President Bush’s “uniter” talk has gotten a revival this year, most recently at his first visit to a Democratic congressional retreat since 2001. Speaking to the 200 lawmakers in Virginia on Saturday, Bush said, “These are tough times, but there’s no doubt in my mind that you want to secure this homeland as much as I do.” He also got a laugh by atoning for his reference to “the Democrat majority” in the State of the Union speech. “I have been accused of occasionally mangling the English language. And so I appreciate you inviting the head of the Republic Party.” The collegiality seems a little late, but it can’t hurt.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
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Things that make you think a little:
There were 39 combat related killings in Iraq in January.In the fair city of Detroit there were 35 murders in themonth of January. That’s just one American city,about as deadly as the entire war-torn country of Iraq
When some claim that President Bush shouldn’thave started this war, state the following:a. FDR led us into World War II.b. Germany never attacked us; Japan did.>From 1941-1945, 450,000 lives were lost …an average of 112,500 per year.c. Truman finished that war and started one in Korea .North Korea never attacked us.>From 1950-1953, 55,000 lives were lost …an average of 18,334 per year.d John F. Kennedy started the Vietnam conflict in 1962.Vietnam never attacked us.e. Johnson turned Vietnam into a quagmire.>From 1965-1975, 58,000 lives were lostan average of 5,800 per year.f. Clinton went to war in Bosnia without UN or French consent.Bosnia never attacked us.He was offered Osama bin Laden’s head on a platter threetimes by Sudan and did nothing. Osama has attacked us onmultiple occasions.g. In the years since terrorists attacked us , President Bushhas liberated two countries, crushed the Taliban, crippledal-Qaida, put nuclear inspectors in Libya , Iran , and, North Korea without firing a shot, and captured a terrorist whoslaughtered 300,000 of his own people.The Democrats are complainingabout how long the war is taking.ButIt took less time to take Iraq than it took Janet Renoto take the Branch Davidian compound.That was a 51-day operation..We’ve been looking for evidence for chemical weaponsin Iraq for less time than it took Hillary Clinton to findthe Rose Law Firm billing records.It took less time for the 3rd Infantry Division and theMarines to destroy the Medina Republican Guardthan it took Ted Kennedy to call the police after hisOldsmobile sank at Chappaquiddick.It took less time to take Iraq than it tookto count the votes in Florida !!!!Our Commander-In-Chief is doing a GREAT JOB!The Military morale is high!The biased media hopes we are too ignorantto realize the facts
But Wait . There’s MORE:JOHN GLENN (ON THE SENATE FLOOR)Mon, 26 Jan 2004 11:13Some people still don’t understand why military personneldo what they do for a living. This exchange betweenSenators John Glenn and Senator Howard Metzenbaumis worth reading. Not only is it a pretty impressiveimpromptu speech, but it’s also a good example of oneman’s explanation of why men and women in the armedservices do what they do for a living.This IS a typical, though sad, example of whatsome who have never served think of the military.Senator Metzenbaum (speaking to Senator Glenn):”How can you run for Senatewhen you’ve never held a real job?”Senator Glenn (D-Ohio):”I served 23 years in the United States Marine Corps.I served through two wars. I flew 149 missions.My plane was hit by anti-aircraft fire on 12 differentoccasions. I was in the space program. It wasn’t mycheckbook, Howard; it was my life on the line. It wasnot a nine-to-five job, where I took time off to take thedaily cash receipts to the bank.”"I ask you to go with me … as I went the other day…to a veteran’s hospital and look those men …with their mangled bodies . in the eye, and tell THEMthey didn’t hold a job!You go with me to the Space Program at NASAand go, as I have gone, to the widows and Orphansof Ed White, Gus Grissom and Roger Chaffee…and you look those kids in the eye and tell themthat their DADS didn’t hold a job.You go with me on Memorial Day and you stand inArlington National Cemetery , where I have more friendsburied than I’d like to remember, and you watchthose waving flags.You stand there, and you think about this nation,and you tell ME that those people didn’t have a job?What about you?”For those who don’t remember ..During W.W.II, Howard Metzenbaum was an attorneyrepresenting the Communist Party in the USA
Now he’s a Senator!
If you can read this, thank a teacher.If you are reading it in English thank a Veteran.
“There were 39 combat related killings in Iraq in January”
Actually that number is more that 1000.
“Germany never attacked us; Japan did” True, but Germany did declare war on us.
“Clinton went to war in Bosnia” Not true. AFTER the Dayton Accords were negotiated we assisted the parties in implementing them.
“John F. Kennedy started the Vietnam conflict in 1962.Vietnam never attacked us.”
