I would have loved to see the Presiden'ts face after reading this....

[BOBS DAD]

Lilac,

did you understand "my" post. I hope you did "not" think I was challenging you or your patriotism!!! Heavens NO - QUITE THE CONTRARY!!! I was commending you and saying that I was glad that someone like you and your family (someone with current military experience) was OK with expressing general disapproval of this administration and it's handling of many matters.

It adds a little credence to your position. It seems that many who are in complete support of GWB seem to suggest that those of us who are not - must be unpatriotic - or definitely not militray people. I just wanted to say that that is certainly not the case. That many of us have been in or have many family members involved in the military, and we can be and are patriotic. But most importantly, that we can be all of that - and still be allowed to disagree with the President's handling of our country's affairs.

And Mom...
Wow... I feel for you and your misfortunes. I know what it is like to be poor (I grew up in poverty with my family and know the pain of being looked down upon). But I can't yet understand your position on Clinton and/or Bush. I generally believe that if it were up to the GWB's of the world that you would be totally on your own. It would be up to you, your family and local charitable groups to look out for you. Forget that you worked for 25 years... that was then and this is now! GOVERNMENT needs to "get out of people's personal lives" is their mantra. ...and Oh Yeah, give people back their AK47's - cause that is important!!!

Ironically, it is the Bill Clinton's (with his own demons and vices) that believe in social programs and the payback deserved to honest, hardworking Americans who through no fault of their own, can no longer fend for themselves. As for the countries who hate us... your solution is to what... blow them up before they blow us up. Violence begets violence. Of course we need to be prudent and protect ourselves by every means imaginable, but again, GW has no unique answers to this age old dilemna.

[momoffuzzyfaces]

As for the countries who hate us... your solution is to what... blow them up before they blow us up. Violence begets violence. Of course we need to be prudent and protect ourselves by every means imaginable, but again, GW has no unique answers to this age old dilemna.

Now, I never said a word about blowing anyone up.
BUT we do need to have a stronger defense system in place where if we are being attacked, we can defend ourselves.

There used to be what was called "fail safe" where military planes were continually in the air monitoring the coasts. If there was a missile of any kind heading toward the US, they could notify NORAD (which has sense been closed down) and they could shoot the missile down. Maybe there needs to be more than one red button in the oval office. I don't know what the answer is but I do know sitting on our behinds and not doing anything is not the answer either.

As for GW, I don't agree with everything he has done. If fact when the Medicare drug cards came out, they were a nightmare. But now, the bugs are being worked out. I'm on 4 meds for my blood pressure that I couldn't afford to take without the card. So SOME things are working out right.
By the way: How can you think they want to get out of people's personal lives when they are the ones wanting to tap everyone's phone and email?)

As for Clinton, I'm sorry but if a person has the morals of an alley cat, I just don't trust them. Of course, I may be biased because both men I were engaged to, cheated on me. I don't need a cheating President too!!!
I do admire Hillary for not kicking him to the curb like I would have done. If she runs, who knows?

[Edwina's Secretary]

MOFF..the non-aligned nations (as they call themselves....dating from the Cold War...) have been meeting around the world for decades. None of them have nukes.

[momoffuzzyfaces]

If they don't have already, North Korea and Iran are awfully close to it.

Meeting around the world is different than meeting 90 miles from our shores.

[Lady's Human]

The meeting of Non-aligned nations has at least three, possibly more nations that have either nuclear weapons (India, Pakistan, North Korea), Chemical weapons (Syria, Iran) or advanced Nulear weapons research programs (Iran, South Africa(possible live nukes), Saudi Arabia).

NORAD still exists. The HQ's for NORAD is Cheyenne Mountain in Colorado. While NORAD until recently did not have any ABM capability, NORAD was in charge of warnings and communications in case of a nuclear strike. NORAD no longer has a strong alert force (budget cuts), but is still very much an active multi-service US and Canadian organisation.

The email taps are an NSA program called ECHELON, which has been in existence for at least a decade. It is not a creation of the Bush administration. When it was implemented, there was much protest, but the protest went away until recently.

The hatred of the United States in the world is not a new phenomenon. Want to get elected in South America? Run on a platform of hatred for the US. This is a legacy from US meddling in SA affairs that started over 100 years ago. Any nation that has the power the US does is going to be hated, it doesn't matter whether the country acts like a lamb or a lion. France has long had mistrust for the US. The same goes for Germany, but with the specter of the USSR looming over the horizon it wasn't safe to openly voice that mistrust. While France is a titular member of NATO, it has not participated in NATO in any meaningful way in a long, long time.

[momoffuzzyfaces]

The hatred of the United States in the world is not a new phenomenon.

What? Something that can't be blamed on Bush?

One thing about this Iraq situation, last I knew we still had a congress and they have to approve before we go into a country with the military. Or am I wrong there too? Seems it was both the senate and the house and both parties that gave the okey dokie to go in there. ?

[Edwina's Secretary]

The meeting of Non-aligned nations has at least three, possibly more nations that have either nuclear weapons (India, Pakistan, North Korea), Chemical weapons (Syria, Iran) or advanced Nulear weapons research programs (Iran, South Africa(possible live nukes), Saudi Arabia).

And to think we invaded Iraq because we THOUGHT (opps!) they had WMD.....

I still don't believe whether they meet in Cuba or Outer Mongolia makes us any more or less at risk from the meeting!

[momoffuzzyfaces]

I still don't believe whether they meet in Cuba or Outer Mongolia makes us any more or less at risk from the meeting!

Forgive me! I keep forgetting you youngsters who weren't here for the Cuban missile crisis in the 60s. If you lived through that, you would understand.

[BOBS DAD]

The meeting of Non-aligned nations has at least three, possibly more nations that have either nuclear weapons (India, Pakistan, North Korea), Chemical weapons (Syria, Iran) or advanced Nulear weapons research programs (Iran, South Africa(possible live nukes), Saudi Arabia).

NORAD still exists. The HQ's for NORAD is Cheyenne Mountain in Colorado. While NORAD until recently did not have any ABM capability, NORAD was in charge of warnings and communications in case of a nuclear strike. NORAD no longer has a strong alert force (budget cuts), but is still very much an active multi-service US and Canadian organisation.

The email taps are an NSA program called ECHELON, which has been in existence for at least a decade. It is not a creation of the Bush administration. When it was implemented, there was much protest, but the protest went away until recently.

The hatred of the United States in the world is not a new phenomenon. Want to get elected in South America? Run on a platform of hatred for the US. This is a legacy from US meddling in SA affairs that started over 100 years ago. Any nation that has the power the US does is going to be hated, it doesn't matter whether the country acts like a lamb or a lion. France has long had mistrust for the US. The same goes for Germany, but with the specter of the USSR looming over the horizon it wasn't safe to openly voice that mistrust. While France is a titular member of NATO, it has not participated in NATO in any meaningful way in a long, long time.

Very good post LH.

I learned somethings and got a better perspective on some of these issues!

Can't say I knew those things!!!