REPORT: Coalition Of The Defeated
REPORT: Coalition Of The Defeated
Last weekend, Australian Labor leader Kevin Rudd defeated staunch Bush ally Prime Minister John Howard, handing the conservative party its “worst election defeat in its 63-year history” and ending 12 years of conservative rule. Howard “suffered the additional ignominy of losing his own constituency seat,” the first time since 1929 that an Australian prime minister has been voted out of parliament.
Howard’s fate is similar to the story of many other Bush-friendly world leaders. After joining Bush’s Coalition of the Willing in 2003, several countries’ leaders have been ousted from office. In fact, of the original 49 countries who joined the Coalition, the AP reports that roughly 20 remain, with several in the process of withdrawing troops.
ThinkProgress has compiled a new report, highlighting the fate of world leaders from “coalition of the willing” countries who sent troops to support the invasion. Of 14 major partners in the Coalition, eight leaders were defeated in elections, two stepped down, two were term limited, and two remained in office. Click here to view the full report.
| COUNTRY | LEADER | ELECTORAL STATUS | Albania | PM Fatos Nano | Defeated, July 2005 |
| Australia | Pres. John Howard | Defeated, Nov. 2007 |
| Britain | PM Tony Blair | Stepped down, June 2007 |
| Denmark | PM Anders Fogh Rasmussen | In office (pledged withdrawal in Feb. 2007) |
| Dominican Republic | Pres. Hipolito Mejia | Defeated, May 2004 |
| El Salvador | Pres. Francisco Flores Perez | Term Limited, March 2004 |
| Hungary | PM Peter Medgyessy | Defeated, Aug. 2004 |
| Italy | PM Silvio Berlusconi | Defeated, April 2006 |
| Japan | PM Junichiro Koizumi | Stepped down, Sept. 2006 |
| Norway | PM Kjell Magne Bondevik | Defeated, Sept. 2005 |
| Poland | Pres. Aleksander Kwaśniewski | Term Limited, Dec. 2005 |
| Romania | PM Adrian Năstase | Defeated, Nov. 2004 |
| South Korea | Pres. Roh Moo-hyun | In office |
| Spain | PM Jose Maria Aznar | Defeated, March 2004 |
Australia, Britain, Italy, and Spain contributed tens of thousands of combat troops to the war. But as the war unfolded, each leader lost popularity at home and was eventually voted out of office. Their successors either have withdrawn — or are in the process of withdrawing — their nations’ troops from Iraq.
These leaders’ fates should also carry a clear message here at home — support Bush’s war and be voted out of office. View the compilation HERE.
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[…]ending 12 years of conservative rule.
Well, at least one good thing has come out of GW’s rule.
November 27th, 2007 at 1:29 pmA long and ponderous chain forged link by link eh Jacob, I mean George?
November 27th, 2007 at 1:31 pmHow come Americans are so slow in understanding what Bush has done? All the other countries seem to know when it is time to split - but not us. Also, when is a treaty not a treaty? When bush says so.
November 27th, 2007 at 1:31 pmBut what about Kazakhstan? They are still in the coalitition of the willing. You liberals don’t understand the brave sacrifice of the Kazaks.
OK, how to they write such drivel, even joking and sarcastically it’s hard to write such nonsense.
November 27th, 2007 at 1:32 pmThe only partners left are Blackwater, KBR and AlQueada in Iraq.
November 27th, 2007 at 1:34 pmBush pledged to unite our country. Who knew he was going to unite so many others as well?
November 27th, 2007 at 1:37 pmOf 14 major partners
Remember only 4 nations were hostile or Active troops
US
Britain
Poland ( not really active )
Astralia ( not really active )
All the other countries provided , Cooks and medics
November 27th, 2007 at 1:38 pmand we would have gotten away with it if it weren’t for you damn liburls.
November 27th, 2007 at 1:38 pmAs Canada says ” Coalition of the stupid”
November 27th, 2007 at 1:38 pmonly Main player left really the US, all the other are Cooks , medics and irrelevant trench diggers
Britain ( withdrawing to half appr 2500 left)
November 27th, 2007 at 1:42 pmPoland ( Out of the Game soon)
Astralia ( Out of the game soon )
Afghanistan crumbling next
2 Swizz medics have left
November 27th, 2007 at 1:43 pmIs Astralia close to Titslyvania? sorry I had to.
November 27th, 2007 at 1:44 pmMerkel will be next for the chopping block
November 27th, 2007 at 1:45 pmHow come Americans are so slow in understanding what Bush has done?
2/3 of the country knows. The remaining 30 Percenters are basically summed up by this picture:
http://lonewacko.com/blog/archives/000472.html
November 27th, 2007 at 1:46 pmEACH DAY IS A FIGHT AGAINST FACISM! ONE DAY, WE WILL SEE BUSH’S JUNTA TAKEN TO AN INTERNATIONAL COURT FOR CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY AND WAR CRIMES. IF THAT DOESN’T HAPPEN, THE FACISTS STATES OF AMERICA WILL HAVE TO ‘FORCE’ ITS ‘CREDIBILITY’ WITH MILITARY ACTION, BECAUSE NO ONE TRUSTS THE FSA (FORMER USA). WE IN AUSTRALIA TOOK OUT OF OFFICE A MAN THAT CALLED THE MOST HIDDEOUS WAR CRIMINALS OF RECENT HISTORY A “PERSONAL FRIEND”. AS PRE ‘COALITION OF THE WILLING”… IT NEVER WAS. MORE LIKELY “COALITION OF THE COERCED”.
