I could be wrong, but I have not seen you deviate from Rush Limbaugh's position, or Coulter's position, which were neocon to the core. I think you unwillingness to admit you were wrong, Rush was wrong, Coulter was wrong, etc. is clouding your memory. I agree that there was not one singular reason for war...except in Bush's mind filled with a desire for revenge...but his advisers knew how to seize on the opportunity to put the war machine into full gear. The same group that got us into Afghanistan, lied their way into Iraq... If you apply a follow the money belief system...which I do, and look to who profited from the war with no sacrifices to themselves, underlying motives can be found. To say that you did not defend Bush resoundingly from 9/11 to at least 2004 is pure intellectual dishonesty. Maybe after some time you began to see the light (still dismissing that oil or war profiteers had their input, a desire by the military to test their new toys on live targets, etc.) This notion that America went to war to save the peoples of Afghanistan and Iraq is pure fantasy. If that was our primary principle belief, we would have stood up to China, Russia, or any other country that was in violation of human rights. You may have politically moved away from the neocons---Limbaugh hasn't, Coulter hasn't to a more libertarian position of Ron Paul...who you did not support resoundingly in 2008---to the teaparty klan, but your history is not as you want to make it sound. Man up AAA, you were fooled by Bush and Cheney like many others, came to their defense here when res, or Thunderdog, or others argued against the wars we are mired in. I suspect your shift in thinking is primarily about the cost to America, and you are pissed off that we are not getting oil for free from Iraq...but the flawed positions that you held...which were the talking points of the neocons about bringing democracy to these countries, and nation building as a rationalization for invading middle east countries, was quite evident. Part of an admission that you were on the wrong side of both of these wars...without admitting either the people you trusted were wrong, or your own thinking was wrong...still makes you susceptible to wrong thinking again. By the way, most of the polls show that both the Iraq war and the war in Afghanistan are not popular with the people. People now care about the economic war here at home. The republican party is strangely silent and mute about both wars...because they know if they begin to criticize the wars in general, their previous quotes will come back to haunt them. The people of America are concerned about America first. They see no direct benefit of jobs in America or any real rooting out of terrorism by these wars...so they are not likely going to support anyone who is gungho pro war right now. You realize we are coming up on the 10th anniversary of 9/11 this year...and while there will be a lot of hoopla and fake patriotism crap...the reality is that none of the pols want to talk much about the money pit that is Iraq and Afghanistan. As soon as we leave Iraq, they power vacuum will draw in some thug, and same in Afghanistan. Neither the people of Iraq nor Afghanistan have every show that they are willing to collectively ban together to make their societies like the USA. Ain't gonna happen, never was going to happen, what a tremendous waste of time, money, and precious human life. The left wing talked about all of this, even pointed out how Bush had previously been opposed to nation building. Let China take their shot and find out how well it goes. The only thing they have in their favor is the sheer number of people they can send to that region and the fact China doesn't really care about losing hundreds of thousands of grunts.
At the time saying you didn't want to go into Iraq, even from the left, was like saying the Earth revolved around the sun and being Copernicus or Kucinich.
In the 2008 presidential primaries the only candidate on the left who was honest and right about our foreign policy was Kucinich. And on the right the only candidate who was honest and right about our foreign policy was Ron Paul. Both candidates are regarded as kooks by the mainstream people within their respective parties, and that is why we are in the mess we are in today. People who tell the truth in the City of Lies are always seen as kooks and heretics.
Ralph Nader was anti war. You can add him to the group. Nader has been remarkably correct in his view of corporations and the havoc they have reaped in their raping of America. After some consideration, Nader announced on February 24, 2008, that he would run for President as an independent. His vice-presidential candidate was Matt Gonzalez.[81] Nader received 738,475 votes, for 0.56 percent of the popular vote, earning him a third place position in the overall election results.[82]
Right, so what can we conclude from that? That the majority is an ass ( or mutants) and Democracy ( the mob) is folly? Seems questions illuminate more than all the cocksuredness so prevalent in the national debate. Noone accepts anyone elses evaluation ( polls), everyone pulling in different directions in the boardroom of public opinion, visions w/o perspectives and from the sidelines kibitzing that has selling speakers fees and books as the motivation to fuel extremisms. From Meet the Press today 'too much government' came in 50/46, for government. Does it get more polarized? Dogs and Cats living together.
Thing is corporate doesn't believe they have any social responsibility to Americans, like privateers on the high seas of multi nationalism. It can't be all supply side. Warehouses have to actually have someone to sell their inventories to.
I liken corporations to a shark. Both exist only to mercilessly feed themselves. In nature there is a balance, but in society that type of balance has been lost. Really, if government was doing its job to regulate the excess of corporations it would be okay. It is not for the common welfare of the people to let corporations run amok, and I am a believer that the government has that responsibility...but so many of the pols are on the take by way of lobbying and funding elections...we have no active oversight. But with the 5 to 4 right wing SC granting corporations the same status of an individual to fund campaigns, and with the attack on the unions and collective bargaining, I don't see what will stop the corporations from continuing to hold America hostage. Corporations are like terrorists with a cause of endless profits.
Its an opinion worth reconsidering 377OHMS. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has by way of design or accident become the one voice of Iran unlike past Presidents who merely managed rather than nurture a cult of personality. Before Mahmoud Ahmadinejad we heard more in the news about the Mullahs now its the President that is front page every day.