that summoned comparisons to the freeing of Eastern Europe 14 years ago....

"Shouts to the American soldiers of 'Thank you, mister, thank you,' in English, of 'Welcome, my friend, welcome,' of 'Good, good, good,' and 'Yes, yes, mister,' mingled with cries of 'Good, George Bush!' and 'Down Saddam!'...

"A middle-aged man pushed through a crowd attempting to topple a statue of Mr. Hussein outside the oil ministry with a bouquet of paper flowers, and passed among American troops distributing them one at a time, each with a kiss on the cheek.

"A woman with two small children perched in the open roof of a car maneuvering to get close to a Marine Corps unit assisting in toppling a Hussein statue outside the Palestine and Sheraton hotels, the quarters for foreign journalists, wept as she shouted, 'Thank you, mister, thank you very much.'...

Gen. Georges Sada, the No. 2 ranking general in the Iraqi Air Force, said the same thing when I interviewed him Feb. 9, 2006.

I said, "You said the president did the right thing in invading Iraq -- "

"Excuse me," said Sada, "you say invading, I always say liberating.... In most provinces of Iraq and Kurdistan, the forces were received with cheers and flowers, in the South, it was the same thing in my province." The people living in the Sunni triangle did not consider Americans liberators, he explained, because Sunnis ran things. "When they found that this is all gone, of course they didn't like it."

The Iraqis show more optimism about their country than Americans show about theirs. According to a November 2005 American Research Group poll, 31 percent of Americans believe their household financial situations will improve over the next year. But, according to a December 2005 ABC News poll, 69 percent of Iraqis expect their lives to improve in the coming year.

http://www.freedomagenda.com/iraq/wmd_quotes.html

Even as late as 2002, many people (including Congress) presumed that President Bush, deeply flawed as he was, would not deliberately and continually lie to the American people.

We now know, of course, that the Sun King of Crawford's staff cherry-picked their intelligence briefings, putting everything favorable to their cause in the unclassified main body of the National Intelligence Estimate, and putting the myriad opposing viewpoints in the classified appendix, safely hidden from the view of all but a handful of Americans.

President Wartime Deserter and his cronies are counting on their rabid followers, the Rightonthemoneys, the ArmyMAJretireds and the OldFoolFootballs of the world, to continue to explain away their lies and distortions.

Every day, fewer and fewer people believe the pathetic bleatings of the ditto-sheep and their stumbletongued shepherd.

Another Rice Boy LIE, "President Wartime deserter", guess you didn't hear Dan Rather and Mary Mapes got spanked trying to sell that lie.

Like it or not, the President served honorably and had enough service points to complete his obligation. Kerry even took an early out after his abbreviated tour.

I wonder when he will sign hisSF 180 and release ALL his records, talk about cherry picking.

Does anyone else smell somthing about a discharge signed AFTER Carter pardoned Draft Dodgers?

Bush Sr. served, and served well. Bush jr. served cocain and alcohol at his parties. Which Bush are you talking about??

The one who was AWOL from the National Guard, even after his daddy pulled every string in the book to get him an easy pass?!

He didn't even show up for his free dental care, according to his supervisors reports. The media raked him over the coals for it, except of course for Fox news. What a joke fox news is, they are so lacking in credibility, that when the Mark Foley thing broke they claimed he was a Democrat. Wishful thinking on their part.

Dan Rather needs to speak with you now!

They tried this lie when he ran for Governor in Tx, they tried it in 2000 and tried again in 2004. Like it or not, he has proven through records that he accrued enough service points for an Honorable Discharge!

Even the twisted tabloid phoney news Fox news couldn't come up with an alibi for him!

I never saw a news story or article that ever vindicated him. I only read 4 different newspapers, and generally only 4 different news stations.....so apparently I missed the story that let him off the hook.

Where was he for that year and a half?? Was he taking care of his grandmother? Even his parents didn't step up to the plate with an excuse for him!

The only story I remember is the one where Date Line interviewed his cammading officer and he could not account for where bush was.

Was he serving with you on some secret mission?
Where are the hours of flight time? He was supposed to be flying planes, why was his logbook empty for that year and a half except for one flight?

I am a pilot, and most pilots are proud of their flight time and always record it.

bush himself admitted to using and partying with cocain and alcohol, no journalist or pundit had to dream that one up, he admitted to it.
That admission appears to be the only truth he has told U.S. citizens.

