Pat Robertson's news site - cbn.com - has discussion boards up for people to talk about various topics. I looked at it suspecting to find one group who supported the war and the president in aboslute terms. Quite the opposite. One the discussion boards asking whether the "troop surge" should be supported features these as the most recent posts:
Not a chance! First of all, the war was built on lies (WMD's & Iraq was involved in 9-11), false hopes (that the US would be embraced in Iraq), misguided bravado (Bush went ahead mostly alone and without exhausting dipolomacy), and without a clear plan to win the peace. On top of that, the war has been mismanaged - thanks to Rumsfeld and those at the top, not our brave troops. In fact, it's surprising that America supported this folly as long as it did. I credit Karl Rove's spin with that. But as with Vietnam, it all is finally catching up with a President, who no matter how he tries, still has that deer-in-the-headlights look and feel.Not a chance! First of all, the war was built on lies (WMD's & Iraq was involved in 9-11), false hopes (that the US would be embraced in Iraq), misguided bravado (Bush went ahead mostly alone and without exhausting dipolomacy), and without a clear plan to win the peace. On top of that, the war has been mismanaged - thanks to Rumsfeld and those at the top, not our brave troops. In fact, it's surprising that America supported this folly as long as it did. I credit Karl Rove's spin with that. But as with Vietnam, it all is finally catching up with a President, who no matter how he tries, still has that deer-in-the-headlights look and feel.
The next one:
The "new" Iraq strategy is merely a rehash of the old. This is no real troop surge, since with fluctuating troop levels over the 4 years of the war, we've actually had this planned number of troops in Iraq already, and we've seen the results. And we've sent billions to Iraq already for infrastructure that got lost in the quagmire somewhere. It will take a better plan and better people with a more accurate world view to win the conflict and the hearts of Americans who feel burned and betrayed. I'm tired of old rich men creating wars for poor young ones to die in. I'm not anti-war. Desert Storm and ridding Afghanistan of the Taliban in a (failed) hunt for bin Laden were just conflicts and causes. This one never was. Sadly, over 3000 Americans, many of them just kids, have paid the price of the mistakes of a few, however well-intentioned.Keep in mind that these are evangelical viewers/readers of Pat Robertson's news channel and website...go and see for yourself it is extraordinary because these aren't isolated examples. Sure there are some who support but they are a minority. Amazing. I don't think anyone could have ever imagined this kind of revolt against the president from those who were his most ardent and strident supporters.
It is also further evidence of this - evangelicals supported Bush so blindly because his team seduced them into thinking he was a good Christian and that was all that was important. Now? Not only are his policies terrifying, but the name of Jesus has been corrupted in the process because Jesus' name is now so identified with Republican politics. A bad trade across the board.
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Donny, For the last several weeks I have read your posts and felt sorry for you. Your theory that evil is the left is simply beyond the pale. Evil exists - you might recall that the word "Satan" means the accusor. The accusing energy that we use with one another is is a sort of satanic energy. Somehow, the only way we can heal the world is to go beyond such language and such accusations. I am sure that at some level that is what you believe. But it comes across as something not of Christ. While we accuse the "other" whether it is the left or the right or those who call themselves centrists - the need to accuse is the thing that keeps us from Christ. I suppose I wish there was a way to simply eliminate such posts, but there is not. And when I read them, I understand why our world is violent in the name of God.
I don't think anyone could have ever imagined this kind of revolt against the president from those who were his most ardent and strident supporters. A lot of people did and have been doing so for a couple of years. Conservatives hate failures. Now Bush is seen to be a failure they will call him a liberal. They will deny ever supporting him. Conservatism never fails, it is only failed. All this is quite predictable.
Thinker: Without bothering to comment further on a certain poster, I wish to commend you for your 01.26.07 - 10:44 am post. Thank you.
Thinker, Pacific 231 I agree. Generally I skip "those" posts. They are insulting, non-productive,and put a mean face on Christ, at least to those who don't know any better. If Donny is for real, he is the most miserable "christian" on the planet. He could be a fake, a plant whose only objective is to divert discussion. In any event, we can only pray that he finds his way to God's love and finds it more enjoyable than condemning everyone else.
I agree with David that there is a seismic shift in support for President Bush. Although I do not agree with all of Nancy Pelosi's positions, her characterization of seeing the Emporer with no clothes is an apt one. Enough courageous citizens (from both parties and independents) saw through the hype and spin and enabled most of us to clearly see his folly. Just because the President and his spin team says something is true e.g. we are winning, does not make it so. I also like the Wizard of Oz analogy. I think the Libby case will pull back the curtain further, and we will see the real motives and ambitions of the President and those closest to him. I have read that a well-known historian has rated poor-performing presidents by how long it takes to correct their mistakes. I have been reading about Harding, Grant, and Buchanon. At a first comparison, they do look so bad now. History will determine how long it will take to correct this President's foolish mistakes. What truly bothers me is that he has tried to use his positon as a Christian "witness"; however, I am wary of being scammed. Obviously, I do not know the nature of his faith, although he has claimed he could look into Putin's soul and declare him a good man. Moreover, for someone who continously talked about being "humbled" to be president when he took office, he has has not behaved that way. Instead of seeing his position as a trust given to him by God (two very close elections), he has claimed he has "earned the capital" to do whatever he wants (as he declared after the 2004 election). Humbled indeed. He is our president for two more years, so I still pray for him. Perhaps that is the most important thing we all can do. Paul of Potomac
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