God am I proud that I never ever not for one moment, backed the Iraq war!

[trumad]

Not for one second. There was never any doubt in my mind that it would become the disaster that it is today. I have DU and other progressive venues to thank for that.

I was 100 percent right and all the friends and acquaintances that I know that supported the invasion were dead wrong. Dead wrong. Everyone that I know, that I debated with 3 years ago at the beginning of the invasion, are slowly coming forward and telling me that I was right and that they were wrong.

One part of me wants to pat them on the shoulder and say it's OK. The other part of me has the urge to smack them right upside the head for drinking the Neo-Con Kool-Aid.

This is why the Bush Presidency is dead. Today-- my friends who drank the Kool-Aid by the gallons are now pushing it away.

[Hissyspit]

1. Me too, but no one has come forward and told me I was right.

No apologies, nothing.

[Skittles]

9. same here

and here in north Texas I was the ONLY one who was not only against the war but extremely vocal about it

[trumad]

10. Skittles

How ya been?

[Skittles]

16. I'm good, I'm good

will be flying to England in a few days for vacation; nice to be back in England, I spent most of my childhood there :)

[trumad]

18. Have fun

and have a pint for me.

[Hissyspit]

39. I know my students haven't forgotten what I said.

Whether any will ever contact me about what I said in class, I know they remember - even thoughtthey all stared at me like I was crazy. (Honestly, its my soldier students would have the most thoughtful discussions with me.)

- I called bullshit on the SOTU's, telling them to read between the lines - NO MENTIONS of Osama in the 2003, 2004 addresses.

- I said very forcefully in class "There is no connection of note between Saddam Hussein and al Qaeda."

- I told them there would be no WMD found.

- I predicted the world trade center would be attacked again a month before it happened.

No way they've forgotten what I said.

[cliss]

45. That's good that you did.

We were always against this war. My entire family is progressive, so there was never any issues there.

But I DID have some tough months at the office, though....

Soon after the war drums started beating, the office shifted into high gear. They all brought in little American flags, hung them in their cubicles. There was other paraphernalia, too. I voiced my objections even then, but it was a lost cause.

One man, who is really overweight, wore an American flag shirt. It seems that the shirt was too small for him, so there was a gap between the buttons. You could see his hair in-between the button holes. As he staggered around the office, I kept my head down and

Outside in the parking lot, it was even worse. Every car it seems had the American flag. Lots of yellow ribbons, "support the troops". I AM supporting the troops, I though. Bring them home.

And now? It's pretty quiet at the office. The bravado is gone. The shirt is still hanging in the closet, thank God. I've heard some grumbling about "this war was based on lies" but I don't listen. Too late.

[benddem]

48. you were right!

but then so was I.

[K8-EEE]

67. YEAH!!! IT PISSES ME OFF!

I feel like we can't start to recover from Bush's disaster unless people call it for what it was....BULLSHIT. All the people I've argued with now no longer feel like talking about it.

[SPKrazy]

2. Watch Out Though!

Pride goeth before the fall

on edit: it's great that you feel vindicated

but don't let your pride fool you into thinking that you are superior to those who may have had a little kool aide.

be thankful instead that they are seeing the light.

[trumad]

4. I'm only proud that I paid attention

and saw through the shit. I'm not proud that 1000's have died to prove that I was right.

[SPKrazy]

5. See edited version of post above n/t

[trumad]

6. I did... and I get you.

[senseandsensibility]

20. I don't think it's pride.

I think it's just the truth. If anything, I think that those who refuse to admit, even now, how horribly wrong they were, are suffering from stubborn pride. * is the poster boy for pride.

[wtmusic]

58. trumad's awareness and prescience are superior

to most of those who supported the war. That's not pride, just fact.

That the rest of the country is asleep at the wheel is not something to be particularly proud about.

[SPKrazy]

68. Well That Is True

and My goodness Dick cheney Is a Huge idiot, still out there trying to spout the same old tired bullshit that he always did.

I knew in March of 2002 that Bush/Cheney et al were pushing to go after Iraq. They started pushing the Iraq story around then. And then they tried (and succeeded) in pushing the Dems in congress to support the IRW by painting anyone who went against the pRez as "unpatriotic" or worse.

Yes, to have been able to wake up the masses earlier would have been great, but better late than never.

