Obnoxious quote of the day
Gloria Arroyo, president of the Philippines (aka the Islamic Protectorate of the Philippines), on the terrorists’ release of Angelo de la Cruz:
We must rejoice at the good news, but our happiness must be tempered by the awareness that we live in dangerous times and that we must work to create a more peaceful world.
Go ahead, Gloria. Keep working to pay off the Islamofascists. No doubt there’s a Nobel (Ap)Peace(ment) Prize for you already in the works.
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I’m wondering if she or anyone else really believes this - I heard the audio of her making the press announcement via NPR - her voiced sounded sorta strained, and when she finished, only one, maybe two people started clapping (possibly some toady or other), but that noticeably trailed off when it was obvious the rest of the crowd wasn’t joining in…this was followed by what could probably be described as an ‘awkward void of silence’ before she started speaking again.
I think she’s probably fully aware of what she’s done just to save her own political hide…
You make a joke about the Nobel Peace Prize Michelle, but don’t be at all surprised.
Let us reflect on another special recipient of that certain prize:
Yasser Arafat, 1994.
How about Henry Kissenger?
Right! Indeed it is a very obnoxious qoute…that is if all who have read or heard it are like Michelle Malkin.
And,RIGHT! Mrs Arroyo is on the right track when she chose her own people’s(which is like, choosing between your child and your friend..of course you will choose your child) sentiment againt the sentiment of the US Govt!
Who are you to make military policy for another nation?
Oh yes, of course, I must have forgotten that criticisms of the behavior of another country is trying to “impose” something on them. After all, weren’t we imposing something on the Germans and Japanese in the 1940’s? Save your relativism for the kooks at Air America. Come armed with facts, or don’t come at all.
The idea behind subsidies is that if you offer rewards for an activity, you will get more of that activity.
Ransom is a retroactive subsidy. The payer is subsidizing the kidnapping. The ransom is the reward. It’s different only in that it’s coerced.
Philippinos, with their hundreds of thousands of “guest workers” scattered all over the Middle East (and other parts of the world) are extremely vulnerable to kidnapping and other threats of violence. That’s not to mention the homegrown variety that is already all too common there.
You do the math.
I expect to see a lot more in the near future.
The choice Arroyo made is not between the Philippines and the United States, it’s between dealing with the threat of kidnapping NOW or postponing it to a maņana she mistakenly dreams will never come.
Hey Perianwyr, I missed the part where caving in to terrorist blackmail is considered military policy. I thought the point to military policy was to protect and make your nation safer. How does surrendering to terrorist demands do that? Is seems to me that ALL it does is send the message that the Phillipines will easily cave to any terrorist demands. In a country that is fighting a long standing battle against islamofascism, this is a terrible message to send.
Finally, Ms. Malkin is not a part of the Phillipino military establishment and thus can not “make military policy”. Rather she is giving an opinion.
And now the terrorists are making the same demands on Japan saying they should do what the Philippines have done.
Now if one Japanese dies from this I think it would be partially Arroyo’s fault.
Gloria is the Philippine version of Kerry and Carter. This is going to get nasty for Filipino’s everywhere what with her ’supporting’ them by placing a $6M pricetag on each of their heads….
And ‘perianwyr’ we are not imposing policy on the Philippines. But we did expect her to fulfill her obligations.
In response to Andy Bonifacio and perianwyr–Ms. Arroyo’s comments are indeed obnoxious, as are yours. Do you people actually know any history? Do us all a favor and READ. Appeasement of anti-freedom, pro-tyranny factions always leads to their emboldenment and the further bloodshed of unwilling victims. Does the word “Nazi” ring a bell?
I had hopes that she would announce that the Philipines double the number of troops provided, and that they had already left.
Greg,
Any casualty since day one of the Iraq war is not partially but FULLY accountable for the government of the U.S.A. They initiated and waged an unjustified war. Get your head out of the sands.
The difference in this case is that the Filipino troops were due to pull out in some 30 days anyway. So that means little, if any, effect on the operations in Iraq.
The principle of non-compliance to terrorism is absolutely sound, but at this point the decision is 30 days of policy in exchange for Angelo’s life.
