Job Discussion Forums

Cleopatra · Posted: Tue Nov 04, 2003 7:45 pm Post subject:

Like the quote, Ohman!

Where did you get it from?

johnslat · Posted: Tue Nov 04, 2003 11:19 pm Post subject: The Princess Bride

Dear Cleopatra,
I believe it's taken from a very good movie ( well, I liked it, anyway ) called "The Princess Bride", based on the novel by S. Morgenstern ( I think William Goldman did the screenplay ).
Regards.
John

johnslat · Posted: Tue Nov 04, 2003 11:27 pm Post subject: Classic Blunders - continued

By the way, talking about "classic blunders", well, I'd say Dubya and Co. are engaged in yet another one. Now that we've made (what I consider to be ) the BIG mistake of invading Iraq, we're trying to manage the aftermath on the cheap, especially with regard to the troops involved.
But here's an editorial that tells it all quite well, I'd say:

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/04/opinion/04LUTT.html

Regards,
John

ohman · Joined: 09 Sep 2003 Posts: 239 Location: B' Um Fouk, Egypt

John,

Princess Bride, William Goldman screenplay--you are right sir. Good movie.

ohman · Joined: 09 Sep 2003 Posts: 239 Location: B' Um Fouk, Egypt

Who wants to do the math? At the current rate of US KIAs, and if the increased percentage continues to climb exponentially, when will we hit 58,000 (give or take) KIA, the magic number for calling it quits?

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

It is all very worrying for all of us. For the life of me I cannot see what the plan of the US Commander-in Chief is. Maybe he doesn't have one ?

johnslat · Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2003 1:57 pm Post subject: A man with a plan

Dear scot47,
His plan? That's an easy one. It's to get re-elected in '04, and, to that end, not to do/say anything that might possibly jeopardize such an outcome. Thus, the "good news" spin on reports from Iraq and the extreme reluctance to commit any more troops to the occupation.
Regards,
John

ohman · Joined: 09 Sep 2003 Posts: 239 Location: B' Um Fouk, Egypt

I know he doesn't mean this literally but do you think Friedman could've rephrased this? Suggesting to Iraqis that we're going to lock them up until they agree to participate in Operation Iraqi Freedom smacks of some kind of "We destroyed the village to save it" logic.

johnslat · Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2003 3:26 pm Post subject: Locked and loaded

Dear ohman,
I read that article earlier this morning. Interesting, isn't it, how Mr. Friedman never mentions the likely - to my mind - results of such a "lock-up". First, there's the fact that any outcome delivered by such a bunch of hand-picked "puppets" is probably not going to gain the whole-hearted acceptance of many/most Iraqis ( or, for that matter, of much of the rest of the world ). And second, even if it did, and "free and fair elections" actually were to take place, just whom does Mr. Friedman think would be the likely winners?
Regards,
John

ohman · Joined: 09 Sep 2003 Posts: 239 Location: B' Um Fouk, Egypt

John,

And again, Ms. Dowd hit the nail on the head when she suggests that the least our boss could be doing is attending a few funerals while on the stump for re-election.

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/06/opinion/06DOWD.html

Friedman also says:

johnslat · Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2003 3:39 pm Post subject: Say cheese

Dear ohman,
Lord, you'll never be a "political advisor". Look - photo ops that have you landing in a flight suit on an aircraft carrier are great PR. But ones that have you greeting returning coffins with a "commander-in-chief" salute are
NOT. You have to keep the priorities straight.
Regards,
John

ohman · Joined: 09 Sep 2003 Posts: 239 Location: B' Um Fouk, Egypt

John,

Ah yes. The flight suit.
After Dubya got elected, I went around muttering something about how we were now entering our Hanovarian period having elected George II.

One thing the Brit George II is remembered for is that he was the last of the warrior Kings, the last to actually fight alongside the troops in battle.

Why does ours have to be such a bussy?

ohman · Joined: 09 Sep 2003 Posts: 239 Location: B' Um Fouk, Egypt

After teaching Arabs students for so long, I too have develobed a broblem bronouncing stobs.

johnslat · Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2003 5:42 pm Post subject: Clark on Iraq

Well, Clark hasn't provided any magic formula for success here, no daring ( and perhaps unworkable ) new policies. But I'd say that what he proposed is, at least, an improvement upon the present handling.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=694&e=3&u=/ap/20031106/ap_on_el_pr/clark_iraq

Regards,
John

P.S. By George, ohman, you're right:
"George possessed three passions: the army, music and his wife. He was exceptionally brave and has the distinction of being the last British sovereign to command troops in the field (at Dettingen against the French in 1743). "
Now there's a leader who could credibly exclaim: "Bring 'em on".