Today's (Aug. 30)entry:
"Rumsfeld's Declaration of War, on America"

-was pulled within an hour after comments from conservative readers targeted neoconservatives in this administration and their fellow travelers here and in the Middle East.

The Post immediately blocks anyone who speaks out against the empire builders, and therefore enables their work.

What a blow for free speech.

don't you mean bull sh it artiste' for george because you owe him after he got you off on that rap?

...

the Hunt Brothers in Texas, were arrested for trying to control a commodities market, just as the president is now....

it's got nothing to do with terrorists, look at this:

"
Nelson Bunker and William Herbert Hunt were the heirs of oil tycoon H.L. Hunt. The family was one of the richest in America at the time. In the early 1970's the family decided to buy silver as a hedge against inflation, and amassed it in great quantity. In the fall of 1979, the Hunt Brothers, along with some wealthy Arabs formed a silver buying pool and bought up 200 million ounces- the equivalent of half the world's deliverable supply. The price of silver had moved from $2 per ounce in 1973 to $5 per ounce in early 1979 and then rocketed as high as $54 in early 1980.
"

Sounds like the -d-i-c-k-h-e-a-d- of a president has the same idea.....

that and "appeal to emotion"

Appeal to emotion is a logical fallacy where a party relies too much on emotional issues or presents only an emotional case in establishing an argument. This kind of appeal to emotion is a type of red herring and encompasses several logical fallacies, including:

Appeal to consequences

BINGO************** Appeal to fear **************BINGO

Appeal to flattery (someone did that to me a couple of weeks ago, maybe Archimedes?)
Appeal to pity
Appeal to ridicule
Appeal to spite
Wishful thinking

Related fallacies

Other types of fallacies may also overlap with or constitute an appeal to emotion, including:

Ad hominem attacks
Guilt by association
Misleading vividness
Slippery slope
Truthiness
Two wrongs make a right (if arguing for revenge)

Examples
"Think of the children!"
"For The Children"
"Mom and Apple Pie,"
"Appeal to manhood/patriotism"

In case you're too lazy to google, you still need to understand what you're looking at

still in San Diego chasing high school girls huh?

you said:
"
Thanks to the liberal press, I am sure that America could no longer win a World War II.
"

comparing an occupation of a country to control an oil market to WWII, ought to earn you a few years in Levinworth, don'tcha think?

patriot? how about shill for bs?

.

sorry for america: You forget one thing. Controlling the oil also means being able to set the price. That is why one company would try to corner the market of a particular peroduct. Invading Iraq has put US oil companies into the driver seat of raising prices and reaping huge profits. Why on earth would they drop the prices to pennies? But what do I know, I'm just a conspiracy theorist.

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2005/oil_price_probe.html

I proudly served in the USMC in the 80's....
After 9/11 I found out this old dog still had 2 months left to be eligible for re-enlistment...
I get my old body back in shape better than when i was 20.... I run 8 miles a day, swim for 2 hours a day and ruck 20 miles on Saturdays with 90 lbs in my sack, sometimes up to over 9000 feet above sea level.. Constantly at the rifle range with my M14 and the 1911...Finished my paramedic certs... Went back to jumping at the DZ...
Followed and exceeded all the SFAS guidlines for training... All this for the love of my country....
Well comes the day for MEPS...these guys treated me like a shmuck... I don't get it!!! I am walking away from a engineering career I spent 10 years building and a good 6 figure income..all I want is to go infantry...
These recruiters would not budge or be resonable with me....It was take it or leave it with a really bad contract....
The terms of the contract were totally out of line...ALL the promises made by recruiters were replaced by excuses...
I made 3 seperate enlistment attempts to get things resolved...each time was a cluster F###K!! Change of MOS, Extensive increase of length of enlistment...removal of bonuses..ect..ect...
At a time when few are enlisting...why try to play me like a fool????
I only ask for a few simple things...
My patriotism was disrespected and it hurt deeply...It was a true miracle someone didn't get seriously knocked out!!!
Word of advice to recruiters..Don't treat an old dog like he was a young punk...
I think a change in recruiting tactics for older recruits is in order...

Still pissed...

Alfred (I can't figure out how to get those cool symbols, so sorry for the spelling): Good point on the size of the draft pool. However, even the possibility that each eligible-aged male and female would have to serve (modified by the percentage of pool actually drawn) would serve my ends. And I would argue that we should not let the perfect the enemy of the good. I stand by my points regarding the draft (although admitting that not everyone would serve).

Gary:

That sort of simplistic BS just will not fly. "Liberal media." Hogwash.

As for WWII, are you sure that you are not conveniently glossing over the fact that it took us being physically attacked by a sovereign nation, not only in Hawaii but also in the Philipines and elsewhere to actually get into WW2? Dec. 6, 1941 -- by that time WW2 had already been going on for 2 years. Russia had already been invaded -- El Alamein already fought. The average citizen of the U.S. wanted nothing to do with it -- maybe they too were poisoned by the Liberal Media which was attempting to destroy our country even back then? Are you not glossing over the fact that even then, we declared war only on Japan (Dec. 7, 1941) -- not Germany and Italy. It was Germany and Italy that declared war on us on December 11, 1941. We were still aparently OK with letting the Nazi regime exist and the war in Europe pass us by. Maybe the Liberal Media had us scared even back then?

And with WW2, at least people knew who they were fighting and what they were fighting for. Why are we in Iraq? If you can answer that question with anything even half-rational other than "because we made such a mess of the whole situation that it will be even worse if we leave now", then not only do you win the prize, but I am sure there is a job waiting for you in the White House since they have been trying to answer that question now for about 2.5 years with absolutely no success. Or is that because the vast Liberal Media won't tell us why since they are all conspiring with Al Qeuda?

Get real. Iraq is bad. Republican hawks like Christopher Shays and Gil Gutknecht are saying that after visiting Iraq recently, things are worse than they thought and are now saying we should be out within 1 year. Or did the Liberal Media simply make up those quotes to further its surrender agenda?

The President should have been straight with us from the start. After 9-11, he ought to have raised taxes, not given the richest people a break. And, it isn't their children who are enlisting in such great numbers; so he ought to have asked for a return to the draft in order to share the military burden. Instead, he went for it like a scrooge, on the other fellow's dime.

Saddam ought to have been deposed after the First Gulf War. A dictator's word is worthless in keeping a peace imposed upon him. Saddam consistently failed to comply with the terms of the cease-fire and with UN sanctions over the course of twelve years. Hitler did something similar, and as a dictator is a dictator is a dictator, it should have been obvious what we needed to do, and gone in.

If there is one reason the American people would turn against the war, it is because in this war, some Americans "are more equal than others".

To "Truth from Georgia"s comments, I would like to emphasize that even with a draft, not everyone of draft-age would serve, because the pool of eligibles is so large.

The U.S. military is made up over 1 million people active and even more in the National Guard and reserves. There are something like 200,000 of them serving in Iraq.

There is also a reason to use the reserves. These are already trained men that are still obligated to serve in the military. Would it help to end the confusion to have instead 8 years (minimum obligation) active duty instead of 4 years on and 4 years in the national guard or reserves? It's not like the U.S. military is looking for 60 year old homeless men that last served in Vietnam.

The U.S. have always used foriegn forces, from American Indians to when it was just a colony to Muslim mercenaries to stop the Barbary pirates after the pirates seized a U.S. ship for ransom (the threat also caused Thomas Jefferson to have not nice words to say about Muslims and where things were not settled because of the cut and run policy that developed).

Given the media's biased representations of the war, it is amazing that anyone would want to join. Thanks to the liberal press, I am sure that America could no longer win a World War II. We wouldn't understand the need, and we couldn't stomach the losses.

Need more military? Fine, get our troops out of Europe and put half in Iraq and half on our borders.

This to me is a fine example of the "peace dividend" really paying off. I was in the service under Pres Clinton and have said many times that the US does not have enough forces, plain and simple. You can only do so much with the manpower we currently posess. The Army should be returned closer to it's 1980's size of eighteen divisions. The Marines should likewise be increased in size. In combat size does matter.

to army wife :I couldnt agree with you more...The reason I suggest the draft for all is plain and simple. The leaders would then know -that the rest of the public, is aware of how they are treated. You know I'm all for stubborness,I have been known to have a streak of it myself, but it can be a downfall as well. When WE are told, not as long as he is president. Says he IS NOT INTERESTED, what anyone says.That told me right then and there, that he chose to steal our rights as AMERICANS, and as long as he is president feels he can do just that...SCARY...I do not feel that the soldiers should have to bear the brunt of this. Over and over. That is why I said if this is Americas fight then we should all fight!!!But is it, Americas Fight??? I would go, if it is. Would he send Laura, Jenna or Babara? Of course not . He wouldnt want them harmed. They are his family. So there you have it. As far as my suggesting that we should do as s/Korea I do beleive it could not hurt if everyone was trained. Take out the dribble and emotion factor... Thank God for the real men and woman- The soldiers. They are not pawns.This is exactly what they are to him. What was the reason again? This week? A good leader to me is: to have a plan then learn to modify as needed and listen for input.He boldly refuses. Everyone hears loud and clear.Thank You very much. To all soldiers may you all arrive home safe, and God bless you all. To the soldier in the arena that said shut up or do something about it, hang in there, we can hear your frustration.

