2,688 days without an attack

[Generic]

Marc Thiessen, a White House speechwriter, have newspaper columns out Thursday implicitly rebutting Obama's harrowing speech to the Bush administration (http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/01/22/america/bush.4-413984.php).
Thiessen, in The Washington Post, focused his argument on the fact that terrorists never struck American soil again after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, calling that Bush's singular legacy. "If Obama weakens any of the defenses Bush put in place and terrorists strike our country again, Americans will hold Obama responsible - and the Democratic Party could find itself unelectable for a generation," he wrote.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/21/AR2009012103215.html

Karl Rove went on to define Bush's legacy as the two of them see it. Bush, he wrote, was ultimately right about Iraq and right about his tactics in the war on terrorism. He cut taxes "for every American who pays taxes," appointed conservative judges, began an unprecedented campaign to fight AIDS in Africa, expanded Medicare to cover prescription drugs and introduced the No Child Left Behind education accountability program.
his column:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123258532378704477.html?mod=special_page_campaign2008_mostpop

[eljefe]

Originally posted by Generic
Marc Thiessen, a White House speechwriter, have newspaper columns out Thursday implicitly rebutting Obama's harrowing speech to the Bush administration (http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/01/22/america/bush.4-413984.php).
Thiessen, in The Washington Post, focused his argument on the fact that terrorists never struck American soil again after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, calling that Bush's singular legacy. "If Obama weakens any of the defenses Bush put in place and terrorists strike our country again, Americans will hold Obama responsible - and the Democratic Party could find itself unelectable for a generation," he wrote.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/21/AR2009012103215.html

Karl Rove went on to define Bush's legacy as the two of them see it. Bush, he wrote, was ultimately right about Iraq and right about his tactics in the war on terrorism. He cut taxes "for every American who pays taxes," appointed conservative judges, began an unprecedented campaign to fight AIDS in Africa, expanded Medicare to cover prescription drugs and introduced the No Child Left Behind education accountability program.
his column:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123258532378704477.html?mod=special_page_campaign2008_mostpop

Ummmm 2688 days without an attack on American soil does not justify or credit Bush with anything. They neglect to mention how many days the US had gone without an attack on American soil prior to that.:nut:

[Xtrema]

How about Iraq war that weakened USA and allow Iran and NK to have nukes.

And how about Pakistan who already has nukes but has no way to maintain a government to secure them?

All Bush's fault.

Went after the wrong people.

[Generic]

Originally posted by Xtrema
How about Iraq war that weakened USA and allow Iran and NK to have nukes.

And how about Pakistan who already has nukes but has no way to maintain a government to secure them?

All Bush's fault.

Went after the wrong people.

Iran and NK don't have nukes.
they have the ability to make them.
and yes, he should have gone after Iran.

[eljefe]

Originally posted by Generic


Iran and NK don't have nukes.
they have the ability to make them.
and yes, he should have gone after Iran.

North Korea tested their first nuclear weapon in October of 06

[Xtrema]

Either way, saying 2688 days with attack is like saying I have not cut myself in 10 years, pointless.

[Generic]

Originally posted by Xtrema
Either way, saying 2688 days with attack is like saying I have not cut myself in 10 years, pointless.

incorrect. Bush and his administration faced several terrorist attacks, including a foiled plane bombing (similar to 9/11) in 2003. We will never know for some time, how many times the US faced attack during these past 8 years.

[method]

Homer: Not a bear in sight. The Bear Patrol must be working like a charm.
Lisa: That's specious reasoning, Dad.
Homer: Thank you, dear.
Lisa: By your logic I could claim that this rock keeps tigers away.
Homer: Oh, how does it work?
Lisa: It doesn't work.
Homer: Uh-huh.
Lisa: It's just a stupid rock.
Homer: Uh-huh.
Lisa: But I don't see any tigers around, do you?
Homer: Lisa, I want to buy your rock.

