The Bin Laden Tape

[Ash Wednesday]

I wanted to get everyone's thoughts. I like how honest a lot of you are on phatmass about politics I liked how some Bush supporters at times were honest when Bush made debate mistakes and all -- I'm curious what you guys think about the Bin Laden tape. Obviously there is no question this is something that was deliberate on these thugs part, and our election.

So how, be honest, do you think this will play out with the election? I really think this is, finally, the "October Surprise" everyone has been anticipating.

Will this, either 1.) Help Bush and remind us how angry we are about 9/11, and make people see terrorism as the #1 issue, or 2.) Help Kerry because Bin Laden is still alive.

All of the spin I am hearing is making me dizzy and sick. I visit both the Bush blogs and the Democratic Underground online. "Analysts" say that this would help Bush, obviously, but I hear a lot of Democrats online rabidly screaming that this is "bad" for Bush.

I view all these as flawed and wanted to open this up for discussion here.

P.S. I hope they put something in that crazy fartknocker's goat milk and bring him to justice for everyone's sake.

[Guest T-Bone]

I think it is a non-issue. It does make Mrs. Kerry look like an idiot, for saying the she wouldn't be suprised if Bin Laden was captured in October, just in time for the election. (The implication being that Bush already had Bin Laden, and was just sitting on it.) But this is the same Mrs. Kerry that said that Laura Bush never had a real job...

[StMichael]

Thanks to W, these losers instead of sending a bomb could only send a freaking video tape.

[J.R.D]

It is an issue ... I personaly think It'll help kerry with the fact that He is still alive

It'll help Bush with the 9/11 thng you said

and in order for Bush to win he would need a miracle ... like the capture of bin laden

But I dont know its ganna be close lol

[Paladin D]

I didn't hear the tape, what did it basically state?

[Ash Wednesday]

Oh just the same old garbage. Who is president makes no difference to Bin Laden -- or so he says. It's the same old "it's because you support Israel" -- that's the bottom line.

He said something like "If we attacked you because we hate freedom, why didn't we attack Sweden?" That's an easy answer -- because Sweden isn't a military threat to them. Sweden has been neutral to everyone and everything for almost 100 years.

Of course even if the U.S. withdrew support I do not think it would appease terrorists. The only way we would be on the same page with those people is if everyone was facing Mecca several times a day, and I was in a full body burqa.

Yet another reason why I really don't want our country to change presidents right now.

[Quietfire]

[quote]The only way we would be on the same page with those people is if everyone was facing Mecca several times a day, and I was in a full body burqa.[/quote]



Those things have GOT to be incredibly cumbersome.

No facing Mecca for me thank you kindly.

Peace.

Edited October 30, 2004 by Quietfire

[musturde]

America goes for its own interest as most countries should. The terrorists, however, harbor much hatred, and take things too far. I hate what the terrorists are doing but we but into a lot of issues. That's the true reason the world hates not, not because "they're jealous of our freedom". In fact, the world loves our freedom because with thier education (which is a lot of the times much higher than us up to the end up highschool), they can take more advantage of it than we can once they immigrate.

[Kel]

Its kind of scary... I am worried that we might have another terrorist attack.

[cathgirl]

It scares me, too Kel.

[Lil Red]

i agree with Johnsonville brat Cheney when he said that if Kerry was elected there would be another terrorist attack ~ not because of Kerry the person but because of the change and upheavel that having a new president in place would bring. and terrorists would take advantage of it.

IMHO

[Iacobus]

I think an election that is smooth, with either man winning, will help prevent an attack. The problems arise when and if the election is like 2000, which it seems that it may become. This is put Bush into a legal battle and dirvert his already diverted attention away from terrorism.

I don't think that it truly matters, on matters of terrorism, who is pres. However, in a speech last week Kerry made a point that made me think. The cargo holds on boats and planes are not searched or scanned at all, which really doesn't make us any safer from bombs or attacks on harbors or anything. During the debates Kerry said this and Bush's reply was "It will cost too much money." Why can't we repeal part of the Bush tax cuts for the really wealthy and use that money to scan the holds. Moreover, why should cost be put before safety.

