I question Obama's ability to recognize the next big threat. He didn't seem to be as aggressive with the Georgia incident as you were Red. He has also stated that "Iran is a tiny country that does not pose a serious threat like Russia". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ew5qP2oPdtQ Sitting down and talking to your enemies to find an area of "common interest" didn't bode well for Europe in the 40's. I don't think McCain's stance of staying for 100 years is smart either, but we need someone who can properly recognize the serious threats of the world.
He'd better have them ready for the next real threat. Because by setting a timetable, he's giving Al Qaeda and every other terrorist organization out there notice of when we're leaving, so they can start planning ahead. To all of these proponents of a timetable for withdrawal: did you learn NOTHING from the lessons of Vietnam?
This worked pretty well for Kennedy, Regean, and many other presidents. He is right Iran doesnt pose a threat right now, they failed miserably the other day to launch a satellite into space. China and Russia are far greater threats than Iran right now.
At this moment, Russia, yes. Although, while their military is powerful enough to steamroll tiny Georgia, they can't compete with us on a conventional level. Any conflict with us that remained strictly conventional would be over rather quickly. They just haven't kept up technology-wise. China - while possessing a strong standing army, not so much of a threat to us militarily, as they are economically. If we ever got into a shooting war w/ China, our economy would collapse almost overnight...as would theirs. It's MAD all over again, only this time w/ dollars as opposed to nukes.
I would agree with you whole heartedly if I thought Obama was as seasoned as these 2 fine men. Now this is my opinion, I have no idea how well versed Obama is in foreign policy. My opinion is that he seems naive.
Im glad you picked up on my line about "at this moment" I agree with your explanation of those 2 nations, good job. Not to say that Iran couldnt pose a threat in a few years. We should stop them diplomatically.
Well according to your logic, you would have to call Bush, Kennedy,Regean,Eisenhower, and other presidents naive, because they used diplomacy to end disputes. Bush effectively talked N.Korea down of the flag pole, because they are literally starving in that country.(They didnt have oil either, lol)Tough talk inflames nations like Russia because of their ambition to gain the power they once had before. Georgia conflict perfect example. Now that we sign an agreement with Poland to put a missile defense their, Russia has threaten Poland with the use of force.
Those are good points, and I readily admitted that this was just "gut feeling", not based in logic at all. I don't think I can argue much further in favor of McCain here, as he does not come off as the sharpest tool in the shed either.
Here is the deal as it pertains to iraq and this is only my opinion although it has been stated elsewhere. We would have been a lot better off had we retained many of the higher echelon leaders of the baath party and the military instead of ailinaiting them, firing them, and then playing a game of catch the terrorist on the playing card for so long. Many of these people not only hated Saddam but they also had VITAL information as to working of the information pipeline as well as the finances that have made the insurgency so strong since the toppling of that giant statue in baghdad. Mistake #2. To assume that everything in iraq would be cheese and rice after 4 plus decades of oppression by a leader from the minority of the population. I'm light years away from a foregin policy genius but even I knew this was going to end badly. Is it "won", I'm not sure if it will ever be won. I've said in other discussions on this that until the corruption that was embedded deep into the IA and the IP it would never get better. From talking to friends that are still there it seems they are making strides for the better. My opinion, we could never stay there like we have in Germany, Korea, Okinawa, the Phillippine Islands because there is too much of a culture clash so at some point we would have to leave. I'm sure whatever "timetable" is set will be a very general one and a very gradual and slow withdrawl and of course, not even sniffed until the IA/IP can prove that they can handle the show on their own. Getting ready for the next big thing is absolutely paramount. Not only is our force stretched, its losing some of the intangibles and those need to be replaced, rebuilt from within. We will also have to change a lot of our training doctrine because the ruskies won't fight the way the ragheads do but thats not all that tough. I'm sure in the end it will all work out:thumb:
