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Economist: The one thing Bush got right

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Originally posted by: Stunt
Originally posted by: feralkid
Is "we cannot sit on the sidelines" your new pet phrase?

Since when ARE we standing on the sidelines?

Just a 411: we've managed to blunder it REAL good on 2 separate fronts.

Just what the h3ll are you talking about?

Wake up and smell the I.E.D's


:roll:
Speak for yourself...my country does indeed sit on the sidelines. I am speaking accross all countries and peoples. I don't see Iraq and Afganistan as blunders but opportunities.

The war in Iraq is becoming costly, but some would argue the potential benefits are literally priceless.




Uh, you just got done saying Iraq was a mistake.


What country are you calling yours?


Finally, you said: "I am speaking accross all countries and peoples."


What does that mean...are you the Pope?
How can you speak for all countries and peoples?

:shocked:



 
Originally posted by: feralkid
Uh, you just got done saying Iraq was a mistake.


What country are you calling yours?


Finally, you said: "I am speaking accross all countries and peoples."


What does that mean...are you the Pope?
How can you speak for all countries and peoples?

:shocked:
Iraq in my opinion was a mistake; however that decision long done; now we must accept the mission and work towards success for all Iraqi's.

My country is Canada.

And yes, what I am avocating applies for all peoples and countries. I am merely making recommendations, agree with them or not.
 
Originally posted by: dahunan
Originally posted by: Stunt
Originally posted by: homercles337
All of the aplogists here might want to do some reading.

Electing to fight...

This seems like a good start.
Sometimes promoting democracy requires force; significant opression cannot be tolerated...we cannot sit on the sidelines while people are treated like animals.


I am curious to know what the unemployment rate is Under the Current Regime in Iraq?

I hear that our billions given to ahaliburton is netting very few jobs for Iraqis.. instead H is going out and finding cheal slave like labor in other countries to do the work.. << is that true and part of Democracy/Nation Building?

The last numbers I saw were for July of 04 and it sat at about 9.8% which is lower than Germany.

I dont think it has gone down as the open markets create more opportunities that were not there under Saddams social programs.

 
Originally posted by: Stunt
Originally posted by: feralkid
Uh, you just got done saying Iraq was a mistake.


What country are you calling yours?


Finally, you said: "I am speaking accross all countries and peoples."


What does that mean...are you the Pope?
How can you speak for all countries and peoples?

:shocked:
Iraq in my opinion was a mistake; however that decision long done; now we must accept the mission and work towards success for all Iraqi's.

My country is Canada.

And yes, what I am avocating applies for all peoples and countries. I am merely making recommendations, agree with them or not.



O.K., so as a Canadian you feel sending your troops to Afghanistan is "sitting on the sidelines"?


I'd love to discuss issues, but you seem to always be saying two opposing statements at once.

Are you Dari?
😉


I mean, the duplicity in some of your posts is quite puzzling.
🙁


Oh, well...Best regards.
Over and out.
 
Originally posted by: feralkid
O.K., so as a Canadian you feel sending your troops to Afghanistan is "sitting on the sidelines"?


I'd love to discuss issues, but you seem to always be saying two opposing statements at once.
My country hardly ever advocates democracy in the middle east; Afganistan while a worth while cause (well you don't think so) is a very small part of the big picture.

Where are the Canadian leadership to speak out against Iran's actions, Syria, Egypt, Hamas, etc.

Sitting on the sidelines yes...and the only duplicity is when you put words in my mouth...I don't think I could ever have a reasonable discussion with you. But you are over and out...good to hear 🙂
 
Originally posted by: Stunt
Originally posted by: feralkid
O.K., so as a Canadian you feel sending your troops to Afghanistan is "sitting on the sidelines"?


I'd love to discuss issues, but you seem to always be saying two opposing statements at once.
My country hardly ever advocates democracy in the middle east; Afganistan while a worth while cause (well you don't think so) is a very small part of the big picture.

Where are the Canadian leadership to speak out against Iran's actions, Syria, Egypt, Hamas, etc.

