Gates says war on terrorism needs more help from U.S. civilians

[Robbien]

Source: AP

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) - Defense Secretary Robert Gates is hoping for more help from civilian experts when it comes to winning the war against terrorism.

He's calling for the creation of new government organizations, which could provide non-military expertise -- or "soft power" -- in areas like communication, economic assistance and political development. Teams of experts could be sent abroad on short notice to supplement military efforts.

Read more: http://www.koin.com/Global/story.asp?S=7411270

---

Isn't this what the State department does/is supposed to do? Appears Gates wants a State department of his own.

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

1. Um...love to...but my dog's got an appointment with the groomers --- sorry. nt.

[xchrom]

2. it's just more evidense that the republick party doesn't know what it's doing. nt

[Solly Mack]

3. the ministry of redundancy

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

4. You can say that again. nt.

[sutz12]

11. The Department of Redundancy Department. nt

[Mountainman]

5. Anything to avoid the draft. End this fucking war don't expand it.

The war on terrorism is bull shit. You can't fight a war against a tactic. There will always be terrorists. They belong to no specific country. We are being mislead into funding Haliburton and all the rest of the daddy warbucks. Now you can even pay with your life!

[stillcool]

6. I'll bet he is...

From Times Online
November 1, 2007
State Department faces Iraq call-up rebellion

The US State Department is facing an unprecedented rebellion by foreign service officers over a threat to force diplomats to accept postings in Iraq, the first large-scale "directed assignments" since the Vietnam War.

Tempers boiled over at an hour-long "town hall meeting" at the department last night, where several hundred diplomats vented their anger at the decision to approve the call-up and one veteran diplomat criticised it as a "potential death sentence".
---------------------------------
“It’s one thing if someone believes in what’s going on over there and volunteers, but it’s another thing to send someone over there on a forced assignment,” Mr Croddy said, to loud and sustained applause from the audience. “I’m sorry, but basically that's a potential death sentence and you know it. Who will raise our children if we are dead or seriously wounded?”
--------------------------------------------------
Under the new order, 200 to 300 diplomats have been identified as “prime candidates" to fill 48 vacancies that will open next year at the new US Embassy and in provincial postings. Those notified have ten days to accept or reject the position. If not enough say yes, some will be ordered to go.

Only those with compelling reasons, such as a medical condition or extreme personal hardship, will be exempt from disciplinary action. Diplomats forced into service in Iraq will receive the same extra hardship pay, vacation time and choice of future assignments as those who have volunteered.

More than 1,200 of the department’s 11,500 Foreign Service officers have served in Iraq since 2003. But the generous incentives have not persuaded enough diplomats to volunteer for duty there.

The last large-scale "directed assigment" was in 1969 when an entire class of entry-level diplomats was sent to Vietnam. On a smaller scale, diplomats were required to work at various embassies in West Africa in the 1970s and 1980s.

[Old and In the Way]

7. "sent abroad" = Iraq

I'm betting the poor saps who sign on would never know their final destination.

[defendandprotect]

8. From the "October Surprise" little helper --- !!!

What we need are more protests ---

More military people resisting this OIL war ---

[HowHasItComeToThis]

9. MORE NO BID CONTRACTS

MILITARY WILL BUY THE 2008 ELECTIONS.

WE HAVE HAD A MILITATY COUP

[OhioChick]

10. Time to Shop. n/t

[Fool_Me_Once]

12. Allow me to translate:

Gates was quoted as saying: "Please help us, the ship is sinking, we will pay BIG bucks for hired hitmen at this point!"

[sutz12]

13. What? We haven't privatized the State Department yet? nt

[bemildred]

14. Anybody want to volunteer? nt

[tabasco]

15. Jawohl, Mein General!

I will keep a close eye on my neighbors for suspicious activity!

[and-justice-for-all]

16. The War on Drugs and this War on Terrorism is bullshit!!

It is a war on the middle east.

[Diclotican]

17. Robbien

Robbien

It is easy, dont act as a bully, a thief and a pirat. Be decent and try to stay honest, then you both get your trust for the public in US, and abroad can get a releef for that they have seen lately.. Try to take a hand out for your allieds, and not play nice gays with the wrong nations.. Try to stick to your ideals, your dreams. What US was standing for

Then you may even get abroad your allieds in europe, who really want the old US of America back to its feat.. Where you belong so well. We need a trustworty alliance with the US.. And US need a trustworthy alliance with europe. Toghter we can fight down the reason for terrorism, and even manage to get home om friday afternoon for some nice dinner and some tee or what you want to drink after dinner...

