Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
davidcmurray – I agree with your approach regarding behavior completely. This policy about taking electronics at the border is not new, however. It has only now been publicly acknowledged. If it had been creating problems, we would have absolutely heard about it before. They aren’t taking laptops from salespeople, accountants, etc. They are going to take them from people who are suspicious.
Again I say that we are at war. Wartime rules are different than peacetime rules. Some liberties have to be forfeited in order to prevail in any war. Just ask the families of the draftees who died on D-Day.
The people in charge of protecting our lives are too busy to spend time stealing our sales leads. If the IRS starts using the law, then I’ll switch sides and march in protest with you, but until then let’s let them do their jobs. I want us to catch the people who want to kill us before they actually kill us and I’m willing to let someone use my laptop for as long as necessary if that might help them to find an enemy.
But I fly into the USA often, and nobody is taking my laptop, iPod, flash drive, backup drive or travel alarm. I don’t see it happening any time soon.
bradbard… Just my personal opinion, but I would much prefer to hear from you personally with a reference to a page rather than just a pure copy-and-paste post. I know it requires more intellectual energy, but I’m trying to have a conversation with you, not Craig Roberts.
Welcome BIGWOOD! I was starting to wonder if I was the lone conservative voice here. It’s nice to see that there is another independent thinker in this crowd.
“What is the question?” Gosh I hope you’re kidding, but just in case, there are two:
1. I would still like to know exactly where it is that we have been “poking our noses where they don’t belong for hundreds of years.”
2. I don’t see a response to my query about which of the “130 countries” have asked us to leave.
Thanks, bradbard, for a response where we can start to achieve a clear definition of our different views of how to achieve our shared goals. Your prior response led me to believe that you weren’t interested in a discussion that contained much depth, and I’m very glad to see that is not the case.
I would like to clarify that I’m aware of the definition of “hundreds,” but it sounds like 3 or more to me as my brand of English is Texan where we would be much more likely to say, “a couple of hundred” to describe two-hundred and, “a few hundred” to describe three or more hundred. I’m still not clear about how anyone could say that we were sticking our noses in anyone else’s business in the 19th century or earlier, thus I would question the use of the plural version of the word “hundred.” A single hundred would actually be an exaggeration by any definition of historical fact, but we can put that discussion on the back burner for now in order to give you the opportunity to clarify your claim of more than one hundred.
You may be surprised to learn that I think Iraq turned out to be a huge mistake that I very much wish we had not made. Our difference here is that I consider it to be a major error, not a lie. There were too many Democrats who mimicked the President’s view for this to have been as one-sided an error as it is being portrayed. Our intelligence was severely and embarrassingly flawed, and we had no clue of what the future held as a result. Fortunately, the surge has been effective to put down the insurgency, but I agree that the cost was not worth the benefit. Or at least it appears to be so today.
I’m not clear at all how you arrived at the conclusion that we should not be in Afghanistan. That was (maybe still is) Osama bin Laden’s hangout. You may recall that he is undeniably responsible for the 9/11 attacks. I wish we had put all of our effort into that country and left Iraq alone. At least for now. Saddam Hussein never wore a halo, I’m sure you’re aware.
Nouri al-Maliki has no option other than to ask us to set a timetable for departure. He wants to live and stay in control. The Iraqi populace wants to have some sense of independence and control over their own destiny. What we don’t know is what al-Maliki is saying behind closed doors. I’m sure he has no desire to see the country fall into the hands of the insurgents for many reasons.
You said “tens of millions of dead,” and imply that the USA is somehow responsible for that number of deaths with malicious intent. Would you clarify that claim please?
As for Israel, history has proven that their intelligence is as reliable as any in history. Iran’s President Ahmadinejad has publicly proclaimed his country’s position that Israel has no right to exist, that the holocaust never happened and that they would like nothing more than to kill every Jew. If Israel knows that Iran is going to make a nuclear bomb capable of being loaded onto one of their missiles and wiping them out, then yes they have a right to attack them. Not because “we” feel like it, but because Israel has a right to exist. Israel is also a very valuable ally and if they face extinction we will help them avoid it upon request.
As for your authors and their claims that President Bush (Is this the same George Bush I hear is the dumbest President of all time?) was the ONLY politician in the world smart enough to know that Saddam didn’t really have any WMDs, well… Those authors’ stories have more holes than swiss cheese. Too bad their resumes don’t. They are solid, left-wing Democrats who simply don’t have the unbiased credibility to be relied upon. Many of their opinions are just that – Opinions (And I think I’m being kind with the use of that word). If President Bush lied, then so did:
Madeleine Albright – Secretary of State – Clinton Administration – Town Hall Meeting – Feb. 18, 1998 – “Iraq is a long way from Ohio, but what happens there matters a great deal here. For the risk that the risk that the leaders of a roque nation will use nuclear, chemical or biological weapons against us or our allies is the greatest security threat we face. And it is a threat against which we must and will stand firm.”
