I think hell just froze over.

[Arctic Dave]

I am waiting at the airport to go back to work and I over hear the guys next to me talking about how the escalation in Afghanistan is a big waste of time and money. I work in the oilfields and 99.99% of these guys are hardcore republicans. I didn't think there was a country in the world the wouldn't get off on bombing.

[wtmusic]

1. Anything Obama does would be a big waste of time and money.

Put Dubya in charge and *poof*... it all makes sense!

[gateley]

11. Good point. They would have been all for it had Obama not decided to send more troops. nt

[HuckleB]

33. +1

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. They only oppose it because they hate Obama

[Arctic Dave]

7. They hate Obama, but these guys were talking more about learning from Vietnam.

Seems more their generation. They think O is going to screw it up worse.

[gateley]

12. Well, I'm kind of inclined to agree. I think any president would be in danger

of screwing it up worse. Like Viet Nam.

[RKP5637]

21. I'm from the Vietnam era and I have the same concerns! It's very reminiscent

of what I lived through with the endless escalations and promises. Except this time around without the draft we don't have the protests. It's a bad situation, same rhetoric. It's a damn shame Bush F'ed it up so bad and Obama had to inherit ALL of Bush's screwups.

[truedelphi]

8. You know what? Some of these Republicans voted for Obama, and they did so

because, like many of us progressives, they expected real change. Not continuation of Greenspan policies of helping Wall Street create bubbles, while hurting the middle inocmed.

And certainly not any more expansion of wars.

Is it really impossible to believe that sometimes people want the best thing for our country? (Although our bought and paid for leaders apparently DO NOT!)

[RKP5637]

16. I convinced a number of moderate republicans to vote for Obama they were so

tired of the Bush years. Now on some things they are wondering WTF. The problem as you say is our leaders are bought and paid for... it is so revolting and so obvious.

Until Americans all wake up as to what is going on we as a country for ALL will be getting nowhere in the 21st century. The deck is stacked against the majority of the people in this country.

I hope this changes, but money talks and talks loudly. This country is very young and I find it so very sad to see how it is sinking for the majority of the nation.

[truedelphi]

31. We are not only a young nation, we are unscathed.

No one in this nation understands what a real war does to a country. That masses of civilians are killed, the infra-structure is torn apart, and the economy and agriculture underpinnings are lost.

However in Europe, Britain and Russia people have a bit more understanding of war. Even Britain, an unoccupied victor in WWII, suffered at the end of the war, with rationing going on clear till the mid fifties. That nation lost one fourth of its housing to bombing raids -we as a people have experienced nothing like that.

Our populace understands the grief that a new car owner suffers when it receives its first major scratch. But we know nothing of the loss of life and the destruction of the wars that we bring down upon other nations. Which is one major reason why we are so eager to fight these damn wars.

[Forkboy]

32. Excellent post!

:hi:

[Greyhound]

36. Excellent post. K&R

[gula]

37. Right on. K&R

[era veteran]

41. There were 625,000 military deaths in American Civil War

Cannot find the # of civilian deaths. It has been a while since this war but it was terrible in the South.

[truedelphi]

49. Historically that is a good point.

But I guess my reference was in terms of people's experiences - and no one I know remembers the Civil War in terms of its hardships.

I have heard that the people who grew up in the South have more of an understanding of this. Chicago (my hometown) had no direct hardships due to the war. So none of my archives of great grandparents, their diaries, letters or photos, contribute to my awareness of personal hardship due to Civil War.

Story would be quite different (I imagine) if I had grown up in Atlanta.

[Arctic Dave]

47. I can't agree enough with you.

[RKP5637]

50. Excellent Post! So true. It's easy to wave a flag and shout for war. The consequences are

horrific. For a supposedly peace loving nation, the wars are endless. And no doubt many in this country loving war have never been touched by any of its effects than to view it as a damn sport.

[truedelphi]

51. I was expecting to be jumped on, and someone to say

"Your Republican friends? We all know you are RW,otherwise you would fully support Obama in everything."

It was refreshing to know people actually read what I wrote and I am glad you shared your experiences to confirm I am not the only one who talks with and has friends in the Republican party.

Don't know if you ever watch Joy Behar on one of the cable channels - Tuesday night she had Roseanne on. Roseanne and she both agreed that if they could just get a shot at taking Palin to lunch they might be able to convert her.

I like that attitude - if you give up on people how can you ever help them see a different picture?