Actaully, our ill-fated involvement in that conflict goes back further. However, I agree that VietNam never attacked us and we should not have intervened in their affairs.
” President Bushhas …, put nuclear inspectors in Libya , Iran , and, North Korea without firing a shot,”
Europe got the inspectors in Libya and Iran; there are not inspectors in NK. Bush claims that the inspectors in Iran are insufficient.
Former White House official Lewis “Scooter” Libby told a grand jury in 2004 that Vice President Dick Cheney was upset by an ambassador’s public questioning of the Iraq war and that President Bush, Cheney and Libby were involved in a plan — kept secret from other senior White House officials — to leak previously classified intelligence to counter the criticism.
Libby can be heard describing how Cheney was upset when Wilson went public with allegations that the White House had twisted intelligence to make the case for war. In an op-ed article, Wilson said he had been sent to investigate a key claim — that Iraq was seeking uranium from the African nation of Niger — and found it untrue, months before President Bush included the allegation in his 2003 State of the Union speech.
“It was a serious accusation,” Libby said. “It was a very serious attack.” It also quickly became a “topic that was discussed on a daily basis” in the White House.
Libby said that Cheney “thought we should get some of these facts out to the press. He then undertook to get permission from the president to talk about this” to reporters.
Kimberly, here’s one of the articles you’ve used.It has a completely different tone and tenor than what you present.Since you’re able to freely speak about this and find infromation…THANK A LIBERAL.
More Non-Thought About Iraqby Jack Kenny
I received an e-mail from a friend that was a forward of a “Letter from a Vietnam Veteran.” For purposes of time and space, I will not quote the Viet vet’s letter in full, but only those points to which I specifically responded – which, come to think of it, is just about all of them. Since many of you may have received the same letter, I offer below my response to my misguided friend of the “neocon” persuasion.
Dear James,
It is not yet 4 a.m., but your message below reminds me that I have, figuratively speaking, miles to go before I sleep.
Wow! Are you the same Jim Dandy who came out of the movie theater grumbling about “propaganda” after we saw Fahrenheit 911? I don’t know if you are just trying to pull my chain or if you actually agree with the sentiment (thought would be too strong a word) expressed in “Things to make you think a little” by someone who obviously has not yet begun. I truly hope you do not agree with it. But in case you do, I offer a few counterpoints to ponder.
“There were 39 combat related killings in Iraq in January.
In the fair city of Detroit there were 35 murders in the month of January. That’s just one American city, about as deadly as the entire war-torn country of Iraq.”
Okay, let us say there were 4,000 deaths by automobile accident on U.S. highways in the month of January. Would that justify an even greater number of deaths in Iraq? May I add to my “Jim’s Dandies” file, the principle that Americans should go on killing and being killed in Iraq until people stop killing people in Detroit? Can you explain the relevance of any of this?
“a. FDR led us into World War II.
b. Germany never attacked us; Japan did.
From 1941–1945, 450,000 lives were lost ..an average of 112,500 per year.”
Yes, it reminds me of Claire Booth Luce’s famous line about FDR: “He lied us into a war!” Actually the full quotation is considerably less damning: “He lied us into a war into which he ought to have courageously led us!” Does anyone believe that the current President could or should have led us into Bush War II without the despicable campaign of misinformation, distortion and outright lies presented to us in the name of “intelligence”?
It is true, of course, that Germany had not attacked us at the start of WWII. But if you were to apply the same rationale to that situation that you were applying to Iraq a couple of years ago, you could have justified our war with Germany on the grounds that, yes, Germany hasn’t attacked us lately, but 20-some years earlier, they sunk the Lusitania, declared unrestricted submarine warfare and dragged us into World War I. (Throw in the Zimmerman letter for good measure.)
But Germany was hardly an innocent with regard to Japan. Germany was very much allied with the Japanese, who did attack us in an early application of the “Bush Doctrine” (After all, the U.S. WAS developing “weapons of mass destruction,” which it could have used and eventually DID use against Japan.) There has yet to be a credible pre- 911connection established between Iraq and Al-Quaeda.
And Germany declared war on the United States, once we declared war on Japan. And Iraq was not overrunning Europe. Nor killing people in Detroit.
And do you really want to argue in defense of the Bush administration that it has not yet gotten as many Americans killed in Iraq as were killed in World War II? Please do something about your war fever, James.
“c. Truman finished that war and started one in Korea.
North Korea never attacked us.
From 1950–1953, 55,000 lives were lost …an average of 18,334 per year.”