It puts a knot in my gut to give in to thugs, but this time I have to choose in favor of sparing Angelo.
That makes the quote just another worthless, bland political statement.
If the six million dollar payoff is indeed true then gee, I’m damn sure that the Philippines is doing its part in achieving world peace :/ Yep six million dollars won’t net much alright. Just a bag full of assault weapons, maybe some bomb making materials, yeah that six millions won’t hurt us.
Uh Nathaniel, Angelo dela Cruz was a truck driver working thousands of miles away from his homeland and his eight children, why? Because he was probably making some good money - which there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. But to blame the entrepreneurial spirit of this guy on the US Govt is a bit of a stretch, whouldn’t you say?
Nathaniel, you have become corrupted by your leaders thirst for power. You don’t have one iota of concern or compassion, for anyone outside your immediate circle of goal seekers. If someone else was fed through a shredder you would find a way to shield yourself from the sound and continue on as if nothing had happened.
It seems that all of the people who lived through Saddam’s nightmare are liers. This has to be, if they were telling the truth, your rational for the argument against the war would be destroyed.
It’s immaterial if the Filipino troops were scheduled to be rotated from Iraq in 5 days, 30 days, or 30 months - the Arroyo example of appeasement and surrender to terror / blackmail is beyond any possible rationale.
If history has taught us anything, appeasement and surrender when faced with events like this only encourages more terrorism, more kidnappings, and more blackmail attempts.
A nation can never agree to negotiate or appease terrorists. Period. Particularly a nation that has been asking for US assistance to help control its own internal islamofascist terrorist problem.
There is no other way to spin this other than Arroyo has just handed the terrorists yet another victory - and in doing so - damned her nation.
Obnoxious quote of the day? Are you really serious? So, the Phillipines pulled their contingent out of Iraq to save a man’s life. Do you think in the grand scheme of it all that their 51-strong contingent is going to be sorely missed in that country? Come on. Angelo de la Cruz is a father of eight and the breadwinner of his family. If he had been killed, how would his family survive? The Phillipine welfare system (like they have one). Surely you know from your parents (as I do mine) how hard it is for many to get by and raise a family in the Phillipines. That’s why many Filipinos work abroad and send the money home. If the life of a loved one was on the line in a similar situation, I’m more than certain you’d change your tone. If anyone should be blamed, it should be the US government for going into Iraq and not concentrating on Al-Qaida. We helped train many of them 20+ years ago, and unfortunately when you make a deal with the devil…
US Senate report says that the US Invasion in Iraq was based on fabricated intelligence. This finding was supported by another report in the British parliament and recent US poll with majority of repondents saying that US should not have gone to Iraq.
You can correct this mistake by moving out.
This may not be the solution espoused by the “legal immigrant and american wannabe” like Michelle , but it may just save the lives of men, women and children getting killed in the conflict everyday.
The tide is turning in Iraq. The US Army obviously cannot control the territory. An invading force cannot just stay in one place and achieve nothing while body counts grow everyday. Military logic suggests that they need to move back or move on (like Iran, Syria or Saudi Arabia).
Gloria Arroyo’s decision may not be popular with the “american wannabes and legal immigrant (as she insist) ” like Michelle, but it is a decision of a leader sensitive to the needs of her nation.
Any policy which gives in to a terrorist demand is not only stupid it is dangerous!!! The Filipino workers in other countries are now worth $6,000,000 each to any terrorist that kidnaps them. How long can the treasury of the Phillipines keep paying before it goes bust?
And Nathaniel the fact of rather the Iraq war is a just or “unjust” war is not relevant to this issue.
I just read the press release in the Manila Times. I am curious what makes Angelo De La Cruz more important then the next victim? She states “The next innocent may not be so lucky” Well the next innocent can thank her for making them such an attractive target
‘So, the Phillipines pulled their contingent out of Iraq to save a man’s life. ‘ and put thousands more at a n even graver risk of ransom kidnapping.
‘US Senate report says that the US Invasion in Iraq was based on fabricated intelligence.’ no it doesn’t - it makes no reference to fabrication of any sort and specifically says their was no pressure and no misrepresentation
Abel
I am confused…explain to me how giving in to terrorists and making her countryman profitable targets is in the interest of her nation?
