And that's a pretty good question. At what point is it okay to fight dictators like Saddam or the al Qaeda terrorists who want to take his place?Gandhi's methods are terribly effective against decent humane civilizations like the United Kingdom as MLK proved in the 60's with the civil rights movement. But if you are up against an enemy who cares nothing about human life, you simply die.
It turns out that the answer, according to Gandhi, is NEVER. During World War II, Gandhi penned an open letter to the British people, urging them to surrender to the Nazis. Later, when the extent of the holocaust was known, he criticized Jews who had tried to escape or fight for their lives as they did in Warsaw and Treblinka. "The Jews should have offered themselves to the butcher's knife," he said. "They should have thrown themselves into the sea from cliffs." "Collective suicide," he told his biographer, "would have been heroism."
Gandhi would have us all march over to the closest al-Qaida terrorist and offer ourselves prostrate to their bullets. Maybe that's what the anti-war protesters want to do, but for me personally? No thanks.
This is one more little bit of evidence that Fred Thompson is indeed running for president. He obviously has a low disregard for the Cindy Sheehans and such that are dragging the Democratic party to the left. If he runs he could do something about that.
Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 1)
1. Fred Thompson could be an instant frontrunner if Rudy's problems with "Swift Boating" 9/11 families and drag queen videos continue to dog his campaign at http://www.solidpolitics.com
Bill at 10:10AM on Mar 16th 2007
2. Ah, wait a minute. I like Thompson's straightforwardness (that McCain used to have) and his even temperment. But I can't see any war hawk who supports this misguided fiasco in Iraq and our failed President winning in 08. And he's to the right of the country on nearly all social issues. Plus he's actively raising money to support Scooter Libby who's been convicted in the CIA leak case. People are tired of arrogant, narrow-minded, imperial leadership such as we have now. And I don't see Thompson offering a big change from that.
Lee at 12:25PM on Mar 16th 2007
3. Lee, I hate to have to tell you this, but you are off with practically every point you made.
Thompson is not to the right of most of the people on social issues, at least not substantially. He's only right of the leftist media and their misleading pollsters, and they've not had much success with the electorate for several decades. Count up the number of Presidential elections in your lifetime, and compare this to the number won by liberals.
The "misguided fiasco in Iraq" was and is a noble battle for the cause of right, despite the mismanagement. This is a war, after all. When was the last one carried out anywhere that didn't have some major negative unintended consequences? Despite the disinformation still being perpetrated arond the globe in this & so many other areas, this was carried out for many valid reasons, besides the terrible intelligence handed down to the present administration from the one before.
Scooter Libby will either win on appeal, or be pardoned, and this is a good thing; his prosecution was nothing but a political witch hunt. He was charged with nothing related to the original CIA case in question, only with not having his story memorized like so many others.
Oh, and arrogant, narrow-minded? You prefer whom in this regard?
Fred Thompson does indeed represent a different breed, though. Ask those who know him. Don't write him off in all areas simply because he disagrees with you in some.
Pastor Dan at 1:13PM on Mar 16th 2007
4. Lee, I must respectfully disagree with practically every point you made.
Thompson is not to the right of most of the people on social issues, at least not substantially. He's only right of the leftist media and their misleading pollsters, and they've not had much success with the electorate for several decades. Count up the number of Presidential elections in your lifetime, and compare this to the number won by liberals.
The "misguided fiasco in Iraq" was
and is a noble battle for the cause of right, despite the mismanagement. This is a war, after all. When was the last one carried out anywhere that didn't have some major negative unintended
consequences? Despite the disinformation still being perpetrated arond the globe in this & so many other areas, this was carried out for many valid reasons, besides the terrible intelligence handed down to the present administration from the one before. All of that aside, the American public does not want to see us turn tail and run like we did from Vietnam. The only way to win a war is to win it. We are not a nation of losers, we only elect too many of them.