Communist-backed North Korea did, however, invade South Korea on June 25, 1950 and we responded to the aggression then, not 12 years later as we did in justifying a second war with Iraq. Similarly, we DID NOT re-invade North Korea 12 years later because, once upon a time, they had attacked the South. Again, I think it is pathetically weak defense of Bush War II that it has not – at least yet – killed as many Americans as the Korean War did.
“d. John F. Kennedy started the Vietnam conflict in 1962.
Vietnam never attacked us.
e. Johnson turned Vietnam into a quagmire.
From 1965–1975, 58,000 lives were lost ..an average of 5,800 per year.”
I think the same arguments I have made above concerning Korea apply here. Additionally, the same kind of campaign of half-truths and lies was used by the Johnson administration about Vietnam as Bush, Cheney, McNarummy and Kind O’ Sleazy Rice used to get us into Iraq.
f. Clinton went to war in Bosnia without UN or French consent. Bosnia never attacked us.
He was offered Osama bin Laden’s head on a platter three times by Sudan and did nothing. Osama has attacked us on multiple occasions.
Um, let’s see. Clinton failed to nail Osama and therefore Bush was justified in going to war in Iraq (and Detroit, right?) This author goes from bad to worse.
In the Clinton administration, Vice Predator Gore reportedly wrote a letter to the mother of a “fallen” American soldier, telling her that her son, killed in Iraq, died “in the service of the United Nations.” You conservatives of convenience were loudly and painfully appalled. Yet, there is no reason why Darth Cheney could not write the same kind of letter today. Because despite what the French and the Security Council said, we went into war in Iraq to ENFORCE UN RESOLUTIONS!!! With this Bush, as with his father, it is UN, UN ÜBER ALLES!
Finally, it appears that notwithstanding the frequent and fervent denials of the incredible Bush, we did have bin Laden trapped in Tora Borah and let him get away, while we went in pursuit of “regime change” in Iraq.
The rest of the Vietnam veteran’s argument is even worse. I like to make jokes about Chappaquiddick, too, but I don’t think it fits in this context. You can stretch a lot of truths, as this administration has shown more than most. But not far enough to justify the killing in Iraq by citing the Rose law firm billings or Generalissimo Chiang Kai Reno’s killing campaign in Waco, Texas.
By the way, would you please send me a list of the prominent Republicans who stood up and condemned the siege at Waco while Reno was carrying it out? I’m sure it will be a short list. Even shorter, I think, than the list of the GOP stalwarts who decried the same generalisimo’s Gestapo raid on the Gonzales home in Miami. (I believe you will not find the name “Bush” or “Cheney” on either list.)
Face it, James. The GOP is either the Gang of Prostitutes or should be renamed the GFN – Good For Nothing. Except they’re not the Democrats, right? And if they get another term in the White House, who knows how high the national debt will go? To Mars, maybe. But we’ll still (maybe) have the Republican Congress. Yeah, that inspires me with memories of “Newtsie’s” popgun “revolution.” What was the battle cry? I believe Joe Sobran captured the essence of it in caricature: “Slightly less Socialism in Seven Years!”
And even that was a lie.
Regards,Jack (another Vietnam Veteran)—–
What is it Bush said “fool me once, shame on you….fool me..uhhh…if you fool me once you can’t get fooled again?”
Unfortunately there are a lot of members on this board who get fooled all the time.
Over and over again…isn’t that the very definition of stupidity?
Good morning mom.correction:aggressive stupidity.
It is a curious situation that the Democratic Party has put themselves in today’s political climate.
They win over the uncommitted middle in the election and then abuse that win by attacking the values that the middle holds dear.
I would say that the Democrats should move more towards the middle or they will be a party split apart with separate ideologies and won’t get any of their goals accomplished.
I can tell you this right now Eier, as long as the right defends Bush, there will be no meeting in the middle.
As long as the right keeps right on electing and supporting the far right, there will be no meeting in the middle.
In the not-too-distant future of American politics, there will be two parties: Conservatives, and Moderate Republicans.
The last election went the way it did – due to the current Conservatives not behaving like Conservatives.
That won’t last long.
The country is moving more towards the left, for the very reasons that Sgt. Andrew listed here.The liberals have always been right in the past on major issues.However they had to fight the cons tooth and nail to get the country headed in the right direction.What issues?Slavery.Civil rights.Segregation.women’s rightsreligious rightsteaching evolutionSocial Security and welfarerights of the accusedlabor rightsbusiness regulationlegalization of birth control informationetc, etc.
Screw bipartisanship
Trust me folks, at the tender age of 20 I WAS a Republican. I got away from it for the simple reason that Republicans are one or a combination of three undesirable things; greedy, mean. or stupid. I couldn’t adapt myself to fit into that.
I’m proud to say I didn’t want to.
