Starkly Outrageous - Page 15

SixStringHero · 10-25-07, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by independent_thinker2002

Still using the troops as pawns? Sickening.

Speaking of a volunteer force, how come there are more privatized mercenaries than US troops in Iraq? Those privatized mercenaries aren't accountable to anyone for their actions and cause blowback thus getting our soldiers killed.

Wasn't Blackwater banned from the country pending an investigation?

Regardless, they should be.

WI Crippler · 10-25-07, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by independent_thinker2002

Speaking of a volunteer force, how come there are more privatized mercenaries than US troops in Iraq?.

Is there a source you can cite showing that privatized mercenaries outnumber US troops? Thats alot of mercenaries...

Stinger · 10-25-07, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by independent_thinker2002

Still using the troops as pawns? Sickening.

Defending the troops is sickening to you..................says it all doesn't it.

independent_thinker2002 · 10-25-07, 11:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SixStringHero

Wasn't Blackwater banned from the country pending an investigation?

Regardless, they should be.

The Iraqi's have backed off on that. Regardless, Blackwater isn't the only private mercenary force there.

independent_thinker2002 · 10-26-07, 12:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WI Crippler

Is there a source you can cite showing that privatized mercenaries outnumber US troops? Thats alot of mercenaries...

I apologize, they aren't outnumbered. I misheard that in an interview of Jeremy Scahill on Bill Moyers' show. According to the Scahill Oped in the L.A. Times in Jan. 2007, they have 48,000 soldiers(100,000 contractors total) in Iraq. And they were looking to add another 30,000 soldiers.

Our mercenaries in Iraq - Los Angeles Times

Though, private contractors do outnumber the troops according to a July 4, 2007 L.A. Times story. 180,000 vs. 160,000.

http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/07/04/2284/

rhinefire · 10-26-07, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SixStringHero

Even I am not the biggest fan of the president, but I'm getting really sick of seeing people make baseless claims regarding his intelligence because of his speeches. Being articulate is not indicative of one's intellect.

U.S. Presidents IQ hoax - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In 2006, a real historiometric study, published in the scientific journal Political Psychology, compared the estimated IQs of all US presidents since 1900. It rated G.W. Bush second last, with an estimated IQ between 111.1 and 138.5, and an average of 124.8 (the standardized average is 100). According to the same study, the average estimated IQ of president Bill Clinton was 149. In an interview, it was noted by the study's director that "Bush may be 'much smarter' than the findings imply" but that he "scores particularly unimpressively for 'openness to experience, a cognitive proclivity that encompasses unusual receptiveness to fantasy, aesthetics, actions, ideas and values.'" Other estimates of the IQ of G.W. Bush have been based on his SAT score of 1206 (566 for verbal and 640 for math), which would equal an IQ of around 125-129. Still another estimate, based both on his SAT scores and IQ-type tests that he took as a required part of applying for Air Force Officer Training School in 1968, concludes that Bush has an IQ somewhere between 120 and 130. No official IQ data for George Bush is available, however.

I recall President Reagan's great oratory skills and unfortuneately the contrast to Bush is overpoweringly sad. I watched Bush last night with this string in mind and the man cannot keep his eyes off his script. So, does that mean he can't remember after he rehearses or does it mean he does not bother to rehears? I hope it's the latter but he has done this since day one. I just can never accept his hideous verbal blunders, "Fool me once,shame on you..............er, uh.....". This is the leader of the free world and I can't wait for the day when I won't be embarrassed to listen to our leader.