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Politics : Stockman Scott's Political Debate Porch -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Wharf Rat who wrote (45828)	5/10/2004 6:29:28 PM
From: Wharf Rat	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 89467

The Daily Brew © May 8, 2004 We Are All Wearing The Blue Dress Now (Note to self; contact this jerk about rat holes) Whether Republicans like it or not, if George Bush is elected in the fall, the entire world will view the election as American approval of the torture and sexual humiliation of prisoners at the Abu Ghraib prison. It might not be fair, it might not be reasonable, but it is nevertheless reality. Apologies, prosecutions, firings and courts martial will not be enough to expunge the stain this scandal has placed on the honor of the United States. The pictures are simply too graphic. The abuses are simply too horrible. If George Bush is elected President, the entire world will view the election, at a minimum, as tacit approval of these events. This election will thus no longer merely determine the Presidency. This election is now much larger than the office. The United State’s place in the family of nations is now on the ballot. This election will determine whether the United States will ever again have any standing or moral authority in the rest of the world. The United States cannot simultaneously stand against depraved sexual torture and the wanton abuse of human rights, while electing the commander in chief upon whose watch these events occurred. The seven hundred thousand or so viewers of Fox News may be able to rationalize such cognitive dissonance; the six billion people who make up the remainder of the world will not. The stakes are thus immeasurable. For better or for worse, a strong, just and moral United States is not simply a luxury. Instead, it has become a precondition for human progress. For better or for worse, the United States has become the indispensable nation. Our economic, technological, and military position in the world insures that we will remain as such for the foreseeable future. The only question that remains, therefore, is whether the United States will have a moral authority on par with our economic and military dominance. That question will be answered in the fall. The election will determine whether America can ever again be seen as a shining city on a hill, a beacon of hope and freedom the illuminates the entire globe. Sadly, the election of George Bush will mean that the United States will instead be viewed as a rat hole prison in Iraq, where nude prisoners were bound together, tortured with hot chemicals, and beaten to death. Vote carefully, my fellow Americans. The Daily Brew is an editorial/opinion column appearing occasionally in this space. The opinions expressed herein are those of the editor, and The Daily Brew is solely responsible for their contents. All contents © 2000-2004 The Daily Brew. All rights reserved. Permission is given for anyone and everyone to copy and distribute articles provided herein in their original and unaltered form, provided attribution to this site is included. If you want to support The Daily Brew, its free! Just send copies to media outlets, politicians, progressive activists, friends and relatives. Send money to a good charity. Cost of the War in Iraq $113,265,931,829 Graphs courtesy of Academy Computer Services, Inc., Scott Davis and Ed Stephan Iraq war counter courtesy of costofwar.com thedailybrew.com

To: Wharf Rat who wrote (45828)	5/11/2004 6:07:07 AM
From: one_less	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 89467

I don't know if we can recover from this enough to see a successful outcome in Iraq. The chances are slim to none. "This has been a difficult few weeks," Bush said. "Yet our forces will stay on the offensive, finding and confronting the killers and terrorists who are trying to undermine the progress of democracy in Iraq." I think he/we are more at risk from destruction by the enemy within. Either our egos that want to prove who is the most powerful or our petty political agendas (which is equally ego involved). The desire to see us fail isn't just among the Iraqi rage warriors but also a big problem here in the US. There are people that would like to see the effort fail for no other reason, than it advances some petty political agenda. Some people can't see far enough passed the end of their nose to understand or care how much more is at stake here. If we fail: You, your children, your grandchildren and beyond will live in a bankrupted state. Any opportunity for the future will be dependant on how connected you are to other world economies and opportunities. The Middle East will become an emboldened anti-west conglomerate of tyrants. They may organize into a fundamental super force of destruction designed to destroy Western Civilization. Something like we saw developing in Afghanistan under the Taliban but much more international in its organization. If we succeed: Iraq will start down the road to democracy (probably a rocky one at the start). Though we have spent billions in the effort, our ability to recover on the losses will be strengthened. Autonomy in government by self determining citizenry will become the 'Ruler' in Iraq for a change.