What would you do if you were President

[exigent]

...on 9/11/2001?

What would you do differently? The same? Remember, the civilized world had our sympathy and congress was ready to write a blank check.

I would NOT declare a war on terror, but I would dump large amounts of money and resources into protecting our borders so that it would not happen again. Terrorists prefer weak targets, so I would try my best to make it extremely difficult to do so.

I would urge information agencies to do as best they can while respecting our liberties. I would also crack down on illegal immigration just to take away that gray area. Everyone here will be a documented card holder.

As for the terrorists, I would form another branch of military at the expense of other branches that were, at the time, overmanned. This would be the terrorist hunters. Using world-wide intel, they would go and eliminate any known terrorists, camps etc and quell terrorist activity. I would do my best to keep the support of the international community to allow for cooperation while performing anti-terrorist operations. For mobility, they will use resources of other military branches to move around . Iraq would not be invaded. I would have ordered a bullet in Saddams head the day after I take office...also leave a card, so they knew who did it.

I would investigate what foreign policies in the past have resulted in the most violent forms of terrorism and change those policies. It is our foreign policies and the foreign policies of other first world countries that caused most terrorists to rise up.

[bobbylien]

I think I speak for all liberals when I say... curl up on the couch and cry.

[Saigio]

I would employ working regulations on security for airports and airlines, I would tighten border security, I would put money into defense programs, and make a public statement saying that we will not be pushed into a fight by extremists.

[micfranklin]

I would build a Death Star and destroy everything:grrrr:

[Buck Laser]

I'd like to think I'd go after the real sources of the attack, and not rest until they were put away. If doing this involved breaking our cozy ties with the Saudi royal family, I'd sure as hell do it. Remember, Al Qaeda didn't exist in Iraq until we invaded the country.

And I'd have made sure that competent people were in charge of our internal security.

We probably could have capitalized on the immense sympathy and good will we received from the rest of the world following 9/11. As it was, it was totally pissed away by the time we invaded Iraq.

That's what I'd LIKE to say I'd have done. But I probably would have pissed my pants. :sadly:

[Waffletush]

Socialize everything.

Then I wouldn't have to pretend to be working while I am at my ranch in Crawford.

[Labrocca]

We were good up till the Iraq invasion. I would have done exactly what Iran is doing now and help support and insurgency in Iraq from Afghanistan covertly.

The Iraq invasion has been a complete and utter failure in the eyes of most Americans and the world. I know this might change if things turn our way but at this point it's not looking good at all.

[April15]

I would not have crapped my drawers like the President. I think the Afghanistan incursion was warranted. At the time Syria looked more dangerous than any of the other nations in the area and with our penchant for defending Isreal would have been a better nation to take out. Not that I would do that.
Being that 19 of the aircraft hijackers were Saudi that is where I would have put pressure. I also would have instituted a draft on 9/12!

[bobbylien]

I would employ working regulations on security for airports and airlines, I would tighten border security, I would put money into defense programs, and make a public statement saying that we will not be pushed into a fight by extremists.

I have a question for you. What would you have done when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor? Peace isn't always an option.

[Saigio]

I would employ working regulations on security for airports and airlines, I would tighten border security, I would put money into defense programs, and make a public statement saying that we will not be pushed into a fight by extremists.

I have a question for you. What would you have done when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor? Peace isn't always an option.


What would I have done in respone to Pearl Harbour?
I would have bombed Japan.
Yes, peace is not always the best option, but nor is acting like an easily provoked barbarian.
There is a large difference between Pearl Harbour and the Trade Center attacks.

[PatrickHenry]

Let's see...

I would have fired some people. NORAD? I think Richard Myers was in charge that day. Reduced in rank and mandatory retirement with a letter of censure. Certainly not promoted to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs.

George Tenet? This kinda stuff had some definite precursors. You're replaced and there's no Presidential Medal for you.

FBI? Hmm...How come the investigations of the Saudi flight school students were shut down? I wouldn't have gone after Meuller because he had only been on the job a week, but I would have got to the bottom of Colleen Rowley's complaints and SOMEBODY woulda got canned. http://archives.cnn.com/2002/ALLPOLITICS/06/06/terror.lapses/

Secret Service? How come you weren't concerned with the President's safety at a known location while the nation was under terrorist attack? You let him sit there for quite a long time while unknown "hijackers" are flying around and crashing into national targets...My whole personal bodyguard is getting demoted and replaced.

