I got an e-mail from MoveOn (more info available at http://www.moveon.org/tellthetruth/ probably) that had some quotations from various Republicans and military analysts about problems with the war in Iraq. These are some good sound bites to drop if you're arguing with someone about the Bush administration's Iraq policy.
W. Andrew Terrill, professor at the Army War College's strategic studies institute-- and the top expert on Iraq there -- said: "I don't think that you can kill the insurgency"... "The idea there are x number of insurgents, and that when they're all dead we can get out is wrong. The insurgency has shown an ability to regenerate itself because there are people willing to fill the ranks of those who are killed"... "Most Iraqis consider us occupiers, not liberators."
General Odom [also] said: "This is far graver than Vietnam. There wasn't as much at stake strategically, though in both cases we mindlessly went ahead with the war that was not constructive for US aims. But now we're in a region far more volatile, and we're in much worse shape with our allies."... "I've never seen [tensions] so bad between the office of the secretary of defence and the military. There's a significant majority believing this is a disaster."
The following quote is also really nice because it articulates in plain language the fundamentally frightening thing about Bush's apparent motivations. I agree with this woman's ultimate conclusion.
Just as important are the opinions of those whose loved ones are serving in Iraq, like Martha Jo McCarthy, whose husband is on National Guard duty there. She says: "Everyone supports the troops, and I know they're doing a phenomenal job over there, not only fighting but building schools and digging wells. But supporting the troops has to mean something more than putting yellow-ribbon magnets on your car and praying they come home safely." "I read the casualty Web site every day and ask myself, 'Do I feel safer here?' No. I don't think we can win this war through arrogance. Arrogance is different from strength. Strength requires wisdom, and I think we need to change from arrogance to solid strength."
posted by geoff on 9/22/2004 02:50:27 PM
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Nate forwarded me this warning about bicycle u-locks:
if you have a bike and use a U-lock to secure, please read this important
information.
http://news.bostonherald.com/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=44611
and
http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/bik/42695645.html
posted by geoff on 9/22/2004 09:38:20 AM
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