One of the great things about being a columnist is that just when I get ready to talk about what I want to talk about, real life intervenes.
The Pelosiraptor, aka Nancy Pelosi, has done it again. She has opened her bronze medal mouth and shoved her entire number of toes she possesses past her paleolithic esophagus.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/04/01/pelosi.olympics/index.html
Going to Syria as Prime Minister of the United States, forgetting that we do not have one, was bad enough. Now she wants to do her part to anger the entire world in the exact same manner that she accuses President Bush. She wants him to unilaterally insult China, knowing that when the inevitable blowback occurs, she can just blame him.
Even liberals should be embarrassed by this woman.
She may not like being compared to Newt Gingrich, but she is making the same mistake he made. We have only one President. She is not it. Politics should stop at the waters edge.
More importantly, politics should be confined to politics itself, and politics alone.
My cousin, who I will simply refer to as “the little genius,” had a crisis of conscience in 2004. His two heroes were President George W. Bush and Bruce Springsteen. He was wondering if he should give away his albums of the Boss. I told him not to mix music and politics. He should not seek political advice from Springsteen or music advice from the Dub. He still likes them both.
I personally do not mix politics and football. Former Denver Broncos Quarterback John Elway is a staunch republican who actively campaigns for republicans. I want to like him. I can’t. To me he will always be a Bronco. A dear friend of mine is a Bronco fan and a liberal. He is not thrilled about Elway’s politics, but he will always love Elway. Elway is a Bronco.
Nancy Pelosi, who worships at the altar of diplomacy based on surrender, is recommending that President Bush violate diplomatic rules of etiquette, and surrender the best quality he has…his graciousness.
Nancy Pelosi believes that the Chinese have a horrible record on human rights. Evidence would support this. She also feels that as a protest measure, President Bush should, as a show of solidarity with Chinese dissidents, boycott the opening ceremonies in Beijing.
Thankfully by 2010 Nancy Pelosi will, lord willing, be a trivia answer to “where are they now?” has beens. My objections to her suggestion is not because she is a liberal. It is because the idea is imbecilic.
For the sake of full disclosure, I could care less about the Olympics. I hate feeling unpatriotic, but they are so colossally boring. I still remember laughing when David Letterman called up NBC executives like Bob Costas and bullied them into ordering the Olympics Triplecast because somebody had to purchase it. Also, because my column must take time to offend random people that have never bothered me, I will say that I do not see how anybody can watch something as senseless as curling. Snowboarding is an excuse to do drugs. The only way the Olympics could be more boring would be if they added golf. If they already have, then they are worse than I thought.
Don’t get me wrong. I still want America to win the most medals. I want us to be the best in everything. We won the Cold War and brought down the Berlin Wall due to a combination of Ronald Reagan and the 1980 Men’s Olympic Ice Hockey team. It enrages me to this day that we lost to the Iranians in soccer. We should have brought Ayatollah Khomeini back from the dead just to kill him again.
So yes, we had better win the most medals, especially if that gets me free fruit pies at McDonalds if I have the right pieces. Just don’t make me watch the games.
One other disclosure I want to make is that I truly believe that human rights absolutely should not be the goal of foreign policy. The goal of foreign policy is pure selfishness. It is to advance, in the case of America, U.S. interests. If we end up helping others by default, than that is fine. Everything we do is to help us. Every other nation is the same, only we get criticized for rational self interest.
Nevertheless, even if human rights was not a colossal flaw in thinking, the Olympics are not the time and place.
While the Pelosiraptor made it clear that she only wants a boycott of the opening ceremonies, and not the Olympics themselves, she is still wrong.
The Olympics are about global unity. They are about every nation having their place on the world stage. The Olympics are where poorer nations like Kenya can strut their stuff, and prove that wealth and power can be defeated with desire when the playing field is level. At the Olympics, the playing field is level.
Yes, some of the nations are hopped up worse than a hippie at Woodstock, and yes, some nations, including ours, shame the spirit of the games by using professionals instead of amateurs, but for the most part, every nation has a shot.
Many nations also gets their time in the spotlight as hosts. To snub the host is wrong. The 1980 and 1984 Olympics had some tarnish due to the Cold War, when Russia and the USA engaged in brinksmanship in the form of boycotts. I wanted to defeat the Russians in the Cold War. I also wanted to see them at the Olympics, their best against ours. Phyrric victories are just that. Lake Placid meant something because we beat the very best.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who normally walks on water and turns it into wine, may boycott the opening ceremonies. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the greatest European leader today not named Sarkozy, may boycott the games themselves.