Bill Clinton – Remarks to Joint Chiefs of Staff and Pentagon Staff – Arlington, VA – Feb. 17, 1998 – “…or we take some ambiguous third route which gives him yet more opportunities to develop this program of weapons of mass destruction and continue to press for the release of the sanctions and continue to ignore the solemn commitments that he had made.”
Howard Dean – DNC Chairman and former Governor (D-VT) CBC/PBS “The Editors” – January 31, 1998 – “There are such things as international outlaws. I’m not sure China is one of them, but I’m quite sure Iran and Iraq are.”
Sandy Berger – Nat. Security Adviser – Clinton Admin. – Town Hall Meeting – Columbus, OH – Feb. 18, 1998 – “He will rebuild his arsenals of weapons of mass destruction. And some day, some way I am certain he will use that arsenal again as he has 10 times since 1983.”
Nancy Pelosi – Representative (D-CA) – NBC “Meet the Press” – November 17, 2002 – “Saddam Hussein certainly has chemical and biological weapons. There’s no question about that.”
Jay Rockefeller – Senator (D-WV) – Remarks on Senate Floor – Oct. 10, 2002 – “There is unmistakable evidence that Saddam Hussein is working aggressively to develop nuclear weapons and will likely have nuclear weapons in the next five years. We also should also remember that we have always underestimated the progress which Saddam has been able to make in the development of weapons of mass destruction.”
Joe Biden – Senatoer (D-DE) – NBC “Meet the Press” – August 4, 2002 – “We know he continues to attempt to gain access to additional capability, including nuclear capability. There’s a real debate on how far off that is, on whether it’s a matter of years or whether it’s a matter of less than that, and so there’s much we don’t know.”
Harry Reid – Senator (D-NV) – CNN “Inside Politics – Sept. 18, 2002 – “Saddam Hussein has in fact thumbed his nose at the entire world community. and I think that the President is approaching this in the right fashion.”
Hillary Clinton – Senator (D-NY) – NBC “Meet the PRess” – Sept. 15, 2002 – Tim Russert asks, “Do you believe that it is possible to have disarmament without regime change?” Senator Clinton responds, “I doubt it. I can support the President. I can support an action against Saddam Hussein because I think it’s in the best long-term interest of our national security.”
John Edwards – Fmr. Senator (D-NC) – MSNBC “Buchanan & Press” – Jan. 7, 2003 – “Seeing day after day, week after week, briefings on Saddam’s weapons of mass destruction and his plans on using those weapons, he can not be allowed to have nuclear weapons. It’s just that simple.”
Evan Bayh – Senator (D-IN) – Fox News “The O’Reilly Factor” – March 17, 2003 “I support the PResident’s efforts to disarm Saddam Hussein. I think he was right on in his speech tonight. The things we have learned following Sept. 11th are that we cannot wait to be attacked again, particularly when it comes to weapons of mass destruction, so regrettably Saddam has not done the right thing, which is to disarm, and we’re left with no choice but to take action.”
But then if you believe like the Rev. Jeremiah Wright that, “Guv’mints Liiiiie…” then you may believe that the above list of distinguished Democrats were all somehow complicit in President Bush’s great cover-up.
As genuine and concerned about our nation as I believe President Bush to be, he is still a politician. In my humble opinion there are no politicians who do not have some kind of perverse desire for power and control. That being the case, can somebody please tell me what about lying regarding Iraq’s WMDs was in it for him? What personal gain did he accomplish?
Gosh you libs crack me up! Is there not a lib on this site who will dare answer my questions? It’s not like I have not asked them clearly.
You know… It’s starting to make me think that you HAVE no answers. ::snort-snort::
Thanks for the offer, Ed, but I’m quite happy here. How, exactly, is it that engaging my fellow expats in political debate is not taking it “like a man?”
If you care to answer the questions I presented to bradbard, I’ll be very interested in your perspective. Perhaps he is putting a response together right now.
Just one request for you, please. Please refer to yourselves as “liberal Democrats.” I, sir, am a democrat. The case of that d makes all the difference. Thanks!
Thanks, bradbard. I sincerely appreciate your obviously genuine recognition of my brilliance. It appears that you were so in awe (you used thew word: awesome) that you forgot to respond to the specifics.
I would still like to know exactly where it is that we have been “poking our noses where they don’t belong for hundreds of years.” Particularly since our country is only 232 years old. According to your claim we have apparently been after some type of world domination since the very beginning. I’m certainly not in favor of poking our noses where they don’t belong. Naw-Naw-Naw.