Oh, and Dick Cheney is no longer in charge of fighting terrorism. He is now on my shit list.

Then, I would have accepted the Taliban's offer to turn over OBL by providing them with the evidence of his complicity in the attack. If there is any.
http://www.keenefreepress.com/mambo/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=210&Itemid=36
In October of 2001, the Taliban regime in Afghanistan made an overture to the United States. It offered to turn Osama Bin Laden over to American authorities if the US would provide evidence that Bin Laden was connected to the 9/11 terror attacks. Bush curtly refused the deal, saying “We know he’s guilty, turn him over.” But did we really know?

At the time, US authorities had no evidence of Bin Laden's involvement in the 9/11 attacks. Bin Laden, in fact, had denied any role in the attacks on at least two separate occasions. In the week following 9/11 he faxed a denial to the Afghan Islamic Press agency, claiming in part, "I am residing in Afghanistan. I have taken an oath of allegiance which does not allow me to do such things from Afghanistan." In an interview given to the Pakistani newspaper Ummat on September 28, 2001, Bin Laden stated, “I have already said that I am not involved in the 11 September attacks in the United States. As a Muslim, I try my best to avoid telling a lie. I had no knowledge of these attacks, nor do I consider the killing of innocent women, children and other humans as an appreciable act.” He would make a further denial in an interview to the Pakistani Dawn newspaper in November of 2001.

Instead, on September 12, I would have demanded that Masharraf turn OBL over to me from the military hospital in Rawalpindi where he was being treated. http://globalresearch.ca/articles/CHO311A.html
It should be noted, that the hospital is directly under the jurisdiction of the Pakistani Armed Forces, which has close links to the Pentagon. U.S. military advisers based in Rawalpindi. work closely with the Pakistani Armed Forces. Again, no attempt was made to arrest America's best known fugitive, but then maybe bin Laden was serving another "better purpose". Rumsfeld claimed at the time that he had no knowledge regarding Osama's health. (see CBS transcript above).

Needless to say, the CBS report is a crucial piece of information in the 9/11 jigsaw. It refutes the administration's claim that the whereabouts of bin Laden are unknown. It points to a Pakistan connection, it suggests a cover-up at the highest levels of the Bush administration.

Dan Rather and Barry Petersen fail to draw the implications of their January 2002 report. They fail to beg the question: where was Osama on 9/11? If they are to stand by their report, the conclusion is obvious: The administration is lying regarding the whereabouts of Osama.

Inpatient dialysis treatment tends to be longer than 24 hours in most American hospitals, which suggests that Osama would have been discharged from the Hospital on or "after" September 11.

If the CBS report is accurate and Osama had indeed been admitted to the Pakistani military hospital on September 10, courtesy of America's ally, he was in all likelihood still in hospital in Rawalpindi on the 11th of September, when the attacks occurred. In all probability, his whereabouts were known to US officials on the morning of September 12, when Secretary of State Colin Powell initiated negotiations with Pakistan, with a view to arresting and extraditing bin Laden.

These negotiations, led by General Mahmoud Ahmad, head of Pakistan's military intelligence, on behalf of the government of President Pervez Musharraf, took place on the 12th and 13th of September in Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage's office.

And there would have been no departures from the US of any of OBL relatives and Saudi friends until my intelligence agencies had thoroughly interrogated them. http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/062207A.shtml

One thing I would NOT have done...attack civil liberties in the US with an instrument like the USA PATRIOT Act. And anyone proposing such measures would be slapped around my office (it's oval, no corners) until I found out why they wanted to reduce and eliminate Americans' freedoms when it was foreigners who were deliberately ignored who pulled off the terror...

Very likely there would have been no invasion of Afghanistan.

I would have taken a law enforcement approach to arresting and trying suspects. Not Guantanamo and a decision to ignore the Geneva conventions. I don't think they are "quaint."

I also would have gotten to the bottom of a lotta fishy details about September 11th. But that's another thread...

