GOP Finds Solid Ground On Iraq War

Politico: With Democrats Foundering, GOP Goes On Offensive Over Iraq

(The Politico)  This story was written by John Bresnahan and Martin Kady II.

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For the first time since losing control of Congress in 2006, Republicans are back on offense in the political struggle over the Iraq war, as Democratic plans to force a change in strategy by President Bush through peeling away his GOP support continue to yield few results.

Republicans are increasingly buoyed by perceived divisions among Democrats, seeming signs of progress on the ground in Iraq and the fact that the first brigade of U.S. troops started coming home Tuesday.

Democrats insist they are still united on ending the war. Public opinion polls also overwhelmingly favor Democrats who back a quick end to the conflict, and on Tuesday, Democratic leaders unveiled a report showing that the Iraq campaign will cost far more - as much as $3.5 trillion - if the United States stays engaged in Iraq for another decade.

But after a summer of bitter partisan battles over the war, Democrats are going into an Iraq funding battle this week with little hope of dividing Bush and Republicans on Capitol Hill, and they privately seem resigned that the White House will continue to have its way on funding the long-running conflict.

The House is set to debate an Iraq funding bill that liberals believe isn’t strong enough, Republicans refuse to embrace and the president plans to veto.

The Senate, meanwhile, is expected to take up the bill Thursday. But with Republicans insisting on a 60-vote, filibuster-proof threshold and Democrats saying they won’t send a bill to Bush without a troop withdrawal timetable, the measure is doomed.

There is a pervasive sense among Republicans, and even some Democrats, that the war debate has been reframed by signs of success and that both sides need to adapt to facts on the ground.

“I think momentum has been lost for the argument that the surge has failed,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), one of Bush’s strongest supporters in Congress. “The momentum is to allow the surge to continue. I don’t see anyone defecting from our side. If there’s any change in votes, it will be on their side.”

Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.), a moderate Democrat who supports a change in mission but not a mandatory troop withdrawal, said, “People understand that there has been a military success in Iraq. ... There’s an expectation that more of that will happen.”

Nelson wants to wait until Army Gen. David Petraeus, the U.S. commander in Iraq, returns to Capitol Hill in the spring to decide what to do about troop levels, and he’s not a supporter of any plan to provide “bridge funding.”

Democratic leaders remain confident - at least in public - of the party’s direction on Iraq policy. No Democrat who has previously supported a troop withdrawal timetable has switched sides and voted against such a policy, and Democrats continue to focus on the overall cost of the war, as well as the number of Americans killed, which is approaching 4,000.

So far, the Democrats’ message continues to be that the Bush “surge” has been somewhat successful in reducing violence, but political reconciliation within Iraq remains negligible, undermining the very reason why the president sent additional American forces to Iraq in the first place.

Democrats also refuse to give Bush any credit for the improved security situation in Iraq, and they argue that since the situation seems more stable there, U.S. troops should be brought home. Combined with the still-growing costs of the war, Democrats believe this message is still politically effective.

Democrats will continue to apply pressure on their GOP counterparts, gambling that forcing continued votes on proposals to force a U.S. withdrawal from Iraq will force moderate Republicans to question their continued support for Bush.

“You can’t really measure that unless you have something on the floor,” said Sen. Jack Reed D-R.I.), one of the leading Senate Democrats on Iraq.

However, it has been clear over the past week that there are divisions among Democrats over the $50 billion “bridge” fund. Last week, House leaders pulled their Iraq measure because Democrats needed more time to explain the measure to their caucus. In the Senate this week, Democrats will vote on a “goal” of troop withdrawal, but if it does not gain 60 votes, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) says the president won’t get his money.

That makes some Democrats uncomfortable, since they want to fund the troops even while Congress disagrees over how to end the war.

[valjean7]

Put a cop on every corner and crime will go down. The success or failure of "the surge" will not be known until the number of cops and covered corners dwindle. Only then will it be known if it has been a surge in security or "biding time". By then Bush will be out of office and no matter what happens he can claim either success or that we should have continued to follow his policies. Graham and the others should not be allowed to ignore that reality.

[mudrose-2009]

YAWN!

