My Reflections on the 4th of July, 2006

[A-1 (imported)]

Well, there you go.

You know what I said about the "common people"?

Well, mrt is one of 'em.

He is reasonable. It is not what Bush has done, it is how he has done it that grates against one.

In addition, his BIG OIL buddies and the 3 buck a gallon gas prices that is making them all $RICH$ are a little hard to take.

So, let's vote Democratic. Let us get screwed by them for a change...



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[SplitDik (imported)]

Studlover,

It is important to separate our natural increasing cynicism from real changes in the real world. For example, everyone always complains that the world is getting more dangerous, people are losing family values, etc. but that "good old days" mentality is just a myth caused by growing up. What has really changed is you! There has been murderers and rapists since before Biblical times, otherwise the Bible wouldn't have mention such things. (There also must have been a lot of sex with animals, since it was mentioned a lot in Leviticus!)

If we knew of all the rapes and atrocities commited by our soldiers in WWII, etc. we wouldn't be quite so proud. If we knew all the CIA activities going on while we were proudly considering US achievements, we wouldn't be quite so proud. All that has changed is your awareness.

However, there is lots to be proud of! There is actually a lot of optimism among young adults regarding their personal opportunities to succeed in life (this is evidenced by the large number of young entrepreneurs). There is a lot of creativity and joyful celebration of life going on every day. I'm a travelled businessman, and I am quite confident that perceived threats such as China's economy will not topple US anymore than Japan did.

It is really hard, and usually a mistake, to decide if something is truly good or bad. For example, bringing Islam into direct conflict with rest of world seems like a bad thing, but overall it exposes an undercurrent in their fundamentalism that ultimately must be rooted out (and also exposes our fundamentalists that must be rooted out). It also shows that military power does not solve all problems, and ultimately may change our approach to such issues. I do think Bush's policies have been mostly mistakes, but I don't agree that mistakes are necessarily bad.

Lastly, keep in mind it is impossible to get an optimistic world view in France! They may know something about zest for life, but they also know a lot about complaining!

[Paolo]

Actually, after having watched a rerun of MTV's "Jackass", I was thinking about sticking a Roman Candle in my ass...

[n3rf (imported)]

I got an "unusual" email the other day. No I didn't open it, but I sent it to the Boss with a note that I like him and we need a good man, at the helm, even if he makes mistakes etc.

Here it is. What do You make of it ?? :

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ it starts here

Hi n3rf@earthlink.net,

Do you like George Bush?

Tell Us: http://......

Participate now & receive a Free* $500.00 Visa Gift Card.

&&&&&& I renmoved some lines here.

This is an advertisement, .....

tvr16.com

14 Wall Street 20th Floor #216

New York, NY 10005

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ end

So who is this that wants to know.?? Just curious . N3RF

[Studlover (imported)]

Studlover,

It is important to separate our natural increasing cynicism from real changes in the real world. For example, everyone always complains that the world is getting more dangerous, people are losing family values, etc. but that "good old days" mentality is just a myth caused by growing up. What has really changed is you! There has been murderers and rapists since before Biblical times, otherwise the Bible wouldn't have mention such things. (There also must have been a lot of sex with animals, since it was mentioned a lot in Leviticus!)

If we knew of all the rapes and atrocities commited by our soldiers in WWII, etc. we wouldn't be quite so proud. If we knew all the CIA activities going on while we were proudly considering US achievements, we wouldn't be quite so proud. All that has changed is your awareness.

However, there is lots to be proud of! There is actually a lot of optimism among young adults regarding their personal opportunities to succeed in life (this is evidenced by the large number of young entrepreneurs). There is a lot of creativity and joyful celebration of life going on every day. I'm a travelled businessman, and I am quite confident that perceived threats such as China's economy will not topple US anymore than Japan did.

It is really hard, and usually a mistake, to decide if something is truly good or bad. For example, bringing Islam into direct conflict with rest of world seems like a bad thing, but overall it exposes an undercurrent in their fundamentalism that ultimately must be rooted out (and also exposes our fundamentalists that must be rooted out). It also shows that military power does not solve all problems, and ultimately may change our approach to such issues. I do think Bush's policies have been mostly mistakes, but I don't agree that mistakes are necessarily bad.

