Bush is a failed ruler of the free world. He is too stupid to learn and too stubborn to learn. His murderous and torturous ways will not be forgotten by the muslims, Islamists, or any other sect in the Middle East. Bush's presence on the scene will mean more anti-American converts who will hate America. Hate begets hate. Bush's hateful ways beget hateful ways. Bush's attack on Iraq has been a total disaster. Let us not forget like most Americans who have short memories that the Iraq war is a wrong and an immoral war that should never have started in the first place.

In the early days of the U.S. government, our leaders had to be careful to maintain a Congressional balance between slave and free states, or the Union would fall apart. Eventually we fought the Civil War over this division, but if the Civil War had occurred right after ratification, I doubt we would have survived as a democracy. The other important thing to remember about the early U.S. is that the states had a lot of power and the federal government was relatively weak.

Why hasn't a similar thought process taken place in regard to Iraq? A weak executive branch dominated by a council of, say, 4 Shia, 3 Sunni and 3 Kurdish representatives. And a Bill of Rights type of statement that laws must uphold the religious rights of all these groups and the executive branch can not single out any group for persecution.

Sure they hate each other--our two parties (led by Hamilton and Jefferson) in the early 1800s hated each other too, but they recognized that they had to stick together to keep the European powers at bay.

They had the advantage of being part of the Enlightenment, which held that individuals had God-given rights and that kings did not rule by divine authority. The Iraqis have the disadvantage of being led into democracy by neocons, who are proponents of what I would call the Unenlightenment. I probably don't have to define that term for this group.

There are great cheers from Bush regarding the Iraqi elections. I have the perceptual opinion that Bush has great cheers for the dead American soldiers and for the dead Iraqis for his evil ways.

The Iraqi parties who hate each other will unite to fight the common enemy among them - the United States of America.

Despite our economic prowess and alleged sophistication, religious fundamentalists in our own country have succeeded in bringing great pressure to bear on our government and our media.

what's this? some kind of wacky conspiracy theory? I'm afraid that we cannot countenence any wacky conspiracy theories around here -

These elections will bring out a more corrupt Iraq and not a less corrupt Iraq.

Our attack on Iraq brought much pain and sorrow to America with huge cuts in programs that help Americans. These cuts will help pay for the Iraq war.

FYI US Senate rejects reauthorization of the USA Patriot Act

FYI US Senate rejects reauthorization of the USA Patriot Act

Let us not forget the maimed American soldiers in the tens of thousands and the maimed Iraqis in the hundreds of thousands who are suffering from this wrong and immoral Iraq war.

I cannot speak for my God but I suspect that He is not happy with Bush's ways.

These elections bring no joy to my family and me!!!

Did Bush have the same intelligence?

By Evan Derkacz
December 16, 2005

No jokes about the title of this post. It has nothing to do with Bush's intelligence, it has to do with intelligence intelligence -- though I know what you're thinking...

As the war began to look more and more quagmire-ish and the polls betrayed public opposition, members of congress began to make hay about having been deceived into voting to give Bush the power to go to war. They were told that there was evidence of this and that (you know this and that: this is WMD and that is Al Qaeda/Saddam operational ties) and that they ought to essentially trust the president.

Yes, we all could've told them that trusting this president was clearly a mistake but...

Bush's retort was that they all had access to the same intelligence, therefore they were deceived into nothing. Case closed. Except. Except Dianne Feinstein (D-deceived), according to Josh Marshall, "asked the non-partisan Congressional Research Service to look into the matter and report back whether or not what the president said is true."

"They reported back today. The verdict: not true."

*****end of clip*****

Just another lie.

capt

You cannot impose a system of government on another country when they don't understand it or want it. Of course, if the coward in chief could ever read a history book he might understand this kind of thinking, but not in this world. Elections are BS they won't change anything, why would they? Unless things improve on a very basic level for the majority of Iraqis there won't be any let up in the dying of our troops, so this is another one of shrubco usual bs circuses. Nothing will happpen, if the US pulled out in three weeks these politicians would be swinging from a palm tree by their necks. Or maybe found shot to death but whatever they would not be in power.

I'd like to expand on my idea that GWB is leading the world into the Unenlightenment.

The Enlightenment in the 18th and 19th centuries was part of the Age of Reason, brought about modern scientific methods as well as concepts like democracy and the primacy of individual rights over the power of the state. Until this period it was generally accepted that royalty ruled by Divine right, so questioning the law was tantamount to questioning God's will. The Enlightenment brought forth the idea of progress (there wasn't a lot of scientific or intellectual progress during the Dark Ages, the 1000 or so years that preceded the Age of Reason, when Religion equalled Government. In fact, the Dark Ages was a regression from earlier enlightened periods such as the Greek and Roman empires. A lot of ideas in the Enlightenment (including democracy) were not new but had been lost after the fall of the Roman Empire and were preserved, ironically, by Muslim cultures which were more enlightened that Christian cultures during the Dark Ages.

So from history we learn that society can regress as well as progress, and that scientific/philosophical and economic progess aligns with political progress. In other words, to the extent that our individual rights are eroded, our standard of living is similarly jeopardized.

Did I mention that the Enlightenment also helped bring about capitalism? Capitalism is basically the idea that an individual who builds a better mousetrap has the right to profit from this knowledge, so that people are motivated to be progressive.

GWB has ushered in an era where human rights are secondary to national interests as determined by a handful of people. It's important to make a big show of elections but it's more important that the results of elections be preordained. Political philosophy derives from God talking directly to the head of state. Debate and dissent is counter-productive. Citizens should be kept in the dark about how policy is made. Science is untrustworthy and sometimes Satanic, and only the Word of God (bestowed soley to the God-conduit) can be trusted. Economic decisions are made solely to benefit large monolithic business interests which will not tolerate competition from upstarts that may have new "progressive" ideas. The future is frightening; the past is comforting.

Does any of this sound familiar?

These elections were not worth the killing and maiming of American lives and the killing and maiming of Iraqi lives.

Face it, we are a nation of meddlers, and busybodies..... We are minding your business so you don't have to..... We have extended our reach across the globe spreading our dysfunctional attitude and if you don't accept it...tough. The Pandoras box has been opened don't be suprised if some snakes jump out to bite us in the ass.

Two Mistakes

On the arse? "In the arse" is a very different condition? HA!

capt

http://www.juancole.com/

Too much to clip, I really hope all drop by Juan Cole's "Informed Comment" once in a while and at least skim his posts. He is informed (so it seems) and has some insight and connections to inside information.

From about half way down his page 12/11:

"The US personnel in Iraq have occasionally sent me these rosy predictions all along the way. In February of 2004 I got a long message that maintained that Muqtada al-Sadr's movement was dissipating and that the US was about to put $18 billion of reconstruction money into Iraq, which would jump-start the economy, draw off dissidents, and make the place peaceful and flourishing. Two months later the entire South and Baghdad were in flames as Muqtada's Mahdi Army fought the Coalition military for two solid months. The security situation has never allowed the reconstruction aid to be invested in a way that would lead to development and away from guerrilla war. And virtually everything this seasoned US observer on the ground in provincial Iraq had predicted to me turned out to be a pipe dream. The pipe dreams spring eternal, but they are mirages. In the near to medium term, those Americans who rush through the desert sands in the torrid miasma of the Iraqi midday sun, seeking to throw themselves into the shimmering lakes of peace and prosperity just over the horizon, will be found later at the foot of a dune, lips cracked and skin blackened, their eyeballs the food of scorpions and lizards."

