No Doug, although I have no doubt that you'd love to put me and everyone else who disagrees with you into them. Supporting the liberation of Iraq - is that treason to you, or just sedition?
The subject was civil discourse, and you suggested that I was compromising it because I won't shut up about Bush's Saudi connections. What that has to do with the liberation of Iraq is beyond me.
What I'm saying is that if, and when, you have the
decency to acknowledge the possibility that people
could honestly disagree with your great and powerful
wisdom, then I'll continue this discussion. As long as talking with you is about how much you everyone who
has the temerity to disagree with you is evil, why
would I bother?
You're the one that is telling me to shut up, Gautam. And you're the one that avoids the difficult questions like why the administration is stonewalling the commission. If you have some insight on that I'd be delighted to hear it. I will admit that any answer involving security reasons is highly suspect to me because I believe some degree of transparency is important to good government and I think that the members of the commission are trustworthy enough to review _anything_ they feel they need to in order to understand what happened to us on 9/11. But again, if you have some insight into why they should not, I will at lest give consideration to what you say.
I know evil. I volunteered to go
help fight it in Iraq in the best way that I knew how. I recommitted to it _after_ the insurgents made civilians their main target in Iraq, after the Baghdad hotel was destroyed, and _again_ after what happened in Fallujah. I did it because I think that's the best way that I can protect my country and her people - even ones as arrogant as you and Brin, however much you despise me for being in the hock of the Saudis. I don't think my fellow Americans are evil - even ones like you, who are enraged by George Bush and okay with Saddam Hussein. Does _that_ make it clear what I think?
I respect your commitment. I made a similar commitment some 30 years ago, at the height of the cold war that consumed six years of my life. I served as a sonar technician with the USS Narwhal, SSN 671, out of New London Connecticut. You've read _Blind Mans Bluff_ maybe? I'm very proud of my service and the country I served. I'd wish you luck in fulfilling your commitment except I don't think I would wish a trip to Iraq on anyone right now, much less someone I respect. I don't think you personally have anything to do with the Saudi's, and have never said anything to that effect. If you can show that George W. Bush does not have unmistakable connections to Saudi money, I'll listen just as I've listened and considered everything you've written in response to me. I will not, however, allow you to dismiss _my_ arguments by telling me I'm being uncivil by raising these questions, or making hysterical accusations that I think that everyone that doesn't agree with me is "evil".
Finally, I respectfully request that you withdraw the statement that you think I'm "okay with Saddam Hussein."
-- Doug _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