[John Q. Citizen]

69. A majority of the Dems voted against the war, not all but a majority.

I bugs me when I keep hearing over and over that the Dems voted for it. Most voted against, especially in the house.

[SPKrazy]

74. Yes, and No (Especially in the House Yes)

A Majority in the House: Democratic 81 for 126 against

But in the Senate:

The Senate vote sharply divided Democrats, with 29 voting for the measure and 21 against. All Republicans except Sen. Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island voted for passage.

Ahead of the vote, Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle announced Thursday morning he would support Bush on Iraq, saying it is important for the country "to speak with one voice at this critical moment."

Daschle, D-South Dakota, said the threat of Iraq's weapons programs "may not be imminent. But it is real. It is growing. And it cannot be ignored." However, he urged Bush to move "in a way that avoids making a dangerous situation even worse."

Daschle had expressed reservations about a possible U.S. attack on Iraq, and he was not part of an agreement between the White House and other congressional leaders framing the resolution last week.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[SPKrazy]

75. And Ultimately It Passed, And We Had The Majority In The Senate n/t

[John Q. Citizen]

77. True, but if you add all the voting Dems up and dived by two, a

majority of the Dem voted against.

ANd this was at a time the country was frothing and paranoid and believed Saddam was Hitler, etc.


So some Dems voted for the war and most didn't.

My Senator, Baucas, tried to claim it was preliminary and the UN still had to pass a second war resolution. But he's basically a vichy Dem. He votes wrong on lots and lots of stuff.

I'm not voting for him again, ever.

[SPKrazy]

78. To Me, The Fact That The Dem Controlled Senate

had a small majority supporting the IWR, (which I don't believe is the same as supporting war) is indicative of the fact that as you said: "ANd this was at a time the country was frothing and paranoid and believed Saddam was Hitler, etc."

Representatives usually (not always) have safer seats than Senators as they are statewide vs. a district.

Now I'm hoping that a good number of Republican Representatives are going to lose their seats this election because of the way they have fucked up this country since Booosh took office.

[John Q. Citizen]

79. Yeah, it wasn't Baucas' IWR vote that pushed me over the edge

on him, even though he bullshitted me about it.

It was his vote on the Medicare drug bill that finally sealed the deal for me. He was one of a handful of Dems who voted for it, even some Repo Senators voted against it

He crossed the aisle and voted for it, and now he's saying it needs to be fixed. I think he needs to be fixed.

I'm pretty forgiving and I understand that Congress critters make votes based on political considerations, but Baucas is a lost cause. He votes like he does cause he's a corporatist.

Fortunatly, he's not up until 08 so it makes my decision easier. I'll work to help run a primary opponent against him, but I won't be voting for him again no matter what.

[SPKrazy]

99. Baucus, One Of Few More Conservative Than My 2 Senators

Lincoln (DINO) Pryor (DINO) Arkansas

saw a list ranking Dems on how liberal they were and sure enough Lincoln and Pryor were near the bottom of the Dems. Baucus was below them I believe. It seems that Chaffee (R) was obove Baucus.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

86. Hmmmm, On The Same Page With Ya There.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=754008&mesg_id=756067

[NMDemDist2]

3. me too tru, I knew it would be a major cluster f..k from day one

idiots

:banghead:

[rocktivity]

7. I never even backed Bush!

I was ordering Chinese food when I got the final word about Bush vs. Gore, and I immediately vowed that I would never refer to him as a president, or to his cronies as an administration. While 9/11 saddened me, I was certianly not shocked. And after the first anthrax attack, I wondered why Bush claimed it was traceable back to Baghdad, and why there were suddenly news articles about the need to torture people!

:headbang:
rocknation

[Nite Owl]

8. Same here

It was my oldest son's first vote in '00. Some of his friends were going to vote for the dimsom and I told them it would mean a war with Iraq. They looked at me like I had two heads when I said that. They said that they wouldn't vote for him, whether they did or not I don't know but they were warned. The writing was on the wall before he even stole the Presidency.

[donco6]

11. Me too.

How could anyone have thought it would have turned out any differently? It seemed so obviously screwy to me.

[SmokingJacket]

12. Wish I could feel some pleasure in being right.

It just pisses me off -- to no end.

