Airman, I was pointing out that the Iraq-9/11 terrorism connection is an insinuation. Facts being lacking, and those things presented as fact having been shown to be immaterial or forged, few are presented anymore. But our interlocutor is repeating the same groundless insinuation as Bush and the RW commentariat, not only in the quote given, but elsewhere. He’s previously asserted in GD that he’s glad we’re getting the bastards so they don’t do it again, but has similarly refused to back that up. So there’s a little more history to the Usual Weasel than a single post would suggest. Your apology is accepted.
Dewey, there’s obviously no way to be sure what would or would not have happened; don’t assume everyone is dense enough to buy that argument. But the chances of 9/11 or something similar happening with an aware and alert administration, not one asleep at the switch, are obviously lower.
lokij, coupla points. First, the world’s knowledge that Bush cannot be trusted as much as the usual lying pol has certainly played a role in preventing him from getting even peacekeeping forces from anywhere else into Iraq to relieve the load. More broadly, it has helped end all the nonsense about going into Syria and Iran and North Korea next, hasn’t it? Even if the forces were available, he couldn’t get support for that with all his wolfcrying.
Second, to expand on that, not all lies are equivalent. There’s a spectrum, including everyday buttcovering lies with only personal consequences, and starting wars that kill thousands of people. Pols are expected, and not only by cynics like yourself, to fall somewhere on the line, but not too far. Bush is too far. His lies are on the villain level, not the pol level.
cedric45, there is no cite possible, obviously, so you won’t be asked for one, but still, you’d help yourself quite a bit by clarifying what could plausibly be worse than our present situation. Or you could just be another partisan yammerer.
Mr. Svinlesha: “For example, I condemn Clinton’s completely unprovoked attack on Niger, which was also a violation of the UN Charter. Elvis and I have even bumped heads over that issue.” Can I assume you meant Sudan? If so, we’ve never “bumped heads”; we’ve “had a frank exchange of views”. Otherwise, you’ve done a wonderful job here and I applaud you.
elucidator: “Damn! That is soooo Iowa! You are a really colorful, expressive bunch! We should really stop making fun of your cheerleaders for thier grazing habits.” Come now, you Minnesoot’ns already won Floyd of Rosedale this year - rubbing it in would be unneighborly.