posted on April 5, 2004 10:29:48 AM newkiara - If you and helen would ever read anything besides somebody's blog or some other far left 'take' on what's really going on over there...you might be more informed of the actual FACTS.
Linda, unless you are inside my computer and inside my house you have no idea what I'm reading each day and it's certainly not "left-wing media". I get so tired of your assumptions about me and my life and my beliefs. It gets to the point where no one can make a comment on these boards without you sitting in the background waiting to attack with your false assumptions so the thread disintegrates with some of us feeling the need to defend ourselves from your outright lies all the time.
Can't you see that some of us have a different view on things than you do? Why can't you respect that? I read about all kinds of issues and subject matter and watch all kinds of television and I've never considered it to be a left "take". I stated my opinion and I didn't feel the need to run out and search for some support of it on a website and then copy and paste and bold it for emphasis like you constantly do.
We had a discussion the other day because you kept writing what you thought was in my head. Once and for all, speak for yourself and what's in your own head but don't make assumptions about me and how I think.
posted on April 5, 2004 04:28:52 PM new
At least 48 Iraqis, eight American soldiers and one Salvadoran were killed in clashes in Baghdad and Najaf Sunday. Now, there is a contingency plan to increase the number of troops in Iraq.
posted on April 5, 2004 04:40:45 PM new
kiara - You give me a chuckle, at least once a day.
Yes, you are free to post what you like and I am free to post what I like. Do we have that cleared up yet?
When you make statements like "The US couldn't even handle the war in Afghanistan".... AND "Bush was unprepared for this and the events of last week." Both untrue statements better prepare yourself....I will respond.
And it doesn't appear to bother you at all when helen posts articles and bolds the areas she wants to emphasize. And I've never seen you mention it to others who also do the same thing. It only appears to bother you when I do it. A double standard for sure and [here's another assumption] - probably because you don't agree with the positions I'm supporting.
posted on April 5, 2004 05:08:21 PM new
Linda, what you don't seem to understand is that this is a message board and I am stating my "opinions". Whether they are right or wrong, it is only my "opinion", not facts. If we can all only state facts about a war that we don't really know all the facts about then none of us should be posting here at all.
We all copy and paste things, I understand that. I was referring to that last statement that I made this morning when I said about the copy and paste because you accused me of reading blogs when I made it. It was only my "opinion" of the war.
When you make statements like "The US couldn't even handle the war in Afghanistan".... AND "Bush was unprepared for this and the events of last week." Both untrue statements better prepare yourself....I will respond.
You think they are untrue statements. You don't know the facts, none of us do.
Yes, you are free to post what you like and I am free to post what I like. Do we have that cleared up yet?
No we don't have it cleared up, obviously because you continue to post what you "think" I am saying and what you "think" I am reading, maybe because of the little voices talking in your head or your imaginary "seeing" into my computer and the books on the shelves in my office.
If they are Miss Cleo voices like NearTheSea suggests that you may be hearing, then I will accept that you've gone over the edge slightly and will account for that.
And twelvepole still with his secret little fantasies of spanking. LOL ! Like that would ever make Helen or I change our beliefs or stop us from stating them.
posted on April 5, 2004 05:31:36 PM new
kiara - Let me put it another way....
When a currently serving US Military Commander himself makes a statement to the press, I'll take that as 'fact' over your opinion. Making my own judgement call that he in all likelyhood knows just a tad bit more than *you do* about what's needed to take care of any uprisings over there.
And when you make a statement like "Bush was unprepared for this and other events"....you're making a false statement, whether it's your opinion or not. Because it's been report for at least a couple of months that more of these uprisings where expected. That's not an opinion....that's a fact. Now if you want to hold an opinion that's different from the known facts.....that's certainly your right.
posted on April 5, 2004 06:23:42 PM new
Linda, we have two opposing views and I'm not about to relent to your point of view. I choose to look at things with a more open mind, whether you like it or not and I will continue to post my opinions as this war plays out.
I also think it's very dangerous to believe everything your government tells you and not to question it. JMHO
U.S. Commanders Mull More Troops in Iraq
WASHINGTON - U.S. military commanders have begun studying ways they might increase troops in Iraq should violence spread much more widely, a senior officer said Monday.
Gen. John Abizaid, the head of Central Command, and other senior generals ordered their staff to study options after the outbreak of violence from a previously relatively quiet sector of Iraq: members of the Shiite sect of Islam. Most violence so far has been attributed to Sunni Muslims — either members of Saddam's Sunni-led government, or Sunni extremists who follow al-Qaida.
