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	<title>Comments on: Merry Xmas, from the Marmot&#8217;s Hole</title>
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	<link>http://www.rjkoehler.com/2005/12/24/merry-xmas-from-the-marmots-hole/</link>
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	<pubDate>Fri, 21 Nov 2008 17:52:38 +0000</pubDate>
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		<title>By: lirelou</title>
		<link>http://www.rjkoehler.com/2005/12/24/merry-xmas-from-the-marmots-hole/#comment-27386</link>
		<dc:creator>lirelou</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 28 Dec 2005 23:03:48 +0000</pubDate>
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		<description>Tarnation! Next thing you know, Christians will be celebrating such ungodly acts as the Feast of the Circumcision and rendering near saintly status to the likes of Barlaam and Josephat. Chuc Muon Noel!, as my neighbors used to say in Dien Khanh. We go into winter with Christmas, and come out of it with the Buddha's Birthday.
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		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Tarnation! Next thing you know, Christians will be celebrating such ungodly acts as the Feast of the Circumcision and rendering near saintly status to the likes of Barlaam and Josephat. Chuc Muon Noel!, as my neighbors used to say in Dien Khanh. We go into winter with Christmas, and come out of it with the Buddha&#8217;s Birthday.</p>
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		<title>By: G Travan</title>
		<link>http://www.rjkoehler.com/2005/12/24/merry-xmas-from-the-marmots-hole/#comment-27385</link>
		<dc:creator>G Travan</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 28 Dec 2005 09:15:05 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://rjkoehler.com/?p=2249#comment-27385</guid>
		<description>Touch?, kushibo. Sorry for the Christmas ranting and degeneracy.

Merry Christmas, baduk, kushibo, and everybody!</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Touch?, kushibo. Sorry for the Christmas ranting and degeneracy.</p>
<p>Merry Christmas, baduk, kushibo, and everybody!</p>
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		<title>By: kushibo</title>
		<link>http://www.rjkoehler.com/2005/12/24/merry-xmas-from-the-marmots-hole/#comment-27384</link>
		<dc:creator>kushibo</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 27 Dec 2005 17:37:05 +0000</pubDate>
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		<description>Welcome to Marmot's Hole, where a friendly Buddhist Christmas greeting degenerates into an argument over terrorism and going to war in Iraq.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Welcome to Marmot&#8217;s Hole, where a friendly Buddhist Christmas greeting degenerates into an argument over terrorism and going to war in Iraq.</p>
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		<title>By: baduk</title>
		<link>http://www.rjkoehler.com/2005/12/24/merry-xmas-from-the-marmots-hole/#comment-27383</link>
		<dc:creator>baduk</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 27 Dec 2005 09:33:25 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://rjkoehler.com/?p=2249#comment-27383</guid>
		<description>"I still haven't heard a good explanation why the US invaded Iraq, from either proponents or opponents of the war."

Ask your congressman.  The Iraqi campaign was overwehlmingly approved by the House and the Senate.

Did that something to do with kicking out nuclear inspectors?  Flying into no-fly zone violating the cease-fire agreement?  Was that something to do with Saddam openly threatening the US about more attacks?

How people conveniently forget!  Selective memory!  Look at the newscasts right before the war.  Saddam was a threat, a big threat to the security of the US.  Now you say that we had to wait and suffer another 9/11 before attacking Iraq?  Another three thousand casualties?

You guys mention two thousand dead in Iraq.  Those were soldiers, not civilians.  There is difference.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>&#8220;I still haven&#8217;t heard a good explanation why the US invaded Iraq, from either proponents or opponents of the war.&#8221;</p>
<p>Ask your congressman.  The Iraqi campaign was overwehlmingly approved by the House and the Senate.</p>
<p>Did that something to do with kicking out nuclear inspectors?  Flying into no-fly zone violating the cease-fire agreement?  Was that something to do with Saddam openly threatening the US about more attacks?</p>
<p>How people conveniently forget!  Selective memory!  Look at the newscasts right before the war.  Saddam was a threat, a big threat to the security of the US.  Now you say that we had to wait and suffer another 9/11 before attacking Iraq?  Another three thousand casualties?</p>
<p>You guys mention two thousand dead in Iraq.  Those were soldiers, not civilians.  There is difference.</p>
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		<title>By: G Travan</title>
		<link>http://www.rjkoehler.com/2005/12/24/merry-xmas-from-the-marmots-hole/#comment-27382</link>
		<dc:creator>G Travan</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 27 Dec 2005 07:52:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://rjkoehler.com/?p=2249#comment-27382</guid>
		<description>many of these ninnies were saying that the Iraq war will make more Islam attacks on the US. Was that the outcome? No.