I mean.... it was so OBVIOUS.

[trumad]

14. Obvious because of simple history.

That's what gets me.

[sutz12]

21. Dubai flunked history I believe....

or maybe he just skipped it.

[Arkansas Granny]

35. I know what you mean. I can't even bring myself to call it to the

attention of the people I knew who backed the war, although sometimes I wish I could just rub their noses in it. It's almost like they are recovering from an abusive relationship and I'm afraid that too much criticism right now would force them to try to defend him since they feel so disillusioned with him right now.

[senseandsensibility]

13. Yes I knew it too

I would have bet everything I had on it, and now I'd have two times nothing! No, seriously, I have never been more sure of anything. And we weren't alone. Remember the millions that marched in NYC on the eve of this disaster trying to warn these jerks that EXACTLY what has happened would happen? I think more of us should stand up and say this.

[freefall]

62. I was one of those millions for all the good it did. n/t

[senseandsensibility]

80. You did your best

It's not your fault that the powerful wouldn't listen. Maybe your actions educated someone. Thanks for getting out there and trying to change things. Many, many people watching at home knew you wee right.

[freefall]

102. Thanks. It helps to have a kind word now and then. Somedays

when you look at all that is wrong, it is hard to keep forging ahead. DU has been very helpful in that respect. Not only do I learn a lot but it is encouraging to know that there is a community of people who believe that it is important to change the direction this country is going in. Thanks again for your kind words, senseandsensibility. (That's a mouthful! :) )

:hi:

Peace,

freefall

[senseandsensibility]

104. You're welcome!

And thanks for taking the time to type my entire username! I even have trouble typing it myself sometimes!:) Peace, ny friend.

[WinkyDink]

15. Likewise, I'm sure. Marched pre-and post-war.

Picketed when Bush spoke at Kutztown U. in PA.
Picketed when Cheney spoke at Nazareth H.S., in PA.

Some of us KNEW.

[Warren DeMontague]

17. Yeah, I remember screaming "That's KNOWN TO BE BULLSHIT!" at the SOTU

speech with those 16 words...

I don't want a prize, I just want this stupid bogus war to end--- and a President with a triple digit IQ who isn't drunk on Jesus.

[Arkansas Granny]

37. Junior's not drunk on Jesus. He's drunk on power.

[Warren DeMontague]

40. Whatever you want to call it. Jesus is the excuse for alot of the would-be

fascists who want to roll out a domestic theocracy.

And yes, I know it doesn't have a helluva lot to do with the actual words of Jesus. Don't tell me, tell them. As it is, their cardboard, 2-dimensional, dinosaurs-on-Noah's ark, FOX News take on reality is clearly responsible for a good chunk of the inebriation.

[Arkansas Granny]

42. Bush certainly uses Jesus as a useful tool to gain the support

of his base. A lot of the evangelical preachers have hitched themselves to his wagon because of the power he wields. They feed off of each other.

PBS Frontline did a documentary a couple of years ago, just before the election called "The Jesus Factor". They explored this subject in depth. If you haven't seen it you can watch the video here:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/jesus/view/#rest

If you prefer, you can follow the link at the bottom of the page for a transcript that you can view on line or print. It's a real eye-opener.

[sutz12]

19. I'm on that wagon, too....

As one who lived through the Vietnam era, and served in the USMC then (luckily, I never served in country) the signs were just too similar. Hey, even the credibility gap is right on schedule. :puke:

Truly a fustercluck of Biblical proportions, and now somebody will have to try and clean it up.

Oh how I wish we could take every goddam one of these clowns' retirement accounts and apply it to the Veterans Administration health care costs. That's gonna be some bucks.

[JohnnyLib]

31. second that

Yes, damn it. I've had outpatient contact with veterans since serving stateside during Viet Nam and they've been shafted ever since. Use 'em and toss 'em. If we could pry the * chicken hawks command staff out from under the flag and behind the Cross--- things would sure as hell look different. Ggrrrrrr.

[mzmolly]

22. I never backed the war because I knew there were other solutions

even IF what the * admin said was true. Though, I never personally believed a word * said about Iraq.

[ikojo]

Not for one minute did I support shrubbie's war

on Iraq. It wasn't a popular notion to be against the war in 2003, but if any of the people to whom I sent articles critical of the war kept them then they will know that the side of peace was correct.