People have asked me if I ever think conservatives are wrong. It is rare, but yes, they are wrong.
We are not China. We seem to have selective outrage. Liberals are up in arms over China, yet seem to be painstakingly silent about Iraq, Iran and Syria.
You remember Syria? The Pelosiraptor put on a burkha to sip tea with the dumbest opthamologist on the planet, Bashar Assad.
Anyway, rather than beat the point into the ground, which is my usual modus operandi, I will simply restate the obvious.
Water is wet, the sun rises in the East, and Nancuy Pelosi is wrong, although in fairness, only when she speaks.
The Olympics may be boring, but many people consider them significant. They should not be tarnished just because one left wing crusader keeps thinking that the few thousand people that live in her cancerous district represent normal Earthlings, much less the entire mainstream of America.
There will be no Olympic Crackdown. There will be politeness. After all, we will be hosting again soon enough.
eric
And we wonder why the Chinese are shipping lead toys to us.
“So yes, we had better win the most medals, especially if that gets me free fruit pies at McDonalds if I have the right pieces. Just don’t make me watch the games.”
I loved that 1984 promo. Russia boycotted the L.A. hosted Olympics and kept their commie buddies home, too. Poor Micky D’s. Free food after almost every event since the Americans didn’t have to compete against the East Germans or Russians. Did China boycott those, too?
“some nations, including ours, shame the spirit of the games by using professionals instead of amateurs”
I still don’t get that. Why only amateurs? I thought the whole spirit was to find the best in the world and let them compete. No one has ever explained the importance of using amateurs to me. I want to experience the thrill of seeing humans showing what our ultimate skill and strength can do. It always seemed kind of watered down if you purposefully don’t use the best. I don’t see excluding someone because he isn’t a professional, but I also don’t see the point of barring someone who is.
I read through the Olympic charter or whatever it’s called one time, just for fun, and was surprised to see a whole section on the Games supposedly being non-regional. That is, you aren’t supposed to be nationalistic about the competitors, hoping one country beats another. It’s supposed to be about the paricipants and finding common ground and the best there is. The nationalism, though, is more fun than the way the charter was written. As long as people don’t get to crazy about it.
I’m one of those geeks who likes watching the Olympics. I don’t care what the event is: swimming, gymnastics, hurdles, whatever. Pretty much the only event I don’t care for is figure skating. Plus, I never agree with the scoring so I just avoid that one.
I agree that we shouldn’t boycott. The competitors can talk trash and politics as much as they want off the field, but like the useless UN the Olympics is a necessary excuse for countries to be in the same place at the same time. The effect is minimal, but keeping channels open is important. We shouldn’t be the ones to close it down.
“She wants him to unilaterally insult China… French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who normally walks on water and turns it into wine, may boycott the opening ceremonies. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the greatest European leader today not named Sarkozy, may boycott the games themselves.”
Funny, the Iraq war was a “Coalition” but the US, France and Germany acting in concert is somehow acting “unilaterally.” The conservative universe truly is a Bizarro World.
“You remember Syria? The Pelosiraptor put on a burkha to sip tea with the dumbest opthamologist on the planet, Bashar Assad.”
Republicans Aderholt, Wolf, Hobson didn’t have to. They’re all men. Funny how the Bush “administration” never complained about those three visiting Syria. Ha ha.
What a knee slapper. (ugh)
The irrational hatred of Nancy Pelosi always amuses me. Keep it up guys, you’ll be lucky to have a GOP majority again sometime in the 22nd century.
JMJ
Won’t leave too long a comment; just want to let it be known that “the little genius” is a daily reader. Sometimes agree completely, sometimes disagree quite a bit. Today is certainly the former. The Olympics, regardless of the world’s political events, are a beautiful world event in which everyone puts their problems behind them, if only for two or three weeks at a time, and comes together in peace to celebrate what could be the only thing that everyone in the wolrd has in common – a spirit of sporting competition. Like you said, this is the only time when even the weakest nation politically can show complete dominance over the mightiest of nations. We may not like the loss of medals to these other nations, but we respect it for the beautiful thing it is – the Olympics. Those who would attack the Olympics through terrorism or violence of any sort (or a boycott) are wrong. They do not represent the peaceful brotherhood that the games themselves. They are a cancer on the face of the earth. And i know these words will come back to bite me in the ass. So be it.
thought i was logged in, ends up i wasn’t. comment from “JBR” was me
You guys are lucky to have anything that works right now
Its not Pelosis job to go overseas and attempt any kind of foriegn policy.
