President Bush called it another “defining moment” in Iraq. But our editorial today argues that the clash between Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and Shiite militias seems to have revealed once again that the Iraqi government is not yet capable of standing up and delivering. Al-Maliki — himself a Shiite — drew a line in the sand last week, telling Muqtada al-Sadr’s Mahdi Army militia that it had 72 hours to turn in its arms in Basra or face a fight to the finish. But the fighters didn’t budge, and when the deadline approached, al-Maliki blinked, moving back the deadline. It made him look weak. Nor did he succeed in his aim of disarming the militias. Al-Maliki must still prove that he has the political skills and toughness to unite the country behind him and chart a path toward a stable, self-governing Iraq. We’re still waiting for that defining moment.
-
Registered?
Commenting on WE Blog now requires you to be a Kansas.com member. Use the links above to register, if you haven't already, or to log in. -
Contact us
Daily Archives
-
Recent Comments
- Political_mama on Is it elitist not to know how many houses you own?
- StevenEDavis on Open thread 8/21
- Phantom on Is it elitist not to know how many houses you own?
- Chas on Open thread 8/21
- Phantom on Is it elitist not to know how many houses you own?
- Pleefer on Open thread 8/21
- Phantom on Is it elitist not to know how many houses you own?
- RFL on Is it elitist not to know how many houses you own?
- writerdog on Is it elitist not to know how many houses you own?
- outlander on Open thread 8/21
72 Comments
Iraq’s government is weak by design.
Iraq had a strong government under Saddam, and that meant nationalized oil sold to France.
The US didn’t invade to repeat that mistake. This time: a weak US client-state so that our Big Oil Companies can rake in profit.
To the victor goes the spoils . . .
Al Sadr’s militia will stand up when we stand down! This was made evident by this past week.
Phant,
If Al Sadr’s militia stands up, maybe they can take responsibility for the security of the country. That’s certainly more than we’ve done or ever will.
“…still looks weak”? Shouldn’t that read “…once again displays its inherent weakness”?
Jed, at this point, I’d agree with you on the militia. I think, from what I’ve read, that there is a portion of the Iraqi population who sees it that way, too.
How is this different from last year, or the year before that or the year before that?
Oh, yeah, billions upon billions of American dollars and thousands of American lives.
You’re doing a heck of a job, Bushie.
“Stay the (failed) course” - John McBush
One commentator’s take on the “defining moment”; al Sadr stronger, Iran in a better position, al Maliki looks like a fool, and more:
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20080414/dreyfuss
Another topic for duh Libs…
…serve whine at room temperature, unless it’s with cheese-eating surrender tactics, then one can ‘cold duck’ it.
“Another topic for duh Libs…”
How dare those damned Libs question the decisions of the Decider? How dare they question how the war is going, no one gave them permission to speak up. How dare those damned Libs question where their children go to die?
How dare those damned Libs?
This should be a topic for Americans. It just seems there is a small number of Americans not smart to recognize what is in front of their face. They keep their eyes closed and chant - bush, kill, guns, safe, afraid, bush, bush, safe, afraid, bush, bush
Ya know, I quit paying attention to the fools long enough ago that I left out a big part of their chant. 911, 911, 911, 911.
There, now, that’s all they got folks. Don’t look for brains, or solutions.
Yes lindainks, feel free to spit on the graves of the victims of 911, it’s a Lib thing to do.
It was Bush that spit on the graves of the victims of 9/11, by trying to connect Saddam Hussein and Iraq to 9/11, in his effort to sell the War.
You just can’t expect too much from someone that continually spits into the wind and never learns! He night be in the market for a raincoat until he figures this out.
Go W!
Another day and another day the Bush regime tells us a new story about how great Iraq is. The reasons for having gone in constantly change and now no matter whether there is violence or not we are apparently making gains. First they told us it would cost $30 billion and last six months but they always needed another six months and things would magically get better because, as Cheney said, the insurgents are in their last throws.
What will be the new line of BS that we’ll be told and the lapdog media will unquestionably report?
Doug, you really can’t blame the media. They can only report what the money tells them to. (and who has the money?)
Personally, I listen to a lot of BBC. They have a whole different take on what’s happening on this side o’ the pond.
