Comments on: Romney, Advised By Blackwater’s Vice Chairman, Stays Silent On Blackwater Shootings http://thinkprogress.org/2007/09/22/romney-blackwater/ Thu, 26 Nov 2009 10:44:30 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: tombaker http://thinkprogress.org/2007/09/22/romney-blackwater/comment-page-6/#comment-4088324 tombaker Sun, 23 Sep 2007 17:07:55 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2007/09/22/romney-blackwater/#comment-4088324 Because having our military provide security doesn't make any fat, white pusy chickenhawk Bushco pals enough $$$$$!!!! Which is the same reason we won't leave that poor country alone. Because having our military provide security doesn’t make any fat, white pusy chickenhawk Bushco pals enough $$$$$!!!!

Which is the same reason we won’t leave that poor country alone.

]]> By: Badger http://thinkprogress.org/2007/09/22/romney-blackwater/comment-page-6/#comment-4088291 Badger Sun, 23 Sep 2007 16:01:13 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2007/09/22/romney-blackwater/#comment-4088291 Blackwater is under contract with the STATE DEPT. No Blackwater means our diplomatic corps will be stuck in the Green Zone until they can contract for another security force. Anyone wonder why our Military isn't providing security for the State Dept.?? Blackwater is under contract with the STATE DEPT. No Blackwater means our diplomatic corps will be stuck in the Green Zone until they can contract for another security force. Anyone wonder why our Military isn’t providing security for the State Dept.??

]]> By: Marie http://thinkprogress.org/2007/09/22/romney-blackwater/comment-page-6/#comment-4088269 Marie Sun, 23 Sep 2007 15:26:36 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2007/09/22/romney-blackwater/#comment-4088269 The Sunday talk shows are deteriorating at an alarming rate -- they are being used as propaganda outlets; and they allow themselves to be used in that manner. Every day, the local newscasts get more inane, the national newscasts fail to deliver relevant news and focus on gossip and celebrities instead with a mere headline mention of important matters. The American people have a reputation as having a short memory and a poor grasp of geography and history -- the availability of information in the television/radio media does nothing to remediate any of that. Wallace, Russert, Schieffer and Stephanopolous -- put them in a bag, shake it out and you won't be able to differentiate one from another. They have reduced themselves to the mockery of talking head status. The Sunday talk shows are deteriorating at an alarming rate — they are being used as propaganda outlets; and they allow themselves to be used in that manner.
Every day, the local newscasts get more inane, the national newscasts fail to deliver relevant news and focus on gossip and celebrities instead with a mere headline mention of important matters.
The American people have a reputation as having a short memory and a poor grasp of geography and history — the availability of information in the television/radio media does nothing to remediate any of that.
Wallace, Russert, Schieffer and Stephanopolous — put them in a bag, shake it out and you won’t be able to differentiate one from another.
They have reduced themselves to the mockery of talking head status.

]]> By: Badger http://thinkprogress.org/2007/09/22/romney-blackwater/comment-page-6/#comment-4088247 Badger Sun, 23 Sep 2007 14:21:38 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2007/09/22/romney-blackwater/#comment-4088247 C-span had a colonel on Washington Journal this Sunday discussing Blackwater. His spin....it's hard work...hot and dangerous etc. etc. ...and they have a split second to make life or death decisions. He claims insurgent activity was involved in the recent incident, and that it was ok to spray the area with bullets in order to protect their clients. No mention was made of the innocent civilian deaths and the damage this creates to America's reputation in Iraq . He maintains that Maliki is calling for an ouster of Blackwater, because other contractors are after their jobs. Let's see if the video sheds some light on things. In spite of ABC, this story is not going away. C-span had a colonel on Washington Journal this Sunday discussing Blackwater. His spin….it’s hard work…hot and dangerous etc. etc. …and they have a split second to make life or death decisions.
He claims insurgent activity was involved in the recent incident, and that it was ok to spray the area with bullets in order to protect their clients. No mention was made of the innocent civilian deaths and the damage this creates to America’s reputation in Iraq . He maintains that Maliki is calling for an ouster of Blackwater, because other contractors are after their jobs.

