The Uncomfortable Truth

Amen. And there doesn't seem to be any end in sight. But oh, think of all the corporations of con-tractors who have feathered their nests and continue to do so. The thing is, they weren't really necessary to start with! Most of them; in every past war, our own soldiers had their jobs, from mechanics to KP. Now they are at the mercy of contracting companies, whose workers will strike if they don't receive their pay when it's due--meaning troops are left without food, H20, replacement parts, clothing supplies, anything you can think of, until the suppliers receive their pay. This is WRONG, all the way. AND--how many of the parts for weapons, or entire pieces, are made in some foreign country, not necessarily a friendly one.

Dictators may be SOBs, but they know how to keep the peace.

And cut off fingers and shoot people in the head and use women as sex slaves and...but oh it's much much better under a Saddam.

...explained that history has demonstrated what happens when you remove a strongman from power. You get chaos.

So you believe Europe has been in utter chaos since the removal of Hitler?

The US will be there forever.

We're still in Germany too...so what?

I'll remind you as I did on the Post Scripts blog...the Iraqis are our allies and the new Iraqi government has requested that we stay.

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Thank you for reading, and of course, thank you for writing.
I have a rule that I do no post comments that are old, tired, and have been heard in other fora. I will make an exception as this is your first post.
Your comments have been heard before on the Sean Hannity show ad nauseum. Not only are they old, they're illogical.
"but oh it's much much better under a Saddam." No it isn't! He was an SOB. Didn't you read that?
Ask Sean Hannity why Americans should DIE because Saddam had sex slaves.
Better yet, do your own thinking. Consult the Constitution and see if you can find the authority for what we are doing in Iraq. Show me the section where it says our boys can be sacrificed to settle another country's problems.
You mention postwar Europe. Indeed, it is an exception to the rule. Have you ever heard of the Marshall Plan? It was in all the papers. Do you propose we spend trillions more do prevent what we have put in motion?
You mention we are still in Germany. How can it possibly compare? The Germans aren't trying to kill each other! Or our troops!
WHICH Iraqis are our allies? The ones who are trying to kill us? I hope you do some studying and learn all about the different factions over there. Had our president done the same, this could have been avoided.

Quentin

Alma makes some points about contractors working with the military. But they don't take into account the cuts made to the military function under the prior administration. As the result, the active military was cut; a greater responsibility was placed on the reserve and shifted to private contractors. This was all well and good in the name of cutting government spending, but it is a little intellectually dishonest to complain about it when the military is deployed. If your point is that we need to build the standing military back up to pre Clinton levels, fund them properly and support them properly to facilitate the mission I agree. If your point is just to continue to shift blame to this administration or that in the current world condition, the military is not needed, it seems that you are just echoing the same old tired rhetoric that just bogs us down and being naive. I don't see a plan in the comments.

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Thank you for reading, and of course, thank you for writing.
Again, I have a rule that I do no post comments that are old, tired, and have been heard in other fora. Again, I will make an exception as this is your first post.
I first heard these comments on the Rush Limbaugh show years ago--and months ago. I haven't listened in weeks, but I will wager he has said them in that time too.
Pointing up what Bill Clinton did is always the first defense of the dittoheads. What Rush doesn't tell you is that Clinton was merely continuing a program started by Bush I. This is why it's folly to let the fools do your thinking for you. When you repeat what they say, it is you who looks foolish, sir.
MY point is that Bush should have rebuilt the military BEFORE he invaded. What kind of idiot starts a war unprepared? (Unfortunately, an adjective escapes me.)
Bush was president for two years before he invaded Iraq. In that time his party controlled both houses of Congress. He had eighteen months after 9/11 to ramp up for this war!
Just who is being intellectually dishonest here?
Please sir, turn off that damn radio and think for yourself.

Quentin

Quentin I'm aware that you have sent me an email and I apologize for not responding to it. My hard drive crashed last week and I haven't gotten back to being able to email yet. I will respond to you ASAP.

For someone who professes to think for himself you seem to rely on Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity an awful lot for rebuttal points. I assure you my sources are not limited to these programs as you seem to want to imply.

May I suggest the webpages below for your consideration? I assure you none of them is in the pocket of Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, or the President.

[Deleted]
[Deleted]

A quote from “Gates of Vienna”

“At the siege of Vienna in 1683 Islam seemed poised to overrun Christian Europe. We are in a new phase of a very old war.”

President Bush just happened to be one of the first players in what will be a long war.