Here’s John Robbs take from global guerillas;
* Increase US casualties/embarrassment during a politically sensitive time. Rocket and mortar attacks on the Green zone. More IED/small arms attacks on US troops. The objective is to increase US pressure Maliki to accelerate his time table or ending it early if objectives aren’t quickly achieved.
* Disrupt daily life/economics. There is already an economic slowdown/strike underway under the banner of civil disobedience. Businesses are closing due to a lack of workers. This will quickly exacerbate an already dire economic situation and increase pressure on the government to stop the conflict.
* Disrupt the oil system. This hasn’t occurred yet, but it is very likely to occur shortly. The Mahdi army has the ability to shut down, indefinitely, all oil production (1.6 m barrels a day) in southern Iraq. This effort will cost the government tens of millions in revenues for each day of the conflict. It may prove be the most effective means of prematurely terminating Maliki’s offensive.
UPDATE: The assault on Basra already appears to be stalling. The Mahdi army has better weapons than the Iraqi government opposition and is fighting well in urban zones. If the strategic timer adds oil system disruption, it’s over (and potentially Maliki’s hold on power).
UPDATE2: Strategic timer activity for Thursday: The disruption of oil production has begun. The Zubair-1 export pipeline was bombed (impact 1/3 of Iraqi oil production). Green zone mortar attacks for Thursday: 9:15AM, 1PM, and 3PM.
UPDATE3: NYTimes on Sunday 30 March: “Many Iraqi politicians say that Mr. Maliki’s political capital has been severely depleted by the campaign and that he is now in the curious position of having to turn to Mr. Sadr, a longtime rival and now his opponent in battle, for a solution to the crisis.”
Posted by John Robb on Wednesday, 26 March 2008 at 03:57 PM | Permalink | Comments
Maliki is milquetoast. The government is a sham. Their military is pathetic. Iran will rule Iraq through Sadr.
Sadly, looks like you just summed it up in a few words, Sol.
Thanks to bushco.
“Muqtada! Muqtada! Muqtada!”
Shouted at Saddam Hussein’s execution.
Al-Sadr is a thug but, unfortunately, we turned him into an important thug.
There will be no political solution without mollying his base, somehow.
As an aside, Democracy is not new to Iraq. Seems they didn’t like it before either.
These people are different. They stone women to death in the streets because they were raped. What kind of people do this?
To pretend to know their minds is ludicrous at best and closer to egomaniacal. To claim to know their hearts is pathetically ignorant.
“Mr. Maliki’s political capital has been severely depleted ”
Mr. Bush’s political capital is also a bit ‘depleted’
Well…
If “political capital” is simply having the resolve to follow through on demands and the use of force otherwise, I would say that Bush has more political capital than the Democrats could measure!
With this twisted view of what “political capital” is, the Democrats are the ones lacking with their constant demands for withdrawl, defeat, and surrender.
It would be difficult for any Democrat to get low enough to attempt a measure of the bush political capital. Neither is it worth trying. He had little when he spoke of it, he squandered that.
To January 20, 2009:
293 days, 6 hours, 46 minutes
To January 20, 2009:
293 days, 6 hours, 46 minutes
when
John McCain will raise his right hand with his hand on the Bible and takes the oath of office.
“With this twisted view of what “political capital” is, the Democrats are the ones lacking with their constant demands for withdrawl, defeat, and surrender”
And when will victory come?
We were told it would be days, weeks, certainly not six months.
Now we are fast approaching the fifth anniversary of “Mission Accomplished.”
How much more should Americans take?
Days?
Weeks?
Certainly not six months?
Ben,
“Mr. Maliki’s political capital has been severely depleted ”
But I’d bet that his financial capital is increasing daily in Swiss bank retirement accounts. I don’t know what the split is between our administration and Iraq’s, but it would seem like less than 2% of what is sent or spent there actually goes to help the Iraqi people.
Reggie,
What oath would that be- the same one Bush uttered; “screw the American public?”
It’s really too bad the neocons have an ingrained need to call anyone who disagrees with them traitors, surrender monkeys and anything else their mini-minds can come up with to avoid dealing with the real problem.
