1 Ignore her, she's fucking stupid. First she degrades Jill Carroll and now this. She's a crazy bitch.

2 What in the hell were you drinking last night, Vinnie? That was nonsensical even for you. Please tell me it was at least some good single malt scotch.

3 MiB: But the only problem is Vinnie is right and solidly so.

For the sake of ten...

4 I can't disagree or agree with what he's saying because its so convoluted. What he seems to be implying is true, but I'm not sure if thats what he's saying. Regardless, its an incoherent mess, and I can't be bothered to piece together the broken bits of his mind into something that I can understand without trouble.

5 I'm with George. The woman is a nutcase. Oh, geez, now she will probably start with the lawsuit bullshit.

Hey, George, want to split a lawyer?

6 LoL yes.

7 "Debbie Schlussel, do you honestly think that there is a U.S. Marine, or sailor, who thinks that the American citizen they are evacuating doesn't deserve it?

Of course you don't, the only thing you've served in your life is your own sorry ass."

Oh brother - it's just as lame to see the chickenhawk argument coming from someone on the right as it is to see from the Moveon and Kossack crowd. If what Schlussel has written is wrong, knock it down with facts, but don't resort to the tired, intellectually dishonest chickenhawk argument.

8 Sorry, but that's not the chickenhawk argument.

9 "Sorry, but that's not the chickenhawk argument."

It is the chickenhawk argument - the only reason that you mention Schlussel's not having "served" in comparison to U.S. Marines and sailors is to contend that her opinions are not as valid as theirs. That's the chickenhawk argument.

You also write "do you honestly think that there is a U.S. Marine, or sailor, who thinks that the American citizen they are evacuating doesn't deserve it?" Since you deign to speak for these soldiers, can you provide some proof that this really is the almost unanimous view of the soldiers? It may be the case that you can't even find "a" soldier who thinks the evacuation is wrong, but I have no idea what the support is for this evacuation, and neither do you.

10 Chickenhawks eat chickens for lunch.

11 Now you're going to tell me the reason I mentioned something?

Another clairvoyant in the group.

There's really no need to respond, since your soothsaying skills mean you know what I would say anyway.

But it's still not the chickenhawk argument.

12 I have to agree with Vinnie on this one (not that I have any history of disagreement that would make this notable)

As for MiB's and Gumbo's little peevish miasma, all I can say is--how would YOU countervail an incoherent argument? More succinctly, when one knocks down the faux-moralism of some orwellian she-devil, one must simply deconstruct the absurdity and lay it bare--It's NOT Vinnie's duty to assemble and order the blocks of all political existence for your amusement.

His point was that protestors in Michigan don't have a heck of a lot to do with Americans who were (more likely, than not) studying at the American University of Beirut, et al.

His point was also that the loosely-knitted analogy, posited by that aforementioned she-devil, (which simplistically equated Canada's problems as some natural truism for the US) didn't hold much water and was a specious argument, at best.

So, I'm sorry MiB and Gumbo (I thought you died in Forrest Gumps arms, Gumbo) if you find it difficult to understand 'words' or 'sentences' but that's hardly the fault of Vinnie.

13 I work in Dearborn, didn't hear anything about a rally.
(didn't see anything on the local news either)
It was small, staged, or non-existent.

14 Vinnie

Instead of the snark and just telling me that it isn't the chickenhawk argument, why don't you explain why it isn't a chickenhawk argument.

15 Because I'm under no obligation to explain anything to anyone.

When I say it isn't the chickenhawk argument, that's pretty fucking clear. It's not the chickenhawk argument.

And that's my last words on the subject.

16 All_That's_Mumtaz

"As for MiB's and Gumbo's little peevish miasma, all I can say is--how would YOU countervail an incoherent argument? More succinctly, when one knocks down the faux-moralism of some orwellian she-devil, one must simply deconstruct the absurdity and lay it bare--It's NOT Vinnie's duty to assemble and order the blocks of all political existence for your amusement."

First, MiB and I have made quite different points, so you should have addressed us separately, but it seems that you view any dissention as being from a monolithic block which can be addressed together.

"His point was that protestors in Michigan don't have a heck of a lot to do with Americans who were (more likely, than not) studying at the American University of Beirut, et al."

And you know this how? I don't pretend to know the number of those being evacuated who are Hizb'Allah supporters, or the number who are innocents caught in the middle of something. The problem is that neither do you,Vinnie, or Debbie Schlussel, but ya'll are trying to assert something as fact where I'm willing to admit that we don't really know. If you took the percentage of those being evacuated who are Hizb suupporters, Debbie is asserting that practically 100% are supporters, while Vinnie is asserting that practically 0% are supporters. I don't see any proof for either argument. There was an interesting article today that spoke of how those who live in the Hizballahland part of Lebanon are all Hizb-related: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2092-2281184_1,00.html

[[In its power base in southern Lebanon, particularly south Beirut and the Bekaa valley, it is possible for a visitor to spend a whole week without stepping outside a Hezbollah business unit: the hotel he checks into, the restaurant he eats in, the taxi that takes him around, the guide who shows him the sights and the shop where he buys souvenirs all belong to the party.]]

I would view Americans who have been living in this area to be Hizb supporters. Also of note was a comment I saw on LGF where someone who had previously worked for State mentioned that there were thousands of people in Colombia (I think) who had American passports of convenience who neither spoke English, had any affinity for the U.S., or cared at all about the nation, but kept the passports as insurance in case things ever got too ugly in Colombia. I wouldn't doubt that the same situation has been repeated by some in Lebanon. How many, I don't know. This is why I don't naturally assume that everyone being evacuated is an innocent American caught up in the mess. Maybe the majority are, but I don't have any way of knowing. How many of those being evacuated were from the Hizb'Allah area would seem to me to be the best indicator of the percentage of those who were not "innocent."


"So, I'm sorry MiB and Gumbo (I thought you died in Forrest Gumps arms, Gumbo) if you find it difficult to understand 'words' or 'sentences' but that's hardly the fault of Vinnie."

You're thinking of Bubba Gump.

17 "When I say it isn't the chickenhawk argument, that's pretty fucking clear. It's not the chickenhawk argument."

Oh, well that settles it - it's just 'cuz you say so. It's not because you don't want to, it's because you can't.

18 this post reads like it should come out of dailykos

spend some time in lebanon and you'd see what kind of americans hang out there

and stop dishonestly posting pictures of kids, you can use pictures of kids as strawmen to prove anything

why don't I post some westboro baptist church kids photos, that proves westboro baptist church can't be bad right?