Newt Gingrich made an appearance yesterday at the University of South Dakota. He made some news.
Newt Gingrich, the former Republican Speaker of the House, told students and faculty at the University of South Dakota Monday that the United States should pull out of Iraq and leave a small force there, just as it did post-war in Korea and Germany.
“It was an enormous mistake for us to try to occupy that country after June of 2003,” Gingrich said during a question-and-answer session at the school. “We have to pull back, and we have to recognize it.”
But don’t get all warm and fuzzy towards Newt. His pessimism towards Iraq does not extend to Iran.
Iran as a nuclear threat was on the forefront of some students’ minds as they asked if the United States would be capable of subduing Iran as a nuclear threat.
Gingrich told the students their generation was entering a dangerous period – just as dangerous or more than that of the Cold War. He said the best move would be to replace Iran’s government by organizing opposition within Iran.
A student asked if that would be possible now, considering the United States’ involvement in Iraq.
“Could we do it technically? Yes,” Gingrich said. “We’re not using much of our Navy or Air Force.
“If Iranians don’t think you’re prepared to replace their government, they’ll never consider (a) deal.”
After Gingrich impressed on these young minds the essential nature of PermaWar, he explained the nature of leadership.
“In the American model, power comes from God to you. We then loan it to the government,” he said. “The key to a leader is you listen first.”
Any questions?
And after we loan God’s power to the government, General Bush uses it to kill people in the Middle East, just like God wants. Though I’m still having trouble figuring out why God doesn’t kill the Middle Eastern people himself instead of turning his worshippers into murderers, which the bible says is bad. Life is so confusing.
Yes, one question.
If your president refuses to listen to the people and Congress shows little sign of making him listen, what should the people do?
I vote for staging a massive march on the White House to tar and feather said president.
I’ll be there.
I would like to see Newt Gingrich asked a question like that, especially after his idealistic talk about God giving power to the people, etc.
So it follows that, if one is an atheist, one is not an American.
Not quite. You’re an American, you have to pay taxes, but you shouldn’t be allowed to vote, since you have no power to pass on to anyone.
Can we please reiterate every time Newt is mentioned that he left congress in defeat and was fined for ethics violations paying a $300,000 penalty.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/govt/leadership/ethics.htm
Nuff said.
oh, and let me add that no one who dumps their cancer-ridden wife in a hospital to go marry their young intern can talk with any credibility about ‘listening to God’.
Newt was just emulating God, since God is older than the universe and all-powerful so everyone He chooses to boink is by comparison a young intern.
But don’t get all warm and fuzzy towards Newt.
Um, no worries. 🙂
Well, apparently, Iraq is in the midst of a civil war and the U.S, wants to pull out of Iraq and leave a small force there??? I do not know what the plans and incentives for this decision are, but is not this the moment when Iraq needs help and attention most? Is not this the moment when the international community should step and end the conflict?
Moreover, “a small force” in Iraq as Newt has suggested, will be of no help there, since the country is currently at WAR.Peace-keeping forces are not sufficient, actually they are irrelevant because there is no peace they could possibly maintain. Some time ago, they could have helped, and I ask the question: what were these peace-keeping forces doing there?I do not know, but we can all see the result – a civil war!
So, I do not think it would be wise of the Bush administration even to consider the option of an attack against Iran… because we are still witnessing the consequences of the last intervention.
while I agree completely, it seems to me that this is a rather enormous understatement.
If I wasn’t an athiest, I’d thank god that he/she didn’t give Newt power.