[Antonito]

I have yet to hear how Obama plans to weaken national security. I hear plans to withdraw from the middle east (eventually...maybe), but those have nothing to do with homeland security.

[Generic]

Originally posted by Antonito
I have yet to hear how Obama plans to weaken national security. I hear plans to withdraw from the middle east (eventually...maybe), but those have nothing to do with homeland security.

closure of Guatamano Bay, refusal to use harsh interrogation methods, less military spending, etc

[Supa Dexta]

Jeeze, 2600 days gone, what have I been doing with myself.

[Graham_A_M]

^Word. It seems like yesterday I was in grade 12 when that happened. :eek:
Jesus :nut: :nut: Time flies doesn't it?

[Supa Dexta]

I was drunk somewheres in ontario.. :rofl:

[Antonito]

Originally posted by Generic


closure of Guatamano Bay, refusal to use harsh interrogation methods, less military spending, etc

No I said what is he doing to make America less safe. Iraq isn't actually part of America.

edit: actually, that only refers to the military spending.

G-Bay is simply a lightning rod for attention. They are not going to just throw these guys out into the streets once Guantanamo is closed.

Oh no, don't take away serious torture, then the CIA might have to actually do its job instead of cutting corners and going straight to water boarding.

[DRKM]

Originally posted by Generic


closure of Guatamano Bay, refusal to use harsh interrogation methods, less military spending, etc

Bitch, are you fucked?

[mx73someday]

I don't think it can be said that Bush's legacy was to prevent terrorism when he was directly responsible for so much of it. Besides aren't US bases considered American soil?

[James]

Originally posted by Generic
If Obama weakens any of the defenses Bush put in place and terrorists strike our country again, Americans will hold Obama responsible - and the Democratic Party could find itself unelectable for a generation," he wrote.
aign2008_mostpop[/url]

This is probably very true, and its simply because a large % of Americans are well, simply put, fucked in the head.

I truly hope nothing happens, but the future does not look great for the U.S....I Hope Obama has a very large rabbit in a hat.

[black13]

Originally posted by Generic


closure of Guatamano Bay, refusal to use harsh interrogation methods, less military spending, etc
Oh just STFU. Bush's approval rating is the lowest ever for a reason. Most Americans don't like him now and yet your defending him for his idiocy?
Torturing prisoners and invading countries with no concrete intelligence is why the US is in such a clusterfuck to begin with. The Afghan invasion was justified and more than enough to weaken Bin Laden and the Taliban. Invading Iraq was not necessary and just turned more of the middle east into a war zone. Now a huge mess to clean up after. And your saying they should invade Iran instead? Yea lets just bomb every country without evidence and still fund Isreal to bomb the shit out of every country it wants.

There won't be another attack on US or any major soil regardless. A 9/11 attack was a once in a lifetime thing, Taliban is pretty much abolished and Bin Laden hasn't even been seen in 6 months. So who else is there? Hamas makes home made rockets with scraps and Iran sure ain't stupid enough to think it won't get invaded if it does any attack on US.
And Obama hasn't said he's going to just cut security down at all. Most American's want the troops out of Iraq anyway.

[gatorade]

north korea has had nukes for a while...
"refusal to use harsh interrogation methods", in other words torture?

[James]

wow, i just read the article originally and didnt even noticed the OP's real stance on the situation, now that i re-read the thread.. what a moron:facepalm:

[Rocky]

Originally posted by method
Homer: Not a bear in sight. The Bear Patrol must be working like a charm.
Lisa: That's specious reasoning, Dad.
Homer: Thank you, dear.
Lisa: By your logic I could claim that this rock keeps tigers away.
Homer: Oh, how does it work?
Lisa: It doesn't work.
Homer: Uh-huh.
Lisa: It's just a stupid rock.
Homer: Uh-huh.
Lisa: But I don't see any tigers around, do you?
Homer: Lisa, I want to buy your rock.
This about sums it up. But a lot of common folk 1. will eventually feel Bush contributed to the prevention of terrorism and 2. will blame Obama and the democrats if terrorism happens to strike in his term. Which is probably more likely as they know it would destabilize the nation and contribute further to the economic decline that we've been seeing.