No where in her job description is she required to perform any kind of foreign policy
Its not irrational hatred based on the fact that she runs the most ineffective and useless congress in our history.
What is irrational is the hatred directed at Bush when his approval ratings are better than those of this congress.
His accomplisments and succeses are far greater than hers. And always will be.
Pelosi going to china was about as smart as Hillary going there on behalf of womens rights. It was a usless photo op that just embaressed the country.
The Chinese heard what she had to say and said “yea, right, what time is your flight?”
As far as Aderholt, Wolf and hobson goes.
Its in their job description to do what they did.
Congressman Aderholt serves on the powerful House Appropriations Committee, as a member of the Homeland Security Subcommittee, the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Subcommittee and the Commerce Justice, Science and Related Agencies Subcommittee. Additionally, the Congressman is on the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (better known as the Helsinki Commission). The Helsinki Commission is made up of 56 countries around the world and monitors human rights in Europe and Central Asia.
Congressman Wolf sits on the powerful House Appropriations Committee, where he is the senior Republican on the State and Foreign Operations subcommittee.
Congressman David Hobson. He serves as a Senior Member of the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee and is a former Chairman of the House Appropriations Military Construction Subcommittee.
The Olympics hold little meaning for most of us…it’s an incredibly overrated event…after the opening ceremonies who cares…
irrational hatred of Nancy Pelosi? Perhaps some Conservative Republicans do harbor such out of whack sentiments…but, does it really compare to BDS?
Charles Krauthammer is not qualified to identify a symdrome, even his own, Brian. BDS is just another acronym for “person who realizes Bush is a dopey crook.”
Pelosi? Eh. It’s hard to imagine really hating her. I don’t think much about her one way or another.
Micky, CODELs are constitutional and have been commonplace throughout our history. They are a part of congressional oversight of federal foreign affairs and trade, and are relevent to district interests.
Nancy Pelosi is the Speaker of the House, Micky. Get over it.
JMJ
So what ?
What does any of that have to do with a human rights excursion ?
Or a foreign policy exercise ?
Its not her plave.
Show me anywhere in the house speakers duties description that requires her to do any of this !
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speaker_of_the_United_States_House_of_Representatives
Who cares how much a part of history its been.
As I posted above , we have reps. whom you mocked for some strange reason( maybe not so strange) who are qualified and designated to do these things.
Shes just an egotistic wanna be who thinks somewhere in her deluded mind that anyone would listen to her in the first place or that any influence she could ever have on China or Olympics attendance would amount to a hill of beans.
Hillary went over there as the first lady which actually is something not unheard of , and quite customary.
And they laughed everytime she turned her back. Patronized her and said “BYE!”
I’m sure Nancy is aware of that and that the Chinese dont give a rats ass what she thinks or says.
And so, with that in mind you have to gather that her intentions were no greater than Hillarys were.
A cheap stint photo op and grandstanidng excursion.
I grateful to Nancy Pelosi for that CODEL. God forbid the inept bunch we have in the White House have carte blanche foreign affairs.
JMJ
Pelosi (yes, she’s a jerk) is right. China doesn’ t deserve the honor of the Olympics in the first place, and Tibet shows them at their nastiest. Carter’s boycott was a
Inept ?
Then why is our present congress deemed the most inept ever?
Yea ! Right!
Thats just what we need jersey !
Some dumb girl scout going over there and asking the world and/or Americans to boycott the opening ceremonies.
And you’re grateful for that ?
Tell me. How will that change Chinas human rights policies ?
Instead of asking, bargaining , reasoning or trying to strike up a deal she goes there and threatens to finacially impact the one event with the most attendance.
And you thank this broad ?
Do you really think for 2 seconds that anyone who has saved and planned for this trip for years and dropped thousands of dollars to make it there is even going to give Pelosi the time of day ? Never mind consider a boycott?
Give me a break !
You really do think Americans are stupid, dont you ?
My God !
We better pray that Obama doesnt win. Because with the foreign policy experience that is showing between the two of them we can almost kiss it all goodbye if that happens.
The dumb leading the blind.
I’ll take the good representative from San Francisco over Bush anyday. She has the constitutional authority to perform CODELs, she should, its part of her job, we should expect that from such a prominent Member of the House. I don’t always agree with her. I probably only agree with her “half the time” so to speak. Whatever. She’s a mixed bag (no pun intended).