The road to the Iraq war has been paved with lies, bull**it and a capitulating media looking for sales, not truth.
“Yes lindainks, feel free to spit on the graves of the victims of 911, it’s a Lib thing to do.”
Posted by regular.
Who’s spitting on the graves of the 911 victims by using that day as a pretense to invade Iraq? Who’s spitting on the graves of the victims of 911 by planning on the invasion of Iraq PRIOR to 911, then, against ALL intel, tying Iraq to 911? You want to go about spouting your typical bushette bs, you should take a real close look in the mirror. What you’ll see is a reflection of those victims cursing bush for using them in his name.
But then again, conservatives have no respect for the living, why should they have any for the dead.
Avoid dealing with the real problem there J M Walker?
Thanks for making the point how Libs use projection to make their points when facts get in their way.
There shouldn’t be any fighting in Iraq if the reich wingers are right. With more religion you have proper morals and with more firearms there should be no gun violence. So clearly Iraq must be a utopia, the only problems is there aren’t enough flowers to greet Americans with.
Projections? How about: “It was September of 2002, just three days before the emotional one-year anniversary of 9/11 and the giant wound of the al Qaeda attack on New York was still open.
The Bush administration had assembled a media strategy team known as the White House Iraq Group. It consisted of top officials, including those in the vice president’s office whose goals starting after Labor Day was to sell a war on Iraq, which had no detectable role on 9/11.
On September 7, 2002, White House chief of staff Andy Card referred to the effort in an interview with The New York Times and said, “From a marketing point of view, you don’t introduce new products in August.”
The next day, the White House marketers delivered their product, a New York Times front-page story. U.S. says Hussein intensifies quest for A-Bomb parts. Judy Miller attributing the story to Bush administration officials reported, “Iraq has stepped up it’s quest for nuclear weapons and has embarked on a worldwide hunt for materials to make an atomic bomb. In the last 14 months, Iraq has sought to buy thousands of specially designed aluminum tubes meant for Iraq’s nuclear program.
Vice President Dick Cheney referred to that article in a speech and again later in a scheduled appearance on “Meet the Press” that same day. He pointed out, “That he is in fact actively and aggressively seeking to acquire nuclear weapons.””
Didn’t that one turn out to be serious bs. And perpetrated so 911 was in everyones minds in order to get maximum effect from the known bs. The whole war in Iraq is based on bs, and you call it projections.
I suppose you’re correct in that statement: The intel coming out of the white house didn’t exit via mouth, so it had to be projected via the hind quarters of a corrupt administration using the 911 victims as scapegoats for war.
Yeah J M Walker - projection.
You based your entire ‘theory’ on some journalist and comments made by Cheney about a portion of that story.
So if a V.P. or a President comments on a news story, “thems the facts eh?”
Your other superlative descriptions is just arm flailing with a bit of style, it is not based in fact. Using superlatives do not equate to logical conclusions.
Like I said, projection.
“Thanks for making the point how Libs use projection to make their points when facts get in their way.”
Do you mean like the facts that Iraq did not possess WMD, was not proceeding with a program a nuclear program, Iraq did not have ties to al Qaeda, Saddam did not have a connection to 9/11, Iraq was not a threat to the United States, Iraq was not a threat to his neighbors, et al?
Facts like that?
Projections? Again? Accusations from the same people who have given up the ability to tell fact from fancy in their attempts at justifying this war?
“Unbeknownst to the public at the time, however, two agencies in the administration, the State Department’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research and the Department of Energy, concluded the aluminum tubes were the wrong specification for nuclear materials.
Agency officials, under orders not to talk publicly, thought the tubes were intended to be Iraqi artillery rockets, not nukes. In early January 2003, the International Atomic Energy Agency reported, “While it would be possible to modify such tubes for the manufacture of centrifuges, they are not directly suitable for it.”
The Bush administration dismissed the IAEA report and in the president’s State of the Union, the ultimate platform for the administration to sell the idea that Saddam was a nuclear threat.
“The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa. Our intelligence sources tell us he has attempted to purchase high-strength aluminum tubes suitable for nuclear weapon production,” said Bush.
The first sentence was retracted six months later, following criticism from Ambassador Joe Wilson. In turn, that led to White House actions against Wilson and his CIA wife, that evolved into a criminal investigation into White House leaks.
