Comments on: O’Reilly Defends His Lack Of Iraq Coverage: Explosions In Iraq ‘Don’t Mean Anything’

By: The Die Hard

The Die Hard — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 14:31:57 +0000

“Gone” insane? Billy O’Really was diagnosed as psychotic back in 1960. But the drugs didn’t work and Ray-gun closed the institution where he was supposed to be stabled.

Those of us who are NOT brain damaged remember the body counts in the paper every day during the Viet Nam disaster. Those of us who are NOT taking the wrong drugs know that Chicken George, the wartime deserter, and his butt-buddy Cheney, the five-times-over draft dodger, ordered that the press not be allowed to see the body bags offloaded in the middle of the night, to conceal the fact that the death count of American soldiers is actually four times higher that the official numbers.

“It doesn’t matter how many Americans are killed.” Send Billy to Iraq with exactly the same equipment Halliburton supplies all the rest of our soldiers: a crap gun and the clothes on his back. Right now.

By: Ed Kunin

Ed Kunin — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 13:11:50 +0000

I hope this doesn’t make me a troll, although troll talk can be considered off topic. Ganging up on trolls is like burning heretics. It assumes each of us individually is incapable of making up our own mind.

Take GerryM (Post 235) who criticizes the “left” for incessently asking “do you finally admit the war was a mistake?” Why not engage him (her?) Does he/she admit the war was a mistake (if not why not?)or do we get impatient arguing first principles? Is Post 235 like arguing the existence of God on a religious blog? Is there something wrong with arguing about God on a religious blog? Are we only happy preaching to or being the choir?

The latest polls say Bush’s approval rating now stands at 28%, the lowest since they’ve taken polls. Some say it’s a triumph of democracy that so many don’t like him. I see it as a failure of democracy that 28% like him and those who don’t can do nothing to change course. I don’t see the solution as agreeing to disagree or calling each other names. I see GerryM’s problem as the increasingly common problem of refusing to take responsibility for one’s actions. We went into Iraq, tore up the place, killed lots of people (the actual number is subject to debate) and get angry when Iran pushes back. That we are good and those who disagree with us are bad is not a first principle either.

By: Merlin

Merlin — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 06:42:16 +0000

Comment by JPV â€” June 11, 2007 @ 1:52 pm
HEY GUYS, CAN WE MAKE A PACT, WITH EACH OTHER, TO COMPLETELY IGNORE THE TROLLS FROM NOW ON?

Comment by Buck Fush â€” June 11, 2007 @ 2:29 pm
“IGNORE THE TROLLS CLUB.”

good idea, guys!!

Why not take this list you started and expand it to include the rest not listed yet, and also as Trolls change their “handle.” Then automatically (cut & paste) post it on every thread on TP about, say, every 25 posts. All of us anti troll folks can post it if we see it hasn’t been posted in a while. Especially on troll heavy threads. “Members” can add their names as they wish forswearing communication with the trolls. Repetition is the name of the game! (Put the word “Reminder” on top in bold)

What do you think folks? Shall we band together formally? If I don’t hear from anyone I will begin to post it anyway.

IGNORE THE TROLLS CLUB
Members:
Buck Fush, JPV, Merlin

Reminder
Donâ€™t Read A Trolls Post – â€¨Donâ€™t Respond To A Trolls Post

IGNORE THE TROLLS – Debate good, Trolls bad

Here are the trolls currently posting on TP.
m12, Patrick1, Jake, Valiant Venus, Pres. Clinton, MAF54, Mr. President,

By: Merlin

Merlin — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 06:40:06 +0000

#235 Comment by GerryM â€” June 14, 2007 @ 1:20 am
You inspired:
More supple minds are needed here.

OK, I’m game. You have stated your case. Now, how would you like to approach the current situation?

By: GerryM

GerryM — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 05:20:21 +0000

This is yet another textbook case of the left hearing one thing, pulling it out of context, and then morphing it to a hyper extreme version of what it really was in order to have a good straw man to flail against. The problem is, this thought process very frequently results in defining yourself against something else that is not real, and ends up telling us more about you than what you’re talking about.

The story is not “Another bomb went off today.” The true journalistic news story is: “A bomb goes off almost every day in Iraq. Each one kills civilians, Iraqi soldiers and police, US soldiers, men, women and children alike. Who is funding these bombs? What is the planning infrastructure to distribute them? Why isn’t the US military doing or able to do more to stop them?”

These issues are far more complex than “a bomb went off, see how stupid Bush and the war are… do you finally admit the war was a mistake?” More supple minds are needed here.

We need to get back to principles. Bush is to blame for everything and Fox News is all-evil are not first principles.

Or in other words, firing Imus doesn’t make the world a better place.

By: crazy alice

crazy alice — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 18:57:26 +0000

who diss?

By: Barb

Barb — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 18:30:07 +0000

We don’t know what is happening in Iraq because it is not safe enough for any reporter to go out and find out. Can’t give us that kind of breadth to see if the surge is working? They can’t tell us what the weather is like. If the news embarrasses the administration oh well…they ought to be embarrassed. If every bomb or death were put on, 24 hours would not be enough time to report them all. By putting some of the news out there at least they are giving us the info to decide for ourselves if the war is a loser.
Since when are Anna Nicole or Paris Hilton relevant to anyone’s life?