A draft or some other compulsory military service would be a positive for 4 main reasons that I can think of, and probably many smaller reasons. I temper that, however, by saying that it needs to be a real draft or real compulsory service -- no unlimited waivers or deferments and no easy way to avoid such as the National Guard during Viet Nam. Here are my reasons for the draft:

(1) By ensuring that all Americans have friends and family in the military, and by having essentially all Americans with some first-hand experience of military life and limitations (and by having the thought that all Americans' children will sometime have to do the same), we are going to be much more justicious in our use of the military as a foreign policy tool. Right now it is easy for the arm-chair patriots to say "bring 'em on" "let's kick some ass" and such other things. They are not the ones up on the firing line. Make people understand that they will need to pay a price PERSONALLY for their approval of military intervention (approval ultimately by their votes in November every other year), and we will have rational debate about whether a particular course of action is worth it or not. It would be nice to have a rational debate again, and not just "traitor v. facist" "giving comfort to the enemy v. mindless idiot".

(2) The country is getting soft. In many ways -- physically (obesity rapidly on the rise) and mentally (entitlement attitude -- combined with the lazy mental approach of just blaming all problems on somebody else, like the illegal immigrants or the Chinese). Military duty toughens one up physically and intellectually. Fewer slackers, fewer video game-adicted teens, fewer football weekend couch potatos. Bootcamp for everybody.

(3) The United States is becoming increasingly stratified and auto-isolated. We rarely venture from our houses, neighborhoods and businesses anymore. We read the internet, not the newspaper -- usually just those sites that we already agree with so that they can tell us how smart we are and so that we can collectively marvel at how come the other side just doesn't get it when it is all so clearly obvious. We listen to the radio and television selectively -- again, to reaffirm what we already believe. We hang out with our own race, religious brethren and social strata. Military life is a melting pot. Whether you want to be exposed or not, you have no choice but to interact with and rely upon persons who are different from you, think differently from you, and are not afraid to say it. This "red state / blue state" BS is ripping the country apart and will ultimately ruin us. Folks, liberals are not ruining the country, conservatives are not ruining the country, we are all ruining the country by deciding that anyone with a different view is not just wrong but rather truly nepharious. We are ruining our country every day because we would rather hang out with our own kind and blame the other than work together to actually get something done.

(4) If everybody serves, the military is less likely to become the property of any one group (be it political, racial, religious or other). We need a non-political, non-sectarian, non-ideological military (if you think differently, think about whether you would prefer a Soviet or Cuban-style military where promotion is more based on what you think and what you say than on merit). When the military becomes monolithic, bad things happen.

Of course, the down-side to the draft is (1) cost and (2) the reverse of the upside -- you get everybody -- the bad as well as the good. A conscripted military (persons present because they have no choice) is never going to be as efficient as a professional military (persons service out of choice and with some relative selectivity).

Still, I think that on the whole a draft is a good idea for the US. If nothing else, saving $500 Billion simply by preventing another fiasco like Iraq would pay for a lot of cost and cover a lot of inefficiency.

Rational debate encouraged.

Wow! The conspiracy theorists never fail to amaze me. The Feds are too incompetant to do so many small things that we see everyday; yet, they can get that dopey Saddam to fall into our little web of lies and attack his neighbor so we can control the oil!!! Well it obviously has been working for us, I just bought gas for a penny a gallon... Are you kidding me? I mean this stuff is laughable. I could bring up a million facts to show your conspiracy ideas hold no water, but if I spelled it all out and gave you all the proof, you would just say I was one of them. This discussion is for tellers of tall tales. I will leave it to them. In any case, God bless you all.

Failure of leadership....who to blame? There are 4 terms of leadership, and the one term that sticks out to me is this - The capacity or ability to lead. And in my opinion just because one person in a family had good leadership skills, doesnt mean that all of the family has good leadership skills. So you ask, where did all the soldiers go....they went to Iraq, some didnt make it home, and some still won't. Why do our soldiers have to clean up others messes? Just because they are in the service to protect and serve, they go out and clean up messes that most of them and other americans had no clue about. For example Pearl Harbor, there are rumors that INSIDE people knew about the attack, but allowed so many service men and women lose their lives as an exscuse to attack japan. And I have recently watched a T.V. show presented on CNN called the footsteps of Bin Laden, and on that show it proved, that our INSIDE people our so called LEADERS had known all along that this was going to happen, and the many interviews journalists had with Bin Laden, and his consistant threats of terrorism that our LEADERS failed to do anything about. We so had the oppratunity to " take him out " before 9/11, but our LEADERS failed to do so....why? some might ask....well 9/11 is just another pearl harbor, except it was targeted on civilians and not servicemen.

The Draft...Im against it. And I will tell you why after I explain something. Being a leader doesnt mean sitting by the sidelines with your tail tucked between your legs, and " trying " to make yourself look smart, like you know what you are doing. Being a leader...means standing by your team, showing leadership skills.." HONESTY " which our leaders lack so badly. Being a leader doesnt mean to lead us into temptation, Us Americans have been lead into temptation by making us think that Iraq started this, and we did nothing to them....which is wrong. Just like mommy always told us, "you play with fire your gonna get burned"....and well this is one heck of a fire.

Now that I have explained my version of leadership, back to why I do not agree in the draft. I will strictly use examples, and then you can choose for yourself.

Treat our soldiers like HUMANS not ANIMALS, every soldier is replaceable in our LEADERS EYES! Will my Husband be replaceable to me or our children? Will your father,mother,brother,sister or child be replaced if they had lost their lives in the service? No family member can be replaced, but our LEADERS think that ALL PEOPLE are about money, and that with the life insurance and bonus money handed out to soldiers and recruits, it will make them and us feel so much better. Thats all our soldiers are....A handful of cash that can be given away easily, but aquiring it is much harder.

Those commercials you see on your TV, how they make the army look so cool, using computers, climbing mountains and my favorite... AN ARMY OF ONE! MY POINT EXACTLY! Just like on a baseball team, each member plays a certain role in each game, but they still work as a TEAM! You don't see team members critisizing others, calling them losers, or calling them stupid. You don't see team members belittling other team members, and you never see their LEADERS Belittling them, and as parents if we did....we would all step up to the plate and give our kids' leaders a piece of our minds...am I wrong?

SO WHY DO WE LET OUR SO CALLED LEADERS DO THIS TO OUR SOLDIERS!

Treat our soldiers better, instead of treating them like replacable dollar bills, that come and go, treat them with respect, loyalty and honesty, along with their families.....and maybe....just maybe...we would see more servicemen and women.

STOP ALLOWING OUR LEADERS pull us around by our pigtails with lies, and lies and more lies! This war doesnt even have a SINGLE REASON, IT HAS MANY REASONS< AND OUR LEADERS DON'T KNOW WHICH ONES SOUND BETTER, SO THEY PICK THEM ALL UNTIL ONE REASON SOUNDS GOOD TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, ALL TO COVER UP LIES! and that my friends is NOT LEADERSHIP!

Show REAL LEADERSHIP! AMERICAN LEADERS DONT TUCK THEIR TAILS BETWEEN THEIR LEGS!

HOOAH!
FIDO!

WOULD YOU LIKE TO END THE WAR ON TERRORISM OVERNIGHT?

arrest the Presidente', Cheney, and Rumsfeld and charge them with treason.

again, would you like to

end the war on terrorism? overnight?

identify them.

google Negroponte and Honduras

the use of the word terrorism is a ploy by the neoconartistes

to use "appeal to emotion,"

in a debate when some one is winning because they have a more reasonable/cogent/logical/obvious answer...

an old ploy used by rascals/poltroons/baldfaced liars was to simply "appeal to emotion,"

end the war on terrorism? overnight?

identify them.

google Negroponte and Honduras

the use of the word terrorism is a ploy by the neoconartistes

to use "appeal to emotion,"

in a debate when some one is winning because they have a more reasonable/cogent/logical/obvious answer...

an old ploy used by rascals/poltroons/baldfaced liars was to simply "appeal to emotion,"

you want to play........be honest and show some fricking integrity

.

ps. why was the National Guard created? Why did George Bush join the National Guard during the VietNam War? Was Dan Rather setup by Rove?

.

I'm sure they _are_ tired of people that keep sending them back in the fray

because the Executive Branch and Complicit Congress and some wealthy Arabs and Brits want to corner the oil market.....

I'd be tired tooooooooo

and you "sad for americans,"

you're just "appealing to emotion" to buttress your daddy's position arencha?

ugly is still ugly, what you're doing is treasonous justifying BS as if _that_ were the truth....

Perhaps you've forgotten.......

REMEMBER the current fiasco/regime STARTED?

probably not, it was actually more than a few years ago.

key player:
Bush Sr. is the former head of CIA, Congressman before that, Vice President, then President...probably more than 30 years of his life making connections...