[Eleanor]

Originally posted by method
Homer: Not a bear in sight. The Bear Patrol must be working like a charm.
Lisa: That's specious reasoning, Dad.
Homer: Thank you, dear.
Lisa: By your logic I could claim that this rock keeps tigers away.
Homer: Oh, how does it work?
Lisa: It doesn't work.
Homer: Uh-huh.
Lisa: It's just a stupid rock.
Homer: Uh-huh.
Lisa: But I don't see any tigers around, do you?
Homer: Lisa, I want to buy your rock.
:rofl: so true

[Mckenzie]

Originally posted by Generic


closure of Guatamano Bay, refusal to use harsh interrogation methods, less military spending, etc

Sorry- how do these weaken national security?

The injustices watched by the world at Abu Graib and Guantanamo were the major turning point in the war for fueling an enraged insurgency and infuriating the middle east to the boiling point.

Lower military spending...well...if you are not running an illegal and useless war campaign then there is no need for cluster bombs and JDAMs, so that is probably something that would lead to peace.

[adam c]

Originally posted by Graham_A_M
^Word. It seems like yesterday I was in grade 12 when that happened. :eek:
Jesus :nut: :nut: Time flies doesn't it?

+1 i remember my radio alarm waking me up, i thought i was dreaming so i went to the living room and turned on the tv. then first period social studies that's all that was being talked about

[revelations]

Originally posted by Generic
incorrect. Bush and his administration faced several terrorist attacks, including a foiled plane bombing (similar to 9/11) in 2003. We will never know for some time, how many times the US faced attack during these past 8 years.

There were numerous thwarted attacks the last 8 years, as well as before 9/11....


http://creepingsharia.wordpress.com/2009/01/17/long-list-of-terror-thwarted-by-bush/





· December 2001, the first post - 9/11 plot was thwarted

· Captured an al Qaeda operative named Ali Salih al-Mari in the United States who we believe was targeting water reservoirs, the New York Stock Exchange, and United States military academies.

· Al-Mari offered himself as a martyr to Khalid Sheikh Mohammad (the mastermind of 9/11) who sent him to the U.S. after he received training in poisons at an al Qaeda camp.


· May 2002, Jose Padilla ‘Dirty Bomb’ Plot

· American citizen accused of seeking radioactive-laced “dirty bomb” to use in an attack against America.

· Padilla was convicted of conspiracy in August, 2007


· 2002 Aviation Plots

· Al Qaeda leader in Southeast Asia known as Hambali recruited Jemaah Islamiyah of Asian origin (less conspicuous)

· Plot derailed in early 2002 with international cooperation.

· Library tower is the tallest building west of the Mississippi (1,018’)

· Among the 25 tallest buildings in the world.



· September 2002, Lackawanna Six

· FBI Thwarted the locally recruited terrorist cell the “Lackawanna 6” by the capture of Juma al-Dosari in Afghanistan and subsequent interrogation while imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

· Six American citizens of Yemeni origin convicted of supporting Al Qaeda after attending jihadist camp in Pakistan.

· Five of six were from Lackawanna, N.Y.

· Summer/Fall 2001: FBI agents in New York receive anonymous tips from Yemeni-American community in New York that a local group of men is conspiring and training with Al Qaeda to commit acts of terrorism against the U.S.

· Several implicated men are put on the FBI terrorist watch list and detained upon return from Pakistan.

· Al Dosari is captured in Afghanistan in November 2001 and subsequently reveals the greater plot in New York to recruit.

· “Lackawanna 6” were arrested and convicted of supporting Al Qaeda and plotting terrorist acts.



· May 2003, Brooklyn Bridge Plot

· American citizen Iyman Faris was charged with plotting to use blowtorches to collapse the Brooklyn Bridge.