...

That is why we have the peace that we enjoy right now.
 - baduk


No attacks have occurred in the US since the Iraq war, but that is partly because it is much easier to attack Americans in Iraq than in the US. That is an odd way of protecting Americans.

What about the 2100+ Americans attacked (and killed) in Iraq. Except for them, the London bombings, the Madrid bombings, and the daily suicide bombings in Iraq, the Iraq war has brought peace. 

The situation in Iraq is so dangerous that Blair and Bush don't even inform the Iraqi prime minister of their visits beforehand. No high official from the US or Britain dares put one foot outside an army base in Iraq. That's how peaceful it is.

I guess if baduk can be a Christian without knowing anything about Christ, he can believe the Iraq war had something to do with fighting al-Qaeda.

Terrorism and Islamist fundamentalism are deadly real problems that need real solutions. Action-hero fantasies like the Iraq War are dangerously delusional. Spawning thousands of suicide bombers and al-Qaeda recruits in the only Arab country that didn't have any is a dream come true for the Islamists. Their hope is not to have a peaceful, happy Muslim world. Anger and hatred are the most important resources for the terrorists. One can't begin to measure the immense gift of violent hatred and fury the US has spawned by invading Iraq.

By going to war against Iraq, a land previously out of al-Qaeda's reach, the US has played right into the terrorists' hands, turning Baghdad into a war zone where any angry Muslim can get on-the-job training in terrorism. The Afghanistan campaign was about al-Qaeda, and succeeded in robbing the terrorists of their safe haven. I still haven't heard a good explanation why the US invaded Iraq, from either proponents or opponents of the war.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>many of these ninnies were saying that the Iraq war will make more Islam attacks on the US. Was that the outcome? No.</p>
<p>&#8230;</p>
<p>That is why we have the peace that we enjoy right now.<br />
 - baduk</p>
<p>No attacks have occurred in the US since the Iraq war, but that is partly because it is much easier to attack Americans in Iraq than in the US. That is an odd way of protecting Americans.</p>
<p>What about the 2100+ Americans attacked (and killed) in Iraq. Except for them, the London bombings, the Madrid bombings, and the daily suicide bombings in Iraq, the Iraq war has brought peace. </p>
<p>The situation in Iraq is so dangerous that Blair and Bush don&#8217;t even inform the Iraqi prime minister of their visits beforehand. No high official from the US or Britain dares put one foot outside an army base in Iraq. That&#8217;s how peaceful it is.</p>
<p>I guess if baduk can be a Christian without knowing anything about Christ, he can believe the Iraq war had something to do with fighting al-Qaeda.</p>
<p>Terrorism and Islamist fundamentalism are deadly real problems that need real solutions. Action-hero fantasies like the Iraq War are dangerously delusional. Spawning thousands of suicide bombers and al-Qaeda recruits in the only Arab country that didn&#8217;t have any is a dream come true for the Islamists. Their hope is not to have a peaceful, happy Muslim world. Anger and hatred are the most important resources for the terrorists. One can&#8217;t begin to measure the immense gift of violent hatred and fury the US has spawned by invading Iraq.</p>
<p>By going to war against Iraq, a land previously out of al-Qaeda&#8217;s reach, the US has played right into the terrorists&#8217; hands, turning Baghdad into a war zone where any angry Muslim can get on-the-job training in terrorism. The Afghanistan campaign was about al-Qaeda, and succeeded in robbing the terrorists of their safe haven. I still haven&#8217;t heard a good explanation why the US invaded Iraq, from either proponents or opponents of the war.</p>
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		<title>By: kushibo</title>
		<link>http://www.rjkoehler.com/2005/12/24/merry-xmas-from-the-marmots-hole/#comment-27381</link>
		<dc:creator>kushibo</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 26 Dec 2005 23:57:18 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://rjkoehler.com/?p=2249#comment-27381</guid>
		<description>I have only one question to ask: Did the Iraq campaign raise or lower the threat level?

