Don’t hold back, Mr. Ruffin—tell us what you really think.
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35 Comments
He might as well be a contributing editor for Rodong Sinmun, lol.
Stoner brain rot victim.
Holy Crap! Looks like someone’s having a bad day…or year.
As Bugs Bunny would say, “What a maroon!”
So, one of you wanna try to refute any of his arguments, then?
Any one?
‘So, one of you wanna try to refute any of his arguments, then?’
yes, i’m waiting for that too. the article paints bush accurately.
Wow! Another mindless knee-jerk screed from Mr. Rick ‘Bush Derangement Syndrome’ Ruffin … an egregious example of what tries to pass for reasoned debate these days.
Is there any trash that The Korea Times will NOT print? Undoubtedly, his inputs for the Korea Economic Report must be a real joy to read … given his ‘balanced’ point of view.
Taking the ‘long view’ … Mr. Ruffin is in Korea … I am not … life is good.
PS
Note for Mr. Ruffin: the new pills are NOT working.
Lie ? Lie about what? The CIA, British, French, German, and Russia, and even Iraq itself said Iraq had super weapons. Remember the Iraqi Minister of Information, who said during his during-war press conferences? He said, the US forces should expect something terrible being used against them if they enter Baghdad. He committed suicide after the war. Bush did not lie.
He was elected, twice. Legally. The House and Senate, which gives him further, power, elected. Legally. Pure democracy.
Many of these people are real threats to American security. Something bad happenned to people in London, Spain, France, and Indonessia. All by terror. Nothing of the sort in US soil. Bush did a great job. What are you complaining about?
Checks and balances. Congress: Elected. Presidency: Elected. Supreme Court: 1 appointed by Bush. The rest of the 11? I guess they were programmed to be help Bush, 20 to 40 years ago, right?
They just finally figured out the faster more efficient way, the way that worked to win World War 1, 2, and the Korean War. Even if you argue that these rules were written before the World Wars, I bet you they were broken. Quite often. This also granted by Congress. Hillary counted.
Ms. England and others were punished for this. No evidence links it to Rumsfeld or Bush or Cheney. More likely it was done at the lower level by low lives who somehow got into the uniformed services, somehow.
I see more hybrids running today than ever and more cars running in the upper 20’s and lower 30mpg than ever before. I don’t see any US factories or powerplants suddenly turning to coal. It’s my personal opinion that you should look to the less than $2/gallon gasoline price in China, the ceasing of riding bicycles and replacement to cars, and massive industrial growth in China. Also, when Bush took office, people were looking for jobs, a recession began. Now, hiring. Shopping malls were dying. Now, expanding. Amazon never posted a profit. Post 2002, profits.
This is a lie. Abstinence was pushed, but condoms and AIDS drugs were provided. You may argue about the lack of quantities, but these were provided as aid. Blame the President of South Africa, who proclaimed that AIDS is not a real disease and the real disease is poverty.
Legit point. I don’t think it was intentional, though.
Bush to Hussein, let inspectors come in. Hussein, No. Bush to Hussein, let UN inspectors come in. Hussein, fine, but only places we choose. Bush, no, let them inspect everything. Hussein, no, forget the whole thing, all inspectors must leave now. Bush, this means war. Hussein, Allah is great, I call for Holy War.
you mean US, UK, French, German, Russian intel that said, Iraq has it?
How do you know they’re good? At least from my view, US was not attacked again. And that is good.
All wars were dirty. The victor decides who committed war crimes. Almost never from the winning side. Example. Russians.
Not all opinions are the truth. Mine included.
Can anyone explain how a war becomes legal and illegal?
wjk,
nice!
“Can anyone explain how a war becomes legal and illegal?”
No, because there is no standard. By “Illegal” the author of the editorial means in this case the “consensus” of world opinion, which in fact means a political judgement, not a “legal” one. Since there is no universally recognized world government with a legal code and the power to enforce it.
(Maybe you could ask Senator Spector of PA what he thinks should be the “legal” standard. He invoked “Scottish law” as his reason to vote in the Senate for Clinton’s “acquittal” (his Scottish precedent was the words “not proven”)).
