...but the fact is that Al Qaeda is still out there and apparently just as strong. They are also recruiting new members as we speak because of our invasion of Iraq! Why is this all being shoved aside? We are not safer now...we are LESS safe.

Sigh.

I can't believe this. I'm crying here. I feel that we now don't have a chance in this election.

:D

Frankly, I'm crying as well. This was an unjustified war- if anything, we should be apologizing to Saddam and giving him his $700,000 back. We invaded his country, overthrew him- now it seems that many of you are eager to execute him.

I thought we were supposed to be Democrats!

Sorry I'll stop quoting now.

I'm seriously not surprised that Democrats would make statements like this. In order to win the election in 2004 they NEEDED a failing ecomony and they NEEDED further problems in Iraq. What's sad is that they were willing to do whatever it took to ensure both. They put the welfare of the American people second to their winning of an election.

Praise goes to President Bush for his resolve before such sucidial stupidity and praise to our Armed Forces. They are truely the finest in the world.

God Bless America, the U.S. Armed Forces and President Bush.

Gods and Goddesses bless our brave men and women. I feel very sad for the party of FDR, Truman, JFK, and Henry Jackson if their prospects now depend on defeat.

I don't know which is worse, the Rep gloating or the Dem whining.

The S.O.B is getting what he deserves and it is a great day for our military and our intelligence people. They did a great job.

However, SH capture is just a step in the right direction.

Grow up everyone, it a'int over yet.

No. It ain't over.

But it's a glorious day. Let's just revel in it.

No surprise to me, either; its why I pegged Dean as the Dem nominee so long ago - I have been busy reading the Democratic left since 9/11 and I saw the immense bitterness growing by leaps and bounds and figured whomever tapped into it would be the Dems man....

These guys, though, are 'round the bend now.

Forget Howard Dean and politics too. Let's just concentrate now on making some useful and permanent changes in Iraq, Afghanistan and whatever other part of the islamic world -- and more importantly -- the islamic cultures of that world -- that are within our reach. That's what this war has been from the very beginning. Islamic dictatorships and islamic terrorism are flip sides of the same coin. Either that, or the west will have to send in armed expeditions into their lands every few years for purposes of military suppression. Combined with shrinkage of all our civil liberties here in our own countries and probably elsewhere in the west. This is one protracted conflict that we must never permit ourselves to lose or -- even worse -- to forget.

We in the United States have a unique opportunity to accomplish this great purpose without need of arguing fruitlessly with the UNO or with whatever passes for the governments of once-pround countries such as Germany and France. Unlike them, we must never cut what we might imagine are deals with the islamists in the hope they will ignore us in their path of terror and enslavement of the human race.

If George Bush, Richard Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Paul Wolfowitz and the rest of this great administration has shown us anything at all, it is steadfastness of purpose in dealing with a national emergency greater than any administration has faced since the inaugural of Abraham Lincoln in early 1861. That was the last time that war and the mass death it causes visited our shores. A regime and personality lesser than that of the grossly underrated George W Bush might have caved in. This man doesn't duck and run for cover.

We now have a chance -- possibly for the first time since our armed forces were engaged there early this year -- to build a stable, friendly and possibly even democratic Iraq. This will not happen overnight. Maybe not within five, ten, fifteen or twenty years. There will be more terror attacks. More Americans surely will lose there lives before the terror is destroyed.

But I sense a wave of joy washing through the streets of Baghdad, the villages of the entire country, even the empty fields and deserts, that a great curse has been lifted from the peoples that make up that country. No matter what happens, we must not desert them.

Arnold Harris
Mount Horeb WI

I mostly agree, Arnold. But it still takes my breath away how completely stupidly the Deaniacs are behaving. They begin to remind me of Jim Jones' followers.

This is still important, as we can't take the slightest chance those nutbars ever gain any political leverage.

There is nothing wrong with being pleased that we captured Saddam, after all that was the entire point of the endeavor was it not? I haven't seen much gloating from the Republican side and to be fair there are those on the left that are pleased about his capture. Its just the knee-jerk anti-war left who are the ones sorry for this development.

Like the Deaniac who posted this over at deanforamerica?

"I think it is shameful that the ACLU has not commented on the obvious mistreatment Hussein has suffered at the hands of the American military."

Ye flipping gods!

I don't know whether to be happy the Dems are self-destructing behind Dean or worried that he might actually win. Remember, Clinton was "unelectable". Reagan was "unelectable".

God help us if that maniac ever gets to the oval office.

Democrats are going to say Republicans are gloating even when they're not. It's what they do. The economy is improving, Democrats say otherwise. We're making great advancements in Iraq, the Democrats call it a quagmire. We capture Saddam and the Democrats seem to want to nominate him for humanitarian of the year and they're so bloody concerned about his rights. As far as I'm concerned, he has none. He's not an American citizen therefore our rights don't apply to him.

