What I found interesting about Barak's comments on fund raising. Is that while he would not take money from PACs and Lobbyist for 'his' party and campaign. He will let Senators and Congressmen take money from them for thier party and campaigns.
Maybe we have two Democratic parties evolving. The Barak Obama Democratic Party and the Super Deligate Democratic Party?
Also I put in the motion.....that for 2012 primary......Florida and Michigan get 99.5% (split 50/50) of the deligate votes and the rest of the states divide the remaining .5% vote. Floridans don't forget Raz.....we may be old and senile.....but take away our vote, gets us angry and the blood flows to our heads again.
What about the very "interesting" matter about Turkey, America,s most solid partner in the area, and a very key Nato member, actually cooporating with Iran very deelpy in order to attack PKK? Are you sure you really know what is exactly going on in that area?If I had written a bout that close cooporation before, you would never beleive me right?
You "think" Pakistani government is a good and close friend in order to fight agianst terrorism and you are sure they will never be a threat against Israel and still Pakistan together with Afghanistan are THE terrorism teritory like no other places and now Turkey is a "friend" of Iran any way!
I am telling you TT......Very complicated area, very complicated issuses in that area and most things are not at all as they seem like all over the middle east! But one thing is sure......Most regims in that area are not that firendly toward american administration at all when it counts.
Yes you are only to right about it being a complicated region of the world, Dude. Just because it is, doesnot mean we are going to cut and run. Those days have ended.
None of those regiemes have said leave, Dude. Most have signed major contracts for our presence there. They all fear this coming Iranian nuc. And they want those same interceptor that is being placed over Europe to eventually be placed over them. They ask us to leave, they will be naked to Iran nucs.
As long as there is a US Missile Destroyer in the Gulf, that missile defense is there. So don't kid yourself. Suadi and the other Gulf states, are happy to see us there right now.
Yes, I have to admit I am dissapointed with Turkey. But remember when Turkey refused to allow the northern front? I began to consider them 'ify' at that time. If they go in Iran footsteps, then we add them to the list of terror supporting countries. A sad thing to do. We also cut them from NATO. We put sanctions on them. They asked for it. They get it.
My feeling with Turkey is this. Their principle gripe is with the Kurdish PPK movement that is striking into Turkey. Hence they are doing these mil operations in Iraq. It is for Maliki to get this PPK group under control and to stop from doing the operations in Turkey. Maliki also has a responsilbity to defend those border Kurdish villages from both Turkey and Iran mil operation. And Turkey is not our most solid partner there.....Isreal and Iraq are. In my opinion when they went 'ify' they lost that status.
Image Danish border towns with Germany getting shells fired into them? Or having the Germans come north to inspect your towns for weapons? You guys might get angry. It is a international border that no one is respecting.
Pakistan......interesting place. I think that it depends on the relationship with the west that Sharif and Bhutto (husband and son)develop now with Musharref losing power. Bhutto is solid anti terrorism. Would you not be if someone killed your wife and mother in a bombing? Sharif is a different story. According to Musharref (in his book) Sharif wanted to 'Taliban' the country in the 90s. Also this, the General that took over from Musharref as head of their military....he is very pro west. So I feel we have 2 that are anti terrorism/pro west and a fence sitter there in the leadership group. It makes it complicated but something one can work with.
But at the grass roots of Pakistan. There are many that are pro Taliban and AlQeada. Specially in the NW terroritories. Talk about the American wild west of the 1800s, there it is. You got 'indian country' all right....that is American slang for 'hostiles'. But I don't get it. They have that massive earthquake there...1000s are killed....we rush in aid...they suspend shooting at American Helos.....everyone is trying to save people. A couple years later, it is indian country again. Seems to me if you can figure out ways to jointly keep people alive, you can figure out ways to keep from pulling the triggers.
My blood pressure is back to normal over Myanmar. So no rants.
Some on Iran and Iraq.
First, Iran has been doing joint operations with Turkey in north Iraq against the Kurds. Including more recently using thier artillery to fire across the border into Kurdish villages.
This is act of war. Also for a Iranian unit commander to fire into Iraq, he would have approval from the very level (President A.) of the Irans military structure. So 'pausible deniablity' like with the Qut force and IEDs is gone.