The senior officer said the planning for additional troops was only a contingency in case violence spreads much more widely. At this point, the official said, that isn't believed likely. Most Iraqi Shiites at least tolerate the U.S.-led occupation, and officials tried to paint al-Sadr as a radical outsider with a limited following.
I said this morning that I think they may need more troops and hopefully the religious faction won't cause bigger problems. Oh my, it looks like some Generals may be thinking the same thing. It doesn't surprise me, they've probably been thinking about this for awhile. JMHO
posted on April 5, 2004 07:10:59 PM new
Disturbing and ominous are words being used to describe the situation in Iraq today. Hopefully people are beginning to realize what a catastrophe is brewing in the mideast. The consequences of a civil war could be ominous.
The fact that a contingency plan is seriously being considered is significant also.
posted on April 5, 2004 07:17:19 PM new
I know one of you guys.... Helen? Reamond? someone? has a link or statement, or something, on what Kerry is going to do with the 'Iraq War situation'.
Please ? I am serious, no smilies, I just would like to know what his intentions for Iraq will be.
Someone may have posted it, but this thread is really long! so, if anyone has an 'outline' or something of what he plans on doing, when he is in the White House I would like to read it.
Thank you
__________________________________
"Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known."- Carl Sagan
posted on April 5, 2004 07:22:20 PM new
for kiara -
DoD News: Coalition Provisional Authority Briefing
Colin McMahon from the Chicago Tribune. A question for each of you.
For General Kimmitt, does the assessment of what's needed in Fallujah include more troops in the region, and is there any thought about the necessity of possibly more troops in Iraq as a whole?
Thank you.
GEN. KIMMITT: On the first case, we don't see, and the assessment yesterday in Fallujah would not indicate to us, that there is a necessity for more troops in the region, nor in the country. We believe that if we do need more forces, they have a different uniform than I'm wearing. They have a different flag on the arm than I'm wearing.
Do we need more forces? Yes. We need more Iraqi policemen; we need more Iraqi Civil Defense service; we need more Iraqi border police because ultimately the responsibility for the internal and external security of this country will be in the hands of the people of Iraq, and yesterday ought to be a very clear reminder and forward look at what those people must be trained to handle on rare instances in localized events. But the brutality demonstrated by the insurgents yesterday is something that we need to train these forces to be able to respond to not just while we're here, but for the days in -- sometime down in the future, when the coalition forces are no longer here, this will be a responsibility of the Iraqi security forces.
----
GEN. KIMMITT -
I think both questions can be answered very simply. We have said for a number of months, as we get closer and closer to handing off governance to the people of this country, there will be a number of citizens, a very small minority of the 27 million people in Iraq, that are going to fight to avoid that happening. They have everything to lose and nothing to gain.
They have started a increase in violence. Sadly we were prescient. We predicted it and now we're starting to see some of it. Some of it is absolutely horrible. Some of it is the day-to-day types of attacks that don't make the news but are equally horrible.
But our soldiers and the 200,000 members of the Iraqi police service and the Iraqi Civil Defense Corps and the Iraqi army are out there trying to restore control to the people of this country as we move towards governance. But to characterize somehow that the situation is spinning out of control I think again is a mischaracterization. We have not seen that up to this point. We haven't seen a tremendously --
http://www.defenselink.mil/transcripts/2004/tr20040401-0575.html
Included Page: DoD News: Coalition Provisional Authority Briefing
posted on April 5, 2004 07:34:13 PM neware out there trying to restore control to the people of this country
To do this effectively you need overwhelming forces to force control over the population and the cities. Other than that, no there aren't enough people to do this.
You can't have troops house painting one minute and then expect them to pick up a rifle and shoot at an insurgent or suicide bomber the next. This will not work.
I've said it before, they need to verify who belongs and in what neighborhood and they need to have some ID system to find out who is who.
But no matter who is going to be in the White House come fall, they are going to be stuck with a huge problem for many years to come. It's too far gone to even think about leaving.
posted on April 5, 2004 07:43:00 PM new
trai - I agree....I haven't heard one democrat in Congress calling for us to pull out. We're there to see this through.
But if anyone here is holding the opinion that the US is going to lose this war....you couldn't be more wrong. Not with our military might.....remember that goes beyond group troop fighting.
posted on April 5, 2004 07:43:23 PM new
Hi NearTheSea
This is Kerry's latest statement on Iraq.