· After being introduced to Al Qaeda operatives, NY & federal authorities intercepted a plan to collapse the Brooklyn Bridge by cutting suspension cables as well as potentially derailing a train en route to Washington, D.C.

· Faris was arrested by the FBI after they intercepted a phone call to Al Qaeda operatives in Pakistan

· Faris was offered and accepted a deal to work as a double-agent for the U.S., helping the FBI with their anti-terrorist intelligence collection.



· June 2003, Virginia Jihad Network

· 11 men from Alexandria, VA, trained for jihad against American soldiers, convicted of violating the Neutrality Act, conspiracy.

· 11 Muslim men were charged in U.S. District Court in Alexandria with training with and fighting for Lashkar-i-Taiba (a group fighting the Indian government that the U.S. government considers a terrorist organization.

· Several members of the group were found to have trained for future attacks by using paintball facilities in the Northern Virginia area.



· August 2004, Financial Centers Plot

· Dhiren Barot Indian-born leader of terror cell plotted bombings on financial centers.

· Barot plotted a “memorable black day of terror” via a dirty bomb that targeted financial institutions in NY, D.C. and Newark.

· Barot was arrested at his home in Pakistan with the cooperation and help of U.S. and U.K. anti-terror authorities.



August 2004, Penn Station Plot

· James Elshafay and Shahawar Matin Siraj sought to plant a bomb at New York’s Penn Station near Madison Square Garden during the Republican National Convention.

· The New York City Police Departments Intelligence Division helped to conduct an investigation leading to the arrests.

· An undercover agent infiltrated the group, provided information to authorities, and later testi fied against Elshafay and Siraj.



· August 2004, Pakistani Diplomat Assasination Plot

· Two leaders of an Albany, New York, mosque Yassin Aref and Mohammed Hossain, were charged with plotting to purchase a shoulder-fired grenade launcher to assassinate a Pakistani diplomat.

· An investigation by the FBI, the Trea sury Department’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, and the local police contributed to the arrest.

· With the help of an informant, the FBI was able to set up a sting that lured Mohammed Hos sain into a fake terrorist conspiracy. Hossain brought Yassin Araf, a Kurdish refugee, as a wit_ness. The informant offered details of a fake terror ist plot, claiming that he needed the missiles to murder a Pakistani diplomat in New York City. Both agreed to help.



· June 2005, Father and son Terror Camp Plot

· In California, Pakistani immigrants Umer Hayat and Hamid Hayat, father and son, were arrested in June 2005 after allegedly lying to the FBI about the son’s attendance at an Islamic terrorist training camp in Pakistan.

· Umer and Hamid Hayat were charged with attending terrorist camp training in Pakistan and later found guilty of sup porting terrorism and customs violations.

· The son, Hamid Hayat, was sentenced to 24 years for supporting terrorism while the father, Umer Hayat, was convicted of customs violations including an attempt to carry $28,000 into Pakistan.



· August 2005, Orange County, California, Terror Plot

· In August 2005, Kevin James, Levar Haley Washington, Gregory Vernon Patterson and Hammad Riaz Samana were arrested in Los Angeles, California, and charged with conspiring to attack Los Angeles National Guard facilities, syna gogues, and other targets in the Orange County area.

· Kevin James allegedly founded a radical Islamic prison group and converted Levar Wash ington and others to the group, which was known as J.I.S., short for Jamiyyat Ul-Islam Is-Saheeh

· The J.I.S. allegedly planned to finance their operations by robbing gas stations.

· After Washington and Patter son were arrested for robberies, police and federal agents began a terrorist investigation when a search of Washington’s apartment revealed a suspicious target list.



· December 2005, Gas Lines Plot

· Michael C. Reynolds was arrested by the FBI in December 2005 and charged with being involved in a plot to blow up a Wyoming natural gas refinery; the Transcontinental Pipeline, a natural-gas pipeline stretching from the Gulf Coast to New York and New Jersey; and a New Jersey Standard Oil refinery.

