[From the class of 09]

Putin has been hinting he's not afraid of pre-emptive nuclear strikes, including on the US.

This is dumb, no one is about to go throwing nukes at another nuclear armed country. Especially when a country has a dozen or so subs floating around waiting to launch a dozen ballistic missiles each capable of hitting a half dozen targets.

[ATrain]

Putin has been hinting he's not afraid of pre-emptive nuclear strikes, including on the US.

This is dumb, no one is about to go throwing nukes at another nuclear armed country. Especially when a country has a dozen or so subs floating around waiting to launch a dozen ballistic missiles each capable of hitting a half dozen targets.

Pretty sure ISIS would if they could get their hands on them...I don't think Putin would, but he has made thinly veiled threats of use of such force when addressing possible interference in Ukraine. I don't remember learning of such saber-rattling occuring between the US and USSR in history class.

[jbock13]

One of the ways ISIS is different than other terror groups is that they actually embrace technology rather than dismissing it for religious orthodoxy. That's what makes them so dangerous. If they can with a clear conscience behead someone, why wouldn't they bomb with a nuclear weapon should they ever get their hands on one?

As a libertarian, this is a pretty tricky situation to be in.

[Humble_Opinion]

Putin has been hinting he's not afraid of pre-emptive nuclear strikes, including on the US.

This is dumb, no one is about to go throwing nukes at another nuclear armed country. Especially when a country has a dozen or so subs floating around waiting to launch a dozen ballistic missiles each capable of hitting a half dozen targets.

Pretty sure ISIS would if they could get their hands on them...I don't think Putin would, but he has made thinly veiled threats of use of such force when addressing possible interference in Ukraine. I don't remember learning of such saber-rattling occuring between the US and USSR in history class.

Here are over a dozen such instances... Able Archer was a particularly interesting time for this country that few people really even knew about.

https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for- ... source.htm

[Humble_Opinion]

At the end of the day, we as a country only have ourselves to blame. In 1980 we faced an eerily similar situation that we did in 2012. Unfortunately, we chose differently in 2012 than we did in 1980 and I believe these issues that are now creeping up are the consequences of the country simply picking the wrong person. The difference maker, in my opinion, is that there are simply too many people that now rely on the government for their standard of living.

[bluejacket]

At the end of the day, we as a country only have ourselves to blame. In 1980 we faced an eerily similar situation that we did in 2012. Unfortunately, we chose differently in 2012 than we did in 1980 and I believe these issues that are now creeping up are the consequences of the country simply picking the wrong person. The difference maker, in my opinion, is that there are simply too many people that now rely on the government for their standard of living.

The President and his administration have created a lot of problems and exacerbated many pre-existing problems in United States diplomacy, but the blame cannot be placed squarely on him in every circumstance. Most of the problems that he is facing are rooted in decades of poor decision-making. One president did not create all of the problems and one president is not going to solve all of the problems.

[bluejacket]

As a libertarian, this is a pretty tricky situation to be in.

There are a lot of things that I agree with libertarians on. Unfortunately, many libertarians do not understand the threat that radical jihadists present to the United States.

[jbock13]

As a libertarian, this is a pretty tricky situation to be in.

There are a lot of things that I agree with libertarians on. Unfortunately, many libertarians do not understand the threat that radical jihadists present to the United States.

But I must say also that there's no way we can every completely destroy radical jihadists. For thousands of years Muslim strife has caused problems in the world. Even in obscure remote islands in southern Thailand. But, ISIS presents the same struggles of the past with a modern twist, which is scary for me.

Either way I'm glad I don't work in the Pentagon. It really is a complex situation. The only fact that can be agreed upon is that the world would be better off without this religion.

[bluejacket]

But I must say also that there's no way we can every completely destroy radical jihadists. For thousands of years Muslim strife has caused problems in the world. Even in obscure remote islands in southern Thailand. But, ISIS presents the same struggles of the past with a modern twist, which is scary for me.

Either way I'm glad I don't work in the Pentagon. It really is a complex situation. The only fact that can be agreed upon is that the world would be better off without this religion.

I agree that we cannot completely eradicate radical jihad from the planet, just like we cannot completely destroy Nazism or other ideologies. There is also no way that we can completely stop radical jihadists (and others) who are committed to die from killing themselves and others.

Nevertheless, the West must recognize that there are strains of Islam that are committed to destroying the United States and the West regardless of the actions that we take. They are fundamentally and diametrically opposed to Western values and willing to do what it takes to triumph (sometimes in the short-term, other times in the long term); in many ways, they are worse than Nazis. Certainly, we have compounded the problem through our actions. But the West and its allies need to stand up for their values, expose these strains for what they are, and fight them militarily if necessary.