[Deleted]

[Deleted]

[Deleted]

A full list of many others sites can be found here:

[Deleted]

I'll begin to take you more seriously when you begin to show more respect for me. For now I will answer your questions:

You mention we are still in Germany. How can it possibly compare? The Germans aren't trying to kill each other! Or our troops!

They aren't now. The Germans were killing other Germans in hideous ways...and they were also killing us. The circumstances are a bit different because the enemy, the Nazi's, were engaged in traditional warfare. This enemy is not, but it has designs on the entire world...just like Hitler. Delusions of superiority come in many forms.

WHICH Iraqis are our allies?

The government of Iraq has asked us to stay. In fact it recently suggested a treaty or agreement that would establish a long term system of support. The government represents the will of the people under their written Constitution...remember the purple thumbs? I don't recall the exact figure but it was between 70 and 80 percent of the people that participated under extremely dangerous conditions. Your lack of respect for them is astounding.

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Gee, I don't know. I was talking about postwar Germany--you know, The Marshall Plan? That was postwar. Since Bush declared victory almost six years ago, talking about what happened during the war is completely irrelevant.
Just becasue 60 to 70 percent of the people voted, how can you logically follow that to mean the government will do the will of the voters? That's a non-sequitor.
Good Lord! Two-thirds of Americans opposed NAFTA! Did our own government do the bidding of our people? What on Earth leads you to believe the Iraqi government will follow the will of the people?
I'm sorry, ma'am. That dog won't hunt.
Those web pages? If I only allow original thoughts, why would I allow the links to where you get your unoriginal thoughts? Why on Earth would I post links to sites I don't agree with? That doesn't make sense to me either.
Sorry.

Quentin

Yes Quentin, we all know, all any President has to do is wave his magic wand and rebuild the military, and am I understanding you would have supported him?? Please.

But the point of my post wasn't even the rebuilding of the military. Alma was bemoaning the fact that so many contractors were getting rich in Iraq. I simply pointed out one of the big reasons for it. Is your point that my assertion is not true? because you haven't said that. Our military went to Afghanastan with far fewer troops and had great success with special forces tactics and mission. That was Rumsfeld's plan and it worked! But I don't suppose you think much of him either.

As to your point that you heard the same thing on Rush Limbaugh years ago and you would bet that my Unoriginal Idea was just me repeating what I had heard again recently. So If I may extrapolate your theory out, am I to believe that you are the driving force behind the DNC's Talking points, Move on.org et al, simply because you choose to think of the things you post as original?? Because frankly, I have heard most of your original ideas put forth by these organizations. except of course for the no penis remark about Bush, I'll give you full credit for that. I guess that is one of the dangers of staying academia.

There is the answer to "Just who is being intellectually dishonest?"

Mr. Colgan, the fact is I do and have thought for myself for close to 50 years. I work most days and don't get to listen to the radio. Thank you for taking pity on me and posting my comment because it was my first, this one will be my last (that is if you even post it).

You told me that education is your avocation; I hope one day it will be your forte.

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Why on Earth would you think I would be opposed to a strong military? Have I ever said anything in any forum that would give you that impression? You don't know me sir. Perhaps you should let others do your thinking, they would advise you of the folly in making assumptions.
It takes more than a magic wand to build an army, of course. I only hoped Bush would do it before he took us to war.
If Move on has copied anything I post, I hope they give me credit! I assure you, I have very little in common with them and have never even been to the site. I do not let others do my thinking, sir.
I challenge you to name one idea that I share with those organizations. In fact, if you find one, I'll buy you lunch!
Verily, the quality of the education is no better than the qualtiy of the student.

Quentin

Quentin, you are right, I have not gone to the Move On.org web site, but I have heard their remarks in the press. Here are a few of your statements which seem to mirror positions you hear from that side. You are also right, I don’t know you, and I can only see what you have done. From what information I can see, you consider yourself a Libertarian. But you use a lot of liberal rhetoric to bolster your views. If you do support a stronger military, there is one point we would agree on, however if you take the libertarian view on the use of the military, your are living in the 18th century.
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I do not know what the Libertarian view on the use of the military is as I am not a Libertarian. I am a Liberal—just like our Founding Fathers! Please see my essay "Liberalism Defined."
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Here are some of the comments you have made with the dates and locations sited:

Uncomfortable truth March 19, 2008

I may have only been half-right, but at least the kid isn’t dead like the almost 4,000 other Americans, or the anywhere between 100 and 600 thousand Iraqis.
My student asked how I could possibly know that.
“Simple,” I replied, “I’ve studied history—unlike our President.”
I explained that history has demonstrated what happens when you remove a strongman from power. You get chaos.
I pointed out an example that had occurred in his own lifetime: the Death of Yugoslavia’s dictator, Joseph h Tito, led to a bloody, years-long war in the Balkans (that continues to this day). Dictators may be Sobs, but they know how to keep the peace.