· He was arrested trying to pick up the $40,000 owed him for planning the attack.

· His purported contact, Shan nen Rossmiller, was a Montana judge who was working with the FBI.

· The FBI later found explo sives in a locker in his home town, Wilkes-Barre, PA.

· Reynolds claimed that he was working as a private citizen to find terrorists.

· Reynolds was convicted of providing material support to terrorists, soliciting a crime of violence, unlawful distribution of explosives, and unlawful possession of a hand grenade and sentenced to 30 years in prison.



· February 2006, Iraq Bomb Building Plot

· In Toledo, Ohio, Mohammad Zaki Amawi, Mar wan Othman El-Hindi, and Wassim Mazloum were arrested in February 2006 for “conspiring to kill or injure people in the Middle East” and providing material support to terrorist organizations.

· They allegedly intended to build bombs to be used in Iraq.

· The investigation was begun through the help of an informant who was approached to help train the group.



· April 2006, U.S. Capitol & World Bank Plot

· Syed Haris Ahmed and Ehsanul Islam Sadequee from Atlanta, Georgia, were accused of conspiracy, having discussed terrorist targets with alleged ter rorist organizations.

· They allegedly met with Islamic extremists and received training and in struction in how to gather videotape surveillance of potential targets in Washington area.

· They videotaped places such as the U.S. Capitol and the World Bank headquarters as potential targets and sent the videos to a London extremist group.

· They were indicted for providing material support to terrorist organizations and have pled not guilty.



· June 2006, Sears Tower Plot

· Narseal Batiste, Patrick Abraham, Stanley Grant Phanor , Naudimar Herrera, Burson Augustin, Lyglenson Lemorin, and Rotschild Augstine were arrested in Miami and Atlanta in June 2006 for allegedly being in the early stages of a plot to blow up the Sears Tower in Chicago, as well as the FBI offices and other buildings.

· The arrests resulted from an investigation involving an FBI informant. It is alleged that Narsearl Batiste was the leader of the group and first suggested attacking the Sears Tower in December 2005.



· July 2006, New York City Train Tunell Plot

· Eight suspects, including Assem Hammoud, an al-Qaeda loyalist living in Lebanon, were arrested for plotting to bomb New York City train tunnels.

· Conducting on-line surveillance of chat rooms, the FBI discovered a plot to attack underground transit links with New Jersey.

· Ham moud was a self-proclaimed operative for al-Qaeda and admitted to the plot. He is currently in cus tody in Lebanon, and his case is pending. Two other suspects are in custody in other locations, and investigators continue to hunt down the other five suspects.



· August 2006, Liquid Explosives Plot

· Planned to blow up as many as 12 U.S.-bound passenger jets using liquid explosives hidden in carryon luggage.

· U.S./British authorities had the group under surveillance for many months.

· Many of the suspects were British citizens of Pakistani origin.



· March 2007, Skyscraper Plot

· Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, mastermind of Sept. 11 and author of numerous plots confessed in court in March 2007 to planning to destroy skyscrapers in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago.

· Mohammed also plotted to assassinate Pope John Paul II and former President Bill Clinton.



· May 2007, Fort Dix Plot

· Result of a 16 month investigation by Justice Dept and FBI .

· Tipped off by an alert citizen (a video processing worker) .

· Suspects had taken an incriminating video to the store to be transferred to DVD.

· Video showed calls for jihad and radical and violent ranting in Arabic, included images of the men firing assault weapons.

· “The Ft. Dix Six” thought to be a leaderless, homegrown cell of immigrants from Jordan, Turkey and Yugoslavia (not believed to be tied to Al Qaeda).

· All six suspects were convicted in December 2008.



· June 2007, JFK Plot

· Suspects planned to hit fuel farms and a 40-mile aviation fuel supply pipeline.

· Specifically, they targeted the symbolism of JFK, seeking to invoke an emotional reaction saying “It’s like killing the man twice.”

