GQ_jumper

Just a personal opinion as to what I think is going to make the winning candidate in the next election, as we've seen over the past 6 years being far to the right isn't always the best course of action, when GW was elected I was far to the right on most issues, and looking back I think back then a lot of those on the far right made some fairly sound decisions. Nowadays I still would not consider myself a liberal, I am definitely more moderate than I was though, most of this being driven by the fact that those on the right won't listen to anyone but themselves, the reason I didn't swing all the way to the other side though(I just know someone is gonna turn this one into a gay joke), is beecause those on the left do the same thing, they listen to no one but themselves. Bush has turned the country off to someone on the far right, even if the next republican candidate were someone who was fairly outspoken in support of conservative views yet at the same time made an effort to understand both sides before making a sound decision he/she would stand no chance. And Kerry, good o'l mr. I'm better than everyone, especially soldiers and the lower-class, has turned the public off to those on the far left. I hear so many people saying they didn't want to vote for Bush but they did anyways just to avoid Kerry being in office. IMO Kerry based his strategy on being as far opposite GW as possible, the public showed a lack of support for Bush so it could be assumed that they would want to see just the opposite, and we all saw how that one worked out. Personally I feel that there are going to be more swing voters in this upcoming election than ever before, fewer people are going to head to the booth and just go down the line and check all the candidates in their party. Regardless of party affiliation I think the majority of Americans are going to look to someone who has their head on straight whether they lean to the left, right, or balance it all right in the middle There are people on both sides of the fence I consider to be excellent decision makers, party affiliation means little to nothing in my mind anymore, one's ability to see both sides of the argument and make a logical decision is what is going to get the support in the '08 election. Hillary, I'm sorry but she is a bit too much on the extreme side for my taste, and I will venture to say quite a few Americans feel the same way, including many registered democrats. The bad thing is that I think Hillary is tricky enough to read this and will put on a front that displays her as more of a moderate and then show her true colors after the voting booths have closed. Hopefully someone who tries to stay in the middle yet still has the ability to move one way or the other if the situation dictates will present themselves. I'm keeping my fingers-crossed anyways. History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid. --Dwight D. Eisenhower

A hero is someone who fully understands the potential consequences of doing the right thing, and then does it anyway. Quote I second that, couldnt' have said it better myself. History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid. --Dwight D. Eisenhower

isn't there a judge involved before you can make that statement?Quote if a man attacks a police officer, would you consider him innocent or a criminal? History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid. --Dwight D. Eisenhower

