Republicans: War? What War?

[rucky]

This is from the Moonie Times - a report that tips off the latest Republican stunt du jour:

http://washingtontimes.com/national/20031028-103843-6942r.htm\

Inside the Beltway
By John McCaslin

Wars, declared or not
To remind Americans that the United States is not at "war" in Iraq, the Republican Study Committee has updated the congressional document on U.S. declarations of war and congressionally authorized military engagements — now numbering 11 each....

...In addition, on 11 separate occasions, Congress has explicitly authorized U.S. troops to participate in extended military "engagements." In some instances, action was prompted by attacks on U.S. interests. Engagements include:
The Naval War with France from 1798 to 1800; the First Barbary War (against Barbary pirates) from 1801 to 1805; the Second Barbary War (more pirates) in 1815; Africa (raids against slave traffic) from 1820 to 1823; Paraguay (to seek redress for an attack on a naval vessel) in 1859; Lebanon (to protect government against insurrection) in 1958; Vietnam War from 1964 to 1973; Lebanon (to restore the Lebanese government) in 1982; the Gulf war in 1991; "nations, organizations, or persons" linked to the September 11 terrorist attacks (authority used against Afghanistan) in 2001; and Iraq in 2003.

(end snip)

Sooooo... the "war on terr" is only a war when it's convenient. I guess "engagement on terr" just doesn't have the same ring to it.

And as far as the Republican's list of "engagements"....seems that Kosovo is not on the list. What gives? Betcha it has something to do with a future attack on Clark.

and WTF is a Republican Study Committee anyways?

[Guaranteed]

1. PLEASE

Oh right Vietnam wasn't a war either. It was a "police action."
Can't stand people that make that stupid argument. Who cares about the word? It is what's happening that matters.

[FrankBooth]

3. Wasn't ...

Vietnam a "conflict," while Korea was a "police action."

What does that make Iraq?

[DieboldMustDie]

8. What does that make Iraq?

A Crusade :evilgrin:

[bluestateguy]

2. Huh?

Weren't these the people who kept saying "we are at WAR" everytime somebody raised their voice to say something critical of the administration during the Afghan war?

[Paschall]

4. Oh, I thought it was "a police action on terror" (nt)

[kayleybeth]

5. In his press conference yesterday

didn't shrub say unequivocally that "we are at war"?

[elperromagico]

6. Conservatives are better at semantics

than Clinton ever was. A lie becomes a "technically accurate statement," a tax cut for the rich becomes an "economic stimulus package," weapons of mass destruction become "weapons programs," prisoners of war become "enemy combatants," and a war becomes an "engagement."

If we're going to be anal about it, the last war the United States was involved in was WWII. Under this rationale:

The Cold War was the Cold Engagement,
the Korean War was the Korean Engagement,
the Vietnam War was the Vietnam Engagement,
the Gulf War was the The Iraq Engagement,
the War On Terror is the Engagement of Terror ("we're engaging them out of their caves"),
and the Second Gulf War is the Iraq Engagement II: This Time It's Personal.

Now that I think of it, I don't believe Congress declared war on the Confederacy--- so I suppose the Civil War was the Civil Engagement (or the Engagement Between The States, depending on your geographical situation).

[rucky]

7. Don't Forget...

the Engagement on Drugs

for some reason, that reminds me of Drew Barrymore's first marriage.

[elperromagico]

9. Oh, and what about

the Engagement on Poverty?

[maine_raptor]

13. Now wait a cotton picking minute here, ya'll

I'll have you know that the so-called "Civil Engagement" was neither "Civil" nor "Engaging"!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Besides what'ss all this talk about Civil Engagement? Isn't that when I gotta divorce my Betty Lou and marry my Uncle Billy Bob like they made all them there folks up in maple syurp land do when that commie pinko Dean became head commisar? I can't do that!! I 'mean ol'Billy Bob's got a reall pretty mounth and all that, but......


Oh, Never Mind!

:eyes: :eyes: :eyes:

[JackSwift]

10. "We are at war." GW Bush Oct 29, 2003

nt

[elperromagico]

12. Another example

of Bush changing the tune in Washington.

[VolcanoJen]

14. Exactly. Someone needs to tell Chimpy that we're not at war.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/10/20031028-2.html

Excerpts from the Presidential Press Conference, October 28, 2003

But my statement was a clear statement, basically recognizing that this phase of the war for Iraq was over and there was a lot of dangerous work. And it's proved to be right, it is dangerous in Iraq.

It's the exact same mentality. And Iraq is a part of the war on terror. I said it's a central front, a new front in the war on terror, and that's exactly what it is.

The electricity -- the capacity to deliver electricity to the Iraqi people is back up to pre-war levels.

In other words, we've got very close alliances now as a result of not only winning a war, but doing the right things in the postwar period.

We must never forget the lessons of September the 11th. The terrorists will strike, and they will kill innocent life, not only in front of a Red Cross headquarters, they will strike and kill in America, too. We are at war. I said right after September the 11th, this would be a different kind of war; sometimes you'd see action and sometimes you wouldn't. It's a different kind of war than what we're used to. And Iraq is a front on the war on terror. And we will win this particular battle on the war on terror.

Our war is not against the Muslim faith. As a matter of fact, as you mentioned, tonight we're celebrating the Iftaar dinner with Muslim leaders.

[Cat Atomic]

11. It's precisely this sort of lunatic mental masturbation that got us

into this mess in the first place. There's a point at which words and doctrines and flowery ideals cease to matter, and truth speaks for itself. Men coming home in boxes are dead- whether you call them casualties of war or not doesn't make an ounce of difference. That's what they are.

[Nlighten1]

15. Police action anyone?

These guys are sick