BLAME THE DEMS! ALWAYS BLAME THE DEMS!!!
Posted by Eyeroll at July 28, 2005 11:20 AMEyeroll - Should I waste my time blaming Republicans? Sure, they are godawful and damaging this country, but they are only going to change when those on their side demand it. I'd like to think that there is still something around like the Democratic Party that understands the value of the "New Deal," puts a premium on eaquality and personal privacy and doesn't act like an imperialist. And if I didn't think that a majority of Americans would support that if they heard it articulated by politicians with principles and communication skills, I waste my time writing about political issues. I'd just join the 50% that see no reason to vote because it doesn't make any difference.
Posted by Marie at July 28, 2005 11:33 AM"Watching the newly invigorated DLC has caused me for the first time to consider that Nixon may have ended the Vietnam War faster than Humphrey/Muskie would have."
Unfortunately, true. And Bush if he's still in office in 2006 may yet "declare victory and leave" (some leaks have hinted at that) whereas President Kerry would be under constant barrage now from both the Roves and the Liebermans--not to mention "born again centrist" Hillary Clinton--to increase the number of troops (and would probably be scrambling somehow to comply).
Posted by baked potato at July 28, 2005 11:35 AMOne other point. I hear reenlistments are at a high. If things are really that bad over there why would they reenlist? Just asking.
a. The money is really good these days.
b. The alternative is working at Wal-Mart.
Maybe?
Posted by muckcat at July 28, 2005 11:48 AMThey are being offered $20-$30k bonus for re-enlistment and told that if they don't re-enlist they will be stop-gapped.
From the stories i've read the people up for re-enlistment are being hounded nearly 24/7.
Posted by Simp the Biodiesel Pimp at July 28, 2005 11:55 AMI noticed for a few days after the 7/11 terrorist attacks in London, that the local recruiting offices had a ton of folks enlisting.
Posted by muckdog at July 28, 2005 12:02 PMA 7-11 in London was attacked, too? I didn't know that! Hey mucky, maybe if we had some 7-11s bombed over here, we'd have a bunch of new folks sign up for Iraq, huh?
Posted by iamcoyote at July 28, 2005 01:08 PMNo, no, no. They were 7-11 terrorists. Haven't you noticed how those guys are always Pakistani?
Posted by Matt Davis at July 28, 2005 01:19 PMI understand a slushy machine was severly damaged in the attacks. These wanton acts of violence are are too be roundly condemned.
Hey!
You terrorists, get out of my store!
And please come again!
Posted by Apu Nahasapeemapetilon at July 28, 2005 01:35 PMthis is confusing; i thought there were only 4-5 terrorists.
Posted by benjoya at July 28, 2005 01:35 PMEven if it was 7/11 attacks it wouldn't be 7/11 like 9/11 bcause the Europeans do the month after the date. It would be 11/7 but since the attacks actually occurred on 7/7 that little detail was overlooked state side.
Posted by Paul Inatheass at July 28, 2005 01:44 PMMatt, I was going to make the same comment about Pakistanis, but I was overcome by feelings of liberal political correctness...it's a disease, you know.
but I was thinking it...bad coyote, bad, bad, bad.
Posted by iamcoyote at July 28, 2005 01:52 PMI noticed for a few days after the 7/11 terrorist attacks in London, that the local recruiting offices had a ton of folks enlisting.Posted by muckdog
What's your excuse for not joining Bush's Crusade? They really need you over there, boy.
Mike, maybe you don't keep up on current events, but looks like the troops will be coming home in 2006. Just in time for the election.
Mission accomplished.
Posted by muckdog at July 28, 2005 04:36 PMMission not accomplished is more like it unless you consider helping Osama an accomplishment. Jr. is finally admitting that he made a mistake
Posted by Ga6thDem at July 28, 2005 05:35 PMAll of the reports that I have seen indicate that the troops are only going to be drawn-down to about 100,000. It will not be a complete withdrawal. Basically, we will completely abandon positions in relatively peacefull areas and turn them over to Iraqi control such as it is.
So I don't think that the tenor of the war will change all that much (100K vs. 140K, not such a big difference). If anything I think that It will become even more unstable since certain regions of Iraq will fall under the control of the biggest local gang and the fight for turf will almost certainly be a mess.
