Five Years After September 11

[PalJoey]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 4:34pm

We are no safer than we were before, thanks to Bush's mishandling of the war against terror.

* Al Qaeda is stronger than ever and probably behind the attempted plane bombings in London.

* Afghanistan is once again falling prey to the Taliban.

* Iraq is enmeshed in a civil war that we did nothing to prevent. The Washington Post says "Figures compiled by the city morgue indicated Wednesday that the number of killings in the Iraqi capital reached a new high last month."

* Israel and Lebanon are engaged in a bloody battle that the Bush administration has been uninterested in preventing or ending.

* And Osama bin Ladin is still at large.

Any other president would have taken advantage of the post-9/11 sympathy of the world to find Osama and unite against terrorism.

Bush invaded Iraq--and then screwed that up completely.

Updated On: 8/10/06 at 04:34 PM

[broadwayxminixidina]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 4:40pm

Politics! HOORAY! I don't like Bush, however, it is not OUR duty to come to the aid of EVERY country that is in need. There is only so much that we can do. We need to be helping out OUR country right now. That is his biggest problem. Just like hte victms of Hurricane Katrina, Osama bin Laden has been forgotten.

[Elphaba]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 4:41pm

I feel actually less safe
I feel the massive lemming population in the US is ruining this country.
I feel, for the first time, ashamed of my country.
I feel that hatred for anyone different is gov't endorsed.

as Hattie McDaniels said in Gone With The Wind:

'It ain't right, it jus ain't right!"

[vmlinnie]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 4:51pm

Bush HAS united the world - against America. It sucks for you guys.

[raulfan]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 4:52pm

It's all disgusting. Our men and women should be home and protecting OUR country.

And aren't we the ones who liberated France in WWII yet they wouldn't come to our aid? We need to stop coming to everyones rescue - we need to only support the countries who support us. The end.

[RENTingFAME]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 4:54pm

Thanks for that uplifting though, vmlinnie.

It's far too true.

[vmlinnie]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 4:57pm

Just telling it like it is, though I wish that wasn't how it is.

[Calvin]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 4:58pm

What about Poland?

[GodIHopeIGetIt]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 5:00pm

Um.. too stupid to say anything good... but I agree with you all, especially Calvin's siggy.

[Elphaba]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 5:03pm

What about Poland?

?? I had a blast in Poland last month!

[Calvin]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 5:05pm

I can't say that line without saying "Poland???" the way Julie Andrews blurts it out on the Victor/Victoria cast recording.

[broadwayxminixidina]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 5:05pm

America needs to help America. Thats how it needs to be.

5 years ago, President Bush was golfing and listening to children's book stories on Sept. 11th. What a fantastick President.

[Elphaba]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 5:08pm

"It's all disgusting. Our men and women should be home and protecting OUR country."

er, from what Raul.

While I am totally against the war, I do realize the need for servicepeople to be overseas.

"however, it is not OUR duty to come to the aid of EVERY country that is in need. There is only so much that we can do. We need to be helping out OUR country right now."

oh child do you study the history of the 20th century in your school......by being out there (not in this war) we ARE helping America.........we do it because no one else can, again I mean having bases overseas....if we did not, we would just be another Peru, Cambodia or Poland........

[aspiringactress]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 5:11pm

I am truly terrified by the (almost) events revealed today. Maybe it's because I'm a born and raised New Yorker. I sort of feel like there was a group of kids (I was in 4th grade on September 11th) who were in between the ages that were fully aware of all the events, and not really aware in any real way, and because we were in NYC, they decided to tell us everything, and explain everything. I know I for one grew up really quick. And Bush's handling of it all is so despicable to me. I'm am at a point where I'm not sure that we are really capable of stopping anything, and it makes me worry about the next few weeks when the alleged attacks were supposed to be carried out. The sad thing is, I know that to beat terrorists I shouldn't let fear take over, but sometimes I can't help remembering what it was like to walk down streets that had been full of cars for as long as I could remember and seeing nothing but the occasional relief vehicle. Sorry, that was long, and weird, but I just needed to put it somewhere.

[jacobtsf]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 5:11pm

raulfan- You, like nearly EVERY SINGLE person in this country that says that, forget that without France we would not be a democracy, we wouldn't even be a country. France saved our butts in the Revolutionary war, we helped them in WWII. All debts are repaid, they owed us nothing, and they did the correct thing (staying out of an Illegal, immoral, just plain wrong invasion of a country).

My big problem with the way things have progressed these past 5 years is that, instead of a unified international fight against terror, we have what many will look back on as a crusade, or religious battle. This will not look good in the history books.

[Elphaba]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 5:13pm

"And aren't we the ones who liberated France in WWII yet they wouldn't come to our aid? We need to stop coming to everyones rescue - we need to only support the countries who support us. The end."

er, were it not for France, we would not have defeated King George.....

and what do you mean "come to our aid"....if you mean by not supporting this ridiculous war, then I applaud them

[jacobtsf]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 5:15pm

Elphaba- great minds post alike.

[Elphaba]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 5:15pm

just thinking the same thing Jacob!

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 5:18pm

I think a lot of people applaud France for their decision.

[jasonf]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 5:21pm

What amazes me is I grew up with an incredible sense of patriotism and pride in America drilled in my head. While people (by which I mean by parents/teachers/relatives) may have disagreed with some policies or certain political moves, I never saw a waning of patriotrism like I have since 9/11. Bush has managed to erase a history of "but it's America and we'll stand by that" that was so strong and motivational for 200+ years. Between the war, the way Israel/Lebanon is being dealt with, Hurricane Katrina, foreign opinion -- the overwhelming sense I see in my fellow Americans is a sense of embarrassment. Maybe this is because I'm an east coast liberal and there are still plenty of people out there who think Bush is still doing a good job -- I actually think that if we weren't so scared with what's happening around us, a second civil war could break out over the idiotic way the country has been run recently.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 5:22pm

Jacob and Elphaba--you're so right. France is not the problem. The United Staes is not the problem. The terrorists are the problem. And the Bush Administration does NOT have the solution.

And aspiringactress, you're what makes New York great.

[jasonf]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 5:24pm

PJ, you're right, of course - it is the terrorists that are the problem. A solution does need to be found -- but it won't be by this administration.

[JerseyGirl2]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 5:33pm

It's hard to believe that next month will be five years.

And Elphaba, darlin', I hate to be a bee in your bonnet, but the quote is, "It ain't fittin'! It just ain't fittin'!" (but translated it means the same. )

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 5:54pm

"There is only so much that we can do."

But there is plenty we could "not" have done and things would be much better than they are now. "Not" diverting attention to Iraq when it should have remained in Afghanistan being the most obvious.

There is one thing that the events regarding the foiled London plot should strongly remind us: Fighting terrorism is the job of law enforcement. NOT the military.

[Elphaba]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 6:09pm

Jersey I always get that wrong, thanks....I won't forget again!