Maliki is in the position that if he does not stop the Iran and Turkish joint operations, he stands to lose the Kurds from the government. They already have talked of succession. If he cannot or will not defend them, why should they remain part of Iraq?
Here is the other part of it. We have not equiped the Iraqi IDF with very much in the way of heavy weapons, eg tanks and artillery. We equiped them to be light infantry. That way they could do a dual role, of security operations and counter terrorism. So Maliki is not well equiped to handle it.
If we do it. And yes we have the heavy weapons in Iraq to do just that. You have a real international incident between Iran and the US developing.
This a tricky situation. Because we don't want to give Maliki and his IDF units heavy weapons.
But any of you that have doubted that Iran is not destablizing Iraq in the past, this should end the doubt. And the orders to do that are coming from Pres. A.
First his said: "Iran has always posed a greater threat to Isreal than Iraq, is embolden, and poses the greatest strategic challenge to the United States and Isreal in th Middle East in a generation."
This is a past tense statement. Barak must be forgetting Sadam's super gun that was pointed at Isreal, must be forgetting Sadam SCUDs that were landing in Isreal during the first Gulf war, must be forgetting Sadam's reactor that the Isreali bombed, must be forgetting the $35k payment of Sadam to the families of suciede bombers.
Honest anaylsis at this point? Both of these countries pose threats to Isreal and the US. Only different kinds of threats. Iran via use of Hezbollah and Hamas as proxy combantants. And Sadam's Iraq that was within range of placing military munitions into Isreal itself. Had Sadam developed a nuclear device......from that reactor that the Isreali knocked out.....and placed it on those SCUDs or his Super gun....you had some burnt out Isreali cities. jmo
But he is accurate, today Iran is a bigger threat than Iraq. He just spun recent history some to get there.
Next:" As President, I will never compromise when it comes to Isreal's security." and "I will always keep the use of military action on the table to our security and our ally Isreal."
These statements are with in lines with both GWB present position and with in the position of Senator McCain. So is he really different? Look if he is going to give Isreal full protection of our Military forces, which is what these statements means, then parties like Iran that are not going to be happy with him. AlQeada is not going to be happy with him. This is the central policy position, that they want the US to change. Our defense and support of Isreal.
Lastly "I would be willing to lead tough and principled diplomancy with the approriate Iranian leaders at a time and place of my choosing, and only if can advance the interest of the United States."
Sounds good. Has he done 'tough and principled diplomancy in the past?" Is my question. There is a difference between a politician and a diplomat. One can look you in the eye and not flinch. The other will look you in the eye, squint and blink. Ok just a little humor there. I would like to give you my Liliputian and Gluvier theory of diplomancy at this point, but am running out of my 4000. Next time. Till then be good.
I learned of this a few days ago. Been putting pieces together on it ever since. Just learned the they diverted a US relief convoy about 1 hour ago because they cannot dock.
Opal, I will be happy to discuss and debate Afhganistan and APAC with you. But for right now, can we keep this focused on Myamar and how this Military Junta is hijacking the far left's GWB war for oil theories? Fair enough?
Remember I said 'oil producing'...APAC is a oil pipeline project, if I remember it correctly.
Now I got a bone to pick with the far left and it is serious one. People are dieing over it.
The USNAVY vessels carrying relief supplies to Myanmar were just diverted from their mission to delivery the supplies. That were not offloaded at the Myanmar ports.
If you have followed the post cyclone relief efforts and stories here.....GWB has been trying to get these relief supplies into the country. But the Junta Generals refuse them dockage. With a really filmsy reason.
The reason is they 'fear that the Americans will invade the country for its oil from these ships.' Getting the picture?
First off there are so many ways around this Myanmar fear and reason....from vessel inspections prior to docking, to Myanmar military onboard the vessels, to only one ship docking at a time....that the reason does not hold water or logic.
Also you got to know how bad it is in Myanmar right now. People are living on a single package of saltine crackers a day. Alot of the food that was first given was spoiled from the Cyclone.....and they were forced to eat it. You think that the cyclone killed a lot? Watch what happens with weaken and starved bodies in now a disease invested country. It will make the cylcone death toll look like a low scoring baseball game.
So why am I picking a bone with the far left? You are the ones that told the world that GBW was invading oil producing countries. The Myanmar Generals picked up on it and are using it as the 'reason' for denying entry to the relief ships.
