Post 9-11 thoughts

[ryno]

Watching the footage of 9-11 and the time immediately after made me sad for more than just the obvious reason. I watched how united our country became in the face of a common enemy. Now we are possibly the most divided we have been since the Civil War. Karl Rove and this administration have managed to drive a wedge between the people of this country with retoric like "You're either with us or against us" and it makes me sad. I watched how much support we had from the rest of the world to hunt down and bring to justice the people who attacked our country. Now all of that has dried up because of things like the Iraq War and the arrogance of this administration and it makes me sad. I heard all of the rhetoric about making our borders and ports safer. I don't feel any safer today than I did on 9-11 and it makes me sad. I heard big words that we were going to go after and catch Osama Bin Laden. He's still out there possibly plotting another attack and it makes me sad. Yes I'm sad for all of the people that lost their lives on that infamous day. But I'm also sad for all of the lost opportunities that we've squandered.

[Infiniti514]

+1..............

We did have the world supporting us and Bush screwed that all up and invaded Iraq.

I don't think finding Osama will do anything to make this country safer. Besides psychological reasons (feeling better that he is caught...justice), catching him won't stop terrorism. He has so many people working for him that it won't matter. Someone will just step up in his place.

[gammawolf]

I feel ya Ryno. I most certainly feel you. +1,000.

[Zoomzoomers]

Look around you (not literally). You'll find the culprits who've made the situation you speak of into reality. Remeber, we can blame everybody but I honestly think we have only ourselves to blame. We put that maniac into office and, what's worse, we allowed him to stay in office. I hate to say it, and most of you have heard it from me before about how much I hate Bush, that the buck stops here! It is all of us, the American people, who have allowed things to degarde into what we have today. Sad, just sad.

[gammawolf]

^^^uhhh wtf else was I supposed to do? I never voted for W., I rallied more support for Kerry as much as I could, I even donated to the Kerry campaign I've told people that Bush has lied repeatedly and that we're being duped on more than enough issues.

And what do I get in return???

Yeah well, Clinton lied. Democrats are soft. Bush stands up for what he believes in. Have you seen dancing with the stars?





















ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG GGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHH!!!!!!!!

[jl9618]

The problem lies within the corruption of our system. It always comes back to the almighty dollar. There will be no justice until we get rid of our two party system that caters to big business.

[Infiniti514]

how about we get rid of the electoral college. its an ancient system that doesnt need to be used any more. if we didnt use it, Gore would be in office.....not Bush

[AestheticMynd]

Hexx didnt say happy birthday to me on 911... I'm sad.

[G35Princess]

What happened on 9/11 was sad and a true tragic... when I turned on the news and NBC was replaying their video from that day... it really hit me ... the feelings I felt that day came back.... it made me really sad.

But you can't blame one president for everything. No one knows what would of happened either if a Democrat was in office instead... we will never know. We may actually be where we are now regardless of who was President.

We tried to do the right thing..hunt down the person responsible... we haven't caught him, but what else are we suppose to do? Sit on our butts and wait for another attack? There's no solution when it comes to Terrorist... it never ends. That's how life is going to be from now on... just like there'll never be peace in the middle east.

And yes we're in IRAQ...so what if other countries hate us...since when did we need to get permission to do what needs to be done? The point is, we're there and we need to finish what we began. We are safer today than we were 5 yrs ago... you may not feel it but we are, I believe it.

[gammawolf]

Originally Posted by G35Princess

And yes we're in IRAQ...so what if other countries hate us...since when did we need to get permission to do what needs to be done?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UN_Secu...Resolution_678
UN Security Council Resolution 678 is a UN security council resolution authorizing member states to "use all necessary means to uphold and implement resolution 660 and all subsequent relevant resolutions and to restore international peace and security"[1] to the Persian Gulf region, following the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in August 1990.

Back then, the U.S. tried diplomacy and the UN granted "all necessary means . . . to restore inernational peace and security." The US could of probably proceeded without this resolution, but at least most of the nations were in accord with each other.

Originally Posted by G35Princess

We are safer today than we were 5 yrs ago... you may not feel it but we are, I believe it.

Ports, like Long Beach/San Pedro and New Jersey/Weehawken look the same way they did 5 years ago. Maybe air travel is safer, maybe. But I sure as hell don't feel any safer than I did before. They already hit Spain, the UK twice, and the UK just foiled another one. It's just a question of time.

[Zoomzoomers]

^^ I couldn't disagree with you more on a few of your points princess. First, it is Bush that carries 100% of the blame. He is our leader, Mr. #1, and it was his watch. If not him, then who would, or should, be responsible? A lowly Federal Agent? A CIA analyst maybe? Nope. We have leaders and we grant them authority because we expect them to do everything they can to protect us and our way of life. If you truely believe that he's not responsible and that the buck should stop somewhere else other than his desk, I'm saddened. It is this type of thinking that has allowed men like him to lie and cheat the American people of what we deserve.