We will still be IED bait in the same places that we are now. Take Baghdad for instance where close to half of our casualties have occured. The same imposible job will be foisted off on fewer American troops. The weakness of the government will be compounded when peripheral areas fall out of their sphere of influence.
If they do draw down (do they have a choice?), I don't think that it will be the result of domestic political considerations. I think it will be to avert a meltdown of the reserve units currently in the field.
Cheney and Co want to own Iraq. They have come this far, and they are not going to give up now. The Iraqis are going to have to wrest their country out of our soldiers cold dead hands (depressing isn't it).
The numbers of young people to joint the military has declined. It was announced in June that they had reach their numbers of new recruits, but never mention that those same numbers had been lowered recently. The age of retiring has been raise again.
The neocons mission accomplish is that they got what they wanted. They did sell the Iraqis assets, that was Bremers “ MEDAL OF FREEDOM”. The spoil of Iraqi oil was discussed by oil companies in London around the time of the 1st Metro are bombing.
I hope that the Democrat will finally start to wake up and stop all this bull because “we the people” have no other choice than what we have as representatives.( not one better than the others all makes the Mafia looks like angels) Stop thinking that we have to stay in Iraq until all is well because it will never happen unless we leave and not one American is left there on their soil. The only people that gain of this war was Halliburton and all other like them, as well as this new government like Chalabi. I am sure his Swiss bank account is growing. They were not a stupid nation. It was a secular nation. If you were not political most were safe and their women equal. Yes for all, he was a bad man but the CIA put him there, gave him the weapons to fight Iran. Bush Sr did tell him that he would not interfere about Kuwait but turn around and we all know what happen. Saddam was sadistic but not stupid. He would not have gone ahead with it. He knew the power from both sides. It’s all goes back to the division of the Ottoman Empire after WW1.
This invasion could have worked if this administration had not been so greedy. If after the statue came down, they had given jobs to the population instead of Cheney and his cabal of friends from Nixon or Reagan era, giving all reconstruction to theirs buddies. The Iraqis saw it all. They are starving and have been since the first Gulf War. They offer to rebuild but instead saw the jobs to the like of Halliburton.
Bush loves to talk about the insurgents? Well most might be freedom fighters. Like Chris Matthews said tonight; that insurgents was what the English call Paul Revere, Adams, Washington…..??
I have actually donated $ to democratic party causes. After today's cafta vote I will never again do sol.
Posted by Bill at July 28, 2005 08:44 PMI have actually donated $ to democratic party causes. After today's cafta vote I will never again do so.
Posted by Bill at July 28, 2005 08:44 PM>Haven't you noticed how those guys are always Pakistani?
"..."The ethnicity of the eight London bombers, ranging from Somalis, to British-born sons of Pakistani parents and an Anglo-Jamaican Muslim convert, have surprised detectives investigating the attacks."..."
http://news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=1692002005
>Haven't you noticed how those guys are always Pakistani?
"..."The ethnicity of the eight London bombers, ranging from Somalis, to British-born sons of Pakistani parents and an Anglo-Jamaican Muslim convert, have surprised detectives investigating the attacks."..."
http://news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=1692002005
Posted by john fletcher at July 29, 2005 01:22 AMjohn fletcher,
He was referring to 7-11 attendants. Not the bombers.
Posted by at July 29, 2005 05:48 AMMike, maybe you don't keep up on current events, but looks like the troops will be coming home in 2006. Just in time for the election.
Mission accomplished.
Posted by muckdog at July 28, 2005 04:36 PM
The earth must have stopped rotating, and/or great cracks have opened up under our feet. I can't be sure because I feel a little woozy right now - I agree with the Muck Filled Pus Toad on this one. But probably not for the same reasons.
Muck, are you trying to tell us that the Illegally Installed Usurper intended all along for Operation Iraqi Liberation to be a giant boondoggle based on disinformation that would allow the Repugnicants to turn America into a theocratic state? And that Putsch will be finished stripping all of our rights away by 2006? Cause that's the only mission the Cokespoon Cowboy will be able to accomplish by then...
Posted by (: Tom :) at July 29, 2005 08:38 AM