"War is an ugly thing but not the ugliest of things; the decayed and degraded state of moral and
patriotic feelings which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. A man who has nothing for which he is willing to
fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free
unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."
"I will do whatever the Americans want because I saw what happened in Iraq, and I was afraid."
-Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi to Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi
"Going to war without France is like going deer hunting without an accordion. You just leave a lot of useless, noisy
baggage behind." -- Jed Babbin, former deputy undersecretary of defense, (1989-1992); Jan. 30, 2003, on MSNBC's Hardball
With Chris Matthews.
Washed in the blood of the brave and the blooming, Snatched from the altars of insolent
foes, Burning with star-fires, but never consuming, Flash its broad ribbons of lily and rose.
Vainly the prophets
of Baal would rend it, Vainly his worshippers pray for its fall; Thousands have died for it, millions defend it, Emblem
of justice and mercy to all;
Justice that reddens the sky with her terrors, Mercy that comes with her white-handed
train, Soothing all passions, redeeming all errors, Sheathing the sabre and breaking the chain.
Borne on the
deluge of all usurpations, Drifted our Ark o'er the desolate seas, Bearing the rainbow of hope to the nations, Torn
from the storm-cloud and flung to the breeze!
God bless the Flag and its loyal defenders, While its broad folds
o'er the battle-field wave, Till the dim star-wreath rekindle its splendors, Washed from its stains in the blood of
the brave!
...Oliver Wendell Holmes
I could care what the "Arab street" has to say about the war
on terror. It is not their acceptance and love that we should seek. Respect and awe will come with success, not by groveling.
Where now are the anti-U.S. protests and Muslim uprisings we were told to expect? Up until now every time they raised
thier voice we flinched and ran for cover. Now we finally are acting with the pride, fortitude and attitude that makes America
truly great. Theodore Roosevelt said to "speak softly, but carry a big stick". Occasionally that stick needs to be used for
all to see. I am proud of how this nation has united while isolating those few who oppose this just war of vengeance and self-preservation.
It is a very effective way to identify the fifth column of defeatists and traitors that exist in our midst. Hopefully, the
lesson will be learned and we will move to eliminate the ideologies and philosophies that produced them in the first place.
To my fellow Americans: Duty, Honor, Country.
Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath
are stored, He has loosed the fateful lightening of His terrible swift sword His truth is marching on.
cho: Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! His truth is marching on.
I have seen Him in the watch-fires of a hundred circling camps They have builded Him an altar in the evening dews and
damps l can read His righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps His day is marching on.
I have read a fiery gospel writ in burnish`d rows of steel, "As ye deal with my contemners, So with you my grace shall
deal;" Let the Hero, born of woman, crush the serpent with his heel Since God is marching on.
He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat. He is sifting out the hearts of men before His judgment-seat. Oh,
be swift, my soul, to answer Him! be jubilant, my feet! Our God is marching on.
ln the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea, With a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me: As
He died to make men holy, let us die to make men free, While God is marching on.
The Red,White and Blue Will Prevail!
On the National Day of Mourning and Prayer proclaimed by the President I took my daughter
and a couple of American flags and stood at a busy intersection with another gentleman stranded in town due to the airline
shutdown. The response was unexpected and overwhelming. Hundreds of people honked, waved, saluted and took pictures. The highlight
was when I was approached by an army ranger in full dress uniform who shook my hand, thanked me for what I was doing and told
me with a look of grim determination how much me being out there meant to him. All I could say in return was that this was
the least I could do and that I should be thanking him. Very memorable and showed me that what little I can do can still influence
and encourage people during this time of national crisis.
Avenge America! The long war of retaliation and eradication of terrorists the world over is in full swing. I
hope fifty years from now would-be terrorists will shake their heads and hesitate when they remember the deadly, overwhelming,
vicious, devastating, and irreversible retribution that should be heaped upon those who perpetrated and supported the attacks
on the Pentagon and World Trade Center. May the Middle East and south-east Asia be littered with the bodies of our enemies
and the cities of those who aided and abetted them be smoldering ruins. To the peaceniks, peace protestors and related ilk
I say you should be ashamed of yourselves. The blood of some 3,000 of your countrymen screams out for justice, to be avenged.
Those who committed this attack have no concept of justice, or mercy, or compassion. They see only the world that is not fundamentalist
Islam and seek to destroy it. The members of Al-Quada, Ansar Al-Islam, Islamic Jihad, Hamas, Hezbollah, and their
allies understand and respect only force and the language of destruction. The sleeping giant has awoke, now the time has come
for it to flex its muscles and use its formidable strength. God Bless America.