[Fridays Child]

23. You were anti-Iraq war before it was cool.

Me, too. We rock! :woohoo:

Seriously, though, what's unforgivable is how many innocent people will have died or been maimed for life, before this country wakes all the way up and demands withdrawal.

[ixion]

24. yep, me too.

:patriot:

[acmavm]

25. I can be very stupid sometimes and the lead up to this war was one of

those times. Because I didn't believe it would really happen. I thought that some sane force or intelligence from somewhere, I don't know where, but somewhere would stop them from murdering all those innocent people. And then when I heard that they dropped the first bombs, I was just heartbroken and devastated. I just didn't believe my country would ever become so morally bankrupt and dispicably corrupt.

[wtmusic]

83. Yes...me too

I remember 3/19/2003 vividly. Very, very depressing. My country let the world down. I remember realizing, for the first time, how vulnerable true American principles and the Constitution were.

[Arkansas Granny]

26. I tried to tell people 6 months before we invaded Iraq that there

was nothing that Saddam could do to avoid the invasion. I told them that Bush was intent on declaring war against Saddam for any number of reasons, not the least of which was to boost his ratings which had started to sag a little after 9/11. His supporters looked at me like I was out of my mind. They just couldn't believe that a Godly man like Bush would lie us into a war for no reason. I will say one thing in their defense, though. None of them are defending him now. There aren't any more heated debates, because they don't want to talk about it any more.

[Redstone]

27. Me, either. and after Sept 11, many people got angry with me

(including my wife) because I did not for one second sign on to the "you must support your president in a time of crisis" hysteria.

I kept telling people "you know, none of this is makes bush any smarter," no matter how much I got my ass kicked for it.

Maybe having lived through the Viet Nam thing gave me a better perspective, I don't know.

Redstone

[tnlefty]

28. Did you happen to catch the male caller on c-span this morning who was

giving the repub. rep. a hard time? This didn't sound like a young man and he stated that he was through with the repub. party. He stated that he'd been fooled by Bush** twice. Then he stated that he didn't like the scandals, the trashing of the Constitution but that what had really brought about his accute awareness was when he was listening to one of Bush**s recent speeches when it hit him that what he was hearing he'd heard during the time of Vietnam. He listed some of the similarities, stated something about people he knew who had tried to warn him prior to the beginning of Iraq, and then again before he voted in '04 had been correct. I felt sorry for him in a way. He sounded calm, yet there was a definite underlying anger. He even mentioned something that I've said to my kids many times ,"Here we are again and this is happening twice in my lifetime."

I have a feeling that he'll become angrier as time goes on.

[merbex]

29. As the drum beat for war was being pounded my husband and I would

get into screaming matches: he kept saying that we should have finished the job in the first Gulf War - I kept saying the first President Bush knew enough to stop when he did, and it would go from there.

Things were ugly in our house. Every night at dinner(we always had the news on in the background) one of us would angrily get up and walk away without finishing the meal; the kids witnessed this

Finally, the local UU Minister put together a series of forums about the call to war and meetings were being held at our local library.

I told my husband that I was going and that he should attend - to hear from more knowledgable people on this topic AND that I was bringing the kids(14 and 12 at the time)

He refused to go

The kids came. Those forums changed my life. I had finally gotten off my ass and got better informed and signed up for alerts and used the web sites that were given to me.

I'm typing now on DU because of that night.

The kids came home and told their dad that he should have come - that he was wrong and this war will be awful.

It gives me no satisfaction to frequently hear my husband say now"Honey, you were right and I was wrong about this"

Since then though he has gone to every event I've asked him to go to

[Lydia Leftcoast]

30. Me, too

Everything I predicted has come true. Just call me Cassandra (except that another DUer has already claimed that name.)

[silverweb]

32. Ditto.

As a matter of fact, I'm glad that I never, for one minute supported _george's selection.

Even before the reTHUG primary, I remember asking reTHUG people I was still friendly with to please, if they were voting in the reTHUG primary, to vote for McCain -- that we could survive a McCain presidency, but not a Bush presidency.

I even used the words "endless debt and endless war" to describe what Bush would bring us. Not sure if I was possessed or not at the time, but I was fearful. And all of the worst that I openly feared during the 2000 primaries has come to pass.