Let’s see if the video sheds some light on things. In spite of ABC, this story is not going away.

]]> By: Ditch Mitch KY http://thinkprogress.org/2007/09/22/romney-blackwater/comment-page-6/#comment-4088244 Ditch Mitch KY Sun, 23 Sep 2007 13:53:50 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2007/09/22/romney-blackwater/#comment-4088244 Today, Sunday 9/23, This Week on ABC, there was no mention of the Blackwater scandals or the Slaughter at Nisoor Square last Sunday. Where is the media on this issue? Why has Romney been given a pass? When will he be forced to address questions about his advisor, Cofer Black who is a Blackwater VP? Anybody want to imagine how long it would take for the media to demand a response from any Democratic candidate who maintained a Blackwater VP on his/her staff? Today, Sunday 9/23, This Week on ABC, there was no mention of the Blackwater scandals or the Slaughter at Nisoor Square last Sunday.

Where is the media on this issue? Why has Romney been given a pass? When will he be forced to address questions about his advisor, Cofer Black who is a Blackwater VP?

Anybody want to imagine how long it would take for the media to demand a response from any Democratic candidate who maintained a Blackwater VP on his/her staff?

]]> By: keepinon http://thinkprogress.org/2007/09/22/romney-blackwater/comment-page-6/#comment-4088242 keepinon Sun, 23 Sep 2007 13:51:09 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2007/09/22/romney-blackwater/#comment-4088242 Could it be our boy Mitt has been brainwashed on Blackwater? Could it be our boy Mitt has been brainwashed on Blackwater?

]]> By: Chocolate Jesus http://thinkprogress.org/2007/09/22/romney-blackwater/comment-page-6/#comment-4088239 Chocolate Jesus Sun, 23 Sep 2007 13:05:48 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2007/09/22/romney-blackwater/#comment-4088239 >I will withhold my judgement until the facts are in, thank you. Son, we're at WAR... if we have to wait until we have FACTS and INFORMATION, the TERRORISTS WIN. Isnt that what the whole idea of bypassing the judicial system your hero dumbya had? >I will withhold my judgement until the facts are in, thank you.

Son, we’re at WAR… if we have to wait until we have FACTS and INFORMATION, the TERRORISTS WIN. Isnt that what the whole idea of bypassing the judicial system your hero dumbya had?