George H.W. Bush Sr., POPPY:

sent April Glaspie to Iraq, who with a nod and a wink told Saddam that his border dispute with Kuwait was an internal matter. Saddam was suckered into invading because the US needed a new enemy after the collapse of the soviet union....read PNAC

http://www.newamericancentury.org/statementofprinciples.htm

Saddam invades Kuwait, we now have an official reason to be there....
looks like we'll establish a presence in Kuwait, we already have one in Saudi...our CIA trains them...CIA trained the 9/11 pilots....and AL QUEERDA!!!!

Saudi Royals was given the rights to Saudi Arabia by the Brits after WWII, the Royals were put into power...

who owns the ports on US soil? the Brits...who's supporting us in Iraq?

Protecting the Kuwaiti's:
We go into Iraq with Stormin Norman....and kill a couple of 100 thousand Iraqis and

STOP SHORT of Bagdhad!!!!!....you know why, WE'RE GOING BACK...that's why we stopped...


and now that we occupy, are embedded in Kuwait,
we put the country of Iraq in stasis with embargoes until we need it........or the world economy is shifting and things are ripe....

China Pakistan, and India are emerging...THERE's A HUGE OIL MARKET, economic shifts to CONTROL..............ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!

THEN, the family, of the International RICHE, needed to intervene....

in this case the International riche, which includes the Saudis, Kuwaitis, and the US Affluent that stand to make a bit of cash....mind you the Germans, English and French have their hands in this...but your buddy dubya, is the gawdfathers only visible son....unless you need the state militia called to keep Terry Schiavo from being unhooked...as a grandstanding event...

(in case you've not noticed, you're not in this family, you get your medicare cut to pay for thier investments!!!!!!!!!)

so we intervene on national television...

bombs going off, constant coverage, city surrounded, surveillance on every living thing that's bigger than a booger..


and somehow, miracle of miracles, like the virgin mary turning up on your french toast:
Saddam escapes from Bagdhad with three tractor trailer loads of cash, $9 BILLION$ in CASH right? Anyone in dubyas extended family gotten riche lately?

the museums were emptied right? ha ha ha...that's riche....think anyones private collection has grown lately??????????

as far as conspiracy goes,

there never was a CIA/NORIEGA/BUSH Sr. connection right?

or a Watergate

and the Chilean president wasn't asassinated in DC with full CIA knowledge, and where'd that white up George W. Bushes nose come from? Panama? get your head out of yurazzzzzzzzzzzzz!

the thing of it is,
the United States suckered, under George H.W. Bush, Saddam Hussein into attacking Kuwait, so we could be the "heroes", and become military occupiers...to lead us to this point....


walking down the road with no impetus to replacing our dependence on oil, a non-renewable resource....because it's not to the benefit of the countries leaders

this has a lot to do with _families_ working together _not related by blood_, as well as politics that don't include you as a positive recipient of thier efforts, as well as...

helping you to understand that it isn't all cowboy hats and honesty leading you...

Saddam was deliberately mislead into attacking Kuwiat, by President George H.W. Bush, we indicated that we would look the other way if Saddam wanted to reacquire some land and oil wells that he thought the Kuwiatis had taken.....so we would have an excuse to extend our influence.

did we tell Saddam Hussein the truth?

no.

it wasn't to our advantage.

the bushes intimately understand the middle eastern tribe mentality, they have trbal mentality, they protect and work with their own....they use the government to get what they want for their tribe

ps. you're not included in their tribe....

morons in charge and morons voted them in...using demagoguery as a political tool needs to be exposed....predjudice as a tool.

you want a better country quit pandering to morons and pandering to hate.....

the point of it is, the bush family, is trying to bury some information that needs to be understood

the ultimate threat to this country is people that can write but can't think or see...or don't want you to.

I would suggest that those who would use thier governmental office for personal gain at the expense of the citizens lose thier citizenship, and be charged with treason and their properties confiscated....

intimidation as control shouldn't be tolerated....
read the bill of rights, the right to bear arms was specifically inserted into the Bill of Rights to prevent the United States from being taken over from within, which is what what is happening now....

that's the point, a dictatorship and a congress that takes advantage of citizens, doesn't deserve to serve....

tom delay: violated his oath of office twice and not a single member of congress has the oats to call him on it....cowards or fellow crooks?

who needs to look for leaks when anyone with two eyes can see a pattern...of deceit and corruption.

This great land of ours, gives us the opportunity to express ourselves. I have enjoyed getting input good or bad. For you see-The day anyone stops being receptive to input is the day that person stagnats. Which is my problem with the current situation. We do not have to agree. Thats ok. But I have as of yet not seen anyone propose how to fix this...I agree INITIATE the draft. If this is Americas fight well then let America fight.The oppurtunity was lost. If they had said Draft originally - some may have grumbled but we were united, still are .We could stomp them if we all had the emotions that we had after 9-11. Never mind if they tried again. But we all know this will not happen, before Nov. So now what? Other than swinging pot shots.Appeal to emotion -Darn straight.Is this not the pretense? That was used for the strike. Later.. Not when it first happened. Problem became, some of the information was inadaquate.Instead here we are debating and the few followers that we did have,are leaving...DO NOT get me wrong, I do beleive that the extremists are there and pose a threat.These people have been fighting for thousands of years, it will not change.For us to wish for them the rights that we have is not our shot to call.We have tried to give this,if the majority wanted it they would have done so by now. Instead, the only way they move is when we issue ultimatums.Ok let it go down in their history books that they didnt grab the oppurtunity.I am saddened, in a few short years that we have lost the respect in the world.If they would ever attempt to come into United States we would fight them to the death. Myself and all my neighbors included, so why does anyone have a hard time understanding this is what we did to them. Osama in Baghdad??? Again??? anybody with a logical solution on how to resolve this? I do not like the idea of waiting for the next president to fix the problem.My only suggestion- beef up our borders, all the money being spent over there invest it in AMERICA.Do the draft mandatory like s/Korea- not that we would need them, but everyone would be trained, and then see if they would mess with us again with a little bit of emotion included.They would LOSE!!!

Hello again all... Boy, what venom! My use of emotional writing was directed to serving troops who are most likely, emotionally drained. They need emotional support. Someone stated that the National Guard has never been sent overseas to fight. That is wrong, The National Guard has fought overseas in Worlds War I and II. Our military members are not pawns. They are more situationally aware than most people. They are intelligent and know what they are doing. They contunue to choose to serve. That is a purposeful decision made by adults. Do not belittle them or their decisions. By the way, I know because I am one of them. As for facts, do you know why Japan decided to attack Pearl Harbor in 1941? We were restricting their oil supply in response to their attacks on Indo-China. Oil is a stratigic asset vital to a country's infrastructure and economy. We are trying to keep those assets in the hands of leaders freindly to free trade. It is in our best interest. Is it not expected that ALL governments will do what is in their best interest. Is that wrong? I do not damn other nations for doing what they do. We must work to come to Worldwide concensus, but that is where foreign policy/relations come in. Should America use it's might in a softer manner, so to speak? Yes, we can be too direct sometimes. We are the 500 pound gorilla in the room and we need to know we scare everyone. Our incursion to Iraq though, was justified on many levels. The whole reason we do not dipose Saddam after the first Gulf War was because he agreed to a UN resolution for inspections. This is not what the US wanted, but we capitulated to the UN. For 10 years, Saddam thumbed his nose at the UN agreement. He drafted plans to assasinate our president (Bush 1). He use WMD (Chemical weapons) on the Kurds. He gave material support to those within the al Qaeda network. It is the level of involvement that can be debated, but there is no doubt that Iraq hosted members of al Qaeda inside it's borders. In any case, I do not want to state points like this because if you don't like where I am going with my argument you can still say my "facts" are wrong. All I am saying is that it is a very complicated issue. Is our political system wroght with corruption? Yes. Are there racists in the Republican Party and in the political right? Yes, but to paint all leaders of the executive branch with that paintbrush is ridiculous. Some of you have painted me with a white racist label. You state I don't have a right to pray and then ask did I go to church on Sunday. Wow! It is a shame that you label me as you do and don't even know what race I am! Did I go to church Sunday? You bet, every Sunday. "Rev", I agree with you that there is rampant racism abounding in our culture. I agree that it is very hurtful to all sides and it is obvious you have been wronged multiple times. I agree that US policy and actions (past and present) at times could be viewed as terrorist tactics. These are things we should not be proud of, but they do not define our culture or our leaders. If one country must be at the top of the heap in the world, I think The U.S. is no worse than any other to do so. I love people of all color and customs. I embrace the idea any individuel of any race as President of the U.S. or otherwise in control of our government. I do not appreciate your accusations about me. Being a good Christian, I will chalk your in-sensitive comments up to emotion and I will forgive you. In the end, most of us just want a just policy and protection for Americas way of life. Once again, I pray we may all reflect on our various viewpoints with charity in our hearts and find the best course of action for our government. We must then tell our representitives of our views.

end the war on terrorism? overnight?

identify them.

google Negroponte and Honduras

the use of the word terrorism is a ploy by the neoconartistes

to use "appeal to emotion,"

in a debate when some one is winning because they have a more reasonable/cogent/logical/obvious answer...

an old ploy used by rascals/poltroons/baldfaced liars was to simply "appeal to emotion,"

that stating the obvious, Israel just bought two nuclear submarines and could take out Iran in 2 minutes

and that the United States Executive Branch is filled with crooks and liars, and have them arrested........then we would regain world respect and people would think that we might actually

honor our agreements, especially if we executed a few people........Texas style...

yah dig?

that would send a message about corruption, stealing and graft

wooden it?

