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biccat wrote:
Now this is just a silly comment. If you accuse the Bush administration of having a democratic peace theory of governance (which presumably is the rationale for military actions), then you can't call Cheney, Rumsfeld, and Wolfowitz incompetent.

Why? Because they behaved in consistence with their espoused beliefs?

I don't think they're incompetent because they failed to promulgate an international policy which is consistent with democratic peace theory, I think they're incompetent because they bought into democratic peace theory; and particularly the sort of democratic peace theory which leans on a variant of the domino effect.

biccat wrote:
While I have (and had at the time) some misgivings about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, they aren't based on the idea that Bush Lied or any such nonsense. But I accept the fact that we live in a democratic republic and the elected representatives are authorized to make decisions on behalf of the people, even when I don't fully agree with those decisions.

Sure, but that doesn't mean you have to agree with their decisions, consider them worthwhile, or refrain from calling the decision makers idiots.

biccat wrote:
I have similar issues with the operation in Libya, although in that case, the interest of the United States in the operation are even more tenuous than those argued by the left re: Afghanistan and Iraq.

The left argued for a set of US interests in Afghanistan and Iraq?

Its interesting. They say generals and admirals try to refight the last war. It looks like others do as well.

Meanwhile back at the Hall of Justice:
*We're in ANOTHER war (am I the only one who learned anything?)
*Economy is still super mega crap
*Our supposed ally (HAH!) won't give our helicopter back and is letting China look at it.
*Wildfires the size of the Northeast in Texas (but no disaster declaration-thanks bunches)
*Inversely mass flooding in the Mississippi Delta
*Energy prices rising (and GOM still not open, thanks again)
*There is a civil war just over the border, which is a sieve.
*And I couldn't get the satellite TV to work this morning.

Frazzled wrote:
*Our supposed ally (HAH!) won't give our helicopter back and is letting China look at it.

That's what happens when violate their sovereignty every day.

Also, since when do allies always do things you like?

You live in a very strange world, evidently. One seemingly dominated by the sort of idealism which makes me think your apparent bitterness is entirely a fabrication of your skewed worldview.

I think fair comment in the following article, especially as they got hit yesterday: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-13398281

I don't blame them for being hacked off. The US has taken a LOT of liberties with regards to what they've been done within Pakistans borders, to the extent where I would honestly not be surprised if they simply told NATO to hop it and sealed the border.

Ketara wrote:I don't blame them for being hacked off. The US has taken a LOT of liberties with regards to what they've been done within Pakistans borders, to the extent where I would honestly not be surprised if they simply told NATO to hop it and sealed the border.

Mmm. didn't another country in the region try to block us from the terrorists? Aren't they currently in the hills trying to regain the country with Pakistan support? Who was that again...

Can't believe people are still debating whether or not he should have been taken out.

Another major attack was being planned in a few months times on the 9/11 anniversary.

scarletsquig wrote:Can't believe people are still debating whether or not he should have been taken out.

Another major attack was being planned in a few months times on the 9/11 anniversary.

That's not being debated here. Using torture should be okay according to Fox because we shot bin laden in the head.
that's the debate.