I was watching Paula Zhan on CNN last night and all she kept talking about in relation to this was how it was affecting the presidential polls. Shouldn't someone, somewhere be talking about how this is affecting our troops over there? These weapons being used against them is the REAL story and concern here. I think our nation is just f*cked up!!! I also read somewhere that 70 million Americans don't believe in evolution and these are the "folks" who are voting for Bush. Now the polls make sence...

This was largely the topic on "Larry King Live" last night as well. They had a (heated) debate between Mark Racicot®, some other guy from a right wing Republican radio station, Gov. Ann Richards, and Rev. Sharpton. The Republicans kept saying that "all the information isn't in yet" on this story, and of course that Kerry is "jumping to unfounded conclusions" etc. etc. Well if the troops are responsible, tell me who they report to????

I definitly hope they hold onto that tape of Guliani blaming the troops. I kinda liked the guy until that and now I'll want to remember that when he tries for 2008. Its amazing how the repubs will dishonour themselves for the creepy chimp (McCain, Powell and Gulie). I don't get it.

I hate to be the insensitive one, but Guliani has most of his respect outside of NYC for 9/11. I doubt most people outside of NY could tell you anything else about him.

He definitely lacks quite a few things and his comment about it being the troops fault is obviously a very stupid comment.

And on 9/10, Giuliani was one of the least liked NYC mayors in modern history, someone who had an affair in the mayor's mansion and who gave notice to his wife via an interview on TV that he was leaving their marriage. I think he showed good character on 9/11, but his record up till then was that he certainly was no swell guy.

It is so like them to start blaming the troops, this administration can't take the blame for anything. They scream at Dems for being anti-troops because we don't support Bush, but we have never put the blame on the troops for what went wrong.

It all goes back to poor planning and poor leadership.! :mad:

I believe that at one of the information bureaus at the Grand Canyon, in addition to the standard, scientific (geological) descriptions of the Canyon's formation, there are also Biblical interpretations available!

As for dizzy bean Zahn and her fellow "journalists," they constantly forget the forest for the trees. They could care less about the troops, just like the phony, hyper-jingoistic GOP warmongering leadership, most of whom didn't deign to waste their time by serving. For all these folks, it's politics, politics, politics. Policy and the reality of the mess right-wing politics creates don't merit comment.

It was truly disgusting and I wish she had another "town meeting" here in Bucks County so I could reem her a new ass****!!!

Speaking as a "troop" -- and as one who served in and around Kandahar from late 2001 into mid-2002 and throughout the CENTCOM AOR until the end of 2002 -- Giuliani's statement was inarticulate to be sure, but he quickly clarified his meaning. Neither this "troop," nor any other that I know, thought for a moment he was blaming the boots on the ground. Maybe other members or their families reacted differently, but haven't we all had enough of both campaigns playing on this type of thing?

For a long time, I have held back my personal comments on Kerry and Edwards' statements on the conduct of the war in Afghanistan. I will go only so far as to say that I was there in December 2001 and beyond. Because I was there, I can express just how reckless I believe the Senators' rhetoric is. I do feel very strongly and very personally affronted by it -- whether he intends that I should or not. I speak only for myself, but my reaction is what it is, and I stand by it.

Without argument, Afghanistan is a long way from any sustained road to democracy -- and it still suffers from serious systemic challenges, but Kerry's failure in his convention acceptance speech to celebrate the successes, to even mention Afghanistan or celebrate the courage of her people, to even mention the sacrifices made by our military in that country spoke volumes to me of the Senator's political calculus. If I missed it, correct me -- please.

On the subject, Krauthammer posted an excellent column in the Washington Post today ( Kerry's Afghan Amnesia). He doesn't fully address the challenges there, but his voice on the subject rings true in my ears.

While I'm at it, Jim Hoagland also had strong piece in yesterday's Post ( What if It's Kerry's War?) addressing the immediate need for Kerry to clarify what exactly he intends to do in Iraq -- and the need for the President to cooperate fully in the hand-off. To that end, I will say that the word of Biden besting Holbrooke for Secretary of State is comforting.

I know there are many veterans and active duty members who support Senator Kerry's candidacy, and I respect their opinion, just as I expect mine to be respected in return. Doing so is the greatest testimony to the strength of our democracy.

I know that I've wandered off topic here, but thanks for listening.

Penn, I love you. Will you marry me?

Not to be disrespectful but I haven't heard Kerry or Edwards ever put down the activity in Afganistan. I also don't believe anyone here feels we shouldn't have gone in there. If I weren't HIV+ and 39 I'd have signed up myself on Sept 12. Now I would be screaming like crazy if I were in Iraq. Its just a fact that Bush lied to go to Iraq and now more than ever its obvious that we are not there to protect the US from weapons falling into terrorist hands or we would have done something about Al Qaqaa (SP?) immediately. For crying out loud that amounts to giving them ammo! Furthermore, apparantly the administration had several opportunities to take out Zarqawi before we went in there but that idiot wanted to use him as leverage "There's Al-Quida in them there hills" but didn't- now look what that has wrought. This administration is a complete disgrace!!! And if your going to give me some shit about Iraquis being better off now than before why aren't we doing anything about Sudanese in Darfur? If your idoit president is so altruistic why is he allowing so many Africans to be killed. I think I read something like 50,000. For God's sake I can barely stand it anymore the idiocy. And you know what, I'm sure Kerry wouldn't have allowed any of that bullshit to have happened. Wake up already what more will it take?

Oh and PS. Pennstate, Thank you for going over there. I have great respect for you and what you have done. I seriously would throw you and all your fellow servicemembers a huge parade. I just don't understand why you aren't angrier at Bush. Don't you feel he let you down? And do you really feel Kerry doesn't have your back?

[ October 29, 2004, 03:25 PM: Message edited by: gobar ]

Hmmm. Don't know. Linking to transcript now. Note that the link is not to JohnKerry.com, but to the WaPo, so you can avoid Kerry's cookies if you with to avoid them. And as Dave Barry says, wouldn't \"Kerry's Cookies\" make a great name for a band?

Text of John Kerry's Acceptance Speech at the Democratic National Convention

It's all on one page, so searching the text is easy. You are correct: no mention.

You are welcome. And thank you.

That depends on which way the wind was blowing on the day he got out of bed.

Maybe the weapons are "missing" because Bush's people think he needs to be a "War President" to get re-elected.

Terrorists without weapons = no attacks

No attacks = voters concentrate on domestic stuff

Very true, and we could be even farther along if we had continued to focus on Afganistan rather that diverting attention to someone who we already had contained and was not an imediate threat.

I am a Veteran of Desert Storm and I served a second tour in Riyadh in support of the southern no-fly zone. I know where you are coming from and I thank you greatly for your service. I fully supported and still do support the Afganistan war. I am proud of what was and has been accomplished there. And I fully support our troops in Iraq. My problem is with Bush, not the soldiers.

I just don't understand why you don't feel like your efforts in Afganistan were reduced because the job was not finished before we shifted gears. I am a strong believer in finishing what is started before taking on something else.

How many more soldiers do we need to lose in Afganistan? If we had stayed the course without unnecessary distraction, I believe we could have spared some of the casualties we have suffered since and casualties that are still to come, because the job was not finished!

That's how this Kerry Vet sees it.

[ October 30, 2004, 09:00 AM: Message edited by: Denver Fan ]