[cturner3rd]

Just how stupid can the Democrats be? They gained control of both houses because the voters in the US and sick of this cruel, senseless war. Beating pro-war GOP candidates should be easy. But, no, the Dems keep playing patsy and ignoring their advantage and letting the big bad GOPers push them around. The Dems are going to find themselves in the minority again after the next election if they don''t get off their fat butts and END THE STUPID WAR.

[name_verify]

Pelosi congress approval rating is the lowest in history.

[jerr11]

Either way, the democrats will lose in 08.

The GOP strategy:

If you can''t win ''em, steak them!

Expect to see plenty of poll rigging in ''08.

The GOP''s are expert at these, as evidenced in Florida 2000 and Ohio 04.

[jerr11]

The GOP strategy:

If you can''t win ''em, STEAL THEM!

[rowdytexan2]

Don''t sent him a *** dime unless it has a date for withdrawal and stand your ground!

They''re lying...Iraq is not one whit closer to being stable, and they''re eyeing Iran. And they''re bringing a few troops home to soothe the fevered brows for the election year.

If anything, Bush is just not paying Al Queda to strike and telling them to hold off. He has no intention of ending this war, and if you give him more money you''re just plaint stupid.

[goodprophet]

WERE HAVING A TEA PARTY! YOU''RE INVITED
As we all know, freedom isn''t free in this country. Therefore, in the wake of our successful fundraising event of November 5th, in which we all came together to raise $4.2 million dollars for Ron Paul''s campaign, we''ve set yet another date for an even bigger fundraiser. This one will take place during on December 16th: a very important date for people who love freedom and hate tyranny to ring the Liberty Bell, and let our sold-out, globalist, political ****** and their mainstream media enablers know that good Americans are mad as hell, and that we''re not going to take it anymore. December 16th is the 224th aniversary of The Boston Tea Party: an act of protest by the American colonists against the tyranny of Great Britain where the Sons of Liberty boarded British ships and dumped crates of tea overboard into Boston Harbor. It was a key event which helped to spark the American Revolution, and we hope this event will, likewise, add additional spark to our own 21st Century political revolution to restore peace, prosperity and freedom to our Republic by helping elect a President whose record of adherance to The Constitution is unmatched by anyone in American politics. Please join us this December 16th for the largest one-day political donation event in history. Our goal is to bring together 100,000 people to donate $100 each, creating a one day donation total of $10,000,000. The time to act is now. The time for Ron Paul is NOW! TeaParty07.com

[goodprophet]

WHO''S RON PAUL?
Ron Paul''s campaign has become a clearinghouse for voters like me who feel unrepresented by the Fascisct (globalist Republicans) and their Socialist comrades in crime (globalist Democrats). They''re actually one and the same. It''s all a phony, poorly staged left-right paradigm. Most people, though, are too distracted, dumbed-down, or outright brainwashed by mainstream media, which endlessly regurgitates scientifically-crafted streams of information aimed at keeping their eyes closed to the realities of the world around them, that they fail to recognize this. Those currently in power, and those being groomed to take [major] political power, are preselected by a "global elite," and whomever is eventually elected, will ultimately, serve their agenda, and not ours. People on the right and those on the left have many differences. Maybe irreconcilable ones. But they have a lot of common beliefs too, and our numbers and anger are of a considerable magnitude. No matter what happens in 2008, I personally believe Ron Paul will influence the national conversation about how much power our government should have over our lives; how much liberty we should give up for security; and whether we should continue moving along our current path towards a one world government. These are issues that, frankly, no one else is talking about as seriously and sincerely as Ron Paul. What''s for sure is that his growing army of supporters like me will be a force to be reckoned with in 2008.