Well, they have managed to kill 3000 US soldiers, so I'd say they are not totally incompetent fools.Quote People are always citing the umber of Americans killed like it is showing a terrorist victory or something. Yes 3000 of our own dead is a horrible thing, in fact I just found out yesterday that one of the guys that I worked with for the better part of this last year was just killed in Ramadi, the kid didn't even have to go, he was on orders to go to NC but he volunteered to go to stay with his teammates, he leaves behind a fiancee whom he proposed to over the phone a month ago. My point being though is has anyone on here considered the number of enemy dead that have resulted from this action. I know Kallend is going to jump in there and point fingers about how we are killing innocents intentonally along with those enemy, but a man sitting safely behind a computer in the US bitching about who we are targeting has little room to speak IMO, we in no way intentionally target innocents, as opposed to the insurgents. But as for numbers, obviously there are no concrete numbers but let me throw a few tidbits out there about the ratio of how many we lose as oppose to how many we kill. 2004, my team was in a little known Iraqi town called An Muqdidiyah, while on patrol the team was caught in an ambush the likes of which had never before been seen in this town. After 4+ hours of fighting and chasing the insurgents from building to building as they took pop shots and ran away like cowards the team reconsolidated and got a count of friendly casualties, there was one, and Iraqi soldier working along side the team who was shot in the ass, enemy, as stated beore there was no exact count but drawing numbers from the count people were keeping in their heads as they watched guys drop. The best guess was somewhere between 100 and 120. Mind you the kind of team I am on works in small numbers, 12 max, usually closer to 8 because we are never at full strength. Look a little more recently at the big battle in Sadr City(North-Central Baghdad for those of you unfamiliar), a unit of Iraqi soldiers I trained a few years back lost a few of their own to kidnappings, the SF soldiers working with them found out who was responsible and rolled in Sadr City, they fought their way all the way to the objective, fighting street to street, hit the target and fought their way all the way out. Not a single US casualty, no civilians either as the insurgents had pushed them all out of this part of the city so that they could fortify it(although the Sadr militia claimed that the US rolled through slaughtering civilians, this being the same militia who after I was on a hit in this area where not a single shot was fired called the news stations to say we had slaughtered everyone in a mosque). There was never an exact body count for the opposing team but it was well up there in the triple digits. How about we look at a completely different conflict, seeing as how I grew up in 3rd Ranger Battalion I hold the October 3rd raid in Mogadishu close to my heart. After the most intense firefight that any US forces had been engaged in since Viet Nam they emerged with 18 KIA, 1 MIA(who was soon recovered), and I can't recall the exact number of WIA, the Somali's, I have heard all kinds of different numbers but on the low end, 1200, on the high end 3000, that's around a 70:1 ratio on the bottom end. My point is that in every aspect of combat we are the far superior warrior's(Bill, I know your post was in no way intended to say we couldn't fight, I'm just trying to make a point about the lack of skill of the opposing force), but even the most inept fighters get a lucky shot here and there, when it's your time it's your time no matter how well trained you are. Trust me I've seen the way the other side fights, and they truly are totally inompetent, there's a halfway decent gunslinger or two mixed in there, I'll give them that but pretty much all of the kills they rack up are from either lucky rounds as they sprayed and didn't even look through the sights or idiot proof methods such as convincing someone to drive a car up to a check point while someone a block away with a remote detonator blows it up. There's a reason we say that the safest place when fighting an insurgent is directly in front of them History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid. --Dwight D. Eisenhower

**shudder** Ouch! Quote nah ya get used to it jus so ya know sweetie, I've got another friend out your way who's been beggin me to come visit so I may just have to swing out there to see both ya History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid. --Dwight D. Eisenhower

LIFER LIFER Dan's a LIFER AHHHH, dirty words, you take that back, besides I need to get out while I'm still young enough to have a kid History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid. --Dwight D. Eisenhower

I've put my own shoulder back in about 7 or 8 times sweetie, I know how nasty it sound History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid. --Dwight D. Eisenhower

On one of your two arguments, I'll re-up but there's no way in hell I'm goin to OCS And I'm gonna do it down-range so I get the bonus tax-free. MONEY MONEY MONEY History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid. --Dwight D. Eisenhower

As I said, humans before canines. I honestly can't believe there are civilized people trying to rationalize anything different. Quote And I can't believe you hold criminals in such high regards History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid. --Dwight D. Eisenhower

In akarunway's defense we did have a little discussion via PM after he posted this and he was more than personable, I appreciate you guys stickin up for me though, my hat goes off to you. And as for what rehmwa said, people always accuse me of trying to bully people, but when have you ever seen me threaten someone. Saying something like I dare you to say that to a soldiers face isn't me sayin I'll kick your ass, I'm just trying to discourage people from saying things that they wouldn't say to another persons face, it's about being a man. Thanks rehm History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid. --Dwight D. Eisenhower

Canine before humans? Absolutely not. Quote So if I volunteer to become a military dog handler and go to Iraq with my dog and in a firefight both my dog(teammate) and an insurgent get shot, who should I treat first, the insurgent who shot my dog, or my teammate, and what if the dog was shot while stopping the insurgent from shooting me. Screw the insurgent, he's a terrorist and deserves to die, my teammate comes first and if I can stabilize him and the insurgent is still breathing I'll work on him. I know in your world criminals are hero's and everything the Police do is evil and they are only here to hold us down cause they are the man but to those of us who work closely with people who are their to watch our backs and bring us home safely our loyalty goes to our teammates first. History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid. --Dwight D. Eisenhower