[Wickerman]

33. Me neither, and I was also against Afghanistan

I don't believe in wars of retribution and it's clear that mission was not accomplished, either. What a country of morans.

[burrowowl]

44. I was also against war on Afghanistan

and on Iraq.
As JFK Jr. said today on ring of fire: had we reduced fleet consumption, as passed under the Ford and Carter Administrations, we wouldn't be where we are at today. RayGun took the solar panels off the WH and well ....

:grr:

[argyl]

52. I was also opposed to the war in Afghanistan.Going in,getting OBL

and his top lieutenants should have been done.But Bush went with full scale invasion and Osama's still out there.

Apparently the mission for the men on the ground has devolved into defending themselves against insurgencies on two fronts who are getting ever more proficient at killing them.Once they venture out of their "safe zones" they are fair game.

Bush's disastrous Middle East policies have earned us the hatred of the Muslim world and he's now blithely tossing the keys to this nightmare to a "future administration" to be elected (hopefully) at a later date.

Now that this has been trotted out I look for the newest talking point to be that Bush has always contended that the war in Iraq was always going to be an open ended conflict with no timetable for ending the hostilities.

Cakewalk,greeted with flowers as liberators,paid for in Iraqi oil? That's so 2003. This was always meant to be a long term occupation with no coherent end in sight. As short term as so many people in this country's memories seem to be his true believers will drink this Kool Aid.

[The_Casual_Observer]

34. The problem with bush's claims and arguments was that

since they were carefully constructed with quasi-logical bases, the only way to really prove he was full of shit was to give him his way and let it take it's course. This has been frustrating and costly, but in every single case, jr's claims, assertions, predictions, promises, and policy have been proved to be false or failures.

[jwirr]

36. Yes, I stood up against it in my own family first. It did not take long

for them to see what I was so upset about.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

38. Isn't it nice to be right?

In a manner of speaking. Or left.


whatever. Congratulations.

[pansypoo53219]

41. it's a bloody shame

nobody ever listens to us cassandras.
at least we, can nod and say WE TOLD YOU!
i will especially enjoy rubbing it in mr DITTOhead brother's face.he has been rather mutted about georgie lately.

[Poiuyt]

43. I was one of the 10% who didn't support Bush after 9/11

I knew he would just use the attack for political gains

[freefall]

66. Were we really only 10%? How sad. And in response to a comment

above, I'm not happy that I was right. The price we are paying for *'s dishonesty is way, way, way too high.

Peace,

freefall

[Imalittleteapot]

46. You are lucky - friends coming forward.

Not one of my friends or family has told me I was right. Many of them don't even talk to me anymore. I'm careful not to say I told you so, but I sure want to rub it in. They laughed at me when I took part in protests and said they didn't care about my opinion.
My brother called me names like pinko and loser liberal.

I can still hold my head high and, like you trumad, I'm proud.:grouphug:

[LWolf]

47. I'm not proud that I was "right" about the "War on Terror."

I have been angry at and ashamed of those who cowered in fear and let 9/11 open the floodgates of destruction for this administration.

I have been impatient with the "it took me years, but I've finally seen the light" people. I'm glad. I'm really glad that it has finally occurred to so many that perhaps war wasn't such a great idea after all. I forgive them. I don't forget, though, that their hands have a fair share of the bloodstains of many.

I'm disgusted with the politicians who supported the war agenda in word and vote, and discovered the shocking, unbelievable concept of government dishonesty after the fact.

I'm not proud. I think it was each person's responsibility to pay attention, and I think too much of the public as well as too many politicians were, and are, derelict in their duties.

[welshTerrier2]

93. i doubt they've learned anything ...

it's great more and more are finally waking up to the idiocy of this war ... as our numbers grow, we stand a much better chance of ending the damned thing ...

but sadly, i doubt the "converters" have learned very much ... i doubt most of them believe the war was wrong because we never belonged there; they're agreeing it's wrong because we aren't making progress ... it's better than nothing ........................... until the next one comes along ...

until a real opposition party stands up and questions the MOTIVES FOR THIS WAR, little will have been learned ... of course, it's hard to question motives and keep voting for more war funding at the same time ...

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

49. Ask 'em what they plan to do about it now that they know

They need to make some serious amends.