[goodprophet]

CBS NEWS CONDUCTING RIGGED POLLS
Most people can see right through the prejudice CBS News obviously has towards Ron Paul. In the few times they''ve covered him at all, I''m suprised they didn''t have one of their graphics artists Photoshop some devil horns on top of his head in that worst ever photograph they always use of him. CBS obviously thinks that if they pretend Paul isn''t a top-tier GOP candidate, then their readers and viewers will eventually think so too. Whenever they are forced to do a story on Paul, because some other mainstream source is covering him for some reason, the fact that their editors work overtime to slant their stories in such a way as to either marginalize his accomplishment, or present Paul in the most negative light possible, is obvious to anyone with a modicum of intelligence. "What about their polls?," you ask? As far as the CBS News poll is concerned, they don''t even include Paul on the list of GOP candidates which pollees can choose from, and then afterwards, report to you that Paul doesn''t even rank in their final tally. Ron Paul is getting major grass roots support nationwide. He has over 62,380 meetup group members in 1,175 Groups from 1,004 cities nationwide, with another 7,197 people more folks just waiting to hear when a new meetup group will start-up near them. He''s won ALL of the viewer phone-in polls in ALL of the GOP debates he''s been in, and has raised more money ($4.2 million) in one day than any other GOP candidate ever. Go Ron Go!

[goodprophet]

POLLSTERS ARTIFICIALLY SKEWING RESULTS
Ron Paul breaks fundraising records, wins phone-in and Internet polls, yet why are his national poll numbers so low? A Zogby pollee recently revealed what happened to him when he took part in their national, 2008 presidential election poll. Upon confirming Ron Paul as his choice for President, the poll then branched out into a myriad of bizarre and intrusive questions which would discourage most people from completing the process, and thereby making their vote for Ron Paul null and void. "The first part of the poll was about which candidate one prefers, with candidates from both parties being available as choices. Great! However, after I finished answering positively for Ron Paul, the poll got very interesting," he writes. "As anyone who is familiar with how polls work is aware, polls are branching in their structure. Answers you give to one section of the poll will determine what questions you will receive in the next section of the poll." The pollee then relates his confusion about the fact that the poll threw up 20 questions about cooking rice before another extensive set of questions regarding personal sexual behavior. "This went on for a number of pages and was rather intrusive," he said. "It dealt with sexual positions, sexual fantasies, sexual preferences and similar intimate subjects. Of course neither rice cooking or sexual behavior have anything to do with presidential elections or politics in general. Or at least it shouldn''t!"

[misha128-2009]

The surge has failed -- look at the evidence of this administration trying to US Dollars to BUY temporary compliance from local Iraqi tribes to foster the illusion of success. Once the dollars dry up watch the violence flare up again -- just like the Republicans predicted if we withdraw. Congress should require the State Department and Military to divulge how much has been paid to Iraqis for protection / compliance and/or peaceful behavior as part of the surge effort. So much for the policy that the US does not negotiate with terrorists. Clearly we pay them according to the news reports in many ways in Iraq. For one the Iraqi oil would probably never make it to the ports according to some news reports without payments to Iraqi elements in Southern Iraq.

[goodprophet]

RON PAUL IS THE NEW WAY
What we need is a President who will show us the way. Not the old way. Not the same way, but a NEW way. Think about this for a minute. What if we pulled all of our troops out of South Korea? They''ve been there for 50+ years. What if we quit worrying about Iran, but instead, realized that its having a nuclear weapon will not mean the end of the world? What if we pulled all of our troops out of the Middle-East, and brought them all home? What if we realistically addressed the National Debt, and paid attention to REALLY DOING SOMETHING about stopping illegal immigration? These are the ideas of Presidential candidate, Ron Paul. He''s a ten term Congressman and a physician who has delivered over 4,000 babies. He''s an intellectual who''s published four books, three of which are devoted entirely to sound economics and one to foreign policy. He was raised on a dairy farm in Pennsylvania as a pious Lutheran, but now he attends a Baptist church. Paul is given to mulling things over morally. Whenever he recollects the helicopter pilots he treated as an Air Force Flight Surgeon (Captain) during the Vietnam War, a war which he now says was "totally unnecessary and illegal," he laments, "They were gung-ho. I''ve often thought about how many of those people never came back." Candidates with the high level of personal integrity and proven track record of adherence to The Constitution, Congressman Paul has always demonstrated only come around once in a lifetime, if we''re lucky.

[Chris_the_Conservative]

For those frustrated with the sectarian violence, and the delay in its reduction, perhaps a unique point of view is worth exploring.

