More Good News from Korea
It looks like one of our allies, South Korea is finally looking at the cost of protecting themselves. And they realize then need to look at the strategic plan for dealing with North Korea. The time for military free riding on America isn't over but at least people are starting to realize it might not last forever.
The WSJ says: The 2004 election has one issue: the war on terror
Its a very strong statement but it is in fact wrong. We have been in a war against terror for over 25 years. The effect of terrorist on America and Americans is a rounding error at best. Yes losing 3000 people and the WTC was a terrible blow to the economy of NYC, but if the effect of terrorism was the problem we could have taken the 5 billion a month we are spending in Iraq to compensate the victims of 9/11 and other terrorist acts with money to spare.
But then people say but soldiers and civilians are dying, this is a life or death issue. But that is bullshit, everything is a life or death issues. More Frenchmen died in a heat wave last summer than all of the Iraqis and Americans killed during the entire conflict. To put it is perspective About 11000 Iraqi and Americans have died in the conflict while in
America 15,000 people have died of AIDS.
Its a common problem to believe news coverage equals importance. Clinton fought multiple wars with minimal press coverage. I suspect if Kerry gets elected Iraq will slowly fall off the front page and it will continue as it does today, with good days and bad days, just like our "occupation" of Japan and South Korea.
By any rational analysis the war on terror is not a big deal.
But I still want to stomp on the assholes of the world and to use our power to make the world a better place.
But no matter how you cut it, health care, tax policy, education policy, economic policy are much much bigger issues to care about for the election.
Fuck the 9/11 commission:
Everyone did the best they could, this 20/20 hindsight is pissing me off.
Especially when they start going after NYC FDNY and NYPD. Apparently I am not the only one
who feels this way.
The Weakness of Bush's Idealism
Bush is losing support because of the prison scandal and not for the reasons the chattering classes believe. I have talked with people from all walks of life and they don't give a damm about a few Iraqis being smacked around (and that is all this is, this is in no way torture ) of course its nothing people want to see but they understand that shit happens. How else do cops get confessions.
Bush is losing support because he listens to all the news reports and he actually really feels bad about it. He is an idealist with what appears to be to soft a heart to wage the war on terror. He has refused to call those accountable except in broad undefined strokes, he is not willing to go into the grey areas where the cold warriors had to go. He really believe good will win because good is good.
I really wish we had another choice between him and Kerry.
