Most Ridiculous Quote of the Week

only if yer name ain't Condelesa

 

I think that this is the remark by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice that is being referred to:

SECRETARY RICE: Well, first of all, the United States, Iraq, and Turkey share a common interest in stopping the activities of the PKK which threaten to undo the stability of the north, which clearly have resulted in deaths in Turkey, and when we were recently together in Istanbul, we actually had a trilateral discussion about our common interest in dealing with this problem. This is a circumstance in which the United States has constantly counseled that we need a overall comprehensive approach to this problem, that we should do nothing and no one should do anything that threatens to destabilize the north.

As to the activities, things unfortunately do go along -- go on along this border. As to the activity last Sunday, this was a Turkish decision and we have made clear to the Turkish Government that we continue to be concerned about anything that could lead to innocent civilian casualties or to a destabilization of the north.

- www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2007/12/97735.htm

 

I don't think that this is anywhere near as ridiculous as Ron Paul labeling Huckabee a fascist for releasing a Christmas message in which Huckabee says we should all remember that the holiday is a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.

 

No; if they've been killed, they can't reach their own fingers or toes.

 

Are you sure these were all "innocent civilians?" A man, woman, or child shooting a gun at you is neither innocent, nor, for military purposes, a civilian. Nor is a person planting a bomb, driving a car bomb, hiding by the side of the road waiting to detonate a bomb, harboring or hiding or assisting terrorists or combatants, or trying to purchase arms or explosives or WMD's, etc.

I think the number of true civilians caught in the current wars is high, but not nearly this high. And the number are so high because the enemy hides among them and uses them as shields, and in most cases kills them himself with car bombs and planned slaughters.

And what is your evidence that the current administration doesn't care? What gratuitous and meaningless signs of regret would you prefer that they show?

 

Ron Paul didn't call Huckabee a fascist, he was answering Steve Doocy's question about using religion for political purposes, here is the transcript:

STEVE DOOCY: Mike Huckabee has started running an ad in Iowa, where you're at right now, also in New Hampshire and South Carolina, and in the back, it's a windowpane but it also looks a lot like a cross. And, and, we had a guest a little while ago who said it was inappropriate to be using religion for political purposes. Congressman, I'm just curious what you think?

RON PAUL: Well, I haven't thought about it completely, but you know, it reminds me of what Sinclair, uh, Lewis once said, he said 'when Fascism comes to this country, it will be wrapped in the flag, carrying a cross.' I don't know whether that's a fair assessment or not, but you wonder about using a cross like he is the only Christian, or implying that subtly. So, uh, I don't think I would ever use anything like that.

 

Here is the actual video:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CHb8CWw-Q4&loc=interstitialskip

Since Sinclair Lewis was not talking about Mike Huckabee I doubt that Ron Paul was calling Huckabee a fascist. I think that Paul was referring to the idea of using religion as a mechanism for getting votes.

 

Ban bookshelves in political ads! They may form crosses on their corners! Book shelves are almost universal in the fire-side chat style of ad, and each and nearly every one will make a cross shape at its corners.

Paul's claim that Huckabee is making it look like he's the only Christian is ludicrous. Saying that he is a Christian in an ad, or using Christian symbolism, makes no comment whatsoever on the Christian beliefs of others.

Paul is welcome to set a huge cross behind him, or a bookshelf, and say that he is a Christian. And that will say absolutely nothing about whether Huck is a Christian, too.

 

Perception is reality in politics. Mike Huckabee, as well as all of the candidates, had best keep this in mind.

 

There is no evidence that the US does not care about civilians killed in Iraq. In fact, the evidence is that this administration does. they have gone out of their way to protect them, but in every war there are civilian casualties.

But even if that were the case, it doesn't mean that the administration cannot be concerned about civilian deaths elsewhere.

So this whole thread was started on a faulty premise.

 

I am a proud sister of 2 brothers currently serving in the military, one of whom just got home in time for Christmas after being away from his family and home for months. My brother-in-law has also spent months away from home, overseas, while in the armed forces. Our military isn't out trying to kill innocent civilians, and I for one am tired of all the negativity from the liberal news media and those who believe the lies they propogate.

No one understands what our service men and women go through untill they've walked in their shoes. They are hard workers who earn very little for risking their lives daily. I'm not going to complain about what they are doing while I'm sitting in a warm house surrounded by family, friends, and Christmas presents, and neither should anyone else.

 

Well first off civilian deaths in Iraq are not 100K. You included a link to

http://www.iraqbodycount.org/

And you correctly quoted them that the estimate was 79K to 86K. Where do you get your other 21K - 14K? Are you counting deaths from somewhere else?

Now of course you realize that those deaths include all civilians, those bearing arms against our forces, those who blow themselves up, and of course those who kill each other. Using your website that you linked to they said 50 people died on Tuesday. They list:

Now I have no idea what happened with the teen ager in Falluja. I would suspect anything from this website. But even they list 50 deaths when only 1 is caused by US forces. Looking back over their list of the last 7 days they list 258 deaths over the last 7 days. One was intentionaly caused by our forces (the boy in Falluja) and one was accidentally killed by our forces in a firefight. That is 2 out of 258. If you extrapolate that average over their estimate of 78,743-85,766 casulties you will see that the actual number caused by our soldiers since the invasion is 610-665. And of course that includes actual terrorists posing as civilians and those killed accidentally.

The real news from Iraq is good. People are moving back. Neighborhoods are safe again. People are coming out at night again. We have made a difference in their lives and saved their nation. And we will be out soon. Get your head out of the sand.

 

Exactly!!! Only liberal idiots would put down our military...
I want the facts about the count being over 100,000.

If the OP doesn't know this for sure, they should retract it.

Don't call our military murderers...

 

What is the IT in reference too?
It is in reference to the inference that Huckabee is using a cross in his ad...

Then he goes on to say "you wonder about using a cross..."

If you can't tell the difference between a cross and a window pane, you shouldn't be running for president.. Ron Paul needs glasses!

Ron Paul is just jealous because Christians will be voting for Huckabee.
And the 6 million he raised will not be enough to defeat Huckabee...

 

Just the fact that we are still there proves our concern about civilian casualities. Any war can be ended swiftly because it is civilian casualties that put pressure on leaders to give up.

 

"It" refers to "using religion for political purposes".

It is debatable to characterize Mike Huckabee as a fascist. However, so far he has not advocated the forcible suppression of opposition, which is a characteristic of fascism.

However, his social conservatism and economic liberalism is the essence of liberal populism. This brand of politics plays well in parts of Latin America, such as Venezuela.

 

It is hardly totally ridiculous. When we wanted to win WWII, we dropped atomic weapons on civilian populations, knowing the outcome, but considering it worth it. In Iraq, the US has gone out of their way to not bomb civilian populations, but to protect them, even at the expense of our own soldiers. The proof is easily seen by simply looking at the way the war has been waged.

The idea that this administration does not care about what happens to the civilian population is beyond totally ridiculous. It is downright offensive. We can certainly disagree with the administration's policy on the war, or how it has been conducted without stooping to those levels.