“Impeachment” of a US President is done by the US House of Representatives (as we should all know by now). A subsequent “trial” and possible “conviction” is done in the Senate. This is a Constitutional action, but not a “criminal” one. It’s always worth while reminding everyone of this, because in spite of the Clinton episode folks still seem to insist on equating “impeachment” with a criminal trial. And impeachment is only the first part of the process.
If Bush is impeached by the House and “convicted” by the Senate, all that happens is that he is removed from office. His life, liberty, and personal property are not in jeopardy (unless you wqant to count the loss of his salary).
It’s just a “job removal” action, not a trial for war crimes, and thus is fundamentally a political procedure, not a legal one.
If you guys think he should be impeached, and you are US citizens, write/call your Congressman. Here in Hunmboldt County California (a liberal bastion), at least a few dozen demonstrators showed up in a driving windy rainstorm a few weeks ago, right outside the local office of the district Congressman (whom I believe has endorsed impeachment). I was walking by and saw them; I had to be impressed by their dedication. If they can do that — the least you guys can do is write and call your Congressman.
I don’t think writing editorials in Korea Times will help much, though it may certainly contribute to further erosion of the US-ROK alliance, depending on whether it was translated and published in Korean (I’d be interested in knowing if that’s the case; does KT publish the same articles in Korean? Or at least this one editorial, anyway).
Better get cracking. Guys like me are liable to be McCain or Giuliani voters in the next election; if the last two Presidential elections are any indicator, the 08 election is liable to be another 50/50 one and every little bit of effort may matter, if your “ideal” US administration is one that defers to world opinion (what was Kerry’s immortal phrase? The “test of world opinion”?)
Be sure and let them (and us, too, if you care to) know exactly what actions the next US administration should implement, in regards to the general situation on the Korean peninsula; after all, that’s what this blog is supposed to be all about.
Well… there is some precedent for a standard. Namely, the Nuremberg Trials (as well as other tribunals set up to prosecute war criminals after WWII) classified ‘crimes against peace’ (ie waging a war of aggression) as a war crime. Of course, it’s still an open issue as to whether or not that’s what Buch, Rummy, and Co. did by invading Iraq (they certainly did a great deal to try and dodge the question by claiming preemption was necessary). And since there’s not been any kind of trial (nor is there likely to be) on the issue, it is a bit premature to cast the current administration as war criminals.
Well, considering that impeachment is only an available avenue for “high crimes and misdemeanors”, it’s incredibly likely that an impeachment that ended up in Bush losing office would be quickly followed up by at least a Grand Jury investigation, if not an indictment. Of course, Cheney would probably pardon Bush immediately upon taking office…
This expat should first learn the difference between jus ad bellum and jus in bello.
Is Mr. Ruffin the type of representative of the expat community that Korean newspapers should publish?
Then again, maybe his emotional logic so matches the Koreans’ own irrational, misguided thoughts that he is the perfect fit for this society.
i love how he feels so much contempt for americans and the goons that work for the CIA but doensnt mention any of the acts of atrocities that the so called holy warriors endulge in
like blowing up school children
hiding in mosques
booby trapping dead bodies
waiving flags of surrender and then ambushing US troops as they approach
its ridiculous
Iraq a sovergn nation are you kidding me…rick ruffin?
you are liberal left wing loon who is so blind and ignorant of the facts in front of you
i guess NK is a sovergn nation as well one that defies the UN as leisurely as taking a crap!
all major intelligence pointed to the Iraq WMD program and they do exist somewhere
all of that evidence just doesnt disappear
one day it will be exposed
Well, the KT will publish anything to fill their rag. A while back, out of intense boredom, I looked at the KT opinion page (always good for a laugh) and Ruffin had a piece on legalizing pot, although he didn’t make it clear if he meant in Korea or anywhere else. Maybe he dropped his bong and forgot that part.
Even though I don’t favor Bush, this is a moronic essay and WJK took it apart handily.
I tried to submit a reply to the Korea Times and was told that correspondence regarding Ruffin can only be submitted in crayon by persons not older than 15.
