Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Lane3 who wrote (15377)	11/6/2003 5:45:01 AM
From: LindyBill	Respond to of 793618

So why didn't the WH just say so, if that's what they had in mind? Come on Karen. You know why. It is not politically possible to do so. Announce that we intend to see all ME states end up with Democracies, and we are going to help overthrow the ones that aren't? Go to the UN and get support on that basis? We couldn't even get the UN to back their own resolutions! The big complaint they get is that they are not "Diplomatic" enough. You have been reading the same reports I have. You know that this was the plan from the start. It wasn't covert. They just aren't being "in your face" about it.

To: Lane3 who wrote (15377)	11/6/2003 1:12:39 PM
From: LindyBill	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 793618

Here is an example of what we are after, Karen. We are just not rubbing the "House of Saud's" nose in it. That's Diplomacy. "In many nations of the Middle East, countries of great strategic importance, democracy has not yet taken root." ______________________________________________ November 6, 2003 Bush Casts Iraq Effort in Terms of Long Cold War Struggle By DAVID STOUT - NEW YORK TIMES ASHINGTON, Nov. 6 — President Bush today likened the campaign to install a stable, representative government in Iraq with the long cold war struggle against Communism and said America must be committed to promoting democracy in the Middle East "for decades to come." "Because we and our allies were steadfast, Germany and Japan are democratic nations that no longer threaten the world," Mr. Bush told an audience at the National Endowment for Democracy just before signing an $87.5 billion aid package for Iraq and Afghanistan. "The global nuclear standoff with the Soviet Union ended peacefully, as did the Soviet Union." "Every nation has learned, or should have learned, an important lesson," Mr. Bush told members of the endowment, which tries to promote democracy around the world and is celebrating its 20th anniversary. "Freedom is worth fighting for, dying for, and standing for, and the advance of freedom leads to peace." The president named some countries that do not have representative government: Cuba, Burma, China, North Korea and several others. "Our commitment to democracy is also tested in the Middle East, which is my focus today and must be a focus of American policy for decades to come," Mr. Bush went on. "In many nations of the Middle East, countries of great strategic importance, democracy has not yet taken root." Finally, he came to Iraq. "Securing democracy in Iraq is the work of many hands," he said. "American and coalition forces are sacrificing for the peace of Iraq and for the security of free nations." At another point Mr. Bush said, "The failure of Iraqi democracy would embolden terrorists around the world, and increase dangers to the American people and extinguish the hopes of millions in the region. "Iraqi democracy will succeed, and that success will send forth the news from Damascus to Tehran that freedom can be the future of every nation. The establishment of a free Iraq at the heart of the Middle East will be a watershed event in the global democratic revolution." The bulk of the aid bill — $65.7 billion — that Mr. Bush was signing will pay for the military occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan, with $24 billion alone going for Army operations and $10 billion earmarked for Afghanistan. The most contentious part of the bill was the $20.3 billion requested by the president for rebuilding in Iraq. Although Mr. Bush won the larger battle, preventing Iraq from having to repay any of that money to the United States, he was forced to accept a $1.6 billion cut in the total amount of aid after scores of lawmakers objected to projects they considered unnecessary. With American casualties in Iraq continuing to mount, drawing criticism from some Democrats and others who fault the administration for not anticipating the level of resistance, Mr. Bush asserted today that in the end, the sacrifices would be worth it, for the United States and the world. "This is a massive and difficult undertaking," he said. "It is worth our effort. It is worth our sacrifice, because we know the stakes." nytimes.com