Comments on: John Murtha Tells it Straight

By: dipnut

dipnut — Mon, 21 Nov 2005 19:31:57 +0000

Gah! No sooner do I concede my little argument, than I find this:

“I disagree with Jack and believe his proposal would not serve the best interest of this nation. But he’s a good man, a Marine, a patriot, and he’s taking a clear stand in an entirely legitimate discussion,” Cheney said.

President Bush similarly praised Murtha on Sunday while on his trip to Asia.

This is the obvious line to take, which I expected the Administration would take. Nevertheless, I lose the point, because it’s not the FIRST line they took, the stupid bastards.

Sigh.

By: dipnut

dipnut — Mon, 21 Nov 2005 19:25:43 +0000

Where is dipnut’s retraction or correction?

Sorry, I was busy this weekend.

So, we have some dismaying rhetoric from the White House, and an investigation of Mr. Murtha’s ethics. Whether that amounts to a smear campaign is debatable, but I’ll grant the point.

Sigh.

By: abb1

abb1 — Sun, 20 Nov 2005 20:29:13 +0000

To the mind-boggling conclusion that Mr. Murtha isn’t the world’s policeman?

By: soru

soru — Sun, 20 Nov 2005 19:33:52 +0000

They are not your children.

Quite.

Take that as a premise, and think it through, see where it takes you.

soru

By: abb1

abb1 — Sun, 20 Nov 2005 14:01:15 +0000

‘Kurds’, ‘Shi’a’ and ‘Jews’ are perfectly able to care of themselves. They are not your children.

By: soru

soru — Sun, 20 Nov 2005 13:30:52 +0000

All you have to do it to remove US military (and proxies) from the ME altogether a then you don’t have to worry about Zarqawi, Al Qaeda and their power bases.

You left out ‘Kurds’, ‘Shi’a’ and ‘Jews’ from the list of things it would be necessary to remove from the middle east to appease Zarqawi.

soru

By: abb1

abb1 — Sun, 20 Nov 2005 11:17:23 +0000

Jon H,
Would also be handy if Zarqawi and Al Qaeda established a power base.

This is an illogical proposition. The only reason Zarqawi and Al Qaeda oppose and attack the US is presence of Marines (over-the-horizon or immediate), quick reaction forces and so on. You can’t end a conflict by prolonging it. All you have to do it to remove US military (and proxies) from the ME altogether a then you don’t have to worry about Zarqawi, Al Qaeda and their power bases.

By: roger

roger — Sun, 20 Nov 2005 05:07:07 +0000

Americans do like to travel and convert. But Americans seeking out the jihadi community is not the same as the leader of that community making an effort to convert the West. And, frankly, if Osama were to make that effort, given the natural pockets of disaffection in a big country like the U.S., I’m pretty sure he could do better than 2. Hell, the San Diego UFOLOGY guy was able to find 25 people to commit suicide in order to return to the Alpha Centauri solar system. I’d say Osama offers a more mainstream product than that. But he isn’t making an effort, as I say, to convert the West. Even Aum Shinrikyo, renamed Aleph has made more of an effort, and supposedly has a thousand converts in Canada.

By: Jon H

Jon H — Sun, 20 Nov 2005 04:59:48 +0000

Is it just me, or does anyone else think the GOP saves their major venom for the veterans?

Even the veterans in the GOP.

By: Nabakov

Nabakov — Sun, 20 Nov 2005 03:54:50 +0000

Frankly I’m appalled at the insinuation that any member of the US Congress could possibly be compromised by involvement with lobbyists and vested interests.

By: Grant H

Grant H — Sun, 20 Nov 2005 03:29:43 +0000

It is sick that my fellow Republicans have let these crazy othe Republicans attack Murtha. Unlike Bush et. al. he served with valor. How dare he be attacked. If this country is supposed to allow freedom of thought then why does the White House being so fascist? Are they afraid that it is becoming more and more clear they have run this war so poorly?

By: Jon H

Jon H — Sun, 20 Nov 2005 03:28:32 +0000

abb1 writes: “Yeah, me too: what does this “over-the-horizon presence of Marines” mean and ‘quick reaction’ to what, and what kind of reaction? Same imperial crap, different strategy.”

I figured those would be kept around in case things really went into the crapper after we left.

Would also be handy if Zarqawi and Al Qaeda established a power base.

Too bad we didn’t set up an over-the-horizon force in 2002 to take out Zarqawi’s base in the northern no-fly zone.

By: Jon H

Jon H — Sun, 20 Nov 2005 03:27:16 +0000

roger writes: “But as for missions to convert people to Islam—he seems rather keener on blowing them up.”

So why do we have some America-born “jihadis” locked up, one without trial, one white, one hispanic?

By: Jon H

Jon H — Sun, 20 Nov 2005 03:24:58 +0000

What the Democrats really should be doing is trying to get the GOP to commit to a long-term stay, with money attached up front.

The GOP is all talk about staying as long as it takes, but they won’t commit. They also want to play it like the troops could be home any day now.

The Dems ought to put forward a bill saying we’d be there until 2015, or until some goals are achieved, whichever comes first, with $1 trillion or so to pay for it.

Then, you’d see the GOP afraid to vote yes, even though their rhetoric would require that they approve of a ten year stay.

By: Jon H

Jon H — Sun, 20 Nov 2005 03:19:37 +0000

“Well, if I was a politicians who knew I was facing an ethics investigation, I’d make a big speech attacking Bush the week before news broke…”

The “ethics” thing is old news, dredged up by the GOP now solely for the purpose of flinging mud. Slime and defend, it’s all the GOP knows how to do. They certainly don’t know how to succeed in Iraq.

And really, even as an ethics charge it’s questionable. He’s a Democrat, in a GOP-controlled body. What are the chances of a Democrat being able to help out a buddy to the tune of $20 million when the GOP controls the purse strings?

And really, does the GOP want to look at that kind of corruption, when they just gave Alaska Governor Frank Murkowski® $400-some million to increase the value of his wife’s property on an island?

Right there, you have Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski lobbying for hundred of millions of dollars to enrich her mom.