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04/06/2004 Archived Entry: "Oh, boy. This is not good."
Oh, boy. This is not good.
Late last year, Gore Vidal gave an interview to LA Weekly. The last quote in the interview was this:
How do you think the current war in Iraq is going to play out?I think we will go down the tubes right with it. With each action Bush ever more enrages the Muslims. And there are a billion of them. And sooner or later they will have a Saladin who will pull them together, and they will come after us. And it won’t be pretty.
America, meet the new Saladin.
Supporters of maverick Muslim cleric Moqtada al-Sadr controlled government, religious and security buildings in the holy city of Najaf early Tuesday evening, according to a coalition source in southern Iraq.The source said al-Sadr's followers controlled the governor's office, police stations and the Imam Ali mosque, one of Shia Muslim's holiest shrines.
Iraqi police were negotiating to regain their stations, the source said.
The source also said al-Sadr was busing followers into Najaf from Sadr City in Baghdad and that many members of his outlawed militia, Mehdi's Army, were from surrounding provinces.
Business people are closing their shops and either leaving the city or hoarding their wares in their homes, the source said.
Replies: 20 people speak up
bush will have to kill thousands and probobly blow up a lot of holy sites in the process of getting this guy. how can anyone not see that we have already lost this war?
Posted by justin @ 04/06/2004 01:37 PM NY
I wrote this in June 2003 in response to my pro-Bush nephew who lives in Sugarland, TX, the very heart of Bush Country.
===================================
The Hornets’ Nest
- a short story by Metro99
One fine, sunny day the village idiot, a man named Simpleton George, was walking through the woods. He stopped after noticing a large nest of hornets hanging from a tree branch about six feet off the ground. George became curious, picked up a number of rocks and threw them at the nest. Though enraged, the hornets remained in their nest.
George felt satisfied with himself, picked up a small branch, walked a little closer to the nest, and started hitting the nest with the branch. The hornets became furious, yet again they remained in their nest.
Simpleton George said to himself, “feels good!” Finally, George thought, “gee, I wonder what would happen if I stick my face into that there hornets’ nest.”
And that is why Simpleton George is the village idiot.
The End
Posted by Metropolitan99 @ 04/06/2004 01:44 PM NY
I think that should be MAhdi.
Brings up the so-called "Mad Mahdi" who gave Kitchner such a hard time. And some British Generals before him, a time even harder.
Posted by Mooser @ 04/06/2004 06:32 PM NY
A billion sharing one brain cell. George Vidal assumes they will all think alike and I know they won't. A few will not ruin it for the rest. and the rest are the 99.5 % that dont use violence as a way to advance themselves. more hogwash from the left.
Posted by Robin Hacker @ 04/06/2004 07:57 PM NY
"A billion sharing one brain cell."
Hyperbole is not a good way to start out your statement. Try sticking to factual statements, people might take you a little more seriously.
"George Vidal assumes they will all think alike and I know they won't."
No, you ASSUME they won't. You don't KNOW. Odds are in favor that they won't, however, you don't KNOW.
"A few will not ruin it for the rest."
Eh, history is against you on this one. Revolts tend to start in the minority, like the American Revolution for example. Everything starts small and works its way up, that's how things work. A large group of people don't just wake up one morning and are all of a sudden part of the collective.
"and the rest are the 99.5 % that dont use violence as a way to advance themselves."
If you are going to post statistical figures, I'm going to have to ask you to cite your source, otherwise, you would do well to stop fudging figures in a flailing attempt to bolster your opinions.
"more hogwash from the left."
As opposed to all the bullshit from the right?
Thank you, drive thru.
Posted by djdissent @ 04/06/2004 10:19 PM NY
A billion sharing one brain cell."
It's called sacrasm
"George Vidal assumes they will all think alike and I know they won't."
No, you ASSUME they won't. You don't KNOW. Odds are in favor that they won't, however, you don't KNOW.
your statement here even for someone from the left is utterly , well stupid. I absoulutly KNOW all billion of them will NOT think the same
"and the rest are the 99.5 % that dont use violence as a way to advance themselves."
If you are going to post statistical figures, I'm going to have to ask you to cite your source, otherwise, you would do well to stop fudging figures in a flailing attempt to bolster your opinions.
Fallujah: population 250,000 ppl , 10,000 insurgents including foriegn types (and this is a hot spot of anti american hate). you do the math, nevermind, 4 %
you want fries with that ?
Posted by Robin Hacker @ 04/07/2004 06:41 AM NY
Hey, "Robin" --
read this analysis.
Professor Cole basically is suggesting that, far from a "few" resisters, these guerillas have wide support thru the population.
Don't say we didn't tell you this was a bad idea.
Posted by Tanystropheus @ 04/07/2004 07:17 AM NY
A billion sharing one brain cell."
It's called sacrasm
No, it is hyperbole, exaggeration. Please learn the proper definition of literary tools. Sarcasm is an entirely different creature.
"George Vidal assumes they will all think alike and I know they won't."
No, you ASSUME they won't. You don't KNOW. Odds are in favor that they won't, however, you don't KNOW.
your statement here even for someone from the left is utterly , well stupid.
ad hominem, moving on..
I absoulutly KNOW all billion of them will NOT think the same
Once again, no you don't, you can scream that until you are blue in the face trying to convince yourself and everyone else here, but you simply don't know. It is an opinion you have, which I assume is backed up by your extensive experience with muslims, middle east culture, sociology and psychology. (good example of sarcasm right there)
"and the rest are the 99.5 % that dont use violence as a way to advance themselves."
If you are going to post statistical figures, I'm going to have to ask you to cite your source, otherwise, you would do well to stop fudging figures in a flailing attempt to bolster your opinions.