[kcass1954]

50. Me neither. The day the war started, my mom died after a battle with

breast cancer, so I missed most of the run-up to the invasion. I hadn't found DU, and only had what information I saw in the corporate media. But I knew in my heart what a piece of shit junior was, and I've said from day one that I wouldn't trust him as far as I could throw him.

[cally]

51. I also, never supported this war and I have progressive

sites to thank for it. I knew so much before we invaded and I knew it would be a disaster.

[Binka]

53. This Mess Stunk Like Three Week Old Fish

I knew from day one that this shit was just that SHIT! Did not know then that my son would be involved. What a load of pants!

[trumad]

54. Some of my friends can barely look me in the face

They're terrified that we might discuss the war and they have none of the bravado that they had 3 years ago. They're completely deflated--they have nothing.

[wtmusic]

57. The sad thing

is if we had overrun the country with 500,000 troops, killed hundreds of thousands more than we have now, and managed through sheer force to bring about a police-state kind of peace, they'd be crowing about how wonderful the Iraqis have it without Saddam.

The only reason they (occasionally) admit they were wrong is because we're getting our ass kicked.

[fishwax]

55. neither did I, and though I'm proud of that, having been right is

often hollow consolation :grr:

[CatWoman]

56. yeah, but you haven't been right about me

[trumad]

63. Bwhaaa haaa

We keep it going don't we baby?

[sandnsea]

59. I'd actually rather to have been wrong

I'd much rather the war had been completely successful, Iraqi's had a promising democracy, the cities were bustling with flourishing Iraqi businesses, schools and parks were full of laughing children, and our troops were back home. I don't take one iota of pleasure in this war going so horribly wrong, it would have been far better for our troops, the Iraqi people and the world had it gone perfectly right.

I can't quite put my finger on the sickness displayed in this thread, bragging about having been right about death and destruction; but make no mistake, the sickness is definitely there.

[CTLawGuy]

100. Id much rather the war had never happened

and no one is taking pleasure in what is going on, we are remarking how glad we are for the rightness of our moral convictions.

[sandnsea]

105. No, it's a grusome smug self-righteousness

I opposed this war too. But once it started, I'd much rather it had gone well then ended like this. I'd much rather have been wrong than to have had this tragedy happen. I don't take any solace in having opposed the war at all. Big deal. Sibel Edmunds isn't gloating. None of the people who had concerns before 9/11 are gloating about having been right. There really is something sick in this thread.

[Cleita]

60. Puking up the Kool-Aid is more like it.

I never supported it either and had some scary discussions about it with rah, rah vets.

[UTUSN]

61. K&R #5 for me, too. I didn't know the dimensions of the disaster, just

knew it was phoney, that Shrub was not to be trusted, that he had other motives, that the "reasons" kept changing to find one that sounded convincing, and none did. Funny how all those smart politicians have all their resources, staffs, intel at their disposal and they lack the gut instincts most of us here have.

[AuntiBush]

64. Recall Taking a Second Shocking Look

at the tube-news the day Iraq was mentioned. We were heading for Afghanistan ISO of Bin Forgotten. Suddenly, it was mushroom clouds, Hussein and I'll never get over the look in his eyes speaking to Congress and US that day. It was eerie, strange - the worse nightmare one could imagine unfolding before our eyes.

Since moving to a all Repub county, not 1 person I've met is for *&Co. Not one! And I've met people from all walks of life, but mostly the very type one would assume is a Bushbot. Nope. Not one. They detest him more then us, and you'd be surprised how many did not vote for him either time and have no problem admitting it.

That's why I think *'s ratings are much, much lower.

[LynnTheDem]

65. Me too; but it doesn't ease my pain when I have to attend another funeral

of another soldier-friend killed by bush's lies.

[Individualist]

70. Same here

Many of us were never for it. Anyone who took the time to find out what was going on knew better than to buy into the BS the cabal was spewing.

[Gregorian]

71. I didn't back the war in 1991

I can still remember how sheepish I felt, going into my office and saying "Blood for oil". I had never heard anyone say it, and I knew it was right, but felt guilty. Then ten years later I heard someone else say the same phrase, and I felt vindicated. We've come a long way since that day. Forwards and backwards.

