...as if the Europeans would come out in public and say "We surrender!". I agree with Marshall, the more we and the media ignore pathetic messages from UBL, the better to marginalize him.
"If you want an informed discussion, you have to bring something to the table."
True.
I don't care to "boost" my "credibility". Rather, I care to learn something from people such as yourself through this kind of discussion.
Comments like "clumsiness/confusion" "you show a curious reluctance to face them." (so I'm reading other people's blogs who have different views..but I'm still accused of showing reluctance?)"careless phrasing, so lazy and sloppy it's nearly meaningless." don't exacty help to get across your point of view.
Have a great week. --scott
Oh, and Chip...Britain stands by the african yellowcake thing that everyone makes a big deal over. And recently, that yellowcake was found. But I guess you'll just keep moving the bar...
Here's the story from that bastion of conservatism, the San Fran Chronicle.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2004/01/16/international1146EST0568.DTL
"clumsiness/confusion"??
There's no confusion here. I may disagree with you all, but I'm not confused about anything.
"I add that in '02 Clark was not a Democrat."
Oy.
Nice talking to you all. Come over to BurtonTerrace.blogspot.com some time. Peace. --s
Also Nina,
"Have these questions never occurred to you? Or do you just not care about the answers?"
Yes, the questions arise in my mind. And I do care about the answers.
But should the answers be not politically convenient for you...I wonder if suddenly YOU won't care.
Peace.
--scott
"The "Democrats" never claimed Saddam had WMD, and to state that they (or we) did is careless phrasing, so lazy and sloppy it's nearly meaningless."
Nina: Clinton said they had them. (see Operation Desert Fox) Clark testified in '02 before Congress that he thought they had them.
The intelligence apparatus under both the Clinton and the Bush administration has failed us when it comes to their descriptions of what Sadaam did or did not have.
This isn't a Republican war anymore than Kosovo was a Democrat war. See the bi-partisan votes in Congress that gave Bush a blank check.
I supported the war for lots of reasons beyond WMD, but I recognize that there has been a huge failure, one that needs to be accounted for, in our government's handling of intelligence. Hold Bush accountable if you choose too. But the whole Bush Lied meme is tiresome.
"By now we could have de-Saddamized (I just love the way that sounds) Iraq by peaceful means.."
We tried the peaceful route for years.
I'm not sure how the logic of mass human suffering=raising Dubya's approval rating. If what you say is true, then Dubya should be defeated in a landslide. I suspect he'll win because your view will be in the minority...WMD or no. If he lied, then so did the Democrats when they claimed Sadaam had WMD. He didn't lie, neither did Clinton. The intelligence was faulty. Remember, regime change was the policy of the previous administration as well.
Interesting debate. I'm still not sure why Patrick thinks I hate America. I emailed him kindly asking for an explanation but he's probably too busy to answer and that's fine.
Peace. --scott
"...mass human suffering used to further preexisting political agendas.."
Thersites, you must be referring to the Baath Party, right?
Patrick: "The views expressed in this report are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Army, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government."
An author being published in a journal does not represent "significant parts of our military establishment."
It may surprise you that the journal editors welcome divergent opinions in order to stimulate debate and discussion. Kind of like your site, I think. --scott
It's true, whether you like it or not, that this was needed after 9/11, a reshaping of the middle east.
| Year | Number of comments posted |
|---|---|
| 2004 | 12 |
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