]]> By: Veritas http://thinkprogress.org/2007/09/22/romney-blackwater/comment-page-6/#comment-4088236 Veritas Sun, 23 Sep 2007 12:49:25 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2007/09/22/romney-blackwater/#comment-4088236 <strong>Is even "our enemy" our neighbor?? Or: The Case of The Selective Golden Rule Yesterday, Wayne Schneider posted a heartfelt comment on one of the late threads here which, obviously, germanated overnight in my psyche and I awakened with diametric opposing sentiments: one was a profound sense of foreboding; the other was a deep sense of spiritual connection. We often discuss the apparent "hypocrisy" of the Christian right and the Bush administration who used them for their votes and then trashed everything they purport to believe in. Never more was this level of horrendous hypocrisy highlighted for me than by the words of Wayne in which he discussed our (american) increasing lack of concern for human life. We call ourselves a Christian nation yet we've totally forgotten what Christ said was THE most important of all: THE GOLDEN RULE. This rule implies that we "love thy neighbor as thyself" and "do unto others as we would have them do unto you" and yet we find ourselves condoning by tacit approval the shameless, vulgar deaths of innocent Iraqis this past week by our own hired hitmen, Blackwater. Somehow we've come to customize the Golden Rule of Jesus Christ not only to tacitly approve this heinous disregard for the taking of human lives by saying "but, but, but they fired first" and, as we investigate this via recorded footage, we find just the opposite to be true - but we somehow have also customized this Christian Golden Rule to fit our purposes, to fit our "agenda". We somehow mistakenly believe that what Jesus "meant to say" was that it's perfectly okay to kill our enemies, who might in fact be our neighbors. By simply affixing the label of "enemy" to a human being, just like magic - poof - it's acceptable to take their life. <em>To interpret what has been accepted by biblical scholars as "the golden rule" as we choose, makes a total mockery of any form of christianity. To customize what some view as the words of Jesus Christ is to spit in his face, to denegrade him and all he stood for. We are, indeed, sliding down a very slippery slope, friends when we decide that we know better than that which we attribute to "God". We are, indeed, sliding down a very slippery slope when we decide that it's perfectly fine to kill someone whom we decide to classify as our "enemy" just because our propagandized political machinery has decided that his is such. (Remember: Even OBL once was Bush's "friend" as they vacationed together and then we employed him to help us run the Russians out of Afghanistan.) Bush is not God. And, yet, we allow another human being decide, for us, precisely whom we should attack as our enemy?? Bush is not even a qualified leader and yet we permit him to change all of the rules of our democracy? Bush is not even reputable, honest, and trustworthy and yet we permit to remain in the position of President. 500 days is enough time for Bush to change the entire course and direction, aka the future, of this country if we continue to permit this charlatan, this fake, this fraud, this most 'ungodly' human being to decide for us precisely "whom" our neighbor is that we must love according to the Golden Rule. If we each profess to be spiritual beings enjoying a human experience and call ourselves Christians, then it's time for Bush and the rest of us to stop playing God. It's time for each of us to stop interpreting what he meant by the words of His Golden Rule. It's time for each of us to stop being brainwashed into believing that every single human being on this planet is one of God's children and created equally. Thanks, Wayne for your poignant words. It caused a great deal of soul-searching (dark night of the soul) for me and I awakened with a new perspective on just how far this country, and myself included, has come when permitting fear to control our lives. Through Bush's 'calculated fear agenda' we somehow have been duped into believing that just because some other, fallible human being decides that someone in another country is our "enemy", then it's fine to eliminate him from God's Golden Rule and exterminate him the first chance we get. This is wrong. Patently and wholly wrong. We've migrated very far from the Golden Rule in a brief period of time. Clean Bush's cobwebs from your brain and renew yourself today.</em></strong> Is even “our enemy” our neighbor?? Or: The Case of The Selective Golden Rule

Yesterday, Wayne Schneider posted a heartfelt comment on one of the late threads here which, obviously, germanated overnight in my psyche and I awakened with diametric opposing sentiments: one was a profound sense of foreboding; the other was a deep sense of spiritual connection.

We often discuss the apparent “hypocrisy” of the Christian right and the Bush administration who used them for their votes and then trashed everything they purport to believe in. Never more was this level of horrendous hypocrisy highlighted for me than by the words of Wayne in which he discussed our (american) increasing lack of concern for human life.

We call ourselves a Christian nation yet we’ve totally forgotten what Christ said was THE most important of all: THE GOLDEN RULE. This rule implies that we “love thy neighbor as thyself” and “do unto others as we would have them do unto you” and yet we find ourselves condoning by tacit approval the shameless, vulgar deaths of innocent Iraqis this past week by our own hired hitmen, Blackwater. Somehow we’ve come to customize the Golden Rule of Jesus Christ not only to tacitly approve this heinous disregard for the taking of human lives by saying “but, but, but they fired first” and, as we investigate this via recorded footage, we find just the opposite to be true – but we somehow have also customized this Christian Golden Rule to fit our purposes, to fit our “agenda”. We somehow mistakenly believe that what Jesus “meant to say” was that it’s perfectly okay to kill our enemies, who might in fact be our neighbors.

By simply affixing the label of “enemy” to a human being, just like magic – poof – it’s acceptable to take their life. To interpret what has been accepted by biblical scholars as “the golden rule” as we choose, makes a total mockery of any form of christianity. To customize what some view as the words of Jesus Christ is to spit in his face, to denegrade him and all he stood for.

We are, indeed, sliding down a very slippery slope, friends when we decide that we know better than that which we attribute to “God”. We are, indeed, sliding down a very slippery slope when we decide that it’s perfectly fine to kill someone whom we decide to classify as our “enemy” just because our propagandized political machinery has decided that his is such. (Remember: Even OBL once was Bush’s “friend” as they vacationed together and then we employed him to help us run the Russians out of Afghanistan.)