More like brownie points. He wasn't eligible for the guard in the first place but got in on his daddy's say so in order to avoid active duty as the guard in those days did not serve. Then he spent most of his time either drunk or avoiding training. Units in those days didn't even take roll. They were a farce. Don't try to justify such things. It only weakens the already weak guard. I know, I was active then.

What is your expertise in National Guard service during Vietnam? Try googling it and you will find that many units deployed and served.

Shock of shocks, Kerry joined the "Naval Reserve" and was activated for depolyment. Accoring to your logic he was trying to hide safely stateside.

http://www.ang.af.mil/history/Forging.asp

"The Vietnam War illustrated a central paradox facing the USAF's reserve components. In January 1968, President Johnson mobilized naval and air reservists following the North Korean seizure of the USS Pueblo. More reservists were called into federal service following the February 1968 Tet offensive in Vietnam. Altogether, approximately 10,600 Air Guardsmen were called into federal service in 1968. Although most of the reservists were used to strengthen America's depleted strategic reserve force, four ANG fighter squadrons were dispatched to Vietnam. On 3 May, F-100s from the 120th Tactical Fighter Squadron (Colorado) arrived at Phan Rang Air Base. By 1 June, all of the 120th's pilots were flying combat missions. In the meantime, the 174th (Iowa), 188th (New Mexico), and the 136th (New York) had all deployed to Vietnam with their F-100s. In addition, 85 percent of the 355th Tactical Fighter Squadron -- on paper a regular Air Force unit -- were Air Guardsmen. They performed superbly according to Gen George S. Brown, the Air Force Commander in Vietnam".

10,000 Gurad soldiers deployed to Vietnam, guess you should tell them they were safe.

Spin it however you like, Major.

The simple fact remains that once Bush was reasonably certain he wasn't going to Vietnam, he simply stopped showing up to Reserve meetings.

I call that desertion in time of war.

You, of course, see nothing wrong with that.

How do you explain that Clinton claimed WMDs in Iraq?? Was that Bush feeding him intelligence too?

"Iraq has WMD"

"Heavy as they are, the costs of action must be weighed against the price of inaction. If Saddam defies the world and we fail to respond, we will face a far greater threat in the future. Saddam will strike again at his neighbors; he will make war on his own people. And mark my words, he will develop weapons of mass destruction. He will deploy them, and he will use them."

President Clinton
National Address from the Oval Office
December 16, 1998

http://clinton4.nara.gov/WH/New/html/19981216-3611.html

http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/stories/1998/12/16/transcripts/clinton.html

What about these - all pre-Bush:
"Iraq is a long way from Ohio, but what happens there matters a great deal here. For the risks that the leaders of a rogue state will use nuclear, chemical or biological weapons against us or our allies is the greatest security threat we face."

Madeleine Albright, President Clinton's Secretary of State
Town Hall Meeting on Iraq at Ohio State University
February 18, 1998
http://www.fas.org/news/iraq/1998/02/20/98022006_tpo.html

"No one has done what Saddam Hussein has done, or is thinking of doing. He is producing weapons of mass destruction, and he is qualitatively and quantitatively different from other dictators."

Madeleine Albright, President Clinton's Secretary of State
Town Hall Meeting on Iraq at Ohio State University
February 18, 1998
http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/9802/18/town.meeting.folo/
"Imagine the consequences if Saddam fails to comply and we fail to act. Saddam will be emboldened, believing the international community has lost its will. He will rebuild his arsenal of weapons of mass destruction. And some day, some way, I am certain, he will use that arsenal again, as he has ten times since 1983."

Sandy Berger, President Clinton's National Security Advisor
Town Hall Meeting on Iraq at Ohio State University
February 18, 1998
http://www.fas.org/news/iraq/1998/02/20/98022006_tpo.html

Let’s address each of those “lies”. Here is the first.

"Iraq has WMD"

"Heavy as they are, the costs of action must be weighed against the price of inaction. If Saddam defies the world and we fail to respond, we will face a far greater threat in the future. Saddam will strike again at his neighbors; he will make war on his own people. And mark my words, he will develop weapons of mass destruction. He will deploy them, and he will use them."

President Clinton
National Address from the Oval Office
December 16, 1998

http://clinton4.nara.gov/WH/New/html/19981216-3611.html

http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/stories/1998/12/16/transcripts/clinton.html

CNN: How did Hussein intend to use the weapon, once it was completed?