Sitting on the sidelines yes...and the only duplicity is when you put words in my mouth...I don't think I could ever have a reasonable discussion with you. But you are over and out...good to hear 🙂

Democracy was never a driving pricniple behind the invasions of Iraq or Afghanistan, and the United State has a long, ongoing history of not supporting democracy, just like every other nation in the west has (they're just bigger and more infuential).

Our governments and businesses act in a manner consistent with believing that we are the chosen few who should actually have freedom; paying anything more than lipservice to promoting that freedom elsewhere is a last resort and I suspect will remain so for the forseeable future.
 
Originally posted by: 3chordcharlie
Originally posted by: Stunt
Originally posted by: feralkid
O.K., so as a Canadian you feel sending your troops to Afghanistan is "sitting on the sidelines"?


I'd love to discuss issues, but you seem to always be saying two opposing statements at once.
My country hardly ever advocates democracy in the middle east; Afganistan while a worth while cause (well you don't think so) is a very small part of the big picture.

Where are the Canadian leadership to speak out against Iran's actions, Syria, Egypt, Hamas, etc.

Sitting on the sidelines yes...and the only duplicity is when you put words in my mouth...I don't think I could ever have a reasonable discussion with you. But you are over and out...good to hear 🙂
Democracy was never a driving pricniple behind the invasions of Iraq or Afghanistan, and the United State has a long, ongoing history of not supporting democracy, just like every other nation in the west has (they're just bigger and more infuential).

Our governments and businesses act in a manner consistent with believing that we are the chosen few who should actually have freedom; paying anything more than lipservice to promoting that freedom elsewhere is a last resort and I suspect will remain so for the forseeable future.
I think we should be doing more.
With regards to lipservice, we hardly ever speak out against anything.
 
Originally posted by: Stunt
Originally posted by: homercles337
Originally posted by: Stunt
Also, if you think big brother is stronger under Bush I can garantee you are severely misinformed. PM me for details.
Oh please, just share with the group. While youre at it try refuting the book i mentioned a number of posts back.
Rainsford suggested I not mention the information openly on the forums; I trust his judgement on the issue.

So you make a claim this HUGE and then say that youre not going to share? Even given illegal wire taps and things like the "patriot act?" If you think it might derail the thread then start a new one. Any arguments that support this notion will be handily discarded.

Back OT, can you refeute ANYTHING the book i quoted claims? (Not to mention the huge number of arguments/evidence that support them).
 
Originally posted by: homercles337
Originally posted by: Stunt
Originally posted by: homercles337
Originally posted by: Stunt
Also, if you think big brother is stronger under Bush I can garantee you are severely misinformed. PM me for details.
Oh please, just share with the group. While youre at it try refuting the book i mentioned a number of posts back.
Rainsford suggested I not mention the information openly on the forums; I trust his judgement on the issue.
So you make a claim this HUGE and then say that youre not going to share? Even given illegal wire taps and things like the "patriot act?" If you think it might derail the thread then start a new one. Any arguments that support this notion will be handily discarded.

Back OT, can you refeute ANYTHING the book i quoted claims? (Not to mention the huge number of arguments/evidence that support them).
I've already shared this information and was advised to remove it, to cover my a$$.

I am not going to dispute a book I've never read, so don't even try to use that as an argument. I have no idea what the points are, who the authors are, how factual the information is, or how credible the book is.

Your exaggerations; "huge", don't help the book's cases.
 
Originally posted by: RightIsWrong
How can someone that is essentially spying on his own people without warrants or probable cause, squelching opposition speech and detaining people without charges indefinately PROMOTING DEMOCRACY?

Just more doublespeak.

Move along, nothing to see here.


Indefinitely man, it is spelled: "INDEFINITELY"

How can a person (with a bullshit name like RightisWrong) that cannot spell at a basic level attempt to analyze foreign policy issues?

Anyway, a big reason I voted for Bush has to do with the idea that American power should be used to increase the opportunity for democratic governments around the world as a long term strategy with both noble and practical aims.
 
