Dems major supporter (Saddam) arrested: Next steps

[Ed]

I wonder what the capture of Saddam will do to the Dems rhetoric?

Dean would sound a bit like odd man out to continue to blather about the failed war, etc.

I wonder, too, if this might not (hopefully) help put Lieberman back in the running?

[Grammatron]

Originally posted by Ed
I wonder what the capture of Saddam will do to the Dems rhetoric?

Dean would sound a bit like odd man out to continue to blather about the failed war, etc.

I wonder, too, if this might not (hopefully) help put Lieberman back in the running?

I really hope that when the Democrats running for president heard this news they celebrated and thought, "Ok, now we can concentrate on more important issues" instead of starting to think how else can we criticize Bush.

[geni]

Lets wait a few days and see what happens shall we. What odds will you give me on there being no attacks in Iraq in the next week?

Edited to add

that being said we are where we are so every little helps

[Clancie]

Well, if it really -is- Sadaam, I'm pleasantly surprised that the US military didn't kill him "while escaping".

Now we'll see if the US will release him to the Iraqis (as we should) for trial.

And then we'll see if the trial itself stirs up anti-American feeling in Iraq and around the world--and even more divisiveness. (Seems like Sadaam, at his trial, should bring up a lot of the support he received from the US during his "crimes against humanity" period in Iraq.....)

We shall see.....

[Dancing David]

Gee Ed, I would think that the Democrats will say "Praise the higher power of choice as long as it does not interfere with the beliefs of other believers or none believers. Now what about that deficit that Bush ran up."

I think that politics is politics, just as there are those who will praise Bush for the capture of Saddam(one down!), there are those on both sides who will return to politics as usual. Because they never left them.

Dean vs. Lieberman, Lieberman is going to have start making a distinction between himself and mainstream conservatives. As long as it is not Clark!

[Beanbag]

The war in Vetnam didn't end because Ho Chi Minh died. Saddam was the guy at the top (almost said "leader", but that's too much like a compliment), but there are a lot of folks in the echelons below him who actually got things done. They're still out there, and common sense tells me that some will still want to carry on the fight.

The biggest problem in nation building is when some power from the outside (the US, in this case) goes in, deposes a tyrant or corrupt government, and then expects the general populace (most of whom have NEVER known anything else in the way of government) to calmly and rationally adopt a democratic form of government. Didn't work in Afghanistan, doubt it will work in Iraq without a lot of groundwork. It gets worse when the people discover that democracy doesn't mean that everyone's happy. It means that everyone has a voice, but in the end, it's the vote talley that counts. The disgruntled start to remember that things changed when the last government was overthrown, so why not boot out the new one?

Regards;
Beanbag

[Chad Noles]

Dean has already stated that it is a great day for the President and a great day for America.He said that he thought that the President should celebrate today and that no one should try to take this victory away from him.

[geni]

D*mn. First post saddam attack has just happened.

[American]

Originally posted by Ed
I wonder what the capture of Saddam will do to the Dems rhetoric?

Dean would sound a bit like odd man out to continue to blather about the failed war, etc.

I wonder, too, if this might not (hopefully) help put Lieberman back in the running?


Are you kidding? It means nothing to them. It's a transient moment when they actually shut-up for 1 second, and that's it.

It's a passing moment. Do not EVER expect them to be happy with anything for longer than a day.

[espritch]

It will not be the capture of Saddam itself that determines the effect of this on the election, but rather the effect of the capture of Saddam on Iraq. If this reduces the level of violence, it will no doubt benefit Mr. Bush. However, I suspect that a lot of the violence is more anti-America than pro Saddam. As long as the violence continues and American soldiers keep coming home in body bags, Iraq will continue to be an albatross for Mr. Bush.

Personally, my vote against Mr. Bush will be based on his anti-environmental policies, his attacks on the separation of church and state, his blatant corruption in doling out Iraq contracts to Haliburton without competitive bids, his running up the national debt to new record highs, and his general stupidity rather than on the question of whether or not he was able to capture Saddam.

[Luke T.]

Originally posted by Clancie
Well, if it really -is- Sadaam, I'm pleasantly surprised that the US military didn't kill him "while escaping".

Pleasantly surprised? What exactly is your belief system about our armed forces?!?!?!

Geezus!

Thank God he wasn't killed, because every nut job on the planet would be claiming it was to cover-up something.

[Luke T.]

Originally posted by geni
D*mn. First post saddam attack has just happened.

It was an expletive.

[Clancie]

Posted by Luke T

Pleasantly surprised? What exactly is your belief system about our armed forces?!?!?!
My belief system is that at least -some- of them could take it seriously when their Commander in Chief says, Old West-style, without qualification, "We want him dead or alive...."

[Luke T.]

Originally posted by Clancie

My belief system is that at least -some- of them could take it seriously when their Commander in Chief says, Old West-style, without qualification, "We want him dead or alive...."

I don't think you have any concept of what our military is like. You have some Hollywood idea. Not even close to reality.

[BTox]

Originally posted by geni
Lets wait a few days and see what happens shall we. What odds will you give me on there being no attacks in Iraq in the next week?

Edited to add

that being said we are where we are so every little helps

No one expects the attacks to stop. In fact, military pundits on the news this morning predict an increase in the short term, but also note that attacks have significantly decreased over the last few weeks, and expect that trend to continue after the blip.