But the investigation was not in time to stop White House operatives from executing what had already been a masterful and successful marketing of what State Department official Richard Haass called at the time, “a war of choice.” ”
No projections there, except the same bs spewing from the same hind-quarters wanting this war from day one.
Bush: WMD!
World: Where are they?
Bush: Yellow cake!
World: Intel from one known unreliable source? What yellow cake?
Bush: Aluminum tubes!
World: Nope, wrong size tube. Couldn’t be used for enrichment programs.
Bush: Al Quida!
World: Not until after you invaded, bozo. Now it’s a training ground for them.
Bush: Saddam and 911!
World: What? Are you freakin’ crazy?
All the intel disproving bush’s reasons for going to war with Iraq were known by the bush administration prior to both the UN and congress votes, but withheld by the same admin because it would have shot the whole war down the drain, and we wouldn’t be in this mess.
Talk about disgracing this country, one read of the real facts of this war, and the only conclusion intelligent beings can come to is bush and his cronies are guilty of doing just that in spades.
WS,
The blogging neocons here don’t need no stinkin’ facts: They got bush and the bible.
So what is your point about the aluminum tubes? They were dismissed almost immediately after they were mentioned on the news.
Yet J M Walker, you use an old news story that has already been discussed, re-hashed and proven doubtful within a few days of its mention and give it new birth in your own projectionist spin.
There was nothing to your story about aluminum tubes other than it was discussed and proved to be nothing.
That’s all you got? Aluminum tubes?
Tell me J M Walker, that isn’t all you have?
“So what is your point about the aluminum tubes? They were dismissed almost immediately after they were mentioned on the news.”
They weren’t just mentioned on the nes - they were “mentioned” in George WMD Bush’s SOTU address and in Powell’s speech to the United Nations.
And they knew that it was a lie when they made those statements.
.
Don’t forget the specific sites both Powell and Rumsfield pointed to on maps. “We know where they are … here … here … and here …”
ALL LIES!
And then we had liar Powell with his ‘mobile labs’ that were also all lies.
And don’t forget the bogus ‘Prague meeting’ that they liked to use … MORE LIES!
Here’s verbatim what Bush stated in the SOTU.
“Today, Iraq continues to withhold important information about its nuclear program — weapons design, procurement logs, experiment data, an accounting of nuclear materials and documentation of foreign assistance. Iraq employs capable nuclear scientists and technicians. It retains physical infrastructure needed to build a nuclear weapon. Iraq has made several attempts to buy high-strength aluminum tubes used to enrich uranium for a nuclear weapon. Should Iraq acquire fissile material, it would be able to build a nuclear weapon within a year. And Iraq’s state-controlled media has reported numerous meetings between Saddam Hussein and his nuclear scientists, leaving little doubt about his continued appetite for these weapons.”
He said there were attempts to buy high-strength aluminum tubes.”
And, if you read the rest of the SOTU, it was quite clear that Hussein had retained both scientists and facilities to re-activate nuclear weapons capability.
So please continue to spin and distort the facts.
And Iraq continues to be what it was meant to be.
A continuous revenue stream for the military industrial complex, and a convenient excuse for the US to maintain a garrison in Iraq.
Get out and let them sort it out.
Regular, Bush is basing that claim on the drunken Iraqi cab driver that was paid a lot of money to tell such fish tales.
Thanks for making the point how Libs use projection to make their points when facts get in their way — Regular.
Time worn tactic — take every point the opposition makes, and then accuse the opposition of the same behavior. They all do it. So standard, they must go to seminars somewhere.
(p.s. — actually, some of them do.)
1. Never back down
2. Always get the last word.
3. When absolutely cornered, throw out a red herring or change the subject.
4. Never agree to any fact, but keep a few obscure facts in reserve for use at the right moment.
5. Question the opponent’s patriotism.
6. Claim all sources of legitimate news are liberal.
Can anyone think of some more?
O.K. So here’s another joke.
If McCain becomes president, who’s gonna throw out the first ball?
Sure, Sarah Bellum, you forgot the most important one.