[SeattleGirl]

72. Nor did I!

I felt it was absolutely wrong, and I still do.

[Fovea]

73. Same deal

And my analysis is being listened to seriously by some folks who were very dismissive a few years ago.

I was saying 'blood for oil' back when they were sitting there with their fingers in their ears and a starry-eyed expression as they watched Dubya auto-asphyxiate the English language.

I was saying client state when lots of them were shrieking 'mushroom cloud.'

Some of the ones I have talked to, the PaleoCons, are shattered. Fratboy George has sunk the Bismark, and pissed in their Moet. They know what it is going to take to put things back to right.

And they are fleeing the re-apotheosis of FDR like Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld flee direct sunlight.

[Swamp Rat]

76. Me too! ... I yelled from the rooftops: "STOP AND THINK!!!"

They shouted at me a lot, calling me traitor and other four letter words. :eyes:

I am very happy that I NEVER, not for ONE NANOSECOND!, did I support this war. Hell, I didn't even want to attack Afghanistan!

[soothsayer]

81. me, too! gawd the lies seemed soooo transparent to me

[Proud Liberal Dem]

82. Me too!

Many of us, including myself, were "anti-Iraq war" before being "anti-Iraq war" was considered "cool" (or at least something other than outright treasonous) ;-)

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

84. That's Not Quite What I'm Proud Of.

It turns too mentally arrogant for me when I break it down to a feeling of "I'm right, they were wrong".

What I am proud of, however, thanks in large part to DU, is how many people who otherwise may have taken far longer to know better that turned away from the kool-aid due to my intervention. That's what I'm proud of, and proud of DU for. That with our movement, and the wealth of information on this site, we are able to be empowered enough to pass on the truth to others and have them turn away from the propaganda. And resist that urge to smack them upside the head. They are open to you now. Use the opportunity to take the conversation and education even farther. Embrace them. You have earned a level of trust with them now, so use it to empower them as you have been empowered. That would be something to be proud of :)

[immoderate]

85. I wrote this LTTE on March 17, 2003

I was living in Phoenix at the time, and the Arizona Republic had just editorialized in favor of the war, which was not a surprise. They didn't print it then, or the other two times I sent it with an introductory "I told you so" paragraph. I'll also note that the content was not much out of line with discussion threads on DU at that time.

If I read your editorial correctly, the current US policy of invading a country that hasn’t attacked us is "dictated" by the events of 9/11. Au contraire! I think that US policy is “dictated” by (unelected) President George W. Bush. France and Germany supported us after 9/11; they still have thousands of peace keeping troops in Afghanistan and look how we treat them, like enemies.

For those who forgot about Chile, Guatemala, Iran and Vietnam, here’s what you can expect. We will probably defeat Iraq easily. Nobody, but nobody, wants to be in the way when the United States military is bearing down. My money goes on the US in any battle. It’s the aftermath of the war that has not been calculated.

Whatever government we install in Iraq will be viewed as a US colony or puppet in their midst. It will be a magnet for terrorist attacks. The costs of security will soar. We will spend many billions over many years and they will keep attacking. Millions of idle youth plus convenient targets equals many opportunities to make martyrs. Are we ready to institute a homeland security system for Iraq? Can we even do one for ourselves?

Eventually, we will have to leave Iraq. An Iraq occupation, combined with other Bush policies will ruin us financially. Our prestige and credibility will have been decimated. Maybe the endless terror attacks will take their toll, people hate body bags. We will be leaving the Iraqi people and ourselves a lot worse off than we are now.

Hey, for those who see tenuous connections like Saddam and 9/11, why haven’t they detected a connection between gas prices and Republican control of the government?

--IMM

[Beausoir]

87. Not only did I not back it...I PREDICTED IT!

I KNEW that retarded little chimpanzee was going to invade Iraq, to avenge his father's failures, as soon as I saw him steal the Presidency.

I knew it would happen. I KNEW how it would fail.

I weep for my country..that there are so many ignorant people who still support this horrible little monster.

[OnionPatch]

88. Me too!

A few of my liberal friends were even almost swayed for about a minute or two, but not me, not for one second. And it's not that I'm a really die-hard pacifist or anything. I just knew this war was wrong. Maybe partly because I lived in the middle-east for awhile and I could put a human face on the "enemy." I knew we weren't going to win any hearts and minds with this war. I knew innocent people were going to be killed for nothing and this war would create more "terrorists" than it would stop. I'll go to my grave satisfied that I did the right thing in speaking out against this war.

