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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: geode00 who wrote (167793)	7/30/2005 6:21:24 PM
From: stockman_scott	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

Hackett for Congress: hackettforcongress.com A Message from Paul... This is a crucial time for America. The issues we now face and how they’re resolved will have a lasting impact on us, and our children. I’m running for Congress because I know I can make a difference in Washington. I grew up right here in southern Ohio, steeped in our American values. Now I’m raising a family here. I understand what’s at stake for my neighbors and people all across America. I won’t sit on the sidelines and watch politics as usual take us in the wrong direction. I recently returned from Iraq as a Major in the US Marines Corps. I volunteered to go. I had been honorably discharged from the Corps in 1999 but I couldn’t just sit by and watch what was happening over there when I knew I could contribute. After I had been in Iraq for two months I volunteered again—this time to go to Fallujah. Religious fanatics and insurgents had seized the city. They had to be stopped. A civil government had to be restored. My wife and three kids didn’t want me to go to Iraq. But they understood my commitment to service and they knew that I had to do everything I could to support my brothers and sisters in arms. It was my responsibility to serve. Now the vacant seat from Ohio’s 2nd District presents a unique opportunity for me to continue to fulfill my obligation to this country, and to you. I'm ready to take your fight to Washington. I’m ready to take a stand on the issues that matter most to us, like keeping American jobs at home, protecting our Social Security benefits, making good healthcare accessible to everyone, and, of course, bringing the war in Iraq to a swift and secure resolution. We’ve won the primary, but the toughest battle lies ahead. Let’s not squander the exceptional opportunity we now have before us. Let’s stop arguing about who's red and who's blue. Let’s do all we can do for a stronger red, white, and blue. Support my candidacy for U.S. Congress. Join us in our fight for a brighter future for all Americans. Together we can put things right. All we need is the will to do it.

To: geode00 who wrote (167793)	7/30/2005 7:08:28 PM
From: stockman_scott	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

Would anyone expect "Bibi" Netanyahu to learn about the London bombings in advance...? bellaciao.org >>Terrorism expert Tommy Preston of Preston Global in Frankfort, Kentucky, said sources in the intelligence community reported that at least one person in London, England was warned of Thursday morning’s terrorist attacks moments before the initial blast. Preston, citing sources in the intelligence community, said former Israeli Prime Minister and current Finance Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, was in London this morning for an economic forum. "Just before the first blast, Netanyahu got a call from the Israeli Embassy telling him to stay in his hotel room.<<

To: geode00 who wrote (167793)	7/30/2005 7:37:45 PM
From: stockman_scott	Respond to of 281500

The Manchurian Candidate by Joel Peskoff _________________________________________ [A BUZZFLASH READER CONTRIBUTION] Recently, I watched the 2004 remake of the Manchurian Candidate with my 12 year old son. After that, we dusted off and viewed the 1962 version for comparison. The 1962 film centers on foreign communist plotters who try to install a double-agent brainwashed puppet in the Oval Office. In the 2004 remake, a Halliburton-like multi-national corporation is behind the plot. I began pondering the policy initiatives of a double-agent president. Clearly, his objectives would be: - long-term economic harm to the United States - disrupt American military power - loss of American prestige in the world - increase world hatred and distrust of the United States I think diary passages of a Manchurian candidate president would read something like this: Plan and attack the U.S. budget and revenues. I'll need to cut the revenues of the U.S to weaken the U.S. income stream. In 2000, the federal budget ran a budget surplus. Massive tax cuts are the best method to reverse this trend. I am sure that I can convince the Republicans, who are in the pockets of corporations and rich individuals, to go along with it. To get tax-cuts, I'll craft a plan that uses a decoy "job growth." This will lure a jobs-conscious public into accepting tax-cuts. Of course, I really don't want to foster job growth, so I won't let the tax-cuts get steered to the lower and middle income citizens -- they'll spend them and stimulate the economy. Therefore, it's instrumental that they go inefficiently to the wealthy so as to minimize any stimulus. I'll also deploy a smoke screen that says that the vast majority of the cuts go to middle class Americas. To keep American forces busy so that they can't combat America's real enemy, al Qaeda, I need a maneuver to draw attention away. A war with Iraq would fit nicely. I'll ask for new weapons programs, too. That war would keep the military personnel occupied while draining roughly half the Pentagon's budget. (Note to self :) Hire a bunch of neocon wingnuts, that have wanted to attack Iraq for a decade, to fill key spots in DoD and other agencies. Appoint an NSA Director that doesn't know anything about terrorists -- 'maybe someone whose specialty is obsolete -- like cold war studies. Devalue the American dollar in relation to other currencies and widen the trade gap. Encourage outsourcing away from the U.S. and make American workers fearful. I'll degrade America's water, forests and air by passing laws with Orwellian names like "Healthy Forests," "Clear Skies" and "Clean Air Act" that chop trees and make the air and water dirtier. I'll divide the American people along religious, regional, racial and cultural line. At the same time, I'll instill a sense of fear that will cement my authority and I'll pass laws that will allow my administration to suppress dissent and I'll make sure that we have the means to fix elections -- further solidifying my power. The United States has a 1.5 million person fighting force capable of deploying anywhere on the globe. Terrorist organizations such as al Qaeda are the major threat to the U.S. If they got nukes, they could threaten America. [(Note to self :) reduce funding for programs to secure former Soviet nuclear material.] Since American credibility and prestige in the world relies upon America's perception as a country that respects international standards of behavior, I'll violate those standards of behavior. I'll sanction torture in violation of the Geneva Convention and I'll imprison suspects; hold them without trial; forbid access to families or attorneys; and refuse to charge them with a crime -- in direct violation of the U.S. Constitution. Should any of these actions become exposed, I'll court-martial privates while promoting high ranking officials -- damaging the principle of command responsibility and undermining military morale. * * * Four years later... Dear diary, since last writing I won re-election to a second term -- thanks to those Diebold voting machines. This is a dandy time to assess my mission's progress. I've conditioned Americans to expect dreadful economic news; the public cheered the revised Congressional Budget Office's 2005 budget projection of $325 billion. They don't realize that the good news is temporary. The drop in the deficit is due to one-time events. Let me list other accomplishments for myself: - So far, I've added trillions of dollars to the national debt. - America's standing in the world is at an all-time low. In most middle-eastern countries, Osama bin Laden is more popular than America. In others, America is viewed as more dangerous than Iran or North Korea. - Oil prices are double that of two years ago -- causing exports of American dollars to nations that hate America. - The dollar is significantly less valuable. - The Iraq war ploy was a stroke of genius. America is bogged down in a no-win quagmire. They can't stay and they can't leave. In the meantime, there's little surplus military to engage true foes. National Guardsmen aren't re-enlisting. The resources are being used in Iraq instead of defending their homeland against terrorism. - The American people are more divided than ever. - I've strengthened our ruling party and the opposition party is in disarray and act like sheep. * * * I don't accuse President Bush of being a foreign agent, but can anyone imagine how a real Manchurian Candidate could have weakened the United States any more effectively?