November 27th, 2007 at 1:48 pmRe 12
it’s next to west vagina…
November 27th, 2007 at 1:53 pmHow come Americans are so slow in understanding what Bush has done?
Comment by StratRat — November 27, 2007 @ 1:31 pm
Please see my prior commentary regarding the majority of Americans being stupid.
November 27th, 2007 at 1:53 pmWhy should Australia,Poland ,Japan and others send troops when neighboring countries next to Iraq didn’t send one soldiers?.
Suadi Arabia,Jordan,Kuwait,Iran,Turkey, and Syria….did not contribute with one soldier.
These neigboring countries however were willing to send soldiers under the UN flag and command . Bush refused.
These neigboring countries refused because they did not want to look like they are Bush’s puppets (at least publicly)working for the USA,under Bush’s command.
November 27th, 2007 at 2:02 pmThey were looking for a fig leaf that Bush would not give to them.
Please add Mr. Bush’s name to your list of the “defeated” supporters of US imperial occupation of Iraq. The GOP stole the last two US Presidential elections: Al Gore won in 2000 with a majority of the votes cast and Kerry won in 2004; the crooked GOP operatives flipped seven million votes election night from Kerry to Bush via electronically rigged voting machines and vote tabulating machines in about twenty States.
In a side comment,
The Bush war-mongers are hosting a “Mideast peace conference†in Annapolis (the home of the Naval Academy, part of our war-making machine)? The Bush gangster regime has illegally invaded and occupied Afghanistan and Iraq. Bush has murdered over one million Iraqis in his vile blood-lust. Bush has forced millions of Iraqis to flee and leave Iraq. Bush had given the zionist imperialist Israelis one million cluster bombs which they in turn dropped on the Lebanonese people… Bush has tried to destroy Hamas, the democratically elected representatives of the Palestinian people Peace is the absence of war. Peace is also the absence of war-mongering. So Bush and Cheney should stop their war-mongering and saber-rattling against the Iranian people. And now this war-criminal has the gall to organize a “peace†conference? Grotesque…
This is akin to Hitler and the German Nazis trying to stage a “Scandinavian Peace Conference†in Hamburg in 1941 after they invaded and occupied Denmark and Norway…
November 27th, 2007 at 2:05 pmThe trouble is with the one who is still in office but not listed here. None of the countries listed will still be paying for it for years to come but we will.
Yes, the majority of Americans are stupid, just look at the 2004 pop. vote. Then again, the majority were smart enough not to vote for the fool in 2000. If only we had free and fair elections maybe we would not be in this mess at all. How many people are in prison for ‘04 Ohio? A few, but again, the main culpruit is still in office.
November 27th, 2007 at 2:07 pmOT I know, but….
I’m going to a lecture and Q&A with Paul Krugman(NYT) in about 3 hours…
Anyone got any good suggestions for questions or comments?
November 27th, 2007 at 2:10 pmTP, good work putting all this together. It really presents a complete picture of the world view towards OIF.
November 27th, 2007 at 2:10 pm“I’m going to a lecture and Q&A with Paul Krugman(NYT) in about 3 hours…
Anyone got any good suggestions for questions or comments?
Comment by whiteyfresh ”
Cool, I wish I was going too. How about,
“Given all the bad news on the economic front, how can we avoid a severe recession in the near future?”
“Short of an economic outlyer like dotcom boom, how can the country get out of debt?”
November 27th, 2007 at 2:18 pmThe taint of Satan GW666 is on all of them and it has sown it’s seeds of corruption for all to see.
Bush/Cheney
Hague Trials ‘09
Buck Fush
November 27th, 2007 at 2:23 pmI like you guys, but I really don’t know what this report is supposed to show. If you are trying to prove a correlation between supporting the Iraq War and political demise, I’m not with the program.
Blair won an election in 2005 I think, left office on his own terms after 10 years in the job, and was replaced by the guy who bankrolled Britain’s involvement in Iraq.
The Hungarian guy got tossed because he got busted blatantly lying about the economy and the electorate went apesh!t. (Crazy people, those Hungarians, getting all riled about dishonest politicians)
Berlusconi was a fcuking baboon. And inexorably corrupt. I work with a bunch of Italians and all of them were perpetually embarrassed by him. He even managed to make Bush look honest in comparison.
John Howard too won at least one election post-Iraq until Rudd finally put an end to 11 years of his leadership.
I don’t know about all the other guys - I expect the Latinos got ejected for the usual reasons of corruption and economic stagnation, who honestly gives a crap about the excuse for a country called Albania, whilst I wager all the other European countries saw a predictable political turnover.
Whilst I do care what other countries think, I am firmly of the belief that local issues decide elections - and given the token contribution most of the Coalition of the Warmongering have made to Iraq, I don’t see how this explains much. Aznar I’ll give you, but none of the others.
November 27th, 2007 at 2:23 pmgood ones Bobwurst.
November 27th, 2007 at 2:28 pmmuch better than my”If Delay tries to “b*tchslap you, are you prepared to ‘open up a can of whup-a$$’?”
re 27,
yeah? well your mom’s ugly.
November 27th, 2007 at 2:28 pmWell, that one works for me too.
November 27th, 2007 at 2:29 pmFrom yesterday’s WH presser:
He’s deeply concerned about the freedom of expression that is being curtailed in other countries but isn’t concerned about the freedom of expression which is constantly curtailed in his own country?
Unfu*cking real. And what’s even worse is non of the so called reporters called Perino on this blatant hypocrisy from our own president?
Sorry for the rant.
