[Jim Robinson]

"Why then has the Bush administration gone to such lengths to tie al-Qaida to the Iraq war in the popular American mind?

Simply put, 9/11 left an indelible neuronal impression in our brains that predispose us to react with anxiety and anger whenever the events of that day, or anything associated with them, are brought to our attention. Haunted by the memory of 9/11, and dangerously unaware of our emotional states, our glorious leaders have manipulated strong cultural undercurrents of fear and revenge to sever the natural empathic bonds that we might otherwise feel for an oppressed and suffering people. By branding the Iraqi resistance with al-Qaida, Washington’s public relations experts have “justified” the cold-blooded murder of 100,000 Iraqis and the daily humiliation of an entire nation."

[Just mythoughts]

Is the weather just tooo cold in Minnesota that minds never thaw?

[xzins]

There is such a thing, imo, as a feedback loop that gets created by a traumatic event in our lives. Certain sights, sounds, smells, etc. trigger the loop to be replayed in our memories. Someone, for example, might have 9/11 triggered in their memories by the sight of a huge cloud of dust reminiscent of the rolling cloud that engulfed that region around the WTC when the towers fell. Part of the treatment for PTSD is to break into that feedback loop with another more positive message.

That doesn't mean, though, that the Iraqi insurgency should not be connected with Al Qaeda. The 2 basic reasons for this is first, that the old Ba'athists did participate with the terrorists that Saddam did harbor, aid, and abet within his own country. Zarqawi was protected in Iraq PRIOR to the Iraq War. Second, those old saddamites are now participating with al qaeda.

The connection between old Iraq and al-qaeda is not a nefarious scheme designed to play on a trauma feedback loop.

It is a fact.

[freema]

"Washington’s public relations experts have 'justified' the cold-blooded murder of 100,000 Iraqis and the daily humiliation of an entire nation."

This boy just justified all of Saddam's murders, insulted Iraqis and called American troops 'murderers' because America has given him a free pass to do so, signed by John F. Kerry. Swift Vets only mission was to keep Kerry from CIC and any further action on their part, they feel, would cloud their reputation. It is time for someone else to pick up that torch, and I would wholeheartedly support efforts by Free Republic to be that 'someone' in a concerted effort to get the message out that this behavior will not go unchallenged by any silent majority. The White Flag video was put together by a grassroots organization of the GOP. SW laid out the blueprint, all FR need to is follow it. I've asked a couple FReepers and got support on this idea, What say you?