HAMZA: Saddam has a whole range of weapons of mass destruction, nuclear, biological and chemical. According to German intelligence estimates, we expect him to have three nuclear weapons by 2005. So, the window will close by 2005, and we expect him then to be a lot more aggressive with his neighbors and encouraging terrorism, and using biological weapons. Now he's using them through surrogates like al Qaeda, but we expect he'll use them more aggressively then.

Dr. Khidhir Hamza, former Iraqi Nuclear Scientist for 20 years
Interviewed on CNN
October 22, 2001
http://www.cnn.com/2001/COMMUNITY/10/22/hamza.cnna/

"His regime threatens the safety of his people, the stability of his region, and the security of all the rest of us.

What if he fails to comply, and we fail to act, or we take some ambiguous third route which gives him yet more opportunities to develop this program of weapons of mass destruction and continue to press for the release of the sanctions and continue to ignore the solemn commitments that he made?

Well, he will conclude that the international community has lost its will. He will then conclude that he can go right on and do more to rebuild an arsenal of devastating destruction.

And some day, some way, I guarantee you, he'll use the arsenal."

President Clinton
Address to Joint Chiefs of Staff and Pentagon staff
February 17, 1998 http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1998/02/17/transcripts/clinton.iraq/

"Every nation has to either be with us, or against us. Those who harbor terrorists, or who finance them, are going to pay a price."

Senator Hillary Clinton (Democrat, New York)
September 13, 2001
http://www.wavsource.com/news/20010911a.htm

"We stopped the fighting [in 1991] on an agreement that Iraq would take steps to assure the world that it would not engage in further aggression and that it would destroy its weapons of mass destruction. It has refused to take those steps. That refusal constitutes a breach of the armistice which renders it void and justifies resumption of the armed conflict."

Senator Harry Reid (Democrat, Nevada)
Addressing the US Senate
October 9, 2002
Congressional Record, p. S10145
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/
cgi-bin/getpage.cgi?position=all&page=S10145&dbname=2002_record

"In the next century, the community of nations may see more and more the very kind of threat Iraq poses now -- a rogue state with weapons of mass destruction ready to use them or provide them to terrorists, drug traffickers or organized criminals who travel the world among us unnoticed.

If we fail to respond today, Saddam and all those who would follow in his footsteps will be emboldened tomorrow by the knowledge that they can act with impunity, even in the face of a clear message from the United Nations Security Council and clear evidence of a weapons of mass destruction program."

President Clinton
Address to Joint Chiefs of Staff and Pentagon staff
February 17, 1998
http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1998/02/17/transcripts/clinton.iraq/

Senator John Edwards, when asked about "Axis of Evil" countries Iran, Iraq, and North Korea:

"I mean, we have three different countries that, while they all present serious problems for the United States -- they're dictatorships, they're involved in the development and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction -- you know, the most imminent, clear and present threat to our country is not the same from those three countries. I think Iraq is the most serious and imminent threat to our country."

Senator John Edwards (Democrat, North Carolina)
During an interview on CNN's "Late Edition"
February 24, 2002
http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0202/24/le.00.html

"There is no doubt that Saddam Hussein's regime is a serious danger, that he is a tyrant, and that his pursuit of lethal weapons of mass destruction cannot be tolerated. He must be disarmed."

Senator Edward Kennedy (Democrat, Massachusetts)
Speech at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies
September 27, 2002
http://kennedy.senate.gov/~kennedy/statements/02/09/2002927718.html

"In the four years since the inspectors left, intelligence reports show that Saddam Hussein has worked to rebuild his chemical and biological weapons stock, his missile delivery capability, and his nuclear program. He has also given aid, comfort, and sanctuary to terrorists, including Al Qaeda members...

It is clear, however, that if left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will continue to increase his capacity to wage biological and chemical warfare, and will keep trying to develop nuclear weapons."

Senator Hillary Clinton (Democrat, New York)
Addressing the US Senate
October 10, 2002
http://clinton.senate.gov/speeches/iraq_101002.html

Congressman Gephardt links Saddam with the threat of terrorists nuking US cities:

BOB SCHIEFFER, Chief Washington Correspondent:

And with us now is the Democratic presidential candidate Dick Gephardt. Congressman, you supported taking military action in Iraq. Do you think now it was the right thing to do?

