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

To: Neeka who wrote (50742)	6/18/2004 1:37:00 PM
From: Neeka	Respond to of 793928

Paul Johnson's childhood friends describe smart, good kid West Creek, New Jersey-AP -- People in Paul Johnson's tight-knit hometown are remembering a smart, polite kid -- and they're joining his family in hoping for his safe return. Johnson was kidnapped over the weekend by militants in Saudi Arabia. They've threatened to kill him in a few days unless Saudi al-Qaida prisoners are freed. He grew up in a small New Jersey town, where people still recall a clean-cut young man with varied interests -- including running track, playing chess and driving fast cars. One neighbor describes Johnson -- who went by the nickname "Eagle" -- as "one of the greatest kids" she knew. Johnson's family says his mother still has not been told about his capture, due to her fragile health. kvia.com

To: Neeka who wrote (50742)	6/18/2004 2:03:23 PM
From: Lane3	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 793928

It was just announced that Paul Johnson was beheaded this morning. Sick bastards! I hope the coverage of this includes some discussion of why it is that there are any Westerners still there.

To: Neeka who wrote (50742)	6/18/2004 3:47:07 PM
From: KLP	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 793928

Note what the NYT said about Germany in 1946.... Part of a transcript of GWB's remarks last night in Spokane, and today at Ft. Lewis, WA... prnewswire.com >>>>>>>>Let me read you something I think you'll find interesting from The New York Times. (Laughter.) Now, wait, wait a minute, wait. This was in -- no - - in 1946. (Laughter.) It was a great year. (Laughter.) I was born that year. (Laughter.) Anyway, I just want you to read this -- I mean, I want you to hear this as I read it: "Germany" -- this is 18 months after the fall of Berlin -- 18 months after the fall of Berlin -- "Germany is a land in an acute stage of economic, political, and moral crisis. The basic elements of recovery and peace are lacking. European capitals are frightened by the prospect of a German collapse. In every military headquarters, one meets alarmed officials doing their best to deal with the consequences of the occupation policy that they admit has failed." Now, that was a pessimistic view of the future for Germany. Fortunately, my predecessors were not pessimistic people. Fortunately, they had great faith in the power of freedom to change societies. Fortunately, they understood that even though times were difficult, that if they were determined and strong and clear-sighted in the vision of a free society, ultimately, a free society would emerge.<<<<<<<<< >>>>>>>>One of the lessons of September the 11th is that when we see a threat, we must take it seriously. We can no longer assume oceans protect us. If we see a threat materializing overseas, we must take every threat seriously, before it's too late. That's one of the really important lessons of that -- of that day. I saw a threat in Iraq. I looked at the intelligence, and I saw a threat. The United States Congress, Republicans and Democrats, looked at the very same intelligence, and they saw a threat. The United Nations Security Council looked at the intelligence, and it saw a threat. And there's a reason why we saw threats. Saddam Hussein was a brutal dictator who tortured his own people, who opened mass graves for innocent Iraqis and filled them, who harbored terrorists, who provided safe haven for people like Zarqawi who still kills in Iraq today, who used weapons of mass destruction on his own people. Yes, we saw a threat, and I remembered the lessons of September the 11th, that we must take threats seriously. So I went to the United Nations, and I said, here's a threat. And unanimously, they said, you're right. Mr. Saddam Hussein, disarm, disclose and disarm, or face serious consequences. When America speaks, we better mean what we say. When we say, serious consequences, we mean serious consequences. Saddam Hussein, once again, defied the free world. I had a choice to make: to trust the judgment of a madman, or defend America. Given that choice, I will defend America every time. (Applause.) And our troops have performed brilliantly. (Applause.) <<<<<<<<<