Being very honest far left. GWB has invaded one major oil producing country....Iraq.....there are some 30+ others that he has never made a any agressive mil operations on. In my opinion, your spin on GWB invading oil rich countries is indirectly causing these future deaths in Myanmar.
Here is the kicker, far left. Most of Myanar oil production is offshore platforms. We do not need to invade the country get the oil wealth of the country. All we need to do is occupy those offshore platforms. country. If we wanted to and the countries oil resources are US.
Maynar Generals are using this lame excuse to depopulate their country and make it easier to control. And they are using a lame excure of the far left to do it with.jmo
I had a feeling you were a Bud man, Dude. If you ever get a chance try Strophs from Detriot. Beer of the Detriot Tigers....fire brewed.... Very similar to the original Bud.
Remember I said that happened one time in American history, when Andy Jackson took a VP from the opposing party to win his election in 1828. So strange things have happened like a McCain/Clinton match up here. If it happens, think about it......McCain's right REP and Clintons mod Dems....is tough combination to beat.
Also last night in his speech, McCain praised Hillary for running such a determined campaign and gaining the popular vote that she did. He respects her. That is one of the key pieces for a President/VP relationship. Also it exactly what Hillary says she is looking to gain from this. So yes come late August, you might be very surprised what gets announced at the RNC.
The far left is caught between a rock and hard place on Hillary right now. She has made Obama's short list of VPs, she wants the VP job, she got some major support to bring to the table and will unite the party.
The far left does not know if they should continue the attack on her or begin to kiss and make up with her.
Then you got Howard Dean sitting there going if I let the Clinton machine back into the game.....I am in serious trouble. Political pay back from a VP Hillary, is sure to come his way. And I have a little trouble with 2012 election. Where she might run again, even if I make her VP.
My bet is if they say no to her. There will be phone calls to the McCain camp. Also if those kisses aren't sincere, again that call will be made. Hillary understands how the far left flips on things. Those kisses better come with some agreements signed by the right people.
Which brings me to the last little thing on why Hillary is still running.
Florida has 23 super diligates. Since they have begun this. Guess how many have flipped from one canidate to the other after announcing and endorsing? Answer 13.
Over that time, 1/2 of them have flipped from thier original endorsement. 8 from Clinton to Obama and 5 for Obama to Clinton.
If that is going on across the board with all the super deligates. You can understand why she continues. These super dilegates are not locked in untill the DNC in August. She has all summer to work on them and flip them.
Obama might be the within a hair breath nominee the DNC in 2008. He can still lose the nomination. He makes a major gaff or another Rev. Wright emerges.....he might be asking her for the VP job.
I have thought that way myself, Ship. He would help with the Hispanic vote and strengthen foreign affairs. But doing so will not make Hillary's soccer moms and blue collars happy. Also SE USA.....if McCain adds Hucklebee as his VP....becomes a real questionmark.
I don't think that we will hear anything on this till convention is near in late summer from either side. It is free media to have the question asked who is going to be your VP?
Till they say....we get to play mix and match......just like Barbie and Ken dolls?.....or is that Barbie and GI Joe ?.....or Barbie and _______?
Just a point of reflection, Dude. C. Powell never did endorse Obama. So? He is still a possiblity for McCain's running mate. If asked, I hope he takes it.
And something else.....that seems to be missing at this point. Did Al Gore endorse Obama? I have not heard. Interesting if he did not.
Etu Ras? Into conspriracy theories within even the Democrat party?
Clinton crazies? We are talking soccer moms, teachers, postal workers, Doctors, and blue collars for Hillary. She does not have a connection /association with Hamas, B. Ayers, the Weathermen, Louis Farracon, and a pissed off Rev. Wright and Father Pfeleger. Obama security people better 'vet' his own supporters first looking for any Hannibal Letchers, before they do Hillarys.
Ship let me put it to you another way then. You are in a combat situation, and two of you have been assigned a fighting position in a fox hole for the night. You want to get into the fox hole with someone that has lost his warrior mentality? No, you want to get into that fox hole with someone that is going to do everything he/she can that night to keep you both alive.
