Why in the world does the D-News print this kind of tripe?

A battle for our very existence. Ahh, no, no it's not. Not even close. Crimeny. I mean really.

And to think people actually believe this kind of stuff.

"Gale goes off his meds"
"Delusional"
This is the sort of Rush Limbaugh-esque style of "civil discourse" we get to listen to directed towards the atrocious current administration from now until November.
Lots of class.

The terrorists wanted to change day-to-day life in America, and through his “war on terror”, “Department of Homeland Security”, and his “Patriot” Act, Bush has granted them their wish.

Yes, we have been attacked, but the way we have (over)reacted to the attack, you would think we are living under the same threat level as Israel.

Mr. Pulsipher,

For seemingly the 18th million time, Saddam Hussein, nor anyone else in Iraq for that matter, had anything to do with the 9/11 attacks in New York, Virginia or Washington.

Even president Bush has said so as has Vice President Cheney. Their pronouncement is good enough for me.

Why do those of your persuasion keep insisting on tying the two together.

Your insistance is like blamining the Civil War on someone of stature and vision who prophesied the start of that epic battle years before it actually happened. Certainly you wouldn't say such a man was responsible for the Civil War yet you blame Saddam for 9/11.

Ridiculous.

In all your learning Mr. Pulsipher, try to acquire a little wisdom along the way.

The invasion and occupation of Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11. IRAQ had nothing to do with 9/11. The attack on Iraq was the equivalent of invading Mexico because Japan attacked Pearl Harbor.

The war with Afghanistan was justified, and is worthy of support. The invasion and occupation of Iraq is a travesty, and Don Gale was very right in criticizing it.

I love reasoning like this "He does not mention that we have not been attacked on our soil since we took the fight to bin Laden in Afghanistan and Iraq."
In the same vane I paid about half of a trillion dollars for a rock that I keep in my front yard and that rock keeps away tigers. I havent seen any tigers since I got it.

Someone is definitely off their med’s I am not so sure it is Gale. You may want to remember it was many years between the last attack and 9/11. The other thing that the writer seems to refuse to get is that Saddam Hussein had nothing to do with 9/11 and Al Quida only has a foot hold in Iraq because of our invasion. Facts that even Bush has had to admit.

We can debate the Iraaq war all day but please let it rest. The fact is the Islamic fundamentalists are determined to dominate the world with their beliefs. The powerful Cailphates of the middle ages nearly controlled all of Europe. Now they are slowly taking it through immigration. The masses of muslims (most not all) are not integrating well into western cicilization. When they have a majority they will impose their laws and customs on the remaining population. I harbor no hatred toward these people but I think this is a reality that must be discussed.

Liberals? I am more conservative than this guy ever will be, but I can easily see this war was a great lie and deception.

It was merely about money for Dick Cheney and his friends. They put in place an easily swayed man in George Bush and convinced him through deception, to attack Iraq. Wolf in sheep's clothing anyone?

When will republican hacks realize the error of this war in Iraq? I seem to remember in a civilization long before this one, whenever they invade their enemies home land, they were always rebuked and always lost the war with grave losses to them. Do people in Utah forget?

America should only go to war if attacked. We were attacked on 9/11 and we took care of the people who did it in Afghanistan. We were met with a resounding victory. However, it is not morally justified to occupy a country not of our own. We should have left and let them form their own government whatever it would have been.

Iraq was preemptive and morally wrong. How do good Christians justify this war? Do they not read the scriptures?

to 9/11 Don Gale is still part of the "blame America first" crowd that believes in our defeat at every turn.

Torture chambers and rape rooms? Ok, how about this group of winners: Chairman Mao, Pol Pot, Idi Amin, Augusto Pinochet, and the Myanmar Junta. What do they have in common? They all committed rape and torture on their own people, but we didn't invade their countries! Why invade Iraq and stay to fight evil for five year? Another Bush mystery!

If there's any inclination whatsoever that not thinking like this letter writer makes one a liberal, I am proudly liberal.

Mr. Pulsipher began his diatribe with, "...my friend, Don Gale...". Would this be reminiscent of the opening lines of every John McCain speech, "My friends..." Afterall, the same dillusional, non-sensical and uninformed claims found in Mr, Pulsiphers letter seems to match with the fantasy world that John McCain lives in. Let's just hope Mr. Pulsipher doesn't hold the same vindictive nature as Senator McCain when it comes to those of us who disagree with his position.