November 27th, 2007 at 2:30 pmwhiteyfresh
I’d love to here his opinion on Bush appointee Nancy Nord, the corrupt former lobbyist who’s been traveling around the world on trips paid for by the countries she’s supposed to be monitoring.
I’d also be curious as to his opinions on fed Chairman Ben Bernanke. Does Krugman feel that Bernanke is another Bush shill for corporate America or does he actually have Americans best interests in mind. I’d love to here his take on this.
November 27th, 2007 at 2:31 pmGeorge Bush = kiss of death.
November 27th, 2007 at 2:32 pmI’m going to a lecture and Q&A with Paul Krugman(NYT) in about 3 hours…
Anyone got any good suggestions for questions or comments?
Comment by whiteyfresh — November 27, 2007 @ 2:10 pm
Does he think that Greenspan helped bring about our current financial problems by keeping the interest rates so low and encouraging too much borrowing?
November 27th, 2007 at 2:35 pmComment by IgnoranceIsNotBliss — November 27, 2007 @ 2:30 pm
Yeah, Bush is REAL concerned for the people of Russia. He’s all peachy-keen on the way Pakistan is being run, though.
November 27th, 2007 at 2:35 pmYou sure whine alot and sympathize with terrorist organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah….oh and their main financial supporter the Iranian government.
Comment by Tracy2 — November 27, 2007 @ 2:24 pm
November 27th, 2007 at 2:36 pmHow is this different from sympathizing with terrorist organizations like the Likud party?
Well, DF, it seems that unpopular wars, dishonesty in economics, and corruption are one thing they have in common.
Just like here! I dont view it as a report but of an indicator of things to come. Bush, with his ‘new [old] plan’ to stay in Iraq for a long time is basically admitting failure. I gotta hand it to them to make it seem like a partnership.
November 27th, 2007 at 2:37 pmYou sure whine alot and sympathize with terrorist organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah….oh and their main financial supporter the Iranian government.
Comment by Tracy2 — November 27, 2007 @ 2:24 pm
How is this different from sympathizing with terrorist organizations like the Likud party?
Or the current adminstration?
November 27th, 2007 at 2:37 pmAs Bush said without an exit strategy you cant have victory and now we see there is no exit strategy ergo he has no victory, nor did ‘Stay the Course’ Churchill
Winston Churchill, as responsible cabinet minister in the early years, saw Iraq as an experiment in high-technology colonial control.
People call Bush a visionary [in objective truth Bizarro world] but in reality-based world [where us Hoi Polloi apparently dwell] The fools on the hill are engaging in Churchillian wrecklessness. Rumsfeld said “Shock and Awe” Whereas Winston said, “High-tech colonial control”]
We shouldn’t be acting like an empire especially with Oedipus Tex, although thrilling for those ‘faster please’ types, at the wheel of the imperial bus as it searches for the abyss from which to set downward sail.
November 27th, 2007 at 2:49 pmYou sure whine alot and sympathize with terrorist organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah….oh and their main financial supporter the Iranian government. Comment by Tracy2
Who were the actors of the Iran Contra affair again, I seem to have forgotten and my DNS server is broken [I know TPS IP number and have to type it in] so I cant google for it, could you help me here?
November 27th, 2007 at 2:51 pmYou sure whine alot and sympathize with terrorist organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah….oh and their main financial supporter the Iranian government. Comment by Tracy2
Oh, btw, could you also google from where Osama hails? I think it was Saudi Arabia, that place where Haliburton is moving too. Thanks ever so much for your kind assistance.
November 27th, 2007 at 2:53 pmdon’t you wish we could get Bush to step down and also have a decent health care system as those countries listed?
November 27th, 2007 at 2:53 pmYou sure whine alot and sympathize with terrorist organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah….oh and their main financial supporter the Iranian government.
Comment by Tracy2 — November 27, 2007 @ 2:24 pm
Ironic, coming from a GOP Hack, who belongs to a party that couldn’t sympathize fast enough with Al Qaeda and the Taliban when they were fighting with the Commies!!! Ah the IRONY, the HYPOCRISY the GOPNESS!!!
November 27th, 2007 at 2:56 pmThis is impressive, TP! Thanks for putting it together for us. It absolutely sends the message to anyone supporting this war that they, too, will suffer the same fate and, in the case of those in office, they’ll NEVER get back in. Unfortunately, Hillary voted for the war which will cost her and defeat her as well.
November 27th, 2007 at 3:12 pmX: To suggest that Bush would willingly “step down” is asking for the sun to not rise. It’s not within the parameters of the egomaniacal misanthrope’s nature to EVER acknowledge that he’s ever done something wrong or in poor judgment. That portion of their brain does not function properly. To suggest that Bush would do the “honorable thing” is also an impossibility because he doesn’t have an honorable bone in his body from way back.
November 27th, 2007 at 3:14 pmBy the time the election rolls around, the candidates who supported the war at the outset will be history. And those who voted “yea” to trump up the case for war with Iran will suffer the identical fate. The people will have no more of the war mongers…..that includes Clinton and Guiliani.
November 27th, 2007 at 3:15 pmX: That’s not all the experiment Iraq turns out to be. It’s also been an experiment in the use of depleted uranium - killing and polluting Iraq for eternity as well as the bodies of our military and those they bring the contamination home to. This will make the “manhattan experiment” look like child’s play when it becomes a congressional investigation.
November 27th, 2007 at 3:17 pmDo yourself a favor each time you’re tempted to believe any of the politicos running this government because they ALL KNEW what was going on. Watch “Beyond Treason” if you can stomach the cold, hard truth.