I think that CODEL was designed to introduce a few key players in the Middle East (they visted more than just Syria on that trip) to a few new key players – and possibly very key future players – from America. It probably could have been better performed, but that would be over my head. I just don’t really know. I’ll read the history of it one day when the FOI kicks in. I do know to ignore some of the conflicted critique of the CODEL that really misses all of the relevent points. It’s adolescent nonsense.
I’m still glad she went. It’s probably better that the Bush administration avoids state contact with troubled foreign relations. They’d probably be lousy at it if they tried. At least Pelosi didn’t start any wars or make any new enemies. The Bush team can’t seem to go five seconds without p!$$!ng someone off. It’s amazing, really. In fact, I have to give it to you – Bush is not a total failure, he’s rather brilliant at making things worse, and he does seem to do it with aforethought, so you could say that Bush is very successfully absolutely lousy.
JMJ
JMJ;
“The Bush team can’t seem to go five seconds without p!$$!ng someone off. ”
Yea right !
You still have not answerd even one of my questions.
Pissing people off ?
You are the one who complains the loudest about all the money we owe China.
And she goes over there like a freaking idiot and threatens to take more from them.
So dont talk to me about Bush pissing people off.
CODEL is an akronym for Congressional delegation.
In her described duties in which I provided you the link it is for her to “delegate ” that responsabilitiy to ” introduce a few key players”
Not take it !
Get it ?
And once again.
There is a ton of proof that you are wrong about Bush. I have repeatedly shown you true and reputable numbers that the majority of the country agrees with me in the fact that this is the worse congress ever.
And just about every poll shows their approval ratings have always been well below Bushs.
They suck, they’re a joke, and so is their leader.
Tell me jersey, what has she accomplished ?
Take it easy man. I can’t address a discernable argument here.
Yeah, so, as usual, the congress is unpopular. Usually that’s a good thing. It’s the senate that worries all. The Dems can’t quite take the senate. They’ll take more in both Houses, but not enough in the senate. Pelosi should be the least of your concerns, as a Goper. It’s the senate where things are happening.
For a president to be as unpopular as Bush is like a class president being a drug-addled prostitute. It’s unusual. The congress represents varied interests, the president represents us all. As as now, I’m glad the congress is at odds (any conservative, liberal, libertarian, socialist, etc should agree with that). I’m not glad when the president is at odds with the people. That’s bad.
Pelosi is a pol, Micky. What do you want me to say? I told you already: I’M NOT A BIG FAN OF NANCY PELOSI. Okay? Got it? I actually find her to be an ironically mainstream babyboomer democrat from a district that I should think would produce far more liberal and progressive representatives.
Just the same, Pelosi has been a power player with the Dems for a long time, working votes on bill after bill (just look up ANY issue). She didn’t just pop up out of the blue. Remember, your brilliant GOP was in play all these years in congress, so you can’t point to anything since 1994. 1994 man. That was a while ago. Is life better for most people now? No. Absolutely not.
Now please, would ya’ ask me something more substantial.
JMJ
Why should I ask you anything substantial when you cant answer any one of the questions I put out.
I’m a nice guy, I gave you multiple choice and you still failed.
But, lets try again in more descript terms.
Why are you grateful she went to China and what do you think the trip has or will accomplish?
Give me a break on the Bush BDS already, I’ve shot you down on it repeatedly.
If you want to persist I’ll be more than glad to throw up all the stuff that makes you wrong. AGAIN!
I know you must be high if you want to compare the GOP as of 94 to this congress or Pelosi on her own merits.
This congress hands down takes the crap award.
JMJ;
‘For a president to be as unpopular as Bush is like a class president being a drug-addled prostitute. It’s unusual.”
Pelosi is the one whoring out the Olympics in the name of something she is clueless on.
Next question. ( second time I asked)
With all the money we owe China do you think its a good idea for her to boycott the opening ceremonies ?
Jersey while I will agree with you that this would not be a unilateral boycott, you must admit Iraq was not a unilateral military action. Both are multilateral actions with different coalition members. If either of the democrats got elected president and truly followed the path they advocate pulling out of Iraq as well as NAFTA and other trade agreements. Does anybody really think world opinion of the US would approve. The objection to going into Iraq in Europe was largely due to the loss of under the table money many of those nations were receiving form Saddam and the “Oil for Food” program. The reaction would not be positive if we started pursuing the protectionist trade policy advocated by many on the left. The world’s opinion of us is based mostly on their self interests (as it should be). Our actions should be guided by our self interests not world opinion, as should our selection of a president.
