A good day for the world; we should respect our troops:

[mdguss]

Truly good news occurred today. Saddam Hussein, a ruthless, brutal and inhumane tyrant was captured. He will face trial for tens thousands of murders that he has committed, and the people of Iraq will be free from the fear of his return. As far as I’m concerned, the capture of Saddam is great thing for this world. May he rot in a jail cell with fellow mass murderer Slobadan Milosovich.

There will be a temptation by some on the right of our political spectrum to call this the end of the war on terrorism. While it certainly is progress for the world to capture Saddam Hussein, it is not the end of the war. Let us not forget who killed 3,000 Americans on September 11, 2001. It was Osama bin Laden, and his allies in the Afghan Taliban.

While we have been in Iraq, the situation in Afghanistan has deteriorated. War lords are returning, and purchasing votes at the country’s constitutional convention. Bin Laden and his Taliban allies are regrouping in the south of the country. Terrorist attacks across the world have occurred; they have been aimed at Americans and our allies. And, if the warnings are to be believed, al Qeda is gaining strength.

We know that this situation will be politicized by the president’s chief political consultant, Karl Rove. As a professional political consultant myself, I loath such tactics. Politics divides people; the people who are bleeding in Iraq and Afghanistan deserve a untied nation. Rove has said that the war is good politics for the Republicans, and he designed a successful strategy in 2002 that took advantage of the war. A relative of mine received a fundraising pitch from the RNC this week. It had a bald eagle and stars all over it (message: you’re only a patriot if you are a Republican).

We must be glad Saddam was captured. We must support efforts to expand the war in Afghanistan. But we also must criticize the president when he makes mistakes on the international scene. This week he managed to receive the ire of most of Europe, Canada, and the rest of the developed world by precluding them from bidding on rebuilding contracts in Iraq. His diplomatic follies have made the situation in North Korea--which is extraordinarily dangerous--worse.

We must able to say what we would do differently, how we will do that, and why it is important for the country to change. And we also must remind people that patriotism has nothing to do with who one votes for. There are Republican patriots, Independent Patriots, and Democratic Patriots in Iraq and Afghanistan. How dare we trivialize their sacrifices by saying you’re only a patriot if you have a certain political view. Let’s engage in the political process in way that is fair and respectful to all our men and women overseas.

Sincerely,
Michael Guss

[Zuni]

I am celebrating this SOBs capture

all freedom loving people should rejoice about this murdering pig's being put out of commission.

Now we just need to oust Bush in '04 and the world will be a lot safer.

[wryter2000]

1. Welcome, Michael

:hi:

We here at DU support our troops. I hope you haven't heard otherwise. No one here loves Saddam Hussein.

[WilliamPitt]

2. Hello

Stoolie Cracked 'Mafiya'. Ex-KGB fink helped bust Russian gang.
April 5, 2001

By MIKE CLAFFEY
New York Daily News Staff Writer

http://www.americanmafia.com/News/4-5-01_Stoolie_Cracked_Mafiya.html

Seated at a table in late July at the Turf Terrace Restaurant at the race track in upstate Saratoga Springs, reputed Russian mob boss Alexander Bor posed with pals for a snapshot taken by the waiter.

Then he turned to his new friend, an enterprising young Russian who went by the name Michael Guss, and told him point-blank that the FBI had them under round-the-clock surveillance.

"They're watching as we speak," said Bor.

Guss, a one-time informant for the Soviet KGB, masked his surprise, offering Bor a skeptical look.

...more...

===

:)

[mdguss]

3. Nice try:

Different guy using a name. I am a natural born US citizen. If you Google the name, Michael Guss, you'll find at least 7 different people. Really, it's pretty pathetic to post crap like that. I've been Michael Guss since day one. If you don't believe that, you can go look at the birth records.

[Character Assassin]

5. Ah think he's a'funnin ya, Hoss.

[WilliamPitt]

8. I was only kidding, dude

You've written for DU before. Just messin' with ya. :)

[mdguss]

10. Ok

I wouldn't have been offended if you had said that from the start though. Some dipcrap Republican pulled the same crap on me. I showed him my birth certificate, and he shut up. So I find that annoying.

[WilliamPitt]

12. Sorry

I thought the ---> :) <--- at the bottom gave it away. My bad.

[SeveneightyWhoa]

4. When do we not respect the troops?

The title of this thread implies that we have to change our behaviour in order to support the troops on this particular day.

[HEyHEY]

6. YEah let's respect them by bringing them home

Oh wait they can't leave now..

[Supply Side Jesus]

7. or increase their benefits....oh wait.

:(

[corporatewhore]

9. we cant let the media whores

give prince awol bush credit as if he personally lassoed saddam himself.The gr

[mdguss]

11. Not so much change behavior, but change focus:

If we focus on the past (the war with Iraq) we are doomed. To win, we have to focus on the future. That is what wins elections.