***********

Lots of stuff there!

capt

#17 DEN, your post reminds me of two friends who went camping and one of the friends had to squat and unload in the woods and the snake bit him on the penis. The other friend said that he would call the doctor and ask what he should do. He called the doctor and asked how he can help his friend. The doctor said with a knife cut an x on his penis suck out the venom. The friend who had the snake bite asked what did the doctor say. His friend said that the doctor said he was going to die.

OK capt, ON not IN, sheesh some folks sure are picky!

Congressman: Save the holidays

A Jewish congressman introduced a resolution to protect the symbols of Chanukah, Kwanzaa and Ramadan.

Rep. Steve Israel (D-N.Y.) planned to introduce his resolution Thursday evening to counter another resolution, introduced earlier by Rep. Jo Ann Davis (R-Va.), that "recognizes the importance of the symbols and traditions of Christmas" and "strongly disapproves of attempts to ban references to Christmas." Israel tried to get Davis to amend her resolution when it came to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday night, but she refused, citing procedural rules.

Israel’s resolution replicates Davis’ language precisely, except for substituting "Chanukah, Ramadan and Kwanzaa" for Christmas. After a raucous debate on Davis’ resolution Wednesday evening between Democrats — most of them Jews — and Republicans, it passed on a voice vote, and is undergoing a member-by-member roll call.

*****end of clip*****

As has been posted before, they are missing Festivus and all of the pagan and satanic celebrations but . . .

capt

David, we can't get honest elections in THIS country, how are we supposed to accomplish it a world away? Those elections are just another distraction from the fact that we are hell bent on bringing total chaos and distruction to Iraq, then Syria then Iran. The petroeuro is coming to these lands, and the US will by no means sit by and allow the dollar to be usurped, they haven't finished pillaging, and the dollar will rule until the power elite say different. saddam tried to buck the system, look what he got.

Is Bush Leveling With America?

By Robert Parry
December 16, 2005

George W. Bush is winning praise from the major U.S. news media for finally leveling with the American people about the difficulties in Iraq. But Bush is still making many of the same false or fuzzy assertions that guided the United States through the first 1,000 days of war.

By refusing to correct or discard these fallacies in four recent speeches and in other comments on Iraq, Bush seems to be holding to an unrealistic course that will lead to an ever-lengthening list of dead American soldiers and Iraqis.

For instance, one of Bush’≥ favorite arguments continues to be that the U.S. invasion was justified by the goal of imposing democracy on Iraq because "democracies are peaceful countries" –†and, therefore, presumably an Iraq with democratic institutions should become peaceful.

The internal contradiction of this rationale –†from the leader of "the world’≥ preeminent democracy" which invaded Iraq in 2003 under false premises –†goes unnoticed by the U.S. press corps even though it watched the invasion unfold. In an Orwellian fashion, the news media accepts that Bush’≥ going to war was evidence of his peaceful intent.

*****end of clip*****

Parry, as always is very good, the clip does not do the article justice.

capt

Rants from eastern California. by Anderson Petition, 12-16-05 .

I admit I have NOT read every entry at www.davidcorn.com recently. However, I would like to set forth this as something I need a place to spew forth a rant.

( What am I , F. Scott Fitzgerald ? )

Aside from the fact that damn-near everybody on the ground here in the USA today is a descendant of a person from somewhere else,
the " 60 Minutes " television show of Sunday,
December 11, 2005 was a disappointment to me.

The real deal is the UNPROTECTED
borders of Iraq. Six of them.
Jordan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Iran,
and Kuwait. That's more than 2,200
miles of places where the " bad guys"
can sneak in.

Here's the coverage about this issue
from America's " journalists"

( it may be necessary to squint )

A.P.

Bushianity

Gerald, #17 your joke was hilarious! Humor lets us all "come up for air" every now and then.

Thumbs down on the Patriot act extension!!!!!!Now, what to do with all my guns and ammo. Novak leaving CNN for FOX!!!!! Pinch me I think I'm dreaming!!

DEN, sell the registerd weapons, and replace them, if you know what I mean, before the dimwits in Cali decide to take away your rights altogether, like they did in SF. Democracy has it's downside, especially when a bunch of do- gooders make decisions based on bad info that negatively affects the rest of us.

The US is on the last legs of it's delusional empire exercise, when this all comes crashing down, and it will, the rules will change, and the power that is illusory in fact will dissapate, you will look at the spasms of death by this government as humourous unless it actually touches you. Just wait there is no way possible that things are going to continue in this manner, we are broke final and for ever. Unless there is a huge infusion of captial to the US over the next ten years there won't be any recovery. Spending all the money in Iraq has increased the rate of decline, but we have been playing at empire since the 1917 war, after that we were drunk on the illusion of might and influence. All we did was squander our treasure and youth. Now the debts are coming home, it is only a word away. That word, well it is chinese and it means SELL!!. That word uttered by either the chinese, japanese, or british, saudi arabians, or any of the other holders of the US fake bonds will bring about the collapse of the US economy almost overnight. ALl the idiotic illusions perpetrated on the american public will come to light, then the masses won't have anything to fall back on but their own delusions. IT is going to be an interesting passage, and might come sooner than anyone thinks.

Rise of the Religious Right

A lengthy article that I have as part of my computer benchmark!

Patent pending for low fat piggies.

Sal, who said they were registered?

Help stop the slaughter of horses for food.

Dear Alan,

Help Stop Cruelty to Horses!

Thousands of horses are cruelly slaughtered every year in this country to end up on dinner plates oveseas. Take action to permanently end this brutal practice! Urge your senators to support the Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (S. 1915).


Thank you for signing the American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign. I'm writing you because as a fellow horse-lover I wanted to share some good news. In October horses in the United States won a critical, albeit temporary, reprieve when the Senate passed an amendment to the 2006 Agriculture Appropriations Bill stopping the slaughter of horses in the U.S. and their exportation for consumption next year. Now we need your help to permanently end the slaughter of domestic and wild horses in America.

Even though Americans do not eat horse meat, thousands of horses are slaughtered every year to satisfy a market for horsemeat overseas. The thought of horses being slaughtered is horrifying enough, but to make matters worse the process is often brutal and inhumane.

The transport of horses to slaughterhouses is often extremely cruel. Many horses are injured before even reaching the slaughter plant due to overcrowded conditions during transport. Some are shipped for more than 24 hours at a time without food, water, or rest. Please Act Now!

In addition, the methods used to slaughter these horses once they arrive at the plant can be exceptionally inhumane. The horses are often forced to endure repeated stuns or blows and often times remain conscious during their slaughter.

The Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (S. 1915) would permanently put an end to this cruel and inhumane practice by permanently prohibiting horse slaughter for human consumption in the U.S. Urge your senators to support and cosponsor S. 1915!

Jenny McKinley
Care2 & ThePetitionSite Team

HAHA DEN! Good for you!

#28 DEN, we live in an insane country and world and at times we need some laughter and humor in our lives. If I am not mistaken, #21 was real life experience. I guess friendships can only go so far with friendly relations.

#20 capt -- Agree. Juan Cole is a great source for what's really happening in Iraq. Sometimes a little too much detail but it's clear he's better informed than anyone else. I believe he understands Arabic. Last I checked, Juan was against an immediate pullout, although he opposed the war from the start and has pointed out Bush's blunders at every step.

#24 Saladin -- Good point that the big question marks around U.S. elections make Americans skeptical of the value of elections in Iraq. Despite opposing the war from the start, I am still hopeful that some good will come out of this mess. People who hate Bush so much that they want Iraq to fail just to prove him wrong are an embarrassment to the anti-war position. Let's all pray that things get better there -- but with our eyes open.

