Come on. We need alliances with friendly countries like Britain, Canada, Japan, Spain, Turkey and India. America is the leader of the free world. Isolationism would be handing over much influence we now possess to countries like China. I have my problems with France, Germany and Saudi Arabia, too. But there have been times when they have done us major favors. We may need one again some day. But Britain has stuck by us through thick and thin for decades, even against their own interests and at great political costs to themselves. To lump them and other true allies in with "other countries" or the UN is to ignore reality. "Going to war without France is kinda' like going deer hunting without an accordion" -- H. Ross Perot
Red, i wasn't talking about Britian, I'm talking about France, Germany, China, Korea, Saudi Arabia. WE SAVED THE FRENCH'S ASS in World War11 or they would still be speaking German and they screwed us good the last few years. I would also say WE SAVED the Saudi's ASS or Saddam would own them today if we would've stop them in 91. Bottomline is they owe us more than what we have ever asked for..... Come-on, everyone knows the Saudis have been playing both sides of the deck just like the French, Saudis sponser terrorism and there was something in the news about it not long ago. They can't explain what happened to some funds that seem to have vanished into thin air if I remember right! :cuss:
Sure the Saudis are a problem, but where were we based for Desert Storm again? I'm no blind supporter of Kerry, but it doesn't bother me that Kerry served in Vietnam and then protested against it once he got back. He wasn't exactly alone in doing so. I don't speak from personal experience, but anyone who's lived it tells you war is hell. So is it completely vile for someone who lived Vietnam to speak out against it, especially considering how poorly the thing was handled? And when it comes to Congress, "he voted for/against _____" is always a generalization unless the blank is filled with the name of a bill. Just because someone votes against a particular bill, doesn't mean he or she opposes the general idea. There are such things as poorly-written bills or items within bills that someone can take issue with. Yeah, it is funny how a past filled with drugs, alcohol and sketchy military service will put a little mud on your face when you're running for president. Kerry hasn't gotten through the primaries without his lumps and it's still VERY early in the process. He'll get his bruises. Actually it hasn't because I'm not sold on voting for Kerry even though I KNOW I'm not voting Bush. Unlike the plethora of partisans in this country, I still have the ability to hear someone from either party speak without covering my ears and screaming "LIES, DIRTY LIES." You mean having our congressmen CONSIDER what's in a bill when placing their vote is a bad thing? I was under the impression that's what they were supposed to be doing in the first place.
No Clinton backed down when France and Russia said they would veto any action brought up in the Security Council. They did not want to stop those dollars rolling in from oil and GPS equipment and the like. You need to go back and read everyone's beliefs about what Iraq had before the war. Bush was in the far majority he was just one of the few to have some balls and take action. When you are dealing with the middle east, our friends today will be our enemies tomorrow and vice-versa, so we must continue to put our security and interests first when it come to our middle east policy. Purple Jungle any one who blames Bush for not being able to get the job they want and feel they deserve right out of college needs to stay in school a little longer.
As I recall, that was to THEIR benefit, as Saddam was looking to take aim at THEIR oilfields next. He was already beginning to mass his troops on the Saudi border when Desert Shield commenced operations. We were there at the Saudi's request every bit as much as we were for strategic purposes.
Its funny how some people would blame there country first for something, its like they would take the word of the Saudis over there own country! Gimme a break! UNREAL
LOL...as if you're handed jobs on your way out the door of the P-MAC, right? Purple Jungle...Get a life...and oh, BTW, Bush has NEVER made a grandstanding manuever about his military service...and you haven't seen a single image of him landing on that carrier that day...He did that out of sheer interest and enjoyment...Yet you had Democrats saying he did it for political capital and gain... PJ, Bush isn't responsible for your lack of initiative, your lack of assertive nature, and your whining attitude about not finding "the right kind" of employment post graduation. He's not the man responsible for finding you a good job. YOU ARE! If anyone is to blame, it's the decades and decades of Louisiana politicians who've raped and pillaged this state and mortgaged their raping and pillaging on the backs of your parents and the parents of your friends, and the businesses and companies they work for, own, and operate...Not DC level politicians...
Why doesn't Kerry release all of his military records like he promised this past Sunday on TV? Boston.com link
Kind of reminds me of the episode of "M*A*S*H" when Frank Burns wrote himself up for and received a Purple Heart for taking "a shell fragment" in the eye during a sniper attack. Turns out, according to Hawkeye, who treated the "wound", that it was a fragment of EGGshell that got in Frank's eye as he dove for cover from the sniper in the mess tent.
I always said that Bush's National Guard record and whether or not he evaded service was a non-issue and a distraction from evaluating him as a president. I feel the same way about Kerry's 40-year-old military rating evaluations. It's not really an issue in evaluating Kerry today, anymore than his 9th grade report card. Still, this looks like a dumb move for the GOP. Purple Hearts are regularly awarded for minor wounds and Bronze Stars are awarded fairly generously to hard-fighting soldiers. But a Silver Star is a very big deal and a major decoration. Politically sliming a Silver Star holder is pretty brazen. They are just reminding the voters of the startling difference in military accomplishments between the candidates.