Lastly, keep in mind it is impossible to get an optimistic world view in France! They may know something about zest for life, but they also know a lot about complaining!

Spltdik, I realize what you are saying. I don't take exception to anything you stated. France is not a country that sets a sterling example of government to the world by any stretch of the imagination. France did not support the war in Iraq and I think it's by reaon of "learn from your mistakes."

They may have a zest for life but the overall, the society is an intelligent society coupled with intellectuality. By no means do I consider this Mecca while I am here, but I can say that even the politeness of the people far exceeds that of the American society. The anger and hostility that exists in America does not exist here.

Our heritage and thinking in philosophy and government is rooted in France. I could site many examples but you are an educated man who I won't go into the many philosphers, artists, musicans, etc. who did influence American thinking.

Overall, as far as a peaceful living, I will take France. At least I can walk down the streets at night and not fear a drive-by shooting.

SL

[Slammr (imported)]

I think as a whole, our troops have acted admirably in Iraq. There are always going to be such incidents. Among hundreds of thousands of troops, there will be some bad apples. Vietnam was much worse. During that war I hitchhiked with a soldier that had been over there. He told me a little story:

"We caught this guy. (In Saigon, not in the bush)I thought he was Cong (he admitted he had no proof of it) so I put my .45 to his head and blew him away. They put me on report for it, but nothing happened."

There was a lot of raping and killing of civilians in that war. We were right to protest that war. The communists won, yet now, we're going out of our way to establish relations with Vietnam. What happened to to domino theory?

I think we're right to protest that we invaded Iraq. I think we should set a day to get out, telling them, "We'll be out on such and such date (no more than a year from now). Get your shit together. This is your country. You're going to have to run it."

If there's a civil war, so fucking be it. It'll be Arab against Arab, Muslim against Muslim. If they haven't formed a stable government in a year's time, they never will. Once we set a date, once they know we're not going to be there forever, things will change. I think the Iraqis will start rebuilding their country. They will no longer have us to focus their anger on.

As far as the soldiers involved in some of these incidents are concerned: I blame the administration more than them. Bush has put them in an an untenable situation, where it's impossible to know who the enemy is. If my buddy, sitting next to me, were killed in an ambush, I might want to kick some ass, too, thinking only afterward whether the ass I kicked deserved it or not. These are young kids. They see their friends shot down or blown up every day. That doesn't mean I agree with what they did -- if they did it -- but I do understand it.

[JesusA (imported)]

There may be another reason for the violence in Iraq beyond what Slammr suggests. The New York Times reported this morning that “Hate Groups Are Infiltrating the Military”

A decade after the Pentagon declared a zero-tolerance policy for racist hate groups, recruiting shortfalls caused by the war in Iraq have allowed "large numbers of neo-Nazis and skinhead extremists" to infiltrate the military, according to a watchdog organization.

The Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks racist and right-wing militia groups, estimated that the numbers could run into the thousands, citing interviews with Defense Department investigators and reports and postings on racist Web sites and magazines.

"We've got Aryan Nations graffiti in Baghdad," the group quoted a Defense Department investigator as saying in a report to be posted today on its Web site, www.splcenter.org. "That's a problem."

The entire New York Times article can be found at http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/07/washi ... nd&emc=rss

[A-1 (imported)]

Well,

O.K.,

Maybe somebody needs some paranoia medication. Maybe somebody is trying to do everything they can to cast a bad light of the Iraq effort.

Whatever the case, perhaps these "hate groups" need to be put into units to seek out the infiltrators from Syria, Jordan and Iran. I mean, we know who they are, right? At least that is what the New York Times says and EVERYBODY knows that this source cannot be wrong about anything, correct?

So send them after the "Insergents" from the countries (http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/middle_e ... l_2004.jpg) surrounding Iraq that cannot seem to control their borders. Call these "Death Squads" the Dirty 6 Dozen or so...

It would keep them occupied and keep them from Grafitting Baghdad, wouldn't it? Make up some false Ayrian propaganda that teaches them that a six-pointed star is the new Ayrian unity symbol. Censor their mail so that they cannot find out otherwise. That would keep things hot...they would fall for it, they are obviously pretty stupid in the first place, right?

LET US MAKE SOME SWEET LEMONADE HERE...

A-1