[clyrc]

89. I had to watch my county's Democratic Committee decide

NOT to sign a petition against the war, and I had to listen to people I thought knew better say the war was not such a bad thing. My husband and I signed the petition ourselves, and marched against the war anyway. We were almost run over by a big SUV on the way back from one protest, I'm sure on purpose. But I knew I was right then, and I know it now.

[imlost]

90. Me too!

I argued with my husband about all Democrats that were supporting IWR. I told him it was wrong.
He argued that we had to show the world that we backed our president, even if you didn't agree. Boy does he regret
this feeling!

[OneBlueSky]

91. I was amazed and dumbfounded when BushCo attacked Iraq . . .

I was S-O-O-O-O sure that NO ONE could be THAT stupid . . .

boy, was I wrong . . .

[DIKB]

92. Right there with you.

I was shouting people down back then. What's more is that I stated back in 2001 that we were going to war w/ Iraq. No, I'm not prescient, I just know a bloodthirsty asshole when I see one.

[Cooley Hurd]

94. Many of my conservative-leaning friends now come to me and say...

..."you were right." We're talking some hard-core kool-aid drinkers here.:thumbsup:

[TheFarseer]

95. I knew Iraq war was a mistake and

I had never heard of DU and I was a registered republican even though I had not voted for W. I told everyone I knew that it didn't make any sense, was not for our freedom and would result in needed deaths and endless expenditure of money.

[warrior1]

96. Count me in this group

amen brother.

[Notoverit]

97. Rule of thumb: aggression wars are bad. Doesn't take a rocket scientist

I never understoof the supporters on this board - chalked them to not strong enough to fight the media hypnosis.

[H2O Man]

98. Why do you hate America?

Why are you trying to subvert the good deeds of President Bush, who simply believes that democracy and freedom are not our gifts to ourselves, but VP Cheney's gifts to the world? You seem to be pushing a Marxist agenda, planting the seeds of doubt, attacking all that is sacred in Washington, DC.

[trumad]

101. Water Man-- LOL

seeds of doubt--- whouldn't it be lovely if we all had seed of doubt? Especially our errr free press?

[H2O Man]

111. Some of my favorite DUers

are the Johnny Appleseeds here, planting the seeds of doubt that are necessary for the citizens to see through the horseshit this administration and the corporate media use to justify the war in Iraq .... and perhaps violence which will spread in Iran.

Keep up the good work.

[Rainscents]

103. I was told... A NUT case!

When GWB was running for pResident summer of '00, I told anyone and everyone I knew, if he (Bush) gets in, he was going to take us into WAR and that, we will be all fucked because he is going to take this country to hell-hole! Everyone thought I was NUT case! My ex and I fought over this issue over and over and he also told me I was beyond crazy. Of course, since than, most of my friends asked me "How I knew"? I tell them, if you want to know the truth? Dig deep and read... there's so much informations out there for anyone want it can find it and check out there backgrounds! You see, I knew about BCCI and how Bush ran every one of his business to toilets... he also did this to TX!

[Nutmegger]

106. I share you sentiments Rainscents

I remember Shrubbie talking about Iraq more than once during the '00 campaigns; that just seemed soooo odd that he would go on about Saddam when he was suppose to be talking about energy. I knew the guy was up to something but was told that I'm "exaggerating".

Yeah, right, exaggerating....:eyes:

[Hissyspit]

109. It's amazing, isn't it? Most people have to relearn their lessons over

and over again. There was plenty of precedent for not trusting these people (Compassionate Conservatism? Come on!) and for the Iraq War (Vietnam!).

[Nutmegger]

107. Checking in

I seen through this smoke from the get-go. I knew the guy was lying us into a war, I knew it! I never bought into the TERRA! TERRA! 9/11! SADDAM! crap because that what it was: crap.

I knew it was a huge mistake and I knew that this country would see nothing like it. Nothing like the media heads were parroting.

[harpo]

108. I am too

[otohara]

110. Who Knew They Were Lying ?????? I DID, I DID, I DID

it was so fucking obvious.