And I am curious as to why you chose to attack Michelle rather then state facts concerning the subject? Personel attacks are easy but not fair. Michelle has a right to her opinion just as you. I haven’t seen anyone calling you names or making snide comments like “legal immigrant and american wannabe”
So Bush lied? old song needs to be remixed. Flawed intelligence is different then fabricated.
You want an intelligant discourse okay but don’t fall back on the old liberal tactic of inuendo and character attacks…it wastes my time
Where did you get this news again Michelle? The cartoon network?
…i mean the $6 million ransom
Abel
You are so funny….NOT!
Fact when you give in to terrorism you encourage more terrrorism…
Fact Choices have consequences
Fact When you have 100’s of 1000’s of your citizens working in foriegn countries around the world you should not make them bigger targets then they already are.
Fact Anyone who thinks that giving in to terrorist will make them less likely to attack you is terminally stupid…History shows that by ignoring terrorism or appeasing it you just make yourselfs seem weak in the eyes of the terrorist. And a more appealing target
Abel - Which US Senate Intelligence report are you reading?? The one that says, “The Central Intelligence Agency’s examination of contacts, training, safehaven and operational cooperation as indicators of a possible Iraq-al-Qaida relationship was a reasonable and objective approach to the question.” - Conclusion 92?? And the Brits?? They still stand by their assessment that Iraq was trying to procure Yellowcake from Africa (as in the whole continent not just the country of Niger). Or maybe we could ask Vladimir Putin, who has said publicly that they had intelligence indicating Hussein was going to attack the U.S.??
And luckily, unlike the Clinton Administration, the current occupants of the White House do not take a poll to administer foreign policy.
As far as your personal comments to Mrs. Malkin, I suggest you read the “About” section where it clearly states she was born in Philadelphia - home of Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. In other words, she is just as American as you and I. Or at least, I.
And where do you get your information abel? Comedy Central?
Geez man, you suck even for a troll. Couldn’t you at least put in some talking points? I’m sure your masters have some notes for you to read from, tool.
Kong
the misnamed abel writes:
“Where did you get this news again Michelle? The cartoon network?”
abel, try scrolling down a bit and click on a few links. Or is this where you run away, clutching your ears screaming “logic made brain smoke!!”?
Abel,
The information on the $6,000,000 ransom is in the Phillipines Daily Tribune not on the cartoon network.
Novel idea TRY FACTS!!! they really are not painful
abel, Michelle is, I think, an American, born and raised right here in the Good Ole USA. You don’t think ‘American = White’ do you? That would be racist….
And Michelle has a right (even if whe wasn’t an American) to her opinion and free speech just as you do, and I do. The right of free speech does not only extend to liberals (much as they would like you to think so…).
And whats wrong with ‘legal’ immigrants? Legal immigrants are what made this country!
And, the intelligence was not ‘fabricated’. It may have been misread or misanalyzed, but not fabricated out of clear air. Nor were their pressure to come to a particular solution. France, Russa, Britain, and just about everyone else were convinced by their own intelegence sources that Saddam had WMD.
And it is coming out now that Saddam was, in fact, shopping for yellowcake in Africa.
And Saddam did, at one time have WMD which he used against the Iranians and Kurds. I wont get into the mass graves, rape squads and rape rooms, and ‘people shreadders’…..
That is the problem, I took my head out of the sand and started getting information from other sources then ABC/CBS/CNN/NBC/etc…. and started (gasp!) thinking on my own. Watching FOX and reading blogs and (gasp again!) foreign newspapers via the net.
I’ve been to the Philippines (and not to a tourist area or hotel either) and know a little of what it is like there (my wife tells me more). I love the Filipino people and I hope and pray that there are no more kidnappings which result from this. But I fear that there is blood in the water now and the sharks are hungry.
one life vs the totality of the world. Take your pick.
James Kothoff
Flawed intelligence…They did not see a gun but report there is a gun.
Fabricated…They did not see a gun so they say there is a gun.
As there is economic and political benefits of an invasion, therefore conclude that they are terrorists so they invade and the cost of invasion to be recovered from by Iraqi oil.