Alan, I agree that slaughtering horses for food is disgusting. But it seems a double standard to show such concern for the cruel treatment of horses when the treatment that is everyday fare for millions of domestic factory farm animals is sick beyond belief. I know horses are more attractive than chickens, pigs and cows, but do they experience pain and deprivation any differently?

Sal, further strengtens my argument that the US is a country full of Busybodies, minding your business so you don't have to. Please tell me what to do! I'm to friggen ignorant to figure it out myself, boy wheres a good educational system when you need it. We need LESS governmental intrusion for sure but what got us into all this trouble in the first place is the incompetants whining "can't the government do something" instead of solving their own issues.ie; We don't like homos, we don't like Liberals, we don't like the non-religious, wa! wa! wa! and so on

#30 Saladin

Don't blame democracy for gun-control freaks. It's the Constitution that gives us the right to bear arms. I'm glad to see that some of my fellow left-leaners are not such knee-jerk liberals as to oppose the 2nd Amendment.

eggman, I find it hard to believe that any thinking person would wish for failure in Iraq just to prove bush wrong. bush has changed his stance on the reasons for being there so many times how can we even keep track of all the lies? I am certain bringing democracy to the so-called primitives was what they finally settled on when all the other lies fell apart. How can you breathe life into a cause when you are already close to death yourself? Our democracy is failing, it's a given that the attempt in Iraq will fail as well, because the attempt was never sincere to begin with.

eggman, what happened in SF was the result of a vote by the people. I don't blame democracy, I blame ignorant brain-washed fools!

#39 Alan

[I know horses are more attractive than chickens, pigs and cows]

Says who? You haven't seen my beloved Clucker when she's all dolled up -- perhaps I've said too much. ;-)

#43

Point taken.

In Chicago there's a weapons ban by mayoral fiat. I'd forgotten California puts the DUM in referenDUM.

First of all, anyone with access to the world wide web knew that there was no connection between Al Quaida and Saddam. Saddam has never been a devout moslem, though he pretended to be one, like Bush pretends to be a christian. In fact, Saddam tried to wipe out an Al Quaida cell in the northeast of his country, and was only stopped from completing that task by our air force. Second, anyone with any residue of brain tissue could predict that the Shiites in Iraq would have close relations with the Shiites who rule Iran. I suspect that in a few years they will secede from Iraq and join Iran. Third, those who read the web, realized that the Kurds, who occupy northern Iraq would want to become independent, and that they might cause the many Kurds in Turkey to revolt and try to secede from that country, thereby destabilizing the entire region again. Ultimately, we will probably end up with an independent Kurdistan, part of which will be carved out of Turkey, a vastly more powerful Iran, perhaps run by insane religious bigots, and a tiny Sunni section around Baghdad, which will be mostly secular, but hostage to the new Kurdistan and a giant Iran. Talk about our statesmanship....... Well, let's not, or we'll all become nauseous!

Wolfgang, we now know that it is actually IRAN that is wrapped up with Al-CIADA and was behind 9/11 too! OBL is there as we speak, pouring over maps of US targets to hit with cell phone controlled nuclear bombs. It's just a matter of time till we see that mushroom cloud.

Sal, don't be surprised if those nukes are sent by the neocons disguised as OBL's, to boost chimpies poll mumbers.

I wonder what types of drugs some of ya'll are on?

Is Corn saying we should force a form of GOVT on IRAQ because they might not go the way we want them to?

Is there anything ya'll will fight for other than big GOVT and removing conservatives from office?

I support the war. I think we are doing the right thing. And I believe most of you are simply loud mouthed hypocrites. You are willing to force other countries to do what you want in regards to: Enviroment (DDT, Logging, Oil Production), Nuclear Proliferation, Israel/PLO, Whaling, Global Warming, Yugoslavia and such... But when someone actually dethrones a corrupt regieme and is fostering a DEMOCRATIC election in that country without imposing our will on the country you are whining and doomsaying. If we had tried to control the outcome more you would still be whinning and doomsaying. People like this are part of the problem, and cannot see past their own selfish interests.

Elton: Proud to be an American and proud of what we have done to bring peace to the world for the past 229 years!

Rice hints at Security Council referral of Iran's nuke file Fri. 16 Dec 2005

Iran Focus

Tehran, Iran, Dec. 16 Iran may end up facing United Nations Security Council action over its nuclear non-cooperation, if it continues to defy the international community's demands of suspending sensitive nuclear work, United States Secretary of States Condoleezza Rice said on Thursday.

In an interview on Fox News channel, Rice also said that Iran was out of step with the region.

She said that Iran was probably the greatest state sponsor of terrorism, sponsoring the Palestinian rejectionists, sponsoring Hezbollah activities that are violent.
-------------
WTF?? Since when is having a nuclear power plant out of step with the region? And if she's accusing them of having a "secret" nuclear weapons program, then she must have forgotten the fact that Israel has roughly 400 nuclear WMD's, and also happen to be guilty of terrorist war crimes. rice must get her facts from fox as well as the rhetoric she constantly spews on propaganda central! But she forgot to mention the Iranian sponsorship of OBL and Al-CIAda! They are like a broken record.

Elton, those are very nice sentiments, but the last thing America is bringing to the world is peace. We are not hypocrites, most of us desire our govt. to practice what they preach. If dethroning hostile regimes is the ultimate goal of democracy, there are many that are far worse than saddam ever was, unfortunately the others are geographically disabled, in other words, they don't have any resources we want. The poor people of Tibet are a perfect example. The first thing we need to do to put down tyrants is STOP SUPPORTING THEM!! Are you surprised when we arm these psychos with chemical and biological weapons that they actually use them? Does it surprise you that we then use that abuse as a reason to take them out? Your mistake is believing that the voracious war machine has any loyalty to America. You really should know better.

Yes Elton we support regime change but at what cost? Is it worth many thousand innocent Iraqi civilians being slaughtered to achive a government whose head right now is a stooge put their by us in the first place? And do you think voting is going to improve things? They may be voting but don't kid yourself there is NO democracy there and probably will never be.

42 Alan,

Read your own post. [It's a given that the attempt in Iraq will fail]. A 'given' is an assumption, a mind-set, not a conclusion. I think a positive outlook is preferable to a negative one. 71 percent of Iraqis believe in a brighter future. Maybe they're kidding themselves, but let's get on their side anyway. (They also want us to leave, and I can get behind that.)

We see rumblings that maybe Lebanon could become more free, maybe Syria's leadership is getting nervous, maybe Libya is tired of being a rogue state. It would be great for Bush if these things happened. I'm willing to live with that. Are you?

In Chicago we root for the Cubs and every year we say, "wait til next year" even though we know it's a long shot. We'll criticize the owner and the lousy players, we'll leave in the 8th inning when they're down by 7, but our disillusionment does not eliminate our optimism.

Saladin,
Are you saying that we should be active in other areas of the world where EVIL is being done? I can live with that. Or, are you just throwing up a smokescreen?
When EVIL is being done I will take a stand. If it remains within the borders of that country it may be hard to justify our intervention, but when it threatens us, our friends/allies or out interests then we have a reason to intervene.

Den, I think there is a good chance that things will get better... a much greater chance than if we had done nothing. All you show is negative attitude and a will for the US to fail.

You will never succeed unless you act, and to act is to risk failure.