Futhermore, none of the 9/11 hijackers spoke English. Yet they were able to rent apparments and travel around the US. Correct me if I am wrong but a lot of places don't have signs that say "Yes, We speak Arabic." in the windows. Clearly, there has to be a support and logisitics network within the US. So far we have made no arrests or identified anyone in this network. Wouldn't it be more effeincent, and safer faster, to take out the strong hold of Afganastan, like we did, but also identify this support system? Without those English-Arabic speaking agents inside the traget state, the terrorists would be more easily identified and have a harder time moving about and engaging in contracts. Just my two cents.

[shelly_freak]

[quote name='Lil Red' date='Oct 30 2004, 09:49 PM'] i agree with Johnsonville brat Cheney when he said that if Kerry was elected there would be another terrorist attack ~ not because of Kerry the person but because of the change and upheavel that having a new president in place would bring. and terrorists would take advantage of it.

IMHO [/quote]
lol Cheney is great! all he says is...if you don't re elect me as vp we're all gonna die! if bush isnt president we're all gonna die! if you're a democrat we're all gonna die! if you are a liberal we're all gonna die!

[crusader1234]

[quote name='T-Bone' date='Oct 30 2004, 02:15 PM'] I think it is a non-issue. It does make Mrs. Kerry look like an idiot, for saying the she wouldn't be suprised if Bin Laden was captured in October, just in time for the election. (The implication being that Bush already had Bin Laden, and was just sitting on it.) But this is the same Mrs. Kerry that said that Laura Bush never had a real job... [/quote]
Mrs. Kerry doesn't look like an idiot to me. She looks like somebody that speaks her mind. I sort of thought the same thing about Bin Laden's October capture. As for the comments about Laura Bush, its nice to know that unlike some people who enjoy criticizing unimportant comments from potential first ladies, Laura Bush forgave Teresa because she knew it was a trick question to begin with.

[b]I don't really feel comfortable discussing who a potential terrorist attack will help.[/b]

[LSW]

[quote name='Ash Wednesday' date='Oct 30 2004, 03:21 PM']
Of course even if the U.S. withdrew support I do not think it would appease terrorists. The only way we would be on the same page with those people is if everyone was facing Mecca several times a day, and I was in a full body burqa.

[/quote]
Amen to that! I wish more people would realize this.

[Ash Wednesday]

I agree with Iacobus' insights regarding English and Arabic. I think a new linguistics option that should be explored in our universities to a greater extent is Arabic. If someone wants to go into a promising and growing career prospect, it is Arabic studies and translation. I don't mean that as a stupid joke, either. We need that.

Teresa Heinz Kerry is like her husband. I don't know them personally so I can't say but they both come across as wealthy and arrogant no matter how hard they try to humanize themselves -- especially Kerry drinking beer and "hunting"... it just looks forced. Am I being judgemental and making unfair assumptions? Probably.

But when Mrs. Heinz Kerry says something like, [b]"I'm older, and my validation of what I do is a little bit bigger because I'm older, and I've had different experiences," Heinz Kerry said. "And it's not a criticism of her. It's just, you know, what life is about."[/b]

Then I'm inclined to say that this sounds really [b]arrogant.[/b] Maybe not intentionally so, it comes across as such. I'm not talking about the "I don't know if Mrs. Bush has had a real job" because I take her word for it, she probably really didn't know, and I don't think she was slamming Laura Bush. But if she admits to not having known about Laura Bush's work experience, she should have kept her mouth shut about what kind of "bigger" validations and experience she has, and that "it's just, you know, what life is about."

So I guess people born in Mozambique with a silver spoon up their butt to a weathy family, into her kind of privilege and wealth, and fancy Swiss schooling that grow up to become politicians wives and "philanthropists" know more about what life is about than middle-class women from Texas who were schoolteachers, librarians, and stay at home moms. Gotcha. Is that what she meant to say? I'd like to say it was not, but she obviously doesn't get how the things she says are going to come across.

She speaks her mind, no question. But it would serve her well to use her well-schooled mind a little more before speaking it. Did they not teach her basic social skills or manners in her elite schooling background?

[Kilroy the Ninja]

[quote name='Ash Wednesday' date='Oct 31 2004, 02:56 AM'] She speaks her mind, no question. But it would serve her well to use her well-schooled mind a little more before speaking it. Did they not teach her basic social skills or manners in her elite schooling background? [/quote]
ROTFL!!!!


That's awesome!! :crackup: