Politics

[BSO Dave]

Trump is mistakenly thinking he can reason or deal with anyone. He doesn’t understand fanatics. To him there is always a deal to be made.

I usually agree with most of your assessments, but I don't know about his one...

Trump had no issue whatsoever giving the green light to take out Baghdadi and Soleimani and order a missile strike on the Assad regime in Syria. As I recall, he took a shit-pile of heat for those actions from both sides calling his actions risky, hasty, and in excess of his executive powers etc,...

As far as his lack of understanding in dealing with fanatics, I would remind you of the event that took place during a WH visit with Abdul Ghani Baradar, who is now the deputy prime minister of Afghanistan, where Trump showed him a satellite photo of his house threatening to obliterate him and his family and then quietly walked away... Trump may be accused of a lot of things, but his historical actions have proven that fear or lack of understanding of these types of fanatics is not one of them...

 

[Tanks]

Another risk in Trump backing down is he will receive grief for being weak or indecisive.

He is already being called TACO in regard to tariffs. We'll see if it applies to this as well.

 

[mdwest]

I’m aware of how it works. I never said Trump himself would brief Congress. I just meant that his team would.

My point was I believe that sharing more information earlier with Congress is good governance. Not that it’s required.

The days of Reagan and Tip O’Neal may be gone but I believe that can come back. But they won’t if no one tries. Our country was far more divided earlier in our history and has come closer together at other points in our history. I hope for the pendulum to swing back toward respectful disagreement and hope for actions that are trying to move it in that direction. This is an opportunity for that was all the point I was trying to make.

I hear what you’re saying.. but until the American people start making better decisions during elections, what you’re wishing for is an idealists pipe dream I’m afraid…

Just last week a US Senator purposely disrupted the Homeland Security Secretary during a briefing and had to be forcibly removed from the room, handcuffed, and detained.. then spent the next week doing a PR tour on all major news outlets, and burned time on the senate floor literally crying about his how his privileged senator ass shouldn’t be treated that way (several times during both his detention and his interviews and his time on the floor he made it clear that he can’t be treated this way because he is a senator.. he didn’t try once to make the point that citizens should be so protected… )…

Anyone remember a couple of dozen senior democrats dressed in African garb kneeling in the rotunda while BLM protestors burned multiple US cities?

Anyone think people like MTG, Matt Gaetz, Bobert, Omar, Talib, AOC, or Sanders can be trusted to look out for the best interests of the entire US over their own personal agendas or the agendas they perceive their limited constituent base have?

50 years ago D’s and R’s largely wanted the same things… they just had very different opinions on how to achieve those things… they wanted safe streets, they wanted a strong capitalist based economy, they wanted the constitution and all of its amendments enforced…

Today the two parties are absolutely opposed on what the priorities of the country are… and opposed on what America even is, much less what they want it to become…

Until we the people become more aligned and start putting people in elected positions that truly represent our desires as a nation as opposed to the hacks we continue to put on Capitol Hill, things won’t change…

 

[barryk]

I hear what you’re saying.. but until the American people start making better decisions during elections, what you’re wishing for is an idealists pipe dream I’m afraid…

Just last week a US Senator purposely disrupted the Homeland Security Secretary during a briefing and had to be forcibly removed from the room, handcuffed, and detained.. then spent the next week doing a PR tour on all major news outlets, and burned time on the senate floor literally crying about his low his privileged senator ass shouldn’t be treated that way (several times during both his detention and his interviews and his time on the floor he made it clear that he can’t be treated this way because he is a senator.. he didn’t try once to make the point that citizens should be so protected… )…

Anyone remember a couple of dozen senior democrats dressed in African garb kneeling in the rotunda while BLM protestors burned multiple US cities?

Anyone think people like MTG, Matt Gaetz, Bobert, Omar, Talib, AOC, or Sanders can be trusted to look out for the best interests of the entire US over their own personal agendas or the agendas they perceive their limited constituent base have?

50 years ago D’s and R’s largely wanted the same things… they just had very different opinions on how to achieve those things… they wanted safe streets, they wanted a strong capitalist based economy, they wanted the constitution and all of its amendments enforced…

Today the two parties are absolutely opposed on what the priorities of the country are… and opposed on what America even is, much less what they want it to become…

Until we the people become more aligned and start putting people in elected positions that truly represent our desires as a nation as opposed to the hacks we continue to put on Capitol Hill, things won’t change…

Yup...I remember Jim Rohn used to say..."For things to change, you got to change".....same for our country. For things to change, we, as a country have to change.

 

[spike.t]

The entire UK Gov can collectively be considered ‘pond life’

You being too polite..and probably insulting pond life.....all useless fktards of note

 

[Brent in Az]

Politicians are like the dictators of foreign countries. Get rid of one, and there is always another, that is just as bad, or worse, looking to fill the void.
It's a never ending cycle.

 

[Brent in Az]

On a positive note, the 9th circuit court of appeals rules in favor of Trump on the national guard issue.
Maybe there's hope for the 9th circuit after all?

 

[Rocked and Loaded]

On a positive note, the 9th circuit court of appeals rules in favor of Trump on the national guard issue.
Maybe there's hope for the 9th circuit after all?

There are some good ones in there. It’s actually a big concern to the left how much it’s shifted since 2016 due to Trump appointments.

 

[bowjijohn]

Politicians are like the dictators of foreign countries. Get rid of one, and there is always another, that is just as bad, or worse, looking to fill the void.
It's a never ending cycle.

They are parasitic turds

There is always some fuckwit with a loud voice and inflated ego who believes he will ‘make a difference’

Just about anyone that ‘ wants the role’ is unsuitable

It should be a ‘poison chalice’ thrust upon those who have achieved something (and who often don’t think they have, believing themselves are unworthy)

They might come from any strata of society- rarely though- from institutions

… and never from religions …

 

[SaintPanzer]

Clearly you are going to continue to argue about something you don’t understand or know anything about..

You do, of course, realize that's the way we do things around here, right?

 

[BSO Dave]

It's always entertaining to hear all of the speculation as to what Trump will or will not do in regard to the Iran situation particularly by those who suggest Trump has no idea what he is doing...

I just heard Gen. Jack Keane on FOX recommend that the USA should carry out pinpoint strikes on the bunkers.... He also mentioned speaking to Trump personally on several occasions on this particular topic recently... It's both interesting and revealing that Trump speaks to him even though he is not an official WH advisor...

I am no fan of these arbitrary timelines regardless of who the current POTUS happens to be... However, Gen. Keane also suggested that the "2 week" timeframe is more than likely a timeline Trump has put out there needed for getting U.S. personnel and carrier groups in place in the event of an Iranian response, and not so much an appeasement to Iranian leadership... I guess we will see soon enough...

 

[spike.t]

UK withdrawing embassy staff......

Israel-Iran live updates: UK to withdraw embassy staff from Tehran as Iran launches new strikes on Israel

Meanwhile European foreign ministers are holding talks with Iran in Geneva after Donald Trump set a two-week timeline for US action.

www.bbc.com

 

[spike.t]

'A choice of two evils': Young anti-regime Iranians divided over conflict

Anti-regime Iranians agree the Islamic Republic must fall, but differ on the Iran-Israel conflict and response.

www.bbc.com

 

[steve white]

I didn’t say he couldn’t just that he should keep them informed. If it need to reach the level of a declaration it is good for them to be informed.

It doesn’t have to be so adversarial.

Excuse me? We could not be more adversarial if we tried. Do you really think the Democrats should be briefed, and that they will not leak/propagandize against said actions/get a court injunction whether permissible or not, etc ad nauseam?

 

[rookhawk]

Exploding a nuclear device above ground is something I can not imagine the Israelis doing under these circumstances. It would make them international pariahs, and would likely make it politically impossible for the US to continue support - which they absolutely need (look at their combat aircraft inventory). Such a blast would create a fallout plume that would be certain to pass over countries other than Iran. Finally, like Cheyenne Mountain, a surface blast would likely have little effect on the actual underground site. The Russians have the capability to take out the Cheyenne Mountain complex, but it would not be through a surface blast.

Wouldn't a lightweight attack on the air shafts with ordinance and a toxic substance "snuff out" the facility and create an arduous repair and cleanup operation? I realize its not a forever solution, but it may disrupt the facility for months or years at a relatively low cost.

Thoughts?

 

[skydiver386]

For we Cold War guys. The Phantom and TomCats were the $hit

A friend of a friend tried for years to buy an F4 or a Tomcat for his private use. He said it was all but impossible. So he ended up buying a Russian Mig. Not sure which version Mig it is.

I know “chipping in” on fuel for a ride is approximately $1k per hour

At Clark AFB in the Philippines the F-4's would do a full afterburner takeoff and leave a thick black trail of smoke behind them.

You'd think they were using old fryer oil from KFC for fuel.

Paid to ride in some older Warbirds, but never got the chance at either of the two in question.

 

[Wheels]

There are some good ones in there. It’s actually a big concern to the left how much it’s shifted since 2016 due to Trump appointments.

I agree, there are some good constitutionalist judges on the 9th. Trump certainly narrowed the difference by adding 10 judges. This has since widened again with the 8 that Biden added.

There are around 50 Federal Judicial vacancies at the moment and only a handful of nominees and I don’t remember hearing of any that have been confirmed. The vetting/nominating process seems slower than Trumps first term. Probably due to the White House staff attorneys having to deal with all the lawfare against the administration. The Federalist Society took the lead in the process last Trump term but there seems to be a falling out between Trump and Leonard Leo. Probably on some of the judges like Amy Coney Barrett. Article III Project is taking a more active roll in getting nominees vetted but I don’t think they have the manpower of the federalist society. Hopefully we start getting more nominees before the senate soon.

 

[Red Leg]

Retired Colonel (US Army I am ashamed to say) Douglas Macgregor has been offering his uniquely deranged analysis of the current conflict. It is worth noting this cretin is the only military professional Tucker Carlson would ever have on his Fox show - in spite of having truly gifted men like Jack Keane and Keith Kellogg on contract to Fox. Of course, only an anti-American fantasist like Macgregor would support Carlson's narrative.

 

[John Wasmuth]

Briefings to current congress should only be done on an after action basis, way to many rats in the wood pile and we don’t need any of our people whacked due to a loose mouthed congress member. On either side. And even then, no one involved name is used to prevent doxing and retaliation.

 

[Red Leg]

I would assume that the Iranians would use a military grade air filtration system for all of their intake infrastructure. We, the Russians, and Israelis certainly do. Simply dosing the exterior of the mountain would be unfortunate for exposed troops, but even a persistent nerve agent like VX will only last days, at most weeks, in an open environment. If the Israelis could figure out a way to pump it into the facility, it would be quite deadly and require effort to clean it up - but that would be pretty straight forward activity for a trained NBC team.

However, use of chemical agents carry the same sort of negative perception as using a nuclear weapon. The 1925 protocol governs international law with respect to chemical weapons. Israel also signed (though never ratified) the Chemical Weapons Convention of 1993 forbidding their use. Finally, the action potentially would open a Pandora's box of Iranian retaliatory measures. The war with Iraq proved Iran's ability to produce and employ a wide range of chemical weapons. While a persistent agent strike on a military compound might be of limited effectiveness, one on a civilian target would be devastating.