Not to defer too long from the important discussions on the War on Terror, and the fairly unrelated War in Iraq but we got some problems at home...

namely the War on Christmas. More precisely the warmonger behind this war... O'Reilly. O'Reilly compared Catholic leaders' silence over "war" on Christmas to Church's reaction to pedophilia scandal"

Unlike the Iraq war, there is no real war on Christmas... no one is killing anyone over it. Yet O'Reilly proudly pushes this war and bashes the Catholics for not being aiding his cause in a manner similar to fundamentalist wing-nuts like Falwell.

Here is my point and call for action. O'Reilly is obessive and thrives on attention and controversy... he likes to hear himself speak and make sure a million others hear him speak to.

I think what we need to do is start a branded campaign... "O'Reilly Free Zone". This would include a website and covenant with those who agree with it. The website will eloquently point out that O'Reilly himself as well as his show is not responsible journalism and is not worthy of people's time. With this campaign we set up the premise that it is absolutely okay for any person regardless of political idealogy, religion, ethnicity, etc... to not feel compelled to go on the O'Reilly show, or to be concerned with any of his gimicky campaigns (e.g. war on christmas, traitorous websites for saying we should redeploy troops, etc). As part of this O'Reilly Free Zone campaign, if any person gets attacked for not being O'Reilly's show (except from O'Reilly himself... because who cares what he says), they will not have to respond defensively. The person may simply direct the attackers and any listening ears to go view the "O'Reilly Free Zone" website. As part of this campaign there is a commitment of solidarity that others will speak up on this person's behalf, and the 'attacked' person is relieved of having to give any sign of credibility to O'Reilly by giving a defense. It can get to the point, where one just says "I'm in the O'Reilly Free Zone" and we all laugh and move on... and O'Reilly begins to lose his audience.

.... Now back to more important things... like where people are dying and we want to make sure it is for the right reasons....

Civil War is a war within a nation for control of the GOVT.

If the conflict in IRAQ is a war of the Iraqi people against the US then it would be a War of Independence, or a war against invaision.

Since we are there, by definition it is not a Civil War, and since it is not between 2 forces, it cannot be deemed a war of Independence or against invaders.

What we have in IRAQ are armed thigs and crimminals who will TARGET non-combatents whereever possible to achieve their ends.

I expected better choice of words from Corn.

Elton, We are NOT the worlds police force. Lets look at it another way, we are seen as agressors and a world superpower drunk with power so much as to IMPOSE our will upon others, another country thinks we should be like them and they will force us to do so. Would it be OK if that country dropped bombs here to "shock and awe" us into submitting to their beliefs? followed by an occupation to show us the way? Walk in someone elses shoes, you might want to rethink things a bit.

So, in your opinion when should we get involved?

Should we be that concerned about the perception of other people that we allow them to become our moral compass?

Should we show weakness, I am sure that many will tru to impose their will on us... Al Quieda...
No, it is not right to impose your will on others, but is right to protect yourself and to stop agressors. Saddam had shown himself to be an agressor. Iran is showing the same thing.

Remember, there were and are good reasons for going to war in Iraq. We did not pick their name out of a had and set out to pick a fight. Saddam could have stopped this simply by complying fully with the UN, but he banked ou Bush being spineless line Clinton. He was wrong.

eggman, you are confusing my posts for Alans! Let me clarify. Say the US is truly interested in furthering the goals of a free democratic republic, that our motives are purely humantarian and altruistic in nature. With that scenario I would have confidence that the goal could be achieved, and with a minimum of death and destruction. If that HAD been the goal, we would have removed a despot then proceeded to engage the Iraqi people in the rebuilding of their govt. structure. We would not have destroyed the infrastructure, guarding the ministry of oil while looters were wreaking havok. We would not have bombed entire cities full of civilians. We would not be using illegal WMD's against a helpless population, we would not be torturing people in search of answers they couldn't possibly have, such as, "tell us where the WMD's are or we'll pulpify your legs!" If our intentions were honest, the Iraqi people would not be saying they were better off under saddam! As it stands, I believe this ludicrous circus they claim to be "democracy on the march" is doomed to failure, because it has become quite apparent that that is not even close to what they want. My opinion is based on evidence I have seen over the past 3 years. Throw in the fact that the so-called terrorists continue to bomb all the oil pipelines, except the one that leads straight to the port of their mortal enemy, Israel, and my incredulence factor has been surpassed. After 5 years of bushco, I don't trust a word they say, if they said the sky is blue, I would look up, just to see for myself! It's fine to have faith in your baseball team, but that doesn't get anyone killed!

Saladin,

What WMD have we used in IRAQ?

Elton, saddam WAS complying! Do you really think that is why we are there? Do you know what the real crime was that got saddam removed? Do you know what Iran is doing that has been described as WORSE than launching a nuke at us? Do you even WANT to know, or are you content with the bullshit you are so obviously fed from the faux news channel?

White Phophorous, napalm, DU ammunition which also contains non depleted uranium, that is a highly radioactive substance that will affect the people, both Iraqi and American, for generations to come, not to mention pollute the soil and groundwater for several hundred thousand years. Would you like to see some pictures of the results of these weapons?

New tests fuel doubts about vote machines.
A top election official and computer experts say computer hackers could easily change election results, after they found numerous flaws with a state-approved voting-machine in Tallahassee.BY MARC CAPUTO AND GARY

FINEOUTmcaputo@herald.comTALLAHASSEE - A political operative with hacking skills could alter the results of any election on Diebold-made voting machines -- and possibly other new voting systems in Florida -- according to the state capital's election supervisor, who said Diebold software has failed repeated tests.
Ion Sancho, Leon County's election chief, said tests by two computer experts, completed this week, showed that an insider could surreptitiously change vote results and the number of ballots cast on Diebold's optical-scan machines.
After receiving county commission approval Tuesday, Sancho scrapped Diebold's system for one made by Elections Systems and Software, the same provider used by Miami-Dade and Broward counties. The difference between the systems: Sancho's machines use a fill-in-the-blank paper ballot that allows for after-the-fact manual recounts, while Broward and Miami-Dade use ATM-like touchscreens that leave no paper trail.
''That's kind of scary. If there's no paper trail, you have to rely solely on electronic results. And now we know that they can be manipulated under the right conditions, without a person even leaving a fingerprint,'' said Sancho, who once headed the state's elections supervisors association.
The Leon County test results are likely to further fuel suspicions that the new electronic voting systems in Florida, in place since the 2002 elections, are susceptible to manipulation.
---------------
It seems to me that we should tend to our own broken democracy before we try to enforce brand America on the rest of the world!

"A man is the sum of his actions, of what he has done, of what he can do, nothing else. " ~ Andre Malraux (1901 - 1976)

"Sometimes we do a thing in order to find out the reason for it. Sometimes our actions are questions not answers. " ~ John Le Carre (1931 - ), Magnus Pym in "A Perfect Spy"

"A man is like a fraction whose numerator is what he is and whose denominator is what he thinks of himself. The larger the denominator the smaller the fraction. " ~ Leo Tolstoy (1828 - 1910)

"People don’¥ want their lives fixed. Nobody wants their problems solved. Their dramas. Their distractions. Their stories resolved. Their messes cleaned up. Because what would they have left? Just the big scary unknown." ~ Chuck Palahniuk (1962 - )

I have seen the results. These are no more WMDs that the car you drive, a machine gun, an airplane or an IED . I have never seen them listed as a WMD by America or the UN.

From the looks of the indictments we only have an excess of corruption, a shortage of freedom and democracy. No wonder we end up exporting corruption while big oil and the multinationals are breaking records for profit previously set just before the 1929 crash.

