Leading the People to War

[imported_Chuck Weinstock]

"...people don't want to go to war... But, after all, it's the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it's always a simple matter to drag the people along whether it's a democracy or a facist dictatorship or a parliament or a communistdictatorship... Voice or no voice, the people can
always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to greater danger. It works the same way in any country."

-- Karl Rove




(actually it was Hermann Goering at the Nuremberg Trials)

[pokerjo22]

"No protracted war can fail to endanger the freedom of a democratic country. Not indeed that after every victory it is to be apprehended that the victorious generals will possess themselves by force of the supreme power, after the manner of Sulla and Caesar; the danger is of another kind. War does not always give over democratic communities to government, but it must invariably and immeasurably increase the powers of civil government; it must compulsorily concentrate the direction of all men and the management of all things in the hands of the administration. If it does not lead to despotism by sudden violence, it prepares men for it more gently by their habits. All those who seek to destroy the liberties of a democratic nation ought to know that war is the surest and shortest means to accomplish it."

--- Tocqueville (1840)

[GWB]

" <font color="white">...................... </font> "

-- anti-war activists, 2004


(What they would be saying if America did not fight against evil in the past or the present)

[pokerjo22]

Since this is a gambling forum GWB I'll wager you $10,000 we don't win the war on terror. What do you say?

[Filip]

"Battle doesn't need a purpose; the battle is it's own purpose. You don't ask why a plague spreads or a field burns. Don't ask why I fight."

-- Black Knight

[tolbiny]

GWB-
blindly stating that because some wars have to be fought, that somehow we owe something to those who start wars is pretty disgusting.

[GWB]

[ QUOTE ]
Since this is a gambling forum GWB I'll wager you $10,000 we don't win the war on terror. What do you say?

[/ QUOTE ]

The war on terror is like the war on cancer, or the war on crime, or the war on rats in a big city. You do well by minimizing the cancer deaths, the crime, or the rats, but you never can eliminate them completely.

But to throw up our hands and say, "we can't eliminate all of the terrorists" is still a worse option than doing the hard work to minimize terrorism knowing that we will never wipe it out completely.

[GWB]

[ QUOTE ]
GWB-
blindly stating that because some wars have to be fought, that somehow we owe something to those who start wars is pretty disgusting.

[/ QUOTE ]

When did I say that?

America didn't start the war on terror, they attacked us.

[tolbiny]

" ...................... "

-- anti-war activists, 2004


(What they would be saying if America did not fight against evil in the past or the present)


Sorry- the implication that i took from this statement was that the protestors owe their freedom of speech to those who fought any war in the past. Please explain how you intended this to be interpreted.


Also-

"America didn't start the war on terror, they attacked us."

How many Iraqi's have been linked to terroist acts agianst the US prior to the invasion?

[pokerjo22]

I didn't realize we were at war with cancer. In fact, I didnt even realize cancer had formed itself into an army. Jeez, scary stuff. Thank God you're our commander in chief.

So you don't expect to win the war then? But we won't lose because we're just going to keep fighting forever? Forgive me, but doesn't that seem even worse than losing?