I believe the war on Iraq is necessary, not only psychologically for Americans, but as a stern warning to behave,
to the other two offical members of the Axis of Evil (Iran and North Korea) as well as the honorary fourth member, Syria,
which should be mighty uncomfortable as the American military machine takes a vacation next door. As far as world
opinion goes the response can only be, who cares? We should not wage war by committee. We have every right avenge
every single American terrorized, blown to bits, murdered or brutalized by the holy warriors of pan Arabism
and Islamic fundamentalism. The world needs to be reminded that Americans believe in that motto sewn on that Revolutionary
flag that many of us still fly. "Don't Tread On Me"
Al-Qaeda (The Base): Established by Usama Bin Ladin (UBL) circa 1990, Al Qaeda aims to coordinate a transnational
mujahideen network; stated goal is to "reestablish the Muslim State" throughout the world via the overthrow of corrupt regimes
in the Islamic world and the removal of foreign presence - primarily American and Israeli - from the Middle East. UBL has
issued three anti-U.S. fatwas encouraging Muslims to take up arms against Washington's "imperialism." Al Qaeda provides financial,
manpower, transportation, and training support to extremists worldwide. In February 1998 bin Ladin issued a statement under
the banner of "The World Islamic Front for Jihad Against The Jews and Crusaders," saying it was the duty of all Muslims to
kill U.S. citizens, civilian or military, and their allies. Allegedly orchestrated the bombings of the U.S. Embassies in Nairobi,
Kenya and Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, on August 7, 1998. Claims to have been involved in the 1993 killing of U.S. servicemen
in Somalia and the December 1992 bombings against U.S. troops in Aden, Yemen. Al Qaeda serves as the core of a loose umbrella
organization that includes members of many Sunni Islamic extremist groups, including factions of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad
(EIJ), the Gama'at al-Islamiyya (IG), and the Harakat ul-Mujahidin (HUM). The group is a prime suspect in the Sept. 11 attacks
as well as the U.S.S Cole bombing. (description taken directly from the U.S. State Department publication "Patterns of Global
Terrorism, 2000")
I haven't forgotten who was responsible for the marine and embassy bombings in Beirut.
"The gravest danger to freedom lies at the perilous crossroads of
radicalism and technology. . . . Enemies in the past needed great armies and great industrial capabilities
to endanger the American people and our nation. The attacks of September the 11th required a few hundred thousand dollars
in the hands of a few dozen evil and deluded men. . . . [I]f we wait for threats to fully materialize, we will
have waited too long. . . . Our security will require all Americans to be forward-looking and resolute, to
be ready for pre-emptive action when necessary to defend our liberty and to defend our lives."
-President George Bush on the first anniversary of the Sept. 11th attacks.
"One way or the other, we are determined to deny Iraq the capacity to develop weapons of mass destruction and the missiles
to deliver them. That is our bottom line." Ex-President Clinton, Feb. 4, 1998
"If Saddam rejects peace and
we have to use force, our purpose is clear. We want to seriously diminish the threat posed by Iraq's weapons of mass destruction
program." Ex-President Clinton, Feb. 17, 1998
"Iraq is a long way from [the USA], but what happens there matters
a great deal here. For the risks that the leaders of a rogue state will use nuclear, chemical or biological weapons against
us or our allies is the greatest security threat we face." Madeline Albright, Clinton Secretary of State, Feb 18, 1998
"He
will use those weapons of mass destruction again, as he has ten times since 1983." Sandy Berger, Clinton National Security
Adviser, Feb, 18, 1998
"[W]e urge you, after consulting with Congress, and consistent with the U.S. Constitution
and laws, to take necessary actions (including, if appropriate, air and missile strikes on suspect Iraqi sites) to respond
effectively to the threat posed by Iraq's refusal to end its weapons of mass destruction programs." Letter to President
Clinton, signed by Senators Carl Levin, Tom Daschle, John Kerry, and others Oct. 9, 1998
"Saddam Hussein has
been engaged in the development of weapons of mass destruction technology which is a threat to countries in the region and
he has made a mockery of the weapons inspection process." Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D, CA), Dec. 16, 1998
"Hussein
has chosen to spend his money on building weapons of mass destruction and palaces for his cronies." Madeline Albright,
Clinton Secretary of State, Nov. 10, 1999
"There is no doubt that Saddam Hussein has invigorated his weapons
programs. Reports indicate that biological, chemical and nuclear programs continue apace and may be back to pre-Gulf War status.