[bobbylien]

As a Muslim, I try my best to avoid telling a lie. I had no knowledge of these attacks, nor do I consider the killing of innocent women, children and other humans as an appreciable act.
lol, is that a joke?

There is a large difference between Pearl Harbour and the Trade Center attacks.
Explain those differences.

[PatrickHenry]

As a Muslim, I try my best to avoid telling a lie. I had no knowledge of these attacks, nor do I consider the killing of innocent women, children and other humans as an appreciable act.
lol, is that a joke?
It's what he said...

[Saigio]

Bobby.

Pearl Harbour was an act of war enacted by Japanese millitary due to our assisting England.

9/11 was an attack made by religious extremists in the hopes that he would get involved in another war in the middle east. It was not a millitary organization of a country.

You deal with things differently when attacked by a country versuses when attacked by a group of extremists. I'd have no excuse, if president, for bombing a country in an attempt to defeat a small group. That's why it is far more sensible to take the defensive action.

[bobbylien]

But we do nothing to combat the religious extremists and the COUNTRY that supports them? Al Qaeda was essentially a state sponsored organization in Afghanistan.


http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2004/10/29/binladen_message041029.html

But he did claim responsibility afterwards. Do you really think the regime supporting Al Qaeda would have accepted and gave us Osama if we had provided proof(which would have most definitely taken weeks if not months). It was a delay tactic.

[CheesyMuslim]

Sorry bout that,

1. But the very first thing ( I ) *The Great CWN* would do is this.
2. Locked all the borders, no one in and no one out.
3. I would of rounded up all the *Muslims*.
4. And put them in a certain place, confined, prisoner camps.
5. All of them, even the Saudi Families, all and every single one.
6. Then I would of started making demands on Islamic Nations.
7. I would of said, *Give Me Obama, or else I start killing some of the prisoners!*
8. Then I would try to find out where he was, and bomb his a$$,
9. I would of demanded that all Islamic Countries pay us for all the damages and for the peoples lives who died on 9/11.
10. I would have started sending back many Muslims if not all of them to certain parts unknown, not in America.

Regards,
SirJamesofTexas

[bobbylien]

I would of rounded up all the *Muslims*.
And put them in a certain place, confined, prisoner camps.
Alright FDR.

[Saigio]

Sorry bout that,

1. But the very first thing ( I ) *The Great CWN* would do is this.
2. Locked all the borders, no one in and no one out.
3. I would of rounded up all the *Muslims*.
4. And put them in a certain place, confined, prisoner camps.
5. All of them, even the Saudi Families, all and every single one.
6. Then I would of started making demands on Islamic Nations.
7. I would of said, *Give Me Obama, or else I start killing some of the prisoners!*
8. Then I would try to find out where he was, and bomb his a$$,
9. I would of demanded that all Islamic Countries pay us for all the damages and for the peoples lives who died on 9/11.
10. I would have started sending back many Muslims if not all of them to certain parts unknown, not in America.

Regards,
SirJamesofTexas


Congrats. You just became the beggining of a mass genocide whilke looking for a black man who is currently running for president.

Bobby, maybe you have a point. Maybe a good option would be to send in severl groups of higly trained soldiers with the mission of finding and eliminating Al Qaeda leaders.

[CheesyMuslim]

Sorry bout that,

1. Okay, Osama, sounds similar.
2. Anyway, Obama isn't worthy to run for President, if you were to ask me.

Regards,
SirJamesofTexas

[Saigio]

Sorry bout that,

1. Okay, Osama, sounds similar.
2. Anyway, Obama isn't worthy to run for President, if you were to ask me.

Regards,
SirJamesofTexas


Well, I didn't ask you. In fact no one did.

On topic: How do you justify genocide and kicking citizens of the states out of the states?

[AnnEsthesia]

Ah yes, you would discriminate against your own citizens based on religion and threaten to kill them. Aren't you precious. Bless your heart.

[Saigio]

Ah yes, you would discriminate against your own citizens based on religion and threaten to kill them. Aren't you precious. Bless your heart.