Did it raise or lower? Anwer before proceeding.

It raised the threat to Americans and their interests, both home and abroad.

When the Iraq war started, many of these ninnies were saying that the Iraq war will make more Islam attacks on the US. Was that the outcome? No.

What about Americans and their allies killed in Bali, Spain, London? 

This does not even include the hundreds (by now thousands?) of US personnel (not to mention allies and innocent Iraqis) who have been killed or seriously injured in the Middle East as a direct result of creating an opportunity for al Qaeda wannabes to kill their enemies in an under-controlled Iraq. 

Terror attacks have not stopped. And now with every single death of an Iraqi in the war to remove Saddam Hussein there is potential among surviving family and friends for more people to hate the US so much that they will do whatever to inflict harm on Americans. 

The problem is that a lot of people who were not engaged or related to terrorism lost their lives in this elective war. I think it's great that Saddam Hussein has been removed from power and Iraq can head toward being a democracy, but the bill for this action has not yet come due. 

The two biggest terror attacks in U.S. history were both carried out by fanatics (er, misguided people) who believed in part that the U.S. had overstepped its role in Iraq, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia during and since Gulf War I. 

I sincerely believe the Iraq campaign lowered and almost floored the threat level. That is why we have the peace that we enjoy right now.

Nearly 2000 Americans dead? How many of our allies dead? That is peace? 

That's an Orwellian outlook there, Mr. Baduk. 

The 9/11 happened. Three thousand people died. The terrorists could have done it again and again.

That they haven't done it again and again is not that they have been defeated but that we in the U.S. have made it more difficult. That would have happened with or without the second Iraq war. 

Iraq campaign showed the US was not a weak nation. Moslam terrorists got the message.

That's an awful lot of people that had to die (including nearly 2000 Americans) for a message that had already been delivered in Afghanistan. 

It could have gone the exactly opposite. The US does not retaliate. Moslam feels it can win against the US. More attacks!

Baduk, the U.S. did retaliate, in Afghanistan. The message was clear. Instead we have muddied it by justifying an invasion of Iraq with talk of 9/11. America is not the avenger (as in Afghanistan), but as the out-of-control aggressor (quoting a Brit I met last year).

Where were the doves when the Twin Tower fell? Right before the 9/11, I am sure that the same jerks were saying that Moslam would never attack the US. 

9/11 was the second Islamist attack on the Twin Towers, so who would say "they never would do that"?</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I have only one question to ask: Did the Iraq campaign raise or lower the threat level?</p>
<p>Did it raise or lower? Anwer before proceeding.</p>
<p>It raised the threat to Americans and their interests, both home and abroad.</p>
<p>When the Iraq war started, many of these ninnies were saying that the Iraq war will make more Islam attacks on the US. Was that the outcome? No.</p>
<p>What about Americans and their allies killed in Bali, Spain, London? </p>
<p>This does not even include the hundreds (by now thousands?) of US personnel (not to mention allies and innocent Iraqis) who have been killed or seriously injured in the Middle East as a direct result of creating an opportunity for al Qaeda wannabes to kill their enemies in an under-controlled Iraq. </p>
<p>Terror attacks have not stopped. And now with every single death of an Iraqi in the war to remove Saddam Hussein there is potential among surviving family and friends for more people to hate the US so much that they will do whatever to inflict harm on Americans. </p>
<p>The problem is that a lot of people who were not engaged or related to terrorism lost their lives in this elective war. I think it&#8217;s great that Saddam Hussein has been removed from power and Iraq can head toward being a democracy, but the bill for this action has not yet come due. </p>
<p>The two biggest terror attacks in U.S. history were both carried out by fanatics (er, misguided people) who believed in part that the U.S. had overstepped its role in Iraq, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia during and since Gulf War I. </p>
<p>I sincerely believe the Iraq campaign lowered and almost floored the threat level. That is why we have the peace that we enjoy right now.</p>
<p>Nearly 2000 Americans dead? How many of our allies dead? That is peace? </p>
<p>That&#8217;s an Orwellian outlook there, Mr. Baduk. </p>
<p>The 9/11 happened. Three thousand people died. The terrorists could have done it again and again.</p>
<p>That they haven&#8217;t done it again and again is not that they have been defeated but that we in the U.S. have made it more difficult. That would have happened with or without the second Iraq war. </p>
<p>Iraq campaign showed the US was not a weak nation. Moslam terrorists got the message.</p>
<p>That&#8217;s an awful lot of people that had to die (including nearly 2000 Americans) for a message that had already been delivered in Afghanistan. </p>
<p>It could have gone the exactly opposite. The US does not retaliate. Moslam feels it can win against the US. More attacks!</p>
<p>Baduk, the U.S. did retaliate, in Afghanistan. The message was clear. Instead we have muddied it by justifying an invasion of Iraq with talk of 9/11. America is not the avenger (as in Afghanistan), but as the out-of-control aggressor (quoting a Brit I met last year).</p>
<p>Where were the doves when the Twin Tower fell? Right before the 9/11, I am sure that the same jerks were saying that Moslam would never attack the US. </p>
<p>9/11 was the second Islamist attack on the Twin Towers, so who would say &#8220;they never would do that&#8221;?</p>
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		<title>By: baduk</title>
		<link>http://www.rjkoehler.com/2005/12/24/merry-xmas-from-the-marmots-hole/#comment-27380</link>
		<dc:creator>baduk</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 26 Dec 2005 23:43:27 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://rjkoehler.com/?p=2249#comment-27380</guid>
		<description>I have only one question to ask:  Did the Iraq campaign raise or lower the threat level?

