tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4192358870006265534.post4882196381214459807..comments2023-12-26T13:11:07.431-05:00Comments on Blank Versus Blank: A New Cold War?David Blankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03667039767801754090noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4192358870006265534.post-90606767584700452942016-10-28T12:20:21.336-04:002016-10-28T12:20:21.336-04:00Are you saying that if I filtered out partisanship...Are you saying that if I filtered out partisanship, Libya would equate even up with Iraq? Really??? And given that "your side" rails against the Obama administration specifically for being reluctant in Syria, how am I off base in saying the same? And at least clear up where I say any of this is honorable or just. My head swims...Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07984813296236526152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4192358870006265534.post-17677294908359808542016-10-28T12:08:41.941-04:002016-10-28T12:08:41.941-04:00Again, you consider the "other side's&quo...Again, you consider the "other side's" wars as expensive, unjust, and ill-advised from a bunch of war-mongers, while "my side's" wars are reluctant, just, noble, and honorable (and just a little dabbling in death). You are talking in strictly partisan terms. We're involved in 5 separate conflicts at this moment. The question is how do we proceed for the future in a non-partisan discussion?David Blankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03667039767801754090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4192358870006265534.post-71229114344269062862016-10-26T14:51:54.416-04:002016-10-26T14:51:54.416-04:00Now David, Don't be coy. You know very well I ...Now David, Don't be coy. You know very well I am referring to the trillion dollar war in Iraq that was really forced on us to scratch a neo-con itch (and for which not one iota of contrition was ever expressed). Libya was actually Hollande's war that we barely dabbled in. Trying to hang any "elective war" on the highly reluctant Obama just doesn't fly.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07984813296236526152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4192358870006265534.post-30746432345282119722016-10-26T08:46:34.329-04:002016-10-26T08:46:34.329-04:00It is amazing how much we spend on defense. It is amazing how much we spend on defense. Doug Blankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17756588602580974678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4192358870006265534.post-71161020413834500742016-10-25T23:47:52.607-04:002016-10-25T23:47:52.607-04:00BTW, if u want some idea of relative military stre...BTW, if u want some idea of relative military strength, US has 10 aircraft carriers in service + 1 in reserve. Rest of world has 9 in service + 1 in reserve. (Russia has 1.)d novahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12335357091737770718noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4192358870006265534.post-6762742791921872522016-10-25T23:35:41.310-04:002016-10-25T23:35:41.310-04:00David, my take on ur argument:
1. Obama pulled out...David, my take on ur argument:<br />1. Obama pulled out of Iraq. Now it's a mess.<br />2. He intervened in Libya. Now it's a mess.<br />3. He did not intervene in Syria. Now it's a mess.<br />4. He's wrong no matter what he does.<br />5. Praise Trump. (Yeah, I know u didn't go there -- yet.)<br /><br />In fact, what Obama did was follow law:<br />1. He honored Bush's withdrawal agreement -- which the corrupt Maliki refused to renegotiate.<br />2. He used cruise missiles to initiate a no-fly zone in accord with a UN Security Council resolution.<br />3. He stopped short of going to war in Syria bc neither UN nor Congress authorized it.<br /><br />Would u be happier if he had violated international law &/or US law?d novahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12335357091737770718noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4192358870006265534.post-89892500963283756202016-10-25T21:43:14.073-04:002016-10-25T21:43:14.073-04:00Hi Mike. Thanks for joining the conversation. I mi...Hi Mike. Thanks for joining the conversation. I might, however redirect the selective inattention comment towards your mirror. Over the pat few years, Obama has quietly been sending an increasing number of American military men and women back into Iraq. If Bush was guilty of Neo-colonialism, I wonder what you would call this. When you are talking about unnecessary, elective wars, I presume you are also talking about Libya, Hillary's and Obama's elective war? Each President makes decisions based on what intelligence he has at the time. Judging them along partisan lines using information available after-the-fact only deepens the partisan divide. <br />https://www.statista.com/chart/6393/the-us-militarys-gradual-return-to-iraq/David Blankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03667039767801754090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4192358870006265534.post-7917640553856779762016-10-25T15:41:36.910-04:002016-10-25T15:41:36.910-04:00David suffers from "selective inattention&quo...David suffers from "selective inattention" to the consequences of staying in the middle of this mess. He should own up to backing a policy that is effectively neo-colonialism, and which would sap us for decades to come (On top of what we are already suffering thanks to an unnecessary, elective war.) Run it up the flag pole and see if the American electorate salutes...I doubt very much that they would.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07984813296236526152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4192358870006265534.post-92081828268028684692016-10-25T13:22:59.866-04:002016-10-25T13:22:59.866-04:00I think that your analysis is correct. It doesn...I think that your analysis is correct. It doesn't always play well at home for those people that want chest beating. But that is why it is so important to elect strong, smart, confident people that make such decisions. It would be nice to see some of that intellect come out of Congress, too.Doug Blankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17756588602580974678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4192358870006265534.post-50236581018804470392016-10-25T10:34:52.795-04:002016-10-25T10:34:52.795-04:00One comment gentlemen: The throw away about multip...One comment gentlemen: The throw away about multiple red lines needs cleaning up. We know that there is just one red line of concern, i.e., chem weapons in Syria. Obama did not include what consequences would be when he said that using chems would cross a red line. He was maintaining maximum maneuverability, which was the right thing to do, but it allowed everyone to project whatever they wished. It was immediately assumed that he meant that he would enter the war and bomb Assad. In fact, he gave congress the option of weighing in, and they shirked their duty. Since Congress demurred (giving themselves maximum maneuverability to criticize Obama whatever he did) Obama chose to apply the consequences in a very narrow, but ultimately successful manner. He let Putin know that the hammer would come down, and Putin believed him, facilitating the removal of those weapons from Syria. It is terribly misleading to call this feckless. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07984813296236526152noreply@blogger.com