Hey. It's what all good leaders should do!
Trample on the innocent. It's the American way![/sarcasm]

[CheesyMuslim]

Sorry bout that,

1. But Obama isn't nothing but a *Face*, to put in-front of Islam.
2. So as to be friendly making with Islam.
3. Thats all.
4. A, *Smiley Face*
5. He isn't really looking out for American Interests.
6. Look around, and listen to some of his recent statements.

Regards,
SirJamesofTexas

[AnnEsthesia]

Neither is Bush or he would have actually had a plan before plunging us into a war.

[Saigio]

Sorry bout that,

1. But Obama isn't nothing but a *Face*, to put in-front of Islam.
2. So as to be friendly making with Islam.
3. Thats all.
4. A Smiley Face*
5. He isn't really looking out for American Interests.
6. Look around, and listen to some of his recent statements.

Regards,
SirJamesofTexas


Stop trying to drag this off-topic, and answer the goddamn question.
How do you justify genocide and kicking US citizens out of America?

[micfranklin]

Sorry bout that,

1. But the very first thing ( I ) *The Great CWN* would do is this.
2. Locked all the borders, no one in and no one out.
3. I would of rounded up all the *Muslims*.
4. And put them in a certain place, confined, prisoner camps.
5. All of them, even the Saudi Families, all and every single one.
6. Then I would of started making demands on Islamic Nations.
7. I would of said, *Give Me Obama, or else I start killing some of the prisoners!*
8. Then I would try to find out where he was, and bomb his a$$,
9. I would of demanded that all Islamic Countries pay us for all the damages and for the peoples lives who died on 9/11.
10. I would have started sending back many Muslims if not all of them to certain parts unknown, not in America.

Regards,
SirJamesofTexas


Obviously there is a God because you are thankfully not the president:nana:

Anyway I can break down your post later.

[CheesyMuslim]

Sorry bout that,

1. I never said we would kill them, I said we would threaten to kill them, to get Osama.
2. Then start shipping anyone out who was a Muslim.
3. For, *National Security*.
4. Islam is within our borders and at any time can lash out and attack us.
5. My way would have ended that possibility.
6. And then we could cordon off all Islamic Nations, and bring them to their collective knees.
7. I would have broken all of Islam already.
8. And their oil would cost us 25 dollars a barrel.


Regards,
SirJamesofTexas

[Saigio]

Sorry bout that,

1. I never said we would kill them, I said we would threaten to kill them, to get Osama.
2. Then start shipping anyone out who was a Muslim.
3. For, *National Security*.
4. Islam is within our borders and at any time can lash out and attack us.
5. My way would have ended that possibility.
6. And then we could cordon off all Islamic Nations, and bring them to their collective knees.
7. I would have broken all of Islam already.
8. And their oil would cost us 25 dollars a barrel.


Regards,
SirJamesofTexas


So what would you do if none of your victims could tell you where Bin Laden was?
And what reasons would you give for your mass discrimination against one group of people?

[Saigio]

Chess, no matter how I look at your plan, I can, in no way, make it look logical and sane.

If that would be your plan, I would personally lead a coup against you even at the age I was at the time.
Evil such as what you would cause should not be tolerated.

[CheesyMuslim]

Sorry bout that,

1. *National Security*.

Regards,
SirJamesofTexas

[bobbylien]

Maybe a good option would be to send in severl groups of higly trained soldiers with the mission of finding and eliminating Al Qaeda leaders.
I'm sure that you know Al Qaeda was a quite powerful leading up to 9/11(although their strength has grown to pre-9/11 levels since we invaded Iraq and diverted our attention to a completely unrelated war), not to mention that they had the protection of the Taliban regime. The war in Afghanistan was entirely necessary and went very well until we started on our crusade to eliminate Saddam.

[micfranklin]

1. I never said we would kill them, I said we would threaten to kill them, to get Osama.
2. Then start shipping anyone out who was a Muslim.
3. For, *National Security*.

Because they're in the country illegally right?

[AnnEsthesia]

Hell, why stop at Muslims. Send all immigrants home. America for the Americans! (Native, that is.)

[Saigio]

Sorry bout that,

1. *National Security*.

Regards,
SirJamesofTexas


If taht's what you call it, then so be it.
But remember how well such campaigns have worked in the past. Maybe you should ask Hitler for some advice on how to deal with your "national security". Not that you are doing to bad by his standards anyways.