Bush is not God. And, yet, we allow another human being decide, for us, precisely whom we should attack as our enemy?? Bush is not even a qualified leader and yet we permit him to change all of the rules of our democracy? Bush is not even reputable, honest, and trustworthy and yet we permit to remain in the position of President. 500 days is enough time for Bush to change the entire course and direction, aka the future, of this country if we continue to permit this charlatan, this fake, this fraud, this most ‘ungodly’ human being to decide for us precisely “whom” our neighbor is that we must love according to the Golden Rule.

If we each profess to be spiritual beings enjoying a human experience and call ourselves Christians, then it’s time for Bush and the rest of us to stop playing God. It’s time for each of us to stop interpreting what he meant by the words of His Golden Rule. It’s time for each of us to stop being brainwashed into believing that every single human being on this planet is one of God’s children and created equally.

Thanks, Wayne for your poignant words. It caused a great deal of soul-searching (dark night of the soul) for me and I awakened with a new perspective on just how far this country, and myself included, has come when permitting fear to control our lives. Through Bush’s ‘calculated fear agenda’ we somehow have been duped into believing that just because some other, fallible human being decides that someone in another country is our “enemy”, then it’s fine to eliminate him from God’s Golden Rule and exterminate him the first chance we get. This is wrong. Patently and wholly wrong.

We’ve migrated very far from the Golden Rule in a brief period of time. Clean Bush’s cobwebs from your brain and renew yourself today.

]]> By: Zooey http://thinkprogress.org/2007/09/22/romney-blackwater/comment-page-6/#comment-4088215 Zooey Sun, 23 Sep 2007 06:19:01 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2007/09/22/romney-blackwater/#comment-4088215 I'd be a Republican, but my parents are married. ;) I’d be a Republican, but my parents are married. ;)

]]> By: foreyes http://thinkprogress.org/2007/09/22/romney-blackwater/comment-page-6/#comment-4088213 foreyes Sun, 23 Sep 2007 06:11:49 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2007/09/22/romney-blackwater/#comment-4088213 Sorrry to disagree with you again. Comment by foreyes — September 22, 2007 @ 9:36 pm Yea. thats it. The stupid, ignorant lies, double talk and contradiction that only an inbred troll would be stupid enough to produce. Comment by BARTLEBEE — September 23, 2007 @ 1:19 am Man, you're your worst enemy! Sorrry to disagree with you again.

Comment by foreyes — September 22, 2007 @ 9:36 pm

Yea. thats it. The stupid, ignorant lies, double talk and contradiction that only an inbred troll would be stupid enough to produce.

Comment by BARTLEBEE — September 23, 2007 @ 1:19 am

Man, you’re your worst enemy!

]]> By: foreyes http://thinkprogress.org/2007/09/22/romney-blackwater/comment-page-6/#comment-4088201 foreyes Sun, 23 Sep 2007 05:40:54 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2007/09/22/romney-blackwater/#comment-4088201 I’d be a republican but the Jackboots give me blisters. Comment by BARTLEBEE — September 23, 2007 @ 1:32 am Blisters where? I’d be a republican but the Jackboots give me blisters.

Comment by BARTLEBEE — September 23, 2007 @ 1:32 am

Blisters where?

]]> By: foreyes http://thinkprogress.org/2007/09/22/romney-blackwater/comment-page-5/#comment-4088195 foreyes Sun, 23 Sep 2007 05:32:24 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2007/09/22/romney-blackwater/#comment-4088195 The part where you’re ‘not my enemy’ I guess? Comment by BARTLEBEE — September 23, 2007 @ 1:15 am You guessed right! Assuming otherwise would only show how ignorant you are. Figuratevely, of course. The part where you’re ‘not my enemy’ I guess?

Comment by BARTLEBEE — September 23, 2007 @ 1:15 am

You guessed right! Assuming otherwise would only show how ignorant you are. Figuratevely, of course.