You dont need to make your own "sivilian adwicery group" to try to understand the rest of the world to help US to combat Osama Bin Laden and its like.. Ask us in Europe, and be polite when you ask of something.. Then you may even manage to make eternal peace.. When you use ALL your muscles, not just your military arm, witch you have a lot of.. You need come back to the diplomatic front, and use it, to convice us to join you in this fight.. For freedom, justice and liberty... And not use the same metods as your enemy to try to fight them.. Get them into the defence, and then you can fight them. Now it is US who are on the defence all the time... As it looks at on the outside then..

Diclotican

Sorry my engelish, not my native language

[Robbien]

27. Exactly. I agree with all your comments

But I believe it is exactly the opposite of how my country will act. I mourn the loss of working with the international community as friends and co-equals. How can any government believe it can get things done by bullying and blaring demands, but that is the one we Americans are stuck with.

I love my country, but I fear its government and fear for its future.

Optimism is pretty low here.

[Diclotican]

30. Robbien

Robbien

True. United States _need_ to understand to get suport from ALL country, to fight terrorism, you are not allowed to be arrogang, and blind to what everyone want too.. Good grefs, If mr Bush had been in power under the cold war, The Soviet Union would ha won the cold war... Bush, and more to the point Chenney and CO have doing more to damage the interst of United States than everyone else in Europe want, og was dreaming of before 11 sept 2001... It is really amazing how low America standing in the world are today.. Just mindblowing if I may say it...

No man in a island on it own a old proverd are saying.. And NO Country, even that powerfull as USA can fight back terrorism withhout of other nations who share the same goal.. And the Current Administration have doing so mutch so derail, destroy and stop the will to work togheter. But now then we are just 440 days before mr Bush is out of office I belive it some hope for progress.. I hope that the next president wil made a mutch better stand, and to behave in another way, not just against the own peopole who whoted the person in. But also to the rest of the world.. The Next President _need_ understand that, you dont behave like that, without some damage.. And I belive sincerly that the next president, who it wil be have to work mutch closer to its friends and allied, and to play more attetion to what the friends want to say to USA.. USA is a great nation, with a great powerfull military, but even that have not given USA the right, or the power to do exactly as they pleace. And it wil be better for all in our worlds, that we just work togheter. To share a comon goal.. And to work togheter to fight back facism, and the extremist om all sides who really want it to go to hell..

I also fear your goverment, more that they se capable of everything, just to get to power and to be there to have it.. But I hope that the american public, have the opportunity, to fight back and take the country back from this neo-cons, pirates and destroyer of the United States of America and all what it stand for.. If the american public WANT to get back power to lead the country, nobody in the world can stop them to do it.. I belive in a better future, to the opposite is prowen..

America is a amazing place and I want to wisit it again. But not before this maniac you call your president is out of office, and hopefully into a prison cell, when hi and his "friends" can compenplate for the rest of their life what they was doing wrong, to end up in prison...

Diclotican

Sorry my bad engeligsh, not my native language

[Robbien]

33. I hope you are right

in that a change in presidency will change the course of American's foreign policy. Hopefully the election will not be rigged as it has been in the past and a good individual can get elected.

How is your government faring up there in Norway? I see Norway made it into the top two of the best places in the world to live. Sorry to see that the US dropped out of the top ten.

[Diclotican]

37. Robbien

Robbien

I hope I am right, and the next election wil not be rigged.. I belive still in the american democracy, even it was hard when mr Bush was elected, both in 2000 and then again in 2004.. The Brittish mirror had a excelent frontpage when they ask who so many american be that dumb that they elected Bush twice...

I dont know if the next election wil not be rigged, but I hope it wil not. Even that type of goverment you have today, must have some decency deep, down in the pool, where the respect for the people are still living.. I bet it wil be a suprice if US are woting for a President, nobody have heard about, and who try it hardest to beat the neo-cons. and take the spotlight where it belong.. In the evildoers home...