[CheesyMuslim]

Sorry bout that,

1. But Islam is some left over branches of Hitler.
2. Rounding them up would be justified if ( I ), *The Great CWN* was President, during 9/11.
3. You just don't see, *The Big Picture*.


Regards,
SirJamesofTexas

[Saigio]

Sorry bout that,

1. But Islam is some left over branches of Hitler.
2. Rounding them up would be justified if ( I ), *The Great CWN* was President, during 9/11.
3. You just don't see, *The Big Picture*.


Regards,
SirJamesofTexas


1. How the fuck are you going to explain that one? I can't see the connection.
2. Hitler claimed rounding up the Jews was justified during his rein.
3. Maybe thats 'cause I'm not delusional.

[ViolaLee]

My first reaction on 9/11 was OK, that's enough, no more. I felt like we have to end the violence, it was all just too painful to see my beloved NYC and World Trade Center destroyed like that. I still cry when I see the towers in movies.

But then I got angry and I wanted the FULL FORCE OF THE STRONGEST MILITARY in the world to stomp on and crush Al Qaeda like little bugs and grind them into the sand of Afghanistan. And we could have done it. But Bush had other plans and other agendas and he really doesn't care were Osama Bin Laden is.

So I would have crushed the Taleban and AQ as I know our military might could have and then secured the borders and the ports and sent our undercover CIA and other agents out to work with the agents of our allies all over the world to wipe out any remaining cells where ever they were hiding.

The world was with us after 9/11. We could have prevailed in an amazing way. Muslims were with us, most everyone except the nastiest of psycho extremists were totally in solidarity with the USA. Our country was completely united.

Bush fucked it all up so royally it's really absolutely amazing.

[AnnEsthesia]

Wait, did Chess just try and claim Hitler was Muslim?

[ViolaLee]

Who the hell knows! LOL!

[Saigio]

Wait, did Chess just try and claim Hitler was Muslim?


Something like that.
I think poor ol' chess has finally lost it. Time to send him off to the old folks home.

I think we can trust Zo to pick out a nice one for him.

[bobbylien]

And chesswarsnow ruins yet another thread.

[micfranklin]

Sorry bout that,

1. But Islam is some left over branches of Hitler.
2. Rounding them up would be justified if ( I ), *The Great CWN* was President, during 9/11.
3. You just don't see, *The Big Picture*.


Regards,
SirJamesofTexas


So uh, how do you think that would go?

[moses2792796]

OK I'll bite

1. Outlaw political parties
2. Seperate cultures
3. Employ passive eugenics and caste
4. Employ localisation
5. Decrease industrialisation so technology is not used unecessarily
6. Start a program for the colonisation of other planets

[Questerr]

Sorry bout that,

1. But Islam is some left over branches of Hitler.
2. Rounding them up would be justified if ( I ), *The Great CWN* was President, during 9/11.
3. You just don't see, *The Big Picture*.


Regards,
SirJamesofTexas


I'd like to know where you would find the forces to do this with as no American soldiers are going to follow the orders to round up and kill American citizens. I would also assist in any coup against you.

Personnally after an attempted genocide like that, I would turn you over the Muslims to let them do whatever they want to you.

[Deadshot]

Well to come back to reality I would....

1. Find, stop and arrest or kill Osama Bin Laden.
2. Spend big $$$ in Afghanistan and Pakistan to appease them so I could hunt Osama.
3. I would be forced to oust the Taliban and leave forces in Afghanistan.
4. I would get a new law passed where being caught with illegal immigrants in your employ would hurt your business with high fines. I would have the law written in a way that if the State could prove that you knowingly hired illegals that your business would be worth shit because the fines would be ungodly.
5. I would begin to send the military to shut down our southern border and attempt better secure our ports and control international traffic.
6. I would also, secretly - denying it at every step, begin to profile persons of Muslim descent entering the country. I would also profile radical Christian, Jewish and Muslim groups in the country. Those who were afraid of "Black Helicopters" will start to be proven right.
7. I would then use this information through a collective enterprise with our allies in England and Europe to begin sharing names, pictures, i.d.'s, aliases, etc. of people suspected of terrorist links or activities.