We both have seen the 1000 yard stare. I saw it in some that were from Nam in the early 80s. I have seen a E-9 with PCSD (post combat stress disorder and flashbacks) in the mid 1980s, sitting under a bush in Mid Florida with a 1000 yards stare during an AT. This guy was not ready for any kind of combat. He was that far out of it. It took me saying his name 3-4 times, standing less than 2 yards in front of him, to get his attention to even to look at me. He had totally lost his warrior mentality, his military bearing and would have a been a hazard to any unit/missioned assigned.
I don't know if this young person is there, psychologically or what kind of unit he is attached to. But bottom line in the military is that combat situation. And you don't want people that cannot perform it, being there.
Sure he gives back enlistment bonus and gives up his benefits package. Maybe even takes the dishonorable discharge. Just my opinion that if he has lost the warrior mentality, best he separates from the service. And its best for them both, the military and him. jmo
Ras.......a couple of positions and quotes from Obama.
"I would leave up to 65,000 troops in Iraq to pursue AlQeada there."
and
He would redeploy major forces to Afghanistan to seek out bin Laden and has mentioned major bombing attacks in Pakistan (not just drone house strikes).
So you see an end of war? In those words or positions? At best a scale back. And redeployment. But an end. No.
Ras I tried to point this out on my post of the Hamas tunnels. Untill the other side wants the peace as well, it will not happen. Do you hear bin Laden or Pres. A. giving up thier positions and threats against either the US or Isreal?
Pres. A just said today, that Isreal will be removed from the map, that the US is the great Satan, that the US is going to pay for its support of Isreal in the middle east. That the US is the cause of the wars in the region.
Like Sadam Hussien did not have something to do with them either. Like Iran has not had something to do with them as well.
I just think that it is a 'bad conclusion' to make that a Obama Presidency gives us an end to the war. When you got the other side still willing to pull triggers and to develop nucs.
But the other part of your post.....that it is a amazing that both a woman and Afro American have come this far in our political process. Is very accurate.
Congratulation to Obama and his staff in a winning the DNC nomination. He ran a fine race that did bring him into the American public view and their through thier inspection process.
Also one has to say that Hillary Clinton ran a fine race as well. Many others both Republican and Democrat have long since faded away by now. She was there at the end.
The major question now appears if the 'dream team' of Obama/Clinton can emerge from this long campaign. My feeling is that if decision were simply between the two canidates, that likely that could be done. But I don't think that is the case.
Because Barak owes the DNC big time, and one will find Howard Dean making most of the calls from here on out. Dean has basically used the Obama campaign to dismantle the Clinton machine put into place during Bill's Presidency. With that now down and out, Howard Dean needs to gain unity in the party and consoliate the popular votes of the two canidates.
One would say the easiest way to do that is to add Hillary to the ticket. And it is. Except Howard Dean is no friend of Hillary or the Clintons. If he allows her on the ticket, then he has a potential VP canidate running against a incumbant canidate in the 2012.
I may be wrong. But I don't think that the dream team will come about because of this. And Democrats that want the 'dream team' and if you go by Hillary popular vote count.....there are a good number of those. Are going to be disappointed by her not being part of the team. That disappointment is mostly going to be caused by the DNC and Hoard Dean. And we all know at this point, she is open to the VP role. So if does not happen, one can look right at Howard Dean as the cause.
About the best thing I can say down here in Florida land. Florida has nothing to do with keeping the dream team from developing. This is all internal Dem party politics now.:-)
Again Congrats to both. And the Florida weather is fine!
Dude, Dude, Dude......my dear friend. We need to see far left shade glasses to see this difference? I remember in college you could tell the SDS guys because they all wore rose colored glasses. Not like the FBI had not picked up on this little tell.LOL
Dude....if I have worked hard to own something....a car, a house, what ever.......do I need to share it? Or is it mine to use as I would? Is it property of the state or mine? Is it property of a social group or property of the individuaL?
I think that you are wrong on the right wing // left wing since the beginning of time. You think that American Indian tribes were right wing//left wing? You think that the Jewish nation during the 40 years of travel thru the desert were right wing//left wing? There not a mention of right wing//left wing in either the old testment or new.
This idea of right wing//left wing really only came about until about the time of the WWI..with communism and socialism. Prior to that it was just was not around.
