Bi-Polar Bear wrote:So bush admits he may be a dickhead? Why attach anything to it?
I agree. Sometimes there's no evil ploy.
It's a well known fact he's behind the curve...it just took him longer to catch on to what the rest of the class already knew.....Lash...we're putting you in a self contained class...we'll write it into your I.E.P. you'll catch up....
Seems we both had the same opinion. See you in class.
Bush do good---always an evil ploy
Bush do bad---always part of the evil master plan
The sky is falling--Your tired mantra
kicky--
He's obviously setting the stage to improve strained relationships, and improve our PR. He's got a couple of these working now--The Indonesian aid-- apologizing for a couple of things--
Why the surprise that he said it to reporters? Is this now also something off limits to Bush? How else does he get the message out?
I hate to admit this (being a Bush hater) but there's some sense to what Lash says.
Lash wrote:He's obviously setting the stage to improve strained relationships, and improve our PR. He's got a couple of these working now--The Indonesian aid-- apologizing for a couple of things--
Thats probably pretty much it.
Well, I hope it DOES betoken a change - even if only in rhetoric.
Rhetoric can be damned important in foreign relations - especially in dealing with countries without a largely shared history and world view.
I mean, when western countries communicate, there is generally, I think, a sort of shared code, and understood subscript.
I think it far easier to truly alienate and close off dialogue with countries - like many Asian and especially Middle Eastern ones - and feed into an enemies and nothing but enemies mindset. (Ignoring actual acts of invasion, which tend to arouse certain beliefs in the invaded, and those near them).
The US - (and also Australia, when our PM followed your president by - in a way that seemed quite demented - saying that WE would embrace a first strike policy in our region, too the damage THAT did may well not be wiped out even by the tsunami!) - rhetoric has, in my view, done a lot of harm in terms of fanning flames of mistrust in the Islamic world - perhaps more than it realizes, given the different language of diplomacy in those countries.
As I said, I do not consider rhetoric immaterial and unimportant in its psychological effect.
As I said, some of you are mentioning other instances of a softer line - can you give examples?
Bush is repudiating that remark because the insurgents are mocking him for making it...and telling our fighting men and women that they have been responding to the challenge.
Any evidence for that view, Frank?
Hmmm - if you are right - I wonder how the "my wife really bored it up me" stuff will go down with that audience - though one gathers Muslim women have a lot of power in the home....
Liar, Liar, pants on fire.
au are you talking to me? Surely not....
BPB
Would I call you a liar? Of course not. Was talking about the feeble minded individual that now occupies the OVAL OFFICE.
I was worried there for a minute...like all men, I sometimes tell a lie just to keep in practice...but not on A2K.....
Thanks PDiddie - but I don't find that enough proof - any enemy is always gonna use their opponent's words against them, be they what they may.
PDiddie wrote:dlowan wrote:Any evidence for that view, Frank?
Right here,d.
Thanks, Diddie. I was having a hell of a time trying to find this again. I hadn't given up...but I'm really happy you found it for me.
dlowan wrote:Thanks PDiddie - but I don't find that enough proof - any enemy is always gonna use their opponent's words against them, be they what they may.
Lemme see, dlowan....
...Bush has consistently refused to acknowledge any mistakes for two years now....
...and just a few days after the message Diddie posted was publicized...he expresses regret for having used the expression...
...and you are dismissive of a suggestion that there is a relationship.
Okay.
I'll buy that.
But I think it is an interesting coincidence...and it would not astonish me to find that this WAS the reason Bush made his expression of regret.
Oh wow. If only Bush hadn't taunted em, eh?
Hmmmm - ok.
You do not (gazing into your crystal ball) think it betokens any general softening of belligerent rhetoric?
OCCOM BILL wrote:Oh wow. If only Bush hadn't taunted em, eh?
We were discussing the motivation behind Bush's expression of regret...not the effect of that expression, Bill.
Stay with the program.
In any case...it was a truly stupid statement...and I would not be surprised to learn that it was used as motivation by our enemies for action against our troops.
ADDED:
Even football players know enough not to say things that will rally their opponents...
...not that I am suggesting in any way that George Bush is as smart as the average football player.
I couldn't agree more, that it was a stupid statement. I'd have preferred something more prophetic... like, "You mess with me and I'll seal your fate..."
