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Re: US Presidential Election 2016

Reply #420
That's a typical Fox News segment, though, and the sort of nonsense I've been talking about.  At least Andrea Tarantaros got the bullet, but it had nothing to do with her twisted views.  The gossip is that a book deal she struck ran foul of Roger Ailes, the all-powerful boss of Fox News.

The theme of that segment is repeated many times a day on Fox News and Trump is firmly on the bandwagon.  Obama is a very rational guy - he's very much like Mr Spock.  He is of the belief that a key to confronting terrorists is to avoid being drawn into incendiary reactions, whether in words or military actiouns.  What Fox News wants him to do is to declare a Holy War against Radical Islamic TerrorTM and blow a lot of crap up in the Middle East.  Many counter-terrorism and Middle East experts agree with Obama's approach as it doesn't create the impression of the US attacking Muslims which ISIS can use as a recruiting tool.  But to Fox News and Trump, this can only be a sign that Obama is a secret Muslim who is either soft on terrorism or complicit in it.

The US approach to dealing with threats these days, especially Islamic ones, is via undercover operations via organisations such as SOCOM, use of drones, air strikes etc., and assination of leadership figures. Large scale boots on the ground operations are conducted by local forces as we have just seen in Fallujah. It's all pretty low profile and not something they want to draw a lot of media attention to.
Reality always wins in the end.

Re: US Presidential Election 2016

Reply #421
Yep.  Obviously, that strategy can be debated.  It can be attacked from both the left and the right.  The drone program makes the left uneasy as opponents suggest it amounts to extra-judicial killings of alleged criminals. Right-wingers want to see a military response but they rarely concede that Americans might be in danger and they can't explain how military campaigns will eliminate terrorism and internet propaganda.  Trump says he'll kill ISIS but won't explain what he'd do to achieve this.  He won't exclude "boots on the ground" but also won't make any large-scale commitment.  Apparently, just seeing him elected to the presidency will be enough for them to give up.

I like Obama's low-profile strategy.  The fact is that the Middle East will inevitably have less strategic importance in the future as oil becomes less important.  There is a humanitarian dimension, of course, but I doubt whether American military intervention is very effective in solving those issues.  All it does is play into then hands of jihadis.

Re: US Presidential Election 2016

Reply #422
Yep.  Obviously, that strategy can be debated.  It can be attacked from both the left and the right.  The drone program makes the left uneasy as opponents suggest it amounts to extra-judicial killings of alleged criminals. Right-wingers want to see a military response but they rarely concede that Americans might be in danger and they can't explain how military campaigns will eliminate terrorism and internet propaganda.  Trump says he'll kill ISIS but won't explain what he'd do to achieve this.  He won't exclude "boots on the ground" but also won't make any large-scale commitment.  Apparently, just seeing him elected to the presidency will be enough for them to give up.

I like Obama's low-profile strategy.  The fact is that the Middle East will inevitably have less strategic importance in the future as oil becomes less important.  There is a humanitarian dimension, of course, but I doubt whether American military intervention is very effective in solving those issues.  All it does is play into then hands of jihadis.

Very true and in fact the hands of the Americans are seen by some as being blood soaked as far as that is concerned and over a very long period of time. Noam Chomsky is very eloquent on this. I won't say any more for fear of being perceived as "radicalised".
Reality always wins in the end.

Re: US Presidential Election 2016

Reply #423
http://www.afr.com/news/world/north-america/donald-trump-calls-tpp-trade-deal-a-rape-of-the-us-20160629-gpujz8

Quote
He attacked Ms Clinton on her past support for the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a trade pact negotiated by the Obama government, and challenged her to pledge she would void the agreement in its entirety.

Noting Ms Clinton had backed free-trade agreements such as NAFTA in the past, Mr Trump warned: "She will betray you again."

At a rally later in the day in eastern Ohio, Mr Trump attacked the Trans-Pacific Partnership in more provocative terms, saying it was a "rape of our country".


"Smokin Joe" hits back  ;)

Quote
Joe Hockey ‏@JoeHockey 5h5 hours ago

4 July marks 98 years of Aus &USA fighting side by side in battle. Any talk of "rape" by Aus in TPP with USA is offensive and dead wrong.

Re: US Presidential Election 2016

Reply #424
Trump sounding like Nigel Farage!
Reality always wins in the end.

 

Re: US Presidential Election 2016

Reply #425
OMG ...

A claim alleging that Trump raped a 13yo in 1994 after tying her to a bed has been filed in a NY Federal Court.  A 5 year limitation period expired a long time ago but the clock can be stopped if she was intimidated as she claims she was.  Just the revelation that he hung around with a billionaire convicted paedophile, Jeffrey Epstein, should raise eyebrows.

https://www.scribd.com/mobile/doc/316341058/Donald-Trump-Jeffrey-Epstein-Rape-Lawsuit-and-Affidavits#fullscreen?platform=hootsuite

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lisa-bloom/why-the-new-child-rape-ca_b_10619944.html

How can this guy be a Presidential candidate?  There's no way he could be elected to a local council over here while facing legal action over both rape and fraud.  If he had shown the slightest decency towards others, one might feel some sympathy for him given these are unproven allegations.  But he has repeatedly smeared others with nothing more than conjecture or conspiracy theories to back him up: e.g.  accusing the Clintons of murder, Ted Cruz's father of being party to the assassination of JFK or Obama of faking his birth certificate and being a Muslim supporter of islamic terrorists.  He gets no sympathy from me at all.

Re: US Presidential Election 2016

Reply #426
@Mav

An interesting development indeed!

Then again it was highly unlikely that the establishment would sit back and be "Trumped" for the presidential nomination. At least his assassination, if that's what it turns out to be, is metaphorical atm.

Keep you eye on Brexit too - developments there over the coming months will be illuminating.  ;)
Reality always wins in the end.

Re: US Presidential Election 2016

Reply #427
Just the revelation that he hung around with a billionaire convicted paedophile, Jeffrey Epstein, should raise eyebrows.

Yep
But does that apply to the Clintons as well

Re: US Presidential Election 2016

Reply #428
It has to be said that the Jeffrey Epstein factor could also take down Clinton, but unless a complainant comes forward against him then mere association isn't necessarily fatal.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/06/30/the-billionaire-pedophile-who-could-bring-down-donald-trump-and-hillary-clinton.html

So, a Cruz v Sanders contest isn't impossible.  You couldn't make this stuff up if you tried ...

PS: Lods, I didn't see your post until I submitted mine.  But as you can see, we are in heated agreement.

Re: US Presidential Election 2016

Reply #429
It has to be said that the Jeffrey Epstein factor could also take down Clinton, but unless a complainant comes forward against him then mere association isn't necessarily fatal.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/06/30/the-billionaire-pedophile-who-could-bring-down-donald-trump-and-hillary-clinton.html

So, a Cruz v Sanders contest isn't impossible.  You couldn't make this stuff up if you tried ...

PS: Lods, I didn't see your post until I submitted mine.  But as you can see, we are in heated agreement.

Prince Andrew gets a guernsey too.
Yes mav
I wouldn't be surprised if neither of the presumptive nominees make it to the start line.

Re: US Presidential Election 2016

Reply #430
Bill Clinton... scandal... really?

This article isn't a bad read on where Slick Willie is at: http://www.gq.com/story/bill-clinton-health-trump-and-hillary

Actually mentions another similar sounding scandal involving a different billionaire!


Re: US Presidential Election 2016

Reply #431
The FBI has announced there will be no charges against Hillary over her email server.  The Benghazi Committee released its report a week ago and it was a fizzer.  There goes Sanders' last hope for the withdrawal of Hillary.

Re: US Presidential Election 2016

Reply #432
The FBI has announced there will be no charges against Hillary over her email server.  The Benghazi Committee released its report a week ago and it was a fizzer.  There goes Sanders' last hope for the withdrawal of Hillary.

Corruption at the highest level.
2012 HAPPENED!!!!!!!


Re: US Presidential Election 2016

Reply #434
Jim Comey, the head of the FBI is about the most impartial decision-maker you could hope to find.  He's a registered Republican and donated to the McCain and Romney presidential campaigns.  He has prosecuted without fear or favour in the past.  If he decided that there were no reasonable prospects of successfully prosecuting Hillary, then that's that.  But he didn't simply clear her.  He went on to pull the rug out from under her by declaring that a couple of her excuses were false.  That has given Trump a lot of ammunition and tends to undercut the idea that he was merely an Establishment figure who was hellbent on protecting Hillary.