Iraq never attacked America, the Saudis did but we attacked and have murdered thousands of innocent Iraqs YEP we lost about 4,000 to the Saudis but we kill another nations population and then strive to attack another country that was not involved YEP we are justified in Bushs lies

I am so glad to see and read there are some people with sense in this crazy state where it seems the majority still supports Bush and thinks the Iraq war is justified (even with the large religious population here). It was refreshing to read Gale's editorial and most of these comments. I hope more people come to their senses and we start holding these politicians accountable.

Ever notice how often the word "liberal" (demonized definition of Democrat) pops up when people are forced into the corner having to admit to such things as "Iraq had nothing to do with the 9/11 incident"?

I just can't believe citizens in the United States believe we are right to invade another country who did not attack us. We have made the lives of Iraq people a living hell.

We have sent almost almost 4100 hundred military members to die in Iraq and it has not made us any safer.

We have killed hundreds and thousands Iraqis for what, they hate us more now than they ever did.

Thank goodness George Bush will be out of office in less than a year.

Too bad someone will have to clean up his utter dismal failure as a president.

when you've hit a bear on the nose, he will eat you alive. "When are the rest of you" going to realize that the war on Iraqi soil is not a one dimensional front. 9-11 connection or not, stability in the region was jeopardized by the Hussein regime and his "affinity" for terroristic interference. A gret deal of this conflict is to protect US interests in the availability and flow of energy resources. Like it or not, until the eco extremists loosen their hold on domestic energy, the US populace learns conservation and the economic terrorists in this world can be held at bay, our interests in the middle east are at risk and our presence is warranted. Sometimes the attackers here remind me of the hunter in Jurassic park who was so focussed on the Raptor before him that he never saw the attack from his flank, and it ate him.

Gale has more in common with Bush than he'd like to admit. The truth is that we are in Iraq in large part because Bush, like Gale and a large portion of American "elite", is an avowed multiculturalist, who can't bring himself to admit that some cultures just can't get along peacefully with others.

9/11 was committed by immigrants legally and illegal in this country. A reasonable policy post-9/11 would've been to secure the borders, end Muslim immigration, deny most Muslims visas to study or visit here, kick out Muslims here who aren't citizens, and to watch the rest like hawks.

Instead, thanks to multiculturalists still enthralled by "Utopian" visions (Utopia, remember, means "nowhere") we are stuck with a growing police state that watches all of us because it won't "profile" a few of us. We've turned a billion dollar immigration problem into a trillion dollar military one.

Don Gale, meet your long lost brother: George W Bush and all his neocon friends.

Ding Ding Ding.
The prize goes to Anyonmous 12:52 for being the first person to bring up Rush on any topic.

Isn't it wonderful that we can depend on Anonymous to bring in the Rush tripe on every single issue.

Although IRAQ was not directly involved in the attacks of 9/11, they were involved in some of the Al-Qauda other dealings. Mostly involving paying sucide bombers going into Israel (25,000 for the families).

Al-Qauida did have camps in IRAQ prior to the Invasion, there present was known for sometime.

Gary Moore:
The Homeland Security, Partiot Act was all done with the blessing of the Congress INCLUDING THE DEMOCRATS. So to say "his" is inacruate. In Fact the Homeland security was the brian child of the democrats.

The problem most people refuse to see is that our so called intelligence agencies before 9/11 was horrible. The data was so inconclusive you could have come up with any senario you wanted.

I believe that at the time President Bush made the decision, he honestly felt that IRAQ was part of the attacks. The Intelligence reports backed him up at the time. Even the Democrat leadership has backed off the Anti Bush jargon.

The real problem was that Congress allowed the intelligence agencies to be so lazy.

I am in total agreement with Mr. Pulsipher. His writings are the kind that I wish this paper would print more often not the hateful delusions of left wing radical conspiracy theorists. Saudi Arabia did not attack us, no country did, a mutant ideology did or perhaps you believe that Bush blew up the towers? In which case the debate is over it is a waste of time to debate with a dog no matter how loud it barks and snarls.

Amen Pulsipher.

Iraq and Al Quaida don't have ties? Top officials have reported otherwise. Oil for food anyone?

Saddam was harboring and funding terrorists for decades.

It is estimated that over 1,000,000 civilians (that's innocent women, children and grandparents)
have had their lives snuffed out due to the occupation of the Bush/Cheney war on Iraq.

And Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11.

This whole thing is starting to make the Vietnam debacle look like a good idea.

Thanks, Anonymous 7:58, for bringing some humor into this discussion. You win the prize for being the furthest off-topic of anyone yet! Hilarious!

As an army of occupation are we creating the terrorists we are trying to eliminate?

I find it amazing that every time someone disagrees with standard political correctness they are condemed as a Rush clone. Many of us who question popular culture never listen to talk radio and have no idea what Rush is talking about, but we still see silliness where we see it.

Lets for arguments sake accept the assertion that we should have attached Saudi Arabia, what would happen?
1) America invades Saudi Arabia, all oil shipments from the Middle East cease causing the economies of the world to collapse.
2) One billion Muslims attack America, Pakistan attacks America with nuclear weapons.
3) Russia joins on the side of Saudi Arabia; the sky is filled with missiles tipped with nuclear and biological weapon payloads from the east.
4) America is forced to respond in kind.
5) Global warming and overpopulation are no longer a problem.
Who needs Skynet?

THE IRAQI WAR WAS STARTED BECAUSE WORLD OIL INTERESTS MOSTLY AMERICAN WANTED TO ELIMINATE AN UNCONTROLLED COMPETITOR.

The Iraqi war had nothing to do with 911 or the "war on terrorism". The "war on terrorism" was a big lie that Bush used to propagandize the American people so that he and his buddies could carry out a highly profitable raid on the American taxpayer.

America has "lost" in almost every aspect of world standing, protection of our citizens and personal freedom. Not so much as from the actions of terrorists but because of the actions of George W Bush.

And at the same time there are more terrorists both in the United States and throughout the world.

Who is Don Gale? And who cares any more what Rush Limbaugh thinks? Or any of the rest of these

Seriously, can't Americans think for themselves anymore without consulting these extremist editorialists, that say what they say only for the shock factor, in order to fatten thier own wallets? Any why is it necessary for people to belittle those they disagee with, by accusing them of being associated with one of these extremist camps?

Regarding racial profiling, I agree that it is only logical and reasonable to engage in it in some situations. The problem is, in this case, as soon as the terrorists learn that we are looking closely at only muslim or middle-east-looking people, they will recruit people who do not look that way to carry out their plans. Thus, we need to check everyone.

to michaelh - You are free to agree with the writer, but your wish that more of this type letter gets printed is stupefying. That type of letter gets printed pretty often in DN. It's as though the lies we heard so many times, by one count over 900 times from high level Bush officials, were brand new. It's like Groundhog Day, with the same letters showing up, just by different authors, and sometimes the SAME authors.
What I almost never see is "I was sure the President was right in attacking Iraq, but now I see I was wrong to vote for him twice."

Like it or not, bigot or not, drug addicted or not, Rush Limbaugh has a huge influence (especially in this neo-red community) on the people who obviously listen to his nasty GOP propaganda each and every day in Utah.

You can spot them instantly by their caustic style.
Name-calling, using the demonized word liberal (aka Democrat) and absolutely nothing else to contribute to any subject rather than that.

As Shakespeare said: "Methinks thou protest too much" Why do some foam at the mouth when Limbaughism is clearly exposed on these blogs?

You reap what you sow. :>

Utah, the reddest of the red states, is Rush Limbaugh's largest listening audience in the U.S.
I thought EVERYBODY knew that.
A quick perusal of the inane and childish postings above will show where the these neo-reds get their material.
Then, when they are exposed, they whine just like their conservative guru does.
And this is their brand of "civil discourse."

I don't ever recall Don Gale being against the war on terror. He merely wonders why we chose to invade Iraq as do I.

If any one knows the answer to this please explain. Why Iraq, why not Canada or Mexico or England or Hawaii or Utah?

Terrorism, as a political tactic, has been with us from the time Man sought power over his domain. It has been seen in many forms from gang terrorism of a neighborhood to events like the fire-bombing of Dresden.

It does not only have an Islamic face. The British faced Irish terrorism for many years. African Americans face a long period of terrorism throughout the slave period and for many years after. The Ku Klux Klan was a totally American terrorist organization.

However, dealing with terrorism is necessary wherever it occurs because it is a disease that eats away at the fabric of society. Islamic terrorism is the most visible incarnation that American have in their view, but they have been made afraid by an Administration that appeals to fear and a political tool.