Scooter Libby will either win on appeal, or be pardoned, and this is a good thing; his
prosecution was nothing but a political witch hunt. He was charged with nothing related to the original CIA case in question, only with not having his story memorized like so many others. The people who did the actual leaking are walking around unencumbered.
Oh, and arrogant, narrow-minded? You prefer whom in this regard?
Fred Thompson does indeed represent a different breed, though. Ask those who know him. Don't write him off in all areas simply because he disagrees with you in some. He is not only straightforward, but forthright, and unlike most of the current crop, he has remained quite consistent with himself through his entire career. He became an actor when a movie was being produced to tell the story of how he rooted out corruption in his home state. He wound up playing himself. His government experience goes back to my days in high school, and I don't see any names coming out of either party who can come close to his qualifications or character, much less the combination.
Pastor Dan at 1:34PM on Mar 16th 2007
5. Lee, I must respectfully disagree with practically every point you made.
Thompson is not to the right of most of the people on social issues, at least not substantially. He’s only right of the leftist media and their misleading pollsters, and they’ve not had much success with the electorate for several decades. Count up the number of Presidential elections in your lifetime, and compare this to the number won by liberals.
The “misguided fiasco in Iraq” was and is a noble battle for the cause of right, despite the mismanagement. This is a war, after all. When was the last one carried out anywhere that didn’t have some major negative unintended consequences? Despite the disinformation still being perpetrated around the globe in this & so many other areas, this was carried out for many valid reasons, besides the terrible intelligence handed down to the present administration from the one before. All of that aside, the American public does not want to see us turn tail and run like we did from Vietnam. The only way to win a war is to win it. We are not a nation of losers, we only elect too many of them.
Scooter Libby will either win on appeal, or be pardoned, and this is a good thing; his prosecution was nothing but a political witch hunt. He was charged with nothing related to the original CIA case in question, only with not having his story memorized like so many others. The people who did the actual leaking are walking around unencumbered.
Oh, and arrogant, narrow-minded? You prefer whom in this regard?
Fred Thompson does indeed represent a different breed, though. Ask those who know him. Don’t write him off in all areas simply because he disagrees with you in some. He is not only straightforward, but forthright, and unlike most of the current crop, he has remained quite consistent with himself through his entire career. He became an actor when a movie was being produced to tell the story of how he rooted out corruption in his home state. He wound up playing himself. His government experience goes back to my days in high school, and I don’t see any names coming out of either party who can come close to his qualifications or character, much less the combination.
Pastor Dan at 1:58PM on Mar 16th 2007
6. Fred Thompson kicked Gandhi's ass.
http://jonswift.blogspot.com/2007/03/fred-thompson-kicks-gandhis-ass.html
Jon Swift at 4:31PM on Mar 16th 2007
7. Fred Thompson is a windbag. He has the same self importance , arrogance, we see in the current administration. I used to be a Law and Order FAN. Then Thompson appeared. I finally quit watching. That was before I knew who he was. Now I know who he is and can understand why I didn't like him.
lynettema at 5:04PM on Mar 16th 2007
8. Fred Thompson K.O.s Ghandi. Is he going after Jesus next, or will he turn the other cheek?
Steve Bonomo at 7:06PM on Mar 16th 2007
9. Finally, some common sense conservative values that win elections and lead a country. Unlike the left leaning rino's, Thompson says what he means to say. Principles and straight talk, wins elections, not caving in to the mass rumblings of the socialist left. Despite the liberal elite and the idiots that hang on their every word, there is a whole nation out there that goes to work, raises a family, pays taxes and are willing to pledge themselves to the Nation. This majority will rise up, like the did for Reagan, if they can believe that this nation will be led again. They believe in America and are getting somewhat sick and tired of being told they are stupid for believing that our philosophic footing is anything but sound. They long for the days when, CRAP wasn't parsed into a confection. Perhaps Thompson will run, perhaps he won't, but be assured that this may well be the last time, (from the looks of the field out there) that you might ever see a real statesman with common sense that loves America and what we are made of. The world would be far better off with a Thompson,than Hillary, Obama, McCain or Rudy.
