I didn't join the British Army to conduct American foreign policy

[billvon 2,990]

>Are there people banking on the war? Of course. There are
>also people banking on hurricane Katrina, and the Tsunami the
>wiped out tens of thousands in Asia.

Of course. But if it turned out that some of the people banking on the tsunami had it within their power to prevent it, or to mitigate its damage - don't you think that would change things a bit?

[skykittykat 0]

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Instead we have destabilized the world oil supply and the prices have risen dramatically...

The point is NOT to lower oil prices.

Dick Cheney, Condoleeza Rice, George W Bush and many others in the US government have been at one time on a Board of Directors for oil companies (in some cases some people have been on more than one Board, and who I don't remember off the top of my head).

I am sure that they retain those shares, but not in their own personal names.

Apart from any fiscal interest, whoever controls the majority of the oil in the world can hold other countries to ransom to do what they wish. The US has enough oil for it's domestic and export markets, but it is reluctant to get to the stage of using it's reserves.

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they have a top secret weather machine and they're creating situations that they can profit from, even though it kills tens of thousands.

There are actually tidal/earthquake monitors and warning systems in place:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4149201.stm

Liz

[jeiber 0]

If they had friends and family who were in the path of the tsunami, no, I don't.

I'm sure we'll all agree that, in general, politicians are self serving people. I still don't think they are so low that they would send their friends and family to war, for the sole reason of padding their pockets.

You guys can cry conspiracy all you like, I'm not buying it. People will always profit off others' misfortunes. Although it may not be moral, ethical, or scrupulous, it doesn't imply they are responsible for the initial misfortune...

Jeff

Shhh... you hear that sound? That's the sound of nobody caring!

[jeiber 0]

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I am sure that they retain those shares, but not in their own personal names.

Yeah, I'm sure the SEC wouldn't bother looking into this. Do you have anything to support this accusation, or are you just making things up to support your argument? Why confuse the issue with fact.

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There are actually tidal/earthquake monitors and warning systems in place

[sarcasm]I knew it!!! These so called 'detection' devices aren't really used to warn against natural disasters and try to save lives, they actually CAUSE the natural disasters! I can't believe the Bush administration actually thought they'd get away with such a sinister plot![/sarcasm]

J

Shhh... you hear that sound? That's the sound of nobody caring!

[billvon 2,990]

>I'm sure we'll all agree that, in general, politicians are self serving
> people. I still don't think they are so low that they would send their
> friends and family to war, for the sole reason of padding their pockets.

Most don't have family who are serving. (Some do, of course.) In any case, there was no declaration of war, only a statement that the president was authorized to use force if all else failed. One person made the decision to go to war. He has no family serving in Iraq.

>You guys can cry conspiracy all you like, I'm not buying it.

The only people more mistaken than the people who think "it's all about the oil" are the people who think "it had nothing to do with oil." The administration has ADMITTED that oil played a role in the decisions made in Iraq.

[jeiber 0]

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One person made the decision to go to war. He has no family serving in Iraq.

Then this discounts the argument that policians 'went to war', just to pad their pockets with dividends from US companies.

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The only people more mistaken than the people who think "it's all about the oil" are the people who think "it had nothing to do with oil." The administration has ADMITTED that oil played a role in the decisions made in Iraq.

Oh, don't think for a second that I don't believe this 'had nothing to do with oil.' This war wasn't waged over one determining factor. Of course oil had 'something to do with it'. Terrorism had 'something to do with it'. WMD had 'something to do with it'. Human rights violations had 'something to do with it'. There are alot of 'something to do with it's.

Opponents to the war choose to pick just one factor and say we shouldn't have gone to war over it, and if that were the only factor, I agree. Sum all these 'lesser' factors together, and we have one big problem.

Jeff

Shhh... you hear that sound? That's the sound of nobody caring!

[billvon 2,990]

>Then this discounts the argument that policians 'went to war', just to
>pad their pockets with dividends from US companies.

I don't think anyone ever claimed that the sole reason we went to war was to make money. Money was, of course, a consideration.

