Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you:
No adverts like this in the forums anymore.
Times and dates in your local timezone.
Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance.
Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely.
Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net.
If you are already a member then feel free to login now.
Looks like the US politics thread got the exterminatus order? There was some spam earlier, so I'm going to assume it was because of that, and not the thread being locked, and open this thread to continue.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2016/08/05 14:06:40
Ex CIA chief Michael Morell has endorsed Clinton and rebuked Trump, accusing the latter of being an "unwitting agent of the Russian Federation".
I Ran the C.I.A. Now I’m Endorsing Hillary Clinton. By MICHAEL J. MORELL
"In the intelligence business, we would say that Mr. Putin had recruited Mr. Trump as an unwitting agent of the Russian Federation."
During a 33-year career at the Central Intelligence Agency, I served presidents of both parties — three Republicans and three Democrats. I was at President George W. Bush’s side when we were attacked on Sept. 11; as deputy director of the agency, I was with President Obama when we killed Osama bin Laden in 2011.
I am neither a registered Democrat nor a registered Republican. In my 40 years of voting, I have pulled the lever for candidates of both parties. As a government official, I have always been silent about my preference for president.
No longer. On Nov. 8, I will vote for Hillary Clinton. Between now and then, I will do everything I can to ensure that she is elected as our 45th president.
Two strongly held beliefs have brought me to this decision. First, Mrs. Clinton is highly qualified to be commander in chief. I trust she will deliver on the most important duty of a president — keeping our nation safe. Second, Donald J. Trump is not only unqualified for the job, but he may well pose a threat to our national security.
I spent four years working with Mrs. Clinton when she was secretary of state, most often in the White House Situation Room. In these critically important meetings, I found her to be prepared, detail-oriented, thoughtful, inquisitive and willing to change her mind if presented with a compelling argument.
I also saw the secretary’s commitment to our nation’s security; her belief that America is an exceptional nation that must lead in the world for the country to remain secure and prosperous; her understanding that diplomacy can be effective only if the country is perceived as willing and able to use force if necessary; and, most important, her capacity to make the most difficult decision of all — whether to put young American women and men in harm’s way.
Mrs. Clinton was an early advocate of the raid that brought Bin Laden to justice, in opposition to some of her most important colleagues on the National Security Council. During the early debates about how we should respond to the Syrian civil war, she was a strong proponent of a more aggressive approach, one that might have prevented the Islamic State from gaining a foothold in Syria.
I never saw her bring politics into the Situation Room. In fact, I saw the opposite. When some wanted to delay the Bin Laden raid by one day because the White House Correspondents Dinner might be disrupted, she said, “Screw the White House Correspondents Dinner.”
In sharp contrast to Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Trump has no experience on national security. Even more important, the character traits he has exhibited during the primary season suggest he would be a poor, even dangerous, commander in chief.
These traits include his obvious need for self-aggrandizement, his overreaction to perceived slights, his tendency to make decisions based on intuition, his refusal to change his views based on new information, his routine carelessness with the facts, his unwillingness to listen to others and his lack of respect for the rule of law.
The dangers that flow from Mr. Trump’s character are not just risks that would emerge if he became president. It is already damaging our national security.
President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia was a career intelligence officer, trained to identify vulnerabilities in an individual and to exploit them. That is exactly what he did early in the primaries. Mr. Putin played upon Mr. Trump’s vulnerabilities by complimenting him. He responded just as Mr. Putin had calculated.
Mr. Putin is a great leader, Mr. Trump says, ignoring that he has killed and jailed journalists and political opponents, has invaded two of his neighbors and is driving his economy to ruin. Mr. Trump has also taken policy positions consistent with Russian, not American, interests — endorsing Russian espionage against the United States, supporting Russia’s annexation of Crimea and giving a green light to a possible Russian invasion of the Baltic States.
In the intelligence business, we would say that Mr. Putin had recruited Mr. Trump as an unwitting agent of the Russian Federation.
Mr. Trump has also undermined security with his call for barring Muslims from entering the country. This position, which so clearly contradicts the foundational values of our nation, plays into the hands of the jihadist narrative that our fight against terrorism is a war between religions.