I have also re-read your post, but I don’t see a response to my query about which of the “130 countries” have asked us to leave. I’m pretty sure that one of them, at least, is a warm, welcoming host.
For the record, I’m really not awesomely smart. I’m actually just trying to learn, which is why I’m asking questions.
Sweet dreams.
You libs are so predictable. I knew these questions were coming. I even considered answering them in advance, but it was more fun to watch the obvious, repetitive chant of the left wing respond so typically.
As for why there are millions of people who hate the USA, it is because we are not a predominantly Muslim nation. Their religion teaches them that we are one of the infidels, along with every other non-Muslim nation on earth, but our status makes us the most difficult (therefore most important) target. It has nothing to do with what we have done for them (or did you say “to” them?).
If you would like a response to your question regarding our alleged “poking our noses where they don’t belong for hundreds of years,” then you’ll have to be more specific. Be forewarned, however, that your ideology will be shot down like a late-November turkey. Liberal ideology is not intellectually sound, therefore it cannot withstand the test of debate.
Which of the 130 countries (I have not researched your number) in which we have military bases would like to have us leave? If you want me to dance, tell me the tune.
“if we citizens were more educated then GWB and others like him wouldn’t be elected – much less twice!!!!!” – salamander
There appears to be an assumption in these forums that all Americans are liberal, so it is therefore acceptable to ridicule conservatives ad nauseam. To those who have appointed themselves the world’s intellectually blessed elite, I would like to reply that I am quite well educated and conservative. Scandalous, I know!
This is not complicated. There are millions of people in the world who hate the United States and want to kill all of its citizens – Including women, children, the elderly and the sick. Some of you may even recall something that happened 7 years ago on September 11 in New York. Although extremely unconventional, we are indeed in a war. Wars have evolved throughout history and we’re currently watching the next phase of the evolution. I’m sorry, but our enemies no longer wear bright red coats and line up in fields to attack.
I’m not sure who “these people” are, but might they include Nancy Pelosi? Herry Reid? Dick Durbin? John Edwards? Hillary Clinton?
Liberal Democrats have majorities in both the House and the Senate. They will likely have enough of a majority to prevent a filibuster in the next term. I can only hope that Obama wins so he can get the blame that his party so deserves for the mess they are going to make. He probably will, as McCain is admittedly too old for the job.
I voted for “GWB.” Twice! Am I delusional? No. The first time around our choice was President Bush or Al Gore who said that the internal combustion engine is “a mortal threat . . . more deadly than that of any military enemy.” The next time around we were given the incumbent and John “I voted for the war before voting against it” Kerry. Are these really the best options the Democrats can offer? I pray not.
This year… A year when the Democrats should by all accounts have a gift on election day… We’re given a little-known, inexperienced, possibly racist Senator with a “funny name,” who wants to be President of all 57 states vs. a war hero who has seen the best of his career, can’t remember the details of the middle eastern countries he considers his policy strengths, won’t commit to protecting our borders against illegal entry and won’t support drilling in ANWR. How exciting.
Conservative principles are what the United States was built upon. They made us strong. They made us successful. They made us a world power. They are being slowly chipped away and with them are our glory days. Barak Obama… John McCain… Neither is prepared or equipped to take the corrective action necessary. Our laptops and Customs are the least of our worries.
I’m sooooo worried about having my stuff taken away from me in Miami…. NOT! Finally a law with some common sense. Our concerns about offending people have led to a ridiculous absence of standards in securing our country, and I like the fact that a customs officer can suspect something and act on it.
What I don’t like one bit is standing in line at the airport behind a 20-something mother with one baby in her arms and another clinging to her while TSA makes a big stink about the sippy cup filled with apple juice that she forgot to remove from her diaper bag. While they are scaring her 3 year-old to death and exhausting her further with detention and further inspections of her luggage, someone who might actually BE a threat might easily walk through with malicious intent and not be noticed while the agents are concerned about “Mom.”
Personally, I have nothing to hide so I couldn’t care less if they want to look at the files on my laptop. They’re not looking to waste my time or theirs, so if they feel compelled to check it out for some reason, I’m sure I’ll get it back quickly. But I doubt it will happen.
If we have a problem up there it is that too many government employees are lazy and/or apathetic. I carry something quite conspicuous (but innocent) with me whenever I travel. TSA agents are required to inspect it every time I pass through security. How often do they do it? Maybe 25%. This despite my multiple letters reporting their ineptitude. I just got back from a trip to the SE USA and my item was not inspected at one single airport. I’ll worry about terrorists while you guys worry about somebody looking at your grandbaby’s jpeg files.