Just sayin'

capt

The 52-47 vote against reauthorization of the Patriot Act breaks down this way: five Republicans voted against the reauthorization: Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, John Sununu of New Hampshire, Larry Craig of Idaho and Bill Frist of Tennessee, who voted "no" so that he can call for a re-vote at any time (according to the Senate rules). Two Democrats voted to extend the Patriot Act: Sens. Tim Johnson of South Dakota and Ben Nelson of Nebraska; one independent.

Senator Jon Kyl, R-Texas, said: "God help us if there's some kind of terrorist attack when we are not protected by the Patriot Act." He also said that he does not look at this as a bipartisan vote.

Frist said: "We have a clear choice before us today: Do we advance against terrorism to make America safer or do we retreat."
_________________
Hmmmmmmmm....so that's how the Repubs think. Makes me wonder...."Protected" by the patriot act?

Oh my that is GOOD news!

WOW -

Thanks

capt

Elton, correct me if I'm wrong here but the UN inspectors were doing their job ensuring the destruction of sadmans weapons whe bush decided he need to cicumvent the UN work and bring in the bombs of our own. Preemptive strike to prevent a toothless dictator from somehow mounting an attack on us? Unmanned drones that would deliver bombs to our soil? Alot of people deny the UN and what it tries to accomplish. Sure Al Queda is a threat, so do you propose to bomb everyone into submission that MIGHT pose a threat? Gunbarrel politics is a dangerous game. Besides this war isn't about "installing democracy" it is about OIL, the dwindling supply and PNAC and their desire to control the world. That I believe is at the heart of this whole thing anyway. It is not about stopping an inefective dictator who MIGHT be a threat. Iran is another example of an imagined threat. Lets look at a REAL threat; Israel and it's stockpile of nukes aimed at it's Arab neighbors. Now who is a threat.

micki,

We are hardly protected by the Patriot Act. It is my hope that they don't extend and forget to pass anything at all. Of course, Frist is finessing his way around the issue until it can come to a vote in the special way that he wants it.

The idea that our government has been spying on us for no good darn reason is troubling.

"The idea that our government has been spying on us for no good darn reason is troubling."

Understatement of the week award!

HA!

capt

The U had been trying for 10 years to prove Saddam had destroyed hims WMDs, a tas that was supposed to take 1 to 2 years. If they were unable to do it in 10 years with Saddam running them around, putting areas off limits and kicking them out... what makes you think they would ever complete a through investigation?
Bush had authorization from the UN in the form of multiple resolutions, not that I believe that we or any other sovergn nation need the UNs approval.

No, I dont say we attach any person who might propose a threat, only thos who have proven themselves a threat in the past and/or assume the pose of a threat.

Iran is still on my short list for the hostages in the 70s. They still want to be on the list for their support of terrorism and hatred of Israel.

OK, if the war was about oil then lets control the oil. Oil is of vital interest to the US and I could support a war for this purpose if push came to shove. Since we have not take control of the oil, I have to doubt your premis.

Israel IS a threat to the Arab neighbors only because it is a Jewish state and a Democracy.
The arab neighbors have repeatedly stated that they will wipe Israel off the face of the earth. Israel simply wants to exist. The threat is the Arab neighbors. Israel should not have given back any of the land won in war with the Arab neighbors, yet they did because they want to play nice. The terrorists see this as weakness... and so do I. Next time Israel is attacked it should go all out, conquer the territory/country and make them part of Israel. They wont start the fight, but by God I hope they finish it. What do they have to lose? Terrorism? Upsetting the people who currently want to and work to kill them? No, Israel has showed remarkable restraint to this point, unlike the Arab neighbors.

Lets look at a REAL threat; Israel and it's stockpile of nukes aimed at it's Arab neighbors. Now who is a threat.

American Soldiers

American soldiers are being killed like flies for Bush's lies. To date 2,400 American soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan and Iraq.

OF COURSE, NONE OF THEM WAS GOING TO GET SHOT AT. NONE OF THEM WOULD HAVE TO ANSWER TO THE MOTHERS AND FATHERS OF DEAD SOLDIERS AND MARINES. GENERAL SCHWARZKOPF

DON'T PATRONIZE ME WITH TALK ABOUT HUMAN LIVES. COLIN LAPDOG POWELL

It sounds like human lives are not important to Lapdog.

There is no sense trying to make sense from those who have no sense!

Wolfowitz + World Bank = War + Poverty

As Diebold goes, so goes the election!

American democracy is dead as we know it. We are now OUTSOURCING our dead American democracy around the world with our dead and maimed soldiers who are fighting in foreign lands so these lands can revel in our dead democracy.

My fellow Americans, Bush does not view our Constitution as a piece of paper. He views our Constitution as a piece of toilet paper so he can wipe his ass with it.

When God means to punish a nation He deprives its rulers of wisdom. Linda Schrock Taylor

No one can terrorize a whole nation, unless we are all his accomplices. Edward R. Murrow

All Americans are accomplices in Bush’≥ murders and war crimes.

PEACE TAKES COURAGE!

Report: Bush Had More Prewar Intelligence Than Congress

By Dafna Linzer
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, December 16, 2005; Page A23

A congressional report made public yesterday concluded that President Bush and his inner circle had access to more intelligence and reviewed more sensitive material than what was shared with Congress when it gave Bush the authority to wage war against Iraq.

Democrats said the 14-page report contradicts Bush's contention that lawmakers saw all the evidence before U.S. troops invaded in March 2003, stating that the president and a small number of advisers "have access to a far greater volume of intelligence and to more sensitive intelligence information."

*****end of clip*****

Well this might qualify as the "DUH" award. Bunnypants played them all for fools. The more that keeps coming out the more rats are jumping ship or turning rabid from the pressure.

capt

Gerald,
Is tehre anything to support you rant or are you just wordsmithing to sound good. It is easy to postulate without having any facts to back up your statements.

When does peace take courage? Peace is the absence of conflict, and no courage is needed when there is no conflict.
Standing up for what you believe can take courage, but that is not Peace.
Not standing up for what you believe may appear to be Peace, but it is actually cowardice.

Hey, anybody know where I can score some ignorant bliss?

Goodbye yellow brick road -

#70 Of course it doesn't protect us!

If I were a total cynic, I might even think the Fristians, Rovians, Busheviks, Cheneychaingang are hoping the PatAct does expire on December 31. Then if a teensie, but frightening enough "incident" occurred when we were "unprotected" by the so-called Patriot Act, they could point fingers and say, "We warned you!" Then the sheeple would dutifully fall into line again.

But, I'm not saying that, because I'm a skeptic, not a cycnic...as of December 16, 2005, that is.

Shalom

Here is more reality!

Here is what America and the world need in order to attain peace and justice on our planet for all of God's children. Here is also what I believe God wants for His children and His vision for the world.

Shalom translated means peace but it is much more than peace. Shalom is a vision of social wholeness; a state of well being for all, where everyone has access to the goods of creation intended to meet the needs of all. Shalom is the substance of the biblical vision of one community embracing all creation where all enjoy the resources that make communal harmony joyous and effective.

Shalom is nothing less than God's intended vision of the world, a dream of God that resists our tendencies for division, hostility, fear, lust, and misery. If there is to be well-being, it will not be just for the isolated and insulated individuals, it is security and prosperity granted to the whole community –†the poor, the widow, the orphan, the immigrant, the tax collector and the sinner, the despised and the rejected, young and old, the have and the have nots, the powerful and the dependent. We are in it together. Together we stand before God's blessings and together we receive the gift of life. Shalom comes only to the inclusive embracing community that excludes no one.