.

If you want to solve the problems of terrorism, and rogue countries trying to blackmail us, we need to do the following.

1. Bring back the DRAFT and build an army of at least two million men.

2. Initiate a program to arm and build up the AMERICAN industries to support out armed forces.

If we announce to the world that we are going to do this, and initiate these two things, we will probably have to draft no
more than 1 to 2 hundred thousand, and the
rest of the world, especially the people that are causeing all the problems will back down.

that is one of the poltroons that I was speaking of the

"sad for americans," fellow is _all_ about appeal to emotions

as he has no foundations in logic.....

das Fater lund, das jews, we are zee arians...

heil sieg heil

Appeal to emotion is a logical fallacy where a party relies too much on emotional issues or presents only an emotional case in establishing an argument. This kind of appeal to emotion is a type of red herring and encompasses several logical fallacies, including:

Appeal to consequences
Appeal to fear
Appeal to flattery
Appeal to pity
Appeal to ridicule
Appeal to spite
Wishful thinking

Related fallacies

Other types of fallacies may also overlap with or constitute an appeal to emotion, including:

Ad hominem attacks
Guilt by association
Misleading vividness
Slippery slope
Truthiness
Two wrongs make a right (if arguing for revenge)

Examples
"Think of the children!"
"For The Children"
"Mom and Apple Pie,"
"Appeal to manhood/patriotism"

you're also a bs expert.

the use of the word terrorism is a ploy by the neoconartistes

to use "appeal to emotion,"

in a debate when some one is winning because they have a more reasonable/cogent/logical/obvious answer...

an old ploy used by rascals/poltroons/baldfaced liars was to simply "appeal to emotion,"

that was seen as a strong form of fallicious reasoning....

thus the recent spate of (old army, wives, children) posts by demagoguery oriented peoples professing to want

unthinking support of butchery in the name of getting

control of the 2ND LARGEST OIL RESERVES IN THE WORLD.......

it's a ploy, well known called "appeal to emotion," and it would cost you the discussion

if you tried to use it in college level debate........

it is exactly this fallicious reasoning, it doesn't hold water, it's not true, it is garbage used to move people that can't think but respond to

emotional appeal,

not that there's anything wrong with emotions, but it's a tool of persuasion that con men use, or used car salesmen or complicit congress men, or Executive branch monkies........

google "appeal to emotion," see what you get.
.

I would like to point OUT, We do support our soldiers.Because we question, how they are treated,DOES NOT MEAN we are unpatriotic. 2 classic examples since this article first appeared. Sat 8-26-06 in local paper.President goes on vacation and meets with family members of the fallen. Hildi Halley wife of fallen soldier Capt. Patrick Damon who died in Afghanistan 8-15 used the closed door session to express her antiwar beleifs.President responded by saying "there was no point in us having a philosophical discussion about the pros and cons of the war" Hello!!! If she is not entitled then who is??? I understood in the past with Cindy Sheenan. Michael Moore, Exploiting her. But this woman was not. She was in the presense of her children.She just wanted answers. Thats all.and now the 2ND. Classic example of our feelings that we tried to express-11pm news 8-27-06 Boston Ma.150 reservists from Ma. just returned from Iraq. Was shipped into Indianna, and told they would have to take an 18 hr bus ride home because it would save the military 26,000.Ted Kennedy became involved and they were flown home. This is what we are pointing out... Who pays for the president to fly to Maine?They are our finest it is said. Well then treat them as such. Again this is not about one party or another.I quite honostly do not beleive, anyone could have handled the 9-11 era any better than George Bush did.This article was just questioning how long can we attract the finest? My own analogy of this: is you have a 1992 car, it has 200,000 miles on it.You find you need to make an across country trip with it, and you go for it. You own it . It's your choice to make that decision.But then you dont stop, and check the oil, and it breaks down.Then you are stranded. Because you didnt take care of IT. Then What??? The last question I have is why does it appear, the news coverage only reports the bad side of Iraq? There is some good that is happening. But you have to read high and low to find anything.My child gets frustrated at this, and told me not to listen to the news.But I do,to try to stay informed.Well inform us, with both sides...PR is in order.Bring out the emotional side.Humanize yourself.I myself just lost faith in Bush recently. I do not like feeling this way.But as it seems just let 1 or 2 days go by and something else is happening. It is time for an oil change now!!!

Terrorism Expert,

I suspect that you are a 'terrorism expert', for if you are an American, your ancestors began practising terrorism around the 16th century.

Too bad you were not around to warn 'the savages' and to inform him them that Democracy and freedom was on the horizon.

Go back to bed with your tired and worn out dribble. And ssince prayer is the highest activity of man, I don't know how you can can pray, given that you are still living with lowly food-gathering man! This is the 21-st century, You are a throwback to pre-modern man!

You can never solve a problem by telling only 1/2 of the story. Even in the American system of jurisprudence there is retribution for someone who engages in an illegal act.

In the Bible it says, 'that whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap'. It's coming back to America dude, wake up and help us to sow some good seeds so that we can reap a pleasant and powerful harvest.

I feel sorry, I am sure along with others, for you and those who are like you, for as long as we have your kind of thinking, there will be plenty of people around the world that will hate America!

Did you go to church yesterday?

What Is It All About and what are the soldiers fighting for, democracy, oil, and freedom from terrorism or is it also something else?

Pat Buchanan, noted journalist, former Presidential Candidate and author of the recent book, 'Where The Right Went Wrong', said publicly, just under a year ago that the problem is. 'multi-culturalism'. Pat said on John McLaughlin's program that 'MULTI-CULTURALISM REPRESENTS THE DEMISE OF WESTERN DEMOCRACIES'. Since that time several others on the so-called Right have come out of hiding to join in and to publicly support Pat's position. These men are not racists, they would tell you, they simply want to preserve peace, harmony, tranquility and democracy (not to mention superiority by the white race)!

What Pat and his friends are actually saying, in spite of their skillful use of polite euphemisms, is that too much social uplift of people of color on the planet (the majority of the people on the planet by the way are people of color), would eventually result in the loss of world-wide control by the white minority race. The latter race of course being the most competent, best educated, most knowledgeable and sensible, and therefore that race that should be in control. Man, Shockley would be proud Pat and the boyz, not to mention the late Bull Connor! These folks cannot conceive of Amadinajab with 'a bomb'. A nuclear bomb represents power and could sway America's and Israel's stranglehold of power in the Middle-East!

If Pat and his friends are correct, and I suspect that they are correct that the third world and minority races are rising and that people of hue are becoming more powerful, then he is probably also correct then that the white homo-sapien minority would probably loose a lot of their control, or at least some of it. What does a partial or total loss of control or sharing of power represent for the white race? Before we get there, consider the obvious implications of Pat and his friends, we already have the power, it's ours and we intend on keeping it? In other words Pat and his friends are already in agreement that a white minority already controls the planet. The fear of the so-called Conservative and the so-called Neo-Conservative is that what is already there's and belongs to them, would be diminished or taken away, and wah wah, they would no longer be able to exercise a white form of control, or its euphemism democracy over the world-wide polity, world-wide resources and commerce and the world's people, all of these are necessary if they are to continue to reign over the earth. Ever think of simply treating people fairly?

The thought of Powerful Third-world nations and Third-World people raising us, conjures up fear among some in the white minority, a throwback to the days of Jim Crow in America when whites were mostly motivated by hatred and fear. Remember the post-bellum south, when blacks began to accede to power in the S. Carolina legislature and elsewhere, out of that, fear arose along with a fortified and invigorated clan (many served in Legislatures, Courts, Pulpits), given the diminution of power and influence by southern whites. Those same tremors are being felt today by those hold the world's power. The fear is so strong that stopping nations that threaten to, or those nations who are in support of an equal alignment and sharing of power among the nations of the world regardless of hue, must be stopped at all cost by the 'mighty whitey military' and the supporters of old fashioned white-supremacy.

Did these people ever believe in Democracy and freedoms for all individuals? Do these altruistic Christian speaking individuals believe that all humans are endowed with power from their creator and therefore have the right to grow and exercise those freedoms just as they do?

Despite all that evil whites were permitted to in America, with the full-backing of every branch of the Federal Government, and its state and local government counterparts, along with churches to natives and blacks in America, have the black race or natives in America, even with the creation of a black-middle class in America, and influences from outside (Recall the Red Book circulating in America during the 1960's and 70') ever rose up or even set upon a goal of overthrowing the mighty whitey? Man, we like white people, really. Have you noticed how many of the brotha's are marrying white girls? We want to be your friends and of course to share the power. And the rest of the people of the world of a similar and darker hue like you as well. It's not us, it's not them, it is you that the so-called terrorists are reacting to!