I guess my goverment in Norway is good.. Not to bad, when in some year now Norway have been one of the best country to live in, in the world:). Oour sosial-democratic values probely is to blame.. I know many americans fear the STATE as was it pleauge.. But we do have managed to get a decent life here in Norway.. Even when our goverment maybee ha a bigger control over thing, and have a mutch more powefull standing when it come to who own what then in USA..

We do have our billionares, and we do have our homeless people.. And to be so a rich country I am not excactly proudt about the last, that we do have homeless pepole... Maybee it just the season we are into soon, but I belive we can better than we are today.. Mutch better... But after all, we are a peacefully nation, not at ods with our nabour nations.. Even the russians sees to have found a foundness in us Dont know why, but they do..

Amazing that USA, One of the biggest nations in The world have droped down below the ten top nations.. Mybee the future is in the hands of the smal country, who have a managble public, and who can bould a socity where all can have the same right?.. Or maybee US have som reall issues home, that they to this day dont want to speak alound about?.. A friend of my, who are at school in US today, says that many things in US are not as good an polished as they are when you loking at it from the outside.. But I hope with time America can stand up, and be that powerfull friends is was sometimes down the road again:) I really do

Diclotican

Sorry my bad engelish, not my native language

[Robbien]

38. Perhaps with the world keeping its fingers crossed for us

the next election will turn out a bit better than the last two. And perhaps in the next election the person with the most votes wins for a change.

You are right, many here in the states fear big government, but I feel they fear it for all the wrong reasons. Your government provides good schools for everyone, good healthcare for everyone, good roads and good transportation. Our government does the minimal amount. Healthcare is only available for those who can afford it, good healthcare is only available for the wealthy. Public school system is breaking down and is getting very pricey. Our roads are crumbling and public transportation is dwindling. I hear rails up your way are great and improving. Our public rails are closing down one by one.

So our cities are looking great in the areas where the wealthy live. Where they don't, the areas are ignored. But with all that we in the middle class still pay high taxes.

I believe big government is only a real problem if that government feels it has no responsibility for the health and welfare of its citizens. Which is where we here in the US now are.

It is good that the Russians leave you alone to live in peace. I read that the US has even removed all our personnel from its base over in Finland so even our government must feel the area of the world you live in is fairly safe. Hopefully the removal of the US from Finland didn't hurt their economy too much.

Is immigration a problem in Norway? With all the countries in turmoil these days, the number of refugees seeking a good place to find refuge keeps growing.

[Diclotican]

39. Robbien

Robbien

We wil do what we can to keep our fingers crossed for US, next year.. And hope that the Man/woman with the most wotes wins the presidency.. I dont know how it can be, but I belive that whatever it be, it is better than the current Administration.. Even a moderat Republican, can be a better shoose than this fanatical right wing extremist Administration.. I know I maybee getting into problems in US to say this, but that is what I feal about this Administration.. This Administration are extremeist on the fair right in my book.. Even many republicans, are against this Administration, but are afraid of been labeled "unpatriotic"..

Wel, we can do better, allways I am afraid.. This morning it was a burning in our main Railroadstation, not in the building but in some maintainceshaft, and all the trains was stading rock steady.. Becouse the electrisity was stoped, nobody can use the train in the "østlandsområdet". And therefore 80.000 passangers hvo usaly use the rail have to use car or other public transport.. The resoult was totaly chaos.. And the main fairways into Oslo var shochet pretty good the whole day.. And it was a BIG area who have traffic jam... But it looks as it wil be better now... But it wil take some days to fix what was destroyd.. it was a cable in a tunnel who was breaking, and 10.000 Volts was free... The stickfire was allmoust 1 meter long as I have been told on the radio..
But as whole, we do have a fair good railway in Norway, but it can be better... Mutch better.. many think that it is worse than in many other contry, and have to be rebuild.. The goverment is thinking about a hig-speed link between all large City in Norway.. And then it is the cost, and where the railraod should be laid down.. And as in many thing, norwigian want to discuss a subject to its death, And then deside what to do.. So I guess it can take some times before a new highspeed railroad is putting all the larger city in our country into one good railroad.. But it can be doon, we have the money, and probely also the wil.. And it is maybee more energy efficent thant to fly aircraft from one city to another city all the times.. And I bet it can be don more sheapely too.. And the emissions wil not be that large..