Fallujah: population 250,000 ppl , 10,000 insurgents including foriegn types (and this is a hot spot of anti american hate). you do the math, nevermind, 4 %
Even though you have invalidated your earlier statement, I asked for SOURCES, not some numbers you just typed out. for example:
http://www.world-gazetteer.com/c/c_iq.htm#pl_20
shows the population to be 284,500 in 2004. And just because there are "10,000"(your number, still waiting on a source) insurgents, does not mean they don't have popular support.
Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.
toodles
Posted by djdissent @ 04/07/2004 09:45 AM NY
djdissent
as I see you couldnt prove me wrong , or you would have with links etc.
here's one for ya toodles, does everyone in the U.S hate John Kerry like i do ?
Using your reasoning skills, I guess im right and your well...........
Ketchup (heinzco) with them fries
Posted by Robin Hacker @ 04/07/2004 01:40 PM NY
good lord your circular reasoning is making me dizzy. try using something other than your own opinions to prove your own opinions. its like citing the bible to prove that the bible is correct, or citing a car commercial to prove that you have the best car. the only person that you are fooling is yourself. on the good side, your thoughts are probobly very clean from all of that brainwashing. do you have anything worthwhile to say?
Posted by justin @ 04/07/2004 02:54 PM NY
ABC CBS NBC CNN All said there were only an estimated 10,000 in fallujah, so correct them if you think it will help your position
Circle reasoning is the hole in the middle of your ass, take your head out ! ! ! !
saying ALL 1 billion muslums will be against Americans is like saying they all have one brain cell.
Trying to tell anyone that ALL one billion will be against us is the ultimate in ignorance.
do your own carry out
Posted by Robin Hacker @ 04/07/2004 05:24 PM NY
i dont think that all 1 billion muslims are against you, but i think that you and your "president" are doing everything possible to help turn them against you.
as for statistics, you may be right, there may only be 10,000 "rebels" in fallujah. i dont know, i havnt taken a poll. however, i do know that for every "rebel" we kill, we have just turned several more iraqis into "rebels". you can win a war, if your object is to conquer, you cant win an occupation, especially if you are trying to "win the hearts and minds" of those you are occupying. freedom can not be given, it can only be taken. by invading iraq we have only given them a new target to take their freedom back from.
Posted by justin @ 04/07/2004 06:06 PM NY
here is the post and link to the 10,000 refrence
Q Does the President have any reaction to the events in Iraq over the weekend with the Shiite uprisings and also Senator Lugar --
MR. McCLELLAN: I don't know -- first of all, I don't know that I would describe it the way you did. I think that what you're talking about is one individual who is seeking to derail democracy and freedom for the Iraqi people. This is one individual who is seeking to undermine the transition process, to --
Q But he commands about 10,000 people.
MR. McCLELLAN: -- to sovereignty. And I think Ambassador Bremer spoke earlier today -- well, this is an individual, I would remind you, that has pledged solidarity with terrorist organizations Hamas and Hezbollah. And Ambassador Bremer spoke earlier today, and made some comments, too, about them. And I would encourage you to look at his remarks, as well.
Q But he wasn't the only individual running in the streets and firing at U.S. troops. I mean, how do you explain his appeal?
MR. McCLELLAN: I'm sorry?
Q How do you explain this individual's appeal to ordinary Iraqis?
MR. McCLELLAN: This is an individual who is seeking to derail democracy and freedom for the Iraqi people. That's -- its an individual who has pledged solidarity with terrorist organizations. And Ambassador Bremer talked about this earlier today, when he said, this is a group to quote Ambassador Bremer, "has basically placed itself outside the legal authorities, the coalition and Iraqi officials," and went on to say, "He is attempting to establish his authority in the place of the legitimate authority. We will not tolerate this; we will reassert the law and order which the Iraqi people expect." The coalition and our troops -- the Coalition Provisional Authority and the Coalition forces will --
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/04/20040405-2.html#4
Justin
however, i do know that for every "rebel" we kill, we have just turned several more iraqis into "rebels".
of course you have a link to support this ?? lol
that aside, I do believe some will turn to rebels. To the degree that you suggest .......... I dont think so.
Posted by Robin Hacker @ 04/07/2004 06:48 PM NY
i donte like kerrie becauze hes not as goodlookeing as buSh. thayrfore, i know 95% hate of u. s . populashun hate kerrie.
Posted by robin hacktroll @ 04/07/2004 07:03 PM NY
It doesn't matter whether it's all 1 billion or not. It took a whole 19 people to fuck up America real good.
So, it's only 10,000. Gosh, that's only enough for a thousand more 9/11s. Yeah, hardly worth worrying about.
We fucked up. We've written Al-Qaieda's recruitment for them by this invasion in the first place; now by the CF in Fallujah. Time to bring the troops home & let the Iraqis run their own damn country.
Posted by Tanystropheus @ 04/07/2004 08:54 PM NY
19 ? good try but not true. It took many many more in support rolls and such.
How are we supposed to get our oil if we cut and run???
Of course limousine liberals like you Tanystropheus must know the course well. When the going gets tough YOU get going ( the other way)
Posted by Robin Hacker @ 04/08/2004 01:00 PM NY
at some point you no longer merit a response. i think that point is now. thanks for playing though, bye bye now...
Posted by justin @ 04/08/2004 02:29 PM NY
Whye ? ? ? Juss becauze I can't spelle good ?
Posted by robin hacktroll @ 04/08/2004 08:22 PM NY
stentor? is that you? someone let the grammer nazi out of its cage.... there are so many other things objectionable about this robin person. who cares about her spelling?
Posted by justin @ 04/08/2004 08:35 PM NY
typical, cant defend your position on a issue so go after the person, I dont mind.
Posted by Robin Hacker @ 04/08/2004 11:33 PM NY