...That's my first seven, what'd think?

[moses2792796]

Also I'd apologise to the Muslims, tell them we were going to stop globalising and that they can run there culture however they like. And but off ALL supplies to Israel.

[Questerr]

On my actual plan if I was President:

I would form a new branch of the military pulled from both US Special Forces and domestic law enforcement agencies. They would be tasked with combatting terrorism both at home and abroad and would have the authority to arrest and prosecute captured terrorists.

I would revoke the agreements we made that prevent us from conducting assasinations and I would begin a program to kill terrorists and leaders that support them directly instead of going to war.

While both of the programs would be known and acknowledged (I don't believe in hiding information from the US people), their actions would remain off the radar as much as possible so the terrorists do not have a propaganda flag to rally around.

[micfranklin]

Time for me to add something, I'd start by of course, finding Osama and bringing him in, then I'd bump up security for the country (that means NO Patriot Act).

[Deadshot]

On my actual plan if I was President:

I would form a new branch of the military pulled from both US Special Forces and domestic law enforcement agencies. They would be tasked with combatting terrorism both at home and abroad and would have the authority to arrest and prosecute captured terrorists.

I would revoke the agreements we made that prevent us from conducting assasinations and I would begin a program to kill terrorists and leaders that support them directly instead of going to war.

While both of the programs would be known and acknowledged (I don't believe in hiding information from the US people), their actions would remain off the radar as much as possible so the terrorists do not have a propaganda flag to rally around.


I could support the first part, but the second would have to have MASSIVE oversight. I wouldn't want our assassinations to become vendettas or screwups.

So go with #1, but #2 must be set up in a format that allows for MASSIVE congressional oversight.

[bobbylien]

I would revoke the agreements we made that prevent us from conducting assasinations and I would begin a program to kill terrorists and leaders that support them directly instead of going to war.
We already do this, we just don't admit to it. Its called the CIA.

[jafar00]

6. And then we could cordon off all Islamic Nations, and bring them to their collective knees.
7. I would have broken all of Islam already.
8. And their oil would cost us 25 dollars a barrel.


Bush did that to two Islamic countries. Their Oil cost you $17-18 barrel back in the beginning of 2002n now it's $73.55.

Look at the chart below and tell me, who is responsible for Oil going from $17 to $73??

[Questerr]

On my actual plan if I was President:

I would form a new branch of the military pulled from both US Special Forces and domestic law enforcement agencies. They would be tasked with combatting terrorism both at home and abroad and would have the authority to arrest and prosecute captured terrorists.

I would revoke the agreements we made that prevent us from conducting assasinations and I would begin a program to kill terrorists and leaders that support them directly instead of going to war.

While both of the programs would be known and acknowledged (I don't believe in hiding information from the US people), their actions would remain off the radar as much as possible so the terrorists do not have a propaganda flag to rally around.


I could support the first part, but the second would have to have MASSIVE oversight. I wouldn't want our assassinations to become vendettas or screwups.

So go with #1, but #2 must be set up in a format that allows for MASSIVE congressional oversight.


Complete agreement there. I think a committee of Senators, Intelligence Officers, Military strategists, and the National Security Advisor, with all members except the NSA rotating on a near constant basis would work. Who have to create an iron clad NDA though.

We already do this, we just don't admit to it. Its called the CIA.

The CIA's is not allowed to assasinate any more. They stopped after all the screwups in 70's. And believe, the reason we know is because even when the assasinations were good, people still figured out it was the CIA.

[Deadshot]

Quest, looks like you and I are in agreement on this then. Regulate it and move it forward.

I also agree with your explanation of why the CIA is out of the assassination business. But I will go as far to say that I do believe that they would strike if possible, on a hard-sure target.

[Truth_and_Power]

1. Bombs & special forces as needed in afghanistan. Our mission would be to eliminate the terrorists and rip apart the taliban who supported them. AND THEN LEAVE. This would be known as the "don't make be come back there" method of military response, and should be reasonably cheap in comparison to what we've undertaken (in the real world). I realize the result would probably be another theocratic islamist regime there, but I wouldn't care, those people are mostly arab muslim what did you expect? Make sure the world understands that these men are valid targets, if you meet with them, if harbor them, we won't think twice about pulling the trigger and you'll go to hell with them.