Your main points, the president is a dunce who doesn’t even realize the history of the area he attacks, nor the people who we may be facing. And the old “At least under Hitler, the trains were on time.” I see now, this is probably more of an isolationist point than a liberal point, but still short sighted in mine and I’m sure others view (even other than Sean Sanity, Rush Limbaugh et al)
Both are positions which have had much play in the media both by move on, DNC, the Speaker of the house, etc.

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I never said the president was a dunce. I simply said he did not study history. If some people say that makes him a dunce, who am I to argue? Curious, how YOU would use that word based upon the facts at hand. Here, I will have to agree with you. Anyone who starts a war without knowing what he is up against is a dunce—at the very least! Further, If someone on the left says the sky is blue, and I agree with that, does that make me a leftist?
When did I make the comment about trains running on time?
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Uncomfortable Truth March 19, 2008
“I mean, Gosh! there’s the president standing under a big banner saying “Mission Accomplished.”
The troops will be coming home soon, right?”

Your main points, again, the President is a bumpkin, who likes to play dress up and that “Mission Accomplished” refers to the entire war. The fact is our military went into Iraq against the 6th largest military in the world, on their turf, under horrendous conditions and moved faster than anyone could have imagined and took the capitol. So, one mission was accomplished. A study of history would indicate that wars are made up of many missions, not one. Again these are images Move on. Org, the DNC et al frequently use to bash this President, and or our military.
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Again, I never said the president was a bumpkin. That is—again—your estimation based upon what I wrote.
Iraq may have been the sixth-largest military—I heard it was fourth—but so what? “Sixth” is an ordinal number and not indicative of anything other that it is the sixth! “Sixth” denotes neither size nor capability.
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Post Scripts March 26
Do you think the Muslim people might also be offended when we set up our "Den of Iniquity" right in the middle of their country? When we broadcast our filth that passes as entertainment to them?
Do you think people whose religion commands socialism might be offended by our capitalist ways? Ways that ignore the Islamic tenets of charity? Ways that leave the majority of them in abject poverty when they live on top of the most valuable of natural resources?

This is one of the most common misconceptions, “why they hate us” “We want to impose our way of life on them” Although I partially agree with your point that they (Muslim extremists) hate our freedoms, however Americans do more to try not to offend in foreign countries. They aren’t allowed alcohol or magazines which may be offensive. But what you fail to take into account is the fact that they hate anything that isn’t Islamic, and seek to destroy it. And they have, long before we went into Iraq. I mean really, check out Lebanon so how do we understand and appease them; we would have to convert to Islam or die.
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Again, I never said “we want to impose our way of life on them..” Rather, I said that the US presence in the heart of their country—the green zone, where American vices ARE allowed—is like a cancer to them. Pointing out what the Islamic extremists want to do with us has nothing to do with what I wrote.
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Post scripts march 26

Curious though how about you instantly referred to President Clinton with a reference to an intern. Sounds like dittohead talk. At least I think for myself.
'Tis not communism I fear, but fascism. And people like Tina who say my fears are petty.

Your points, anyone who makes insults must just be a “ditto head” non thinker, basically as you would say, “as stupid as the President.’ And these are insults other than the president doesn’t have a penis, because as you know this is a mature adult conversation point. The fact that this has been a long time liberal tactic, to equate any man who doesn’t agree with them as someone who, well, sorry, “has a small, or non existent one” And of course, anyone who wants the patriot act is a fascist.
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Actually my point was that when this president is criticized, dittoheads attack the previous president. Maybe other, unthinking types do so as well. Regardless, it is flawed logic. Thinking people would never make that argument. Further, I never used the phrase “as stupid as the President.” Don’t worry, nobody is that stupid. I would never say that anyone who wants the Patriot Act is a fascist—unless you’re talking about the authors. No, you don’t have to be a fascist, you just have to be ignorant of what it is, and what it does—like far too many people.
I stand with Benjamin Franklin on the Patriot Act.
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What rights have I lost? Thanks to the patriot act, I am no longer secure in my person, papers, or effects.