REP. RICHARD GEPHARDT, D-MO, Democratic Presidential Candidate:

I do. I base my determination on what I heard from the CIA. I went out there a couple of times and talked to everybody, including George Tenet. I talked to people in the Clinton administration.

SCHIEFFER:

Well, let me just ask you, do you feel, Congressman, that you were misled?

GEPHARDT:

I don't. I asked very direct questions of the top people in the CIA and people who'd served in the Clinton administration. And they said they believed that Saddam Hussein either had weapons or had the components of weapons or the ability to quickly make weapons of mass destruction. What we're worried about is an A-bomb in a Ryder truck in New York, in Washington and St. Louis. It cannot happen. We have to prevent it from happening. And it was on that basis that I voted to do this.

Congressman Richard Gephardt (Democrat, Montana)
Interviewed on CBS News "Face the Nation"
November 2, 2003
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/11/03/ftn/printable581509.shtml

"We have not reached parity with them. We have the right to kill 4 million Americans -- 2 million of them children -- and to exile twice as many and wound and cripple hundreds of thousands. Furthermore, it is our right to fight them with chemical and biological weapons, so as to afflict them with the fatal maladies that have afflicted the Muslims because of the [Americans'] chemical and biological weapons."

Islamic terrorist group "Al Qaeda"
June 12, 2002
http://www.memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archives&Area=sd&ID=SP38802

"Iraq is a long way from Ohio, but what happens there matters a great deal here. For the risks that the leaders of a rogue state will use nuclear, chemical or biological weapons against us or our allies is the greatest security threat we face."

Madeleine Albright, President Clinton's Secretary of State
Town Hall Meeting on Iraq at Ohio State University
February 18, 1998
http://www.fas.org/news/iraq/1998/02/20/98022006_tpo.html

"No one has done what Saddam Hussein has done, or is thinking of doing. He is producing weapons of mass destruction, and he is qualitatively and quantitatively different from other dictators."

Madeleine Albright, President Clinton's Secretary of State
Town Hall Meeting on Iraq at Ohio State University
February 18, 1998
http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/9802/18/town.meeting.folo/
"Imagine the consequences if Saddam fails to comply and we fail to act. Saddam will be emboldened, believing the international community has lost its will. He will rebuild his arsenal of weapons of mass destruction. And some day, some way, I am certain, he will use that arsenal again, as he has ten times since 1983."

Sandy Berger, President Clinton's National Security Advisor
Town Hall Meeting on Iraq at Ohio State University
February 18, 1998
http://www.fas.org/news/iraq/1998/02/20/98022006_tpo.html

"Ten years after the Gulf War and Saddam is still there and still continues to stockpile weapons of mass destruction. Now there are suggestions he is working with al Qaeda, which means the very terrorists who attacked the United States last September may now have access to chemical and biological weapons."

James P. Rubin, President Clinton's State Department spokesman
In a PBS documentary titled "Saddam's Ultimate Solution"
July 11, 2002
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/shows/saddam/

"Dear Mr. President: ... We urge you, after consulting with Congress, and consistent with the U.S. Constitution and laws, to take necessary actions (including, if appropriate, air and missile strikes on suspect Iraq sites) to respond effectively to the threat posed by Iraq's refusal to end its weapons of mass destruction programs."

Sincerely,

Carl Levin, Joe Lieberman, Frank R. Lautenberg, Dick Lugar, Kit Bond, Jon Kyl, Chris Dodd, John McCain, Kay Bailey Hutchison, Alfonse D'Amato, Bob Kerrey, Pete V. Domenici, Dianne Feinstein, Barbara A. Mikulski, Thomas Daschle, John Breaux, Tim Johnson, Daniel K. Inouye, Arlen Specter, James Inhofe, Strom Thurmond, Mary L. Landrieu, Wendell Ford, John Kerry, Chuck Grassley, Jesse Helms, Rick Santorum.

Letter to President Clinton
Signed by Senators Tom Daschle, John Kerry and others
October 9, 1998
http://www.iraqwatch.org/government/US/Letters,%20reports%20and%20statements/levin-10-9-98.html

"Iraq's search for weapons of mass destruction has proven impossible to completely deter and we should assume that it will continue for as long as Saddam is in power.

We know that he has stored secret supplies of biological and chemical weapons throughout his country."