November 27th, 2007 at 3:18 pmAnd they’re screwing our military right now in not acknowledging what they’ve done to these hundreds of thousands of veterans who were exposed to the radioactive toxicity. Not to mention the innocent iraqi children born without brains and with unbelievable physical defects. It’s unconscionable what we’ve done in these countries and eclipses three presidents: Bush 1, Clinton, and Bush 2. They are (all three) responsible for crimes against humanity and war crimes.
November 27th, 2007 at 3:20 pmI’m not sure who this Pres. John Howard of Australia is. I do know, from reading http://www.pm.gov.au, that Prime Minister of Australia John Howard suffered a shattering defeat last Saturday, but Pres. John Howard is not someone I know.
November 27th, 2007 at 3:26 pmHitch your wagon to a horse that’s a miserable failure and that’s what you get.
November 27th, 2007 at 3:27 pm52, that was yesterday’s news. Iraqis have used up their saving or overstayed their welcome where they ran to. I wonder who is really paying for the buses? Whose buses too?
Will the US be flying back all the thousands of Iraqis that fled to here?
November 27th, 2007 at 3:45 pmComment by cold_hard_left — November 27, 2007 @ 3:40 pm
Iran recently finished off their own missle. Are you shaky that a country other than the U.S. has the capability to DEFEND themself?
November 27th, 2007 at 3:49 pmComment by cold_hard_left — November 27, 2007 @ 3:40 pm
#
Although there have been recent drops in violence, 2007 is still the deadliest year of the war so far. Most agree that the drop is due to ethnic cleansing (there is no one left to kill) and the cease fire called by Muqtada Sadr.
“American commanders have said that they are aggressively negotiating with Sadr officials to help keep his militia, the Mahdi Army, in check. But if the cease-fire ends, if Mr. Sadr’s whims shift, that could push violence up again–no matter how many troops are here. Basically, the Americans find themselves playing the role of facilitators, hoping that both sides stick to their newfound strategies, and doing everything they can to keep it that way.”
http://www.vetvoice.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=116
Muqtada Sadr’s whims may just shift sooner than you would think.
“Violence is down in Iraq for the moment, but it will not stay down without political progress. And we’re still a long, long way off from anything close to that. Via the AP:
The debate over rehabilitating former members of Saddam’s ruling Baath Party has been a major obstacle to Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s push to stem support for the insurgency by bringing minority Sunnis into the political process.
A parliamentary session on Sunday adjourned in turmoil after lawmakers loyal to anti-American Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr pounded their fists on their tables in protest.”
November 27th, 2007 at 3:53 pmhttp://www.vetvoice.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=140
In good news today that TP won’t report….
Comment by cold_hard_left — November 27, 2007 @ 3:40 pm
So why don’t you report BAD NEWS? Either now, or in the past?
Poor hypocritical little ‘tard! All judgment, no morality!
Why do you hate competence, and truthfulness so much jake?
November 27th, 2007 at 4:17 pmsieg heil cold hard left, sieg heil!
November 27th, 2007 at 4:26 pmIt’s a shame the U.S. doesn’t have an honest election system and the will to depose the against-the-will-of-the-people war monger George Bush.
November 27th, 2007 at 4:31 pmWasn’t it the leader of Palau—who when asked what his nation was contributing to the Coalition, didn’t have the slightest idea what the reporter was talking about?
November 27th, 2007 at 4:42 pmComment by DreamCrusher — November 27, 2007 @ 4:45 pm
You lie!
November 27th, 2007 at 4:49 pmComment by DreamCrusher — November 27, 2007 @ 4:45 pm
However, now that the French have realized, a bit late, “what they bought” the country is plagued by strikes and riots. It is quite possible Mr. Sarkozy will need to use draconian measures to maintain power.
November 27th, 2007 at 4:50 pmComment by celtic cynic — November 27, 2007 @ 4:31 pm
It’s kinda hard when the votes are counted by conservative corporations and we are not allowed to see how their machines work.
The 2004 exit polls (which said Kerry won by a full 3.0%) asked about 31,000 who had just voted. “who did you vote for?”. That’s empirical. A recent Zogby presidential preference poll asked 9,150 by telephone who they favored (not so empirical). It’s margin of error was +/- 1.0%. The margin of error for the 2004 exit polls should be close to 0.2%!
November 27th, 2007 at 4:53 pmComment by cold_hard_left — November 27, 2007 @ 3:40 pm
This is another instance in which it is only good compared to the depths to which Bush took things—–like the deficits, unemployment, stock market, etc. To go from 0 refugees to 4.5 million refugees to 4.4 million refugees is not really a good thing—-it is a bad thing. And tell it to the 1.1 million dead. Wait, you can’t, cause they are dead. And this is costing us $3 Trillion that we do not have! And it is a tremendous recruiting tool and training ground for our enemies who were not in Iraq before.
November 27th, 2007 at 5:01 pmComment by Keith — November 27, 2007 @ 5:01 pm
Just like withdrawing forces, but ONLY down to pre surge levels. WTF
November 27th, 2007 at 5:13 pmRead it and weep, rethugliscums. You’re finished. Pity.
November 27th, 2007 at 5:40 pmHungary’s PM, Péter Medgyessy was NOT “defeated” - he stepped down. (His party members made him step down as a consequence of the poor election results for his party in the European Parliament elections.)
Excuse my English.
November 27th, 2007 at 5:40 pmRelying on polls for any spread within 10-20% is foolish. The advertised margin of error is greatly underestimated. It’s the difference between theory and reality.
Comment by DreamCrusher — November 27, 2007 @ 5:30 pm
If the polls were in your favor, keepDreaming, you’d be all for them.
