_BiB_

Happy birthday Scoots

If he is that bad off, he should not be running. I don't think he wouldn't make decisions, I'm interested in what his ideas are of what those decisions should be. I've outlined a situation. I think I'm being pretty accurate. President Bush is supposedly doing everything wrong. I don't doubt that Senator Kerry thinks he has the answers, but after all this time-I have no idea what they are.

Well wait a minute. Think this through. Would a ban on assault weapons make M. Moore and Al Franken go away?

I honestly don't know what he means by a more sensitive war on terror. I'm hoping he just used the wrong words to say the right thing-because this is America, and he could get elected. If he's thinking right and said it wrong it might not be a bad thing. I just want it explained.

Thanks Swede-but let's keep this one on topic. This isn't about flip-flops or flight suits. Folks? Answer the question. This is not soundbite-this is how it is. And it's a lot more complicated than my post. What is John Kerry telling you that has you convinced he will fix it?

Ok, I'll bite. I've given a Reader's Digest view of the bigger picture of all this. And all the opinions went away. Happens a lot when I post, unless I directly question Senator Kerry. Guess I'm too much of a partisan raving mellon head idiot to discuss CNN reports or Dan Rather with. This subject deserves volumes, not posts. Anyone from the left want to make an intelligent, non-ranting post? I say the left, because the right side will agree because this is the Bush policy. I'm not discussing politics. I'm discussing how it is. I know where we are going and what we are doing with the current policies. Someone out there convince me how, given the situation, Kerry's philosophies will address this problem in the best interest of the United States. and keep this monster from becoming 10 times it's size. No coulda woulda shoulda. This is the hand we are playing. How do you address it? What is Senator Kerry campaigning with that tells you he has a better way?

Nothing against our Japanese friends, but I know you spent some time there. Folks think Bills fans get crazy. That has got to be the biggest reaction to the most amazingly strange sport in the world...except possibly the Canadian fascination with Curling.

But you have to admit it would be funnier than stevestojan. They look pretty hilarious to start with.

Oh, and never forget the one that drives EVERYONE crazy: The hansoku called when a mawashi unravels and exposes the rikishi. Used to be a crowd favorite until they made that illegal.

Great plan if they can handle the 3,287 phone calls that hit 2 minutes after your post.

Whatever six new rules NASCAR came up with that week. But Thailog has a keeper there.

I have a perfect mental image of Eric Cartman saying this.

Damn Smurf, where have we seen THAT tendency before?

Not evacuating, here on work. Got to go back. Since it's your taxpayer dime, have to stick with the itinerary. Plus, I got Sunday Ticket this year. After paying that much I'm watching the Bills game at my place-not some fishy smelling Miami bar. Might meet up with DC Tom and listen to him analyze and explain the tie-ins between quantum physics, Bledsoes delivery, the foundation at the Ralph and commodity prices as they relate to parking revenues.

He looks pretty damn good. Maybe there's something to that estrogen thing after all.

I don't know buddy, maybe just the tequila. I'll know better after Sunday. If I make it that far. I'm flying out of Hurrican alley South Florida on September 11th. Talk about good omens. We gotta get together sometime. Eat tequila wings and tell stories.

stevestojan. I have an 11:30 flight out of Miami in the AM. Wonder if I can get a six oclock or something. Might be hard to rebook, for some silly reason a lot of people seem to be heading north...

