Politics: J'accuse!

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally posted by Not Me
How are things different in Liberaland (except of course substituting "bush" or "cheney" or "reagan" for "clinton"?

We lefties don't think that you're either with us or against us, and this makes the world more complicated.



Buy this bumper-sticker here.

[Not Me]

Originally posted by Tyrone_Slothrop
We lefties don't think that you're either with us or against us

You really are a funny guy, Ty.

[Not Me]

This is pretty awful:

http://wireservice.wired.com/wired/s...=wn_wire_story

• 7 U.S. Soldiers Killed in Baghdad, U.S. Army Says
  
  BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Seven U.S. soldiers were killed in fierce clashes with Shi'ites in Baghdad's impoverished slum area of Sadr City, a U.S. military spokesman said Monday.
  
  U.S. military officials in Baghdad said Shi'ite militiamen had tried to take over police stations and government buildings without success using small arms and grenade launchers.
  
  More than two dozen U.S. soldiers were wounded.
  
  Shi'ite supporters of radical cleric Moqtada al-Sadr clashed with troops in several Iraqi cities Sunday.
  
  In the worst clashes at Kufa near Najaf, 20 Iraqis, one American and one Salvadoran soldier were killed.
  
  Fighting began there after protesting militiamen marched on a Spanish-run military base to denounce the arrest of an aide to Sadr and the closure by U.S. officials of a militant Baghdad newspaper.
  
  Oppressed under former President Saddam Hussein, Iraq's Shi'ites have grown increasingly vocal in the year since U.S.-led forces ousted Saddam and want their clear majority of the population to be reflected in a future Iraqi government.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally posted by Not Me
This is pretty awful:

http://wireservice.wired.com/wired/s...=wn_wire_story

• 7 U.S. Soldiers Killed in Baghdad, U.S. Army Says
  
  BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Seven U.S. soldiers were killed in fierce clashes with Shi'ites in Baghdad's impoverished slum area of Sadr City, a U.S. military spokesman said Monday.
  
  U.S. military officials in Baghdad said Shi'ite militiamen had tried to take over police stations and government buildings without success using small arms and grenade launchers.
  
  More than two dozen U.S. soldiers were wounded.
  
  Shi'ite supporters of radical cleric Moqtada al-Sadr clashed with troops in several Iraqi cities Sunday.
  
  In the worst clashes at Kufa near Najaf, 20 Iraqis, one American and one Salvadoran soldier were killed.
  
  Fighting began there after protesting militiamen marched on a Spanish-run military base to denounce the arrest of an aide to Sadr and the closure by U.S. officials of a militant Baghdad newspaper.
  
  Oppressed under former President Saddam Hussein, Iraq's Shi'ites have grown increasingly vocal in the year since U.S.-led forces ousted Saddam and want their clear majority of the population to be reflected in a future Iraqi government.

Maybe I'm misreading that article, but it kinda makes it sound like we're fighting Iraqi Shi'ites, not foreign terrorists.

[Not Me]

Originally posted by Tyrone_Slothrop
Maybe I'm misreading that article, but it kinda makes it sound like we're fighting Iraqi Shi'ites, not foreign terrorists.

You are not misreading this. Hence my comment that this is awful.

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

Originally posted by Tyrone_Slothrop
Maybe I'm misreading that article, but it kinda makes it sound like we're fighting Iraqi Shi'ites, not foreign terrorists.

Must be the damn Iranians.

Because the nice Iraqi Shi'ite's are just happy to be free from Saddam's aweful rule, and wouldn't want to do something like, say, rule the country in which they're a majority, would they?

And what do you think they think about Democracy?

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally posted by Not Me
You are not misreading this. Hence my comment that this is awful.

I don't think you meant to imply that it wouldn't be awful if seven U.S. soldiers were killed by foreign terrorists, but it sure sounded that way.

[Not Me]

Originally posted by Greedy,Greedy,Greedy
Must be the damn Iranians.

Because the nice Iraqi Shi'ite's are just happy to be free from Saddam's aweful rule, and wouldn't want to do something like, say, rule the country in which they're a majority, would they?

And what do you think they think about Democracy?