Saladin (if I'm responding to the right person this time) #59,

I can't argue with much of what you say, although I decline to believe the Iraqis are "doomed" when their fate is not yet decided. I just want to respond to one thing you said about bushco:

[if they said the sky is blue, I would look up, just to see for myself! ]

So would I, Saladin. But if I saw that the sky was blue, I would say, whattaya know, it's blue. I think some people (maybe not you) would rather say the sky is red than admit that Bush could be right about anything. They're so angry they see red.

Blind faith is stupid. Blind opposition is also stupid, and it undercuts legitimate arguments against the war and occupation.

Elton, I have to say that we agree to disagree and leave it at that, we will have to wait and see what happens with current events, sure as hell can't do anything about it except speculate anyway.

David -

You deserve a better audience than most of your your commenters seem to reflect. I extend my sympathies.

Do you count John F. Burns among the ranks of the "hope for the best war supporters?"

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/16/international/middleeast/16sunnis.html?ei=5094&en=7be33c83a466e7ce&hp=&ex=1134795600&adxnnl=1&partner=homepage&adxnnlx=1134746271-18vHJVLjsTyBCdfpZFTebg

The Lord's Prayer

Never forget that we all fall under the umbrella of being interconnected and interdependent as brothers and sisters in God.

I would like to start with the Lord's Prayer.

Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. Amen.

As Christians, when we recite the Our Father, we must remember that the prayer is more than just words. The prayer is a powerful prayer.

Let us look at the words beyond rote memory. When we say the Our Father, we are acknowledging God as the Father, Our Father. This acknowledgement means that God is the Father of all His children but it is more than the fact that we are His children. We are united in God as brothers and sisters. We are all brothers and sisters.

We know that God is in heaven and that His name will be revered on earth as in heaven. His kingdom is the earth and heaven. We are also asking God for nourishment. As we ask God for nourishment to sustain us, we are asking God to forgive any transgressions and we are to also forgive people who have transgressed against us. Father John Corapi in his lectures equates the daily bread with the Eucharist that Catholics receive at daily Mass. Catholics have a double concern when they recite the Our Father and for Catholics to want to kill their brothers and sisters is a clear indication of irreverence to God. As I have said in some previous posts, that irreverence to God is eternal perdition. I have asked that all of God's children to never show irreverence to God but I especially appeal to my brothers and sisters to never worship a false god which would show irreverence to the true God.

We are also asking God to not be sinful but to keep us away from sin.

The prayer is not just words but it is a powerful statement that we are accepting God as Our Father and as Christians we are united in God as brothers and sisters.

To recite the Our Father and to hate, kill, and revel in wars we really are not Christians. We are instead dishonoring God and we are separated from Him through our sinful ways. To separate ourselves from God, we are on the road to eternal damnation.

In praying we must ask ourselves the question. How can I give glory to God? We can give glory to God by loving and showing mercy to all our brothers and sisters. We are united with God as a family and a community as His children for all eternity.

The Formula

I am giving you a formula that I believe will bring about justice and peace. Actually, God has given me these ideas directly for a better world. You can accept what I say through Divine Providence or reject what I say. We are all given a free choice. The decision is yours alone.

1. Shalom translated means peace but it is more than peace. Shalom is God's vision of the world. It is God's dream that Shalom comes only to the inclusive embracing community that excludes no one.
2. In each of us there is a Jesus and a Hitler. We should always strive to bring out the Jesus in us.
3. Love is wanting the best for another person or persons.
4. Try to emulate Mother Teresa who saw in each human being the face of Jesus.
5. War is outmoded; no normal person chooses war over peace.
6. From James in the New Testament –†Faith without deeds is worth nothing.
7. Practice your faith that believes in the true God. God wants us to love one another.
8. Read the Bible because it is God's love letter to us.
9. Read Mattie Stepanek's books on Heartsongs.
10. John Kerry says that it is not important for God to be on our side, what is important are we on God's side?
11. Read Matthew 25:31-46! When you do it to the least of my brethren, you do it for me.
12. Read Matthew 5:1-12! The beatitudes!
13. Read Luke 10:25-37! Who is my neighbor?
14. Read Luke 12:13-21! These verses warn us against greed.
15. Be aware of the Just War Theory! Are we in imminent danger?
16. Practice being a Conscientious Objector!
17. St. Ambrose says, "I shall pass this way but once, any good that I can do let me do it now, because I shall not pass this way again."
18. Totus Tuus means all yours. We are all God’≥ children.
19. Paul Wellstone says that politics is not about power. Politics is not only about money. Politics is not about winning for the sake of winning. Politics is about the improvement of people's lives. It is about advancing the cause of peace and justice in our country and in the world. Politics is about doing well for people.
20. Mr. Bourn who built the Filoli Home and Gardens that is south of San Francisco says that we must fight for a just cause; we must love our fellow man; and we must live a good life.
21. When we recite the Lord's Prayer, we are acknowledging that God is the Father and we are all brothers and sisters.
22. The Cross is a sign of contradiction. It is not about death and hatred; it is about life and love.
23. St. Irenaeus says, "The glory of God is man fully alive." Man can only be fully alive when he loves God with his whole mind, body, and soul. And, when he loves his neighbor, as he loves himself.

Many persons will have and will offer various formulas for justice and peace. The end result will center on whether or not we have love and mercy in our hearts. Justice and peace can never move forward unless we have a conversion of the heart.

Leo Buscaglia reminds us that the heart sees what the eyes fail to see. In life we may be called upon to see with our hearts. Our hearts must be filled with love and mercy.

The moral demise of a nation precedes the ultimate demise of a nation. America is in a state of moral demise because Americans do not believe in God. They have chosen the antichrist of money, nuclear weapons, and the words of Bush.

The Formula

I am giving you a formula that I believe will bring about justice and peace. Actually, God has given me these ideas directly for a better world. You can accept what I say through Divine Providence or reject what I say. We are all given a free choice. The decision is yours alone.

1. Shalom translated means peace but it is more than peace. Shalom is God's vision of the world. It is God's dream that Shalom comes only to the inclusive embracing community that excludes no one.
2. In each of us there is a Jesus and a Hitler. We should always strive to bring out the Jesus in us.
3. Love is wanting the best for another person or persons.
4. Try to emulate Mother Teresa who saw in each human being the face of Jesus.
5. War is outmoded; no normal person chooses war over peace.
6. From James in the New Testament –†Faith without deeds is worth nothing.
7. Practice your faith that believes in the true God. God wants us to love one another.
8. Read the Bible because it is God's love letter to us.
9. Read Mattie Stepanek's books on Heartsongs.
10. John Kerry says that it is not important for God to be on our side, what is important are we on God's side?
11. Read Matthew 25:31-46! When you do it to the least of my brethren, you do it for me.
12. Read Matthew 5:1-12! The beatitudes!
13. Read Luke 10:25-37! Who is my neighbor?
14. Read Luke 12:13-21! These verses warn us against greed.
15. Be aware of the Just War Theory! Are we in imminent danger?
16. Practice being a Conscientious Objector!
17. St. Ambrose says, "I shall pass this way but once, any good that I can do let me do it now, because I shall not pass this way again."
18. Totus Tuus means all yours. We are all God’≥ children.
19. Paul Wellstone says that politics is not about power. Politics is not only about money. Politics is not about winning for the sake of winning. Politics is about the improvement of people's lives. It is about advancing the cause of peace and justice in our country and in the world. Politics is about doing well for people.
20. Mr. Bourn who built the Filoli Home and Gardens that is south of San Francisco says that we must fight for a just cause; we must love our fellow man; and we must live a good life.
21. When we recite the Lord's Prayer, we are acknowledging that God is the Father and we are all brothers and sisters.
22. The Cross is a sign of contradiction. It is not about death and hatred; it is about life and love.
23. St. Irenaeus says, "The glory of God is man fully alive." Man can only be fully alive when he loves God with his whole mind, body, and soul. And, when he loves his neighbor, as he loves himself.

