[Rhodes22-list] I Wish To Change My Vote

[Roger Pihlaja]

Rummy,

This is the real world and the answers are not in the back of the textbook.
We grope along as best we can using the best intelligence assessments
available, making the best decisions possible with the data available at the
time the decision has to be made.  You are accusing the President of the
United States of going to war with Iraq to settle a blood feud with Saddam
Hussein regarding the dictator's attempt to have Bush Sr. assonated.  This
involved lying to the US congress and the American people.  Pretty strong
stuff!  If true, it would definitely rise to the level of an impeachable
offense.  If there was any proof of this sort of conspiracy, the democratic
side of the aisle in congress would be screaming for impeachment.  I will
wait for the judgement of history; but, I doubt Bush is guilty of anything
worse than believing bad intelligence.  Until some sort of reasonable proof
is forthcoming, I think the President of the United States deserves the
benefit of the doubt.

We hold our leaders up against a Godlike standard of performance.  It's
Bush's fault that 3000 people died on 9/11.  It's Bush's fault that the
entire world intelligence community AT THE TIME believed Iraq had WMD's.
It's Bush's fault that we toppled a brutal dictator's regime & then found
out the prewar intelligence assessment was wrong.

I'll accept the judgement of history regarding the validity of going to war
with Iraq.  The question is, what do we do right now to move forward?  The
data on Kerry strongly suggests he is nothing but an appeaser who will cut &
run at the 1st opportunity in Iraq.  This will almost certainly make the
situation much worse.  Kerry can bluster and bellow all he wants about how
he will defend this country during the campaign.  He'll be looking for a way
out of Iraq the 1st time our nose gets bloody.  His 30 year record of public
service indicates he has no stomach for war.  No other countries will join
our coalition under Kerry either because his commitment to the mission in
Iraq is so weak.  He will use this as another excuse to cut and run.

If the Iraq war escalates and we have to have a draft; then, both Daniel &
Gary are prepared to serve.  Deb & I will worry about their safety every
day, just like any other parent.  FYI, Gary's choosen career in law
enforcement isn't exactly the safest career choice a guy could make.  But,
Deb & I support his decision.

Japan & Germany are two democratic success stories brought about by a long
bloody war.  I don't understand your point.

Rummy, if you don't like the cut of Bush's jib; in this country, that's a
perfectly acceptable reason to not vote for him.  All I'm asking is that you
be intellectually honest with yourself regarding your reasons.  Michael
Moore style propaganda isn't necessarily true no matter how many film awards
he wins or how many times he shouts it.

Roger Pihlaja
S/V Dynamic Equilibrium


----- Original Message -----
From: <R22RumRunner at aol.com>
To: <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
Sent: Wednesday, October 06, 2004 1:12 PM
Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] I Wish To Change My Vote


> Roger,
> If you truly believe that the U.S. invaded Iraq to get rid of the
terrorists,
> I'm sorry, but you are truly mistaken. We went into Iraq to finish what
"W"s
> father didn't and couldn't and also because Sadam tried to have his father
> killed. Plain and simple.
> Starting a war is easy. Finishing it and getting out of it whole is an
> entirely different story. Besides Vietnam, Japan and Germany come to mind
as well as
> countless others. War is not a solution to any problems. People die. It
also
> brings out the worst in people.
> Let me ask you a question? How do you think President Bush is going to get
us
> out of Iraq? What will the price be? Will we ever really win?
>
> Rummy
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>