What you are really trying to do...is to link left wing with being "good" and link right wing with being "bad". That is a very shallow and very deceptive in my opinion. There are just as many left wing stock brokers that get busted for illegal stock trading as right wing. Go to a jail, you will find just as many left wing murders as right wing. There just as many guys like B.Ayers that would commit an act of violence for thier left wing cause de jur, as their right wing that are part of a skin head groups that commits hate crimes.
Find some fairness, Dude...then those rose colored glass with be clear.
I have it figured out. Every conflict in human history has been caused by Republicans. It started with the war of Troy. The Trojan damsel was a democract and the invading Greeks were Republicans. Taking a Democrat damsel began this fight....and it has been going on ever since. Just the McCoys and the Hatfields fued.
Then you move on the Alexander the Great......he was a Republican and the Persian were Democrats. Then you got the Napleonic wars. Napleon was a little Republican and the rest of the world was Democratic alliance against him.
I am starting to read Dude's far left history book now. I got it figured now.
Why do we always do this. By this make the comment that a President of the United States....of either party or even a historical president....can bring peace in the middle east?
Follow me a little bit here. Under the dividing wall between Egypt and Gaza are literally 100s of tunnels, some that run for a mile. That are used for smuggling weapons, munitions, food, medical supplies into Gaza. It is a occuaption in Gaza, controlled by Hamas to make and run these smuggling tunnels.
So when a people is so dedicated to making these tunnel complexes for thier efforts in part to strike at Isreal. Why does world say that a 'President' can bring peace here? I am sorry, I don't think it works this way. This desire for peace has to come from within the people with in the region. Then you can have peace.
Sure you can have a President shaking hands, offering Camp David meetings, talking to the leaders of the region. But guess what. Those tunnels and those that are profitting from them are still in business. They could care less if such peace is reached or attempted. All they care about is thier next load to pass thru the tunnel.
Even Jimmy C. found this out....when the Iranian students took over the US Embassy during his term in office.jmo
This to some might sound hard and cold. To others that understand from a perspective of being in the military. They will tell that, I am being pretty honest in the comments posted.
Especially in the Army and Marine, but also in the other branches of the service, the warrior mentality is taught. From basic training and advanced training, that is one of the key learning aspects of the training. Some have said, that is where they break you down and do a brain wash on you. Is there s certain aspect where your 'civilian' lifestyle is taken away....that I do agree fully. When you end up with a hair cut that is 1/4 inch all over.....you realize the day on the street is history.
But what they give you in place of the civilian mentality is this warrior mentality. It is one of honor, duty and love of country. It is also that will give you the confidence (and maybe the courage) to undertake missions, training, and rigors of military life.
Do all that raise thier hand and take the oath of service, get this warrior mentality? No. Most yes. This is not a judgement or condemation of the young person in the forum discussion.
But what I am suggesting to them here is this. For them to look inside and see if this warrior menality is gone? If it is, then in my opinion it time for them to out with what ever discharge the government gives. But if there is it is still there, even as a flicker, then stay and hack it out. If they quit when this warrior mentality is still there, it will be hard to live with for a long time afterwards.
Losing the warrior mentality is not a indication of cowardice or anything along those lines. You can have the warrior mentality and fail your mission, men and self horribly in military service and there is absolutely no cowardice involved. I know of several in this position. Nor does it mean that you will be 100% perfect in all your military duties.
Having it does mean you can be a valuable member of the US Military branch that you took an oath to join. And should be key piece of his decision to stay or leave. jmo
The Military has seen just about every kind of 'out idea' ever made by man. For his own mental well being, my suggestion is for him to go to his commanding officer....as was earlier posted by another.
Also this. Attitude problems and issues can demoralize more than just the one person. They can bring entire unit's moral down. I don't know what kind of unit, your friend is in but if it is a combat unit that is being deployed into harms way. The morale of these units is what keeps them together in the tough times they face. He has some other people to think about here.
Again I suggest, he go to his commanding officer with this.
I think that I have found her, Alfalfa. Time will tell. I have heard that about Indy as well. Squeirrel avoid going in front of his car. And the leader of their union wears ..."Beware of Indy"...button.
ttom500 Forum Posts (10,523)
RE: Smokin hot email I got - Jealous?
Sorry lucisous they will use any name. If they would place a false profile up, you don't think that they would use any name imagined?