In fact, many Muslim Americans play critical roles in protecting our country, including the man, whom I cannot identify, who ran the C.I.A.’s Counterterrorism Center for nearly a decade and who I believe is most responsible for keeping America safe since the Sept. 11 attacks.
My training as an intelligence officer taught me to call it as I see it. This is what I did for the C.I.A. This is what I am doing now. Our nation will be much safer with Hillary Clinton as president.
Automatically Appended Next Post:
djones520 wrote: I guess culling a few posts out was to much work?
No clue
This message was edited 5 times. Last update was at 2016/08/05 14:13:41
As much as I hate Trump and am voting against him, the media is definitely against him. This Russian thing just seems like one more red hare to scare voters, where we should actually be focusing on discussion of politics and reasonable debate, a place where Trump would get destroyed.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2016/08/05 14:21:41
In this social experiment, RNC convention goers are nicer than the DNC attendees:
Automatically Appended Next Post:
jreilly89 wrote: As much as I hate Trump and am voting against him, the media is definitely against him. This Russian thing just seems like one more red hare to scare voters, where we should actually be focusing on discussion of politics and reasonable debate, a place where Trump would get destroyed.
You ain't kidding... you don't even NEED to make up gak to bring down Trump.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2016/08/05 14:23:33
jreilly89 wrote: As much as I hate Trump and am voting against him, the media is definitely against him. This Russian thing just seems like one more red hare to scare voters, where we should actually be focusing on discussion of politics and reasonable debate, a place where Trump would get destroyed.
Michael Morell is not a journalist in the media. Rather, he is the former director of the CIA.
jreilly89 wrote: As much as I hate Trump and am voting against him, the media is definitely against him. This Russian thing just seems like one more red hare to scare voters, where we should actually be focusing on discussion of politics and reasonable debate, a place where Trump would get destroyed.
You ain't kidding... you don't even NEED to make up gak to bring down Trump.
Tell me which of Mr. Morell's assertions in his endorsement do you believe are fabricated.
This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2016/08/05 14:27:49
Hillary Clinton holds a four-point lead over Donald Trump in Georgia, a state that has not voted for a Democratic presidential nominee in nearly a quarter century, according to the results of an Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll out Friday.
While Clinton earned 44 percent support, Trump took 40 percent, in the latest survey coming on the heels of a disastrous week for the Republican nominee in which he has also trailed in the battleground states of New Hampshire, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Florida and in multiple national polls conducted after last week's Democratic National Convention.
Clinton and running mate Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine drew the support of 51 percent of women, compared with 35 percent for the Republican ticket of Trump and Indiana Gov. Mike Pence. Six in 10 white voters said they will vote for the Trump-Pence ticket, while just 23 percent said they will vote for Clinton and Kaine.
Georgia last voted for a Democratic presidential candidate in 1992, when Bill Clinton unseated George H.W. Bush.
Trump outperformed Clinton among men, white evangelicals, as well as in the northern part of the state (59 percent to 27 percent) and in the Atlanta exurbs (51 percent to 33 percent). But in the immediate Atlanta area, Clinton led Trump 69 percent to 20 percent, as well as in the state's southeast region (44 percent to 34 percent). Clinton also holds advantages among voters between the ages of 18 to 39 (48 percent to 32 percent) and 40 to 64 (45 percent to 40 percent), while Trump leads by a significant margin among those older than 65 (54 percent to 36 percent).
In a four-way ballot test, Clinton holds a three-point lead over Trump, 41 percent to 38 percent, followed by 11 percent for the Libertarian ticket of Gary Johnson and Bill Weld and 2 percent for the Green Party's Jill Stein and Ajamu Baraka.
The poll was conducted via landlines and cellphones by Abt-SRBI between Aug. 1-4, surveying 847 registered voters, with a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.
Washington (CNN)Donald Trump backed off a false claim Friday morning, admitting he had not seen a video of a $400 million payment being unloaded from a US plane in Iran.
