Politics: Onward from New Hampshire

[Shape Shifter]

Originally posted by Atticus Grinch
Freedom Fly has a nice ring to it.

I would think that with the large Asian population where you live that you would not be so insensitive.

[bilmore]

Originally posted by Tyrone_Slothrop
There is, of course, no good evidence that Hussein . . .harbored Al Qaeda. Iraq was a "potential harbor" for Islamist terror in the same way that Malaysia or Indonesia are -- let's invade them next to really stick it to Al Qaeda.

Someone should tell Al Queda that Saddam had nothing to do with them. Boy, are they gonna be pissed.

"An ongoing investigation into the attacks has found growing evidence they were carried out by Islamic extremists linked to Al-Qaeda as punishment for Spain's help in the invasion and occupation of Iraq."

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/040315/1/3irv0.html

[bilmore]

Originally posted by Shape Shifter
I would think that with the large Asian population where you live that you would not be so insensitive.

It took me a minute . . .

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally posted by bilmore
Someone should tell Al Queda that Saddam had nothing to do with them. Boy, are they gonna be pissed.

"An ongoing investigation into the attacks has found growing evidence they were carried out by Islamic extremists linked to Al-Qaeda as punishment for Spain's help in the invasion and occupation of Iraq."

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/040315/1/3irv0.html

You need to get someone to edit your posts for you. The sentence you quoted has nothing to do with the sentence you wrote.

Saying that if you don't support the war in Iraq you don't support the war on terrorism is like saying that if you didn't want to travel on the Titanic you didn't like to swim. It should be no real surprise that Al Qaeda is using what we've done in Iraq as a greivance. That was one of the reasons not to do it. But that doesn't mean that Hussein was supporting Al Qaeda.

[Sexual Harassment Panda]

Originally posted by bilmore
I think we're supposed to start renaming more foods, but all I can think of is Freedom Rice.

We'll be getting away from the foods. Red-blooded patriotic American males will be introducing their would-be girlfriends to the joys of Freedom Fly.

[]Edited to add:[/i] Way too slow.

[Diane_Keaton]

Even though they don't exactly have much to send over in terms of troops, should not Armenia be considered part of "The Coalition"?

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

Originally posted by Shape Shifter
I would think that with the large Asian population where you live that you would not be so insensitive.

Fleedom?

[The Larry Davis Experience]

While I agree that the Spanish election results are probably best viewed through the lens of the decision to join in the Iraq war, I think our distance from the actual situation on the ground there causes us to shortchange other factors at work.

For example, I have heard different variations on the theme that at least a portion of the electorate was unhappy with the government's attempts to direct blame at ETA without taking the time to fully investigate (e.g. forcing through the same-day UN Security Council reso blaming ETA, ambassadors going on US news shows, etc). As we all saw in the papers over the weekend, most observers were saying that fingering ETA would benefit Aznar's govt because they have taken a strong stance against the Basque separatists. Playing politics with a national tragedy such as this surely caused a few votes to change columns, although in what magnitude compared to other reasons I don't think anyone can say.

Imagine for example if the admin had followed Cheney's advice in the hours after 9/11 and had pushed through a UN reso that Iraq was to blame. One doesn't have to work hard to imagine the political hit that the admin would have taken once the true culprits were publicized.

[bilmore]

Originally posted by The Larry Davis Experience
While I agree that the Spanish election results are probably best viewed through the lens of the decision to join in the Iraq war, I think our distance from the actual situation on the ground there causes us to shortchange other factors at work.

For example, I have heard different variations on the theme that at least a portion of the electorate was unhappy with the government's attempts to direct blame at ETA without taking the time to fully investigate (e.g. forcing through the same-day UN Security Council reso blaming ETA, ambassadors going on US news shows, etc). As we all saw in the papers over the weekend, most observers were saying that fingering ETA would benefit Aznar's govt because they have taken a strong stance against the Basque separatists. Playing politics with a national tragedy such as this surely caused a few votes to change columns, although in what magnitude compared to other reasons I don't think anyone can say.

Imagine for example if the admin had followed Cheney's advice in the hours after 9/11 and had pushed through a UN reso that Iraq was to blame. One doesn't have to work hard to imagine the political hit that the admin would have taken once the true culprits were publicized.

It was my understanding that the earliest indications showed strong similarities between the train bombing and ETA's normal work. Plus, ETA was the natural candidate for this in Spain. So, the initial call of "probably ETA" was not out of line, and was very quickly corrected to "but maybe not - there's more here".

I think the opposition merely did the "Bush lied!!" form of hysteria better than was done over here. Give it a week, and I bet we see a lot of buyer's remorse.

[The Larry Davis Experience]

Originally posted by bilmore
It was my understanding that the earliest indications showed strong similarities between the train bombing and ETA's normal work. Plus, ETA was the natural candidate for this in Spain. So, the initial call of "probably ETA" was not out of line, and was very quickly corrected to "but maybe not - there's more here".

You are too charitable in your understanding. At least one Spanish paper ran the story that the initial call on Thursday wasn't "probably ETA", it was: "The Interior Minister has confirmed ETA's responsibility."

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L13616665.htm

That, I would argue, is easily seen by voters as being out of line. Combine those statements with the really unusual same-day UNSC action, and to me it reeks of spin control. I saw the Spanish ambassador to the US on Friday's Newshour and he would not even discuss the possibility that it was AQ.

I think you are being too quick to blame the uninformed hysterical electorate, when the govt maybe deserves some attention as well. Perhaps this is a preview of your reaction to a Kerry win in November.

[bilmore]

Originally posted by The Larry Davis Experience
Perhaps this is a preview of your reaction to a Kerry win in November.

In my mind, a 50/50 shot right now.

[Not Me]

Originally posted by bilmore
Give it a week, and I bet we see a lot of buyer's remorse.

It might take longer than a week, but I agree that buyer's remorse is a given.

The Spainards are grieving right now and in shock. They were angry and needed to lash out at someone. They don't have the economic or military strength to do anything to AQ, so they lashed out at their own government instead. Pity.

The Spainards have made themselves less safe, not more safe. I predict the ETA will be emboldened by this reaction of the Spanish people. I also predict that evidence will be uncovered showing that the ETA collaborated with AQ in this attack.

[Not Me]

Originally posted by dtb
WHAT A BUNCH OF FUCKING PUSSIES THE SPANISH ARE.
. . .

Right. The best solution is to be scared and do what the terrorists want -- that's a great idea. Seriously. Czechosolvakia anyone? What a bunch of fucking pussies (anyone who knows me IRL knows I don't really speak like this -- but I just can't find the words to express my utter disgust at the reaction of the Spanish populace.)

2.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

So what we've learned here today is that if you don't agree with the Bush Admininstration's foreign policy, ipso facto you are not thinking rationally, either because you are "hysterical", or because you are "grieving," "angry," or "in shock." Or all of the above.

[Atticus Grinch]

Originally posted by Not Me
I also predict that evidence will be uncovered showing that the ETA collaborated with AQ in this attack.

Um, yeah. The same day we'll uncover evidence that AQ collaborated with Blofeld, SMERSH, Scaramanga, Smiert Spionam, Auric Goldfinger, Largo, Drax, Kanaga, and Max Zorin.

I think they allow reciprocal use of their underground missile launching pads and henchmen armies, kind of like how belonging to the Yale Club gets you reciprocal membership in clubs worldwide.