In our Civil War, between 600,000 and 700,000 people lost their lives in the 6 years it lasted. In Iraq, all casualties, including those caused in US air raids and bombings by outside terrorists, total only a small fraction of that number, according to iraqbodycount.com. I would be interested to know a body count for the Civil Rights Movement of the 60''s. I suppose my point is, the discord in Iraq these days seems to be more of a politically salvageable nature. Despite the lynchings and riots of the 60''s, We''re not doing so bad anymore. Though we haven''t managed to reach statistical equality between black and white in our country, we''ve at least removed the vast majority of roadblocks preventing African Americans from acheiving the American Dream.

[Chris_the_Conservative]

I suppose my point is, I see the instability in Iraq right now more along the lines of Civil Rights tension (though the additional factor of outside insurgents egging them on has been extremely problematic) than I see it as a real civil war. I can only speculate, of course, but I feel like now that the Iraqis have started turning on the terrorists, they will begin seeing that they truly can have civil rights for all Iraqis when they work together, and will be able to form a peaceful democracy.

For my friends who are against our continuation in this war, based on my observations, I would encourage patience and faithfulness to our mission of democracy for the Iraqis. We were able to solve our civil rights issues ourselves, and so will they, as soon as we can work together to eliminate those outsiders that only want to destabilize the country and drive us out. The outsiders want us to leave so that they can intimidate the Iraqis into giving up their hopes for democracy. I think that all of us, as freedom-loving Americans, should prevent that from happening anywhere we''re able to.

[Chris_the_Conservative]

cturner3rd-

perhaps the democrats are balking on an immediate pullout from Iraq because they know that not only is freedom near for the Iraqis, but leaving now would decimate the country, and allow outside radicals to shape Iraq into a country even worse than that of Saddam Hussein''s hell hole, instead of a pluralistic democracy. Maybe they''re doing all they can to help a cause they know is right, while simultaneuosly making every attempt to side with their lunatic base in saying it''s wrong.

If they''d just tell their constituants, "Hey, we really need to help the Iraqis, and make sure we finish what we started so that they won''t turn into another America-hating cespool and send more suicide bombers after us", instead of telling the conspiracy theorists and the "no cause is worth fighting for - Let''s be like Europe" crowd what they want to hear.

Personally, I salute the Democrats (most of them) for doing what''s right, rather than simply what''s popular. It proves to me that, at least for most of them, getting things accomplished is more important than votes from their lunatic fringe. Are much of a conservative republican as I usually am, If you don''t vote for the dems, then hell - I might!

[Chris_the_Conservative]

I speel perdy gud buy the weigh. You coodn''t evun tell Im furm TX. .

[speakinup]

"As I recall there was quite a bit of Reagan bashing in 1980. The Democrats could not wait to run against Reagan. Republicans, be careful what you wish for.
Posted by koko98

koko - I knew Reagan, and believe me, Hillary ain''t no Reagan.

[toolmangler-2009]

Ron Paul voted against the Do-Not-Call Registry
Ron Paul voted against extending Unemployment Compensation Act
Ron Paul voted against the Supplemental Appropriations Act for Further Recovery From and Response to Terrorist Attacks
Ron Paul voted against stricter penalties for sexual predators
Ron Paul voted aginst the Keeping Children and Families Safe Act
Ron Paul voted against the Child Custody Protection Act
Ron Paul voted against the Internet Freedom and Broadband Deployment Act
Ron Paul refused to recognize A Resolution Honoring the Contributions of Catholic Schools
Ron Paul regularly votes against funding the military (year after year)
Ron Paul voted against the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Response Act
Ron Paul voted against Expressing Solidarity With Israel in the Fight Against Terrorism
Ron Paul voted against the Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act
Ron Paul was the only vote against the Federal Long-Term Care Insurance Amendments Act
Ron Paul was the only vote against the Financial Anti-Terrorism Act
Ron Paul voted against deterring and punishing terrorist acts in the United States and around the world
Ron Paul voted against Urging the Secretary of Energy to Fill the Strategic Petroleum Reserve
Ron Paul was the only vote against the Military Construction Appropriations
Ron Paul was the only vote against the resolution To Promote Freedom and Democracy in Viet Nam

[jonesforch]

I speel perdy gud buy the weigh. You coodn''''t evun tell Im furm TX. .