Going through Michelle’s blog, I believe her style is to attack characters with the objective of gaining response from the personal and racial sensitivities she has offended and thus making her blog more popular?
What is a best way to waste time…read and answer Michelle’s blog for all its worth, surf the internet, or watch TV.
Don’t tell me you don’t enjoy any of those time wasters.
Cheers
You know, Malaysia is a really intriguing player in this whole terrorism thing. Where they shoulder most of the financial load for increased war(yes war, they just gave money to terrorists to buy more weapons). They always seem to be the middle man in these types of situations. That’s what I’m picking out.
Abel,
Of course I enjoy time wasters…it is fun to see you dance so fast but never go anywhere.
I realize that Facts are not something you worry about so I just accept your Opinions for just that.
My father used to say “Opinions are like assh*les, everyone has one”
But there is a differience between opinion and fact…and sadly you seem long on the first and short on the later.
Have a great day
Jim
James Kothoff
Did you read the whole article? It did not say anything about $6,000,000 being a fact. It was just a perception, a rumour which Michelle happily writes like its the real thing and believed by intellectual and misguided timewasters.
Folks, it’s an established pattern that whenever there’s news that’s bad for the left or good for the president, the leftist trolls come out of the woods in force.
Abel and others like him are a response to the Berger story; they see Bad Stuff coming their way, and are trying to spin it away and stir up as much mud as they can.
Nathaniel, So who are you voting for? Did you read Kerry’s op-ed in the New York Times in 2002 about Iraq? If you vote for Kerry you aren’t standing on principle.
Dea, The Polish tried to appease the Germans in WWII. It did them no good. If you think giving anything to kidnappers or terrorists will make them stop being kidnappers or terrorists and help us be more secure you are wrong. You can’t negotiate with terrorists. The terrorists are “enabled” by those actions.
Abel, More soldiers will killed in ONE DAY in WWII when we were doing a PRACTICE run for D-Day than in the whole course of Iraq. By the way, lay off the attack the messenger style of posting. Use an actual argument or facts in an argument. Well…. actually KEEP IT UP…. it’ll make more people vote for Bush as your style of arguing stokes us up…. and will tend to sway independants and non-partisans to vote for Bush also.
James Kothoff
Look now who is using foul language. Did your father teach you not to use those words.
Abel. I assume you’re based in PI. Your logic is however flawed. Severely flawed. I won’t tell you why. that is something you must do on your own.
aww someone cussed .. I’m telling ! :/ geez, don’t have to get your panties in a twad abel
LOL..Abel yes I did read the story and the rest of the stories on the front page… But you do raise an interesting point…just because it is not proven it never happened never mind that the facts in the story bear out the case…I know President Bush and the CIA fabricated the whole story to justify their position…a good fiction. Interesting….No double standard here?
Abel, State something please or go away. What are you for? Then allow others to state how they think your thinking is flawed or reasonable thinking. It’s called freedom of speech.
Every intelligence agency of every country, John Kerry, Clinton, Al Gore, Tom Daschle and George Bush were all saying the same thing about Iraq. The Congress passed an resolution giving the president authorization to go into Iraq with a 75% vote. Now why would you make the claim way above when you first started making an argument, that the war is illegal. I have yet to hear a leftist actually say why the war was illegal…..
Don’t worry. We will all be here to correct you if you mistate something so that you can learn.
LOL…Sorry Abel..didn’t mean to upset you but technically I was not cussing I was just relaying a saying my father had
baklava, we tend to forget that Abel if he’s from the Philippines isn’t used to that sort of thing (freedom of speech).
Flawed and fabricated intelligence is the same as it serves the same purpose…wrong and self serving decision.
Analysts and writers (like Michelle), tend to skew their data to support what they believe in, to serve their individual interest…like “i said so he’s got WMD”.
Writers need to write. If there is nothing to write they make a rumour sound like the real thing…like the $6 million thingy.
LOL Abel and no my father did not teach me not to use those words but he did have another saying that kind of reminds me of your posts.
“If B.S. was music you’d be a symphony”
actually that reminds me of the whole extremist discourse..Please remember that in the end facts will out.