I am off on a tangent. Truth is I find it hard to get too animated one way or the other about the Olympics. As a kid I loved them and watched them religiously, but the last Olympics I watched closely was the ’80 winter Olympics. Somehow the magic has worn off since then. Maybe it was the US boycott in 1980, I don’t know. Maybe at that point politics intruded too much in them. I just know they don’t hold the same magic they did in ’72, ’76 and the winter of ’80
If Bush’s foreign policy is such a failure and we are as widely hated as the Democrats would have us believe, why did France and Germany recently elect leaders who were pro US. Most of Eastern Europe is also profoundly pro US as well. The fact is World opinion of the US will ebb and flow with issues where they agree or disagree with us. When our interests coincide they will love us when they diverge they will hate us. Ultimately they depend on us too much for them ever to hate us for too long.
Micky, I don’t know. Pelosi will not decide what to do about China. Incurious George enjoys that priviledge. I don’t know what to do about China either, though I probably should. Pelosi has the backseak driver’s spot, so whatever. You shouldn’t get worked up about Pelosi. Like I said, she’s the least of your concerns if you’re an anti-New Deal Neo-Liberal (neocon).
Parrothead, okay. I’ll give you this. The Iraq war was not a “unilateral military action.” But it was certainly a unilateral initiative. Poland was not going to invade Iraq without us.
And get real – do you really believe that either the “Obama” or “Hillary” administrations would repeal NAFTA, suddenly pull out of Iraq, or pursue “the protectionist trade policy advocated by many on the left”??? Reallly???
Exactly which Democratic majority, with a presidency or without, ever did that???
“Our actions should be guided by our self interests not world opinion, as should our selection of a president.”
Yeah yeah. Whatever. If you don’t at least consider the world around you then you may as well live under a rock.
I grew up with the Olympics, myself. I have family that covered it in the seventies. I suppose they’re a good thing. It’s ashame it’s been politicized. I disagree with all the presidents and congresses who think otherwise.
JMJ
Of course i don’t think either Democrat administration would actually do what they are saying either on Iraq or NAFTA. That is my point. I am not convinced they wouldn’t have gone in had they been President given the information that the President and Congress had at the time. Bill Clinton used similar justification for the bombings of Iraq during his administration and less justification to attack Kosovo. The main objection most Democrats have to the war in Iraq is it was done by a President they still fail to accept was ever elected even thought there was NEVER and recount (including a couple privately funded by the media after the fact) that showed Al Gore won Florida. A subject for another discussion. He gave multiple reasons for the attack: WMD, lack of cooperation with inspectors, sponsorship of terrorism (in general not specifically Al Quaeda), firing on US aircraft, and human rights violations. Only one of which has not been proven to be accurate (presence of WMD). I get tired of the self-serving attacks which are more designed for partisan political purposes than anything else.
Of course you have to consider world opinion, but that can’t be your ONLY consideration or even the most important one. You can court their opinion when it aligns or is neutral to our interests, but when it is starkly opposed you cannot just go along for goodwill. The other countries act in the same manner.
What she is doing is wrong.
We boycotted Moscow, that didnt do us a hell of a lot of good now, did it?
Its not for Pelosi to decide “what to do about China” Its not her job.
Bush has already said he will be going to the olympics. So whats your point ?
I’m not worked up about some girls scout who thinks she matters. Its you who said you were glad she went.
I want to know why. But you wont answer my questions. So I can only assume you cant or wont.
I’d like to piggy back on your response to Parrothead.
JMJ;
“Parrothead, okay. I’ll give you this. The Iraq war was not a “unilateral military action.” But it was certainly a unilateral initiative. Poland was not going to invade Iraq without us.”
Poland, initiative ? It was a multilateral initiative. People scratching each others back, plain and simple. you like to throw your own twist in your response as if it has anything to do with the price of tea in China.
Parrothead did not say that he seriously thought the Dems would pull out of Iraq or NAFTA. He asked what you think the world opinion would be “if ” they did what they are preaching.
So your snide little answer was uncalled for.
JMJ;
“Yeah yeah. Whatever. If you don’t at least consider the world around you then you may as well live under a rock”
Are you saying we should let the world opinion dictate our actions and motives, and not our interests ????????? If you really believe that you’ll need a bulldozer to get out from under your rock.
Sometimes world opinion matters and sometimes it doesnt. I dont know what planet you’re from but its always been about our interest, no matter whos in office.
And if Nancy knew this she wouldnt be doing what shes doing.
I’m not all worked up about Pelosis trip at all.
I want to know whay you are so glad she went over there and as a representative of this country made a fool of herself and us.