November 27th, 2007 at 5:41 pmComment by DreamCrusher — November 27, 2007 @ 5:30 pm
We do not have 300 million voters in our elections, IGNORAMUS, we have slightly over 100 million.
Our exit polls were accurate to about 0.2% until 2000, 2002, and 2004. Exit polls all around the world are accurate to about 0.2%. There were riots in the streets in the Ukraine and the Republic of Georgia when the official results differed from the exit polls. The stealers were replaced by the true winners and this was supported by US Republicans.
Germany today offically declares winners based on the exit polls and then hand-counts results over the next few days. They are accurate within 0.2%.
I went to a “top 20″ university and was the only one in my logic class to make a “100″ on every exam. I made a B+ in my social research class (before grade inflation) and with one of the top social researchers in the country.
Try reading this to find out what happened in the 2004 election. It’s the difference between theory and reality:
http://www.commondreams.org/views07/0302-21.htm
November 27th, 2007 at 5:47 pmComment by DreamCrusher — November 27, 2007 @ 5:30 pm
I was telling YOU the problems with surveys over the telephone in contrast to asking someone who is exiting the polls “who did you just vote for?” !
November 27th, 2007 at 5:50 pmStudies were done on the “shy Republicans theory” using the offical results of 2004 compared to the exit polls and they found that the OPPOSITE was slightly true. Steve Freeman is a U of Penn professor in social research methods and statistics:
http://www.truthout.org/unexplainedexitpoll.pdf
November 27th, 2007 at 5:57 pmComment by DreamCrusher — November 27, 2007 @ 5:26 pm
I am fairly well versed in French history but, here’s a newsflash, history deals with the past. I suggest you try current events.
Many French are disillusioned because the “tough guy” they elected has behaved more like a petulant child. Sarkozy is not demonstrating much strength or stability. Rather he’s shaping up as a Chimp clone.
November 27th, 2007 at 5:59 pmActually, statisticians almost universally agree that exit polls are more accurate than pre-election polls. In fact, the reason our own government protested the results of the last election in the Ukraine and argued for a new election was that exit polls were 5% off of results. Dreamcrusher, you are just so full of sh*t it’s almost funny…. almost.
November 27th, 2007 at 6:00 pmpete: “Sarkozy is not demonstrating much strength or stability. Rather he’s shaping up as a Chimp clone.”
Not only that, but in his very first public address, Sarkozy promised the French that he wouldn’t be a puppet for Bush’s policies. Again, Dreamcrusher, you are so full of sh*t.
November 27th, 2007 at 6:01 pmSarkozy wants the French workers to work more hours for the same pay and benefits. They are understandably protesting this. When I tell French people that some Americans work for $6 per hour and ZERO benefits, they say I cannot possibly know what I am talking about. Every French worker has much higher pay and full benefits.
November 27th, 2007 at 6:04 pmThere’s also the troubling little fact that exit polls largely matched results in states in which Repubs were NOT running election machinery. But, of course, Repubs will not be running things in Ohio next year and Dems might be able to force paper ballots in Florida, so it’s getting tougher for these thugs to steal elections.
November 27th, 2007 at 6:05 pmAnd let’s not forget the French healthcare system which gives EVERYONE superior care at 40% of the cost we pay per capita. We could learn a few things from the French.
November 27th, 2007 at 6:06 pmTo believe the “shy Republican theory,” you have to also believe they are only shy in states where Republicans control the voting system.
November 27th, 2007 at 6:08 pmComment by Ret. Col. Jack Ripper — November 27, 2007 @ 6:06 pm
Even when a European country has a conservative leader (Sarkozy or Thatcher), the policies are far to the left of Bill and Hillary. Their people would not tolerate less. All countries that have universal single-payer healthcare have per capita costs 50% or less than we do. And we have 47 million with nothing!
(That’s your real name, sir, and not from “Doctor Strangelove”?)
November 27th, 2007 at 6:13 pmComment by Ret. Col. Jack Ripper — November 27, 2007 @ 6:08 pm
Yes, they were only “shy” in swing states, voting for president, and when there was no paper trail!!!! Otherwise, they were not “shy”. Add to that the huge discrepancy in the exit polls and for three states (Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Florida) the odds of it happening were 250 million to one!!!
November 27th, 2007 at 6:17 pmHe needed a fricking legacy to get into prep school and college. He couldn’t even get into U of Texas Law school with a famous Senator for a Grandpa and a congressman for Dad. He distinguished himself by losing millions of his Father’s friends’ money in failed business ventures and had to be bailed out of a potential insider trading scandal by daddy. He made the worst trade in decades as a baseball team owner. He couldn’t hold on to a plum position on the Carlisle Groups Board. He left Texas’ budget deep in the red and has gone on to distinguish himself as the worst president in history. Everything he touches turns to crap. Sometimes cronies get rich but usually everyone loses. And now he’s single-handedly ruined the political careers of many foreign leaders stupid enough to buy his b.s. And, the Bush cultists just LOOOOVE him.
November 27th, 2007 at 6:18 pmKeith, It’s not my real name and one of my favorite movies of all time is Dr. Strangelove. It was between that and Sgt. Bat Guano.
November 27th, 2007 at 6:20 pmCol.,
November 27th, 2007 at 6:24 pmMuch of his money came from the bin Ladens and the Bank of Crooks and Criminals International (terrorists and drugs connected to his father’s CIA). And according to Canseco, Bush’s Rangers were on illegal steroids.
Ret. Col. Jack Ripper,
I thought that was too much of a coincidence. He was a Brig. General when he died, though.