Many persons will have and will offer various formulas for justice and peace. The end result will center on whether or not we have love and mercy in our hearts. Justice and peace can never move forward unless we have a conversion of the heart.

Leo Buscaglia reminds us that the heart sees what the eyes fail to see. In life we may be called upon to see with our hearts. Our hearts must be filled with love and mercy.

The moral demise of a nation precedes the ultimate demise of a nation. America is in a state of moral demise because Americans do not believe in God. They have chosen the antichrist of money, nuclear weapons, and the words of Bush.

Den,

True. Have a nice weekend.

Biggest issue is that I am optimistic about almost everything. I pray the world will be a better place with every action, or despite our actions.

Whereas, many here seem to be gleefully looking forward to bloodshed and destruction that they can lay on Bush or Conservatives in general.

Gerald # 73

[All Americans are accomplices in Bush’≥ murders and war crimes.]

Gerald #82

[Never forget that we all fall under the umbrella of being interconnected and interdependent as brothers and sisters in God.....We can give glory to God by loving and showing mercy to all our brothers and sisters.]

Welcome to the hippocracy, Gerald.

PEACE TAKES COURAGE!!!

Why Must Congress Nazify America?

Gerald,

How are the words of Bush associated with the anitchrist?

Must be time for a little humor... Attention E-Bay shoppers!

Let us take a close look at hypocrisy!

Bushianity

Elton, your poor spelling leads me to believe that you are either very young and naive to the ways of the power elite, or really and truly ignorant. In either case it is not my job to educate you. You may keep your rose colored glasses firmly in place.
eggman, I have reached my conclusion based on many, many hours of reading, and by 3 years of observation. I am not engaging in blind opposition, just the facts I have seen so far. I am no diplomat, but I am smart enough to know that the sure way to turn off any people to your personal ideas of freedom is to torture and enslave them. I don't recall any stated goal of the PNAC that mentioned bringing democracy to the masses as being the ideal, rather it is American military dominance over the entire planet, in whatever way it requires to accomplish that goal. Iraq is only the beginning. They are basically telling us the sky IS red, but it sure looks blue to me!

Peace takes courage?

How...?
Standing up to a bully takes courage and risking what you hold dear takes courage. Letting him walk all over you does not. It only takes 1 agressor to have a fight or conflict. All must come together without agression/conflict to have PEACE.

Standing up for PEACE takes courage, sitting in our homes calling for peace in teh mideast without any risk to ourselves does not.

Let us take a close look at hypocrisy!

Brothers and Sisters Awake

Let us take a close look ar hypocrisy!

Hypocrisy Reigns

Let us take a close look at hypocrisy!

Words and Hypocrisy

Subject: Discovery of a new element A major research institution has just announced the discovery of the heaviest element yet known to science. The new element has been named "Governmentium". Governmentium has one neutron, 12 assistant neutrons, 75 deputy neutrons, and 224 assistant deputy neutrons, giving it an Atomic mass of 311 These 311 particles are held together by forces called morons, which are surrounded by vast quantities of lepton-like particles called peons. Since Governmentium has no electrons, it is inert. However, it can be detected, as it impedes every reaction with which it comes into contact.A minute amount of Governmentium causes one reaction to take over 4 days to complete when it would normally take less than a second Governmentium has a normal half-life of 4 years; it does not decay, but, instead undergoes a reorganization in which a portion of the Assistant neutrons and deputy neutrons exchange places. In fact, Governmentium's mass will actually increase over time, since each reorganization will cause more morons to become neutrons, forming isodopes. This characteristic of moron-promotion leads some scientists to believe that Governmentium is formed whenever morons reach a certain quantity in concentration. This hypothetical quantity is referred to as "Critical Morass". When catalyzed with money Governmentium becomes Administratium, an element which radiates just as much energy, since it has 1/2 as many peons but twice as many morons.

Elton #85

[many here seem to be gleefully looking forward to bloodshed and destruction that they can lay on Bush or Conservatives in general.]

I suggested earlier today that it must seem that way to the pro-war folks, and Saladin took me to task. As I understand his position, no one here is looking forward to destruction, they just see it as inevitable.

Personally, I'd rather we weren't in this position, but I'd like to focus on finding a solution. I don't think Iraq will be a functioning democracy, but I hope I'm wrong. Whatever good comes of this, Bush and conservatives will take responsibility; so they (you?) are solely responsible for the bloodshed and destruction as well. It's disingenuous to suggest, as someone did today, that the coalition didn't use weapons of mass destruction when there are 30,000 dead Iraqis, most of them civilians. You don't get a free pass into heaven for killing them one at a time instead of all at once.

Bullies are cowards and Bush is a bully. Let us take a close look at our mad emperor!

Mad Wars

PRESIDENT PROMISES TO PRIVATIZE MILITARY

“My plan to privatize our sluggish, department of socialism will lead to sure victory,” President Bush promised. “This is a winner. Look, handing over our hospitals to the private sector has done wonders for our health care system. We’re continuing to reduce funds for public education and gettin' closer to making public education a thing of the past. And I promise you the day is coming when not a single American will have Social Security.”

Our rulers are crazy!

Brain Dead Rulers

Assessing the President

There are generals and church people who say that George W. Bush was chosen to be president by God. I cannot prove or disprove what people are saying. So, I offer you my assessment with some trepidation.

George W. Bush and his regime have been an experiment in mendacity with the American people. His disciples claim that he is the messianic messenger but his message has obfuscated the American people. His character lacks the probity to be a leader and his actions are more reflective of a nefarious person. George W. Bush expects Americans and the media to obsequious to what he says because he says it.

Before I accept the hyperbole that George W. Bush was chosen by God to be president and that God speaks to him, he must possess the virtues of my God which are humility, love, mercy, and patience. Personally, Mr. Bush does not possess any of these virtues. I see him more as a controlling, punitive, and vengeful person, totally lacking in compassion.

George W. Bush displays a depraved indifference toward the killing of living human beings.

What a bunch of pathetic, whining defeatists you posters are!! Thoreau once opined that the mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. It seems that he was thinking of the posters to this site. You want the United States to lose in Iraq, probably because you lead such miserable lives, and you want the world to be your equal.

Corporations and Persons

I watched Television Ontario (TVO). The program title was "The Corporation - The Pathology of Commerce." The program mentioned that the Supreme Court ruled that a corporation is a person than surely a person is a person. The program highlighted a checklist for mental disorders. Since a corporation can be considered a person, the mental disorder checklist can be applied.

Here is the checklist.
1. Callousness toward people
2. Impersonal relationships with people
3. Disregard for the safety of others
4. Deceitfulness
5. Incapacity to experience guilt
6. Failure to comply toward social norms to benefit people

From the checklist corporations displayed a psychopathic mental disorder. If we use the same checklist for our two highest leaders, then we would have to conclude that george w. bush and dick cheney display the same mental disorder. It would be my perception that the above two men are unfit to be president and vice-president, respectively. They hold too much power for men who have a possible mental disorder.