In addition, Saddam continues to redefine delivery systems and is doubtless using the cover of a licit missile program to
develop longer-range missiles that will threaten the United States and our allies." Letter to President Bush, Signed by
Sen. Bob Graham (D, FL,) and others, December 5, 2001
"We begin with the common belief that Saddam Hussein is
a tyrant and a threat to the peace and stability of the region. He has ignored the mandated of the United Nations and is building
weapons of mass destruction and the means of delivering them." Sen. Carl Levin (D, MI), Sept. 19, 2002
"We
know that he has stored secret supplies of biological and chemical weapons throughout his country." Al Gore, Sept. 23,
2002
"We have known for many years that Saddam Hussein is seeking and developing weapons of mass destruction." Sen.
Ted Kennedy (D, MA), Sept. 27, 2002
"The last UN weapons inspectors left Iraq in October of 1998. We are confident
that Saddam Hussein retains some stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons, and that he has since embarked on a crash
course to build up his chemical and biological warfare capabilities. Intelligence reports indicate that he is seeking nuclear
weapons." Sen. Robert Byrd (D, WV), Oct. 3, 2002
"I will be voting to give the President of the United States
the authority to use force if necessary to disarm Saddam Hussein because I believe that a deadly arsenal of weapons of mass
destruction in his hands is a real and grave threat to our security." Sen. John F. Kerry (D, MA), Oct. 9, 2002
"Iraq's
search for weapons of mass destruction has proven impossible to deter and we should assume that it will continue for as long
as Saddam is in power." Al Gore, Sept. 23, 2002
"There is unmistakable evidence that Saddam Hussein is working
aggressively to develop nuclear weapons and will likely have nuclear weapons within the next five years. We also should remember
we have always underestimated the progress Saddam has made in development of weapons of mass destruction." Sen. Jay Rockefeller
(D, WV), Oct 10, 2002
"He has systematically violated, over the course of the past 11 years, every significant
UN resolution that has demanded that he disarm and destroy his chemical and biological weapons, and any nuclear capacity.
This he has refused to do" Rep. Henry Waxman (D, CA), Oct. 10, 2002
"In the four years since the inspectors
left, intelligence reports show that Saddam Hussein has worked to rebuild his chemical and biological weapons stock, his missile
delivery capability, and his nuclear program. He has also given aid, comfort, and sanctuary to terrorists, including al Qaeda
members. It is clear, however, that if left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will continue to increase his capacity to wage biological
and chemical warfare, and will keep trying to develop nuclear weapons." Sen. Hillary Clinton (D, NY), Oct 10, 2002
"Saddam
Hussein's regime represents a grave threat to America and our allies, including our vital ally, Israel. For more than two
decades, Saddam Hussein has sought weapons of mass destruction through every available means. We know that he has chemical
and biological weapons. He has already used them against his neighbors and his own people, and is trying to build more. We
know that he is doing everything he can to build nuclear weapons, and we know that each day he gets closer to achieving that
goal." Senator John Edwards (D-NC), October 10, 2002
"While the distance between the United States
and Iraq is great, Saddam Hussein's ability to use his chemical and biological weapons against us is not constrained by geography
- it can be accomplished in a number of different ways - which is what makes this threat so real and persuasive." Senator
Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), October 10, 2002
"We are in possession of what I think to be compelling evidence that
Saddam Hussein has, and has had for a number of years, a developing capacity for the production and storage of weapons of
mass destruction." Sen. Bob Graham (D, FL), Dec. 8, 2002
"Without question, we need to disarm Saddam Hussein.
He is a brutal, murderous dictator, leading an oppressive regime. He presents a particularly grievous threat because he is
so consistently prone to miscalculation. And now he is miscalculating America's response to his continued deceit and his consistent
grasp for weapons of mass destruction. So the threat of Saddam Hussein with weapons of mass destruction is real." Sen.
John F. Kerry (D, MA), Jan. 23. 2003
"The essential facts are known. We know of the weapons in Saddam's possession:
chemical, biological, and nuclear in time. We know of his unequaled willingness to use them. We know his history. His invasions
of his neighbors. His dreams of achieving hegemonic control over the Arab world. His record of anti-American rage. His willingness
to terrorize, to slaughter, to suppress his own people and others. We need not stretch to imagine nightmare scenarios in which
Saddam makes common cause with the terrorists who want to kill us Americans and destroy our way of life." Senator Joseph
Lieberman (D-CT), September 13, 2002
"Make no mistake: Saddam Hussein is a ruthless tyrant, and he must give
up his weapons of mass destruction. We support the President in the course he has followed so far: working with Congress,
working with the United Nations, insisting on strong and unfettered inspections. We must convince the world that Saddam Hussein
is not America's problem alone; he is the world's problem. And we urge President Bush to stay this course for we are far stronger
when we stand with other nations than when we stand alone." Governor Gary Locke (D-WA), January 28, 2003 Democratic
Response to President Bush's "State of the Union" address