[Zep]

Originally posted by Clancie
Well, if it really -is- Sadaam, I'm pleasantly surprised that the US military didn't kill him "while escaping".

Now we'll see if the US will release him to the Iraqis (as we should) for trial.

And then we'll see if the trial itself stirs up anti-American feeling in Iraq and around the world--and even more divisiveness. (Seems like Sadaam, at his trial, should bring up a lot of the support he received from the US during his "crimes against humanity" period in Iraq.....)

We shall see..... Ummm, no we won't see a thing. Last thing the US government will want is to find themselves on the defense team in Saddam's trial. So this will be real Tamany Hall stuff, Iraqi style. Poor old Saddam is about to be subject to his own style of trial - stacked badly. I would doubt the trial will even be made public, just the verdict announced at the end, then sentence carried out swiftly. I doubt the US will appeal anything unless it is less than life imprisonment!

C'est la vie.

[Troll]

Originally posted by geni
D*mn. First post saddam attack has just happened.

If you mean the explosion after Bush's speech, CNN just stated that it was an accident. Ammo fired into the air landed on the back of a truck carrying gas.

[Troll]

Originally posted by Zep
Ummm, no we won't see a thing. Last thing the US government will want is to find themselves on the defense team in Saddam's trial. So this will be real Tamany Hall stuff, Iraqi style. Poor old Saddam is about to be subject to his own style of trial - stacked badly. I would doubt the trial will even be made public, just the verdict announced at the end, then sentence carried out swiftly. I doubt the US will appeal anything unless it is less than life imprisonment!

C'est la vie.

Aslo reported on CNN, MSNBC and FOX newstickers are statements from the Iraqui governing council that the trial will be public.

[Luke T.]

I would like to see everything about Saddam's regime discussed in open court. Even the stuff that may be damaging to the U.S. Why? Because I believe it won't be as bad for the U.S. as some people think (hope).

What I would also like to see is the media report it fairly. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

[Troll]

Originally posted by Luke T.
I would like to see everything about Saddam's regime discussed in open court. Even the stuff that may be damaging to the U.S. Why? Because I believe it won't be as bad for the U.S. as some people think (hope).

What I would also like to see is the media report it fairly. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

To be honest I agree. Sure we supported him at one time. New guy took over and changed that. Hell we had slavery for a while a new guy took over and changed that as well. Some people demand change and can't accept it when you give it to them though, but internationally Saddam ain't got much he can say about the US that ain't already historical facts.

And you're just acting silly with that last request.

[pupdog]

The Democrats will not be at a loss for things to criticize Bush for--the economy, Bush's assault on science, &c.

One argument in favor of an international, rather than an Iraqi, trial for Saddam is that there's no way anyone can seriously claim that the trial is merely an American puppetry.

[Troll]

Originally posted by pupdog
The Democrats will not be at a loss for things to criticize Bush for--the economy, Bush's assault on science, &c.

One argument in favor of an international, rather than an Iraqi, trial for Saddam is that there's no way anyone can seriously claim that the trial is merely an American puppetry.

Which economy is that?

[geni]

Originally posted by Troll


If you mean the explosion after Bush's speech, CNN just stated that it was an accident. Ammo fired into the air landed on the back of a truck carrying gas.

I know when I posted it was being reported as an attack. So we have to wait and see what happens (or in my case take note of every attack between now and the 14th of feb).

[Troll]

Originally posted by geni


I know when I posted it was being reported as an attack. So we have to wait and see what happens (or in my case take note of every attack between now and the 14th of feb).

Yeah they were all calling it an attack at first. I just happened to be watching to see if there were any more when they announced this one wasn't.

As for future attacks I have a mixed thought on those. I can see them declining given people being less reluctant now to rat them out since there's no way Saddam is coming back into power.

I can see them increasing but primarily from outside sources. so it'll be equally important to identify the people involved.

[TillEulenspiegel]

Anyone hear of the phrase " confederacy of dunces" NO? ahh ok never mind.

[American]

Listening to NPR, the Dems have already picked their first bed-wetting issues:


- Let's be outraged that there's no world court to try him, and no other court is legitimate.
- The Iraqi people will feel shame that the myth of their nationalism is gone.
- Although the war was objectively right, any victory is invalid because it was "wrongly" sold to us.
- US out, UN in. (I'm sure our troops would love to wear baby-blue berets and ride around in snow-white APCs, taking their orders in French.)


Fortunately, it's a new nation that's judging the left. So let them moan all they like.

[corplinx]

Unfortunately, I don't think any democrat pres candidate is going to suggest the UN try Saddam due to the embarassment over the trial of a certain nasty guy in the balkans.

[Lemastre]

Originally posted by espritch
. . . Personally, my vote against Mr. Bush will be based on his anti-environmental policies, his attacks on the separation of church and state, his blatant corruption in doling out Iraq contracts to Haliburton without competitive bids, his running up the national debt to new record highs, and his general stupidity rather than on the question of whether or not he was able to capture Saddam. I would hope this is the attitude of all sensible voters. The existence or nonexistence of Saddam Hussein hasn't figured much in the democrats' "rhetoric" because it is of little significance compared with the damage the Bushies are doing to the U.S.