The problem, as I see it, with the majority of rank-and-file American Republicans who support Bush is: they fail to see that their basic approach to the problem of international terrorism is wrong.
Running around the world and trying to kick everyone's ass is NOT, (i repeat for the slow:) NOT the way to calm the situation down and stop the violence.
Don't be a dumb ass:
"Violence begets violence."
Ever heard that one?
You are going to have to open up and ask people the simple question, "What's the problem here? Why have you attacked me?" and the kicker, the most important question, is "what can we do to help patch up the bad blood between our peoples?"
Of course, asking these questions in the heat of the moment takes ACTUAL courage. It takes maturity. You have to be a real adult. Raging around violently with little thought or planning does not.
For, you see, without mutual understanding, there is mistrust; with mistrust there is fear; with fear there is paranoia; and THAT is Pandora's box. That is when violence, and extremism, and fundamentalism, and hatred can foster.
The approach of the Bush administration has been violent and poorly planned. All this will do in the long term is CREATE MORE PEOPLE WHO HATE YOU. This is already bearing fruit in Iraq, where the insurgency movement gains considerable momentum weekly; and in Pakistan, where the remnants of
Afganistan's Al Queda and Taliban have escaped, under dubious circumstances, and have started a considerable movement.
You cannot hide from this argument by saying "You don't support the troops" because supporting the troops and supporting the war are VERY different things-
No one blames or HATES the soldiers for doing their job. It's a damn tough job. My thoughts, respect and prayers, always. How do you keep your morale up in this situation? But to disagree with your country's goverment DOES NOT mean that you hate your country, or the brave people who lay their lives on the line for it. (GO TO WWW.OPTRUTH.ORG)
"My country, right or wrong," is a thing that no patriot would think of saying
except in a desperate case. It is like saying, "My mother, drunk or sober."
G. K. Chesterton
Vigilante violence is NOT the answer. By all means, catch and prosecute those who have done crimes. But don't go willy-nilly ousting governments all around the world (while profiteering for all your friends and family). The last people to try THAT were called FACSISTS and weren't all that popular around the planet, if
you recall your WORLD HISTORY. Maybe a guy like Osama needs to have a bomb dropped on his head, because there's no way to get close enough to him to catch him. (Though he WAS cornered in Afganistan, near the Pakistani border, oh well...).
Maybe reconsidering the idea of "Pre-emptive action" needs examination. At the very least,
a more extensive study of the nature of the threat a government or organization poses is in order BEFORE military action is called upon.
Maybe engaging in more regular cultural exchanges with Asian countries would foster understanding.
Y'know? Perhaps the answer is teaching, in a constructive way, the citizens of the US about other cultures, and vice versa.
Maybe looking into the foreign policy and the invasiveness of the American culture in general would help.
They're all good places to start.
Bush is incapable of ANY of these mature, rational modes of thought. Plus, he's bilked the system for WAY too much vaction time. In the face of all this, THAT alone is inexcusable from ANY employee.
He must go.
HE'S JUST NOT VERY GOOD AT HIS JOB.
And y'know? It's a pretty important job. It's time to trade up.
If you are a supporter of Bush, you are "RESISTANT TO INFORMATION". You are ignoring FACTS in favor of some kind of comfort level and sense of loyalty, I guess. You are closing your eyes in fear and following his doctrine in hopes that he magically has the answer.
Well, he doesn't. God is not speaking or acting through him. He has NO CLUE how to win the peace in Iraq and get the troops out with this ill-advised mission "accomplished". He is hopeless when it comes to economical and environmental issues. In fact, even if I just needed advice about how to put a fence around my "ranch", I wouldn't
enlist his help. He is clueless. And worse, he DOES NOT CARE TO LEARN.
And, my word! he mangles the english language every damn day. His freudian slips are legendary.
He's just not very bright.
This is a statesman? A world leader?
Wise up. He's gotta go.
?Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking
about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we. We must never
stop thinking about how best to offend our country.? - GW Bush
AMEN, George. AMEN.