One other point from a long time back in this thread. While there is nothing wrong with congressional delegation trips in general, and I really don’t think her trip to Syria was significant, do not tell me it is her (or any other member of congress) “constitutional duty”. Nowhere in the constitution does it say members of congress need to travel to foreign nations. Given the cost and difficulty of travel at the time, I doubt the founding fathers ever envisioned members of congress making these trips. Not that I am saying it is wrong. They all do it and it is part their job and part boondoggle. Let’s stop elevating it higher than it is.
Parrothead, I’m not a democrat, so I don’t know if the Dems would have wanted this insipid colonial oil war in Iraq or not. I never did, regardless of partisan feelings. I did fret for the outcome, once it went under way, however, becaue I felt the Bush administration was too inept to successfully prosecute a war. I was right.
As for Kosovo – no comparison. In fact, it’s simply silly to bring it up.
“Of course you have to consider world opinion, but that can’t be your ONLY consideration or even the most important one.”
It isn’t for anyone. Don’t be ridiculous.
Micky, I know you’re an authoritarian who longs for an autocracy, but Pelosi is acting within her pervue and prerogative. You can disagree with her, but you can’t stifle her.
If the US did not invade Iraq, no one else would have done it. No one else called for it. No one else threatened it. Most of the coalition was comprised of very small contingencies, and most of them have since backed out. To call this multilateral is to call a few kids in a backyard with one pro player a professional football team.
“Are you saying we should let the world opinion dictate our actions and motives, and not our interests ?????????”
What silly, insane thing to say. Just how ridiculous can you guys be anyway???
“I want to know whay you are so glad she went over there and as a representative of this country made a fool of herself and us.”
I went over all that before. Besides, Bush has made us look so bad, so backwards, so inept, so crooked, if Charles Manson went on a CODEL we’d be less embarrassed.
Parrothead,
“Nowhere in the constitution does it say members of congress need to travel to foreign nations.”
Again, what a silly thing to say. Nowhere in the constitution does it say the government should pave roads. Nowhere in the constitution does it say that we should have traffic rules. Nowhere in the constitution does it say that cars should run on gas. Should we all just drive around in the dirt like demolition derbiers with nitous engines?
Silly. Ridiculous and silly.
Gentlemen, can we please elevate this conversation beyond the ridiculous?
JMJ
JMJ;
“Micky, I know you’re an authoritarian who longs for an autocracy, but Pelosi is acting within her pervue and prerogative. You can disagree with her, but you can’t stifle her.”
Not authoritarian at all my friend.
I pay this broads salary and I have every right to doubt and critisize her actions, no matter what you the authoritarian thinks.
Just as you question Bush, I can do the same . But in this case she is actually performing duties that are not required, needed or expected of her.
It is you who are constantly the aurhority on everything and never have anything substantial to claim your authority with, like facts.
JMJ;
“If the US did not invade Iraq, no one else would have done it. No one else called for it. No one else threatened it. Most of the coalition was comprised of very small contingencies, and most of them have since backed out. To call this multilateral is to call a few kids in a backyard with one pro player a professional football team. ”
Are you high ? A few kids ? You wish only to minimize things simply out of BDS
That group of contingencies made a difference, 21 countries, 11,000 troops and 90,000 contractors is nothing to sneeze at my friend
Multilateral is what it is, whether you like it or not. Thats what it was. Even though a lot of it was gesturing, it was still multilateral.
You dont get to re write the english language. Its not within your authority.
JMJ;
“What silly, insane thing to say. Just how ridiculous can you guys be anyway???”
You still never answerd the question, you just patronize instead.
JMJ;
“I went over all that before. Besides, Bush has made us look so bad, so backwards, so inept, so crooked, if Charles Manson went on a CODEL we’d be less embarrassed.”
Bush does not need to perform CODELS, he has free reign in foriegn policy to da as he sees fit.
Foriegn policy is his job, not Pelosis.
Taking care of our infrastructure supercedes boycotting the olympics, get it right bro.
Parrothead relpied to this in statement # 20, but you continue s usual to avoid facts and just keep rambling hateful unproven accusations.
And you want this to elevate to a more serious conversation ? No, not really. You want a conversation on your terms only.
Ya know how I can tell ?
You wont answer my questions with anything but ridicule.
Jersey;
Pelosi is a joke.
I just dug a video of her saying all this crap and as I’m watching it I realized all shes doing is grandstanding and trying to make this inept ledership ofd hers look as if its taking on some importance.
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2008/03/11/beck.liberal.media.cycle.cnn
When in all reality its not going to be her actions or suggestions that have any effect on the olympics whatsoever.