Rather than go after and exterminate the terrorist group that was responsible for 9/11, the Bush/Cheney cabal chose to gin up the fear factor and invade Iraq. Karl Rove thought it would make a good photo op for Bush's re-election in 2004. It was supposed to be easy and cost next to nothing. However, it was never expected to curb Islamic terrorism since none were there.

Some of these posts are very telling.

You can see what's in store from the GOP from now until November, can't you?

More of the same: "Democrats (liberals) are soft on terror." "Liberals (Democrats) want our troops to lose (Limbaugh actually told our troops this)."
"A Vote for the Democrats (liberals) is a vote for communism (just like the good ol' McCarthy era witch-hunt days)."

There are many people today who strongly believe in the notion of Jesus Christ coming back to earth in their lifetime.

It appears there are some who want to expedite that notion in any way they can that includes assisting and hastening biblical prophesy in some very aggressive ways.

Mr. Pulsipher: You and Cheney are the ones in denial. Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11. Most of the perpetrators of 9/11 were Saudis.

If we attached and bombed every country that abuses its citizens, we would be at war with half the countries of the world.

You are so naive to believe the reason we have not been attached is due to our taking the fight to bin laden.

You are the one in denial and delusional, not only about terrorism, but about liberals being 'invested in defeat', 9/11, and so many other things.

It would take an idiot to think that anyone is 'invested in defeat'.

You obviously have access to the Web and can read. I suggest you do some research and get some facts squared in your brain. You seem so confused.

'protecting their neocon hero 10:48' has some interesting points about caustic rhetoric - as if the left never used any. The bombastic style of Limbaugh is a parody of the Maureen Dowds of the world who actually think of themselves as intellectual. The left doesnt see it; which is why Ann Coulter is so funny.

Only a hardcore neo-red would think that ilk such as Ann Coulter is funny.

You all remember Coulter.

She is that lovely conservative lady who once said THIS about the wives of the 9/11 victims: “I've never seen people enjoying their husbands' deaths so much.”

Twisted sense of humor you've got there, mmmmm.

Personally I would like to see more balance with the letters to the editor and opinion pieces.

It is my feeling that we do not have enough letters to the editor and opinion pieces such as Mr Gales in the Deseret News.

There is a change blowing in the wind and I guess the Editorial staff of the Deseret News will recognize it after November.

Pity the poor neo-reds of Utah.

They've been told that you cannot be a good person (one person actually said LDS once) and be a Democrat at the same time when all the while they can see the truth as being completely the opposite.

Could we give Ann Coulter a tryout at one of the comedy clubs in Basra?

Oh, right. I'd forgotten that we're pretending this week that *Iraq* was the Middle Eastern country that attacked us. Funny. I thought it was Saudi Arabia.

Or was it "terror"?

The actual truth is hard to find in the Red counties of Utah. Vaughn, pay attention: Iraq had nothing to do with the 911 tragedy. Not in any way that we have been able to prove at this late date. After we attacked a country that posed absolutely no threat to us, Al Qaeda then began using Iraq as a training ground for their new recruits which were created by our outrageous behavior.

I'm sure no amount of scolding in these comments will convince you otherwise. Have you considered prayer and meditation?

Don Gale is a Utah treasure. Let's hear more of this kind of intelligent commentary. He sees clearly: it is positively Orwellian the way Bush/Cheney have committed us to eternal "war on terror," bankrupting and impoverishing this nation and at the same time whipping up so much support for their lies among the unthinking "proles" (Republicans and other mindless conservatives).

When dealing with Utah's neo-reds, all one has to say is "stay within the lines - the lines are your friends" (substitute "always stay the course" if you'd like) and voila!

Dancing clowns all questioning and doing nothing.

At this point, I don't think there is anything you can give Utah conservatives that might help them.

They've got to walk that lonesome valley themselves.

Are we to allow desposts, terroist and rapists to exist just because they are not in our country?

Do we have responsiblity to stop dictators who torture and rape and murder there citizens?

Even if we are capable, should we just do nothing? and allow others to suffer, becauae hey it's not our country.

Maybe the liberals are right we should not get involved in darfur, it's not our problem, we have no right, and the innocnent may die, and their leaders have the right to lead how they want.

Let's just withdraw from the world and let evil rule.

Next time someone bombs us, we should just turn the other cheek, besides we had it coming.