As a europan and a rather liberal man, I really dont understand why americans are so afraid of the goverment as they are.. They belive that the government are there to "steal" from them. But many american dont know that the taxes the government are taking in are going to what you point to, road, school, and so on.. I know that the goverment in the old days have been hard, even to the brink of plundring the people to get what it want.. But it was never a Middleages in the US as I know it?.. And the states in the union have a lot more power to do as they want, than the diferent areas of a country in Europe have it?

Healthcare is important. Verry important for the public. And I for one can not understand why America, one of the riches country in this earth cannot like the idea of a universial Healthcare system for all its zitiziens.. I am really out of tutch with why american decides that i is better to not have afforable healtcare for all. A I am reading it, is posibily between 40 to 50 million americans, who dont have healthcare and who dont have the opportunity to HAVE healtcare what so ever... That is scary... USA are the ONLY country who are in the 1 world (industrynation) who dosent have a healtcare for all.. And even then they are so afraid about it, becouse it limits pepoles "freedom": What is the public smoking if they belive that... Cant be just tobaco... (I dont want to insult pepole in US, but as a europan grown up with a public healthcare system I am just mindbugling about the arguments many american use against a healthcare system for all)

Norway and Russia have been nabour, and friends, and some enemy the last 100 year or so.. Our first King Haakon 7 promised after the Russian Revolution in 1917 that no norwigian king or crownprince is to wisit Russia before the comunist regime was over.. It took allmoust 80 year before it was time for our new king Harald V (5) to visit Russia for the first time in more than 100 year in 1992. It was a historic visit in some way...

I dont belive Finland have a military base, who US was in Controll but I guess you mean Island and Keflavik Airforce Base who was closed down. I dont know if Island have been hurt bigtime.. But it was not excactly a happy moment when the last american soldiers was off the Island.. Most becouse then the Island dosent have a military precense on its soil.. But Norway have been helping Island someway becouse some RnOAF F16 Fighting Falcon MLU4 have been stationed on Island, and a P3 Orion have working toghter with the Islandic "homeguard" to controll Islands territory. And I guess it is working fine.. But I doubt it is like have a big american base on its soil. Norway have Not a big military force anyway.. Finland was becouse of its history a country who was not alligned to either of the alliances, but was pressured to by a lot of russians goods, becouse of "the special friendship" between Russia and Finland. Finland have been in the loosing end in the WW2 and was pressured by the Russians to be a neutral State...

The american govermen have to feel that the area of the world is pretty safe it they are to close a base.. But I bet the really reason its closing its base is becouse they need the military presents in other areas.. As some have shown, the US want to be in Iraq for the long term.. Quit the opposite that they claim when they force their way to Baghdad in 2003.. Off cours it is on re request of the Iraqi goverment :sarcasm: But we all know how are REALLY in share in Iraq, and that is not the goverment of Mr Malakai...

WEL, it is if you looks at is a problem.. I am not living in the area where the most imigrations are living. And I do have a belive that if you treat pepole right, they treat you right too.. To the opposite is proven I take my shances. Even with a dark skinned man/woman from a fareflung nation who I never have been.. Maybee it is little blueheaded, but I really belive in the best of man.. To the opposite is proven then...
But, it is some nations who have emigrated to Norway the last 30-40 year who maybee have doing a lot bad for their, and for all emiration who have coming to Norway after the War
But, for the most part, our emigration are from country as Sweden, Denmark Island Finland, the Baltic nations.. Germany England and so on.. So I doubt we have so big a problem, as someone whant us to have.. But if you ask a another person, you may been told that the emigration from specially some nations is a horrible thing that should be stoped... And the most of the emigration population been trown out of our Kindom and home to where they belong..
And yes, we do have criminals from the emigration population. Some nations is more known than others.. And we do have had some verry intenst moments lately.. For two year ago two pakistani gangs was firing at eathother.. In the middle of the downtown Oslo Area (Aker brygge).. Its just dam lucky that noboy outside the gangs was not killed.. And it provoke a lot of arguments what to do with the gangs.. And for a year ago, we have a drive-by shooting at Youngstorget, in the middle of the City.. IT to provoke a lot of arguments.. And I belive the Police had to work hard to get the public to know that it was safe again.. We are not usted to this type of thing.. Not gang-war in the middle of the summer, and specially not drive-by shooing... That have been a forreing thing to us... As someone have pointed out, we do live in a rather peacefully area of the world...