If any one is going to project any kind of statement it will be Bush. And it will be taken seriously.
So far Bush has said that he will meet with Chinese officials on this issue while attending the Olympics.
That is what should be done, and that is what will e done.
Pelosi should shut up and go home.
Since the Dems are always saying we should talk to people does this line of action by Pelosi fit within that suggestion ?
Bush is having a dialogue on the matter , as is his job.
Not Pelosis.
Which brings me back to the questions you still wont answer
1)Why are you grateful she went to China and what do you think the trip has or will accomplish?
2) (third time I asked)
With all the money we owe China do you think its a good idea for her to boycott the opening ceremonies ?
1) I never said I was grateful she went to China. But for a representative to San Francisci to visit China is no different than a representative of Miami visiting Cuba, or a representative of Minneapolis visiting Vietnam. Makes sense to me.
2) That is a tough problem. You can thank your cheap, short-sighted, thieving GOP majority for that debacle. What to do now? Who knows?
JMJ
JMJ;
“I grateful to Nancy Pelosi for that CODEL. ”
I get the impression that you were grateful to her for “that” CODEL in particular since it was not her her invented the application of US reps being delegated to travel.
What the hell does San Fran have to do with things on an international scale ?
I dont see any of our Hawaii reps going there. We have more Chinese than S.F.
That was kinda weird. Pelosi going to China has nothing to do with etnicity or demographics representation.
Since its such a tough problem maybe everyone including Nanacy should just shut up and go away unless they have a better plan.
So you dont know what to do about the problem, but its o.k. for Nancy to make it worse and rub salt on the wound with her yap.
Oh, and by the way, the deficit has been growing for quite a while.
As much as the last three administrations own a part of it.
http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/feb2006/nf2006028_2804_db039.htm
“In 1994 the U.S. trade gap with China was equal to 24.4% of the U.S. deficit with the rest of the world. In 2004 that percentage had reached 33.1%.”
So you thank more than Bush.
As far as the constitution goes you missed my point. I didn’t say she shouldn’t do it because it wasn’t in the constitution. It is not prohibited or required by the constitution. Therefore it is allowable but not required. The term “constitutional duty” implies she was obligated to go, meaning if she didn’t she would not be doing her job. So every other member of congress who did not go to Syria was shirking their responsibility. That is what is truly silly and what I took issue with. As I said, using the term constitutional duty is not valid. I never said she was prohibited from going.
I doubt most people here want me to go through the logic equations on this so I will leave it at that
On another point. They did successfully prosecute the war against Iraq in record time with record low casualties. The problems occurred when they did not secure the streets and borders afterwards and allowed all the Syrians, Jordanians, Iranians, Saudi Arabians, etc to attack. The majority of the insurgents are not Iraqis and many Iraqis are fighting along side of us. Even if you want to call this a civil war it is certainly a far different conflict than the one against Saddam and his Army, Were we ill prepared to handle it properly, most likely. Our TTPs (Techniques, Tactics, and Procedures) have been developed to go in defeat the enemy and go home, not for keeping the peace after the fact. That is where we fell down. Of course we weren’t much more successful at that mission in Somalia or Bosnia or anywhere else.
Although an evenhanded reporting would show it was never as bad as the media and Democrats have painted it for political purposes. The 4000 dead is ridiculously low for any conflict of this magnitude. That number also includes soldiers killed in training accidents, traffic accidents and the like. It would be very interesting to know the number of soldiers who died stateside in the same time period. I bet the number would be higher than most think. Does this mean it was handled well. No but it has not been the total failure it has been painted ot be either.
Micky,
US reps have routinely performed CODELs throughout our history.
San Fran is a major international port metropolis with a widely diverse population.
Hawaiian delegations of very stripe routinely visit China.
I blame far more than just Bush for our trade and economic imbalances.
Parrothead,
Were it nor for modern medicine, the mortatlity rate among our soldiers in Iraq would be pretty much the same as in Vietnam.
The vast majority of “insurgents” are Sunni Iraqis.
…
You guys have really got to try a little something called the “Google.” Perhaps it would put you both in better touch with reality. You have no idea just how wrong both of you are. I’m almost embarrassed for you.
JMJ
JMJ;
“San Fran is a major international port metropolis with a widely diverse population.
Hawaiian delegations of very stripe routinely visit China.”
God ! You still miss the point !
Her mission was supposed to be one of protest on behalf of the Tibetens.
Pelosi represents the American Chinese or the Tibetans like I do the Swahili , O.K?