White Paranoia is the reason for much of what is taking place in the world right now, and the reason for all of those individuals who are reacting and have decided to come to America and attack America, having tired of the interference, meddling and strangleholds placed on their societies by the mighty whiteys. Freedom? When the term is spewed from the lips of the unjust, it is just another way of appeasing some and making others to feel that they are somehow good people who simply believe in divinely endowed freedoms for all human beings, but simply in a Western context. The same believe that others, who are of a different hue, have these freedoms extended to them under the umbrella of white patronage and white magistry. Those who will concede, like Dr. Rice and others, will be 'allowed to exist', and to participate with some limitations within the white extended-patronage system. I believe that Colin Powell made himself a renegade at the point when he spoke up for Affirmative Action! He did not understand his audience at the time, bless his heart, he thought that he was 'in like Flint'. .

These folks, the Con's and the Neo Con's, similar to the Klan and earlier hate groups that preceded them, are trying to organize whites again and encouraging them to attend to 'the survival of the white race and holding on to white power meetings, at their institutes, churches and think tanks; did I mention the Whitey House? Sadly Rodney King, some in the world are still not ready to get along in a world where everyone has freedoms to choose and decide, along with freedom of thought and worship and choice of governance. And Rodney, unfortunately America's foreign policy initiatives and America's misuse of its 'soldier' is by and large is being done to preserve the white supremacist's position at the top of the world order; and the rest of us, God help us, WE ARE STILL SEEN AS MERELY A PART OF THE FOOD CHAIN, that can be consumed at anytime and anywhere by the force and might of the misused American Military machine! Just as those innocent people in Iraq are being murdered and mutilated, the same held true for many citizens in American's history, and they were labeled savages and miscreants! A more sophisticated and polite Klan is organizing, and using the American military in an effort to hold on to power in the world! And much like the 'Tupac', never thought I'd quote him, 'we are not mad at you', it is the other way around!

I am a terrorism expert. Most of what I know is available for anyone to read on the internet or in books, nothing "Top Secret" in it. Islamic extemists have been moving to create a worldwide Islamic tyranical state for some time. If you think this is nonsense, watch the video "Obsession". I challenge you to check the references of the producers of the film and determine it is B.S. propaganda. You will find out it is not. Once you inform yourself about the threat, you will realize the only way we can win is if everyone fights together. This includes our moderate Muslim-American population. After all, it is their religion that has been hijacked by these extremists. For multiple reasons (a purposeful enemy deception plan for example) we will most likely NOT be ready when it hits the fan here at home. When that happens do me a favor, don't cry for your children. It was your ignorance, apathy, lazyness, etc. that allowed the bad guys to win. Most of our soldiers know this reality. They are doing what they can to hold back this enemy force. They hope we take advantage of their bravery to prepare the homeland for the delayed but enevitable attacks. What are you folks doing... You are being sheep and not the real leaders that established this great nation. I feel bad for soldiers who repeatedly take on the threat for these ungrateful and ignorant sheep. In the end, only thes brave souls we know as American Soldiers will understand that our freedom was not free. Unfortunately, so few will never be able to pay the price for so many ignorant and ungrateful freeloaders. You brave soldiers, keep up the good fight. Keep your heads up. You know you are doing all you can to protect those at home (even those who mock you). Know that the sacrifice you make daily is an everlasting testiment to your rare courage and your insight at a time of such deception and ignorance. My prayers are with you everyday... Thank you!

Posted by: Joe_For_More_Years |
Nice to see someone in office who decided to do something after 30 years of Terrorists killing Americans.
Now let's finish the Job in Iraq and move unto Iran next.
Joe, being a minister I am not permitted to refer to people as morons, but being a minister does not stop me from thinking or believing that some people are morons.
Some day when you learn what it means to be a terrorist and to use terrorist practices, you will realize that some individuals in the Middle-East do not have a monopoly on terrorist practices or on being a terrorist.
You probably won't know what this means so I won't bother to explain, but kudos to the Washington Post for no matter what, they will allow us to give our opinions!
Long live America and the Washington Post, especially for the sake of numbskulls. There are a lot of innocent people who have and will continue to loose their lives, and the lives of their loved ones given this misguided policy. And there are a lot of innocent people who have and will be injured, maimed, suffer loss of income, home, school, hospital and church or mosque! Why, so that a policy that is being criticized by many in Bush's own Administration as being wrong, will be perpetuated if JFMY has his way?
I know groups of people in this country who have waited hundreds of years for 'someone' in Washington to stand up and do the right thing, and those groups are still waiting. Do they have your support?

Posted by: Joe_For_More_Years |

Nice to see someone in office who decided to do something after 30 years of Terrorists killing Americans.

Now let's finish the Job in Iraq and move unto Iran next.

Joe, being a minister I am not permitted to refer to people as morons, but being a minister does not stop me from thinking or believe that some people are morons.

Some day when you learn what a means to be a terrorist and to use terrorist practices, you will realize that some individuals in the Middle-East do not have a monopoly on terrorist practices or on being a terrorist.

You probably won't know what this means so I won't bother to explain, but kudos to the Washington Post, for no matter what, they will allow us to give our Americans.

Long live America and the Washington Post, especially for the sake of numbskulls. There are a lot of innocent people who have and will continue to loose their lives, and the lives of their loved ones given this misguided policy. And there are a lot of innocent people who have and will be injured, maimed, suffer loss of income, home, school, hospital and church or mosque! Why so that a policy that is being criticized by many in Bush's own policy, for being wrong, will be perpetuated if JFMY has his way!

I know groups of people in this country who have waited hundreds of years for 'someone' in Washington to stand up and do the right thing, and those groups are still waiting. Do they have your support?

We have to support the troops regardless of everyone's personal beliefs...?

I have never known anyone in America who has not supported the American soldier; some merely question the use of dedicated American servicemen to unlawfully annihilate innocent civilians in an unwise politically-motivated occupation. It always bothers me when I hear skillful politicians (not saying that you are one) use this phrase in order to inveigle honest Americans into SUPPORTING THE MISGUIDED POLICIES SET BY JAUNDICED POLITICIANS, not the troops; for the sane misguided politicians will not change their policies in order to save the troops even when they are forced to acknowledge that their policies and strategies are wrong. Instead, the same politicians will simply keep putting more troops into harms way while they go off to get some rest in Crawford or Kennebunkport for example!

Again, the issue in American has nothing to do with supporting the troops given that the majority of Americans support America's troops; that is a non sequitur for I haven't heard of anyone, despite all of what is going on in Iraq, turning their backs on the troops. Why do people keep saying that? Having said that, the best way to SUPPORT the troops is for America to stop using these intelligent trained technical fighters (who have families, but are willing to die for their country) as political fodder in the misguided schemes of unqualified, unexacting, scurrilous and lying politicians. As you probably already know, politicians rank right down at the bottom of the list along with auto salesmen, and okay I will say it, ministers too. Why? They lie, lie and then lie! I know what you are thinking, i.e., that it takes one to know one, okay!

But how would you like to be a solider knowing all of the lying and misrepresentations that preceded your going into a war zone or into battle! At that point you are no longer fighting for a 'just cause' you are fighting for survival; then its either them or me which could be construed as murder. At least that is what I have heard, the former, from some in the military.

How about the NFL star, Tillman, forgot his whole name: Mr. Tillman left a promising career to go and fight for his country? Then after his death, some apparently tried to cover up/lie about how he died?

The next best way for sagacious Americans to support the Americans troops, now, is to bring pressure to bear on those same officials in America's Representative Democracy, they represent us, to safely get those people out of harms way as a result of the unnecessary and unjust war that they unwisely created. And then what happens you, after we are no longer occupying Iraq, we should get some qualified people working on the real problem in order to come up legally with a just solution that will result in a long-termed sustainable peace between America and Israel and the Middle-East; we can all see that preemptive war has not solved anything for the problem is apparently still there, and it appears to be growing by the day.

By the way did you hear another conservative apologist this past Sunday, 'Kate O'Beirn, say that Bushes comments earlier in the week, that the U.S. will be in Iraq as long as he is President, does not speak to military strategy but rather to his own personal reasons for being at war? That's what the Rev has been saying all of the time. Bush's current reason for keeping those troops in Iraq, as he continues to enjoy his many respites is to salvage his screwed up military operation and to save face; his face! Bush's illogic is not the reason that many Americans want their husbands, wives, parents, friends, brothers, sons, daughters and fellow-citizens wounded, maimed, dead or dying! Now ask yourself, what have we really accomplished in Iraq, other than sacrificing another 2500, and destroying the lives of another 50 to 60,000 since 911? The net result, Iran will apparently rule over the Middle-East, including most of Iraq, just as the Communists currently rule over South Vietnam, following America's misguided mission in Vietnam in the mid-20th century. Here we go again!