Al Gore, Former Clinton Vice-President
Speech to San Francisco Commonwealth Club
September 23, 2002

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2002-09-23-gore-text_x.htm

http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,797999,00.html

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/09/24/1032734161501.html

"As a member of the House Intelligence Committee, I am keenly aware that the proliferation of chemical and biological weapons is an issue of grave importance to all nations. Saddam Hussein has been engaged in the development of weapons of mass destruction technology which is a threat to countries in the region and he has made a mockery of the weapons inspection process."

Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi (Democrat, California)
Statement on US Led Military Strike Against Iraq
December 16, 1998
http://www.house.gov/pelosi/priraq1.htm

"Iraq appears not to have come to a genuine acceptance -- not even today -- of the disarmament, which was demanded of it and which it needs to carry out to win the confidence of the world and to live in peace."

Dr. Hans Blix, Chief UN Weapons Inspector
Addressing the UN Security Council
January 27, 2003
http://www.un.org/apps/news/infocusnewsiraq.asp?NewsID=354&sID=6
http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/01/27/sprj.irq.transcript.blix
"The nerve agent VX is one of the most toxic ever developed.

13,000 chemical bombs were dropped by the Iraqi Air Force between 1983 and 1988, while Iraq has declared that 19,500 bombs were consumed during this period. Thus, there is a discrepancy of 6,500 bombs. The amount of chemical agent in these bombs would be in the order of about 1,000 tonnes."

Dr. Hans Blix, Chief UN Weapons Inspector
Addressing the UN Security Council
January 27, 2003
http://www.un.org/apps/news/infocusnewsiraq.asp?NewsID=354&sID=6
http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/01/27/sprj.irq.transcript.blix
"The recent inspection find in the private home of a scientist of a box of some 3,000 pages of documents, much of it relating to the laser enrichment of uranium support a concern that has long existed that documents might be distributed to the homes of private individuals. ...we cannot help but think that the case might not be isolated and that such placements of documents is deliberate to make discovery difficult and to seek to shield documents by placing them in private homes."

Dr. Hans Blix, Chief UN Weapons Inspector
Addressing the UN Security Council
January 27, 2003
http://www.un.org/apps/news/infocusnewsiraq.asp?NewsID=354&sID=6
http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/01/27/sprj.irq.transcript.blix

WMDs found : http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=38213

and

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,200499,00.html

Regime change in Iraq has been official US policy since 1998:

The Iraq Liberation Act of 1998 (sponsored by Bob Kerrey, John McCain, and Joseph Lieberman, and signed into law by President Clinton) states:

"It should be the policy of the United States to support efforts to remove the regime headed by Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq and to promote the emergence of a democratic government to replace that regime."

Iraq Liberation Act of 1998
105th Congress, 2nd Session
September 29, 1998
http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/iraq/1998/980929-in2.htm

Together, we must confront the new hazards of chemical and biological weapons and the outlaw states, terrorists, and organized criminals seeking to acquire them. Saddam Hussein has spent the better part of this decade and much of his nation's wealth not on providing for the Iraqi people but on developing nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons and the missiles to deliver them."

President Clinton
State of the Union address
January 27, 1998

http://clinton5.nara.gov/textonly/WH/SOTU98/address.html

http://www.usemb.ee/union98.php3

"Dear Mr. President:

The events of September 11 have highlighted the vulnerability of the United States to determined terrorists. As we work to clean up Afghanistan and destroy al Qaeda, it is imperative that we plan to eliminate the threat from Iraq.

This December will mark three years since United Nations inspectors last visited Iraq. There is no doubt that since that time, Saddam Hussein has reinvigorated his weapons programs.

The threat from Iraq is real, and it cannot be permanently contained. For as long as Saddam Hussein is in power in Baghdad, he will seek to acquire weapons of mass destruction and the means to deliver them. We have no doubt that these deadly weapons are intended for use against the United States and its allies. Consequently, we believe we must directly confront Saddam, sooner rather than later.

Mr. President, all indications are that in the interest of our own national security, Saddam Hussein must be removed from power."

Sincerely,

Congressman Harold Ford (Democrat, Tennessee)
Senator Bob Graham (Democrat, Florida)
Congressman Tom Lantos (Democrat, California)
Senator Joseph Lieberman (Democrat, Connecticut)

Senator Sam Brownback (Republican, Kansas)
Senator Jesse Helms (Republican, North Carolina)
Congressman Henry Hyde (Republican, Illinois)
Senator Trent Lott (Republican, Mississippi)
Senator John McCain (Republican, Arizona)
Senator Richard Shelby (Republican, Alabama)

Letter to President Bush
December 5, 2001
http://www.house.gov/ford/12_06_01a.htm

I looked up the source document. Herr Major was wrong, it was a news article and not an editorial.