]]> By: Gregor Samsa http://thinkprogress.org/2007/09/22/romney-blackwater/comment-page-5/#comment-4088183 Gregor Samsa Sun, 23 Sep 2007 05:16:41 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2007/09/22/romney-blackwater/#comment-4088183 Oh, and Bigfoot, since when is criticising a <i>military contractor</i>, and wanting them to be held accountable for their actions, tantamount to being <i>anti-American</i>? Is that what the voices in your head tell you? Blackwater = US? Do they also tell you that wanting the rule of law to prevail is a <i>liberal</i> personality trait, and that you should avoid it like the plague? Oh, and Bigfoot, since when is criticising a military contractor, and wanting them to be held accountable for their actions, tantamount to being anti-American?

Is that what the voices in your head tell you? Blackwater = US?

Do they also tell you that wanting the rule of law to prevail is a liberal personality trait, and that you should avoid it like the plague?

]]> By: foreyes http://thinkprogress.org/2007/09/22/romney-blackwater/comment-page-5/#comment-4088179 foreyes Sun, 23 Sep 2007 05:10:08 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2007/09/22/romney-blackwater/#comment-4088179 It’s very possible Blackwater will be absolved of blame for this, though the anti-Bush libs will never believe it no matter what. Comment by O. Bigfoot — September 23, 2007 @ 12:37 am Isn't it ironic that W Bush is hoping that "history will absolve him". Last I heard, the phrase had been used by Fidel Castro in his defense of the 26th of July Moncada attacks in 1953. I guess his father is not the only target of his frustrations. It’s very possible Blackwater will be absolved of blame for this, though the anti-Bush libs will never believe it no matter what.

Comment by O. Bigfoot — September 23, 2007 @ 12:37 am

Isn’t it ironic that W Bush is hoping that “history will absolve him”. Last I heard, the phrase had been used by Fidel Castro in his defense of the 26th of July Moncada attacks in 1953. I guess his father is not the only target of his frustrations.

]]> By: Gregor Samsa http://thinkprogress.org/2007/09/22/romney-blackwater/comment-page-5/#comment-4088172 Gregor Samsa Sun, 23 Sep 2007 04:56:09 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2007/09/22/romney-blackwater/#comment-4088172 <i>I will withhold my judgement until the facts are in, thank you. Comment by O. Bigfoot — September 23, 2007 @ 12:47 am</i> For people like you, facts are never in. Bush loyalists like you are still looking for those WMD in Iraq... no wait, in Syria... no wait, In Iran... All those dead bodies just happened to appear on a street in Baghdad, by magic... poof!! Of course, all the Iraqis who were eye witnesses and who blame the private contractors are lying. Because facts are never in. Unless they happen to agree with your preconceived notions that Americans can never, ever do wrong. If an Iraqi happens to drop dead, it must be his fault for being in the wrong place, at the wrong time. Or he was just a terrorist. That including the children who had the misfortune to be on that street that particular day. I will withhold my judgement until the facts are in, thank you.
Comment by O. Bigfoot — September 23, 2007 @ 12:47 am

For people like you, facts are never in.

Bush loyalists like you are still looking for those WMD in Iraq… no wait, in Syria… no wait, In Iran…

All those dead bodies just happened to appear on a street in Baghdad, by magic… poof!!

Of course, all the Iraqis who were eye witnesses and who blame the private contractors are lying. Because facts are never in. Unless they happen to agree with your preconceived notions that Americans can never, ever do wrong.

If an Iraqi happens to drop dead, it must be his fault for being in the wrong place, at the wrong time. Or he was just a terrorist. That including the children who had the misfortune to be on that street that particular day.

]]> By: Gregor Samsa http://thinkprogress.org/2007/09/22/romney-blackwater/comment-page-5/#comment-4088169 Gregor Samsa Sun, 23 Sep 2007 04:45:55 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2007/09/22/romney-blackwater/#comment-4088169 <i>I stand by my comment that we’d better kill them first, then. Comment by O. Bigfoot — September 23, 2007 @ 12:41 am</i> I am sure you stand by it. And I am sure you are proud of the outstanding job the mercenaries from Blackwater are dong towards that goal. I stand by my comment that we’d better kill them first, then.
Comment by O. Bigfoot — September 23, 2007 @ 12:41 am

I am sure you stand by it.