She went there supposedly representing “all of America” in her suggestion that we “all” boycott the opening ceremonies.
It was a joke and only represents nothing but extreme narcissism on her part actually thinking that the Chinese (or anyone else) are even listening to her.
Its like sending a Katey Couric to northern Pakistan and having her ask them to do something about Bin Laden.
Stop elevating yourself with facts that are generally known by all. There isnt one American who doesnt realize that US reps are always doing fly overs for some reason or other.
The point is this;
Is it just an act ? Or is really about producing something ?
In Pelosis case I believe that she actually thinks she can produce something, and thats what makes her stupid. Shes only looking at the surface issue of human rights for a handful and not all the underlying issues that will impact millions.
She wants to be some kind of sympathetic champion at the expense of thousands of athletes efforts and millions of spectators.
China will not sacrifice its national security , no matter what she says.
In her position she “should” realize this. Unfortunatly she does not.
JMJ;
“I blame far more than just Bush for our trade and economic imbalances.”
Then why dont you say that everytime you blame him for it all ?
Why dont you mention just how long our debt to China has been growing ?
As you said here, it doesnt sound like you’re blaming anyone but his administartion;
JMJ
“You can thank your cheap, short-sighted, thieving GOP majority for that debacle. ”
“Part of it” would of been more accurate and honest.
This is what I mean about you being a student of history.
Your versions are like a bad recipe book.
You leave out key ingredients and it taste like crap.
You got a lotta freaking nerve coming off all pompous and suggesting google.
You are the one who expects us to take your word for everything and hardly ever shows credible sources for your so called “facts” when most of the time its just opinion.
Thats right ! Modern medicine! You made a part of parrotheads point for him.
Also better weapons, better intelligence and better recon.
Everything about our military is better today.
Thats the point.
And that is why our mortality rate is as ridiculously low for an operation this size
Micky, all but the mortatlity rates are just as higher if not higher than Vietnam. We may have the best military in the world, but in the end they are Americans like you abd me, and endlessly occupying a destroyed desert country has not been good to them. I wish you guys “supported the troops” enough to care more about that.
JMJ
Aww B.S!
60,000 died in Vietnam. Not even 4000 have died in Iraq
How the hell do you even come close to saying what you said.
Get real bro !
Everything elese you said is just more warped opinion.
But the numbers are facts.
I’m talking about the other rates, Micky. Remember, I said, “all but the mortatlity rates are just as higher if not higher than Vietnam.” Got that?
JMJ
Yea, How do you come to that figure ?
Dont bring a bunch of other rates into this.
The subject was deaths and injuries.
And you are wrong.
Heard of a thing called google ?
Iraq.
There have been 4,320 coalition deaths — 4,012 Americans, two Australians, 176 Britons, 13 Bulgarians, one Czech, seven Danes, two Dutch, two Estonians, one Fijian, one Hungarian, 33 Italians, one Kazakh, one Korean, three Latvian, 22 Poles, three Romanians, five Salvadoran, four Slovaks, 11 Spaniards, two Thai and 18 Ukrainians — in the war in Iraq as of April 2, 2008,
At least 29,628 U.S. troops have been wounded in action,
Nam.
Between March 19 and October 30, 2003, American troops in Iraq have suffered about .9 percent casualties (dead, wounded, or hospitalized for non-combat causes) a month. During the nine year Vietnam war, the rate was 44 percent higher (1.3 percent a month). Moreover, during Vietnam, combat caused sixty percent of the injuries, while in Iraq, combat has only caused 23 percent of the injuries. Thus U.S. troops in Iraq are suffering .21 percent combat casualties a month compared to more than three times the rate (.78 percent) during the Vietnam war. The non-combat injury rate in Vietnam (.52 percent a month) was actually lower than the rate in Iraq (.69 percent).
50,000 killed.
150,000 injured.
Those are the numbers.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_War_casualties#First_and_last_US_Casualties
Jersey,
As Micky2 has so eloquently pointed out there is no metric by which the death rate or casualty rate in Iraq come close to Viet Nam, WW1, WWII, Korea, the Civil War, or the Revolutionary War. You are completely misinformed. It took years to have as many deaths in Iraq as in D-Day alone. The fact is this is by far the land war with the least casualties in our history. The only one with less was Kosovo but that was strictly an air war so it really isn’t comparable. That is reality. If you remove the non-combat injuries the numbers get even better. Obviously the only good number of deaths 0, which is a ridiculously unachievable number, but to paint this as anything but a low casualty campaign is completely wrong.