November 27th, 2007 at 6:27 pmBut what about Kazakhstan? They are still in the coalitition of the willing. You liberals don’t understand the brave sacrifice of the Kazaks.
OK, how to they write such drivel, even joking and sarcastically it’s hard to write such nonsense.
Comment by Blue Stater — November 27, 2007 @ 1:32 pm
Everyone here seems to have forgotten about the 50 Tongans in Iraq. Their transportation from Tonga to Iraq, and their wages are all covered for by the American taxpayer.
November 27th, 2007 at 6:47 pm#18 - good point tarazan…..and where are israel? - don’t see any of them dying alongside american troops in the name of freedom
November 27th, 2007 at 6:57 pmMost of those who post here and TP wants the U.S. to fail in Iraq and their government….don’t hold your breath.
Comment by Tracy2
There’s a difference between knowing that Iraq will fail, and wishing it so. Too bad you’re unable to figure that out for yourself. And when Iraq does fail, you’ll blame that on liberals as well. Literally nothing is republicans’ fault in the eyes of a wingnut. Such childlike belief in the greatness of your cause; how depressed you’ll be when it all falls apart.
November 27th, 2007 at 8:29 pmAnd higher personal income taxes….don’t forget.
Comment by Tracy2
You get what you pay for - except in Iraq.
November 27th, 2007 at 8:32 pmWell, well. The days first spamming troll.
Comment by Tracy2 — November 27, 2007 @ 8:24 pm
Not the ones in the last few weeks. Idiot.
November 27th, 2007 at 8:39 pmAnd higher personal income taxes….don’t forget.
Comment by Tracy2 — November 27, 2007 @ 8:31 pm
Yes, but you have more left after 40% taxes on $40,000 than you do after 15% taxes on $12,000. Plus these other countries you don’t like have total healthcare coverage (no deductible, no co-pay) including dental, optometric, and nursing home, college education, good public transportation, good daycare, etc. paid by their taxes.
How do Americans earning $6 per hour pay their $12,000 per year health insurance (not counting deductible and co-pay), $900 month rent, $70,000 per year nursing home for their two parents, $100,000 per child college education, etc.? They don’t! It’s quite impossible!
All our taxes go to the military and the largest corporations.
November 27th, 2007 at 8:47 pmIsn’t it nice now that idiotic trolls don’t have the guts, or wit, to try spamming threads during normal business hours? If we earmark contributions to provide evening moderators the infection of trolls will be cured round the clock!
November 27th, 2007 at 8:49 pmComment by Tracy2 — November 27, 2007 @ 8:37 pm
It’s only “progress” compared to the extremely destructive levels to which Bush took Iraq. It’s not progress compared to Iraq pre-invasion.
All our military experts who are not fearful of losing their jobs say our Army and Marines cannot last at these levels past summer of 2008.
The Taliban now controls half of Afghanistan. We don’t have any more troops. We sent them after the OIL.
November 27th, 2007 at 8:52 pm“you get what you pay forâ€.
Comment by Tracy2 — November 27, 2007 @ 8:39 pm
Like far less crime, healthcare and education totally paid for, daycare, nursing home care, good public transportation? Horrible things like that?
November 27th, 2007 at 8:55 pmThe current riots are the result of Sarkozy wanting to make French workers work more hours for same pay and benefits.
November 27th, 2007 at 8:56 pm#93 Comment by Tracy2 — November 27, 2007 @ 8:21 pm
Most of those who post here and TP wants the U.S. to fail in Iraq and their government….don’t hold your breath.
First of all, speak for yourself, not others, if you want to be taken seriously and credibly.
Second, what do you want us to succeed at? We invaded their country illegally and lied (about WMDs to justify a pre-emptive strike) to the US and the world. We remain as occupiers who are unwanted by the Iraqi public (60% in one poll) and as such, we have no right to be there.
What is this “failure” you speak about? Explain what a win would be to you. The failure you ascribe to us here on TP.
So, what success is it that you want? To control their oil and their geographical position in the region? To win a “war” that is not a war, except that it is a civil war. Tell me your story Tracy2 if you have the guts.
November 27th, 2007 at 8:58 pmTracy,
If I did wish for Bush’s policies (which are not the US) to fail in Iraq, it would have absolutely no effect. I do not possess any supernatural powers. Do you think I am responsible for the fiasco in Iraq?
By about 70% to 25%, the American people want us to bring the troops home. About 90% to 5%, the Iraqi people want us out ASAP. Aren’t the US and Iraq democracies?
November 27th, 2007 at 9:04 pmIf you believe Voice of America, then there really isn’t much hope for you.
November 27th, 2007 at 9:05 pmAnd that Voice of America article gives the reason for the 2005 riots when I clearly said CURRENT. Don’t you even read your own link?
November 27th, 2007 at 9:08 pmVoice of America is no better than the old Pravda, anyway. It is total government propaganda.
November 27th, 2007 at 9:09 pmhttp://www.reuters.com/ article/ worldNews/ idUSL264262220071127?pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=0
Please pay special attention to:
November 27th, 2007 at 9:11 pmThe urban unrest, triggered by the deaths of two youths who were on a moped that collided with a police car, have posed a fresh challenge to the leadership of President Nicolas Sarkozy after transport strikes and student protests over his reforms.
The 2005 disturbances were the worst civil unrest in France for 40 years and many blamed the harsh rhetoric of Sarkozy, interior minister at the time, for stoking the violence.
Will the “spam troll”:
a. Disappear in silent shame?
November 27th, 2007 at 9:16 pmb. Storm out and slam the door?
c. Dig a deeper hole?
d. Try to change the subject?
e. All of the above.