There are no winners in wars. I do not recall the person who said these words but there are no winners in wars. We have at least 16,000 maimed American soldies and about 100,000 maimed Iraqis and a stupid emperor. He was a quivering scurvy rat hiding in the corner of some bar in Alabama during the Vietnam war. He is now our chickenshit president.

There are no winners in wars. I do not recall the person who said these words but there are no winners in wars. We have at least 16,000 maimed American soldies and about 100,000 maimed Iraqis and a stupid emperor. He was a quivering scurvy rat hiding in the corner of some bar in Alabama during the Vietnam war. He is now our chickenshit president.

Too Stupid to be President

Too Stupid to be President

ya you f**kin crybabies! the nerve of y'all whining and gleefully moping, just because trillions of dollars are unaccounted for, 100's of billions of other dollars are being sucked from our children's economy in order to further entitle those already entitled, the manufacturing base has fled overseas while millions of illegal people pour across our border, countless iraqis have been slaughtered in our good name, a police state creeping upon us under our very nose, and the crime of the century has been pulled off in plane site, falsly blamed on others and used as a justification for all of the above while yet more false flag operations are being planned for tomorrow - the sheer gall of y'all to even be concerned!

f**k you #103 go wave your false flag somewhere else

eggman, "I'd like to focus on finding a solution."
On this I am in full agreement! BTW, I am a she. As far as I can see, bushco isn't really interested in finding a solution. It seems to me the logical thing would be to allow the citizens of Iraq to choose their own path, what if it isn't democracy? And why, after all this time since saddam's removal, are things worse than ever? I have yet to see a speck of proof that our govt. has interests that have anything to do with the freedom of Iraq. Because they say it doesn't make it true. The results say something entirely different. 100,000+ dead and counting. I guess they have been set free, free from life.
To paul from mpls. While you are exercising your vast superiority over the rest of us, you may want to look into the fine art of hyperlinking, look what you did to the thread!
James, I shall drop down on my knees immediately and beg forgiveness! How dare we indeed! Everything is going swimmingly, as long as you don't mind DROWNING!

It's unbelieveable to me that anyone reading the stuff here can construe it to mean we hope Iraq fails. Someone up the thread pointed out that we don't hope for it, we just know it's inevitable. In the end, we wouldn't be here now if not for all the lies that let to the Iraq debacle.

Re: the Patriot Act vote, this is weird - Nebraska: Hagel (R-NE), Nay Nelson (D-NE), Yea I think those two are confused as to which party they belong to.

I daresay if the vote "count" in Florida had been decided in Al Gore's favor, posters like #103 would be singing a different tune. His ilk whines about imaginary stuff all the time -- such as the war on Xmas, threats to Christians, the gay "agenda," illegal aliens taking their jobs, blah blah blah....

Every man who has attained the office of president of the United States, either through election or succession, has enjoyed a peaceful, dignified transfer of power.  Bush's first inauguration could have descended into a national shame -- but citizens largely decided to give him a chance and we witnessed a peaceful transfer of power. But, we have been betrayed by bush's actions -- his actions do not match his words. That's why we complain. He's a charlatan. 

One reason discontent in our country is so palpable is partly because of the chaotic, contested 2000 presidential election which created the impression that "closure" of that election was achieved at the expense of justice. Americans aren't the only ones who feel that way -- the United States is no longer the inspiration around the world it once was because of that election and how it was "resolved."

We are quite capable of adapting to the new circumstances bush and his boyfriends have created, but we choose NOT to shut the fuck up and NOT to back the president at any cost.

We can adapt to meet the new realities -- unfortunately, we understand the past, understand the present, and we will figure out a way to shape our future. That's what people like #103 are afraid of. They are afraid of us because they cannot adapt.

I know why Iraq doesn't understand or want our form of democracy. It's corrupt. It's inefficient. It panders to the rich. It sounds like the same thing they had under Saddam.

Iraq is a fairly educated country. What will become of the secular population? I don't know. I agree with Wolfgang. There is going to be turbulent changes in the coming years. Bush and his crew upset the apple cart.

Micki,
The Patriot Act helps to fight terrorism like Smith Bros. cough drops helps to fight a cold.

Is the cival war in Iraq what the Bush administration defines as "victory"" Is this what they mean by "mission accomplished"?

How many Iraqi people will continue to die?

More greed coming out of New Orleans and Mississippi. You'd think the administration would be watching to see that things progressed in a timely manner and that there would be no corruption with the contracts. But...NOOOOOO.

Workers in New Orleans Denied Pay, Proper Housing and Threatened with Deportation

Democracy Now

BILL CHANDLER: Well, as you stated, a large number of workers were recruited here from all over the country, mainly immigrants and many of them undocumented. And contractors, who we call the 'bottom feeders'-- in other words, for example, a primary contractor like Halliburton or Bechtel receives a contract from FEMA to clean up the debris on the coast for about $24 a cubic yard. It is then sub-contracted down through a whole food chain of subcontractors to the bottom feeders, and in most instances, we found that they're getting around $4 a cubic yard. And those are the contractors that have been brought in and brought in immigrants to do the work.

In many cases, not only the five contractors that we have filed complaints against on behalf of several hundred workers, but a large number more have used all kinds of devices to get out of paying their workers. One, they'll just simply abandon them at a work site after recruiting them here with promises of housing and per diem and decent pay and so on, and they will leave those workers there. We found a group of thirty workers who were abandoned by a contractor in a remote trailer park. They were housed in three trailers, and there was no electricity, no furniture, no nothing, except for water, which at that time was contaminated in Gulfport. And they had been abandoned and not paid. And when we found them, they had gone three days without food. Needless to say we were able to round up food and bedding for those workers, and eventually we found them shelter in faith-based organizations' facilities....

....BILL CHANDLER: Well, first of all, you know, from our point of view in Mississippi, from our group's point of view, it doesn't matter whether they're documented or undocumented, the issue is getting paid for the work that they were promised to be paid for. The problem is that there appears to be no oversight in this contract process, and when you look at the difference between $24 and $4, and you multiply it by tens of thousands of cubic yards, something is happening between the primary contractor and those that are actually performing the work, and that’s a tremendous loss of money that’s involved in subcontracting and paper shuffling that goes on with these contractors. It is amazing to me that so many contractors actually don't do the work, but they get paid for work that they don't do.

500,000-Plus Without Power After Ice Storm

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Widespread damage from a deadly ice storm left more than half a million customers still in the dark Friday night, and utility officials said the electricity might not be fully restored in parts of the Carolinas until Tuesday.
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Hajji,
I read your post yesterday. I hate ice storms. I'm thinking about you and your family.

Bush Approved Eavesdropping, Official Says

WASHINGTON - President Bush has personally authorized a secretive eavesdropping program in the United States more than three dozen times since October 2001, a senior intelligence official said Friday night.

The disclosure follows angry demands by lawmakers earlier in the day for congressional inquiries into whether the monitoring by the highly secretive National Security Agency violated civil liberties.

"There is no doubt that this is inappropriate," declared Republican Sen. Arlen Specter (news, bio, voting record) of Pennsylvania, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. He promised hearings early next year.
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The muck just keeps getting deeper.

It looks like the Iraq election went well, something all of you leftists were hoping wouldn't happen. You're hatred of George W. Bush is MUCH greater than your love for your country.

Come on, just admit it, you WANT America to fail, because if America fails, then so does Bush!

More bought 'n paid for press. Abramoff paid up to $2grand each for 24 op-ed pieces favoring his clients.

propaganda on the march

DeLay's former