And we don’t HAVE to be bipartisan precisely BECAUSE of the GOP failures for America of the last 20 years. America is through with them.
Know how I know this?
There is a particularly insane right wing radio kook named Mark Levin. This is the guy that nominated Rush Limbaugh for the Nobel Prize.
On his show last night? He broadcast the Ronald Reagan speech nominating Barry Goldwater for President! Now THAT’s waxing nostalgic!
For the bad old days.
Mark Levin: bright, insightful, humorous, entertaining, educational.
His show is of equal excellence with Limbaugh and Hannity.
Keep listening, Junior – you’ll learn something.
“They win over the uncommitted middle in the election and then abuse that win by attacking the values that the middle holds dear.”
Exactly what values do you claim the Dems are attacking?
Kimberly Keefer,
Your copy/paste “Things that make you think a little:” is OLD, from 2004. It’s at bottom of page http://www.snopes.com/politics/quotes/glenn.aspalso debunked at,http://nielsenhayden.com/makinglight/archives/004756.html
Eisenhower (a Republican Kansas boy) was the first to put peace-keeping troops in Vietnam in. In his defense, he was requested by the S. Vietnamese government to do this, although they had been asking for many years.
**from wikipedia**The U.S., in particular, deployed large numbers of military personnel to South Vietnam between 1954 and 1973. U.S. military advisors first became involved in Vietnam as early as 1950, when they began to assist French colonial forces. (Truman, a Democrat, was involved in sending the advisors.)
***
Kennedy planned to bring the troops home.
Johnson made a huge mistake by not continuing what Kennedy wanted. Historians say he was torn about what to do. Maybe he was afraid that if he did end the Vietnam Conflict, he might end up as a victim of assassination, too. Who knows? The question is, was Johnson a real Democrat?
Let’s move on to Nixon, shall we? ‘Nuff said?
What RD said; she beat me to the “post” with the information I had.
jr-You know all this from listening to a talk show host?
And you know that America is through with the GOP? TeeHee.
Just when you think it cant get any lower…
fleetie? you musta missed the last election!
Oh fleetie? You or whoever is trolling Tracy need to be aware that the editors and bloggers at the last meetup have new ways to deal with you…..
People in this country voted for CHANGE last November! We did NOT vote for “bipartianship”. If the Democrats start getting cozy with Bush they will not hold onto the House or Senate after 2008. We are tired of the neo cons, the war and the lies and if the Democrats cannot or will not do anything to change it, we will be sick of them too.
What my desire is to see the rebuilding of a liberal Democratic party in the image of FDR. A party committed to the welfare of the nation as a whole rather than to certain individuals. A party committed to the idea that ALL Americans should be covered by a universal health plan and a party committed to the idea that ANY deserving student should get a college education- not just the rich and a party committed to America and Americans first. I am tired of turning on TV and seeing American soldiers being used to build firehouese in Iraq while firehouses in New Orleans are still in ruins. If the Democrats do not want to take on the challenge, time to build another party.
It’s cool Steven, KFG.Just ignore it.That’s some intelligent shit right there I tell ya’.Somebody doesn’t like me.Waaaaaa!
There’s a lot of people who read here every day.They know who I am, what I stand for, and what a fine person my father is.Maybe this sick mudder is just jealous?I do seem to have friends here.Several have stated so.Poor sick mudder needs some meds.
SO what we do is nothing? Just the let these so called people with the right answers to the war in Iraq do their thing? I ask you this: then what? Iraq has already proved through their continous fight that NOTHING will stop them… We bring our troops home and what have this war on OUR own land? No Friggin Thanks!!! Bad enough that their children are dying, I love mine and that is my FIRST duty as a parent and that is to protect my kids!!!Also, I posted that old article to see if there was actually anyone on this blog that had an OPINION>>>>>>
Kimberly, I don’t know of a real good solid solution, do you?I don’t think a quick exit is prudent.There’s really no good options.A while back I stated that we should go big or go home.We don’t have the men and money to go big.If this really is the worldwide struggle against evil, then why don’t we go all out?I don’t know.
I do know that this new policy of unilateral pre-emptive war is not a good policy.If I made you angry, I apologize.Have a nice day.
No Tracy you didn’t upset me, lol that is my ex’s job:)
I just know that some people think that this war needs to be over asap and I couldn’t agree more. However, this must be done with a plan that won’t mean our own demise
Agreed.It’s obvious that the sunni vs shia wars will continue, the question is: will our presence help save lives? Ours and theirs?And it’s tough to try to foresee what the strategic long term consequences will be when we leave.We must leave, just when and how quickly?
Kimberly I just sent you an email.Don’t freak out.I’m harmless.