Originally posted by: homercles337
Originally posted by: Stunt
Originally posted by: homercles337
Originally posted by: Stunt
Also, if you think big brother is stronger under Bush I can garantee you are severely misinformed. PM me for details.
Oh please, just share with the group. While youre at it try refuting the book i mentioned a number of posts back.
Rainsford suggested I not mention the information openly on the forums; I trust his judgement on the issue.

So you make a claim this HUGE and then say that youre not going to share? Even given illegal wire taps and things like the "patriot act?" If you think it might derail the thread then start a new one. Any arguments that support this notion will be handily discarded.

Back OT, can you refeute ANYTHING the book i quoted claims? (Not to mention the huge number of arguments/evidence that support them).

Mansfield's argument is one of many, certainly not the only argument and not necessarily the best. Like I said in my earlier post I've read some of his stuff before, he has some interesting ideas and I may read this book as well. But, just by examining the summary of the page you linked I have a number of questions (the main of which being, how does one promote the rule of law among lawlessness?) on how pragmatic that approach is in the real world. Just linking a book and the basic theory doesn?t provide much basis for argument, especially considering I would venture to say many in this forum have not read it.
 
Originally posted by: Stunt
Originally posted by: RightIsWrong
How can someone that is essentially spying on his own people without warrants or probable cause, squelching opposition speech and detaining people without charges indefinately PROMOTING DEMOCRACY?

Just more doublespeak.

Move along, nothing to see here.
Terrorism has created a fear no free and democratic society should experience. Sometimes counteracting this fear comes at a price; what is that price? That's up to the nation to decide.

There is a balance between oppression from those who condemn freedom and minor restrictions in freedom to combat this oppression. Bush indeed advocates democracy, even though he has a stronger stance on reducing foreign oppression.

Also, if you think big brother is stronger under Bush I can garantee you are severely misinformed. PM me for details.

I agree, there is always a balance to strike (although it may not be as straight forward as "liberty vs security"). However, I think the two issues are really seperate, if you are striking a balance, you are indeed striking a balance. It may be the correct choice to curtail some liberty in favor of increased security, but you can't then argue that you are promoting liberty. What you are doing is promoting security. You may be doing this with as much respect for liberty and democracy as possible, but in the end you can't have your cake and eat it too.

Organizations like the ACLU and the EFF take it on the chin from conservative groups convinced that the "liberal" groups are making us less safe. And perhaps that is true, but they too have made their choice. Their primary concern is promoting and protecting civil liberties, national security concerns are secondary. Likewise, the conservative groups that oppose the ACLU and the EFF, including the Bush White House, seem to feel national security comes first, and civil liberties will be protected to the extent possible without interfering with their primary concern.

I realize I'm in danger of oversimplifying the situation here, but I think that on this issue, you really can't have it both ways. I happen to believe that our security isn't harmed by following the judicial process when spying on terrorism suspects, or not torturing people, but even if I didn't, I still would support those things. Everyone has their priorities, and it's pretty obvious when it comes down to making a choice. We are right now faced with the potential of hurting the government's ability to track down terrorists vs the dangers posed by fewer checks on the executive branch and fewer protections for our civil liberties. Everyone is entitled to whatever opinion on the matter they feel is right, but they only get one choice.
 
Originally posted by: Stunt
Originally posted by: RightIsWrong
How can someone that is essentially spying on his own people without warrants or probable cause, squelching opposition speech and detaining people without charges indefinately PROMOTING DEMOCRACY?

Just more doublespeak.

Move along, nothing to see here.
Terrorism has created a fear no free and democratic society should experience. Sometimes counteracting this fear comes at a price; what is that price? That's up to the nation to decide.

There is a balance between oppression from those who condemn freedom and minor restrictions in freedom to combat this oppression. Bush indeed advocates democracy, even though he has a stronger stance on reducing foreign oppression.

Also, if you think big brother is stronger under Bush I can garantee you are severely misinformed. PM me for details.
You really think terrorism has made us live under fear worse than that the fledgling American republic lived under that the British would be victorious? That those who had advocated the revolution would be rounded up and summarily executed? That the Brits would come into say Boston harbor with cannons blazing? Please. And yet, they put all of these protections in the Constitution they wrote that basically allowed anyone who wanted to be a Tory to get away with it pretty much undetected. And the Brits did eventually come back and invade the upper Chesapeake area, but the Constitution was still the law of the land.