[madokie]

17. Hate is the word too

:hi:

[ShortnFiery]

25. That helped get us out of Vietnam - hatred of LBJ back then - whatever WORKS! eom

[walldude]

3. Just goes to show...

that this isn't a party line thing for a lot of people, it's a matter of right and wrong, dumb and dumber...

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

4. Congratulations. You've discovered that Republicans don't like Obama or his policies.

And where exactly were these numbnuts five years ago when Bush was fucking up everything he touched?

Oh right, they were really happy. But now, suddenly, they have seen the light. They are so enlightened. I'd bet even money that none of the people you mention could even find Afghanistan on a map of central Asia.

Even if it said "AFGHANISTAN" in bigass allcaps right across the middle of the map.

They'd probably think it was Europe.

[Arctic Dave]

9. They know where Afghanistan is, they do work in the oilfield.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

13. There isn't any oil in Afghanistan. n/t

[Arctic Dave]

15. It is surrounded by it and we do build pipelines, not just drill.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

20. There aren't any pipelines in Afghanistan either. n/t

[Arctic Dave]

26. But they are located all around it.

[laughingliberal]

5. Damn! I thought this would be Lieberman supports PO. Lol nt

[Arctic Dave]

27. Hahaha, I wish.

[Renew Deal]

6. No, they are just republicans.

[FrenchieCat]

10. What is it about the Party of NO that you don't yet understand......?

Obama does it, so they oppose it.

Bush does it, and things are just swell, until it's too evident to say that...
then they become "conservative Independents" so they can hate everyone,
without them having to be held accountable that their ideology is what
fucked up this country in the first place.

Too bad you bought into this as being opposed to Afghanistan, as it really means,
opposed to everything and anything, as long as this administration is in place.

You've been hosed.

[Arctic Dave]

14. If they are opposed, for what ever reason, and most of the left is opposed

then why are escalating? It would seem that we could end this. Or is it ok because Obama is doing it now?

[FrenchieCat]

19. I was ok with it when I voted for Obama after he told me he would do this.

At least the "guys" you spoke with probably didn't vote for him...
so I guess if anyone could be against going cleaning up Afghanistan,
it would be them. Guess their ain't any oil for them there.
Wonder how long they supported that other war; Iraq?

[Arctic Dave]

24. This escalation is beyond what be originally stated.

Not that it will change anyones mind.

[xchrom]

18. i think iraq, WMDz, the continued violence, etc

has left a bad taste in the mouths of a lot of repukes.

[gorfle]

22. People are coming to realize that the wars are a giant welfare project.

For people living in other countries.

[RKP5637]

23. Karsi said today something like he will need 15 to 20 years of assistance. WTF

I am so fed up with the money this country spends in other countries. This place has become insane!!! Meanwhile, we let our country fall apart. I'm convinced most in congress don't go into the streets to see what is going on... most can't even relate to it...

:wtf: :wtf: :wtf:

[KrR]

43. Who is Karsi ?

[RKP5637]

48. Sorry, typo. Hamid Karzai

[Skittles]

28. I live in a repuke Texas county and NO ONE I KNOW supports this escalation

[Arctic Dave]

29. I'm begining to think it is less about killing people then people are seeing it in economical terms.

Just my opinion.

[Skittles]

30. oh of course that's what it is

even dipshit repukes can see the light in questioning wasting taxpayer money when they're losing their jobs or their hours and pay are getting cut

[spanone]

34. it's not the war they oppose, it's the President.

none of these people spoke a fucking word when we went into iraq ILLEGALLY

[Arctic Dave]

38. So, it's ok now that it's Obama?

[Marr]

35. I bet they were against action in Kosovo, too.

But they would've loved it if a Republican President had initiated it. I know guys like this, too. They're completely predictable and total hypocrites.

[Arctic Dave]

39. Seems there are a few of those types here.

[Marr]

44. Good point.

We've got plenty of people who suddenly think occupying countries is just hunky-dory. Escalation, too. I even had someone on this site tell me, in so many words, that it's time to just 'move on' from issues like military commissions.

[mdmc]

40. If that was McCain at West Point they would be onboard, imho

Obama is bad - always - with the neo-cons.

[Arctic Dave]

45. Possibly. I think guys were thinking more with the pocket book though.

[KrR]

42. So these geniuses...

Were against the invasion of Afghanistan in the first place?

[Arctic Dave]

46. Don't know but they seem to be against it now.

I think it is more of a pocketbook issue more then anything from what I overheard.

I won't lie though, they didn't seem to have any love for Obama.