Posted by TXChris1

[jonesforch]

Posted by jonesforch

Truely smiling!!!

[mcvet]

koko - I knew Reagan, and believe me, Hillary ain''''t no Reagan.


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Posted by speakinup at 08:24 PM : Nov 14, 2007
+ report abuse

Thank God! I don''t think this nation can take another bout with "trickle down" economic''s. We need a real leader and one that can repair our damaged status in this world. When the Citizens of ALL your Allies HATE your leader and compare him to Hitler, you have a major problem, one that a brain damaged leader can NOT help. Sieg Heil Bush!!

[mcvet]

I suppose my point is, the discord in Iraq these days seems to be more of a politically salvageable nature. Despite the lynchings and riots of the 60''''s, We''''re not doing so bad anymore. Though we haven''''t managed to reach statistical equality between black and white in our country, we''''ve at least removed the vast majority of roadblocks preventing African Americans from acheiving the American Dream.


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Posted by TXChris1 at 07:44 PM : Nov 14, 2007
+ report abuse

What right did we have to go into that nation and start telling these people how to govern themselves. To say that the South has improved too??? They have improved ONLY because the rest of the PEOPLE of this nation has made it clear to them that they WILL be locked up if they do not. The same thing has to take place in Iraq. There is NO political reconcilation in that nation and they are only bating Bush and Company. They have had this pathetic losers number from day one AND they studied you Fascist in that part of the Country very well. They KNOW all about your Arrogance... they know how you all feel superior to others. As soon as this clown starts pounding his chest again, all He11 will break loose. Sieg Heil Bush!!

[skyk-2009]

For my friends who are against our continuation in this war, based on my observations, I would encourage patience and faithfulness to our mission of democracy for the Iraqis. We were able to solve our civil rights issues ourselves, and so will they, as soon as we can work together to eliminate those outsiders that only want to destabilize the country and drive us out. The outsiders want us to leave so that they can intimidate the Iraqis into giving up their hopes for democracy. I think that all of us, as freedom-loving Americans, should prevent that from happening anywhere we''''re able to.


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Posted by TXChris1 at 07:45 PM : Nov 14, 2007
+ report abuse

So it''s okay to LIE to the American People and get them into a War that had NOTHING to do with any attack on this nation AND one that has been used by the REAL enemy to completely rebuild his Organization to pre attack strenght. You poor fools!! Iraq is what it is.. a war based on PURE lies and IF the American People do NOT elect Democrats to Congress we''re STILL being fed the same tired old lies. Nothing anyone can ever say will EVER make this war right nor will it cause anyone to say that our Dictator was right.

[mistered9]

South Carolina is the only State Senator Linsey could come from except Texas.

[trillion1]

Who is this "war" benefiting? The Iraqi''s. Hardly. They have no real concept or history of our type of democracy, what infrastructure they had is shot and goverment inspectors have said what "rebuilding" has been done is shoddy at best,with millions displaced and tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands dead the word ''freedom'' doesn''t carry much weight. The troops? I don''t think so. Americans? Intellegence agencies across the globe have said terroists groups are growing. Our borders are still wide open and weapons can still be smuggled onto planes.
Oil and military contractors? Now here it seems the benefits are golden.

[iceman_1960]

"Pelosi congress approval rating is the lowest in history."
- Posted by screen_ident at 06:46 PM : Nov 14, 2007

In case you didn"t know, the "Pelosi Congress" is not 100% Democratic.

The Republicans in Congress are twice as unpopular as the Democrats.

[iceman_1960]

"61% of American Voters Want Troops Home From Iraq Within a Year

[That"s a greater percentage than the 59% who wanted Reagan over Mondale in 1984]

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

A Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 61% of Americans would like to see U.S. troops brought home from Iraq within a year. For the second week in a row, that figure is up two points from the week before. Over the last eleven weeks, the number wanting troops home within a year has ranged from a low of 57% to a high of 64%.

Twenty-six percent (26%) now want the troops brought home immediately. That"s unchanged from a week ago.

Looking at the other end of the spectrum, 33% now want troops to remain in Iraq until the mission is complete. That"s down two points from a week ago.