Think about when it really hits the fan:who could lead us out of the darkness. The next battle in the Islamic Crusade may well take place on these shores. We won't need debate, resolutions,polls, focus groups,and all the other democrat idiocy of the last 30 years....we will simply need to find a way for the nation and our people to survive the forces that wish us DEAD and gone.
Could you imagine a debate between HILLARY AND FRED. HLLARY WOULD SEEM LIKE BEETLE BAILEY, debating battlefield tactics with Stonewall Jackson. Gandhi wasn't facing people that behead non-combatants and think that dead children are good pr.
joe m at 11:33PM on Mar 16th 2007
10. You obviously are misinformed. Did you do any reading before writing this - "Gandhi's methods are terribly effective against decent humane civilizations like the United Kingdom as MLK proved in the 60's with the civil rights movement."
Decent humane civilizations! Do you have any idea how much destruction and loss of life has been caused by the British in India apart from the economic deprivation? Just the freedom of struggle was responsible of claiming more than a million lives. I am sure, you know everything.
"But if you are up against an enemy who cares nothing about human life, you simply die."
Do you know Baghdad was considered the "center of education and culture" in the Middle East. It has the oldest university in ME and a culture of intellectuals and higher education. I am sure you knew this too. Do you really think that intellectuals in ME are savages and unlike those in America?
My only request is to not believe what you see on TV, CNN, FOX, whatever in America, they are all the same.
Thanks.
IllegalImmigrant101 at 1:15PM on Mar 17th 2007
11. you know, back in the day, Mohandas Gandhi's day, it was easy to be a politician in British India, if you were corrupt and out for yourself. Kinda like here and now. but also in Mohandas Gandhi, Esq.'s day (yeah he wasn't just skinny martyr dude-he was really really educated) he found a way for Muslims and Himdus to honestly, love thy neighbour. he was there. none of our politicians are in the Middle East, fighting or philosophizing. Fred Thompson is a jerk. if you think he is a viable candidate for the Republican Party, please get him to the primaries. He is an old white conservative: the perfect target for any Al-Queda wanna be. takes the pressure off the people who could actually run this country out of the ground war and bring our troops home, which is the country they belong in.
jack mccoy at 10:37PM on Mar 25th 2007
12. FRED THOMSON WILL BECOME PRESIDENT IN 2008.
NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT.
THE QUESTION PEOPLE SHOULD BE ASKING IS WHAT THE US WILL DO WHEN IRAN AND SIMILIAR COUNTRIES ATTACK THEIR NEIGHBORS ONCE THE US PULLS OUT OF IRAQ?
THE QUESTION WILL BE IN THE DEBATES.
CLINTON FORMER PRESIDENT ALREADY SAID THAT HE WOULD HAVE SENT MORE TROOPS EARLIER.
SO HILLARY IS OUT.
OBAMA IS TOO WEAK TO OVER SEE FOREIGN DEFENCE AND WOULD ACT TOO LATE.
BUSH IS TAKING STRAGHT HEAT FOR HIS EVERYDAY EFFORT. HE'S MOST UNPOPULAR BECAUSE NOONE LIKES TO BE SHOT AT. SOLDIERS MISS THEIR FAMILIES AND WANT TO COME HOME.
FRED WOULD GIVE EVERYONE SOMETHING TO BELIEVE IN.
SIMPLY HE WOULD RALLY THE PEOPLE AS JFK DID.
FRED THOMSON RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT WOULD BE LIKE JOHN WAYNE RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT.
EVERYONE WOULD SAY, UH . . . HELL YAH!!!
THINK ABOUT IT. EVERYONE WOULD BE VOLUNTEERING TO SIGN UP FOR THE ARMED SERVICES WITH HIM AS PRESIDENT!
SHAWN at 2:24AM on Apr 2nd 2007