It does speak volumes that pawi rallied to his cause.
The Bush family has been a disaster for America, no matter how you look at it.
Thank God the next generation of Bushes is full of drug addicts, alcoholics, persons of low intelligence, and ne’erdowells who’ll (hopefully) never be elected to county dogcatcher.
Oh, wait a minute …
I think the title would more correctly be, “Yankabroad unhinged.”
Oh man…I should have known better than to click on that link, having read some of his former blog.
I agree with most of the commenters here in that the Bush presidency has been a super success and the Iraq War has gone exactly the way that Bush had foreseen. We went in on the idea of spreading democracy around (among other reasons which I just can’t seem to remember) and by George we did just that. It’s been a model campaign, exactly like many who have commented on this board in the past on other forums promised us it would be. Considering the amazing track record of the neocon supporters, I wouldn’t dream of trying to argue with even one of them.
I’m eagerly looking forward to the US spreading some democracy in Iran. If George Bush should be commended for what he has done in Iraq, then what is the logical argument about going on to Iran? Why not? The current death toll and deficit we’ve run up doesn’t seem to cause anyone here any second thoughts so far, so let’s see how far we can go!
Saddam danced at the end of a rope last month. If the appeasers had had their way, his little thug sons Michael and Sonny would have been in charge of that country for the next 30 years.
Saddam’s dead, Castro soon, Pingyang rat turd would make a wonderful troika.
Kudos to WJK.
So, who’s in charge now? Leo Buscaglia?
A couple remarks directed to wjk.
No one with a clue doubts that the Iraqis had such weapons. They were used against Kurds and Iranians, with a wink from the US. The lie was simply that these weapons were the reason that the US had to invade.
As for those languishing at Guantanamo, and elsewhere, the point is we can’t know if they’re “good people” because they have not been publicly tried and convicted. While some folks on this board apparently admire your faith in the procedures of military justice, others know better.
Finally, I do not doubt that there will be another terror attack within the US when this is deemed advantageous. To believe otherwise is to reveal an astonishing naivete.
(For those gentle readers who will assume otherwise, nothing in the above endorses terror attacks on civilians, whether committed by military or by paramilitary groups, under any flag whatsoever.)
Leo Buscaglia? You’re a funny guy, doggie. I know it’s the silly season when I’m siding with wjk and disagreeing with you. You and baduk make this blog.
That’s fine — anyone still naive enough to think Bush has “brought democracy and peace” to Iraq simply by getting rid of Saddam Hussein and his mongoloid sons is not someone who should be agreeing with me.
“Then again, maybe his emotional logic so matches the Koreans’ own irrational, misguided thoughts that he is the perfect fit for this society.”
Ouch, Mark, I hope Ruffin reads that one.
Partypooper, I didn’t hear anybody here saying that…
“the Bush presidency has been a super success and the Iraq War has gone exactly the way that Bush had foreseen”
Nobody likes a deranged nutbar. If someone has a beef with Bush, at least debate rationally and reasonably. Foaming at the mouth just gets irritating when you’ve seen it scores of times over the last few years.
If Rick Ruffin is this stupid when it comes to Bush, what are his ideas concerning economics? Actually, I don’t want to know.
Couldn’t understand that last comment, Snow. Wipe the foam from your mouth and try it one more time.
bush will prolong this bloodbath until he’s out of office. that way he can say he didn’t lose the war. of course, many others other than him are going to lose plenty. but hey, bush got his image to look after. that’s worth at least a couple more thousand soldiers, right? that’s on top of those soldiers who will go to iran and never return.
man, don’t you ever wish one of these expats would put their money where their mouth is and sign on up and ship on out? they do some fierce talking howdy-cowboy like ‘cept they ain’t never doing the doing, always somebody else gotta do the doing while they living it on up. always that way, isn’t it?
Moron. Plenty of “expats” are against Bush and against the war. Why do you think we live overseas? Jeezus H. Christ, you are an idiot. How old were you when your parents took you to live in the U.S. anyway?
