QUOTATION: People often say that, in a democracy, decisions are made by a majority of the people. Of course, that is not true. Decisions are made by a majority of those who make themselves heard and who vote - a very different thing. - Walter H. Judd
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2004-07-25 - 1:01 p.m. Honorable Commission, Toothless Report From Op-Ed in today's N.Y. Times By RICHARD A. CLARKE former head of counterterrorism at the National Security Council, and author of "Against All Enemies: Inside America's War on Terror." Note: Underlining is mine. Clarke commends the commission, although rebukes ��Bush administration focused on the wrong country� in going to war with Iraq. Clarke goes on to say that we need a larger and more capable commando force for covert antiterrorism work, a network of agents working without diplomatic protection, but even more importantly, an understanding of who the enemy is and what strategies are needed in the fight. �Terrorism is a tactic� not an enemy. He identifies the enemy as �Islamic jihadism, which must be defeated in a battle of ideas, as well as in armed conflict.� �We need to expose the Islamic world to values that are more attractive than those of the jihadists. This means aiding economic development and political openness in Muslim countries, and efforts to stabilize places like Afghanistan, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. Restarting the Israel-Palestinian peace process is also vital.� He recommends a pan-Islamic council of respected spiritual and secular leaders to coordinate the Islamic world�s own ideological effort against the new Al Queda. In my opinion, the current administration is at a great disadvantage in the battle to win the �hearts and minds� of the Islamic world, because of the unnecessary and counterproductive invasion of Iraq and our steadfast support of all things Israeli. If for no other reason, we need a new President to lead us in a new direction. Just released by AP: �It's the economy. That's what delegates to the Democratic National Convention say their presumed presidential nominee or � they shudder to think � President Bush should concentrate on first in 2005, an Associated Press survey of Democratic delegates found.� With health care the No. 2 issue, followed by the war in Iraq, according to the survey of some three-quarters of the 4300 plus delegates.
While the economy and health care may be important issues for Americans, I�m not certain they are the most important issues for the world. And certainly gay marriage isn't!
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