Ray Charles could see that it is an opinion piece with one or two facts included.

Went to the top 20 in 2005 in Englad and Wales too

Whttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4148335.stm

So, under this dumb logic, why isn't "George" the most popular name in the US?

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Making you think twice......

Maybe because we aren't being taken over by white heterosexual Christian family men?? That may be possibly dumber than us invading 'siria'(sic).

But we are being taken over by Mexicans and I don't see too many "Joses" either. Great logic, huh?
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Making you think twice......

Why do you think the kids in europe are being nammed Mohammad? Share your reason if it's not from massive immigration from Islamic countries. Do you think Heidi and Hans are naming their children Mohammad? You are truly an idiot. In fact Jose is actually one of the fastest growing names in America. We have a lower percentage of illegals here in America than europe. You really should read more and turn off CNN and Air America.

Seems like our pollyanna princesses are in the same mode the dems were in when Carter and Clinton paid North Korea to stop conducting nuclear reasearch ... oops! ((I love it when they say "I am not a Democrat or Republican", as if someone thought they were ever smart enough to vote for a conservative! Ha!))

Do you recall Jimmy Carter and the misery index? Iranian hostages and gas lines? I think your memory has gone the way of your complection and argument - full of holes.

Not surprising that the OldFool supports torture.

Do us a favor, Old Fool...don't call yourself an American.

People like you are a cancer on America.

Please make the bulletin board chronological.

First post first, last post last. It should go in order by date and time posted.

Or does that make too much sense?

I think we should stay the course in Iraq. Otherwise there might be violence and chaos.

You can format the threads to be just like you want. Look at the top of the comments, where there are drop-down boxes with various formatting options. Change them how you prefer, then click on "Save Settings"

... certainly would give me the right to call myself an American - the kind you owe it all to Adbul. Besides, I was born here and like the millions of others born here (including the fastest growing population in America - illegal Mexican's offspring) that makes me an American. It's called 'birthright'. Duh.

Again, Ms. Basmati, read SUN TZU - THE ART OF WAR and get back to me My philosophy is really quite simple; If I am in it, I am in it to win it - and to save American lives first and foremost. besides, I am not here to debate tactics with political panty wastes like you. I just knew that my beliefs would put you over the edge and I love doing that!

Why do you think we nuked a million Japanese Basmati? Why?

It really is nice to see you finally stopped praising Hitler. It is sad however that you feel the need to show your disdain for the Statue of Liberty. What next, the Pope? Your hate for conservative American values has blinded you. There is none so blind as he who will not see.

Find the light Abdul. Find the light!

People have different definitions of torture. I think most people would agree that if a terrorist has information that could help stop an attack on Americans and won't talk, maybe some kind of "torture" or "persistent interrogation" could be useful.

That whole Abu Graib prison thing was just ridiculous. No soilder should do things like that or act like that. They acted like they were at a fraternity party. No soilder anywhere should sexually abuse anybody, male or female. No soilder should "torture" anybody for no reason or for their own personal enjoyment.

I guess it comes down to who and why and what kind of torture and who will administer it and for what purpose or outcome, for me to say if I agreed with it or not.

I am not a straight ticket voter. I was raised to vote for the person, not the party.

I agree with your comments too. I usually vote Republican, but I am mad about this whole jobs overseas and only rich people/corporations getting the benefits. I do agree that Republicans stand for the same values I stand for (except Foley and some others of course ).
I still am thinking about voting for McGraw though, and the rest I will vote Republican on. If only McGraw could run as another Republican.

Has Sonny had anything yet to say on HB 488? I certainly cannot vote for him in good conscience.

Steve

Would be a HUGE stimulus to the economy.

Oh yeah, has Mark contracted on Sonny's land in Florida yet? Sweet deal Sonny has offered him. 40 million dollars worth of land for 10 million. IF I was Mark, I would buy this, take the profits and forget running for any office. Unless the land isn't really worth 40 million, why not? One of the better "put up or shut up" ads I've seen lately.

We need tax reform. We need a flat tax (Fair Tax).

I am a huge supporter of the Fair Tax. It is one of the few things that Westmoreland has done in his time in office, co-sponsoring & supporting the Fair Tax Act.