Kerry Says Bush Needs UN Help in Iraq Plan
Tuesday April 6, 2004 12:46 AM
By NEDRA PICKLER
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry said Monday that President Bush has stubbornly refused to address the chaos in Iraq and questioned Bush's adherence to the deadline for ending the U.S. occupation.
The four-term Massachusetts senator was reacting to Bush's statement that he is committed to ending the U.S. occupation and transferring power to the Iraqis by June 30, despite calls for the deadline to be extended because of continued violence.
``The measurement is stability, not the date,'' Kerry said. ``You should not have a date that has anything whatsoever to do with the election in the United States of America''
Kerry said the Bush administration should be ``less ideological and more practical'' by laying out a security plan for Iraq's self-rule that involves the United Nations.
``The administration really seems to be stubbornly refusing to do what's necessary to avoid the kind of disintegration that's taking place, and now we see continued violence,'' Kerry told reporters.
posted on April 5, 2004 07:48:37 PM new
Linda, Your story is dated April 1. The story about serious consideration of a contingency plan to increase troops came out today. It's on the back burner but it's under consideration.
posted on April 5, 2004 07:50:46 PM new
Thanks Kiara
Well there was one Democrat wanting to pull out right away, and no he wasn't a member of Congress. Remember Dean. I remember his (one of his) platform on pulling totally out of Iraq ASAP.
I still think we need to be there. I still think this June date *may* work. I do not think it has anything to do with election time here either. This June date on elections in Iraq was put out there quite awhile ago.
__________________________________
"Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known."- Carl Sagan
posted on April 5, 2004 08:05:03 PM new
kerry often suggests things President Bush should do....after he's already done them.
The WashingtonTimes today -
In other developments:
-U.N. envoy Lakhdar Brahimi met with members of Iraq's Governing Council as he launched a mission to help with the transition to an interim government after sovereignty is transferred to the Iraqis on June 30.
posted on April 5, 2004 08:09:43 PM new
It's not a *STORY* helen.....it's an actual interview and the General's statements made backing up exactly what I said. And I wasn't aware your name was also kiara.
posted on April 5, 2004 08:13:50 PM new"It's not a *STORY* helen.....it's an actual interview and the General's statements made backing up exactly what I said. And I wasn't aware your name was also kiara."
No, my name is Helen. I can respond to any information posted here. You should know that by now.
I simply pointed out that it's not the latest news.
posted on April 5, 2004 08:29:00 PM new
nor did kiara have the 'latest news' when she was giving her OPINION this morning. Remember she's the one that said we didn't have the facts.
posted on April 5, 2004 08:43:52 PM new
Linda, we didn't have the latest news this morning just like we don't have tomorrow's news tonight. DUH!
You're just pizzed that I gave an opinion that turned out to be fact as the day progressed. And you do sound like you're throwing a little tantrum now. lol
Pssssst...... there's more than one General out there and I think they wanted more troops at the beginning of the war also but Rumsfeld screwed up and said no.
posted on April 5, 2004 09:09:38 PM new
You two are just too sweet.
kiara - Your Guardian link [you know, that 'right wing source of yours] lol is date tomorrow.
But here....if you two armchair generals want the lastest news from the DoD [which kiara states we shouldn't always believe what our government tells us.....probably especially the one's that know what they're talking about]
----
No 'Plus-Up' Planned for Troop Levels in Iraq
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, April 5, 2004 –
U.S. Central Command officials are studying all aspects of the recent surge of violence in Iraq, and believe they are prepared to counter it. The command has not requested any additional forces for operations in Iraq.
A senior command official, speaking on background, discussed the violence in Iraq and said the command is concerned about the threat that Muqtada al-Sadr's militia, the Mahdi Army, poses.
Iraq is calmer today, but the command again is studying the situation in the country. "We are always in the business of planning, and we always plan worst- case scenarios," he said. "And clearly if this thing got out of control over there, we would have to start looking at the number of forces that we have in theater and whether they were adequate to meet our needs."
The official hastened to point out that all believe there are enough American forces in Iraq to handle the situation now. "In fact, we have more forces right now in Iraq than we had … three or four months ago," he said. Troops are rotating into Iraq and redeploying out. There are now about 134,000 U.S. service members in the country, compared to 120,000 in November.
The official also said coalition forces in Iraq are beginning operations in Fallujah – a city of 300,000 that was a hotbed of support for the former regime. Five U.S. soldiers were killed north of the city and four U.S. security specialists were killed and their bodies mutilated on March 31.
Re-elect President Bush!!
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