...CONTINUED:
It's said that GWB is not doing enough about "the war". I'm not debating that. I've heard that Kerry (or the 911 commish, can't remember) has recommended an Intelligence Czar. Is the czar elected? If so, he'll run fund raising campaigns like a Senator. Who is he accountable to if he's appointed? It certainly isn't the President. This Czar MUST act outside the bounds of Presidential authority to get something accomplished. This should send you reeling PH.
People, such as yourself, distrust our government so much, or GWB specifically, they're willing to take the military from the President, and give it to an appointed official, or government agency? I'm sorry, I'm not giving GWB/JFK or anyone else the absolution of responsibility. Did't you point out to me that "Transparentcy in government" was suspicious? The Patriot Act is better than a Czar. Would you want Senator Kerry as an Intelligence Czar?
[Michael Savage rant]
We need to "take the handcuffs off our military, they have less power than the LAPD". Kerry's solution is to re-organize the govt flowchart, and create another layer of bureaucracy? We need to let the "B's" fly.
[/Michael Savage rant]
At this point Savage gets a little colorful in his description about blackening the skys with bombs and such. The point I take away from him: everyone (Reps and Dems) know we need to "do more" but how that comes to pass will either sacrifice a few rights now, rather than more later on. So, if you don't support your government now, later on they will have no choice but to use more stringent methods.
Quote:
| Originally posted by PatrickHenry+--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (PatrickHenry)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>I am not sure how to address your skepticism regarding the burgeoning police/security state.[/b] |
I'll talk about that in the new thread you started for it.
Quote:
| Originally posted by PatrickHenry+--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (PatrickHenry)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>Yet the free markets don't seem to apply to favorite contractors in Iraq. They get no-bid deals. Drug cartels?[/b] |
Poverty does not make poor people into terrorists and murderers. Weak institutions and corruption makes them vulnerable to terrorist networks and drug cartels within their borders.
It's TRUE to say Haliburton was unfairly given no-bid contracts. There isn't anyone to bid against. Say PatrickHenry wants to build a fleet of 50 fishing boats, would you goto the local marina, or Daiwoo? IMO, It's not that Iraq doens't have smart people, machinery, labor... How do you co-ordinate all those resources and get something "stable" when your standing in a sand pile?
From what I understand, the entire country of Iraq is like 1920 Chicago. Gangsters like Al Capone run everything. Think what the USA would be like if John Gotti ran the entire country.
In Iraq, some mobs are crime familys with hired henchmen. Some are outside groups with backing from private funders and such. Still others are traders who control the black market and spill over the open borders. Some organized, some not. Remember the LA Riots? No logic to it. Just gonna go out and bust some caps and it doesn't matter who, or what is in front of them. They're gonna burn it down or shoot it. Taken together, this forms the insurgency. But, they all get rich and are supoorted by tribal alliances and fuels the recruitment.
Quote:
Originally posted by PatrickHenry
Americans have long been aware that the CIA is the highest volume drug runner on the planet |
Drug running never existed until the CIA sets up the market for it? Don't we at least have a system where those people could be punished? I don't think it's even legal for soldiers to drink alcohol in Iraq. This USA soldier in IRAQ, was sentenced to 15yrs in prison for carjacking. Your argument seems to be that because these things happen, we shouldn't be there. I'm not justifying these activities.
Quote:
Originally posted by PatrickHenry
Will the nationalist locals ever be at peace with GI Joe and Jane breathing down their necks? |
They already are. It's the insurgents who are not.
<!--QuoteBegin-PatrickHenry@
Will military power quell Iraqi and other national patriotism and dedication ...[/quote]
That's the wrong questions. Your not trying to quell patriotism. Since when is a Syrian patriotic to Iraq? He isn't. No more so then you are patriotic to Canada. If a Jihad army started taking over Canada, Americans would be spilling over the borders to fight.
<!--QuoteBegin-PatrickHenry ..to self-rule, not being puppets of the US or any other entity?[/quote]
They aren't fighting USA for dedication to self rule. If they were fighting for self rule, Saddam would've been killed 4 months after being elected 30+ years ago. But, they have been fighting the "other entity" a long time now.