[vrs. 41% who voted for Mondale in 1984]"

Source:

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/current_events/the_war_in_iraq/iraq_troop_withdrawal

[mudrose-2009]

Pelosi congress approval rating is the lowest in history."
- Posted by screen_ident at 06:46 PM : Nov 14, 2007

In case you didn"t know, the "Pelosi Congress" is not 100% Democratic.

The Republicans in Congress are twice as unpopular as the Democrats.
Posted by Iceman_1960

But the Dimnowits are the majority and they have the lowest rating in the history of the Congress. Don''t foresee them getting the better hand next year either. I''m predicting 0% no confidence from the 110th Dimnowit Ruled Congress

[mudrose-2009]

Sigh. The Dimnowits will push, push, push, push, push for Defeat, defeat, defeat, defeat. The road to peace for the Dimnowits is defeat at all costs. We must be defeated. It is necessary for us to lose the war. Our integrity and perception around the world depends on it. Push, push, push, for defeat, defeat, defeat.

[mudrose-2009]

Simple plan, worked in Viet Nam, will work in Iraq too. Just watch.

Posted by leftyintexas

Sigh, once the Congress cut off funding, the Vietnam war was lost. See, we were already outta there and the South was holding its own. Then BAM! Congress cut off the funding and we all know the rest. With George Soros backing Reid, we should lose Iraq too in a heartbeat. Good job George, keep Harry drugged and happy. Keep pouring that money in his pocket.

[micma-2009]

The sole purpose of the surge was to give the Iraqi government the security it needed to broker peace amoung it''s waring factions. To this day, there is NO progress on this front and there doesn''t apear to be any on the horizon. So we, as a nation, can continue to play referee in a civil war and be drained of blood and treasure or we can let these people resolve their differences on their own.

[jack3213]

The problem with this country is that Americans are people who want and need immediate results. We live in a socitey of high technology nad fast interactions. We do not understand fully or can perceive what it is like to live in Iraq where life functions in on many levels far differant than our own. Americans are selfish and self consuming and if itsn''t about "them" or on their "timetable" they want none of it. Because of this attitude those who oppose the war or any for that matter will never be able to see that it sin''t about them. This war has no draft,those who went to irag did voluntarily and the Military is our only defense against terrorism. It is much more serious than opponents realize, and God forbid they have to find out how much again someday. We are in Iraq because of a much larger plan that has to continue well into the next Presidency. if the next President pulls out of Iraq before it is time we are all doomed.

[mudrose-2009]

Posted by jack3213

These morons don''t gave a d/amn. They want what they want when they want it. Instant gradification. Political correctness and multiculturalism rule the day. Dumber than dumb.

[iceman_1960]

"Sigh, once the Congress cut off funding, the Vietnam war was lost."
- Posted by mudrose at 09:41 AM : Nov 15, 2007

You have a lousy grasp of history.

The war had already been going on since JFK at least, and LBJ put half a million men over there. Nixon continued the slaughter with massive, unprecedented bombing.

It was lost long before Congress did a d*amned thing.

Millions had to die over there because of simplistic Romper Room thinking like yours.

It"s time the American voters shoved your way of thinking out of the picture.

[iceman_1960]

"These morons don"t gave a d/amn. They want what they want when they want it. Instant gradification. Political correctness and multiculturalism rule the day. Dumber than dumb."
- Posted by mudrose at 12:07 PM : Nov 15, 2007

You"re the moron, pal. You want years and years of gratification. You"ve had this dumba*ss war going on for almost 4 years and you want another 30 years of war if you can get it.

I bet you get some kind of *** thrill out of watching this war from your little couch, beer in hand.

Your day is over.

[mudrose-2009]

Dumber than dumb.. People who support bush''''s wars of "liberation". They support a loser with a track record of losing. An alcoholic who failed in every business venture he was involved in and shirked his military obligations. Yet he prances around arrogantly breaking laws right and left all in the name of national security. Yeah ...dumber than dumb.
Posted by leftyintexas

Dumber than dumb. Pot calling the kettle black. Hahahaha!