True.. It is harder and harder for refugees to seek a good place to be safe.. War is a problem for all I guess. Not just for the refugees...

Diclotican

Sorry my bad engelish, not my native language

[Robbien]

41. You are right in saying

that some in the US would not like you saying you do not like this administration. Posting that on a Republican discussion site would get many nasty responses. Here at DU, we agree with you. How did you find this discussion board site?

But I am sorry to say there are very few if any moderate Republicans left in the Republican party in Washington. All of the presidential candidates in this next election have vowed to continue the current foreign and military policies of this current administration. In fact several of the Democratic presidential candidates have said they also will continue the current administration policies but they would work to get the international community to work with them in continuing the policies.

So it is important which candidate wins. So we will see.

Concerning what you said about getting a high speed railway. Getting things done seems the same all over the world. People take more time talking about it than actually doing it.

Yes, each State does have some power, but all the taxes collected by each State goes to the Federal government. If the State is a State which supports the administration, the Feds give it back a bigger share of the money. But States which do not support the administration get a smaller share of the pie. The Feds do seem to have more say about what happens in each state than most people would like them to have.

We do not have nationalized healthcare for one reason. There is no money in it for the healthcare industry made up of insurance companies, medical suppliers and drug companies. These industries pay our politicians a lot of money to make sure the politicians do not hurt their profits. Yes, over 40 million people have no insurance and many more have bad insurance which provides even less than basic healthcare. It is a bad system. If privatization of your healthcare system is ever discussed in Norway, I recommend you fight it hard.

In regards to immigration, I personally am in favor of it. In fact the area of Chicago that I live in has a nice mix of nationalities. Having this mix adds spice to life I believe. What I don't like about immigration is that many of the US policies such as our warmongering and free trade agreements force so many people in other countries to have to give up their homes to find somewhere else to be able to earn a living.

So basically I am hoping for a change. Not really expecting there is much a chance of one though.

[Diclotican]

43. Robbien

Robbien

Wel if they dont want to hear what I say, they dont need to be near mee.. But if someone in US if I was to wisit your country want to ask my what I feal, I would tell him that right to his face.. If he dosent like it, fine. If he like it great.. But it is not up to my to deside that.. And if the person who ask my what i think about president Bush belive me to say nice ting, becouse I am visiting his country they may be in for a suprice.... We was learned well to tell the truth home.. And I think that is a good value to come home from... Even that is sometimes hurt...

Have read this forum for a cople of year.. My first visit to DU I belive was in 2002 or 2003, but I never registered before now.. I was at another forum, Aftenposten.debatt a Norwigian debat forum where the name DU was coming up, and I desided to look into the forum.. And there I was...

I belive it is many republicans who are decent and no hijaced by the current Administration. But they are afraid of been labeled unpatriotic if they was to say up lound and clear that they belive mr bush are wrong.. The Swiftboats of the extreme right have been pretty good at labeling everyone who questing mr Bush actions, as un-patriotic muslim lovers and its like... Many decent americans have been labeled as sutch, even soldiers who have fight americans wars.. And even now many vetrans from the current war is labeled terrorist-lovers in the right wing media. OF peopole who have never been in combat, who have never seen friends, familiy been killed, who have never seen the enemy in the aye and shoot... But they are "tuff" enought to go attacing soldiers, and vetrans who KNOW what war is, and what it can do to them...

True, it is many who want to be a part of a decision to build new railroad links.. But then it is in a democracy we are living... And norwigian are known to debate a issue to it is dead.. And then build the thing they have desided to do.. Even if it tok 10 year or more.. Our primary Airport to Norway was just gettin 35 year to complete.P.. And it in the most fog-infestet place in whole Norway.. But it works...

In many ways, I would never manage to understhand where the US working.. But I try, but it is confusing... But it is a amazing country, with a lot of the "spice" as you put it, that the rest of the world need.. The world would be a mutch more booring world if US was to sunk into the sea tomorow...