In the field of psychology, we once called what Bush is trying to accomplish, 'Magic Thinking'. But the problem is, where is the magic?

like this...

why isn't Donald Rumsfeld allowing reporters in when he tells families of servicemen that their stay in Iraq has been extended indefinitely....

it's on the front page of the Washington post, under the politics subheading with this identifier: "Rumsfeld Backs Extra Duty" if you want to read the whole thing.

Rumsfeld Defends Extended Tours in Iraq

By ROBERT BURNS
The Associated Press
Saturday, August 26, 2006; 10:57 PM

FAIRBANKS, Alaska --

.....
.
.
Reporters, including five who traveled with Rumsfeld from Washington, D.C., were not permitted to cover his meeting with the family members, which lasted about an hour. But a wife who made a video tape of the event showed it to reporters afterward.

One wife asked Rumsfeld why the 172nd was doing house-to-house searches in Baghdad instead of the kinds of combat operations they are trained to perform. Rumsfeld disputed her assertion, saying that 95 percent of the house-clearing operations are being done by Iraqi troops.

In an interview during his flight to Fairbanks, Rumsfeld said he saw no reason for the soldiers or their families to be angry at him.

"I don't put it in that context," he said. "These people are all volunteers. They all signed up. They all are there doing what they're doing because they want to do it. They're proud of what they do. They do it very, very well."

Asked why reporters would not be permitted to cover his meeting with the family members, Rumsfeld at first replied, "I don't have any idea. I haven't addressed the subject." Later he said he makes it a practice to make all family meetings private.

A newly formed Alaska chapter of the Military Families Speak Out group issued a statement in Fairbanks saying it would make a public call for the Bush administration to bring home the 172nd and all other U.S. troops. It quoted Jennifer Davis of Anchorage, whose husband is a member of the 172nd.

"I am totally frustrated, disappointed and heart broken," she said in the statement. "Just when I thought we were going to be able to resume a `normal' life and when I thought the nightmare was over, the nightmare was extended." (see the article referenced if you want to read it all)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/26/AR2006082600459.html

the best way to help americ a is to not think but simply to do whatever they tell you because they are smart and I am not...

yes that president fellow he is for all americans even the dark ones...he care s for us all and even gets some time s sad about having to send us to do his work at less than halliburton security guards get paid....

I know that someday he will make it up to me by letting me out of hthis place but until then I willjust keep shooting people without thinmking...

okay, now whatever you do don't discourage me by asking questions about what that sniveling little idiot of a president is doing because then I might have to come home and face my wife and have some sex....which she likes...

and and tell Dick Cheney that I'm sorry they wouldn't let him fight in Viet Nam because he was too busy burgaling the Democratic Party for Nixon....

good bye and don't forget to send me some coookies with hashish in them...thanks so much...

ook ook

Recrutors are no more that used car salesmen for the government. I was lied to and deceived to join the military during the viet nam war. My recrutor told mee after the first few daus it was like being home he said to take my tennis racket, golf clubs and swimming trunks with me. Boy was I misled, until these used car salesmen alias recrutors get their act together they should be shunned by every one of age to enter the draft. they lie because if they don't meet a certain quota they go back to regular duty which they don't want because they have been there and know the ordeals of everyday life in the milatary. I hope all recrutors on active or inactive duty read this. And I will end by requesting for them to kiss me where the sun dosen't shine. Oh by he way I was very proud to serve my country in time of war and did it admarabley for 4 years.

and I am serving overseas here in the derset sands of Offekenoofee......

right, sure you are...

soldiers serving in Iraq........

sounds like the same stupid illiterate cardboard fat boy in Ohio.

.

I think you've forgotten the meaning of 9/11

that's when a false flag attack was foisted on the United States People by a neo conartiste' group of guys that care less about you than they care about whoever will pay their bills for them.....

foist means to force

false flag means to put a flag from another vessel on your attacking ship to confuse the foe, or to make someone think that they've been attacked by someone else....

in this case if you google wikipedias' relating of the incident most of the people who purportedly hijacked the planes were Saudi

and were trained to fly in the United States by Americans.....

Al Queerdas people were trained by our own CIA..........

I think you're a bunch of clueless morons who care less for the truth or honesty than being found out to be trailer trash.

.

Recrutors are no more that used car salesmen for the government. I was lied to and deceived to join the military during the viet nam war. My recrutor told mee after the first few daus it was like being home he said to take my tennis racket, golf clubs and swimming trunks with me. Boy was I misled, until these used car salesmen alias recrutors get their act together they should be shunned by every one of age to enter the draft. they lie because if they don't meet a certain quota they go back to regular duty which they don't want because they have been there and know the ordeals of everyday life in the milatary. I hope all recrutors on active or inactive duty read this. And I will end by requesting for them to kiss me where the sun dosen't shine. Oh by he way I was very proud to serve my country in time of war and did it admarabley for 4 years.

If you have a problem with the way things are going send your thoughts here

president@whitehouse.gov

I am a soldier, a light infantry soldier at that, and I have no concern of the army being stretched then. I have been deployed and will be deployed again. We shouldnt of tried to rebuild iraq we should of just took over. But it doesnt take to many soldiers to shoot move communicate kill!

We have to support the troops regardless of everyones personal beliefs.They are nothing more than pawns in this absurd poitical decision to democratize a backwards midevil culture.The military is a professional organization as a whole.The people serving are in there for the right reasons.I was a recruiter for twenty years and beleived that it was very important to find quality people to server our country. I was part of a professional organization and represented it the best way psossible. I always explained the intangible benefits to young men and women who were interested in enlisting.The intangibles were pride, sense of accomplishment, leadership,life experience's and the satisfaction of defending our country and way of life.I would also explain that the military regardless of the branch was not a social club. There is also the possibility that you could lose your life in defense of the country.I was confident that our political leaders would be wise enough not to rush into war. I truly believed we would only do so after an attack. I always explained my beliefs if war occurred. It would probably occur in the middle east. I believe this because it would be fought over oil especially after I experienced the 1970 oil crisis. I now sit back in disbelief at the level of incompetence of our civilian leadership.The president has surrounded himself with the largest group of self serving greedy morons.Where is the brain trust in this country. If we can allow this administrative leadership to ruin and destroy what was thought of as the best trained military force in the world.A voluntary force may be just a dream in the future because of this leadership. I was involved early on with the transition of the volunteer force. I now truly believe that we must start the draft up again. Leaders that make decisions that cost lives should personally realize the results of the decision to go to war. These war hawks in congress should lead the way. We recently raised the age to 41 for enlistment. We are sending grandfathers in their 60's to Iraq. I believe all congresswmen and senators under the age of 55 should submit their request for deployment to Iraq after some basic combat training.It is time for these bastard's to lead from the front and not from the rear!

I think that the peoplr of the U.S.A has foegotten that day meaning 911 you all supported Bush and now you have run and hide.There was a time when american people stood by the each other but that all changed if the pot smoke hippies. Over here there is change thing are getting better im not at liberty to say what. If you all want this to be over join the service and stop complaining no body over here cares.

People if you realy want to help a soldier or make a difference to the wife or husband of a deployed one. Get off the dam bandwagon eather put up or shut up. We are here no mater who gets elected to office there is no way in hell we can pull out now. To much has been invested here. Even when Clinton said hey 1 year we will be out of Bosina didnt happen we are still there now.
After being in 3 diff war zones we figured out real quick. (( The Ones in Uniform )) It dosent matter who you voted for its the people that elected them are the fault. So deal with it you get what you ask for just look in the mirror. As for me and everyone else serving in the sand we just take it one day at a time try to stay positive. And
pray to god that or faimlys will be there when we get home.

The Army has had to lower its standards for recruiting because people like those responding to this article won't join for whatever reason. The call has gone out that your country needs you. Who among you will answer? Regardless of your viewpoint and how educated you may think it is, our fate is all inter-twined as Americans. The government is offering you nothing except a lot of hard, disgusting, dirty, messy, dangerous work. Sounds great doesn't it? Unfortunately nothing is gained without hard work. Idle hands and endless discussion will never save the day. Remember Americans can and always will be able to do anything as long as everyone uses his or her talents toward the common goal. Just think if the Arab-American muslim community mobilized and joined the military or one of the intelligence services in masses - the military would not culturally alienate the same people they are trying to help on daily patrols - the language barrier would be broken - they would be able to go undercover and gain intelligence on terrorists. What motivation would the Arab-American muslim have to take on this task? Because in America we say you belong. We say everyone belongs no matter race, religion or creed. You are free to practice your religion as you see fit. All those posting comments are free to say whatever they want. We say everyone matters.

"These are the times that try men's souls: The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it Now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman." - Thomas Paine, December 1776

Which are you? - the summer soldier supporting the government when the victory is easy or are you standing it now and deserving of your fellow countrymen's thanks.

Thanks to all of the veterans who have posted for their service and sacrifice in the cause of liberty. The real heroes of the day are those like infantrywife and armymom. The daily emotional anguish and the sacrifices that they make on behalf of their countrymen are undescribable in words. Thanks.