If you realized how many chances we've had in capturing Bin Laden you would not feel the way you do. So, I'm sure you're asking, "then why haven't we caught him yet?" The clear answer to that question is because of the incompetence of our current administration to take charge and formulate a concise and acheivable mission and objective. Usually, for normal people you get 3 chances and then you're out, but with this administration, and Bush, they've made so many inexcusable mistakes and blunders it's pathetic. Most normal people would have either lost their position, been fired, charged for negligence, etc.

This remains clear, we must not judge these diffcult issues with just "feelings", we must take time to investigate, to form opinions/questions, and with that we must act. Feelings of how one person, or a group of people, don't change a thing. This is not aimed at anyone, but has anyone taken the time to call or write their congressmen/woman? Personally, I've written three and have received one reply. Reply to my queestions? God no, but a reply that they are doing their best. Do I believe them? Of course not. I'll believe it when I see it. You also state that you "feel" and "believe" that we are safer? How have you arrived at that conclusion? Via your gut "feelings"? I hope not. I have family members and close friends who serve this nation in some capacity to either defend or guard this nation's security and interests. From what I continue to hear from them is that we are not ready for another attack. Don't believe in what you see and hear or even feel, because we felt similarly on the morning of 9/11. We had similar secuirty forces at work and yes, regretibly, we had a leader who was informed of such possible attacks but chose to do NOTHING.

I didn't write this to criticize you so I hope you don't take it that fashion. I merely did this in hopes that I might open the eyes of another fellow citizen. I'll finish with this one last thought. Spoken by an unkown Greek, "democracy is only as good as the people who choose to live within it". We Americans must all take part in our gov't so that we all may live in peace and happiness.

[gammawolf]

^^^dood, quit pointing your arrows at me

[Zoomzoomers]

Originally Posted by gammawolf

^^^dood, quit pointing your arrows at me

Sorry gamma, you must have posted right before I did.

[G35Princess]

I "feel" safer because I do see the security measures that are implemented after 9/11. There are terrorist attacks that are prevented- we forget them easily because we think of it as "it never happened"...but if they did, I bet you'll never forget them.

Of course there are areas that did not change..but we're a big country... you cannot, regardless if you're demo or rep, ensure a 100% protection. Hell all a Terrorist really have to do is go to a place like Vegas and set off a bomb in the street or a big Casino... and you can sure bet people will die in the mass numbers...but it hasn't happened. Will we get another attack...of course..you can't predict anything. Yeah you heard all the stuff about how we were warn... but those warnings were during Clinton's time as well. With so many "warnings"... thousands that never came true... how are you to decide which one to take seriously. Prior to 9/11 we thought we were indestructable... nothing could get us...we were wrong, and now we are doing all we can to fix that thought.

And I never said that Bush was not to blame... I said you can't blame him for everything. Yes he's the president.. .but do you really think he's the sole decider of everything? It's easy to place blame when something doesn't go the way you want, but the truth is, the fault do not lie 100% on the president...it lies on everyone. We voted - he won...that's how election goes. And no I did not vote for him, but hell if he won- fair and square. I highly doubt it would of made any difference if Kerry won, what would he have done, bring our troops back home, mission half ass... it'll just be like the 1st Gulf war...leave them hanging. And would we be 'safer' than we are now... highly unlikely.

And Bin Laden... we keep saying "close"...I have so many friends and family in the military and they say the same thing- but they can careless if we catch him or not.. it's like that one guy we killed... it was big news for a while and then no one cared...why? cuz more terrorist attacks continued...that's exactly what's gonna happen when and if we ever catch Bin Laden. It won't change anything...you kill one, another one rises.

I honestly think we went into Iraq too quickly, too early...with not enough info.. however, was it sooo bad that it's a disgrace...hell no. I look pass all that, I think of the thousands of people ARE thankful we liberated them. Saddam is just as evil as Hitler and he deserve what he got...I don't pity him or regret the US decision to invade Iraq. Decisions to go into Iraq were drawn long before the "weapons of mass destruction" accusation...my ex was a special force soldier and he told me we were gonna go into war with Iraq since Dec of 2001, I laughed at him because I figured we were hunting for Bin Laden, what does Iraq had to do with any of this...he just told me I'll understand one day and to just be thankful during the holidays because I'll be safe and with family and friends while people like him will be overseas fighting to ensure our beliefs and freedom live on. A year and half later, we dropped bombs on Iraq.

I'm not arguing with you or anyone...I'm simply stating my personal feelings about post 9/11. We obviously have different view. I don't care to convince anyone, because everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I don't write my congressmen not because I'm lazy but because I know they'll tell me what they told you..."we're doing our best"...they can't change what's currently going on now...so I rather spend my time doing other things more important to me.

I don't have any quotes but I do know that freedom is not free... there's a price for everything...and War is often the price we pay. Peace cannot exist without War... History have shown us this many time, and each time, there are always lives lost. It affects people differently- I'm a product of war, so I see it as something that's necessary to make changes- whether good or bad, you won't know until 10 yrs down the line and it's written in a history book.

[SmokeG305]

how about we pay tribute to a national tragedy, instead of having to turn it into a political discussion?



one thing about osama though... if we kill the bastard, i think gas prices would take a dip for the best