SPIEGEL November 19, 2007
THE IRON-WILLED PRESIDENT
Sarkozy Mounts Showdown against the Unions
By Stefan Simons in Paris
“In a showdown over pension reform, French President Nicolas Sarkozy is trying to wrestle power from the unions and establish himself as the steward of the country’s long-overdue modernization process. Meanwhile, as fears grow over possible job cuts and rising prices, new strikes could be on the horizon.”
November 27th, 2007 at 9:20 pmTracy2,
I guess you are just another poor excuse for a troll from that sludge farm Little Green Footfungus. So, tell me, are you a troll in training, or have you reached your highest level of incompetance? Your posts certainly indicate one or the other. Like the one above linking to VOA.
I really wish that LGF would send us some trolls that are competent and have some guts. You obviously have neither.
Run along now, little trollie, your mother at LGF is calling you home now that its dark.
November 27th, 2007 at 9:33 pmThose riots you are referring to didn’t occur under Mr. Sarkozy administration FYI. That would be Jacques Chirac…a liberal.
Comment by Tracy2 — November 27, 2007 @ 8:24 pm
Chirac, a liberal, eh? That’s too stupid for me to even LOL.
November 27th, 2007 at 9:37 pmI know you want to blame liberals for everything that goes wrong in the world, but Chirac was not a liberal. He and Sarkozy are, in fact, from the same party. Chirac’s last victory was attained against Jospin, the Socialist candidate, and Le Pen, the ultra far-right racist candidate. I could quote a lot here about Chirac’s generally conservative record, but for space reasons I will use just the following description from Wikipedia:
“Chirac made his first run for president against Giscard d’Estaing in the 1981 election, thus splitting the centre-right vote.”
Comment by pete — November 27, 2007 @ 9:16 pm
The correct, and unsurprising, answer is:
a. Disappear in silent shame.
November 27th, 2007 at 9:44 pmTracy_Tracy are you related to Roger2? I just love your multiple posts because that is more opportunity to give you an Abuse reporting.
November 27th, 2007 at 9:58 pmThese leaders’ fates should also carry a clear message here at home — support Bush’s war and be voted out of office.
****************************************
Is it possible that this is at least partially why certain GOP congresscritters like Trent Lott and Dennis Hastert are stepping down now — because they’ve seen the handwriting on the wall and decided that it would be better to step down voluntarily and maintain some semblance of dignity instead of experiencing the ignominy of being voted out of office?
November 27th, 2007 at 9:59 pmStudy released today says US fell from 8th to 12th most desirable place to live.
1)Iceland 2)Norway 3)Australia 4)Canada 5)Ireland 6)Sweden
7)Switzerland 8)Japan 9)Holland
10)France 11)Finland 12)US
13)Spain 14)Denmark 15)Austria
You will notice that all the ones except the US are downright socialistic. In fact, there are no developed countries to the right of the US.
November 27th, 2007 at 10:01 pmComment by Bluestocking — November 27, 2007 @ 9:59 pm
You’re on to something there, though the jury is out as to whether they are running from Bushco, or their own personal scandals. Either one works for me.
November 27th, 2007 at 10:03 pmComment by Manslagt — November 27, 2007 @ 11:16 pm
How many medals did John Kerry win after he volunteered for combat duty in Vietnam? Bush had to go AWOL from his champagne unit after they began including a drug test as part of the flight physical.
Isn’t the US the only one in the “coalition of the bribed” who is in a combat role today?
November 27th, 2007 at 11:25 pmComment by Manslagt — November 27, 2007 @ 11:23 pm
So, you are saying Bush hasn’t taken us below the Third World, yet? That’s quite an argument you got!
November 27th, 2007 at 11:27 pmFrance wasn’t even contributing troops…..
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6630797.stm
Comment by Tracy2 — November 27, 2007 @ 2:21 pm
They wouldn’t, they opposed the invasion you twit.
Oh, and Sarkozy? Yeah, he got in after saying that he felt as a friend to America, France has a duty to tell you when you are being dumbasses. Hardly a stirring endorsement of America’s invasion of Iraq.
November 28th, 2007 at 5:12 amBluestocking
New rules about becoming a lobbyist. Basically if they waited they wouldn’t be able to get that nice golden parachute they have been waiting for after retiring from government for two years.
Basically, its about the money.
November 28th, 2007 at 5:19 amI can’t wait to see the Idiot in Chief fall! Death to the Deceiver GW Bush! That’s Deceiver not Decider. America must unite to execute this evil treacherous scumbag known as GW Bush. Rip-off con-artist devil worshipping freak. Christian? yeah right!
November 28th, 2007 at 1:56 pmIf you actually think that Chirac was anything close to being a conservative then you must be so far to the left that you must think that Hugo Chaves is a centerist.
Comment by Tracy2 — November 28, 2007 @ 6:40 pm
No, sweetie (not), I don’t think Hugo Chaves(SI) is a centerist(SIC) nor a centrist, for that matter. Maybe Chirac was a centrist, but he certainly was not a classic liberal, which is why he split the right-centrist vote. Your garbled sentence on that proves nothing.
November 29th, 2007 at 12:22 amHell even Bush got re-elected, which should really have been an indicator on whether being a Bush war supporter hurts your re-election chances.
Comment by Kilo — November 28, 2007 @ 6:10 am
I won’t even go into the voter obstruction in 2004, which has put some Republiscum in prison in both Ohio and New Hampshire and may have had effect on the very close outcome of the election in 2004, for you appear to have forgotten all the seats lost by the GOP just last year.