>Opponents to the war choose to pick just one factor and say we
>shouldn't have gone to war over it, and if that were the only factor, I
>agree.

I oppose that war, and I don't think there was one reason. As you stated, there were several. They have pretty much _all_ turned out to be baseless or unachievable.

Oil - supply, even from Iraq, has not been restored or bolstered. (They now have to IMPORT oil, and we are about to end our attempts to rebuild their oil infrastructure.)
Terrorism - it is now more prevalent than before we invaded.
WMD - none found.
Human rights violations - a problem before we invaded, even more of a problem now.

[Amazon 7]

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I'm sure we'll all agree that, in general, politicians are self serving people. I still don't think they are so low that they would send their friends and family to war, for the sole reason of padding their pockets

OH FUCK no..... Their family members get the deferments.... their family membersget the impossible to get appointments to the National Guard and Reserve units that will never see a day of action in a war unless this country is invaded.

You only need to look at the distinguished service records of this administration.

[jeiber 0]

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You only need to look at the distinguished service records of this administration.

Ironic that people who never even volunteered are typically the ones doing the loudest criticizing about others' military careers.

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their family membersget the impossible to get appointments to the National Guard and Reserve units that will never see a day of action in a war unless this country is invaded.

Do you have anything to support this, or are you just making blind accusations to support what you want to believe?

Rep. Kennedy - nephew in Afghanistan
Rep. Hunter, D-S.D - son in Iraq
Sen. Johnson - son in Iraq
Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C - son in Iraq

There are more... I don't have time to research and list them all...

J

Shhh... you hear that sound? That's the sound of nobody caring!

[mnealtx 0]

Well, at least this administration DID release their records....something the "esteemed Senator from Massachusetts" *still* hasn't done...

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[Amazon 7]

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Ironic that people who never even volunteered are typically the ones doing the loudest criticizing about others' military careers.

BBBBZZZZTTT WRONG ANSWER


I am so glad you believe anyone who does not agree with your world view would never take 8 years out of their life and serve their country.

Yes I volunteered and serve 8 years in the USAF as a SERE instructor.

I will save you some time.

I have a great website that has ALL the information about the people in the ADMINISTRATION.. not the Congress.

My Favorite.. the ChickenHawk HQ

http://www.nhgazette.com/news/chickenhawks/chickenhawk_headquarters/


Carefull now its not exactly a Republican approved website so you may be put on a watch list.

http://www.awolbush.com/whoserved.html


Please be sure to research the distinguished record of service of their children as well.

[billvon 2,990]

> Well, at least this administration DID release their records . . . .

Remember way back when public records were . . . public? And not something you had to fight to get?

[mnealtx 0]

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> Well, at least this administration DID release their records . . . .

Remember way back when public records were . . . public? And not something you had to fight to get?

I may be wrong...but I don't believe service records are "public".

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[jeiber 0]

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I am so glad you believe anyone who does not agree with your world view would never take 8 years out of their life and serve their country.

I know you served, we had this discussion about 6 months ago. I was referring to the vast majority of of people that hold your same views - such as the authors of the websites you repeatedly reference. I put the word 'typically' in there just to cover myself against your response.

I believe you mentioned the same website then as well. It's a very 'fair and balanced' website. Right up there with http://www.smirkingchimp.com/

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Carefull now its not exactly a Republican approved website so you may be put on a watch list.

Uh, yeah... ok... you've got me convinced, only Democrats have a sparkling military career, even Bill Clinton is listed on there as honorably volunteering to sign up for the draft lottory.

Stop and smell the crap you're shovelling.... sheesh, anybody with an ounce of common sense can see the bias on that page. Of course they're going to twist the truth, mislead, and omit, it's the democratic way!

Shhh... you hear that sound? That's the sound of nobody caring!

[kallend 2,026]

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> Well, at least this administration DID release their records . . . .

Remember way back when public records were . . . public? And not something you had to fight to get?

I may be wrong...but I don't believe service records are "public".

I remember when government records were made public after 12 years under the Presidential Records Act of 1978, until Bush instituted an executive order preventing the release of his, his father's and Reagan's records, essentially forever. I wonder what he's hiding.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.