posted on March 2, 2003 06:59:52 PM new"Mr. President, I have signed on as an original co-sponsor of the Iraq resolution, and I'd like to tell you story about why I think it is the right path to take: A few weeks ago, we were doing some work on my back porch back home, tearing out a section of old stacked rocks, when all of a sudden I uncovered a nest of Copperhead snakes.
"Now, I'm not one to get alarmed at snakes. I know they perform some valuable functions, like eating rats. . . . (But a) Copperhead will kill you. It could kill one of my dogs. It could kill one of my grandchildren. It could kill any one of my four great grandchildren. They play all the time where I found those killers.
"And you know, when I discovered these Copperheads, I didn't call my wife Shirley for advice, like I do on most things. I didn't go before the city council. I didn't yell for help from my neighbors. I just took a hoe and knocked them in the head and killed them. Dead as a doorknob.
"I guess you could call it a unilateral action. Or preemptive. Perhaps if you had been watching me you could have even called it bellicose and reactive. I took their poisonous heads off because they were a threat to me. And they were a threat to my home and my family. They were a threat to all I hold dear. And isn't that what this is all about?"
- Sen. Zell Miller, Georgia Democrat, from the Senate floor on October 3, 2002
posted on March 2, 2003 08:02:38 PM new
Miller is a rare thing- a democrat that believes in protecting America. If his party doesn't wise up, he'll probably be forced to leave it.
posted on March 2, 2003 08:47:20 PM new
Sorry bear. Killing something because it could maybe, possibly have the potential to kill you is dopey. His analogy is also dopey.
posted on March 2, 2003 09:17:25 PM new
KD Would you take the chance of having your kids, grand kids or great grand kids hit by a copperhead or a rattlesnake or. Not me.
I live out in the country. I've learned to put up with wasps, bee's, yellow jackets, mud daubers & asps out here. I've learned to just let them fly or buzz around with out swatting at them. They are just pests.
I've got coyotes howling in the background right now.
When I'm out mowing the fields they come within 30 feet of the me, waiting for the field mice to run from the mower.
Am I going out and kill them, no.
Because they don't pose a threat.
Do I kill the grass snakes or chicken snakes, no, they have their uses.
Whereever you are, do you have fireants in your area? Do you UNDERSTAND them? I'll wager if you do have them, you do what ever is necessary to get rid of them.
posted on March 2, 2003 09:33:10 PM new
Hi Twelvepole! "The Copperhead is the most common venomous snake in the eastern United States. The snakes are, however, usually not aggressive and their bite is very rarely lethal. If you come across a snake, simply maintain a safe distance and move away from it, or allow the snake to move away from you. If you do get bitten, however, you should seek immediate medical attention."
No mention to 'kill it quickly before it kills you and your family'.
posted on March 3, 2003 04:04:39 AM new
It was vehemently argued in another thread that chickens aren't the same as people. Well, if that's true, it would seem to follow that people aren't the same as fire ants or snakes.
posted on March 3, 2003 07:25:31 AM new
How to Deal with a Snake Like Hussein
You leave him alone because like a snake, if you attack him he will retaliate. The war with Saddam will be child's play in comparison with the retaliation in the form of terrorism that will follow.
I've lived on a farm too and I know about copperheads.
posted on March 3, 2003 09:45:19 AM new
No Helen, I think the ADULTS here are the ones willing to do the right thing by stopping something bad from happening before it does happen and IF there is retaliation, then us adults will handle that as well.
Only naive little children throw tantrums (read protests) trying to get the adult to go their way...
posted on March 3, 2003 12:10:44 PM new
Water snakes, are the most dangerous and poisonous.You dont see them, and never knew ,they were (are) around you.
posted on March 3, 2003 12:30:05 PM newjust like Bush retaliated after 9/11
Helen, you really believe Bush retaliated without just cause for the killing of 2900+ people.
What would you have done? Given then a stern lecture on their inappropriate behavior. Or invited them in for tea and chided them for their ill manners.
posted on March 3, 2003 01:01:42 PM new
The retaliation that happens is never enough to remove the threat.
With the Israeli's and the Palestinians for example they can never actually remove the threat. They just keep things stirred up enough that they paly tit for tat endlessly.
They don't have the will - and the world would probably stop them from actually going through and killing every last one of them so that they were never a threat again.
They have the military power to do it in 3 or 4 days if they had the will.
That is what it would take.
Not going to happen.
Same with the US.
They could depopulate the lands of Islam by about 80 or 90% in a few weeks. But they will never have the will.
You failed to understand my comment. I refered to retaliation as "beastly". ...a knee jerk reaction without foresight beyond reducing Afghanistan to dust and killing at least 3500 innocent people. Bush lied when he promised to help rebuild what he destroyed in his rush to the oil fields of Iraq. Right now, the war lords and terrorists are returning to Afghanistan and the beat goes on. Soon, it will be the operating center for even more terrorists.
posted on March 3, 2003 01:27:40 PM new
President Bush didn't lie.
Bush, Afghan President Affirm "Ironclad" Partnership Joint Statement on promoting prosperity, human rights President Bush and Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai issued a joint statement in Washington February 27 detailing the commitment of both nations to rebuilding Afghanistan.
Both leaders underscored their common vision for Afghanistan as a prosperous, democratic nation, "at peace, contributing to regional stability, market friendly, and respectful of human rights" and pledged their "ironclad and lasting partnership in pursuit of this vision," according to the statement.
To support President Karzai's goal of a transition to broad-based reconstruction efforts, the United States will focus its efforts on particular projects in the areas of transportation, agriculture, education, and health, the statement said.
The statement also noted that with the full support of the U.S. Congress, the Bush Administration has committed $80 million to the rebuilding of the Kabul-Kandahar-Herat road Afghanistan's main transportation artery. Japan and Saudi Arabia are also participating in the reconstruction of the road.
The United States, in partnership with Norway, will also provide $12 million to build a bridge over the river between Afghanistan and Tajikistan.
posted on March 3, 2003 01:30:02 PM new
Wow,I guess the Terrorist have won,they have Helen fearing retaliation,OHhhhh all is lost were doomed.Wake up nothing like a Kicking for them people to learn there place in the pecking order of the world.Were Winning,winning big time.I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE WAR,all this procrastination is what has our economy on hold as soon as we kick some ass things will pick up.
posted on March 3, 2003 01:41:25 PM new
ijust, it's not just Helen fearing retaliation, if you've read other posts. Retaliation is a very real threat. As Helen pointed out, just like Bush after 9/11, a country bombed for no reason other than being one of the Axis of Evil countries, WILL retaliate. The rest of your comment seems naive imo.
posted on March 3, 2003 02:11:05 PM new
LindaK,I have to ask if all of the plans by our Gov.are before or after all the shelling still going on there?..Our men are still fighting at the borders.That airport is still a dangerous place for our men.The central area may be some what stable,and those events may change over night.Just asking because there seems to be a big question as to what century this may happen.