[Purple Haize]

RON PAUL 2016

Thank The Lord this won't happen!

Now Mittens 2016

[Purple Haize]

As a libertarian, this is a pretty tricky situation to be in.

There are a lot of things that I agree with libertarians on. Unfortunately, many libertarians do not understand the threat that radical jihadists present to the United States.

But I must say also that there's no way we can every completely destroy radical jihadists. For thousands of years Muslim strife has caused problems in the world. Even in obscure remote islands in southern Thailand. But, ISIS presents the same struggles of the past with a modern twist, which is scary for me.

Either way I'm glad I don't work in the Pentagon. It really is a complex situation. The only fact that can be agreed upon is that the world would be better off without this religion.

That doesn't mean we shouldn't try

[bluejacket]

RON PAUL 2016

Thank The Lord this won't happen!

Now Mittens 2016

Please, no. A prime example happened just today. There are only slight differences between what the President laid out tonight and what Romney explains in this interview from today. Most of the differences are in timing and tactics rather than broader geopolitical strategy. (compare with

I would rather see something like this, although I don't agree with him on each issue. [youtube]

[/youtube]

[Purple Haize]

RON PAUL 2016

Thank The Lord this won't happen!

Now Mittens 2016

Please, no. A prime example happened just today. There are only slight differences between what the President laid out tonight and what Romney explains in this interview from today. Most of the differences are in timing and tactics rather than broader geopolitical strategy. (compare with

Considering Romney had the right strategy I'd hope the current President would follow that advice. Of course timing is the thing. He's doing what he's doing now much earlier!

[jbock13]

Two years later and the ruling class Republicans are still smitten with Mittens.

[Purple Haize]

Two years later and the ruling class Republicans are still smitten with Mittens.

I'm hardly the Ruling Class but a lot of what he said would happen, Economically and Foreign Policy, was right on the money.( pardon the pun). He was the right man at the right time for the right job.

[flamehunter]

Two years later and the ruling class Republicans are still smitten with Mittens.

I'm hardly the Ruling Class but a lot of what he said would happen, Economically and Foreign Policy, was right on the money.( pardon the pun). He was the right man at the right time for the right job.

Just because he said it would happen doesn't mean his policies would have necessarily prevented it. (FYI - I would have rather had Mittens over our current "leader" any day, all day)

[bballfan84]

Mitt was definitely the better choice..i would love for him to run again..think hes the only one that could beat hilary

[thepostman]

Why does anybody think Mitt has a chance? Third times the charm or something?

[bballfan84]

I think a lot of people regret voting for Obama and not throwing there vote to Mitt..thats momentum in itself for a 3rd run..people will be thinking we wont make the same mistake twice..just my two cents

[Purple Haize]

Two years later and the ruling class Republicans are still smitten with Mittens.

I'm hardly the Ruling Class but a lot of what he said would happen, Economically and Foreign Policy, was right on the money.( pardon the pun). He was the right man at the right time for the right job.

Just because he said it would happen doesn't mean his policies would have necessarily prevented it. (FYI - I would have rather had Mittens over our current "leader" any day, all day)

No but it's easy to extrapolate that being able to negotiate a SoFA would blunted if not eliminated the rise of ISIS. His more friendly approach towards Poland would have shown Ukraine's President that being bought off by Putin wasn't a good idea.
Economically, the repeal of ACA would have been a huge boost.
No one can predict with certainty what would have happened, but it's pretty obvious what might have happened

[bluejacket]

Two years later and the ruling class Republicans are still smitten with Mittens.

He was the right man at the right time for the right job.

Yet he did only slightly better than this guy in 2012.....and they wholeheartedly agree with the President that toppling Assad and IS by arming the "moderates" is the right decision.

[youtube]

[/youtube]

[jbock13]

The problem wasn't that people loved Obama, it's that they didn't like Mittens either. What else explains him getting 3 million less votes than even McCain did in 2008? I mean he even told folks in Michigan that their trees were exactly the right height and he still lost that state.

[bballfan84]

the country votes on social issues now..the homosexual agenda, race issues..the republicans are anti women..immigration..republicans are dead in the water

[bluejacket]

The problem wasn't that people loved Obama, it's that they didn't like Mittens either.

Exactly. I voted, but I didn't vote for Romney the last time and I wouldn't vote for him in the future.

Nevertheless, all this talk that Republicans are finished is ridiculous.

Back to IS and Russia

[bballfan84]

its over as we used to know it..a true republican I don't think can be elected again..Romney was a republican from Massuchusetts..it doesn't really get more liberal than that..the right wing republican is seeing the end of its era