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"Looting is transition to freedom" - guess who said this?

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stevedeshazer Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-01-05 08:56 PM
Original message
"Looting is transition to freedom" - guess who said this?
-Donald Rumsfeld, April 11, 2003

http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=20030411-010551-6382r

<snip>

WASHINGTON, April 11 (UPI) -- U.S. forces should not be blamed for the lawlessness and looting in Baghdad as it is a natural consequence of the transition from a dictatorship to a free country, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said Friday at the Pentagon.

"The task we've got ahead of us now is an awkward one ... It's untidy. And freedom's untidy. And free people are free to make mistakes and commit crimes and do bad things. They're also free to live their lives and do wonderful things. And that's what's going to happen here," Rumsfeld said.

<snip>

"While no one condones looting, on the other hand, one can understand the pent-up feelings that may result from decades of repression and people who have had members of their family killed by that regime, for them to be taking their feelings out on that regime," he said. "And I don't think there's anyone in any of those pictures ... (who wouldn't) accept it as part of the price of getting from a repressed regime to freedom."

Rumsfeld said in the United States there has been looting and riots and they eventually come under control.

:grr:
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Island Blue Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-01-05 08:59 PM
Response to Original message
1. Well there you go - freedom's on the march to NO.
There's always a silver lining, no?
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DemBones DemBones Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-01-05 09:06 PM
Response to Original message
2. Yeah, but Rummy was talking about Iraq. His boss isn't

going to be nice to NO looters, though there's been no word yet of them steaing any priceless antiquities.
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Panda1 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-01-05 09:13 PM
Response to Original message
3. "freedom's untidy"
"part of the price of getting from a repressed regime to freedom"

Ghod, I hate these thugs.

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stevedeshazer Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-01-05 09:23 PM
Response to Original message
4. Remember this quote
"While no one condones looting, on the other hand, one can understand the pent-up feelings that may result from decades of repression and people who have had members of their family killed by that regime, for them to be taking their feelings out on that regime..."

-Donald Rumsfeld, Secretary of Endless War
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LiviaOlivia Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Sep-02-05 12:48 AM
Response to Original message
5. Great reminder
Thanks Steve.
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paineinthearse Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Sep-02-05 01:45 AM
Response to Original message
6. Great, ironic connection
Proud to give 5th nomination.
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Why Syzygy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Sep-02-05 04:06 AM
Response to Original message
7. Freedom means
"make mistakes and commit crimes and do bad things" ??? :wtf:

Is that THEIR EXCUSE? They are a free people?

This is bullshit and just shows the level of insanity we're dealing with here.

Freedom, my shiny. That's why we have LAWS, MOFO!

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bribri16 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Sep-02-05 07:38 AM
Response to Original message
8. Kick!! n/t
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Joe Chi Minh Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Sep-02-05 08:32 AM
Response to Original message
9. During WWII, in the UK,
professional criminals who, for whatever reason, had not been conscripted into the armed forces, absolutely made hay, including rape and looting from private houses on a grand scale.

Strange to relate, I don't believe anyone in the government ever expressed contentment at this somewhat unorthodox expression of democratic freedom, frustrated though the miscreants no doubt claimed to be.

Of course, most of the looting in NO was just to help them in their struggle to survive. But the armed professional criminals who are, apparently, currently hunting the police deserve to be shot on sight (then resuscitated and shot again, etc).
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MrBenchley Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Sep-02-05 08:34 AM
Response to Original message
10. Great find!
Thanks...
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Gold Metal Flake Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Sep-02-05 09:33 AM
Response to Original message
11. Add THIS motherfucking quote:

"The images you are seeing on television you are seeing over, and over, and it’s the same picture of some person walking out of some building with a vase," scoffed Rumsfeld, "and you think, ‘My goodness, were there that many vases? Is it possible that there were that many vases in the whole country?" -- Rumsfuck

Impeach. Indict. Imprison.
Impeach. Indict. Imprison.
Impeach. Indict. Imprison.
Impeach. Indict. Imprison.
Impeach. Indict. Imprison.
Impeach. Indict. Imprison.
Impeach. Indict. Imprison.
Impeach. Indict. Imprison.
Impeach. Indict. Imprison.
Impeach. Indict. Imprison.
Impeach. Indict. Imprison.
Impeach. Indict. Imprison.
Impeach. Indict. Imprison.
Impeach. Indict. Imprison.
Impeach. Indict. Imprison.
Impeach. Indict. Imprison.
Impeach. Indict. Imprison.
Impeach. Indict. Imprison.
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