The other point, you are not safe because of the patriot act, but you can’t point to any injury you have sustained as the result. There has not been another successful attack on US soil. Having done some anti terrorism work, I was surprised by this fact alone. And I hold that opinion regardless of what you have heard from Rush, Sean, or anyone else.

Again, the patriot act is often pointed to as the most dangerous erosion to our freedoms. But I haven’t seen anyone be able to point out a specific injury they have suffered as the result.
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I am able to, but I will not. I know better than to comment on pending litigation. Sorry.
You can ask Elliot Spitzer what harm he suffered as a direct result of the Patriot Act, though.
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Quentin, these are just a few of the views you have put forth which are in agreement with the organizations I indicated. I’m sorry if I partook in some stereotyping, like you have.
But remember, the point you kept trying to drive home was that I had no original thoughts and only repeated what I had heard on the radio. Here are your original thoughts when compared to the other organizations. Do you really still believe that my comparison is any less worthy than the comparisons you have drawn of me. Remember Quentin you don’t know me either.
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Yes, as I exposed the fallacies of your arguments, and you are still unable to make a definitive connection between what I write and what the leftists think.
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“Verily, the quality of the education is no better than the quality of the student.”

“The poor craftsman blames his tools and materials.”
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I knew the second I wrote that you would come back with that comment! You have made a bad analogy—as I expected you to. Students are not the tools or materials of teaching, they are the finished product. Education is like no other field of endeavor. Can you imagine a house not wanting to be built? A field not wanting to be plowed? A drain not wanting to be unclogged? Of course not. Yet that is what teachers have to deal with every day. Our finished products have the choice of not wanting to be educated. In that respect, they’re just like dittoheads!

And I'm sure your reference to Bush as "Dumbya" was not an insult. And I was in no way attacking the field of education, just your ability at it. And still someone who doesn't agree with you, fails to be educated. I think indoctrinated is the word you are looking for. It looks like the kind of student you are looking for would have to be a "dittohead", they would have to ape you!
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I checked through my last ten essays.
Where did I call him Dumbya?
I'm sure I have a time or two in other fora, but what has that got to do with the price of tea in China? What has that got to do with anything we are discussing here?
If someone cannot agree with fact, then yes, they fail to be educated.
Incidentally, my abilities as an instructor are superlative--thanks for asking!
Hey, if you don't want to agree with the truth, that's OK, I am not surprised. You will in time. Remember, all truth goes through three phases. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self evident.

Remember, all truth goes through three phases. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self evident.

This is why Rush is hated by the left and his audience just keeps growing and growing and growing...

But your notion has not escaped me, after all the sub-title of your blog, "If my opinion offends you, you're part of the problem" is evidence that you are an output channel. You alone have got it right...others need not engage unless they express fawning agreement.

You say you like original thought but have named your blog with borrowed material...not a good beginning. I would expect someone who values original thought, to be open to the ideas, expertise and experience of others, yet you dismiss this kind of imput without bothering to investigate. One who relies on his own councel is foolish in my opinion, but to each his own...good luck to you with that.

You are welcome to participate on our blog, "deleted", if you choose (I purposely "deleted" the name so you wouldn't have to) but, I see no point in further engagement on your blog.
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Actually, Mr. Limbaugh's audience has neither grown nor decreased significantly. Oddly enough, the percentage of the radio audience that believes he tells the truth is similar to the percentage of people who still think Iraq had something to do 9/11. Similar also to the folks who think Bush is a good president.
What I am saying is that there will always be a certain percentage of people who simply cannot be taught because they simply will not listen. They will stick with preconceived notions that are not necessarily thier own and nothing will change their minds.
The difference between ignorance and stupidity is that ignorance is not having been told; stupidity is not listening when someone is telling you.
I do my best to stop ignorance.
Alas, there is nothing I can do about stupidity.
If you wish to rebut what I say, why don't you? All I hear is fallacious reasoning. I hear the words I've heard on the radio, or read on other websites. If it is fallacy when it's on the radio, or another website, it is still fallacy when you say it.
I truly regret that you have not submitted one argument that will stand up to logical scrutiny.
This web log is always open to contrary thought. And I will print it if it makes sense.

Your blogs are right on but I'm wondering why you're wasting your time trying to win a pissin' match with a skunk.

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Thank you for reading, and of course, thank you for writing.
Sometimes I wonder, too!

Quentin