Does This Resonate?
 

Now you're just taking the piss.

Does This Resonate?
 

You were away, and you're my senior, so i respect what you've done. I won't take the easy win for those reasons. but I've already won this argument with the rest of your fellow-travellers. This is why Ty fears me and will never engage. WTTW- ask yourself "why were htere sanctions?" Nuff said.

Does This Resonate?
 

Sigh. I knew I should have clarified.

The reference to "breath-taking arrogance" was not directed at you. It was directed at George Bush, who I was both quoting and paraphrasing in the paragraph above it with regard to his contention in a recent interview that there was no need to hold anyone in his administration accountable for mistakes in Iraq, etc. because his recent election victory was the "accountability moment", and he won.

I thought that was arrogance, but may be wrong. It may just be blindness. Its really no shock that every corporation he ran went bust (save for the baseball franchise, where he enjoyed an antitrust exemption and effective regional monopoly). But -- he knows how to get elected, and how to bust people's balls.

To answer your question, I don't think that our elections are well-suited for measuring or defining the common morality. Morality in the general sense, as opposed to certain demogogued issues, has damn little to do with our elections, our election process, or politics in general.

I think our common morality is probably shaped, defined, and redefined from time to time, by a slow process of education, shared experience and public dialogue (of which elections may be a tiny part). However, I'm not sure we (i.e. Americans) could reach agreement on definitions beyond the most basic generalities -- which would be nearly useless in practical terms (because we'd disagree on the details). (i.e. "Murder is wrong." "Free speech is good.")

S_A_M

Does This Resonate?
 

No, not even close. The term has a technical definition. Syria under the elder Assad came closest, was defintiely very authoritarian, but has loosened up quite a bit in recent years. Iran has a civil society and economy that is quite free in some respects -- a semi-authoritarian parliamentary religious oligarchy. Lebanon is nothing close and never has been.

S_A_M

Does This Resonate?
 

This continues to be false. Or, to put it differently, not everyone thought so by the time the shooting started because when the inspectors looked where we told them to, they didn't find anything.

Does This Resonate?
 

And my point was (not speaking for Billmore here) that perhaps Arabs in other countries are not rushing to support the Iraqis because they fear reprisals from their government, whether you call that government totalitarian, athoritarian, or another name.

ETA: You really are a pessimist by nature aren't you?

Does This Resonate?
 

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
Everybody thought the guy had the weapons. The UN did, the French the Germans, Clinton, Kerry, everyone.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


This is just to explain to Ironweed. My time is certainly too valuable to get back into this with the rest.

Blix had said the day the invasion began he was certain we would find WMD. The UN maintained sanctions that were starving Iraq, although making the Blix family, the Hussein family and certain French and Germans rich. The reason for the sanction were that Saddam had WMD once and would not show that he got rid of them.

Ty will quote a US general who told Bush "We have not found any" as proof that no one believed they were there.

The above is all anyone really needs to know to reach the answer. That the Dems reach the answer they do (or in Kerry's case one of the answers he does) is why there will not be a Democratic President anytime soon.

Does This Resonate?
 

You post some completely outrageous crap about the UN believing he had WMD and then talk about an easy win? The sanctions were in place because he wouldn't let the inspectors in, not because he had WMD. Do you remember Colin "The Respectable Face" Powell's dog and pony show designed to convince the UN that those Winnebagos were full of anthrax? WTTW - why go to the trouble of convincing a body that already believed, according to you, that there were WMD? Nuff said indeed.

Now I know why Ty doesn't wanna talk to you anymore. And what he said about when the inspectors went they didn't find none neither and like that.

ETA: I love special treatment as much as anyone, but you don't need to waste time on me either. Cheers!

Does This Resonate?
 

If your aim was to hurt my feelings- you have shot true.

Dean to Head DNC
 

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/02/po...rint&position=

I'm curious to see how this is going to work out. Dean is not presidential, but he no doubt energized this base like few before him. He also is one of the few moderates in the party that has respect from the left. Actually, it may be the perfect fit.

This is Sad
 

http://cnn.worldnews.printthis.click...partnerID=2006

Terrorist in Iraq use toy American soldier as hostage.

This is Sad
 

Sad?

I'd think that if the best Terrorist Fuckheads could do is capture a GI Joe, that would be cause for some degree of happiness.

This is Sad
 

I know the word "terrorist" has been used rather carelessly in the last few years, but this really takes the cake.

This is Sad
 

That's my point . . . what kind of terrorists are they?

This is Sad
 

i thought it was a prankster. it really puts credence in Wag the Dog.