By being a typical Lib, you can make a list that adds nothing to the discussion and is asinine. That the list reflects back on the poster as one always grasping for an excuse rather than engaging in fact based dialogue.
“Tell me J M Walker, that isn’t all you have?”
Uh, nope:
Bush: WMD!
World: Where are they?
Bush: Yellow cake!
World: Intel from one known unreliable source? What yellow cake?
Regular:
Bush: Aluminum tubes!
World: Nope, wrong size tube. Couldn’t be used for enrichment programs.
Bush: Al Quida!
World: Not until after you invaded, bozo. Now it’s a training ground for them.
Bush: Saddam and 911!
World: What? Are you freakin’ crazy?
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld ordered the creation of a special intelligence operation to quietly begin looking for evidence that would justify the war. The intelligence reports soon became a part of a continuing struggle between civilians in the Pentagon on one side and the CIA, State Department, and uniformed military on the other—a struggle that would lead to inadequate planning for the aftermath of the war, continuing violence, and mounting political problems for the president.
The facts about this STO have come to light in the fact both Rumsfeld and Cheney continuously ignored CIA intelligence, and in fact, sent it back to be rewritten until it coincided with the official white house line of thinking. Never mind that after being rewritten it no longer had anything to do with reality, but were direct opposites of what was really being delivered as intel.
The trail is there, but the neo-cons would have to admit they’re idiots for not believing the real truth, something they could never do, even though lying is against the word of God. They really do want it both ways. And it’s costing American lives in the process.
The President, Congress, and the nations news media got it wrong. And it was done using doctored intel, done so by STO with the approval of Bush Cheney, Rumsfeld and Tenet.
Facts, no spin there. The spin was all done by the Bush administration.
You do write good fiction J M Walker. But even a good fiction writers credit their sources.
Sorry, you get a failing grade for a half-baked attempt.
Point out the facts in your piece of fiction J M Walker. I’m finding opinion, not facts.
You do know what a fact is don’t you J M Walker?
Regular
Posted April 1, 2008 at 12:24 pm | Permalink
Another topic for duh Libs…
…serve whine at room temperature, unless it’s with cheese-eating surrender tactics, then one can ‘cold duck’ it.
wow
i didn’t know, even bush repukes, loved the idea of over 4,000 american kids getting killed in the wrong country.
Thus Reg. illustrates Rule No. 2. Always get the last word.
Regular
Posted April 1, 2008 at 3:28 pm | Permalink
To January 20, 2009:
293 days, 6 hours, 46 minutes
when
John McCain will raise his right hand with his hand on the Bible and takes the oath of office.
well
a couple of years ago bush and rove said mccain fathered a black child out of wedlock and since that was “true” americans couldn’t trust him.
is that still true ??
I dunno exile, it’s your lie, elaborate on it.
Regular
Posted April 1, 2008 at 7:18 pm | Permalink
You do know what a fact is don’t you J M Walker?
ok
so it’s TRUE then that mccain fathered a black child out of wedlock ??
just because bush rove said it was true.
It is still true he can’t be trusted. He proves that each time he caves into bushco. He has been doing it since 2000.
Who posted the Mr. Cave sonnet recently? It is really good. I’ll go look for it so no one will have to miss the truths of why McCain can’t be trusted.
Actually, Karl Rove didn’t say that exile, I watched Rove address that issue on C-SPAN.
I was just testing you.
Sorry, you failed.
Original Thread: “Iraqi government is not yet capable of standing up and delivering”
And they never will be - with or without American firepower.
The Sunni Tribes have their own power centers operating for ages across the region. Likewise the majority Shiites. Bush Senior, on the advise of the Saudi King - did not take out Saddam (a sunni). Sunni Saudia Arabia feared the power the Shia would unfold, and knew the road would be bloody. Iran, on the other side, is supporting their own form of muslim power. The buffer between the two powers is Iraq - and now America pisses off both sides. No win situation. Al-Qaeda, ever the opportunist, takes advantage of hate on both sides for anything US, and weasels their way in.
In short, get us the hell out of there.
And phuck Saudi Arabia.
Regular reminds of the old Monty Python skit where the guy goes back to the pet store to return the dead parrot and the shopkeeper keeps insisting that the bird is still alive, even though it’s apparent to any sane person it’s dead.
