4 years AFTER !

[telewinz]

It's been 4 years since 9-11 and only 19% of Americans feel America is prepared for an attack by WMD!  Whats Bush been doing!  Who's minding the store?

[Headless Thompson Gunner]

What's Bush been doing?  He's been busy removing from power an aggressive, violently anti-American, mass-murdering, terroristic dictator who possessed WMD.

Of course, that isn't exactly "preparing" us for an attack.  It's more "preventative" in nature.  

What, exactly, would you like him to do to better "prepare" us for a WMD attack?

[MaterDei]

It seems to me that the only real way to truly judge preparedness would be to ask whether there are those that would like to commit terrorist attacks on American soil (clearly yes) and then ask whether they have been able to commit them (clearly no).  

I'm not sure how else you can judge preparedness.  Feeling prepared doesn't make one so.  Likewise, feeling unprepared doesn't make one so either.

[Perd Hapley]

only 19% of Americans feel America is prepared for an attack

We're discussing feelings?  To explain the feelings of Americans, perhaps we should look to the newsmedia who are constantly telling us the Bush administration is fumbling everything it gets its hands on.  Or, to the Democrats who control Louisiana and New Orleans, and made a big mess out of a simple hurricane.  That didn't make me feel very prepared.  Or to the left-wingers who would rather place blame and obstruct than go after the enemy.  They don't help my confidence any.

What's Bush been doing?  He's been busy removing from power an aggressive, violently anti-American, mass-murdering, terroristic dictator who possessed WMD.

Oh, much more than that, sir.  I'm not saying Bush's team is doing a perfect job, but they have been targetting terrorist cells at home and abroad, wiping out their funding, and capturing Al-Qaeda high muckety-mucks.  Let's not forget that we attacked and destroyed Osamama's happy little situation in Afghanistan.

[K Frame]

Wow.

Thank GOD we live in a land that is governed by people's PERCEPTIONS as shown in POLLS.

I pledge alliegance to Gallup Polls, gathering information from the unwashed mass, and to the perceptions that they build, one fantasy, under review, for trends, soundbites, and talking points.

[Headless Thompson Gunner]

Upon further thought, I wonder:

Is it even Prez Bush's job to make sure YOU (or I, or anyone) is prepared for an attack?

If so, what would you have the Federal government do?  Perhaps you think they should pass sweeping new anti-terrorism laws?  (caugh-hack-Patriot-Act-caugh)  Or perhaps you think they should organize a huge new bureaucracy to deal with domestic security? (Ahem-HomelandSecurity-TSA-G't'mo)

Would you like the results if they did?

[DrAmazon]

Hmm.  Have THEY done anything to feel more prepared?   Do they keep vehicles at least 1/2 full of fuel at all times?  Do they have 3 days supply of non-perishable food and water?  A first aid kit?  Flashlights, radio and batteries?  One month supply of critical medicines?  Three months salary in savings and emergency cash on hand?  

I know that I don't.  

My lack of preparedness is my own fault, and I know it.  After Katrina, I swore I wouldn't the the vehicles run low on fuel.  It hasn't been 3 weeks and I've got low fuel lights on both the car and the motorcycle (payday is tomorrow, I'll fill up then).  I did buy some water though, and I'm trying to get the savings together.  

And I know that I'm typical.  Typical of people who complain about gas prices but don't change their driving habits at all.  Typical of people who will work on that savings cushion once we've bought and paid off (insert non-critical item here).  Think of all those people in NO who have no jobs, no homes but are still getting their credit card and car payment bills.  It's terrifying.

[atek3]

He's been busy removing from power an aggressive, violently anti-American, mass-murdering, terroristic dictator who possessed WMD.

Wait. you mean we took out Kim Il Jung?!?!  Wait, we didn't?  Who are you talking about?  As far as I've heard, he toppled the Taliban and "liberated the iraqi people"... maybe I missed the part about possessing WMD's...

atek3

[K Frame]

I really have to wonder why you and others of your ilk -- who see North Korea to be the great boogeyman -- are so willing to accept the statement that they have WMDs.

The North Koreans never used chemical weapons against their own people or an enemy.

Iraq did.

Where is this wonderous perception apparently equals reality in North Korea's case coming from?

[Headless Thompson Gunner]

He's been busy removing from power an aggressive, violently anti-American, mass-murdering, terroristic dictator who possessed WMD.

Wait. you mean we took out Kim Il Jung?!?!  Wait, we didn't?  Who are you talking about?  As far as I've heard, he toppled the Taliban and "liberated the iraqi people"... maybe I missed the part about possessing WMD's...

atek3

I'm talking about Saddam, but you already knew that.

I get tired of repeating it, but it seems some people still haven't caught on.  So, once again:

Saddam developped WMD.  Saddam possessed WMD.  Saddam used WMD.  Saddam agreed to desroy his WMD in full view of the world.  He neither destroyed his WMD nor allowed the world to watch over his weapons stockpiles and development programs.

Oh yeah, he was also a mass-murdering terrorist who hated the US with a passion.  He sounds like just the kind of (mad)man who might gas Manhattan or LA.  Fortunately, he'll never have the chance




But... but...  "Saddam didn't have WMD when we invaded, therefore he never had WMD in the past."  Yeah, I've heard that line, too.  Don't bother repeating it to me.  It's an argument that doesn't hold water.  We KNOW that Saddam had WMD, because he used them to kill some 5,000 of his own people.

The question is not "Did Saddam have WMD?"  We know the answer to that.  

The real question is "Where are Saddam's WMD now?"

[grampster]

Regarding being prepared:  Florida passe the "No need to retreat" law.  Michigan has introduced it and the Anti's are stumbling all over themselves crying wolf and blood in the streets in Michigan.  Brady says all "those CCW holders in Michigan will now feel free to use their guns."  So Michigan tries to prepare its citizens to be alert and be able to protect themselves from assault, and the Left would disarm us.  As long as there are blissninnies, we need to be vigilant.

If you're from Michigan, you better hound yer Michigan lawmaker critters.