Did it raise or lower?  Anwer before proceeding.

When the Iraq war started, many of these ninnies were saying that the Iraq war will make more Islam attacks on the US.  Was that the outcome?  No.  

I sincerely believe the Iraq campaign lowered and almost floored the threat level.  That is why we have the peace that we enjoy right now.

The 9/11 happened.  Three thousand people died. The terrorists could have done it again and again.  Iraq campaign showed the US was not a weak nation.  Moslam terrorists got the message.

It could have gone the exactly opposite.  The US does not retaliate.  Moslam feels it can win against the US.  More attacks!

Where were the doves when the Twin Tower fell?  Right before the 9/11, I am sure that the same jerks were saying that Moslam would never attack the US.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I have only one question to ask:  Did the Iraq campaign raise or lower the threat level?</p>
<p>Did it raise or lower?  Anwer before proceeding.</p>
<p>When the Iraq war started, many of these ninnies were saying that the Iraq war will make more Islam attacks on the US.  Was that the outcome?  No.  </p>
<p>I sincerely believe the Iraq campaign lowered and almost floored the threat level.  That is why we have the peace that we enjoy right now.</p>
<p>The 9/11 happened.  Three thousand people died. The terrorists could have done it again and again.  Iraq campaign showed the US was not a weak nation.  Moslam terrorists got the message.</p>
<p>It could have gone the exactly opposite.  The US does not retaliate.  Moslam feels it can win against the US.  More attacks!</p>
<p>Where were the doves when the Twin Tower fell?  Right before the 9/11, I am sure that the same jerks were saying that Moslam would never attack the US.</p>
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		<title>By: baduk</title>
		<link>http://www.rjkoehler.com/2005/12/24/merry-xmas-from-the-marmots-hole/#comment-27379</link>
		<dc:creator>baduk</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 26 Dec 2005 23:27:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://rjkoehler.com/?p=2249#comment-27379</guid>
		<description>Kushibo,

According to you, a christian nation should not even have an army, navy or air force.  Jehovha's witness sect will go for that.  Not me.  

It is OK to defend oneself.  I believe God allows that.  Protestant theologians struggled with this question for centuries.  Their conclusion - it is OK.

Beating and torturing of "possible" terrorists.  Why not?  These are not a normal citizens.  These are thugs.  They have done something against the US and that is why they are in the prison!

Saddam was bad-mouthing the US.  He actually joined up with EU nations to disrupt the oil supply to the US.  Why not hit the enemy before he hits?  Why wait for another 9/11?  

Some Americans are so messed up with VietNam that they are against any military action, even after three thousand people died.  Three thousand!  Not three hundred.

Do you know how much media persecution an army officer gets if he killed off a village of three hundred people?  Here an enemy attacks the US and kills three thousand people.  And, you want to protect Hussein who are openly belligerant toward the US?