And I am sure you are proud of the outstanding job the mercenaries from Blackwater are dong towards that goal.

]]> By: Chocolate Jesus http://thinkprogress.org/2007/09/22/romney-blackwater/comment-page-5/#comment-4088167 Chocolate Jesus Sun, 23 Sep 2007 04:42:50 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2007/09/22/romney-blackwater/#comment-4088167 >Hmmm, anyone ever figger out jes’ >what an “historical document” is? > Anyone???? Like anything else related to history, its just something Bush+ co ignores. >Hmmm, anyone ever figger out jes’
>what an “historical document” is?
> Anyone????

Like anything else related to history, its just something Bush+ co ignores.

]]> By: foreyes http://thinkprogress.org/2007/09/22/romney-blackwater/comment-page-5/#comment-4088164 foreyes Sun, 23 Sep 2007 04:37:23 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2007/09/22/romney-blackwater/#comment-4088164 For someone “on our team” you sure are more focused on attacking me instead of the horrible slaying of 11 innocent people by Bush’s new “SA” Brownshirts. Comment by BARTLEBEE — September 23, 2007 @ 12:03 am You keep on getting it wrong. What is it about me not being your enemy is it that you don't understand? Whether it's Bush's Brown shirts or Sharon's 200 atomic bombs, it doesn't matter. They're still there. For someone “on our team” you sure are more focused on attacking me instead of the horrible slaying of 11 innocent people by Bush’s new “SA” Brownshirts.

Comment by BARTLEBEE — September 23, 2007 @ 12:03 am

You keep on getting it wrong. What is it about me not being your enemy is it that you don’t understand? Whether it’s Bush’s Brown shirts or Sharon’s 200 atomic bombs, it doesn’t matter. They’re still there.

]]> By: Gregor Samsa http://thinkprogress.org/2007/09/22/romney-blackwater/comment-page-5/#comment-4088163 Gregor Samsa Sun, 23 Sep 2007 04:36:35 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2007/09/22/romney-blackwater/#comment-4088163 <i>If this were true, then we’d better kill them first, eh? Comment by O. Bigfoot — September 23, 2007 @ 12:32 am</i> I believe that is Blackwater is doing. Or at least, trying to. Of course, people with some semblance of moral compass might have a problem with shooting Iraqis (men, women, and children) who pose no threat. People with moral compass, that is, not you. If this were true, then we’d better kill them first, eh?
Comment by O. Bigfoot — September 23, 2007 @ 12:32 am

I believe that is Blackwater is doing. Or at least, trying to.

Of course, people with some semblance of moral compass might have a problem with shooting Iraqis (men, women, and children) who pose no threat.

People with moral compass, that is, not you.

]]> By: chimpeach http://thinkprogress.org/2007/09/22/romney-blackwater/comment-page-5/#comment-4088156 chimpeach Sun, 23 Sep 2007 04:19:41 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2007/09/22/romney-blackwater/#comment-4088156 I think it's fair to say that the redeployment and re-redeployment of troops to Iraq, along with the refusal to give them sufficient downtime in the States, and sending them over there with the bare minimum of training in the first place are all part of the move to end up replacing them with mercenaries. Bush/Cheney wants corporate armies with no accountability and no oversight. They don't care what they have to do to the regular military in order to get there. What I don't think they factored in is that the Iraqi police and military might start targeting Blackwater now. They sure as hell aren't going to do anything to help them. I think it’s fair to say that the redeployment and re-redeployment of troops to Iraq, along with the refusal to give them sufficient downtime in the States, and sending them over there with the bare minimum of training in the first place are all part of the move to end up replacing them with mercenaries. Bush/Cheney wants corporate armies with no accountability and no oversight. They don’t care what they have to do to the regular military in order to get there.

What I don’t think they factored in is that the Iraqi police and military might start targeting Blackwater now. They sure as hell aren’t going to do anything to help them.

]]>