€arth Ångel

I found this in the newspaper, and I agree with what it had to say.

"After so much political spin, with most of us uncertain about the future,America looked to a man with a clear vision of what he wants to accomplish: Osma bin Laden. The terrorist and mruderer of thousands of Americans on Sept. 11, 2001, played presidentail politics on the last weekend of the campaign.

What he said will surley dominate the news, bringing focus to what is important, what has always been important since that September morning when everything changed, when Americans dropped out of the sky from the ruined twin towers to the pavement of lower Manhattan. It has always been about American will and whether Islamic terrorists can break our will. It is all about how we react to the real prospect of another terrible attack. If that happens, will we stand up like the Austrailians, or will we cover like the Spaniards? Of all the boring political commercails out there, this one will have the most impact, because bin Laden's message boils down to this: "Do what I say, or we will kill you." It does lack nauance. But it sure is easy to remember.

He said he doesn't like current U.S policy led by President Bush. He wants America to abandon Israel. HE wants us to leave the Middle East and stop hunting his people and thier supporters. Clearly, he wants us out of Iraq. He wants to tell Americans where we can walk in this world. He also made it clear that he doesn't like Bush's anti-terrorism law known as the PAtriot Act. But he didn't quote from Eastern stablishment newspaper editorials or the ACLU. He said the president modeled the idea on despotic Arab rulers.

"O American people," he began, "I am speaking to tell you about the ideal way to aboivd another Manhattan, about war and its causes and effects. Security is an important foundation of human life, and free people do not squander thier secuirty, contrary to Bush's claims that we hate freedom." And later, he played the role of dispassation non-partisan analyst. "YTour secuirty is not in the hands of [John] Kerry or Bush or Al Qaeda." he said. "Your security is in your own hands, and each state which does not harm our secuirty will remain safe." The bin Laden tape is threatening to Kerry's prospects, and it hurts Kerry for this reason:
It shifts attention away from the questionable last minute and politically driven hit pieces from '60 Minutes' and The New York Times over the mistakes in war policy in Iraq. And it changes the news to terrorism, the president's best subject. In his own breif statement Friday evening, Bush did not take partisa advantage. Perhaps he didn't have to. Bin Laden already told Americans that Bush is his mortal enemy. "Let me make this clear," Bush said in Ohio. "Americans will not be intimidated or influenced by an enemy of our contry. I'm sure Sen. Kerry agrees with this."

Kerry was clearly stung with events, and rightfully so. In an interview with WISN-TV in Milwaukee aftereward, he gave a revealing answer as how to handles crisis. "My reaction is that half of us are completly united," Kerry said, offering strong bipartisan support. Then he tried to score points, criticizing the president for not capturing bin Laden. "I believe I can run a better war on terror that George Bush." Satesmentship was required then, not desperate grasping. His subsequent comments were more careful, indicating his handlers understood he had gone too far.

Perhaps most of us are embedded in our politics choices now that there is nowhere to move. Perhaps we'll rationalize anything, even naked threats from a terroist, and fit them into our personal politics, and Ihave to allow that perhaps I am doing that now. Of course, retreat is always an option. What if we appease terrorists and leave Iraq? Will Islamic terrorists stop if we give them what we want? You know the answer to that. The answer is no.

We can differ on how to fight this war. Were Americans. We argue. We vote. I', not telling you what to do on Tuesday. And I'm not speaking for this newspaper. I'm speaking for myself. You'll make your own decision, and even if we differ, I'll respect your choice. But I'll owe it to you to tell you what I'm going to do. I think it's important to elect a prexident who will do what is necessary, someone who refuses a waver even when his decisons are unpopular, even when they threaten his political future. It is about American will.

Yes, there have been mistakes. His administration has certainly made mistakes in Iraq. But I'm voting for President Bush."

__________________
Living and learning.

†

Birgerhar

SCREW THE NEWSPAPER. VOTE KERRY!

BeBritney

Damn that really convinced me to change everything I was believing in beforehand...

Or not. Kerry.

Leonida

hmm the only thing i really dislike about kerry is the fact that if he wins he doesn't want much to do with the uk and that just isn't good at all for our country.

BeBritney

Lea who knows...I trust Kerry but at the same time I know he talks out of both sides of his mouth, like the rest of them. I don't think he'd like cut the UK off or anything, I really don't.

lmao your sig Amar

Leonida

He has said he doesn't Like tony blair though cos of him supporting bush and all... he said he'd rather concentrate on france and germany if he gets elected than the uk, but honestly I think that would be a really bad move on his part. Hopefully he'll change his mind *nod*

BeBritney

Of course he'll change his mind, he's a flip-flopper

But yeah I know Lea, of course he won't like Tony Blair with him supporting Bush, but I don't believe he'd completely forget about you guys over there he probably knows it's a bad move to actually do that.

Lemons

*Ahem*.. Its called a contridiction.

Kattie

Was that newspaper The Onion by any chance?

CrAZyBeAuTiFuL4

Good to see you're listening when people correct you And Mandy was being sarcastic...

Anyhow...yeah, that article did nothing for me, sorry. If Bin Laden or any other terrorist group is going to attack us, they're going to attack us. They're not going to let who are leader is affect their decision. I think the way Bush has handled this who terrorism thing has been a joke. He has not even come close to making things better, he's only made them worse. Bush was looking for ANYTHING that would "justify" him going into Iraq and he acted too quickly and look where that has got us. Thousands of people are dead because of his mistake and he can't even ADMIT that maybe he was a little trigger happy with the way he carried out his plans. *shakes head* I don't want a "leader" who is unwilling to admit when he makes a mistake, he's only human, I don't expect him to be perfect, but I do expect him to own up when he does something wrong and NOT place the blame on others.