Subject: Why does he have to read the News paper, so he can be misguided as well? A president should read the newspaper for a laugh from the comics or maybe a good leftist commentary, but not for the facts. Why should a person who makes the news have to read it second or third hand? Do you really think the person behind the words of a news article know more intelligence and happenings then all of the FBI, CIA, Iteligence databases and on going investigations that are at his reach? Majority of the so called experts couldn't tell you what happen 4 days ago in any given country, but all of the sudden something happens, and these same guys are the so called experts, that everyone runs around quoting? Some of these articles are edited so much, that by the time they get to the paper, You have the editors points of view and not the writer of the article. This goes out to the Halliburton comment, Its better that 100 American soldiers die, then one single American citizen. Remember, all soldiers that are in the military volunteered to serve and protect their country and its way of life, they were not drafted or were they sentenced to serve. I understood this, and it was placed in every soldiers head during training. It was understood, the great risks and the sacrifices that were asked of us, and if we decided not to accept, we were given the choice to leave. The reason why we have such a great military is the dedication of its soldiers, not just the technology or its masses. Currently we have 214 American soldier deaths since 5/1/03 in Iraq because of combat situations (figures from www.antiwar.com), why is it, we had 148 police officers in the United States killed in 2002? (2003 figures are not in yet www.nleomf.com/FactsFigures/yeardeaths.html) Those numbers are way to close for comparing a combat zone and a non combat zone! Are we to expect a certain number of death while policing an area especially in a post war country? These people are like teenagers first year in college, there first tastes of freedom, they are going to test it to the limits! Some of these trouble makers aren't even Iraqi, they remind me of our parties as kids where unwelcome guest come in and make a mess of things. I read previous comments, and have heard on number of occasions, people complaining that there wasn't enough soldiers sent over, this coming from the same people complaining about the cost of the war? How many soldiers do we need to send over? A good number of them aren't even in Iraq or Afghanistan, rather they are on the out skirt countries and bodies of water patrolling, waiting to be called upon or just in waiting to relieve the current soldiers in the hot zones. To all the fellow readers of Gadfly, I hope your enjoying your holidays.and lets all have the strength and will to debate into the new year. Also lets all be sure to thank our host.Mr. Larry SOB Angel, who may be a SOB, but is our SOB..lol (Laughing out Loud for those non Instant Messaging fluent readers) Chris@mullicatwp.com

RESPONSE: Thanks for your kind words and indeed the debate is healthy and what makes America such a special place to live; whether we are politically to the right or to the left. As Adlai Stevenson said: AMERICA IS MUCH MORE THAN A GEOGRAPHICAL FACT. IT IS A POLITICAL AND MORAL FACT--THE FIRST COMMUNITY IN WHICH MEN SET OUT IN PRINCIPLE TO INSTITUTIONALIZE FREEDOM, RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT, AND HUMAN EQUALITY.

Respectfully, the point I was trying to make was that this President is intellectually lazy. Let me quote him again regarding his not reading a newspaper: "I glance at the headlines just to kind of get a flavor for what's moving. I rarely read the stories, and get briefed by people who are probably read the news themselves...our society is good, solid, democracy because of a good, solid media." Sorry, no typo; this man is a moron...yes, SOMEWHERE IN TEXAS A VILLAGE IS MISSING ITS IDIOT.

There ought to be a desire to understand the arguments being made by those who have a different view, or perspective. To just get information from those inside the frame who obviously have an agenda is worse than lazy; it is counter productive to wise leadership. The ability to communicate to the people like Churchill, or FDR, or Kennedy, is integral to leadership. THE LESSER came to power in control of the sole super power on earth and has chosen to ignore the wisdom of subtly and exert the power of the iron fist over reason and debate. A weak man, of little doubt; while great men are always filled with doubt. THE LESSER'S well documented sneer shows his joy in wallowing in power like the small lazy and cowardly man posturing in the flight suit he has always been. Contrast this with Jefferson's words: NEVER DID A PRISONER RELEASED FROM HIS CHAINS FEEL SUCH RELIEF AS I SHALL ON SHAKING OFF THE SHACKLES OF POWER.

Even when there have been debates in the White House more often than not THE LESSER has come down on the wrong legal side. Many Justice Department lawyers appointed by Bush argued strongly that the Constitution made THE LESSER'S actions as proposed by Ashcroft of calling detainees "enemy combatants" and holding them with out access to a lawyer, or charges, or the justice system was illegal; against the basic tenets of our Constitutional guarantees...analogous to the gulag of the Soviet Union. The Courts have recently ruled validating the basic rights of citizens jailed. The Bush/Ashcroft axis of evil will appeal...how sad for America. As Pascal noted: MEN NEVER DO EVIL SO COMPLETELY AND SO FREELY AS WHEN THEY DO SO IN THE NAME OF THEIR CONVICTIONS.