"There is no doubt that Iraq is wealthy nation. Or that wealthy nations should turn their spending away from the military and spend it on their people"
(I tried to be word accurate from what I just heard...gist is certainly correct).

Ok, I know that Iraq has some rather extreme humanitatian issues at the moment, but this statement just came from the same administration that is advocating a half trillion dollar tax cut that will only really benefit the $millionaire+ club thus increasing the deficit to $1.3T when all the states are facing budget crisis's. And at teh same time increasing military spending by $48B. That increase alone is more than any other country in the World spends on military purposes, and doesn't include the estimated $50B - $150B cost of this war.

Hypocrite.

Don't beat up on the guy too much. His job is to be the voice of the administration. Your real beef is with the man behind the curtain.

Yeah, ok, you have a point.

But *he* had put me in a bad mood a few minutes before. He said something along the lines of "Disarmament of Iraq by force is the will of the American -pause- people", ie, he nearly said President, Administration, Government or Military, but managed to remember to add the spin. Certainly the vast majority of American people that I know don't share that view.

I don't think that he is *just* a mouthpiece following his masters' orders. I think he totally believes.

I don't think that he is *just* a mouthpiece following his masters' orders. I think he totally believes.

There are a lot of folks in the current administration that frighten me (including Cheney, Wolfowitz, others) as they live out the dreams spelled out in previously-unfulfilled think-tank pieces from the 1980s.

There are two administration figureheads that stand out, though, as guys that are *waaaayyy* too tightly wrapped. Guys that I think toss and turn at night afraid that I could be sitting here smoking dope, listening to the Jefferson Airplane, and plotting to go get sushi and not pay. Their voices barely manage to escape their bodies through the tightly wound psychic bands that keep their strictly-regulated egos and ids from any improper behavior.

These two are (no surprise) John Ashcroft and Ari Fleischer.

These guys are way beyond true believers.

Certainly the vast majority of American people that I know don't share that view.

Which is funny, the vast majority of American people that I know do share that view. *shrug*

Yip, most people I know share the same view. I think most of it depends on where you happen to live. Certain areas are much more liberal than others, same with being conservative. (Although I guess that's pretty obvious.) In fact, If you ask around here, the opinions will vary greatly if you are asking in Kenner/Metairie versus New Orleans proper. (the 3 cities run into each other, but New Orleans itself is by FAR more liberal) ((actually, Metairie isn't really a city, but anyway...))

At my company, there was one lone voice arguing for the war. In the last couple months though, all I've seen from him lately are things like "wow, Bush really is a moron." He can no longer find any really strong reasons for war.

Ah, he's just been beaten down to a point of submission.

Ah, he's just been beaten down to a point of submission.

Or he flunked his draft physical and turned into a pacifist in a fit of pique!

[Oh.....I forgot.....no draft.....]

I once asked why he didn't go join up, since he's constantly drooling over military equipment magazines and weapons and stuff. He gave some excuse about how his bad eyes wouldn't allow him to do the job he wanted (fighter pilot, of course). Probably better for society that way, given his often times abrasive, trigger happy, shoot-em-all personality.

As for being beaten down? Not him. He's got an opinion, doesn't care who likes it, and is more than happy to share it, asked or not.

He's got an opinion, doesn't care who likes it, and is more than happy to share it, asked or not.

Would his name be d33zY by any chance?

tanstaafl.

LOL. No, it's not.