I wasn't going to do this... AQ desires a Kerry presidency. Rightly or wrongly, they are planning on him reducing US presence in the middle east (more of a political move than strategic) with a defensive concentration centered into homeland defense. As their immediate goal is not "destroying our way of life", but removing western influence (especially US influence, as it's driving them bonkers having us in the hood) from the region. With the US, and preferably all western influence out - fully understanding that Russia is too weak to fill the vacuum, it creates a much more favorable situation for them to form the Caliphate. A primary strategic goal of the Caliphate is to remove the Saudi royal family from power and gain hold over the oil reserves. In this, they have the full support of Iran and to a lesser extent, Syria. The more moderate governments of the middle east and central Asia will either have to fall in line, or eventually risk very bad things as Iran is already in possession of some pretty decent missiles and a large WMD inventory. One has to remember that Iran also has aspirations of it's own, and might view AQ and other radical extremist groups as a willing tool. The government of Pakistan is likely to fall. Both Pakistan and India have nuclear weapons and the related delivery systems now. Pakistan and India don't like each other - Hindu vs. Muslim. It becomes a very, very volatile situation. Harp on having hydrogen powered cars all you like, but the oil issue is not going anywhere. Check out the statistics on where mid-east oil actually goes. A fundamentalist Islamic Caliphate controlling such a huge portion of the world's oil supply will have a very destabilizing influence on the world economy (ironically putting France in the catbird seat, as they have so many deals going on you'd think they were used car salesman). Couple that with a usable nuclear capability and some pretty good sized conventional forces and one has created a situation where a muslim super-power is born. Do we all feel that to be a good thing? Keep in mind-the ultimate goal is to have the entire world reading out of the Quran. It won't happen fast-they even plan on it taking several generations-but that isthe ultimate goal. Knowing that-one can imagine their political strategy. This is a lot bigger than just AQ. The current administrations strategy of taking the fight to THEIR backyard, while flawed in execution is the one thing standing in their way. France feels they can cut a deal-because they have always been friends with that sort. I'm not sure where Germany and Russia sit - but remember that Sadaams bunkers were built by German engineers and the nuclear complex containing several hundred tons of yellowcake housed not only French but a Russian reactor, a breeder by the way. France and Germany want to lead the way for the EU. They know damn well sitting this one out and letting the US go alone would put a big strain on us, and have a serious negative impact on our relations with the rest of the world. Forget the rhetoric-everyone here is working in their own self interest. As for which way to go making America safer? In the long term, over the next 15-20 years. No, for reasons given above. These people are not negotiators. It's their way or the highway. Short term? Who knows. Flip a coin. We are not dealing with rational people, in our terms. They are just as likely to blow something up soon to give the impression that Bush is not doing his job as they are to blow something up AFTER Kerry gets elected to cause greater pressure to withdraw from the sandbox. They might not blow up anything at all. That is unlikely, because within this happy little family is the extreme of the extreme element who just want to blow things up. That's why planning for defense is such an interesting thing to do right now. Believe me, things were a lot easier when the Soviet Union was the bad guy. One knew pretty well exactly what to expect, and where. You know what 9/11 really was? A commercial. A calling card. "We've arrived". Based on our history over the previous 8 years, AQ never expected the reaction it got. Probably figured on a dozen or so cruise missiles, tops. And though I hate to bring up the "word", probably the greatest danger over the next few years involves WMD. A consolidation of effort within the fundamentalist nations and the non-state terror groups will make that threat a reality sooner than later. staying in their face, and trying to de-stabilize/convert the radical regimes is the only viable strategy over the long haul. As for allies, we have many. Allowing the bad guys to gain firmer foothold will make them go away, not create more. It is much more important to have Pakistan as a working ally than it is to have France. Quit viewing things in one dimension. Even one tiny piece of the puzzle-India/Pakistan-Pakistan/Afghanistan is tremendously complicated and a tightrope walk. Don't disregard Asia in the equation. Who outside of the middle east not only has a muslim population but large oil reserves? Most rational people do not like war, but sometimes, often as a matter of fact-it is necessary. This is not and never has been a question of Halliburton getting contracts, and shame on any of you who really think it is. It's a question of what kind of world your kids are going to live in 20 years from now. It's a question of what is in the best interests of the United States. In the simplest terms, WTF cares what anyone else thinks. They all have to deal with us one way or the other. If this could have been done nicey-nice, with everyone sitting around toasting marshmallows and singing Kumbaya-it would have been. Take another look at Mickey's things that got blowed up list-then re-read this post. It's called escalation. It happens. This is A WAR. One we did not start. Sure, our history over there has given cause to a lot of resentments. Supporting the Shah didn't do us any favors. But do you seriously think that Kerry is just going to crap on Israel? When has a President-Republican or Democrat ever done that? "Solving" the Israeli-Palestine issue is not going to make this go away, and isn't going to happen anyway. It does not necessarily mean we are not doing the job. It is not a result of our policy-our policy is a result of it. Figure it out.

Only when I'm next to telephone poles.

Where will we stuff our dollar bills?

When I rub my stomach, my left foot starts kicking. does that count?

LOL at Khan. Don't you just hate that when it happens? I'm just glad it wasn't named Andromeda.

Lochness went in the first round.

Uh huh. Mr logical had me provoking dogs with squirt guns because telephone poles fall on peoples heads but only in New Jersey. Right.