2. Send a 747 around to pick up all the saudis.. AND BRING THEM IN FOR QUESTIONING. Nobody's going anywhere until we find out what's going on. I'm not talking about guantanamo here.. but I'm not talking about escorting them home immediately either.

3. Secure our ports and our borders. Establish a reliable national verification system for employment and heavy fines on employers who refuse to use it.

4. Build a coalition and work with our partners to cut off funding and the ability to move freely for these men.

5. Pressure israel to stop expanding settlements and desert as many of them as reasonably possible. It's not going to be a perfect solution, but israel needs to stop being a part of the problem if they want our continued support.

6. National push for electric cars, energy conservation, solar, nuclear, cleaner coal energy, mass transportation. We are going to stop fighting for oil access, and stop funding countries who oppose the free world. They can sell their oil to someone else. This will almost certainly lead to a high cost of gasoline in the US since we'll be getting our oil from.. texas.. maybe some from africa.. but there will be a lot less and it could easily be $10/gallon. This can't be implemented over-night, but it can be implemented in a decade, starting now. You won't HAVE to buy an electric car, but it may cost you $50 to get to work and back in your 12mpg SUV.

7. Troops pull out of germany except for a small contingent to maintain an airbase and some training facilities. Withdraw atleast half the troops from korea. Step up development on the missle shield. Get a network of fly-over and extradition rights from other countries. We intend to strike terrorists on the run. The policy is you do it or we will.

8. Buy 1,000 copies of My Pet Goat and send one to each member of congress and spread the rest around the judiciary. Great book, I COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN!!

9. Campaign finance reform. Every president in this situation gets to put through a major policy of their choice under the banner of "Why do you hate freedom?" and this would be mine. We should be voting with our ballots not our checkbooks. Federal funding for campaigns, move-on type organizations will have donations public and limited to something small like $200/person with no bundling. No more bs.

[exigent]

On my actual plan if I was President:

I would form a new branch of the military pulled from both US Special Forces and domestic law enforcement agencies. They would be tasked with combatting terrorism both at home and abroad and would have the authority to arrest and prosecute captured terrorists.

I would revoke the agreements we made that prevent us from conducting assasinations and I would begin a program to kill terrorists and leaders that support them directly instead of going to war.

While both of the programs would be known and acknowledged (I don't believe in hiding information from the US people), their actions would remain off the radar as much as possible so the terrorists do not have a propaganda flag to rally around.


Thats part of my initial post.

As for preventing further terrorist attacks, We'll do it by making it obvious to the world that we are the good guys. Right now, its not so obvious. Our foreign aid program would do an about-face.

Any country recieving aid from us will have an american office where government employees work with local governments to disburse funds directly to the populations. Schools, roads, services, hospitals will be bought with our foreign aid money, not bombs and guns that leaders use to terrorize their own citizens.

As for world politics...none of our business. We're in the money making business and I'd focus on making the american middle class a more powerful consumer.

Money in the bank.

[Truth_and_Power]

I agree with your perspective exigent and I have been thinking that also.

[exigent]

hmmm...havent yet heard any neocons say they'd do nothing different...is ANYONE still onboard with bushco?

[jafar00]

Seconded. Well posted exigent!

[Truth_and_Power]

The CIA's is not allowed to assasinate any more. They stopped after all the screwups in 70's. And believe, the reason we know is because even when the assasinations were good, people still figured out it was the CIA.


Perhaps if we stuck to assasinating non-staters rather than leaders of countries, we would only be combatting fire with fire. Then we're not contradicting ourselves on democracy in hazy situations. Both image and efficacy are important. The only issue there is that you are essentially openly violating other states' domain, but I support a policy of 'you clean or we do'. There has to be an clean line of not assasinating people who are not killing or directly involved. I'm sure some people out there are walking a tightrope in order to make things work, although i wouldn't worry about them from a collateral damage standpoint.

[lily]

T&P has my vote! #8 sealed it.

[AnnEsthesia]

Does anyone really believe that the CIA is not still running black ops and taking out political targets if they feel they can and it would avert war/terrorism, etc?