NotBond

Do I still hold that talking "nice nice" to terrorists doesn't work? Absolutely yes: 10/8/85 - Disabled American Leon Klinghoffer is shot in the forehead and thrown overboard, still in his wheelchair, by Pakistan terrorists who boarded the cruise ship Achille Lauro. 12/21/88 - Pan Am flight 103 blown up over Lockerbie, killing 270 people. 9/11/01 - Terrorists hijack planes and fly them into buildings in the US - 2,998 dead 9/1/04 - Terrorists take over Breslan School, holding over 1100 people hostage. Ultimately, 334 were killed. (Islamic) terrorists have carried out more than 12 thousand (12,000) deadly attacks since 9/11. Sura (2:191-193) - "And slay them wherever ye find them, and drive them out of the places whence they drove you out, for persecution [of Muslims] is worse than slaughter [of non-believers]...and fight them until persecution is no more, and religion is for Allah." Sura (3:151) - "Soon shall We cast terror into the hearts of the Unbelievers, for that they joined companions with Allah, for which He had sent no authority". Sura (8:39) - "And fight with them until there is no more persecution and religion should be only for Allah" I could list hundreds more instances like the above, but I don't want writers cramp. You can choose to research other incidents, or the underlying philosophy if you want, or not. If you choose not to, then there is nothing that I can say that will convince you that the people (and I use that word loosely) who whose stated goal is the destruction of this country, are not trustworthy, not nice, and would just as soon slice off your head as look at you. If you continue to think in this way, then you are simply one of the sheep that it is my job to protect from the wolves. The sheep don't believe in the wolves, or the danger therein, and will not believe there is a danger until their neighbors have blown off limbs from the IED placed in the shopping mall, or are dying from the chem/bio agent that was released upwind, or into the food chain, or perhaps sprayed onto the salad bar. And that's fine, I accept that, it's my job. And if there are no sheepdogs (protectors) near you if/when the bad stuff happens, I wish you luck. Doug Courage is being scared to death - but saddling up anyways... - John Wayne

Actually, you may have something there...after all, it was the US that unleashed Windows upon an unsuspecting world. Probably morph into Skynet in a couple years, start a nuclear war, exterminate mankind, and eventually transform into the Borg..... Courage is being scared to death - but saddling up anyways... - John Wayne

Welllll, ok, we'll take Mickey D's with us, but you have to keep Starbucks! Courage is being scared to death - but saddling up anyways... - John Wayne

I get so tired of hearing how America screws up the rest of the world. I would LOVE to shut of ALL foreign aid for one year, to everyone outside of the USA and see how you guys fare. Many of the smaller and poorer countries that pretend to be "freinds" while bashing us in the back rooms, would be huddled around friggin campfires eating rocks inside a couple months. Courage is being scared to death - but saddling up anyways... - John Wayne

Whoops, double check. That post was Chuck, #24. I simply quoted it. I have a solution. Dr. Strangeglove is on TCM tonight, let's all watch and see how arguments are supposed to be settled! Courage is being scared to death - but saddling up anyways... - John Wayne

Not if your opponent’s goal is for you to change who you are and what you stand for. Not if your opponent’s goal is for you to change who you are and what you stand for. A good point. My question was somewhat retorical, because it's not black and white but varying shades of grey. We've taken some steps in this country that have removed some freedoms. Are we safer for it. Perhaps. Are we more like the enemy because we've removed some freedoms in order to be safe? Yes, in some ways. Kind of a vicious circle. Where does it stop? Who says "Ok, enough freedoms have been removed to guarantee safety"? Or, who says we need to remove more in order to preserve our way of life? Perfect example: I need to comply with the TSA screening in order to enjoy unrestricted commercial air travel. But, in order to enjoy unrestricted air travel, I have to restrict myself at the gate (search, those stupid 3oz containers, etc). Vicious circle. I don't have a pat answer, there is none. Your trade of freedoms for safety may not be mine and vice versa. Courage is being scared to death - but saddling up anyways... - John Wayne

What if, in order to be better than your opponent, you have to become like him? Or, more precisely, do some of the things your opponent does, in order to win? Courage is being scared to death - but saddling up anyways... - John Wayne

So does slaughtering 3000 innocent men, women and children - civilians. If a rabid pit bull is rushing down the street towards you with hate and intent, you don't offer him a doggie treat! Courage is being scared to death - but saddling up anyways... - John Wayne

As long as we don't go too far in the other direction. Like treating terrorists like speeders and giving them a friggin ticket..... Courage is being scared to death - but saddling up anyways... - John Wayne

The problem is, a large share of the population has no idea what we face. To those in law enforcement, military, or civilian preparedness, it's pretty clear - we face an enemy who's stated goal is our destruction as a nation, and death our our citizens if we do not "convert" to their way of life. Period. If a gang of thugs, with a history of torture and death moved into my neighborhood and directly threatened my family, I either remove their ability to harm me, or eliminate them. Remove the threat, one way or another. Talking "nice nice" to them doesn't work, it never has. Since we have an "open" nation, with borders made out of swiss cheese, it makes our self protection extremely difficult without going to a dictatorial State. And if we go down that road, they have won. Courage is being scared to death - but saddling up anyways... - John Wayne

playing old Dean Martin records real loud. Sure! "Ain't It a Kick in the Head"! One of my favorites! Courage is being scared to death - but saddling up anyways... - John Wayne

People who are not willing to do what is necessary to win wars will eventually be oppressed by people who are. We DO hold ourselves to a higher standard. That's why our "torture" consists of waterboarding, sleep deprivation, and playing old Dean Martin records real loud. Their's consists of rape with splintered broomsticks, daily beatings, genital eletrocution, and a variety of other wonderful things. Get a grip on reality before you are a muslim by force. Idiots. Geez. +1 Courage is being scared to death - but saddling up anyways... - John Wayne

To paraphrase a scene in Red October: "I said speak your mind, Richard, but Jesus!" Courage is being scared to death - but saddling up anyways... - John Wayne

Thanks for the honesty!

Actually Wendy, the comparison of actual birth certificates would be great. All we've seen is the Certificate of Live Birth, which can be duplicated over and over.... And Chuck, I have been to the site you mentioned. Didn't care for the "Obama's a total fraud" tone, but the COLB material from Berg was on there. Interesting reading, but it's the same as Polarik's stuff. Courage is being scared to death - but saddling up anyways... - John Wayne