Who would Jesus Execute?
Huckabee's answer is separation of church and state.
There was a fascinating exchange with Huckabee in the CNN debate last night that revealed his core value about applying Christian values to politics.
Cooper: I do have to though press the question, which -- the question was, from the viewer was? What would Jesus do? Would Jesus support the death penalty?
Huckabee: Jesus was too smart to ever run for public office, Anderson. That's what Jesus would do.
(Applause) 
In other words... Huckabee believes that Jesus was not a politician and what Jesus said does not apply to public policy.
Notice, also, that his answer received applause.
Troop withdrawal reduces violence by 90%
Why aren't Americans talking about this instead of drivers licenses for Mexicans?
Holy smokes! A 90% drop!
Ninety percent! If Bush's "surge" had led to a 90% drop in violence, no one would doubt them that the surge has worked.
But who thinks, for example, that denying Mexicans drivers licenses will lead to a 90% drop in illegal immigration,
even if it works? I seriously doubt we'll notice any difference in illegal immigration, either way -- and yet we Americans have been debating this policy with the most vigor.
I'd much rather we debate someting that might actually make a difference. A ninety percent reduction in violence is a real difference.
Here's the article:
Britiain Credits Troop Withdrawal for Significant Drop In Attacks in Iraq
BAGHDAD — Attacks against British and Iraqi forces have plunged by 90 percent in southern Iraq since London withdrew its troops from the main city of Basra, the commander of British forces there said.
The presence of British forces in downtown Basra, Iraq's second-largest city, was the single largest instigator of violence, Maj. Gen. Graham Binns told reporters Thursday on a visit to Baghdad's Green Zone.
"We thought, 'If 90 percent of the violence is directed at us, what would happen if we stepped back?"' Binns said.
Britain's 5,000 troops moved out of a former Saddam Hussein palace at Basra's heart in early September, setting up a garrison at an airport on the city's edge. Since that pullback, there's been a "remarkable and dramatic drop in attacks," Binns said.
"The motivation for attacking us was gone, because we're no longer patrolling the streets," he said.
Last spring, British troops' daily patrols through central Basra led to "steady toe to toe battles with militias fighting some of the most tactically demanding battles of the war," Binns said. Now British forces rarely enter the city center, an area patrolled only by Iraqis.
The majority of attacks now target Iraqi forces, but overall violence now is still a tenth of what it was in May and June.
Please read this article and memorize the main facts. The next time your co-workers or family start debating something that doesnt really matter, (Kucinich and the UFO, come to mind) change the subject to this --
a real issue that might actually make a real difference.
Pat Robertson flip flops on sin
If Clinton was morally unfit to be president, how can Pat Robertson endorse Giuliani?
I have to say, this story really chaps my hiney.
As a Democrat Evangelical, I got verbally beat up for YEARS because of my support of Bill Clinton. Sure, he doing a fantastic job as president but
how could I ever personally support someone who was of low moral character. Character is everything!Driven on by the likes of Pat Robertson, my conservative Christian friends even believed that I was morally complicit in Clinton's sexual antics because I supported him politically.
And now Pat Robertson proudly and publicly endorse Rudi Giuliani,
Pat Robertson endorses Giuliani
WASHINGTON -- Republican presidential candidate Rudolph W. Giuliani on Wednesday received the endorsement of televangelist Pat Robertson, who said the former New York mayor's promises to appoint conservative judges and protect Americans "from the blood lust of Islamic terrorists" should trump conservatives' concerns about Giuliani's support of abortion rights.
If there was one issue I got beat up more for than the "Monica Affair" was my supposed support for the "murder of millions of babies" because I supported a pro-choice president.
So, is it fair to believe that Pat Robertson endorses the "murder of millions of babies" because he endorses pro-choice Giuliani?
Robertson, does seem to realize his moral flip-flop but explains it away:
Robertson backs Rudy despite abortion differences Robertson said Wednesday he set aside his differences with Giuliani on issues such as abortion because he believes that fighting the war against terrorists is more urgent.
"To me, the overriding issue before the American people is the defense of our population from the bloodlust of Islamic terrorists," Robertson said. "We need a leader with a bold vision who is not afraid to tackle the challenges ahead."
But I've been beat up on
that very point, too! Here's their logic:
Abortion and terrorism: Chillingly similar... at the heart of terrorism is a willingness to act without regard to the claims or loss of innocent human life. We have seen this firsthand and on our own soil with the events of 9-11 and countless other atrocities around the world. In fact, we maintain it is this savage disregard for innocent human life that cannot be tolerated by the civilized world.
[...]
[A] contradiction is created by abortion. We condone it personally with our inaction and sanction it corporately with our laws. We are therefore complicit in the taking of innocent human life. Maybe this explains why we as a nation are not wholly committed to the war against terrorism – there is no guiding principle for protecting innocent human life from one group of people versus another. That means to some extent we have lost our standing in this fight.
So, there you have it. If you are anything less than an activist against abortion,
you support terrorism.So, where does that leave Pat Robertson in the eyes of the Religious Right?
In my eyes, its reveals Robertson nakedly as a political operative.
Rice's wink and nod to Turkey attacking Iraq
Am I the only one worried about Turkeys likely invasion into Iraq?
The news media is focused on Pakistan this week, apparently having just noticed that the country is run by a military dictator.
As one who knows a thing-or-two about Pakistan, I greatly fear for it's future. However, the events of this week are nothing new.
The other big international news this week was Condoleezza Rice's wink and nod to Turkey's Ali Babacan for an attack in Iraq.
Common sense tells me an attack within Iraq by Turkey would be a huge mess and make it much more complicated to stabilize the country.
Considering Rice's incredibly bad diplomatic skills, it's possible that she has no idea she just green lighted an invasion.
But it seems pretty clear that's what just happened on her recent visit there. See how this is being reported to the Turkish people:
U.S. Considers P.K.K. As A Terrorist Organization, Rice ANKARA - U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Friday that the United States considers PKK as a terrorist organization and a common enemy.
"We have agreed with Turkish FM Ali Babacan that effective measures must be taken so that Turkey is not faced with terror attacks in the future," told Rice a press conference in Ankara.
In a joint press conference after her tete-a-tete meeting with Ali Babacan, Rice indicated that they discussed the problem in north of Iraq and terrorist organization PKK.
"PKK is a threat to Iraq's stability; and security of both Turkey and the United States," underlined Rice.
Now, according to the
Bush Doctrine , which everyone in the Middle East is acutely aware of, Turkey has the right to preemptively and unilaterally invade a country if it's perceived as a threat.
Well, the Kurds in Iraq are more than a perceived threat to Turkey -- more than 35.000 people have been killed in the conflict with the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK)
There was a time when I assumed that someone as bright and intelligent as Condoleezza Rice knew something that my common sense wasn't telling me. I mean, you dearly hope that's true with out leaders. Now I trust my common sense more than the best and the brightest in the Bush Administration.
Well, common sense says that having another country in Iraq killing people and blowing things up is going to be a huge, tragic mess for everybody, including the U.S.
From the memory bank: This visit by Rice reminds me of when the G HW Bush administration accidentally green-lighted Saddam's invasion of Kuwait.
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