November 29th, 2007 at 12:52 amI can’t speak with authority about the UK and Australia, though all the Brits and Aussies I’ve met are against the Iraq war. But I have lived in Japan and have degrees in Japanese studies. So I can say with authority that the Japanese gave victory to (then) Prime Minister Koizumi’s party in an election for the House of Representatives two years ago, despite overwhelming opposition among the public to the Iraq war. Other issues were in play at that time, and also Koizumi had some charisma rare in a Japanese politician. However, under Koizumi’s even more hawkish successor, Abe, the LDP met with a resounding defeat in an election for the House of Councillors this past July, and now a more liberal coalition has the majority in that body.
In any case, as you yourself acknowledge in regard to Howard’s rcent defeat. other issues do come into play in an election.
Again, if you think that Chirac was even remotely conservative you are way far to the left. My condolences.
“…and may have had effect on the very close outcome of the election in 2004″
There has never been any proof of that. Glad you said “may haveâ€.
Comments by Tracy2 — November 29, 2007 @ 1:31 pm
I wrote that Chirac may have been centrist. But, in any case, if you think I am far to the left, you must be a kool-aid addict–not just a recreational drinker. On a political placement test, I came out “centrist to liberal.”
November 29th, 2007 at 4:46 pmAs for proof of voter obstruction, there have been arrests of Republicans in both Ohio and New Hampshire. I also have a relative who was working at a poling place in Ohio, so I have a first-hand account.
Finally, I don’t need condolences from a troll who thinks Dumbya Bush is a good president. However, I will accept a “Happy Birthday” from anyone on or around Nov. 30.
Ps. Tracy2,
November 29th, 2007 at 4:49 pmI believe rioting has been going on in France this past week. It that also the fault of “liberal” Chirac, or better yet, your favorite scapegoat, “BJ” Clinton?
The social injustices that aflict the people who are doing the rioting are a result of bad social laws passed by past French administrations.
Comment by Tracy2 — November 29, 2007 @ 7:22 pm
And your new-found hero Sarkosy was part of the Chirac administration and a member of the same party, Mr. “I don’t deal in speculation only proven facts.” Where are you proven facts that Chirac was a liberal. I provided a source f(Wikipedia, like it or not) or Chirac as a centrist/rightist; you have provided nothing but your own opinion that he was a “liberal.” Mr. “I don’t deal in speculation only proven facts” and TP’s new expert on French politics, who probably doesn’t speak French and has never lived in France. (My apologies in advance if I am wrong about these points. As for me, I do and I have.) I have already acknowledged that American neo-cons may not consider Chriac one of their own, but no American liberals claim him, either. So instead of bothering to post a link to some rightwing site that calls Chirac a liberal, if such a site even exists, why don’t we just acknowledge that he was an eccentric maverick, neither liberal nor conservative, or something along those lines?
November 30th, 2007 at 9:13 amOh, and Mr. “I don’t deal in speculation only proven facts,” what proof do you have for statements like “Most of those who post here and TP wants (SIC–the subject is plural) the U.S. to fail in Iraq and their government…..? Last year when I asked you what proof you have for your similar statement to one of the posters here along the lines of “you don’t want democracy to succeed in Iraq,” your reply was to the effect that no liberal poster has written that they wanted to see democracy to succeed in that Iraq. By your “reasoning” then, one can conclude that since no one in the Bush WH denied that gay hooker/phony journalist Jeff Gannon was there for several overnights for sexual reasons, then he must have been there for sexual purposes. And BTW, when asked by you, I gave my honest OPINION (which I am entitled to just as much as you are entitled to believe in God, Santa Claus, and trickle down economic effects or whatever) that Gannon was probably sexually servicing someone in the WH. I didn’t say it was a fact; however it is a fact that he was there several times even when there were no press conferences at the WH and even before “Talon News” for which he related the content of press conferences came into existence. Sorry, little Lord Flaunteroy, until the Bush WH stops stonewalling and gives a reasonable explanation about the gay hooker’s frequent presence at the WH, I will remain suspicious.
Finally, Mr. “I don’t deal in speculation only proven facts,” who has nevertheless speculated that I must be terribly far to the left, I, too, like Richardson among the Democrats, though I don’t think he will get the nomination. Still, I am hoping that he will at least be selected as the running mate (VP).
I have a busy weekend ahead, so don’t expect a prompt reply–if I bother giving one at all.
Oh where have I heard that BS lie before! LOL!!!
Comment by Tracy2 — November 30, 2007 @ 3:29 pm
I already said that November 30 is my birthday, and I have other parties to go to. So I will not be responding to any more of your abusive accusations. Cheney off, Troll-boy!
November 30th, 2007 at 5:39 pm1) I only have thousands of posts to offer as evidence of my assertion. Comment by Tracy2 —
2)He (Chirac) and BJ Clinton were very close!
3) Couldn’t help yourself…could you?
Comments by Tracy2
1) But you haven’t posted any. And if you do after this, it will probably be your reading something into a post that isn’t actually there. Every time you write such BS, many liberals/progressives here quickly post retorts to you; I’ve seen them even if you haven’t or–more likely– haven’t grasped what they say.
November 30th, 2007 at 7:53 pm2) According to John McCain, Barry Goldwater and George McGovern were very close. Does that make Goldwater a liberal, or McGovern a conservative? Just because you probably don’t have any liberal friends, it doesn’t necessarily follow that other people can be pals with people of different political leanings.3)
3) That’s right, Troll-boy, I can’t help that November 30 is my birthday, and it will be happier without dealing with you. LOL! And ã•ã‚ˆã†ãªã‚‰ã€é˜¿å‘†ï¼