whats even more sad, the Senate floor was nearly empty when he read this. My god, what a waste. What a waste what a waste what a waste. March 19, 2003 "The Arrogance of Power" Senator Robert Byrd. I believe in this beautiful country. I have studied its roots and gloried in the wisdom of its magnificent Constitution. I have marveled at the wisdom of its founders and framers. Generation after generation of Americans has understood the lofty ideals that underlie our great Republic. I have been inspired by the story of their sacrifice and their strength. But, today I weep for my country. I have watched the events of recent months with a heavy, heavy heart. No more is the image of America one of strong, yet benevolent peacekeeper. The image of America has changed. Around the globe, our friends mistrust us, our word is disputed, our intentions are questioned. Instead of reasoning with those with whom we disagree, we demand obedience or threaten recrimination. Instead of isolating Saddam Hussein, we seem to have isolated ourselves. We proclaim a new doctrine of preemption which is understood by few and feared by many. We say that the United States has the right to turn its firepower on any corner of the globe which might be suspect in the war on terrorism. We assert that right without the sanction of any international body. As a result, the world has become a much more dangerous place. We flaunt our superpower status with arrogance. We treat UN Security Council members like ingrates who offend our princely dignity by lifting their heads from the carpet. Valuable alliances are split. After war has ended, the United States will have to rebuild much more than the country of Iraq. We will have to rebuild America's image around the globe. The case this Administration tries to make to justify its fixation with war is tainted by charges of falsified documents and circumstantial evidence. We cannot convince the world of the necessity of this war for one simple reason. This is a war of choice. There is no credible information to connect Saddam Hussein to 9/11. The twin towers fell because a world-wide terrorist group, Al Qaeda, with cells in over 60 nations, struck at our wealth and our influence by turning our own planes into missiles, one of which would likely have slammed into the dome of this beautiful Capitol except for the brave sacrifice of the passengers on board. The brutality seen on September 11th and in other terrorist attacks we have witnessed around the globe are the violent and desperate efforts by extremists to stop the daily encroachment of western values upon their cultures. That is what we fight. It is a force not confined to borders. It is a shadowy entity with many faces, many names, and many addresses. But, this Administration has directed all of the anger, fear, and grief which emerged from the ashes of the twin towers and the twisted metal of the Pentagon towards a tangible villain, one we can see and hate and attack. And villain he is. But, he is the wrong villain. And this is the wrong war. If we attack Saddam Hussein, we will probably drive him from power. But, the zeal of our friends to assist our global war on terrorism may have already taken flight. The general unease surrounding this war is not just due to "orange alert." There is a pervasive sense of rush and risk and too many questions unanswered. How long will we be in Iraq? What will be the cost? What is the ultimate mission? How great is the danger at home? A pall has fallen over the Senate Chamber. We avoid our solemn duty to debate the one topic on the minds of all Americans, even while scores of thousands of our sons and daughters faithfully do their duty in Iraq. What is happening to this country? When did we become a nation which ignores and berates our friends? When did we decide to risk undermining international order by adopting a radical and doctrinaire approach to using our awesome military might? How can we abandon diplomatic efforts when the turmoil in the world cries out for diplomacy? Why can this President not seem to see that America's true power lies not in its will to intimidate, but in its ability to inspire? War appears inevitable. But, I continue to hope that the cloud will lift. Perhaps Saddam will yet turn tail and run. Perhaps reason will somehow still prevail. I along with millions of Americans will pray for the safety of our troops, for the innocent civilians in Iraq, and for the security of our homeland. May God continue to bless the United States of America in the troubled days ahead, and may we somehow recapture the vision which for the present eludes us. |
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yeesh. |
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Looking at the pictures taken when it was dark, seems like we're boming the Emerald City. damn. |
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OK, this made me choke up. I watched a clip of Sntr. Byrd's speech on the news last night -- he's in his 80s and was obviously very passionate about what he was saying, so I think he can be forgiven for not being the most graceful of speakers. I also thought he communicated his message very well. It was hard for me to turn off the TV and go to bed last night, too, Kazoo. I was afraid I would miss something important. |
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not that matters, he's one of most brilliant, true-to-form senators ive ever known of. he's a scholar of Greek and Athenian Democracy and Roman history as well. He's the only hero I can find in our federal government. |
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otherwise id say your full of shit |
I think he cut ties in 1943. Let me see if I can find an article. |
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doesnt change my opinion of his words today. |
...Compare him with Senator Robert C. Byrd, the West Virginia Democrat who was once a member of the Ku Klux Klan....... if you want to buy the article |
Bush was a drunk. So? That doesn't have any bearing on what informs my current opinion of him. |
Sometimes people change, but more importantly, his speech was more than just liberal peace drivel, maybe he isn't the best "symbol" of our country's leadership history. It's about our country's integrity, mot just his image...and if he's insincere and it is an image thing...that sucks, but that's politics. I felt it was something that needed to be said. |
just goes to show the ignorance of the peace movement. |
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http://nytimes.com/2003/03/20/international/worldspecial/20CND-MILI.html "Mr. Rumsfeld said Iraqi troops and their leaders should see the orders to carry out sabotage as "the last desperate gasp of a dying regime. Those who resist such orders, Mr. Rumsfeld said, "will have a place in a free Iraq." hmm. i wonder what "a free iraq" really means. |
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fucking scary the joy people are taking in this thing. justified or not. makes a man want to drink a jug of wine. |
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Ok, war sucks and everything, but this is pretty cool. They are showing a bedouin camp. They are stopped and there are Kiowa choppers flying around. This is the most amazing coverage. Media junkies must be geeking out everywhere. Christ, Can you imagine being in Iraq and seing this on the TV, the fucking 7th cavalry bearing down on you? |
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"You know the world is going crazy when the best rapper is a white guy, the best golfer is a black guy, the Swiss hold the America's Cup, France is accusing the US of arrogance and Germany doesn't want to go to war." |
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unfucking believeable. i thought bedouins were a people out of star wars. seriously, i was expecting to see some of these people and some of these guys walk by the camera. of course, who knows what we are really seeing, but you know...anything that looks likle a fucking play station game is amusing for a moment. |
yeah, like the fucking "sand people" bedouins are Arabic-speaking desert nomads of the Middle East. A friend of mine who posted here like, twice, had a girlfriend who was bedouin. her family was from egypt. |
well duh. don't go gettin uppity with me. |
Nigel told mw that when he first met Lila, he asked her if she had any relatives on Tatooine. |
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He's even managed to get millions of our tax dollars spent creating a replica of his office in the capital so tourists can see how important he is. No wonder he was strutting like a chicken. I still think it's funny how Trent Lott got in all that trouble for saying Strom Thourman would have made a good president when the Democrats still have the likes of Byrd. |
despite his penchant for porking, the man makes sense. |
Just about the same time good old Senator Byrd was donning is sheets. Same thing. |
wake up. |
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