· Suspects were tied to extremists groups in South America and Caribbean, specifically Guyana and Trinidad .

· One suspect was a former airport cargo worker.

[bashir26]

You forgot about the Sniper killings in Maryland

[revelations]

That was a 'successful' occurrence.

This is a list of un-successful attacks.

[method]

Thanks, creepinghsharia! Your unbiased opinons have shown us the light.

[Rstar]

My buddy that has been living in San Diego for the past 3 years thinks that the average right wing Canadian is further to the left than the average American left winger.

Based on how far Obamamania has permeated into our Country, I'd have to agree.

[Rstar]

Originally posted by method
Thanks, creepinghsharia! Your unbiased opinons have shown us the light.

Like the article said, George Bush really has not done that bad of a job all things considered. The thwarted terrorist attacks are a great example of something that can probably be strongly attributed to some of his policies - as unpopular as they might have been, they would probably be preferred to thousands more dying.

[Generic]

Originally posted by Rstar
My buddy that has been living in San Diego for the past 3 years thinks that the average right wing Canadian is further to the left than the average American left winger.

Based on how far Obamamania has permeated into our Country, I'd have to agree.

agreed. We are very very left as Canadians.


Originally posted by Rstar


Like the article said, George Bush really has not done that bad of a job all things considered. The thwarted terrorist attacks are a great example of something that can probably be strongly attributed to some of his policies - as unpopular as they might have been, they would probably be preferred to thousands more dying.

Bingo.
Pick Your favorite Bush Accomplishment
A) 2001 Tax Cuts B) 2003 Tax Cuts C) Education Reform D) Medicare Reform and Rx Benefit E) No Domestic terrorist attacks in 5 years F) Liberation of Afghan people G) Liberation of Iraqi people H) Historical Tort Reform I) Bankruptcy Reform J) Historic proposal to reform Social Security K) Unilateral Disarmament of Libya, with no shots fired L) Withdrawal of Syrian occupation forces from Lebanon M) Historic Energy Independence Bill N) Death of the fake assault weapons ban. O) Signs the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act" P) The Iraqi cabinet / constitution complete Q) Ooday/ Qusay /Zarqawi / Saddam dead. ( R) 2 conservative supreme court justices (S) Creates the largest National wildlife preserve (T) Stock market breaks 12621 (U)Q3 2006 4.4% unemployment (V) Alberto Gonzales the first Hispanic attorney general (W) Colin Powell the first black secretary of state (X) Rice first black female secretary of state. (Y) Signs the Disaster Recovery Personal protection Act.

He didn't do his job to be popular.

[revelations]

While I am not pro "Bush" by any means, he did initially resist the idea of going to Iraq, but the types of people he chose to surround himself with (Rumsfeld, Cheney) made it hard to keep things in check as they had their own agendas.

What happened afterwards overshadowed the positives - which the media chose to focus on.... as well as the worlds worst orator, and the inability to think on his feet.

[Gainsbarre]

Originally posted by Generic

Pick Your favorite Bush Accomplishment


Are you capable of posting a few lines here without copy-pasting junk from somewhere else?* How about completing the alphabet with "accomplishment" Z?


*See "Buck Ofama"'s post from a few months ago on http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081115165758AAkhAea

[gatorade]

Republican John Mcain also supports closing Guantanamo Bay as he was also tortured when he was captured by the NVA.

[method]

My favourite Bush accomplishments were the ones where he launched the country into a new era of deficit/debt, launched two 'unwinnable' wars in foreign countries (one under false pretences), enacted the patriot act, etc.

I suppose if you're a purposely contrary libertarian, then some of the terrible things that Bush did could be construed as good :dunno:

LOL alberto gonzales! Thanks Bush!

*bombs falling* Thanks for liberating us! The majority of us want you out of our country, but we love you apparently!

Only now when Bush if finally gone do all the neo-fascist lunatics come out of the woodwork, supporting the most heinous of Bush's work with cheery revisionism. Sick.