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Originally posted by Eric:
I'm shocked! Shocked, I say, that Bush was able to use the word 'aback' correctly in a sentence!

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Originally posted by Hero:

You didn't read Bush's WHOLE quote which was "Gee Mushy, that a taken aback awhile, I don't remember saying that."

H

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush on Friday said he was "taken aback" by a report that a U.S. official threatened the United States would attack Pakistan if it did not help immediately after 9/11.

Bush made the remarks at a White House news conference with Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, thanking the U.S. ally for his role in the war on terror.

The Pakistan president has told CBS News that -- immediately following the September 11, 2001, attacks -- the Bush administration threatened to bomb his country "back to the Stone Age" if Pakistan did not help in the U.S. war on terrorism.

Bush said he first heard of the alleged threat "in the newspaper today." (Watch as Bush says he's unaware of any such conversation -- 1:56)

"I was taken aback by the harshness of the words," he said.

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Originally posted by Hero:
Bush said "you are either with us or with the terrorists." I think the message was not only clear...everybody got it. What's shocking about this particular comment is that, apparantly, Pakistan 'got it' too. Shocking I say.

H

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Originally posted by Hero:
Bush said "you are either with us or with the terrorists." I think the message was not only clear...everybody got it.

H

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Originally posted by SaintAndeol:
Am I the only one terrified by the implications of this blanket statement? By the fact that it's basically the Administration giving itself carte blanch (sp?) to act in whatever manner it deems "necessary" to fight "terrorists"? That the definition of "terrorist" has widened to include foreign regimes that could be a potential threat?

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Apparently when Bush looked Musharraf deep in the eyes and delared him to be a 'friend', Bush didn't see the fear.

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Originally posted by rue:
"You're either with us or you're against us", which is a tautology and a relatively benign statement ...

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I think I see how this one turns out, back to the scary red map. I don't know which way it would like to go. If pakistan sides with us, that's good, because we don't get our ass kicked, China is kept in check, etc. OTOH, if they dont side with us, then we *do* get our asses kicked, the war on terror is a big failure, and we have to give up, which would be good for us, and it would mean no one would follow our dumb example

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Originally posted by SignyM:

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I think I see how this one turns out, back to the scary red map. I don't know which way it would like to go. If pakistan sides with us, that's good, because we don't get our ass kicked, China is kept in check, etc. OTOH, if they dont side with us, then we *do* get our asses kicked, the war on terror is a big failure, and we have to give up, which would be good for us, and it would mean no one would follow our dumb example

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Or they SAY they're on our side out of fear, but they change the election rules to allow more mullahs into local government and hide ObL on the border, then extort more aid out of the USA 'cause we're stupid enough to pay it.

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Reality sucks. Especially when it contradicts our cherished ideas.

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