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Lots of Talk about Strength, But Is It The Right Kind?

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liberalmike27 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Dec-14-03 10:34 PM
Original message
Lots of Talk about Strength, But Is It The Right Kind?
strength (strèngkth, strèngth, strènth) noun
1. The state, property, or quality of being strong.

The US military, due to huge budgets for decades now, that have sapped much life from our economy, fits this one.

2. The power to resist attack; impregnability.

Iraq didn't fit this one, nor did we on 9/11, unfortunately, due to Bush's inept handling of the warnings of impending attack, he received in his presidential daily briefings, that he is now trying to hide from prying eyes.

3. The power to resist strain or stress; durability.

Hopefully, for our sake, Bush will lack this kind, and get his pink slip.

4. The ability to maintain a moral or intellectual position firmly.
This is the kind that matters the most, and this is the one that Bush (Shrub) is in short supply of. It appears Neil, and Jeb are also lacking in this area. I have a feeling Bush-daddy passed this quality down, though his foibles seeem less evident. Perhaps Barb's genes polluted the mix, and watered down an already morally weak-drink.
This definition is, of course, the one that Dean beats Bush out in spades.

5. Capacity or potential for effective action: a show of strength.

I'll give Bush this one, but without number 4, the real credit goes to Clinton's military, you remember, the one that has been fighting these wars, that Republicans were whining of its weakness the whole time Clinton was in office. Of course the war with this broken down third-world country was like a pro baseball team playing a tee-ball group. No one should be surprised at either our quick insertion, nor the continuing guerilla war.

6. a. The number of people constituting a normal or ideal organization: The police force has been at half strength since the budget cuts. b. Military capability in terms of personnel and materiel: an army of fearsome strength.

Once again, Republicans compalained about this one, but once it was put to the test in Afghanistan, a just war, and then Iraq, still an unjust war, it proved to be of marvelous metal.

So, we see anyone can order the best military in the world into a war. That kind of strength isn't the one we need in a president. Bush has virtually no number 4, and that is a real problem.
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LSparkle Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Dec-14-03 10:45 PM
Response to Original message
1. Good points ...
I keep thinking of the scene in "Schindler's List" where Schindler tries to teach the Nazi commander (Ralph Fiennes' character) about true strength -- the ability of forgive or pardon someone. Shrub has no ability to do that; he only wants to confront the world. True strength lies in being able to control one's base, animalistic instinct for revenge, to be a civilized being and try to avoid physical conflict. Again, this administration has show that diplomacy is its weak point, which is why ... it's time for them to GO!
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liberalmike27 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Dec-14-03 10:56 PM
Response to Reply #1
2. Bush
People think Bush is simply clumsy diplomatically. I believe he is purposefully disrespecting the world.

Unrest, and war is the only thing that will keep Republicans in power at this point. So they will have war then.
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