By: Ed Kunin

Ed Kunin — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 17:56:15 +0000

O’Reilly isn’t always wrong, but he is about the Iraq war not being news. Lots of people get off on being an American. It’s a large part of their sense of self which makes embarrassing George Bush somehow wrong no matter what stupid thing he does or says. If something’s wrong with George it means the system didn’t work. That’s worse than unpatriotic.

This thread contains lots of invective, and incidentally proves George Bush is not entirely insane. Hitler killed his opposition. George lets them rant in comments on progressive blogs. Either way, no one does anything to change things. I’m not sure what can be done, but discussing that would be more productive.

By: crazy alice

crazy alice — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 17:40:34 +0000

whoo diss???

By: matt

matt — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 17:40:23 +0000

the comments on old bill say it all. but what scares me as well is comment #32 on this page. anyone else kind of freaked out about this one?

makes me want to hide my head in the sand.

By: Mojo Jackson

Mojo Jackson — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 17:00:05 +0000

What’s sad is that many American’s are just like Billo.
How can an educated society even consider his viewpoint?
The Republican Party has worked very hard to “dumb down”
America as a whole. Think about it…we attacked another
country and made it worse, yet all we hear is how we must
support the troops. Our support only will continue this charade.
My son is in the military, and he told me that our continued
support is only going to get him killed.

By: buzzkill

buzzkill — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 15:57:00 +0000

///This guy is just plain despicable. Canâ€™t he at least admit when heâ€™s wrong?

Comment by Jesse ///

do you mean “Captain Obvious”????

thought so.

By: Jesse

Jesse — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 15:32:07 +0000

This guy is just plain despicable. Can’t he at least admit when he’s wrong?

By: Robbie

Robbie — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 15:10:13 +0000

A couple of comments covered this, but it is a very valid point. I agree with Bill to a point. In war, there is always going to be bombs going off. Its war, thats what happens in war. If the media would put one story about the good that is going on over there for every 3 bombs they report, more people would back this conflict. We are over there building schools, power plants, hospitals! Not many americans know this because the media gives people what they want based on statistics. Most americans like to watch gut wrenching, terrible things. Its entertainment. Its what drives many modern americans to watch the news in the first place. People would rather hear about bloodshed then of a baby being born. Statistics show this, so what does the media do? they give the people what they want to see. Most don’t care about helping to rebuild a shattered nation. Unfortunatly, because of this, people are overwhelmed with the bad, over the good. The media is one of the number 1 reasons why americans no longer back this war and the president. I say, “fine Bill, talk about other topics, there’s other news out there, continue to “entertain” people with new material”. “Cover the Iraq conflict even if you want, but tell us something new about the conflict”, tell us about the schools, the hospitals, all the changed lives in that country! We don’t hear it enough”!

… wow what a ramble … thats a little longer then i expected.

By: captain obvious

captain obvious — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 14:54:50 +0000

that report is an obvious attack on Republicans , Fox news is not the Republican channel , if it was we wouldn’t have a Democrat majority in Congress since Fox kills everyone in the ratings . The fact is Fox , CNN , MSNBC , ect… are corporations and show what will bring in ratings . They killed all other stations in the ratings airing Anna Nicole over and over . But the liberals that originally posted this story saw an opening to attack O’reilly . Don’t blame Fox or O’reilly for airing what the people want to see , blame the American people for wanting to watch garbage

By: euthyfro

euthyfro — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 14:47:20 +0000

& no we wouldn’t all be speaking German because the USSR was going to win that war regardless of whether there was a western front or not. We didn’t beat Fascism, Communism (well, totalitarianism calling itself Communism) did.

By: euthyfro

euthyfro — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 14:39:47 +0000

Dayadhvam: I have heard the key
Turn in the door once and turn once only
We think of the key, each in his prison
Thinking of the key, each confirms a prison
Only at nightfall, aethereal rumours
Revive for a moment a broken Coriolanus

By: danstyk

danstyk — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 14:29:23 +0000

Only serves as proof that on Fox, the revolution will certainly not be televised. And how ridiculous is it that he groups all the CNN and MSNBC coverage of Iraq as “bombs going off.” In fact, you never see that. You see stories about the bombs, and what it means, but not the bombs themselves.

By: buzzsaw

buzzsaw — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 14:00:51 +0000

Gop lacidly amid the noise and paste,
andre member what peace there may be in silencers.
As far as possible without suspender
be on good terms with all parsons.
Speak your trout quietly and clearly;
and listen to mothers,
even the dull and O’Reilly;
they poo have their story.

By: Steve

Steve — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 13:56:16 +0000

It’s amazing how a group of people (most of whom frequent this and other left wing web sites) could think that the insurgency in Iraq is not fueled by news coverage of their escapades.

It’s amazing how a group of people (most of whom frequent this and other left wing web sites) could think that the insurgency in Iraq is not fueled by news coverage of American leadership statements to the effect of:
1. How strong the insurgency is.
2. How the insurgency is winning.
3. How we are losing.

The fact is – insurgent groups wake up in the morning and read the American news. This is the measure of how well their tactics are working. The American media is their strongest ally.

It is true. If we had 24/7 news in 1945, we’d all be speaking German right now.

It’s unfortunate that this is the case. But it’s true. When presented with the ugly realities of war, the good people of the world can’t take it. The bad will win.

Go ahead and start your name calling. That’s all I ever see on this site when someone presents an opposing view.