Jim
Abel,
A bit of advice..buy a dictionary fabricated and flawed are not the same thing
Abel,
Fabricated and flawed are two different words with two different meanings. I don’t know of anyone with respect who is claiming that all of the intelligence agencies in the countries around the world “fabricated” anything. Mostly the information that was thought to be understood to be credible was from Saddam’s brother? who defected in 1995. This is referred to by the Senate Intelligence Committee’s report.
Even though we know now that the intelligence was flawed nobody with any respect is saying that anyone “fabricated” anything. Can you lead us the way oh wise one? Since you seem to “know”? You wrote. Did you tend to skew your data to support what you believe in, to serve your individual interest? Or are you starting a rumor?
We ALL SAW the ENTIRE STORY about the $6 million. We ALL took it as the information that was presented by the anonymous source. We aren’t stupid. It is part of an array of information out there that anyone can believe or not. Why does it trip you up so much that Michelle has the newspaper’s story on her site? You don’t need to resort to name calling as you do in every post or “accusation” (as liberals tend to do). But as I say KEEP IT UP because people who are undecided might sway away from your type of thinking based on what they read from you.
Lester
I’m not in PI. Why do you wanna know? You perv.
Baklava
I’ve been saying something but you seem to have lower intelligence than the rest. Sorry if I ignore you but our thoughts are just way out of sync.
Abel is typical of someone who only gets their information only from the so-called ‘mainstream media’ and/or hollywierd (or the PI equivalent) and CNN/BCC websites and attack anything else (like Michelle) who have a differing opinion or dare to gainsay what the media and hollywood spews forth or (the unforgivable FOX sin) even show a non-liberal viewpoint.
And no, flawed and fabricated inteligence is not the same thing. One is an error (and intelingence is not an exact science) and the other is an outright LIE.
I’ve been reading Michelle’s columns for awhile (and even went back in the archives) and read her book, and while I dont agree with everything she says, she doesn’t make up rumors and stories out of thin air. She doesn’t work for the New York Times yaknow
James, You beat me to it.. I know he won’t be able to answer the question. After countless hours of reading both sides of the debate there is nobody that is making the claim that the CIA “fabricated” and that all of the other intelligence agencies around the world “fabricated” or believed the “fabrication”.
Glad to be ignored.
I like to make sure that new readers or on the fencers or “undecideds” can see information or logical arguments counter to yours so that we win by a landslide this November.
Buy Hugh Hewitt’s book “If It’s Not Close, They Can’t Cheat: Crushing the Democrats in Every Election and Why Your Life Depends on It”
Yes Abel. Our national security (and life) depends on it.
James Kothoff
I can’t believe you wrote this…
“A bit of advice..buy a dictionary fabricated and flawed are not the same thing”
Now I’m enlightened.
If you are so enlightened then who is making the claim that someone “fabricated” intelligence?
Um. . . It’s pretty clear to me that Abel is about 16 years old. I don’t understand the point of continuing to argue with him/her/it, as it is obvious that it will get you nowhere. It obviously just wants someone to talk to.
It’s the same principle as giving 6m to release hostages. Abel doesn’t want an honest exchange of information, it just wants an argument.
If y’all ignore it, it will just go away.
Guys, don’t feed the trolls. If one makes a point you wish to refute, do so without naming him. And don’t reply to personal attacks.
Trolls win when you get distracted and upset.
Thank you for your posts, Michelle.
Ahh SHUCKS! I was hoping we might be able to get him to resort to name calling
But your right, lets ignore him.
DONT FEED THE TROLLS.
Will do.
Kid Handsome
What is your point? What makes you think I’m 16 yrs old. Is this flawed perception or fabricated information.
What’s with your handle anyway? Sounds queer. Another flawed perception…
Baklava,
Please, do I have to say it again?
Baklava
Abel Happy to have enlightened you
Kid Handsome True why scratch an itch when ignoring it works better. Did anyone read the other article about President Arroyo praying for a Kerry victory? Makes you wonder doesn’t it
Jim
Well, I made my opinion on this completely clear. I suspect most people will agree, as several already have.
James Kothoff
Maybe you can send that to Michell at: malkin@comcast.net
Don’t forget to write TIPS in the subject line.
That is how she gets her source and so she can make another big writeup on it.