Nice story Mary,
Got any facts to add or?
McCluer is on the verge of another meltdown, followed by his claim that he is leaving the blog forever, only to return the next day under another nic and starting the whole process over again.
Yada, yada, same shit, different day.
Haven’t you seen that Monty Python episode, Reg? I SWEAR it does exist!
I often see “Liberal” used in the same context as traitor, stupid, subverive or 5th columnist in many of these threads. America like Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UK, all western European nations (especially the Nordic ones) enjoy the nomenclature of Liberal Western Democracy. Bush refers to the US as a Liberal Western Democracy. Am I missing something here? There was a long post in another thread quoting JR Dunn’s “The Disgrace of Liberalism” which is perhaps the most incoerent discourse on Liberalism I’ve ever read. OK, technicaly the US is a Congressional Republic not a Democracy, but it’s aims and objects are the same. Just wondering why the term “Liberal” is such a dirty word?
Goodnite y’all…it’s past my bedtime.
Mary, you got that wrong:
Regular kept the bird because he called the pet store, thinking the bird was dead, and the owner told him the bird was still alive. Who was he to doubt that?
You know something, Regular? The facts of about the way the intel was doctored, and why, has been posted here too many times for you not to have read it. What you choose to believe is your business, but the truth of the facts can’t be denied: This administration wanted a war with Iraq from day one (actually, prior to 1999), and was going to get their wish come hell or high water. They got their wish, by subverting intel, and over 4000 American lie dead because of it.
Careful you don’t walk off the end of the earth, there. I’m in your mind, it’s still flat, and the moon’s made out of green cheese. Grill yourself a sammich.
This is from the message board:
From: writerdog Apr-1 9:31 am
To: Classof65 (88 of 96)
14435.88 in reply to 14435.84
Powell problem was he is a “good soldier” too good a soldier it would seem. From reading several books few with in the inner circle like Powell. But they needed his creditably, imagine if Cheney had been the one whom went before the U.N. security council. Soldiers are put in that dilemma everyday, given orders that on the face of it may not seem to be wise or well thought out. Its a razor edge concerning the “Nuremberg defense”, Powell had a duty to both the President and the country along with himself.
Yes I too wished that he had put the country above the President, but there is some background that would explain not just Powell’s acceptance but the Congress’s too. The “Special operations planning group for Iraq” that was formed with in the DOD. With the help of several “plants” within the CIA got where they controlled the information that was released. When ever there was a request for information from whomever, it was the Special operations planning group whom would send out the “talking points” to other branches that were to be included in all reports and information briefings. When ever there was a request from the CIA, Congress, the Pentagon even the White house itself. These talking points would be included, when someone becomes the center point that everyone relies upon. That gives license to spread what ever information you choose to. BTW, the Bush comment about the Constitution has turn out to be an example of this. Everyone was quoting it, but the source was a rogue journalist whom few paid attention to until he reported he had a couple of witnesses to Bush saying it. But there was not evidence or further witnesses.
But the remark grows legs and ran throughout the net and finally into the MSM.
In this case, the Special operations planning group had combed through the intel looking for only that which would support the position. The Yellow cake report document had been floated around the intelligence agencies throughout the world. It had been dismissed twice by our own CIA as a forgery a couple of times before it gained legs in the build-up for the invasion. The rumor of a meeting between Iraq intelligence and Atta in Prague, had been deemed unreliable by the German, Italian and the U.S. intelligence several years ago. The source was a known liar and was peddling false intelligence to make money.
But since they supported the Neo-cons within the Administration desires they were taken as a fact.
spread as facts and put into every report about Iraq. Its splitting hairs, but that is why I say that Bush&Co. did not lie. To them it was the truth and if one truly believes even the most outlandish fantasy. Then it is not a conscious lie when they repeat it. One of the biggest reason that what was said accepted as the truth was plain laziness. The question was asked and no one within the Government that was not apart of the plan checked to see if it was fact and just passed it along. This included Powell…
writerdog - you left out an important piece of the story. The ‘liberal MSM’ was an integral part of the selling of Bush’s war. The supposedly liberal New York Times led the pack in cheerleading the neocon lies.
