Politics As Usual - Page 87

Tyrone Slothrop · 06-03-2004, 12:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Replaced_Texan
George Tenet Resigns

Bush: CIA Director George Tenet Resigns

2 minutes ago Add U.S. Government - AP to My Yahoo!

By PETE YOST, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - CIA (news - web sites) Director George Tenet, who weathered storms over intelligence lapses about suspected weapons of mass destruction in Iraq (news - web sites) and the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, has resigned, President Bush (news - web sites) said Thursday.

"I will miss him," Bush said.

Tenet came to the White House to inform Bush about his decision Wednesday night. "He told me he was resigning for personal reasons," Bush said. "I told him I'm sorry he's leaving. He's done a superb job on behalf of the American people."

Why today? Maybe the final straw was Al Gore calling "a personal friend" and "a good and decent man" in his speech at NYU last week.

eta: On a more serious note, this Q&A on the Washington Post's web site is probably as good to read on this as anything else out there.

Secret_Agent_Man · 06-03-2004, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sgtclub
Just a reminder, job numbers come out this Friday. Any predictions?

The ISM report is lower than expected, though still showing expansion. I'd predict decent, but slowing a bit from past couple months. It will be interesting to see what happens.

If high oil prices continue to act as a drag on the U.S. economy (i.e. stall our budding jobs recovery), it could be a serious problem for Bush. That is the most likely way in which AQ could affect the election against Bush. [I'm just waiting for the express arguments that, if we vote for Kerry, the terrorists win!]

S_A_M

Hank Chinaski · 06-03-2004, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Secret_Agent_Man
The ISM report is lower than expected, though still showing expansion. I'd predict decent, but slowing a bit from past couple months. It will be interesting to see what happens.

If high oil prices continue to act as a drag on the U.S. economy (i.e. stall our budding jobs recovery), it could be a serious problem for Bush. That is the most likely way in which AQ could affect the election against Bush. [I'm just waiting for the express arguments that, if we vote for Kerry, the terrorists win!]

S_A_M

I was in Canada last week and gas prices (with the litre and Can$ conversions) seem close. why is high gas price a political issue if its global? I admit there could be some Socialistic tax on gas in Canada that accounts for the high price.

Mmmm, Burger (C.J.) · 06-03-2004, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
why is high gas price a political issue if its global?

Don't do this Hank . . .

Americans believe it is their birthright as americans to have low priced gas. Cheese eating surrender monkeys may feel differently, but nuts to them.

Gas prices in the US are lower than anywhere in the world that isn't a net exporter of oil (AFAIK), which places (e.g., Venezuela) essentially subsidize consumption (e.g., gas prices of 40c/gal., which doesn't even cover the crude costs).

Hank Chinaski · 06-03-2004, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)
Don't do this Hank . . .

Americans believe it is their birthright as americans to have low priced gas. Cheese eating surrender monkeys may feel differently, but nuts to them.

does the French army have tiny little tanks to increase kpl?

ltl/fb · 06-03-2004, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)
Don't do this Hank . . .

Americans believe it is their birthright as americans to have low priced gas. Cheese eating surrender monkeys may feel differently, but nuts to them.

Gas prices in the US are lower than anywhere in the world that isn't a net exporter of oil (AFAIK), which places (e.g., Venezuela) essentially subsidize consumption (e.g., gas prices of 40c/gal., which doesn't even cover the crude costs).

mmmmm, cheese and nuts. With some fruit. Perhaps grapes. And speaking of grapes, some wine would be nice.

Not Me · 06-03-2004, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Say_hello_for_me
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=stor...ers__regrets_1

(80 Israeli soldiers speak out on Hebron, all of whom served in Hebron to "protect"... or protect, whichever, 500 extremist settlers)

I hope the majority of Israelis are coming to their senses on the settlement issue. The extremism of the settlers and the influence of the ultra-orthodox jews is dangerous to Israel's stability. The source of the problem is once again religion.