Its past 4 and its almost time to leave. Nobody writes against me when I’m not here.
Angelo dela Cruz will get kidnapped by Abu Sayyaf in 5… 4… 3… 2…
Abel…Abel…Abel
First off it is Michelle
Second it is not a tip as it is printed on the front page of the Phillipines Daily Tribune Online Edition…
But then that requires reading so don’t sweat it…just relax…put your feet up and continue as you are
Dea wrote:
“Angelo de la Cruz is a father of eight and the breadwinner of his family. If he had been killed, how would his family survive? The Phillipine welfare system (like they have one).”
I find this comment ironic in the face of the fact that they’re paying 6 million in ransom.
“If the life of a loved one was on the line in a similar situation, I’m more than certain you’d change your tone.”
Of course. And if someone raped and murdered your daughter, you’d want the bastard tortured to death. There’s a reason we don’t base policy on feelings.
Abel, Abel, Abel …
Either put up on “Fabricated” or shut up.
While you’re entitled to your opinion, you’re not entitled to your own facts.
And the facts are:
Every intelligence agency out there, including those of nations who did not support taking Saddam out (France, Germany & Russia) believed Saddam had chemical & biological weapons on hand and was actively pursuing the acquisition of nuclear weapons.
Those intelligence reports were based on admittedly limited access to Iraq, inasmuch as Saddam had routinely subverted the inspection regime set up after the Gulf War & ejected the inspectors in 1998.
These same conclusions were (at one time, at least) shared by Democrats and Republicans - President Clinton’s Administration, for example, maintained that Saddam had chemicals & biologics and was pursuing nuclear weapons right up to January 20, 2001.
Outside of Scott Ritter, there wasn’t anyone of any substance at all in the West who said Iraq had no such weapons - and Ritter’s credibility was in question due to his financial ties to Saddam’s regime.
There is no credible evidence whatsoever that anyone in either the Clinton or Bush Administrations pressured the Intelligence Community to give them something with which to hang Iraq. That’s “None, zero, zilch, nada”.
Now - come up with something better than “Michael Moore says” or “Noam Chomsky says” in response or give it up.
Truly obnoxious. Who knew this quote would have such worthy competition for your award, given the following (via Drudge) from Linda Ronstadt:
“It’s a real conflict for me when I go to a concert and find out somebody in the audience is a Republican or fundamental Christian. It can cloud my enjoyment. I’d rather not know.”
It might be contagious, you know.
Love your blog, Michelle
Here’s some credible evidence that the intelligence community was pressured: Richard Clarke, who was head of counterterrorism in the Bush Administration, reports that after September 11th “The president dragged me into a room with a couple of other people, shut the door, and said ‘I want you to find out whether Iraq did this.’ Now he never said ‘Make it up.’ But the entire conversation left me in absolutely no doubt that George Bush wanted me to come back with a report that said Iraq did this. I said, ‘Mr. President. We’ve done this before. We have been looking at this. We looked at it with an open mind. There’s no connection.’ He came back at me and said ‘Iraq! Saddam! Find out if there’s a connection.’ And in a very intimidating way. I mean that we should come back with that answer.”
More Clarke: “It was a serious look. We got together all the FBI experts, all the CIA experts. We wrote the report. We sent the report out to CIA and found FBI and said ‘Will you sign this report?’ They all cleared the report. And we sent it up to the president and it got bounced by the National Security Advisor or Deputy. It got bounced back saying, ‘Wrong answer….Do it again.’”
More Clarke: after September 11th, he writes, “I walked into a series of meetings about Iraq. I was incredulous that we were talking about anything other than talking about getting Al Qaeda. Then I realized with almost a sharp physical pain that Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz were going to try to take advantage of this national tragedy to promote their agenda on Iraq….Later in the day, Secretary Rumsfeld complained that there were no decent targets for bombing in Afghanistan and that we should consider bombing Iraq, which, he said, had better targets. At first I thought Rumsfeld was joking….”