“Just wondering why the term “Liberal” is such a dirty word?” Am I missing something here?
————-
NN,
You’re not missing anything worthwhile. Here in America there are a small number of people who share one extremely small brain with a smaller amount of knowledge. There is no room in the shared brain for much more than what it takes to keep themselves alive, plus a few sound bites which include one about the word “liberal” being a dirty word. There are no synapses in this brain so the small amount of knowledge is static and brain signals cannot be transmitted from one to the other, no new knowledge can be shared or used.
Their brain has short circuited! They are armed so be very careful! They are the greatest threat to America, visitors to our country and temporarily to countries who interact with America. We are fast approaching a date when this threat will be diminished. If you plan a trip to America the best advice I can offer is plan to arrive after January 20, 2009.
lindainks55: Thank you for your advice. I never let politics stop my enjoyment of American hospitality, always a pleasant, varied and genuine experience. PS: I usually vote Conservative which probably isn’t, to neocons
It’s funny, NN, that statement about being Conservative which probably isn’t.
I have a delightful Canadian friend who came to America for her doctorate. She graduated Harvard last fall and began a post-doc position at the Salk Institute in San Diego. She described her Dad in almost the same words you used to describe yourself! She also told me he is taking a greater than usual interest in America’s upcoming presidential election and never ceases to be amazed that the current president was elected TWICE! We’ve had many conversations that have helped both of us understand the similarities and the differences in our countries.
You are so correct in knowing that Canadian Conservative is far from neocons who want to bring one-world order using their ideas of what democracy means (and has little to do with anything democracy stands for!), far from America’s religious right who would like the Constitution to be rewritten and more closely resemble The Bible. And if they can’t rewrite the Constitution they want to legislate their morality. It is impossible to understand why either group of extremists who want to completely control can say they stand for less government influence. A real enigma!
Canadian Conservative is closer to what the word used to mean in America - less government, fiscal responsibility, personal responsibility, help with a leg up but not a lifelong handout.
My hope is that once these extremes have completely broken the Republican Party of today the Grand Ole Party can once again be grand.
I need to state that last sentence to better reflect my hope.
It appears the extremes of the “right,” will need to completely break the Republican Party of today before enough realize the mockery they are making of what was The Grand Ole Party. And I hope their influence is diminished so the party can return to the ideals that made it grand.
The neocons have no place in a sane world. The religious right should remember the wisdom of, “Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s.”
lindainks55: The terms Consevative and Liberal have their roots in 19th century English economics. Before that they were either Whigs or Tories. Those who strove make keep cheap and plentiful so as to be avaialable therfore beneficial to all, were called Conservatives. This is good but you to have the money to benefit from the thesis. Others felt the workers should have it in their scope to buy what they produce. They were called Liberals.The flaw with this thesis is that workers would never be able to afford a Rolls Royce. So both nomenclature are self described entities to promote a specific want from the specturm in which you function, even though both are impossible to achieve. Which is why politics, everybody’s politics is so darn interesting. The ancient Greek word for those who did not partake in public affairs is idios. Change the “s” to a “t”.
lindainks55: One last gasp on this thread. The most revered man in our politial history is one who actually did something about socio-political wrongs. During the dirty 30’s he saw inequity, entered politics and eventually became Premiere of his sparsley populated Prarie Province. He raan a no nonsense administration, balanced the books, did away with waste while he fought the combined might of the North American medico/pharma/insurance lobby to introduce North America’s first universal health coverage for that small province. He then ran for Federal office and was responsible for the universal system we have nationally, along with our pension scheme. Tommy Douglas was a bantamweight Golden Gloves Champ who never backed down to the goons he had to face. He was also, get this, a Baptist Minsister and Pastor, a product of the Weyburn Bible College in the tiny town of Weyburn Saskatechewan, as were his predecessors, carrying the good fight to governments by living the gospel. This goes to what to render, to whom, and WHEN. I quit now………
2 Trackbacks
Jack…
I don’t mean to be too in your face, but I’m not sure I agree with this. Anyhow, thanks for sharing and I think I’ll write a post on this on my blog soon….
Real Estate Australia…
Hi - just wanted to say good design and blog -…