True.. Then it is maybee more important to have a Healthcare program for all?..It may cost a lot, but it is worth it ,for the joe public who maybee dont have the ends to pay more and more for basic needs.. And if joe public are going sick really sick, not just the flue, he may not be capable of geting the medical help Joe public need... And then he would die.. Even pepole who HAVE the right medical innsurance sometimes are been told by their inncurance company, Sorry we dont pay for this prosedyre, and we dont want to have you as a pacient in this facility.. That is a scary thing, if you pay into a inncurance company, and then been told that they just dosent want to pay for your need..

Sometimes the issue of a "private medical healthcare" system are up, but it seldom get longet than to our tabloid news paper.. It is not inexpencive to have a public healthcare system where you dont pay for medical help.. But I belive it is mutch better than the opposite where you have to pay for your needs.. And I belive, long down in even the most "libertanian" officals, they pretty wel agree about the need, to have a public heathcare system to all. Some want a more "part privatisied" healthcare where they can "shoose" witch hospital they want to be helped by, and thast is what is happening today..Some want even more loose control over what the diferent hospital are doing, but that is in many cases dead in the water long before it is coming into our parlament anyway.. The consesuss is that Norway should have a public healthcare system open for all.. But it cost... And that is where our politicians dont agree allways

I would fith it nail and thoe if the goverment was to plan for a pratized healtcare system. I have some needs to sometimes going to a hospital, and I cant affoard a private heatlhcare system.. So I am pretty wel stuck with a public healthcare system anyway:P

Emigration have its downside, and it upside.. The important is what we are doing with it.. The cusine of Norway have definedtly been more intersting the last 20-30 year from where I was a little kid.. Indians, Pakistani, Chinese and its like have doing a great tribute to make our cuosine and food a lot more intersting... But I cant eat to mutch spaycy food then, And for the most part I ask for "mild" if I ordered something.. But it is good food.. And for the most part, it is not bad too...

I hope for shange for US. I doubt it wil be a great shange, but even if a more decent president are in place, then I am happy... And a more peacefully United States are not bad either...

Diclotican

Sorry my bad engelish, not my native language

[Robbien]

44. Well how about we are famous. A forum in Norway talking about DU.

I believe conservative hate talk radio and Fox News have changed a lot of Republicans where they have fallen for all the propaganda this administration puts out. These last seven years have changed a lot of right wingers. Many have gotten pretty nasty and aggressive.

You are right about the military though. Even if they are conservative, most of them see through all the crap.

For all its faults, I still believe the US is an amazing place myself. Each State in the Union is so very different, but very much the same in so many ways.

Every time anyone brings up universal healthcare, someone from the Republican party starts screaming Nanny State and Socialism, as if providing decent care for everyone is a bad thing. They are all about greed and taking care of oneself and letting the other guy fend for himself. Their hate talk radio and Fox News keeps reinforcing those ideas.

And of course the elites are just fighting it because of profits.

You are so right about the variety of food different nationalities bring to the table. I love walking out my door around dinner time and smelling the different aromas in the air from all the cooking in the homes of the different families in my neighborhood. One thing that the US has always had is a lot of different type food.

Has there been much talk in Norway of changing the social system you currently have into a more capitalistic or globalized economy?

[Diclotican]

46. Robbien

Robbien

The world is so mutch smaler than you belive sometimes you know;)

As I have said in another tread here for some time ago. Many of the talk radio, and the sokalled FOx News would never manage to have a great aduience in Europe Becouse for the most part every one nation have some rules, and the control over the airwawes are still in the arms of the goverment... In many ways.. The last 7 year have been pretty scary, when it come to what the "hate radio" can do and canot do.. I have read some of what is coming of the O'Rallys and its like and I are amazing what they can do, and speak about, and not be told to shut up... And maybee do some really work.. They lay, cheat and spread a hate I have never belived can come from "decent" pepole.. But what I know about things.. The same men and woman who have free raign on american public airwaiws would NEVER had a chance to survive more than one day or another in Europe.. I really belived they would be closed down in 1 of 2 days.. Maybee the Rush Limburgs would have been there for a week. But not a moment longer... And they may even get a criminal sharge against them...