Oh Stefan, you’ve got to be kidding? Richard Clarke?! As pre-9/11 national ‘terrorism tsar’, most folks might say that Mr. Clarke was asleep at the switch, despite what he says now. That is probably also the reason he wasn’t given the Homeland Security Director job he wanted. His past performance and peevishness at not getting the HSD job led to his blatantly self-serving hatchet job on his boss, reversing by 180 degrees
Richard’s praise for Bush not 6 months before. Isn’t it odd that the American people are now finding out that the loudest critics of Bush national security policies have been the folks who are now proving to be most culpable in our govt.’s failure to see 9/11 coming: Clarke, Joe Wilson, Jamie Gorelick, Bill Clinton, and John Kerry (through his many anti-intelligence/national security/military Senate votes).
Clarke is a beaurocrat scorned and a failure in the intel business. Anyone who would base conclusions on his intel is clearly out touch with reality or has a partisan axe to grind.
Clarke was the one asleep at the switch? On the contrary — Clarke was the one pushing to take on Al Qaeda while Bush, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz and Ashcroft resisted him, preferring to take on Iraq and tax cuts instead.
Stefan,
Hanging your hat on what Clarke says is gonna have similar results as believing Joe Wilson… Don’t say we didn’t warn you.
Most everyone who has seriously reported or looked at this issue agrees that Bush and his people put Al Qaeda on the back burner when they came into office, preferring to focus on Iraq instead. They preferred to focus on “state terrorism,” an issue with which they were familiar, rather than the new threat of shadowy international terror groups. They were stuck in a mindset, preferring to focus on the past rather than the future.
Abel
Mr Angelo dela Cruz knew the risks when he took the offer to work in Iraq in order to have the money to save his son’s life.HE WENT THERE VOLUNTARILY SO HE HAS NO DAMN ANYONE ELSE TO BLAME BUT HIMSELF.The Philippine Government,my homeland’s government failed us because of it’s cowardice,I am certainly sure that in the next few years,there will be a full blown civil war for the southern Island of Mindanao.I am sure you won’t be there abel,but I’m sure we will come home to fix this Phil administration’s mistake with our blood and tears.
Umm, Stephen can you give me a few sources of that view other than Clarke. “Most everyone” indeed!
Eliminating the safe havens for terrorists seems to me a very good strategy at helping eliminate a terrorist network, BTW.
Stefan
Iraq was important to the WOT because of it’s unofficial alliance with terrorist groups.As long as Iraq was under Saddam ,terrorists groups like Hamas or Hezbollah can interface with the Iraqi government to help another terrorist group like Al Qeada to achieve it’s aims.Without any state sponsored support ,Al-qaeda,Hamas ,Hezbollah will be reduce to bandit status because their funds even with private help will soon be a thing of the past.A good example would be SLA,ACTION DIRECTE,RED BRIGADE and other Western terrorist groups.When their funding from USSR was blocked,they were reduced to taking hostages to supply their cause,when governments stopped paying ransom,even when they kill a hostage,they still lose.Without government and religious support,these muslim groups would have been dead,a long time ago.International terrorism cannot exist without state sponsorship.
Stefan,
Here’s what you really don’t get.
Was CLinton, Kerry, Gore, French Intelligence, German Intelligence, Russian Intelligence, & Clarke all pressured to say the same thing? Please Please look up Kerry’s 2002 op-ed in the New York Times.
Kerry called for action against Iraq and said that if the U.N. didn’t act that that shouldn’t stop us. Kerry voted for Iraq. Now you and Clarke want to argue that Bush pressured Clarke into saying stuff about Iraq that everyone else was saying.
Not only that but the Senate Intelligence Committee report confirms there was contacts between Al Qaida and Iraq (not on 9/11 - but nobody is claiming that they were linked for the 9/11 event - only the Democrats as part of an accusation).
Grand Slam. Come up with something else….
Sure we base policy on feelings. Didn’t Bush justify his invasion of Iraq on the “feeling” that he’d find WMDs? Well, hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
Ms. Malkin’s obvious HATRED of her own Filipino roots is just appalling. Perhaps, it is because of her own ignorance of her parents’ mother country. What a pity.
Dea,
No it was based on intelligence from many countries and at least two seperate administrations that Iraq had WMD’s
And while we all feel for hostages a governments responsibilit6y is to the majority of it’s citizens not one. What excuse will you give to the next victim’s family when Arroyo’s government can’t save them? and the next and the next …..
