Items worth mentioning this week ...

[Chreteau]

Quotes from the Second Presidential Debate

"Laura said don't talk too long tonight. I said, okay."
President Bush, Debate Watch Party, Ballwin, Missouri, October 8, 2004

"The world is more dangerous today because the President didn't make the right judgements."
Senator Kerry, responding to a question by Robin Dahl.

"It's a fundamental misunderstanding to say that the war on terror is only Osama bin Laden. The war on terror is to make sure that these terrorist organizations do not end up with weapons of mass destruction. That's what the war on terror is about."
President Bush, responding to a question by Anthony Baldi

"We're not going to have a draft, period. The all-volunteer Army works. It works particularly when we pay our troops well. It works when we make sure they've got housing, like we have done in the last military budgets. An all-volunteer Army is best suited to fight the new wars of the twenty-first century, which is to be specialized and to find these people as they hide around the world. We don't need mass armies anymore."
President Bush, responding to a question from Daniel Farley.

"The President got $84 from a timber company that he owns, and he's counted as a small business."
Senator Kerry, responding to a question from moderator Charles Gibson.

"I own a timber company? That's news to me. Need some wood?"
President Bush, responding to Senator Kerry's comment.

Afghanistan Elections

"Just three years ago, women were being executed in the sports stadium. Today they're voting for a leader of a free country. A nineteen-year-old woman, an Afghan refugee who fled her homeland during its civil war, became the very first voter. Here is what she said. She said, "I cannot explain my feelings, just how happy I am. I would never have thought I would be able to vote in this election." Amazing, isn't it? Freedom is beautiful.

And today is an appropriate day for Americans to remember and thank the men and women of our Armed Forces, who liberated Afghanistan."
President Bush discussing the Afghanistan elections, Victory 2004 Rally, Waterloo, Iowa, October 9, 2004.

War on Terror

"Think about the world as it was about three-and-a-half years ago. Afghanistan was the home base of al Qaeda. Pakistan was a transit point for terrorist groups. Saudi Arabia was fertile ground for terrorist fundraising. Libya was secretly pursuing nuclear weapons. Iraq was a dangerous place and a gathering threat. Al Qaeda was largely unchallenged as it planned attacks.

Because we led, Afghanistan is fighting terror and held a presidential election today, Pakistan is capturing terrorist leaders, Saudi Arabia is making raids and arrests, Libya is dismantling its weapons programs, the army of a free Iraq is fighting for freedom and more than three-quarters of al Qaeda's key members and associates have been brought to justice. We have led, many have joined, and America and the world are safer."
President Bush discussing the war on terror, Victory 2004 Rally, Waterloo, Iowa, October 9, 2004.

Crisis in Darfur

"Further attacks in Kordofan confirmed last week's warnings that the conflict in Western Sudan might be spreading outside of Darfur.

Food stocks are very low, or non-existent, and most people are surviving on wild food, some early harvest and the little that they have been able to buy. Income generation has declined dramatically. Market prices for sorghum and millet have risen, and many cannot afford to buy meat altogether.

The food shortage is likely to continue until the end of 2005."
Excerpts from Sudan Bulletin No. 15, International Committee of the Red Cross, October 8, 2004.

Elections in Afghanistan

"According to the United Nations, more than 10 million Afghans have registered to vote in spite of uncertain security and attacks on some polling sites and election workers. 41 percent of registered voters are women.

18 presidential candidates, including one female candidate, are running in the election.

To ensure that no one votes more than once, each voter's right index finger will be stained with a long-lasting ink before the voter leaves the polling station. In addition, each voter's registration card number will be recorded and his or her card punched.

The United States to date has provided $78 million (40 percent) of the $198 million needed to prepare for and carry out the election."
Excerpts from White House Fact Sheet, October 8, 2004.

"The first person to vote in the presidential election, three years after the Taliban ruled that country with such barbarism, was a 19-year-old woman, an Afghan refugee, who fled her homeland during the civil war. Here's what she said: "I cannot explain my feelings, just how happy I am. I would never have thought I would be able to vote in this election." She's voting in this election because the United States of America believes that freedom is the Almighty God's gift to each man and woman in this world."
President Bush, speaking at a campaign event, St. Louis, Missouri, October 9, 2004.

Iraq's Weapons of Mass Destruction

"Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) were an integral element in the range of tools Saddam drew upon to advance his ambitions.

The Iraq experience with WMD stretches over 30 years and three wars. Thousands of victims died on battlefields, and civilians have been gassed in domestic terror campaigns.

Saddam wanted to recreate Iraq's WMD capability.

Saddam aspired to develop a nuclear capability.

ISG uncovered Iraqi plans or designs for three long-range ballistic missiles with ranges from 400 to 1,000 km and for a 1,000-km-range cruise missile.

ISG found a limited number of post-1995 activities that would have aided the reconstruction of the nuclear weapons program.

ISG uncovered information that the Iraqi Intelligence Service (IIS) maintained throughout 1991 to 2003 a set of undeclared covert laboratories to research and test various chemicals and poisons, primarily for intelligence operations.
Excerpts from the Comprehensive Report of the Special Advisor to the DCI on Iraq's WMD, September 30, 2004.

[ColorOfSakura]

"The President got $84 from a timber company that he owns, and he's counted as a small business."
Senator Kerry, responding to a question from moderator Charles Gibson.

"I own a timber company? That's news to me. Need some wood?"
President Bush, responding to Senator Kerry's comment.

Haha! What a witty response! I like that.

Man, I wish I had watched that debate now.