I am myself a pasifist by beliving. But I have a lot for family who was, or are in the armed forces in Norway.. They have a rather conservative outlook of life, but they are totaly not in agreement with mr Bush and what he stand for.... And I doubt that the same is the case in US armed forces.. If you have carrier in the armed forces, what you learn is you be prepared to WAR, but you really do hope you never was to go to war... That was the outlook my grandfather had, And he was a army major in the armed forces...

I woundered, have ONE of them really studied what universal Healthcare are all about?.. Have they really studied what it mean and what it can do for the most of the public?.. I really doubt it. It is better to scream about Nanny State and Socialism then to study what it really mean, and what it can do.. I really doubt, that in a country as USA, who can manage to find money to send peopole to the moon, and have the resourses to wage expencive wars here and there. Dont have the money to get universial Healthcare for everyone.. They would have found the money, if they just stop waging all this war anytime... And maybee even get a military who US can affoard to have standing...

Absolutely, even in "booring" Norway, the food have manage to be better.. In many ways then.. Maybee it have been more healty too.. New food have in many ways manage to get peopole to understand that food can mutch more than mothers meatbolls or gravy... Wel the meatbolls and gravy is stil good,but not everyday;) We need som potato too:)

Yes it is allways some who want to changing the social system, for some other.. But it looks like everyone are in some agreement that for the most part we want a healthcare and a social system where all can live inn.. Maybe not the "Nany state" we once had, but I doubt it wil be changed drastically in my lifetime.. I hope not.. But our healtcare is depended of one thing. That many enough pay the taxes. And we do have a group of pepopole who are using the tax law to have a big tax brake, where the rest have to pay for the healthcare system we do have.. And it looks like the goverment either dont want to shange the laws, or they dont know the loopholes.. And if they know the loopholes, they just dont care to shange it.. So I guess the government its like the other all over the planet Earth..

But for now, we have a good social and a healthcare who are good, werry good. And for the most part we do have the help we need, when we need it.. If you are rich or you are poor.. And I realy belive that is important to know, for the future.. We can do it mutch better, but we have to have this type of healtcare in the future also..

Diclotican

Sorry my bad engelish, not my native language

[superconnected]

18. I don't know why I thinking this

but what if, after regular citizens don't sign up,
they force prisoners in US prisons to do it.

[Didereaux]

19. HURRAH! more government organizations! what else from a Repugnant-BIGGER gubmint!

simply dripping irony & sarcasm!

[Didereaux]

24. Here's the story THAT REALLY is driving the OP ...Bloomberg story

(NOTE: Edwards is is covered favorably in this article)

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601070&sid=aDe..UN_xI8w&refer=home
" And just yesterday, Defense Secretary Robert Gates called for ``a dramatic increase in spending on the civilian instruments of national security,'' including diplomacy, strategic communications, foreign aid, civic action and economic reconstruction.

``I am here to make the case for strengthening our capacity to use soft power and for better integrating it with hard power,'' Gates said in a speech at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas.

``We must focus our energies beyond the guns and steel of the military, beyond just our brave soldiers, sailors, Marines, and airmen. We must also focus our energies on the other elements of national power that will be so crucial in the years to come.''

Gates Trip

Administration officials deny that they are pulling back from Asia or other regions. ``Far from neglecting Asia, we are more engaged than ever before,'' Gates in a Nov. 9 Tokyo speech concluding a week-long trip to the region.

Still, China has made headway, in part because of the unpopularity of American policies, said Arthur Ding, an international affairs analyst at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.

China has weakened the influence of the Western-dominated World Bank and International Monetary Fund in the developing world by providing loans that aren't conditioned on the adoption of certain policies, as are funds from the bank and IMF.

In 2005, for example, the IMF was on the verge of a deal with the Angolan government for new loans in exchange for commitments to curb corruption and ensure that oil revenue went to social programs, according to Joshua Kurlantzick, an analyst at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington. ..."

[ixion]

20. okay...here is some help: Get a grip, you moron, there is no such thing as a 'war' on 'terror'

or 'drugs' for that matter.

Hope this helps, you delusional idiot.

[rockybelt]

21. Hey Gates

why don't you just fucking call them Brown Shirts?

[rockybelt]

22. I can't stop with brown shirts

Put everything together. Gates wants to provide "soft-power" (Brown Shirts) in areas like communications. He wants to monitor EVERY conversation either through electronic means or eaves dropping. Report your neighbor for being unpatriotic!