I believe in a Domino-like regional effect.  If the US had stopped at Afganistan, Iraq could have been more bold in its actions against the US.  It may have hit the US through Osama.  Or, through some other Middle Eastern organization.  We hit these organizations first and that may be why they disappeared. 

We have gone to where the terrorists lived. (Bush's words)</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Kushibo,</p>
<p>According to you, a christian nation should not even have an army, navy or air force.  Jehovha&#8217;s witness sect will go for that.  Not me.  </p>
<p>It is OK to defend oneself.  I believe God allows that.  Protestant theologians struggled with this question for centuries.  Their conclusion - it is OK.</p>
<p>Beating and torturing of &#8220;possible&#8221; terrorists.  Why not?  These are not a normal citizens.  These are thugs.  They have done something against the US and that is why they are in the prison!</p>
<p>Saddam was bad-mouthing the US.  He actually joined up with EU nations to disrupt the oil supply to the US.  Why not hit the enemy before he hits?  Why wait for another 9/11?  </p>
<p>Some Americans are so messed up with VietNam that they are against any military action, even after three thousand people died.  Three thousand!  Not three hundred.</p>
<p>Do you know how much media persecution an army officer gets if he killed off a village of three hundred people?  Here an enemy attacks the US and kills three thousand people.  And, you want to protect Hussein who are openly belligerant toward the US?</p>
<p>I believe in a Domino-like regional effect.  If the US had stopped at Afganistan, Iraq could have been more bold in its actions against the US.  It may have hit the US through Osama.  Or, through some other Middle Eastern organization.  We hit these organizations first and that may be why they disappeared. </p>
<p>We have gone to where the terrorists lived. (Bush&#8217;s words)</p>
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		<title>By: kushibo</title>
		<link>http://www.rjkoehler.com/2005/12/24/merry-xmas-from-the-marmots-hole/#comment-27378</link>
		<dc:creator>kushibo</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 26 Dec 2005 22:58:50 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://rjkoehler.com/?p=2249#comment-27378</guid>
		<description>What would Jesus do?

He'd open a can of whup-ass, that's what he'd do!

Yeah, right. My Man Christ was a turn the other cheek sort of fellow, Baduk. When the Romans came for him, he submitted. I'm not saying that we should submit to terrorists, but beating and torturing are not the way of Christ. 

And, um, do you really believe Saddam Hussein was in on it with Osama?</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>What would Jesus do?</p>
<p>He&#8217;d open a can of whup-ass, that&#8217;s what he&#8217;d do!</p>
<p>Yeah, right. My Man Christ was a turn the other cheek sort of fellow, Baduk. When the Romans came for him, he submitted. I&#8217;m not saying that we should submit to terrorists, but beating and torturing are not the way of Christ. </p>
<p>And, um, do you really believe Saddam Hussein was in on it with Osama?</p>
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		<title>By: baduk</title>
		<link>http://www.rjkoehler.com/2005/12/24/merry-xmas-from-the-marmots-hole/#comment-27377</link>
		<dc:creator>baduk</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 26 Dec 2005 19:02:53 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://rjkoehler.com/?p=2249#comment-27377</guid>
		<description>It is like the movie, "High Noon".

&lt;a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0044706/plotsummary" rel="nofollow"&gt;http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0044706/plotsummary&lt;/a&gt;

Most media types are like the town folks in the movie.  They hide and they run, saying "Somebody help me".

Soldiers understand.  They have to protect civilians and defend the country from enemy attacks.  Three thousand civilian casualties.  Never again!


Let me tell you something.  If the US did not attack Iraq, there could have been 2nd, 3rd, or 4th attack on the US soil, just as bad or even worse than the 9/11.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>It is like the movie, &#8220;High Noon&#8221;.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0044706/plotsummary" rel="nofollow">http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0044706/plotsummary</a></p>
<p>Most media types are like the town folks in the movie.  They hide and they run, saying &#8220;Somebody help me&#8221;.</p>
<p>Soldiers understand.  They have to protect civilians and defend the country from enemy attacks.  Three thousand civilian casualties.  Never again!</p>
<p>Let me tell you something.  If the US did not attack Iraq, there could have been 2nd, 3rd, or 4th attack on the US soil, just as bad or even worse than the 9/11.</p>
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