Fact is the Phillipines government traded short term popularity for long term security. Why do you think Israeli citizens are not kidnapped? Because Israel doesn’t appease terrorists.
Mrs Malkin has no problem with her Filipino roots,she just have a massive problem with our balimbing attitude .For those who are,were Filipino citizens or foreigners who have stayed in the Philippines for a long time,it’s a common trait accompanied hand in hand with crab mentality .Of course,Filipinos who criticize those traits are called traitors and those who embrace them are called heroes.
Maybe Dea,spend more time reading between the lines on what the media say and what they didn’t say.It will surprise you how much they have taken you for a fool.
Sparks,
I am disgusted by your arguement. Because Michelle disagrees with the policy of the Phillipines government she hates HER RACE???? That ranks right their with saying Bill Cosby hates blacks because he disagrees with the NAACP on some black issues.
If you disagree with her position fine but to imply she is a racist is way way over the line!!!!
James
People who starts spewing racial arguments on a non racial issue are intellectual cowards who cannot post a legitimate argument against her opinion. It’s pitiful really,I seem to heard those same accusations from the Filipino Leftists towards their countrymen who don’t agree with their opinions .
Sometimes Filipinos in the Philippines forget how much the U.S. has helped the country in the way that it has. Apparently however, it seems like the U.S. let go of the country too soon (when subic bay was forced to close down)
Stefan:
Richard Clarke?
Excuse me - it’ll be about a half-hour before I can post again … have to stop uncontrollable laughter first ….
James, what do you call a racist who dislikes her own race? Do you have a scientific term for that?
Her racial attitude skews her writing and her opinion.
Dea wrote:
“Sure we base policy on feelings. Didn’t Bush justify his invasion of Iraq on the “feeling” that he’d find WMDs?”
First time I’ve seen international intelligence reports referred to as “feelings.” But, hey, way to change the topic. We were talking about your assertion that we ought to pander to terrorists’ demands just to spare the feelings of the victims’ families. Can you defend that position logically, especially in terms of the obvious outcome of such a policy?
Abel,
I am sure there is a term for it but don’t know what it is.
But I don’t believe that Michelle hates her race or that her “racial attitude” skews her writing or opinions. I think that you assume too much. I don’t find her writing to be anti-filipino or racist.
My comment to Sparks was based on his statement that she hates her race. You really should read everything written before commenting..start with Wil Cruz’s comments.
Jim
abel
I don’t know who you are and what nationality you are,but I’ll tell you this ,criticising your own people is not racist in itself especially when that person understood the situation better than a person with blinders of nationalism around his/her eyes. She called out the stupidity of the PHilippine goverment and many of it’s supporters in withdrawing her troops from Iraq for the sake of one hostage regardless of the consequences. Do you think many Filipinos like that decision when we have a muslim insurgency as well as a muslim terrorism to worry about.Is that racism or perhaps who hated her comments because it’s true?
Mr. Wilcruz believes we should blame the poor angelo dude for going to Iraq.
He has eight kids…son is sick…need some money…he knows the risk and he took the chance.
If he’s my dad I’d be proud of him. I can’t blame him for his decision. He is the man and he took that road.
Abel,
again you miss the point. Yes Angelo De La Cruz did what he felt he had to..no dispute,but he did so knowing the risks.
Rule 1 in life
Choices Have Consequences!!!
abel,abel abel
He got eight kids and one is going blind and he applied for a high risk job paying megabucks in a warzone fully knowing the risks he was taking was against his favor while he could have applied in another job faraway from the warzone and would have been paid relatively less and he would have achieved the same results but for a relatively longer time.Yea,he is the man,but for how long, does his life worth the lives of 8 million other Filipinos and millions more of expats in the Middle East when the terrorists start looking for victims again.And does Angelo’s life spare the Philippines from the terrors of Islamic terrorism especially when we have problems of out there?
Maybe Angelo will someday tell his sons that he would have wished that he died in Iraq like a man instead of going back in the Philippines alive to see the fruit of our country’s surrender to terrorism five years down the line.
I know my country and it’s people,we will try to overcompensate for our government’s stupidity by doing an extremely foolish thing like exacting payback from the muslims?