Economic assistance: Brown Shirts, go grab every fucking dime you can get from these peons and give it to me to fight terrorism. Only I can protect you.

Political Development: You know what the fuck political development is. BRAIN WASHING!!

YOU FASCIST MOTHERFUCKER!!! YOU AND BUSH AND CHENEY AND ROVE AND RUMSFELD AND THE WHOLE FUCKING CROWD.

I HAVE HAD IT WITH THESE MOTHERFUCKERS!!!!!

CONGRESS---WAKE THE FUCK UP! IF YOU DON'T DO SOMETHING, OH I DON'T KNOW, LIKE IMPEACH---YOU ARE COMPLICIT WITH THEM. DON'T YOU GET THAT?

OR DO YOU FIGURE, WHAT THE FUCK ARE THE "PEOPLE" GOING TO DO? "WE" CONTROL EVERYTHING! WE THE POLITICIANS CONTROL EVERYTHING.

I don't usually use language like this but I am so enraged that I don't know what to do.

I used to be a fighter and when I got hurt, a rage would come upon me that is unbelievable! The adrenaline surged, the vision narrowed and woe be tied upon your little ass if you were in front of me.

I am now enraged and ready to fight.:mad: :mad: :mad:

[Zorra]

23. We civilians will gladly do our part by voting all republicans out of office.

After we get this nest of corrupt traitorous domestic terrorists that are destroying our democracy out of our government, we'll have no problem dealing with any pissant foreign groups. We'll defeat them here so we won't have to fight them over there.

Proud and pleased to do my part in the war on terror, Mr. Gates, sir.
:patriot:

[Supersedeas]

25. Not the highest vote of confidence for Condi's Department, is it?

[damntexdem]

26. U.S. citizens can help best by going to the polls and getting rid of GOP pols.

Then we can dump the "War on Terra," get rid of the Department of Hoaxland Security, and return to efforts started by the Clinton Administration to actually proect the country, while maintaining its Constitution and ALL OF our civil liberties.

In the process, Gates can be shown the gate.

[guitar man]

28. another repub

wants to expand the govt and spend more money. Big surprise :eyes:

[EFerrari]

29. And the horse you rode in on. n/t

[coalition_unwilling]

31. How about starting by discontinuing the Madison Avenue branding

of a "war on terrorism"??? Terrorism is a tactic typically used by militarily weaker forces against militarily stronger ones. You can't make war on a tactic, much less win the war. What you can do is transfer a lot of public funs to your corporate cronies, which is exactly what has happened over the past 6+ years.

[KillCapitalism]

32. Uhh, sorry, but...

I'm not afraid of no stinkin' "terrist."

[Chovexani]

42. Yeah

Especially considering the biggest one is currently residing at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

[HughBeaumont]

34. I would, but storming the White House is illegal, last I checked.

The terrorists that are holding 1600 PA Ave hostage are worse than any guy on dialysis in a cave could ever hope to be.

[MindPilot]

35. It is no longer enough to question authority.

It needs to be subverted, ignored, ridiculed and ultimately destroyed. We the people need to take a lesson from the 'hood and implement a policy of absolute non-cooperation.

Hey Agent Mike, :donut:

[katty]

36. So, we should all SHOP some more?

[maxsolomon]

40. feel sorry for Gates

he's the SANE one over there - he took on a thankless task (stop digging) after rumsfeld & cheney dug a fucking crater a mile deep.

this is an OK idea - albeit one about 6 years overdue. this is how the british ran their empire - with a civil service, not just guns.

i'm NOT excusing empire.

[ima_sinnic]

45. fuck you a-hole, we're already "giving" till we bleed, with bad roads,

crumbling bridges, caving-in mines, no alternative energy, no health care, contaminated food, contaminated toys, contaminated pet food, no savings, no privacy, foreclosed homes, eroding shorelines, drowned regions, shrinking dollar, complex and longer ordeals to travel, bigger credit card bills, more unatttainable education, veterans thrown away like garbage -- in other words nothing, nada, ZIP for our tax dollars and harder, meaner lives, all for the sake of your testosterone-drenched little crusader fantasy and daddy warbucks oil grab in the Middle East.

WHAT MORE DO YOU FUCKING WANT YOU DISGUSTING PIECE OF PIG SHIT??