The Larry Davis Experience · 06-03-2004, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SlaveNoMore
So me and Club were wrong. The Syrians don't have the WMDs. It's beginning to sound like the Iranians do.

No comment here on those wacky traveling WMDs.

But after reading that Chalabi article, I am starting to think that Hello's rhetorical "Chalabi may be a bad guy, but why on earth would the Iranians want us in Iraq" question has some answers. After all, since we invaded they have continued to import parts related to the development of nuclear weapons and have not given the IAEA the access it wants to verify Iran's progress in that direction. On top of that they overtly rigged their most recent "elections" to stamp out what had been a pretty vibrant democratic movement and solidify the power of the hard line clerics. All of this while we are too preoccupied to lift a finger, because we were busy removing the guy next door (who was responsible for the 8 year war against Iran) and spending billions to build another majority Shi'a state. Seems like a good time to be an Iranian hard-liner to me.

Of course, it's an entirely different thing to say that Iran planned it this way the whole time, but I don't think it's so hard to see that they wouldn't necessarily be against the Iraq invasion.

On another tack, I see that Bush asserted in a press conference this week that he never met with Chalabi, while a few short months ago he was claiming on Meet the Press that Chalabi was the level-headed Shi'a leader who, with Pachachi and al-Hakim, had assured him that Iraq wouldn't become a hard-line religious state. I wonder how long it will be before someone asks about Tenet's famous "slam dunk" comment and Bush replies "Tenet? I may have seen him at a state dinner once or twice, but that's about it..."

Mmmm, Burger (C.J.) · 06-03-2004, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
does the French army have tiny little tanks to increase kpl?

Does the French Army have tanks?

Do they know how to drive them?

The last few times I checked, they appeared to find it preferable to bend over and take it from the Germans.

sgtclub · 06-03-2004, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop
Why today? Maybe the final straw was Al Gore calling "a personal friend" and "a good and decent man" in his speech at NYU last week.

eta: On a more serious note, this Q&A on the Washington Post's web site is probably as good to read on this as anything else out there.

My feeling is that this has been a long time in the making, but that they were waiting for a time when the president wouldn't be viewed as scape goating.

Mmmm, Burger (C.J.) · 06-03-2004, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ltl/fb
mmmmm, cheese and nuts. With some fruit. Perhaps grapes. And speaking of grapes, some wine would be nice.

While I'm sure you don't have an SUV, does your family?

SlaveNoMore · 06-03-2004, 01:58 PM

Quote:

ltl/fb
Did you link to the correct article? That article does not seem to discuss weapons....

Again, surely you can do better.

Fine, here is an article which I'm sure you will appreciate

Say_hello_for_me · 06-03-2004, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ltl/fb
mmmmm...s ...nuts....

Wrong board?

sgtclub · 06-03-2004, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Secret_Agent_Man
The ISM report is lower than expected, though still showing expansion. I'd predict decent, but slowing a bit from past couple months. It will be interesting to see what happens.

If high oil prices continue to act as a drag on the U.S. economy (i.e. stall our budding jobs recovery), it could be a serious problem for Bush. That is the most likely way in which AQ could affect the election against Bush. [I'm just waiting for the express arguments that, if we vote for Kerry, the terrorists win!]

S_A_M

The CEO of Phizer was on Covuto last night and their internal polling suggests some very good numbers. Should be interesting.

Not Me · 06-03-2004, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Shape Shifter
http://www.trivalleyherald.com/Stori...189429,00.html

(Condi says history will rank W as a statesman alongside Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill)

Oh, brother. That's just rich. How does she keep a straight face when she says this shit? Regardless of your view on the war in Iraq, it's hardly been a diplomatic tour de force (pardon my French). Wasn't it Kissinger who said the essence of statesmanship is nuance?

If we succeed in Iraq and it is the beginning of a transformation of the middle east, GWB will be remembered by history as a visionary.

If we don't succeed, he will be looked upon far less favorably but still not as reviled as the guy who was too busy getting his dick sucked in the oval office to take Bin Laden when the Sudan offered him to us.