Now we have a group of radicals who are mostly 1000s of miles away and nowhere near as powerful, relatively, as the Brits were in the late 1700s and we need to give up our rights to protect ourselves from them. BS
 
Originally posted by: Stunt
The war in Iraq is becoming costly, but some would argue the potential benefits are literally priceless.

How LONG TERM are you willing to pay to see these "benefits?" The US started by giving ALL priviledges to white, male, land owners. What is the Iraqi equivalent? Arabic, male, Shi'a? Wait, that is what is happening. This new "democracry" is soon to become a theocracy--enjoy.
 
Originally posted by: homercles337
Originally posted by: Stunt
The war in Iraq is becoming costly, but some would argue the potential benefits are literally priceless.
How LONG TERM are you willing to pay to see these "benefits?" The US started by giving ALL priviledges to white, male, land owners. What is the Iraqi equivalent? Arabic, male, Shi'a? Wait, that is what is happening. This new "democracry" is soon to become a theocracy--enjoy.
Your allegations are questionable at best and an Iraq without Saddam will be a better off Iraq; no matter how much negative spin you put on it. 😛
 
Originally posted by: Stunt
Originally posted by: dahunan
Originally posted by: Stunt
Originally posted by: homercles337
All of the aplogists here might want to do some reading.

Electing to fight...

This seems like a good start.
Sometimes promoting democracy requires force; significant opression cannot be tolerated...we cannot sit on the sidelines while people are treated like animals.
I am curious to know what the unemployment rate is Under the Current Regime in Iraq?

I hear that our billions given to ahaliburton is netting very few jobs for Iraqis.. instead H is going out and finding cheal slave like labor in other countries to do the work.. << is that true and part of Democracy/Nation Building?
Unemployment?!
The country is still at war, the economy is nowhere near recovery...what an utterly pointless statistic.

I think Iraq was a mistake, looking back it just doesn't make fiscal sense and the justifications for the war unfounded. That being said, what is done is done. From this point on it should be crucial to implement democracy in Iraq. The people deserve it with all the hardships they have encountered over the years; wars and ruthless dictator.

Am I a neo-conservative who wants to go country to country and invade? No. Do I advocate democracy and consider it a right for all people? Yes. How that is accomplished is up to 'we' as a global society; but we cannot sit on the sidelines and ignore these issues.

No its not. Mission was accomplished almost 3 years ago. 😉
 
Originally posted by: Stunt
Your exaggerations; "huge", don't help the book's cases.
You're aware of how pathetci this sounds, when you are the one with information 'so sensitive it can't be posted' right?

😛
 
Originally posted by: 3chordcharlie
Originally posted by: Stunt
Your exaggerations; "huge", don't help the book's cases.
You're aware of how pathetci this sounds, when you are the one with information 'so sensitive it can't be posted' right?

😛
I told anyone who wants it can PM me...
 
Originally posted by: 3chordcharlie
Originally posted by: Stunt
Your exaggerations; "huge", don't help the book's cases.
You're aware of how pathetci this sounds, when you are the one with information 'so sensitive it can't be posted' right?

😛

In Stunt's defense, I remember what he's talking about, and I agree with his decision not to post it on the forum.
 
Originally posted by: Rainsford
Originally posted by: 3chordcharlie
Originally posted by: Stunt
Your exaggerations; "huge", don't help the book's cases.
You're aware of how pathetci this sounds, when you are the one with information 'so sensitive it can't be posted' right?

😛

In Stunt's defense, I remember what he's talking about, and I agree with his decision not to post it on the forum.

Then he probably shouldn't be posting on the forum that he 'has knowledge he will give out to anyone that PMs him, but it's too evil to post in public' either. If it's too 'dangerous' to post in public, it's too 'dangerous' to post that you'll talk about it in private in public.
 
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