Letters to the Editor

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robotempire

Published Letters: 49     Editor's Choice: 9

  • Bad news for you, Joe, and the rest of you irrational goons

    [Read the article: Don't believe the surge hype]
    [Read more letters about this article: Here]

    Yeah, Joe, sure can't expect Petraeus to address the surge's failure in achieving political reconciliation.

    http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,148450,00.html?ESRC=topstories.RSS

    Many of us had hoped this summer would be a time of tangible political progress at the national level as well. One of the justifications for the surge, after all was that it would help create the space for Iraqi leaders to tackle the tough questions and agree on key pieces of “national reconciliation” legislation. It has not worked out as we had hoped.

    Certainly can't expect him to address the uneven successes of the surge, either!

    The progress has not, to be sure, been uniform across Baghdad or across Iraq. Accomplishments in some areas -- for example, in Ramadi and in Anbar Province -- have been greater than any of us might have predicted six months ago. The achievements in some other areas -- for example, in some particularly challenging Baghdad neighborhoods and in reducing overall civilian casualties, especially those caused by barbaric Al Qaeda bombings -- have not been dramatic.

    And of course we shouldn't hope to see anything about how it's taking more time than we expected. That would be irrational exuberance, wouldn't it?

    While much work remains to be done before theses critical issues are resolved, the seriousness with which Iraqi leaders came together a their summit in late August has given hope that they are up to the task before them, even if it is clearly taking more time than we initially expected.

    Yeah Joe, your assessment is dead on. Certainly can't expect any frankness, openness or honesty from Gen. Petraeus. He's definitely whitewashing the Surge and painting it as an overwhelming, unbelievable success! No hope for honesty from him. Nope, no sir, no sirree bob!

    Jackasses. The lot of you.

  • trolls?

    [Read the article: Don't believe the surge hype]
    [Read more letters about this article: Here]

    It's like trying to talk a mentally ill person out of their delusions. "No, sir, your dentist did not plant a miniature transmitter in one of your molars which is broadcasting your thoughts to the CIA."

    The more you use rational thought the angrier and more paranoid they get. The best thing to do is to try to keep them from hurting themselves and others.

    Maybe the lunatic fringe was right back in the fifties about fluoridating water being a conspiracy to ruin America. How else to explain the number of whack jobs running loose in the country?

    Since I'm the last person to post before yours, I'll assume you're talking about me.

    1. I'm not sure quoting directly from Gen. Petraeus (the subject of this article) specifically refuting a few of the author's assertions can be counted as "trolling"

    2. What makes most people so hot and bothered about online debate is that so often people take extremist views. i.e., "There have never been and never will be any successes of any kind in Iraq." That's infuriating to read, not to mention improbable. Very few people are willing to take a reasoned, measured approach to the conversation.

  • U.S.: Good reputation in world? Ha!

    [Read the article: How secure are you? ]
    [Read more letters about this article: Here]

    Total cluelessness. Before Bush and Abu Ghraib, the US enjoyed a good reputation in the world. Now, its reputation stinks.

    You're kidding, right? The U.S. reputation globally has stunk for years, and years, and years. How much world travel have you done? Americans haven't been liked abroad for a generation or more. Before September 11, even, when I traveled to Europe I received a lot of disdain for being American.

    Give this little meme a rest, it's a stupid one.

  • Ugh

    [Read the article: The bicycle thief]
    [Read more letters about this article: Here]

    Good grief. It's like the Bush administration wants to make it completely impossible for the conservative base to back them.

    How can you not support using bikes to transit to work (and other places)? Let's see, a culture of fat people who can't keep bologna sandwiches out of their mouth and a culture of huge cars guzzling gas versus a culture of people who get a little exercise and save money on their monthly gas bill. Which SHOULD the administration prefer?

    Sheesh.

  • Talking about unwanted twins...

    [Read the article: Who pays for an unwanted twin?]
    [Read more letters about this article: Here]

    All you bleedin' hearts crying about how one of the children now knows their parents didn't want them... how do you think the Roe v. Wade baby feels? He's like 31 years old now.

    "Mom wanted me dead so bad she went to the Supreme Court of the United States to have me killed. Thank God the judicial process took so long!"

  • Colts squeaking?

    [Read the article: King Kaufman's Sports Daily ]
    [Read more letters about this article: Here]

    Good grief the Colts can't win with you.

    Last year they were the "If they haven't blown you out by halftime, you win" team.

    This year they're the "They're not good enough to blow anyone out" team. Seems a little two-sided to me.

    Regardless, the Colts have had unexpectedly tough opponents every year (remember the late-season victory won by a last-minute field goal by the much, much worse Texans last year?). It's a testament of skill that they're winning grinders, not a demonstration of their lacklusterness. If "lacklusterness" is a word.

    Bottom line? Colts are not, have never been, and probably will never be the team that breezes into and through the playoffs. The only difference now is that they've got a much better defense to get their knuckles bloody down in the trenches.