You label yourself as a pro-war liberal, but you cannot bring yourself to vote for Bush, for whatever reason. Bush is no angel, and we all can agree that his anti-terrorist effort at home and abroad is not perfect. Fine.

However, he is not running against a Perfect Democratic Candidate. He is running against flesh and blood candidate named John Kerry, who has 30-year record in politics, which is easily verifiable. This record shows JK consistently undermining the American military, weapons programs, intelligence and resolve in confronting the Soviet threat (yes, the Communist threat was very real, though so many already forgot about it). John Kerry voted against the Gulf War I, when everybody and his brother including Arab nations were in coalition with us ñ clearly even participation of France and Saudi Arabia did pass his Global Test. As recently as during the Democratic convention Sen. Kerry promised swift and decisive response ñ after the next terrorist attack. I donít know about you, but I prefer that we fight terrorist away from our shores. I donít know about you, but I would rather that the terrorists were confronted by armed and trained American military, not self-sacrificing unarmed militia, such as happened on the Flight 93.

Now, can you explain why do you trust Kerry to conduct the war that you claim to be for better than GWB? Do you think that the foreign affairs team that Kerry is going to put together (Berger/Holbrook et al.) is going to be better than Powell/Rice/Rumsfeld/Wolfowitz? I would like to remind you that the Holbrook and Co. also have a record, all you need to do is check how swimmingly things are going in Bosnia and how well Kim Jong-il kept his side of agreement to not develop nuclear weapons in return to American concession.

Before you answer these questions please read this take on Andrew Sullivan position, which, I suspect, may parallel your thinking (scroll down to SCREED). http://www.lileks.com/bleats/archive/04/1004/102704.html

Youíll vote whatever way you will vote. But remember, there is no buyerís regret on November 3rd or at any such time when next American city gets hit.

“When Scipio Aemilianus obtained the command he at once perceived that it would be impossible to subdue the city as long as smuggling traders could run into the port with provisions”.

“For the first time in the siege the blockade was complete: the city was enclosed in a stone and iron cage. The Carthaginians in their fury brought forth the prisoners whom they had taken in their sallies, and hurled them headlong from the walls.”

http://www.barca.fsnet.co.uk/carthage-destruction.htm

What goes around comes around.

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/1011-02.htm

We should actually do to Fallujah, and any other recalcitrant Sunni strongholds what Sherman did to Georgia. We aren’t there to win hearts and minds but to beat them into submission.

I’m afraid that many people just don’t care about democracy in Iraq. The place just doesn’t seem real to people who are struggling to make ends meet over here. Many people don’t understand the connection between airplanes flown by Saudi citizens into New York buildings on the one hand and kamikaze religious nuts in Iraq. 200 billion can pay for a lot of hospitals and job training and jobs for that matter. GWB is not FDR. Many people, not just leftists, distrust Rumsfeld and Cheney, while Colin Powell, who is still respected and has the power of oration, does not seem to be campaigning for anyone.

I, myself, believe strongly that we must prevail in Iraq, but I can’t make up my mind who to vote for. I’m sure there are a lot of people who feel like I do. To a pro-war liberal, Bush is like a porcupine. There are just so many negatives there, he’s pretty hard to swallow.

I agree completely. President Bush should ìwag this dogî until its hair starts to fall off. It should boost our Commander-in-Chiefís poll numbers by another few points—and thatís all he needs to guarantee victory on November 2nd. Is this a cynical act? Not in the least. This battle has to be fought eventually, why not here and now?

Fallujah could only be pacified when the Iranian authority was strong enough to clean out the mosques, and keep the peace, post-cleanup.

American troops could not safely patrol Fallujah after the foreign terrorists were cleaned out, because the regular citizens of Fallujah hate all outsiders, especially infidels. Allawi has to make a deal with Fallujah’s tribal leaders, after the foreign arab terrorists are dealt with.

The Sunnis have had things all their way for a very long time. They think they have nothing to lose by behaving like medieval savages. Perhaps Allawi can convince them differently.