WE ARE FIGHTING FOR A DEMOCRATIC MIDEAST.
IF ELECTIONS WERE HELD TODAY, THE WRONG
PEOPLE WIN.WHAT MAKES US THINK IF ELECTIONS WERE HELD TODAY IT WOULD BE
GOOD NEWS.

I think the best way to stop terrorist activities is to arrest the people who coined the phrase to cover their

criminal behaviour, your president, executive branch, and complicit congress....

you know demagogurey, jingoism, rascism, feudalism........those guyss

cunningham, Tom Deal_Aides, Rumsfeld, Cheney...graft for hire, and others...

don't you agree?

do you mean actual terrorists or those labeled terrorists...

by this lying pack of fools that are claiming to lead the United States?

think hard bean boy.

.

Thanks to George Bush we are finally killing lots of Terrorists....which is very good. We are losing a few good soldiers, which is less than the Americans that the Terrorists have killed.

We have been backpedaling from the Terrorists for 30 years, hoping the would go away and leave us alone. They just got stronger and more confident...they saw us run from Vietam, Lebanon, Somalia and figured we were nothing but paper tigers. They saw how we cut and ran from Vietnam, deserting millions of supporters who were later killed and tortured by the Congs.

Nice to see someone in office who decided to do something after 30 years of Terrorists killing Americans.

Now let's finish the Job in Iraq and move unto Iran next.

JFK said

"
Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country
"

I suggest that you're an insidious force of evil........that doesn't want to be questioned or looked at.

cunning ham, Tom Deal_aide, the pork brothers Cheney and Rumsfeld, the head of terrorism coverup Negroponte, the Goss guy that covered the dissembling of the effectiveness of the CIA and the CIA/FBI coverup, and Chertoff..........who gets assigned a government post that is so important if there are any terrorists, without qualifications he's nominated to head DHS.........because he's a big contributor.....

because he's a big con tributor and he's a cronie

he's a cronie

Rumsfeld, Cheney, Negroponte, Goss they're all family friends as are the Bin Ladens, and the UAE people.......

are the people of New Orleans friends?

are the Kurds friends? is that why Rumsfeld sold "wmd" chemical warheads to Saddam, to eliminate the indigenous population of Iraq? the KURDS are the EQUIVALENT TO NATIVE AMERICANS.........Arabic people are _nomadic_ they don't have a land, they roam...the Kurds lived there first and are the rightfull land owners........that's a fact jacks.

tax breaks for people making over $200,000 a year, while bankruptcy laws are tightened as all factory work, customer service and computer jobs are outsourced

old and disabled people are asked to lose $30 a month per person in medicine payments, so your elitists, your richest of the rich, can corner

the 2nd SECOND LARGEST OIL RESERVES IN THE WORLD.........

while the president walks around mumbling about terrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrorists.......

Negroponte was in charge of the biggest terrorist operation in the world in Honduras......now he's in charge of all intelligence and the green zone

and Iraqi citizens and "insurgents" that are dying...........are they different than any native population that happens to be sitting on top of a gold mine or grazing range that the "old sneaky white men" want?

no, not at all, insidious appealer to emotion

that _is_ what you are...........the kind that doesn't want oversight or discovery

you'll be wearing an orange jumpsuit along with the other war criminals if there is justice in this world.........

so there, fatso.

.

for truth justice and the American way,

I'm equally sure that you're being paid to sound like

"we need your support, no matter what is being done."

hey bozos........

there is no Iraq 911/WTC connection.

there _is_ an occupation being labeled a war going on

and if you're real, then your children are being used to make a few royals richer.......

they are working for an international coalition of forces to enrich the bush families and some world wide connections..

if you support that then fine,

then you support PNAC, and pre emptive strikes

no one is against your children, most people are unhappy with using this countries resources to enrich a few people while the rest of us slide back down the hill into serfdom and you dummies whine about getting support _as_if_ that is what is needed....

what is needed is a clear view of what is going on, not an "appeal to emotion" by moms....

are there any representatives or senators with children overseas?

has the National Guard _EVER_ been sent overseas? you know why not? it's not a federal agency, it exists to recapture the Federal Government if it is ever taken over from the inside.........a coup

does that help you to understand why the National Guard is OVERSEAS?

you want to know the truth, quit blathering about supporting your children _no_matter_what_ and make sure that what your children are doing

is morally supportable, other wise buzz off.........

check out what your executive branch stands for here:

http://www.newamericancentury.org/statementofprinciples.htm

then google Negroponte and Honduras to see who the real terrorists are.........

don't be crying babies talking about shadows, face the ones inside of you that feel that you've been tricked

or risk the consequences of being labeled "the bad guys,"

.

Hey Army Mom and Infantry Wife,

Are we all related? :-)

Check out this website

http://www.michealSavage.com

He is outspoken, educated, and unique. You won't agree with everything he says or the way he says it, but he has MANY valid points and speaks on issues that should concern us all. Savage is honest, passionate, and possesses qualities that we all should aspire practice. He may not be the most eloquent speaker, but he is straight up and walks the walk. If you listen over a sustained period, read his books, and view his website you'll see what I mean. BTW I am not affiliated in any way and his views are his opinion. It is up to you to determine where you stand on issues, but this is one resource to learn about issues that no one else has the spine to cover.

look no farther than marines or soldiers who are incarcerated on murder charges for firefights in IRAQ. I wouldn't volunteer for service under these circumstances either, that is knowing I could be charged with murder for defending myself and brothers. It is absolutely sickening to me the Pervs who sponsor or back those charges. It is also sickening to consider how many people residing in this country that do not stand for what was decided by our forefathers.....I can't continue. Everyone had better wake up and soon.

Put the politics aside, forget political correctness and be American. Support the United States and it's cause, support our troops whether you agree or not. The United States is founded on Justice, liberty, freedom and that is what we are supposed to stand for..all of us ....our government, our military and the people.
Stand up and be counted, be heard.

I really wonder what the "Post" is trying to accomplish.....

I guess it sells papers...or not.

The "Blogs" I read are dribble and the disastrous analysis by some of the provocative "journalists" are what besides banal? William Arkin is the kind of person who shows up at an accident to take pictures of the victims....

It sure would be nice if he had anything positive to say about his Country. Unfortunately it seems he is another of those who never served anyone but himself....I am amused by "Democrats" who seem to have forgotten what JFK said at his inauguration.....We need some of that today.

The "Post" is really jumping on the old "Blog" band wagon isn't it....

I would like to clarify something from this morning I meant to say it (appears to me) to be staged. My fingers were going a little to fast.Sorry. and since Im here again, I would like to point out-This is not one party against another.These are all our children fighting this war.They are protecting us -we need to protect them. They are alittle bit to busy right now. We need to be their voice.

You must be joking.....

Profanity? Personal Attacks?

The "Post" seems not to care at all....Clean up your mess...

I agreee with Army Mom--reinstate the draft IMMEDIATELY. No exceptions, no college deferments; if you have flat feet or are in a wheelchair, there's an administration job for you somewhere that will free up a rifleman. (Start by drafting all the College Republicans.)

Do that, and just watch how quickly the politicians find an exit strategy.

This is to- informed reader. Hello? I can state for myself, that recruiters lie. I saw it for myself.But I stayed out of it. Allowing my child, to make an adult decision.#1.He did a delayed entery. This bs wasn't on the table, when he signed on. If it had, maybe I would be like all the other parents and just said no. I forbid it.#2 the bs started right after he went in. Guess what his- chicken sh-t recruiter got out of the service. Not Man enough? Yes you are right- they do sign the dotted line. But who would of ever thought? Why is it thrown in their faces? that they did so.We are so aware that there was a contract. He is well qualified, But because someone points out the validity of this war or the shortages, does not make them ignorant. There is going to have to be measures taken. Keep burying your head in the sand.THERE IS NO WAY! these same men and woman can keep doing this over and over.Do not throw in our face they signed a contract! WE have integrity.But how long can it be used against us. Then you wonder why there is possible shortages.It is because the government does not have their backs, and oh so remind them, that they signed the line. No wonder why they are having a hard time people signing on. I wouldnt either.How much more money are they gonna have to throw at them to keep them or get them? Lots when they keep treating the current soldiers like crap. Those interveiws you see with george and the soldiers are all staged...Told what to ask, and how to phrase it. apparrance sake for the public.Well my oppinion, if it counts any is- I am advising anyone I know, do not let their loved one sign on the line. I do not like being lied to and manipulated.Nor do the soldiers.They are so much of a bigger person than you ever could sitting behind your screen. You have no right to even guess what they are feeling.Or JUDGE THEM.

I love this country,you should also................

Namron,

World Order".... When the First Prez Bush said that he was lionized as trying to impose America's views on the rest of the world.... What is the "world order"? Someone please tell me.... Does it mean "Laissez-faire"?? "Detente"?? Just what is the "world order"?????

Did anyone ever dignify your query about the world order? I did not take the question seriously, have you figured out or are you willing to admit to a world order where the U.S.A. is setting at the top and concerned about loosing its place at the top?

The great thing about you is that you are a defender of your country. The bad thing is that it appears that you will look the other way and or support American, when America destroys innocent lives in other nations.

