The U.S. Embassy in Iraq is distancing itself from statements made by Rep. Dana Rohrabacher that led to a government spokesman saying the congressman and his delegation are not welcome in the country…
Dana Rohrabacher, the chairman of the Oversight and Investigation Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee…told reporters during a news conference at the embassy in Baghdad that he suggested Iraq repay some of the cost of the war.
“Once Iraq becomes a very rich and prosperous country … we would hope that some consideration be given to repaying the United States some of the mega-dollars that we have spent here in the last eight years,” said Rohrabacher, according to the Agence France-Presse news agency…
Traveling with Rohrabacher were Democratic Rep. Russ Carnahan of Missouri; Rep. Ted Poe of Texas, a Republican member of Rohrabacher’s subcommittee; Republican Rep. Jeff Duncan of South Carolina; Republican Rep. Louie Gohmert of Texas; and Democratic Rep. Jim Costa of California.
Telephone calls to the district and Washington offices of all five congressmen were either not answered or not immediately returned.
Will this be part of the Republican platform in 2012?
#14, Skeptic,
I don’t know of anyone who has ever experienced “freedom”
Ahhh, now we know who hasn’t gone commando.
Kuwait paid $10 billion, so why not Iraq?
#12 Dusanmal, spot on!
they should reimburse us.
Hey Skeptic==don’t you find you get back what you put out? More true than not in this 49/51 world?
Point 1==you are confusing “freedom” with harmony or agreement. You have some valid points to make with your ideas but your labels are flawed. My “freedom” to prefer tax free bonds is not negated by my wife’s desire to choose high risk start ups. Same with abortion, fidelity and all other issues to various degrees. Now, if you are saying I am not free as long as I don’t get my way==then who can deny that except JP Sartre who certainly did? Yes, its definitional and the broader a concept your reference, the less meaning your thoughts can have. I do agree on your definition of society. It is also the definition of politics and one of the finer distinctions about religion? Fun!!
So, I would say rather than the general, we could make great progress in finding the most narrow of examples to illuminate freedom. If we were of the mind to do so?
#2–yeah, I think we are pretty much thinking very much the same with the exception as I did go into that the idea of defining freedom as if you were the only person on the island is less than meaningful as it never applies? I prefer the freedom of thought and physcial limitation over the freedom to be as wild as I might wish while starving to death or going crazy in my isolation. I mean, shouldn’t we get real even when philosophizing? ((I just changed my nom de flame!))
#3–I think applying “ultimate” to anything is suspect? Probably hubris or failure to understand the complexities/subtleties/other contexts? All things to their purpose. As energy is dissipated by the cube of the distance squared, isn’t the meaningfulness of an all encompassing philosophical generality likewise diminished? More impact with a rifle than with a shotgun?
#4–So you probably “love” the number of times I post how incredibly healthy I have been? ((There!–I said it again.)) I can tell you at least I understand the grace and gift in life I have been allowed to experience==it very much is the basis for my far left leanings. I KNOW how lucky I am. How much of your own intelligence would you give up to get healthy? Impossible question I know. Offered only to say its a real question putting the suffering into some perspective==if we had the freedom of choice?
None of us are free to choose our immediate circumstances, but there remains still other areas of free choice==where and how to live tomorrow, etc. Is there if not freedom a liberation in firmly recognizing our limitations? I think so. Limits and balance in all things.
Ok skeptic==keep up on the meds because I’ll be looking to disagree with you if I can. I’ll check this thread as well for a few days should you have additional thoughts or complaints?
Sante////bobbo
>> MikeN said, on June 14th, 2011 at 7:09 am
>> Kuwait paid $10 billion, so why not Iraq?
We liberated Kuwait. We invaded, occupied and trashed the hell our of Iraq. Big difference.
In any regard, $10 billion is chump change for the total costs of these wars you conservatives forced on us.
Wolfowitz said Iraq oil money would pay for the war – http://money.cnn.com/2007/11/08/news/international/iraq_oil/index.htm
Did Iraq asked to be invaded and completely destroyed? Have lost your mind? I think if anybody need to pay its USA for killing, raping, destroying a country which did not attacked us
How much is an Iraqui life worth?
“Republican Congressman Says Iraq Should Repay Us for Invading their County”
WTF! he WANTS Blowback!!??
Funny, i didnt see the part about the contest for longest and most rambling post…. ZZZZZZZZ
Re#35, Bobbo, no complaints or thoughts to add. I never really put my thoughts abbout freedom into words before, nor have I even thought about it in such depth. It’s one of those things you feel in your gut, that words can’t adequately describe.
Would I give up something like intelligence for my health? That depends how much, 5-10 IQ points maybe. They could hand me a hoe (or a ho) and put me in the garden, and I would be happy. I’m glad you are healthy and I hope you stay that way.