I'll take you up on the beer, thanks. Quote Are you sure, I've been told I give a good fat lip History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid. --Dwight D. Eisenhower

Those soldiers I've met have skydived with me, because I actually go to DZ's to skydive, not to talk politics. And that right there deserves much respect, you're good in my book brother, like I said I never tried to take away a man's right to speak his mind, but stick to your guns and don't cry when someone let's ya have it, not everyone chooses words over action. How bought we trade in the fat lip for a beer sometime And I'm out for the night, I have to get up in a few hours to go to work. History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid. --Dwight D. Eisenhower

And don't the parents share some responsibility for not having a minor in their charge, home and sober at 3am? EXACTLY, why hasn't anyone pointed teh blame on teh parents, hell what if the dad got the kid drunk, is it still then the police officers fault. I understand the police should in some way be counseled, maybe re-trained, but in no way should be punished, the kid was a fuck up, he got himself killed while the police officers were trying to protect others on the roads. let's look at what led to the kid dying, he got drunk udnerage(illegal), he drove without a license(illegal), he drove while drunk(illegal), there was probably some sort of a curfew for minors in that area(illegal), didn't the report mention speeding(illegal), the kid tried to escape after being arrested(illegal), yep its all the cops fault. if a grown man had done this would anyone give a shit. i think the parents should be punished for allowing it to happen, and the officers recieve some sort of re-training on procedures after taking a minor into custody(but NOT be punished). It's a sad state of affairs when people go on a witch hunt for cops anytime someone dies, yes ther are bad cops out there, but does that mean everytime someone dies within 100 meters of a cop we should fry the cop. History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid. --Dwight D. Eisenhower

I always hear good stories about him in the media, plus he does a lot of USO work, awesome guy History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid. --Dwight D. Eisenhower

Skydive Chicago is open year round I believe, if you looks on this website there is a list of dropzones world wide(at the top of the screen is the link), or go to www.uspa.org and they have a list of dz's there hope this helps History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid. --Dwight D. Eisenhower

And with a bit of luck there is a rope malfunction and everyone gets to see him getting hanged twice. Quote While Christina Aguilera and N sync do a number on stage with lots of fireworks and Christina has a wardrobe malfunction. History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid. --Dwight D. Eisenhower

I wrong for saying it and talking to someone that agrees with Tontos thoughts even though he is in the armed services? Quote You are not wrong in the slightest, you had every right to say that and further I respect the fact that you said it to his face. Quick question though, did you say that the war as a whole was being fought poorly or that the individual soldier was fighting like shit. History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid. --Dwight D. Eisenhower

I think tony suit may make those too History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid. --Dwight D. Eisenhower

There is almost always that family atmosphere at the DZ, but some get rather cliquish, no to mention there are some where it takes a fat wallet to get coaching for your license History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid. --Dwight D. Eisenhower

you say this like Dropzone.com is the USAQuote umm, I do? History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid. --Dwight D. Eisenhower

How come she's your EX WIFE. Get tired of your MACHO crap maybe? Quote Macho crap? guess again, I left her, she had a bit of an issue when it came to telling the truth about quite a few things, and there are rumors of certain indescretions when the military had me out of town, but i never proved them so i never accused her of anything History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid. --Dwight D. Eisenhower

please note that I never once commented on whether or not the cops should or should not have opened fire, as I said I don't know the details on this particular incident, I am saying that in my mind, my teammates life takes precedence over a criminal. History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid. --Dwight D. Eisenhower

These two sentences are oxymoronic.Quote how so, say what ever you like, but if you are going to say something that could piss someone off don't hide. History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid. --Dwight D. Eisenhower

People before canines.Quote under every circumstance? come on History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid. --Dwight D. Eisenhower