Comeback!

Maybe, you should get your facts straight. Read these facts about the recruiting and then acknowledge that what we have is a need for EXPERIENCED troops - troops that agreed, years ago, to go on inactive reserve ABLE TO BE CALLED UP AGAIN when needed.

When you read it - you'll see - the military is doing a FINE job of attracting young men & women.

http://usmilitary.about.com/od/joiningthemilitary/a/06recruiting.htm

I pulled up the site, it is now under www.strykernews.com go down to #20 go to the letter dated 4/13/2005.Again please read. Then maybe you will understand.....

'Former Republican',

We all need to come out of these old worn political alliances. I am a former Democrat. As a side note, isn't it interesintg how with the pendulum of time, Democrats and Republicans changed sides over the past past century.

Who knows perhaps they will both swing in the direction of honest and truth and put the people first.

Join the Independents and vote for the best person, and in some instances for no one at all!

Politics & Religion have both reached...nadir!

Politics and religion are both religious and at the same time political. And both have several other things in common.

1) Each revolves around a core set of beliefs, usually based upon opinion, myth, speculation or mysticism.
2) Human involvement and control are the essential reasons for their existence.
3) The hope is to group under a political or religious umbrella of (religious or political) truth, individuals and human groups that will live their lives as prescribed by either or both groups working hand-in-hand.
4) Both religious and political groups work tirelessly to expand their respective bases, separate themselves from others, and to spread ideological influence.
5) An essential requirement of each is that the members believe, support and adhere to creed, values, core beliefs and invasive policies of the political structure of each group; the members are normally monitored in order to determine whether or not they are in compliance.
6) Either group has some form of rigid centralized or decentralized rigid hierarchy that are capable of dishing out rewards or punishment depending on whether a member is in good standing in breach.
7) Either intolerant group also has an almost fatalistic need to be exclusively correct, and to perpetuate its existence.
8) Each group believes that its ideals and beliefs are essential to life itself.
9) Each group is willing at some level to die or to kill in order to preserve and to perpetuate their core beliefs
10) Either group lacks the evidence to prove that what it believes is necessary or for life.
11) Neither group will readily admit that any of its core beliefs could be in error, for any such admission could topple its entire 'house of cards', and result in the group disbanding.
12) Neither group can rid itself of corruption and self-ambition!

With respect to Christianity, we could learn something from Jesus. One would imagine, given his claims to be sent from God that his first stop would have been to those who were in charge, in other words the political and religious Heads-of-State. However, Jesus, most of the time distanced himself from both, instead he tended to hang out with the people and on mountain retreats. What is his lesson to all of us? Although one cannot completely divorce oneself altogether from either, one should keep a healthy distance and be cautious when participation is necessary, that is if one's intent is to go beyond religious and political stagnation.

No matter what faith you are in, any observer can see that most religious and political group have reached the leveling off place, and despite all of the new gimmicks that each group comes up with in order to increase their memberships and to perpetuate their existences, neither has taken humans beyond where they were a thousand years ago (fighting and infighting). Why? In religious and political arrangements, customarily it those who are near the top of the hierarchy that usually benefit the most!

I believe that that there is much more for all us beyond where religion and politics both stopped. And where are we now thanks to both groups, at war and with more wars on the horizon and, both groups, by and large, are attempting to justify the repetition of 'just' historical wars?

I personally saw Bob Woodward on Larry King Live (CNN UK Edition) say that "We (America) will find double the weapons of mass destruction (in Iraq) which Bush alluded to. It's the rule."

Mr. Arkin, you should explain how your company, Woodward, your editors, and other American media lied to the American people and pushed America into a false war. There should trials and your media personnel put into prison for life. I believe Woodward and others are actually covert agents for the US government.

Thank you for letting me tell the truth.

AJ's oversimplification,

Are you sure it is that simple AJ. Did you forget that the U.S.A. was in effect occupying Iraq about 10 years before before 911.

The fact is that the Bush government was already preparing to take down Saddam Hussein prior to 911. The latter simply presented him with a pretext/cover for what he had already planned to do. At the same time that he sent the military to Afghanistan given what happened on 911, he also dispatched the military to Iraq to prepare for the impending invasion.

What America is doing now in Iraq had to do with America's intention to take down Saddam, it was a choice and a decision that apparently had nothing to do with 911!

That is my understanding...

Politicians,shame on you.You are also elected into office to protect, and honor the wishes, of the American people. Listen to the majority. You are in place- to speak for us in the event of an arrogant leader does things such as what has been occurring.The replicans turn around and threaten you with the statement-well you voted right along with us. To put you in your place! You were fed lies, and voted with the information you had.Thats ok. Is it possible George, was fed lies. Maybe. Who cares, it needs to be fixed.You would be a bigger man to admit a mistake has been made,and move forward, to resolve it.But to continue to let George state- we are not pulling out as long as he is president says it all. He has no respect for you, or the people. What is wrong with this scenario? As far as the other readers statements saying that the rich are so removed I do beleive this to be true.My solution is : To iniate the draft.Woman also. Babara and Jenna included, no exceptions period.Then and only then would he understand.But they would just find a loop hole.I should not have to beg you to do your job, but I am, stand up-be truthful, and solve this. Next year it could be your child there.The way he is sticking his nose up everyone's business, and pissing people off.We will be in world war 3, while you passivly sit back, and allow it to happen!!! For an insight on how this affects the families just ask us. We are proud, patriotic,and pledge our children to serve you.And under no circumstances bad mouth our leader. Well guess what. I voted for him, I am patriotic, I am an American, I am proud of my child.But I am not proud of George.Why do we have to wait until the next election to begin to fix this? Start doing your JOB!!!To understand what we the families deal with on a day to day basis go to http: www.strykernews.com/archives/2005/04/13/thank _you_letter.html. Then maybe will you do your JOB?

infantry wife'

It was a sobering pleasure to be able to read your post. Just as the voice of reason by the female in the home is some important to balance things out, the voice of women in politics is as essential.

As you know, in America, women are the majority group of the American population. The world will be a better place when all of you speak up and get, us, 'the boyz' back under control. The shame is how we males have suppressed your voices throughout history. I read one time that a woman's place is not only in the house, but in the Senate and in the White House. That makes sense to me!

All men should read, 'The Fear of Women', by Wolfgang Lederer, MD. If all men read it and understood it along with other great works about the 'womb man', then the world would be a better place for everybody.

Good luck and peace and grace to you and your family!

ok, here's the deal. i honor the service of our servicemen in iraq. but the truth is that iraq is the greatest foreign policy disaster in the history of our country. bush can never admit that, so we are stuck there for a couple more years at least. he is right that it would be a disaster to leave iraq (now that he got us there). unfortunately it would be an even bigger disaster to stay. it has been a terrible diversion from the real war on terror and has greatly invigorated the worldwide terrorist movement. the longer we stay, the better for radical islamic extremists. if we leave, support for them in the middle east will dry up. we need to cut our military and transfer those resources to law enforcement and intelligence which is where the real war on terror can be fought and won. we should stop buying oil from the middle east. yes, that would raise gas prices, but alternative fuels would be developed and we would become exporters of alternatiave fuels. oil prices would drop. iran would be greatly weakened. the increased gas costs could be subsidized by the decreased cost of our downsized military.

this is the direction we need to go. if anyone knows of a politician who will do this, e-mail me at pbjfam@yahoo.com

I believe the theme of this article was to point out the present state of "government spending out of control." In that regard, the author has done a very good job.

As far as the relationship between spending more money and realizing a successful outcome in Iraq, by whatever definition of success you want to use, I too have my anecdote to add.

I find that, personally, when I really believe in doing something right, I am not motivated by money. Often, some of my most creative accomplishments I have done purely for the pleasure of doing good work.

I was a Lieutenant in the Army 24 years ago. Since then, I often play poker with old Army buddies who were also Lieutenants when I was. Today, two of these are now Lt. Colonels, and one is a full Colonel. At that rank, they might just know a little about how an Army works.

Early in this Iraq war, we all got together to play poker just after the Colonel returned from his first tour there. Between hands we discussed the war and his experiences. I asked him if he thought we had sufficient forces in country for the mission, and if we didn't, how the Army expected to be able to bulk up the ranks without a draft. His response caught me off guard. He said, "Simple, we are going to pay them more to join." Kind of like saying, "Gents, the price of poker just went up," as you raise the pot.

Well, I folded my hand to that logic.

I have not lost my faith that there remain scores of millions of patriotic Americans who would volunteer without hesitation and serve without compensation or complaint to realize a worthy cause, if that cause were just, and their leaders were honorable and capable.

The present debacle is not the result of a lack in the former. It does not take more than perhaps half a brain to realize why just under 300 million Americans are sitting this war out.

oh and one more little tid bit of info. i am sure non military individuals wouldn't know, our government because of lacking having enough military personal have put a stop loss on many soldiers that should been able to get out when there time was up and these soldiers have been made to stay in the military and deploy out again when yes they want out and have had enough. so whats that say about our politicians, pretty disgusting isn't it! and when t