From the news reports I read, the insurgency started because an assistant to the radical cleric Sadr was arrested by Iraqi police as a suspect in the murder of another moderate cleric last year. The insurgents are the followers of this radical cleric Sadr. There is a split in the Shia community between followers of Sadr and the followers of the more moderate Shia leaders.

[Not Me]

Originally posted by Tyrone_Slothrop
I don't think you meant to imply that it wouldn't be awful if seven U.S. soldiers were killed by foreign terrorists, but it sure sounded that way.

I don't see how you read that into what I said. It is awful when US soldiers die in battle regardless of how (even equiptment malfunctions). But it is also awful that there appears to be this split in the Shia community and that the backers of this radical cleric are rising up against the Iraqi police and the coalition.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally posted by Not Me
I don't see how you read that into what I said

I said, we're fighting Iraqis, not foreigners. You said, hence my comment that it was awful. Which implies that it was awful because we're fighting Iraqis, not foreigners, not simply because Americans were killed.

Where were the foreign terrorists? Held up at the border with visa troubles?

[Not Me]

Originally posted by Tyrone_Slothrop
Where were the foreign terrorists? Held up at the border with visa troubles?

You seem to be finding partisan joy in this.

These aren't foreigners. These are radical Iraqi muslims. There are Iraqis who are radical muslims, too. Again, the problem is religion. Sadr's deputy/assistant/whatever you call him apparently was arrested for murdering another more moderate cleric and that sparked this. One group of Shia's fighting/murdering another group in the name of god.

The problem is religion and as long as religion exists, it will divide people and inspire hate.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally posted by Not Me
You seem to be finding partisan joy in this.

What does that word, "partisan", mean to you? The way you use it is bilmore-esque, and I don't mean that in a good way.

The problem is religion and as long as religion exists, it will divide people and inspire hate.

Not if we all convert to Unitarianism or Zoroastrianism. There are very few, if any, militants of either of those faiths.

[Not Me]

Originally posted by Tyrone_Slothrop
What does that word, "partisan", mean to you? The way you use it is bilmore-esque, and I don't mean that in a good way.

There is a clear "na na na na nah" tone to your post regarding the foreign terrorists. You seem to be deriving joy from the fact that the Iraqi's are portesting and killing US soldiers because this (in your mind) supports your position that invading Iraq wasn't a good idea.

Originally posted by Tyrone_Slothrop
Not if we all convert to Unitarianism or Zoroastrianism. There are very few, if any, militants of either of those faiths.

How about scientology? They aren't militant (as long as you pay your dues or whatever they call donations to the "church", that is).

[Not Me]

Florida moving to ban lawyer advertising

• TALLAHASSEE, Fla., March 24 (UPI) -- Florida lawmakers gave preliminary approval to a bill that would stop lawyer ads that promise windfall legal settlements and all but invite lawsuits.
  
  The state House gave preliminary approval -- without debate -- to a sweeping measure that would prohibit the solicitation of legal business for profit, the Tampa Tribune reported Wednesday.
  
  As surprising as anything was the lack of opposition, not to mention support, from lawyers themselves.
  
  "Lawyers are embarrassed by the fact there are folks who advertise on TV in ways that are demeaning to the profession," said House Speaker Johnnie Byrd, a lawyer.
  
  Even leading Democrats, who typically resist legislation unfavorable to trial lawyers, support the bill.
  
  "I have no problems with attorneys advertising, but some of these step over the line," said House Minority Leader Doug Wiles, D-St. Augustine.
  
  The measure says the onslaught of soliciting has triggered a crisis in the state's judicial system that "destroys the personal responsibility of individuals, fosters frivolous litigation, and demeans the judiciary and the practice of the law."
  
  Democratic Sen. Skip Campbell, a trial lawyer from Fort Lauderdale, plans to sponsor a similar measure in the Senate.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally posted by Not Me
There is a clear "na na na na nah" tone to your post regarding the foreign terrorists. You seem to be deriving joy from the fact that the Iraqi's are portesting and killing US soldiers because this (in your mind) supports your position that invading Iraq wasn't a good idea.

No, the tone has to do with our exchange about your flytrap theory. I derive no joy from either portesting or killing.

How about scientology? They aren't militant (as long as you pay your dues or whatever they call donations to the "church", that is).

And I always thought Jenna Elfman is kinda cute.