I think I understand the hatred Democrats feel towards conservatives. It's irrational and counter to common sense and the facts and I'm beginning to feel it towards them. I'm half temped to throw all of them in one basket and shrug off the good ones because I am so tired of the mess that party has become and how anti-America its goals are. It's more interested in globalizing the U.S. with no thought of what that means to its citizens.

I am so ticked right now... I'm sure when I see Dean he'll help focus my energy but I think my anger is, at least, understandable.

Anyway... I'm in this for the long haul. If it takes 10, 20, 30+ years in the Middle East to get things right, so be it.

Casey, you are surely right. But I think Howard Dean is beginning to look more like history that didn't quite happen, than as commander in chief of the armed forces of the United States. I don't think the people of this country will irresponsibly run away from Iraq now that the chief rat is locked in a cage where someone can feed him a piece of cheese. (Occasionally; we wouldn't want to ruin his diet before the Iraqi people properly hang him after due process.)

We've all been saying for years that we don't want another Viet Nam. Well, we're all way beyond that now, and I am sure the objectives of the United States will be carried out successfully in Iraq. And I am equally sure President George W Bush will be in command until January 20, 2009.

(By the way. Thanks for the private heads-up on that constitutional amendment that took power away from the state legislatures to appoint US senators. I too think that was an unwise choice back in 1913. Part of one of those "reform" movements that periodically beset us.)

Arnold Harris
Mount Horeb WI

I have never been over to Howard Dean's blog or the DU until today. What I read shocked me- not the anti-bush tirade but the anti-american tirades. I really mean anti-american- as in hating the PEOPLE of the United States. Words describing us as "sheeple", "stupid", "uneducated" and "blind".

I've read a lot of conservative blogs and I have never seen the entire populace painted with this kind of brush. (certain segments, sure).

Yes, God help us if Dean is elected. His people hate this country, unless it is molded in their image.

Dani, that's what the so-called "elite" have always thought of those who disagree with them. History has shown us this. Right now, liberalist Democrats have elected themselves the elite of American society. Much to the joy of the U.N., France, Germany...

What concerns me is what will happen in 2008. Who will lead this country then? Most realistic Democrats know they've got a snowball's chance in 2004 so they're preparing themselves for 2008. That's why Gore did what he did for Dean. I feel we'll see Al Gore and Hillary Clinton running for the Democratic nomination in 2008. Who will run for the Republican? I serioulsy doubt Dick Cheny(sp) has a chance. So, who amongst the current batch of powerful Republicans will run in 2008 and have a chance against Hillary, whom I see as the winner? 4 years isn't a long time and the right(or "left") person in office could undo everything the previous administration worked hard to build.

There are scary times coming in the near future...

Kevin D,

Well, there's always Jeb Bush...but I think that after two Bush Presidencies, a third would be considered just a bit too much.

President Bush will have a large say in who the GOP nominates in 2008 - look for someone to be appointed SecState or some GOP governor chosen for a very high profile Presidential act (like, perhaps, to lead the campaign for SS privatisation in, say, 2007); it'll be pretty clear by mid to late 2007 whom Bush favors, and this person will have an enormous leg up for the GOP nomination (though there will be a challenge from the right).

As for the Democrats, they may not even be a national political Party by 2008 - there may be two different candidates running on the split remains of the Democratic Party...a DLC type, and a true-blue leftist, with the resultant split in the center/left vote, even a so/so GOP candidate will win.

Ah, good point, Mark. You have given me hope. Thank you!

Kevin D,

No problem - Its really bizarre, these Deaniacs. Now, I understand being overly partisan...after all, I became a Republican by osmosis when my mother took me to a Goldwater rally three weeks before I was born; its tough to pry a non-partisan political thing out of me, and I automatically discount anything a Democrat says - so, if they were just slamming Bush a good bit, I'd figure it for just normal partisan sniping...but this is something really strange.

I went over to the Deaniac board earlier and pointed out to them that no matter how good Dean is, he's not the Second Coming and no matter how bad Bush is, he's not Satan incarnate; but anyone reading their posts gets the distinct impression that this is how they view the world - Bush is the Force of Darkness and Dean is the Force of Light...and if Dean doesn't win, then evil will rule. This is why I don't see this as a temporary fling - in 2008, if the Democratic nominee isn't even more far left than Dean and more angry and hate-filled, then the left will simply bolt the Democratic Party and run someone who is.

Interesting thoughts, Mark. I don't like to think of myself as partisan either way but most people could describe me, with much accuracy, as a conservative, perhaps, even a Republican. It's not that I simply look at the banner they wave but I find myself agreeing with them more. However, the hate filled, anti-American rhetoric coming from the Democratic party is having a polarizing effect on me I can see and feel. I'm almost to the point where I don't care if a Democrat or a liberal has a good idea now, I'm not so concerned about throwing out the baby with the bathwater... or at least I'm getting there. Are Republicans perfect? Of course not, however, I think they're a bit more sane than the alternative.