[ixoye_02]

The GOP are grabbing at straws. Nothing fundamental has happened in Iraq with regards to political reconciliation and government stability. There is better security around Baghdad according to the claims, but why hasn''t the Iraqi gov''t made signifcant progress in this time of increased security? This surge is just another excuse to keep our troops in harms way and work toward a longer US presence in Iraq as Bush had envisioned.

[mudrose-2009]

mudpie, I think we all know by now who the dumb one is. Don''''t you think?
Posted by leftyintexas

[mudrose-2009]

This surge is just another excuse to keep our troops in harms way and work toward a longer US presence in Iraq as Bush had envisioned.
Posted by ixoye_02

Yeah, let''s sing Kumbia and bring the troops home. Nothing fundamental has happened with the Do-Nothing Congress either. Still b/itching and twitching and no halls to cut off the funding. Just more propoganda to keep twits like you quiet.

[iceman_1960]

A war dragging into its 4rth year with only the most equivocal signs of success ("We have fewer casualties this month than last...") and the Cons are talking about "instant gratification."

Iraq is about the size of Sicily. If the fighting there in WW2 had dragged on for four years, heaven help the division commanders who told Patton, "Oh you just want instant gratification !! Our casualties are down this month. Isn"t that good enough for you ?!"

[iceman_1960]

(Iraq is about 5 times as big as Sicily...)

[iceman_1960]

(...population wise...)

(But Sicily had the German Army defending it...)

[iceman_1960]

Instant Gratification would have been the First Gulf War. Not this one.

After almost 4 years Congress and the American People have every right to be impatient.

Calling that a desire for "instant gratification" at this point is ridiculous and lame.

If someone had fixes you up on a blind date, and she turns out to be Joan Rivers, let him answer your complaints with "Oh, you only want to go out with Miss America."

[mudrose-2009]

Calling that a desire for "instant gratification" at this point is ridiculous and lame.

If someone had fixes you up on a blind date, and she turns out to be Joan Rivers, let him answer your complaints with "Oh, you only want to go out with Miss America."
Posted by Iceman_1960

Of course it is. After all, living under a Dictatorship all that time is easy for the Iraqis to switch gears and stretch their democratic legs.

[megaprophet]

HEAR THE WISDOM OF OUR FATHERS

"Those who expect to reap the blessing of freedom must...undergo the fatigue of supporting it."
- Thomas Paine

"if we suffer tamely a lawless attack upon our liberty, we encourage it, and involve others in our doom."
- Samual Adams

"The means of defense against foreign danger historically have become the instruments of tyranny at home."
- James Madison

"Those that give give up essential liberties for temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety."
- Benjamin Franklin

"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
- Abraham Lincoln

"We have nothing to fear but fear itself, and those who would exploit our fear for power and their own personal, selfish, cynical gain."
- Franklin D. Roosevelt

"When the people fear their government, you have tyranny. When the government fears the people, you have liberty."
- Thomas Jefferson

"Commerce with all nations. Alliances with none."
- Thomas Jefferson

"Peace is not the absence of conflict. It is the ability to handle conflict through peaceful means."
- Ronald Reagan

"Wars are poor chisels for carving-out peaceful tomorrows."
- Martin Luther King Jr.

"Ron Paul doesn''t represent your Father''s school of political thought. He represents your Founding Fathers."
- Me

[megaprophet]

HOPE FOR AMERICA: PRESIDENT RON PAUL

-- No more meddling in other country''s political affairs
-- No more aggressive military actions overseas
-- No more torture prisons
-- No more pseudo-wars like the "War on Drugs"
-- No more IRS and unconstitutional income taxes
-- No more Federal Reserve (the group of private banks which owns our government)
-- No more erosion of Social Security to pay for militarization
-- No more U.N. (one world government) participation
-- No more NAFTA, CAFTA, WTO or GATT
-- No more North American Union
-- No more federal gun control laws
-- No more illegal aliens pouring-in over our country''s borders
-- No more illegal aliens allowed to roam freely in our streets
-- No more national ID cards (Real ID Act)
-- No more government invasion of your privacy
-- No more federal Laws which are not authorized by The Constitution
-- No more federal erosion of State sovereignty
-- No more unlimited federal government