Pawi, This site is often right wing and not necessarily representative of the ex-pat community. And I know that a good number of us are former military. With all of your misplaced nationalism, when are you going to sign up for the ROK army? Better yet: Why not follow your true allegiances and raise your right hand for 8 years in the DPRK’s military?
Dogbertt, Are you seriously saying that you expatriated yourself due to Bush or was that just a rhetorical flourish?
I was here during the Clinton years, so no, I did not pull an Alec Baldwin.
That said, I’m happy to remain overseas while Bush is at the helm of our once-great nation.
Ruffin: “Section 6 of S. 3930 of the Military Commissions Act strips any alien deemed an “enemy combatant’’ of the right to habeas corpus. Habeas corpus is the right of any defendant to petition his accusers.”
Yes, when we rounded up the Africa Korps in Tunisia 1943 we should have given them each the right to habeas corpus and sent the good ones back to Germany.
Ruffin: “Witness New Orleans after the passage of Hurricane Katrina, where thousands of inner-city residents were left homeless with neither food nor water, sweltering under a hot sun for several days.”
Yes, it’s too bad the Democratic mayor left the evacuation school buses in a below sea-level parking lot when he had plenty of warning and the Democratic governor dithered before requesting federal aid.
Ruffin: “As one American general said to another after the firebombing of Tokyo: `You know, if we had lost WWII, we would have been convicted of war crimes.’”
This is something called “victor’s justice” and it has happened throughout history. Way to pick up on it, Dude. And hey, pass the spliff.
“In truth he had his mind set on war _ had it set, some say, even BEFORE 9/11 _ and was using every excuse in the book to attack Iraq. He wanted a fight, and, by God, he got it.”
Hostilities technically never ended with Saddam after the Gulf War since he refused to fully abide by UN resolutions. Saddam fired missiles at our F-15s on a regular basis for years. So, how do you declare war when one is already happening?
MUST. STOP. FISKING.
“Lie ? Lie about what? The CIA, British, French, German, and Russia, and even Iraq itself said Iraq had super weapons. Remember the Iraqi Minister of Information, who said during his during-war press conferences? He said, the US forces should expect something terrible being used against them if they enter Baghdad. He committed suicide after the war. Bush did not lie.”
Right, cause we all know the Iraqi Minster of INformation would never, ever lie about anything.
Look, read some books… the truth is out there if you’re really curious. Iraqi WMD’s were never a “slam dunk” like Tenet said they were. There was a lot of doubt within the American intelligence community about whether or not Iraq had WMD’s, and if so, their degree of development. It’s been said so many times before, but here goes again: the White house wanted to attack Iraq and needed the right sort of intelligence to convince the American people of its neccesity. To achieve this goal, they manipulated and cherry-picked intel while downplaying and outright ignoring intl that didn’t fit their case.
HEre’s somewhere to start:
http://www.globalpolicy.org/se.....elling.htm
“Checks and balances. Congress: Elected. Presidency: Elected. Supreme Court: 1 appointed by Bush. The rest of the 11? I guess they were programmed to be help Bush, 20 to 40 years ago, right?”
Checks and balances only work if congress is serious about standing up to the presidency. For the first 6 years of Bush II, the Republicans in congress have behaved no better than the rubber-stamp goons in the DPRK Supreme People’s Assembly. Now, with Dems in control of congress, I only pray that we’ll begin to see some real checks and balances.
“Ms. England and others were punished for this. No evidence links it to Rumsfeld or Bush or Cheney. More likely it was done at the lower level by low lives who somehow got into the uniformed services, somehow.”
In Fiasco, DONald Ricks makes a great point that the torture that went on at Abu Ghraib needs to be understood as a natural development of a poorly run occuption campaign that was sorely lacking needed troops, oversight, and a clear chain of command. So while there is no order from Bush to beat Iraqi prisoners to death, as the CiC, he can be held responsible as the person who made it all possible through bad planning and execution.
And here’s a freebie for you: IRaq had nothing to do with 9/11. I know… many of the 28 percenters out there will find that shocking.
pawikirogi:
I have to hand it to you; we always take your bait. That must make you a Masturbater!