Senate Republicans Pushing for a Plan on Ending the War in Iraq

[Waitone]

All congress had to so was take the administration to court for not sponsoring a declaration of war. Ever since Vietnam it is to the advantage of both parties that we go through a kabooki dance every time we engage in conflict. Force a declaration of war and suddenly everyone is on the record and can not change their position when it become politically expedient.

Once again we have and example how each party cover the other party's backside. We have a two party system in the US: Incumbent v Challenger.

 

[MrTuffPaws]

^^^^^^

Getting rid of the war powers act would be one of the better things to happen in the US

 

[Art Eatman]

coylh, I follow your point about headless monster, but "wrong-headed monster" would be more accurate, if you're disagreeing with the fundamental concepts used in the Grand Game of international chess.

One thing to remember is a major cultrual aspect of the people of the middle-east: In general, the willingness to use force is worthy of respect. It's a machismo thing. While they will seek for you to compromise, they see any compromise from themselves as a sign of weakness. If you compromise, then you are weak.

That's part of the "why" of all the flowery style of Arabic language usage. There is a continual effort to avoid any loss of face. It's an effort to compromise when arguing from a weaker position without appearing to compromise, thus not losing face--and, therefore, honor.

Honor is the last thing on the mind of western diplomats.

Art

 

[coylh]

Art, yes, and I think the US could be that face saver, especially for the Israel/Palestine war going on now. If both sides could agree that a US imposed "solution" was a sufficient excuse to stop killing each other, they might have some peace.

 

[Art Eatman]

coylh, it's possible that some major portion of the Palestinians might be willing to coexist in a peaceful manner with Israelis. Same for Jordan. But, as long as there is unending hatred fomented by iran, Syria, some Saudis and mullahs/madrassahs in general, I doubt anybody can create any peaceful solution.

I dunno why the Israel thing caught my attention at age 14, but for whatever reasons I've watched the "doings" there since the 1948 vote. I've watched the success of the Dr. Goebbels-style of Arab lies in twisting reality, for a long danged time. I'm not at all hopeful...

Art

 

[stevelyn]

I keep hearing about how "freedom isn't free." I agree, but the real war is not in Iraq. The real war is here at home. "Our way of life is threatened." Our way of life - the concept of personal liberty - has been under assault for over a hundred years!

The enemy isn't an Iraqi, and the enemy cannot be defeated with violence.

The enemy is your neighbor or family member who thinks their concept of morality should be imposed upon you under color of law, even when your actions cause no harm to others. Sure, it's okay to drink yourself blind, but don't you dare shoot some cocaine in your arm!

The enemy is your coworker who thinks it's fine that the federal government takes a chunk of your paycheck every week, and a larger chunk at the end of the year.

The enemy is your girlfriend who doesn't understand how the popular election of U.S. Senators has unbalanced our Congress and accelerated our fall towards bread and circuses.

The enemy is your brother, who doesn't think you should have a machinegun because you "might" hurt someone. He would, after all, and he projects his lack of self-control on the world.

We need out of Iraq. We need out of the world in general. Avoiding foreign entanglements, except in the times of most dire necessity, is the only way to protect our freedoms long-term.

As RotM says, know your enemy. Know that education is the only way to fight them.

Yup. People are so busy paying attention to the .gov propaganda shell game of external boogymen that they fail to see the real enemy among us and in the halls of .gov.
It's a page taken directly out of Orwell's "1984" playbook and succinctly described by Goering at Nuremburg.:banghead:

Apparently a lot of people are forgetting how the Iragi govt, military and people attacked the United States on September 11, 2001.

I hope that statement isn't an attempt at rewriting history.