They don''t call him "Dr. No" for no reason. The Doctor is in! Join us in this 21st Century political revolution at ronpaul2008.com

"Liberty, when it takes root, is a plant of rapid growth."
- George Washington

"if we suffer tamely a lawless attack upon our liberty, we encourage it, and involve others in our doom."
- Samual Adams

"Ron Paul doesn''t represent your Father''s school of political thought. He represents your Founding Fathers."
- Me

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WERE HAVING A TEA PARTY! YOU''RE INVITED
As we all know, freedom isn''t free in this country. Therefore, in the wake of our successful fundraising event of November 5th, in which we all came together to raise $4.2 million dollars for Ron Paul''s campaign, we''ve set yet another date for an even bigger fundraiser. This one will take place during on December 16th: a very important date for people who love freedom and hate tyranny to ring the Liberty Bell, and let our sold-out, globalist, political ****** and their mainstream media enablers know that good Americans are mad as hell, and that we''re not going to take it anymore. December 16th is the 224th aniversary of The Boston Tea Party: an act of protest by the American colonists against the tyranny of Great Britain where the Sons of Liberty boarded British ships and dumped crates of tea overboard into Boston Harbor. It was a key event which helped to spark the American Revolution, and we hope this event will, likewise, add additional spark to our own 21st Century political revolution to restore peace, prosperity and freedom to our Republic by helping elect a President whose record of adherance to The Constitution is unmatched by anyone in American politics. Please join us this December 16th for the largest one-day political donation event in history. Our goal is to bring together 100,000 people to donate $100 each, creating a one day donation total of $10,000,000. The time to act is now. The time for Ron Paul is NOW! TeaParty07.com

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POLLSTERS ARTIFICIALLY SKEWING RESULTS
Ron Paul breaks fundraising records, wins phone-in and Internet polls, yet why are his national poll numbers so low? A Zogby pollee recently revealed what happened to him when he took part in their national, 2008 presidential election poll. Upon confirming Ron Paul as his choice for President, the poll then branched out into a myriad of bizarre and intrusive questions which would discourage most people from completing the process, and thereby making their vote for Ron Paul null and void. "The first part of the poll was about which candidate one prefers, with candidates from both parties being available as choices. Great! However, after I finished answering positively for Ron Paul, the poll got very interesting," he writes. "As anyone who is familiar with how polls work is aware, polls are branching in their structure. Answers you give to one section of the poll will determine what questions you will receive in the next section of the poll." The pollee then relates his confusion about the fact that the poll threw up 20 questions about cooking rice before another extensive set of questions regarding personal sexual behavior. "This went on for a number of pages and was rather intrusive," he said. "It dealt with sexual positions, sexual fantasies, sexual preferences and similar intimate subjects. Of course neither rice cooking or sexual behavior have anything to do with presidential elections or politics in general. Or at least it shouldn''t!"

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CBS NEWS CONDUCTING RIGGED POLLS
Most people can see right through the prejudice CBS News obviously has towards Ron Paul. In the few times they''ve covered him at all, I''m suprised they didn''t have one of their graphics artists Photoshop some devil horns on top of his head in that worst ever photograph they always use of him. CBS obviously thinks that if they pretend Paul isn''t a top-tier GOP candidate, then their readers and viewers will eventually think so too. Whenever they are forced to do a story on Paul, because some other mainstream source is covering him for some reason, the fact that their editors work overtime to slant their stories in such a way as to either marginalize his accomplishment, or present Paul in the most negative light possible, is obvious to anyone with a modicum of intelligence. "What about their polls?," you ask? As far as the CBS News poll is concerned, they don''t even include Paul on the list of GOP candidates which pollees can choose from, and then afterwards, report to you that Paul doesn''t even rank in their final tally. Ron Paul is getting major grass roots support nationwide. He has over 62,380 meetup group members in 1,175 Groups from 1,004 cities nationwide, with another 7,197 people more folks just waiting to hear when a new meetup group will start-up near them. He''s won ALL of the viewer phone-in polls in ALL of the GOP debates he''s been in, and has raised more money ($4.2 million) in one day than any other GOP candidate ever. Go Ron Go!