You stated, "This is why I don't see this as a temporary fling..." I couldn't agree with you more. Things are happening now in the world that have never happened before nor could they have. Those with a keen eye will notice balances of power and alegiances shifting all across the globe. The spread of democracy is not a popular thing right now especially to those who, strangely, thrive under it. I for one see dark clouds on the horizion. Some have called me a pessimist. Perhaps I am. I like to think I'm a realist. Most optimists tend to see realists as pessimists. Such is the nature of the world.

I think everyone will agree that we live in interesting times. It must be noted, however, the phrase: May he live in interesting times; was originally a Chinese curse. Something to think about.

Kevin D,

Everyone said the world had changed on 9/11 - some said it because it seemed like the thing to say, even though they didn't feel the world had changed at all; others said it without really thinking through the full implications; I thought about it carefully and waited to see if President Bush understood the change. In my view, he has - the Democratic left has not; not in the slightest.

Dean = Bats

(as in belfrey)

Rice / Rummy in 2008

I'd really like to thank all those who posted above today. I spent about an hour over at "dean for america" just now and it sure is nice to get back to reading comments from some level-headed, realistic and thoughtful minds. Those people are demented. If their man gets elected in 2004, I just may have to immigrate. Saying they have "demonized" GWB is an understatement.

Actually, perhaps their hysteria generates from the knowledge that in the 2004 election their candidate will be facing a very strong economy, a successfully concluded war to liberate Iraq, a leader proven to be strong on defense and who had the b**ls to tell France, Germany and Russia where to go. (Howard Dean repeatedly refers to Russia as the "Soviets". Wonder if he plans to visit "East Germany" somebody asked on the Dean Blog. I don't want to dinigrate anybody, but they have a nerve making fun of GWB as far as off the cuff speaking goes. I seldom see Dean put a coherent sentence together especially on Hardball.)

Jane, I think when you leave a country, it's "emigrate."

When you enter a new county, you "imigrate." :)

Seriousness aside, I think plans for emigration are a touch extreme, even if Dean does get elected (which I doubt he will). This is one of the fundamental problems that the Deaniacs have: the misconcieved idea that any single president is such a terrible disaster...

Say Dean gets elected. Say he even pulls out of Iraq two months later. Worst case scenario is that the Iraqi people get screwed over, big time.

While I agree that would be a disaster for the war on terrorism, America would quickly get tired of the result: more dead people. Then they would un-elect Mr. Dean at the next election.

The man (or woman) who replaced him would be charged with eliminating the problem, and the charge would be "This time don't mess around!" There would be a lot more dead bodies, and it would take a lot more time, but the end result would be the same.

So, Jane can emigrate and imigrate simultaneously. Either of which will get her out of the nightmare to-be-known as EvilDeansAmerica. What really bothers me is that America is a strong country. There's not really any place safe from American influence to run to that speaks English and I am incapable of speaking non-English. (No, I'm not a slackjawed uneducated racist morally-deviant Southerner although that seems to be what EvilDean thinks of Southerners. I just have a hearing disorder that makes it realistically impossible to learn other languages, and probably accounts for why I'm a terrible speller).

Allison:
"Either of which will get her out of the nightmare to-be-known as EvilDeansAmerica. What really bothers me is that America is a strong country."

Must we talk like this? After the 2000 election was decided, I literally met at least a dozen people who said they'd decided to get jobs here in Asia because pretty soon they'd be executing homos and non-Christians in Bush's America by, like, toppling walls on them. Not a trace of irony, either. But, really: the President is important; he doesn't, nor does the Executive Branch in toto, run the country.

Of course, who am I to talk about other people's emigration/immigration plans? I'm already an expat.

Sean, my point. :)

The Deaniacs act as if they're trying to overthrow the Emporer Palaptine, instead of President Bush.

While Condi Rice in 2008 sounds good, I think her lack of political experience might hurt her. You want to know who I'd kill to see get the 2008 Republican nomination?

J.C. Watts.

Well, whether I emmigrate from the US or immigrate to Australia, it was not a serious statement - made more for emphasis than any other reason. I'm a veteran of many presidential campaigns and elections and even the ones I thought the worst did not damage my country in any significant way, I suppose. And one or two (Presidents) I did not approve of at all actually did some good. So I will stick it out if Dean is our next president.

To me, if the Iraqis get screwed over big time by the US bungling somehow (President Dean ordering premature withdrawal?)the rebuilding of that country, it would be a tragedy that might really cost us something down the path what with all this Islamic theocracy and fanaticism. I would hate see American AND Iraqi lives wasted by not having the resolve and determination to see Iraq through to a democratic society.

But, Bush is going to be re-elected so not to worry.

As President Reagan once said (before he became President), there is no place to run to, only to make a stand. Either we defend freedom here or it is gone. So, regardless who is elected, I'm staying here, in this land of my birth, in this land of free speech and the right of the people to keep and bear arms. Here I'll take my stand.
Anyway, isn't it great that our soldiers nabbed Saddamn? ha! ha! ha! ha! Honor and victory to our brave soldiers!