The Republican nominee had claimed at rallies twice this week that such a video existed, saying in Maine on Thursday that it was provided by Iranians "to embarrass our president because we have a president who's incompetent."
What Trump had actually seen in news reports was video of three American prisoners who Iran had released arriving in Geneva, Switzerland.
Trump admitted his error in an early-morning tweet Friday, without actually saying he was wrong.
"The plane I saw on television was the hostage plane in Geneva, Switzerland, not the plane carrying $400 million in cash going to Iran!" he tweeted.
It was a rare reversal for Trump, who has stood by inaccurate or unproven claims previously -- insisting he'd seen videos of Muslim Americans in New Jersey cheering the September 11, 2001, attacks. His political rise began during the 2012 campaign, when he insisted that Obama release his birth certificate, questioning the President's American citizenship.
Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Kaine hit Trump on Friday for the video claim, saying he seems "confused" on CBS' "This Morning," in an interview taped before Trump backtracked.
"I have no idea what he's talking about. It (the video) doesn't exist. He might be thinking about Iran Contra from like 35 years ago or something like this," Kaine said.
He pointed to Trump's recent criticism of Kaine, who Trump said in a late-July news conference "did a terrible job in New Jersey" -- despite Kaine being a governor and senator from Virginia, not New Jersey. Kaine said Trump must have confused him with Tom Kean, who was New Jersey's governor until 1990.
"He was confusing it with a situation from two or three decades ago. Maybe that's what he's doing with this bogus video claim," Kaine said.
Asked if he thinks Trump is confused, Kaine said: "I absolutely think he's confused."
Trump has made criticism of the US delivery of $400 million in cash via a plane to Iran -- the first installment of $1.7 billion in payments related to a decades-old dispute over an unfulfilled us arms purchase before the Iranian revolution cut relations between the two countries and settled at the same time Iran released four American prisoners -- a staple this week on the campaign trail.
But Wednesday in Florida and Thursday in Maine, he went a step further, claiming he'd seen video of the cash actually being delivered in Iran.
"It was interesting because a tape was made. Right? You saw that? With the airplane coming in -- nice plane -- and the airplane coming in, and the money coming off, I guess. Right? That was given to us, has to be, by the Iranians," Trump said in Portland, Maine.
"And you know why the tape was given to us? Because they want to embarrass our country. They want to embarrass our country. And they want to embarrass our president because we have a president who's incompetent. They want to embarrass our president," Trump said. "I mean, who would ever think they would be taking all of this money off the plane and then providing us with a tape? It's only for one reason. And it's very, very sad."
jreilly89 wrote: As much as I hate Trump and am voting against him, the media is definitely against him. This Russian thing just seems like one more red hare to scare voters, where we should actually be focusing on discussion of politics and reasonable debate, a place where Trump would get destroyed.
Michael Morell is not a journalist in the media. Rather, he is the former director of the CIA.
And you don't think he was bought/paid to endorse Hillary?
jreilly89 wrote: As much as I hate Trump and am voting against him, the media is definitely against him.
If he would stop saying false and moronic things, the media wouldn't be "against him."
d-usa wrote: "When the Internet sends its people, they're not sending their best. They're not sending you. They're not sending you. They're sending posters that have lots of problems, and they're bringing those problems with us. They're bringing strawmen. They're bringing spam. They're trolls. And some, I assume, are good people."
I think the real problem with former CIA Director Morell's open letter is that it cuts into the narrative that Trump and Clinton are equally as bad, only in different ways.
The only rational conclusion to draw from this is he has been paid off by Team Clinton to say those things.
We were once so close to heaven, St. Peter came out and gave us medals; declaring us "The nicest of the damned".
“Anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that 'my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.'”
feeder wrote: I think the real problem with former CIA Director Morell's open letter is that it cuts into the narrative that Trump and Clinton are equally as bad, only in different ways.
The only rational conclusion to draw from this is he has been paid off by Team Clinton to say those things.
I'm assuming that's sarcasm. On the off chance it's not, maybe just maybe he decided to endorse Clinton because he knows a whole hell of a lot about national security (former CIA director and all that), and he actually thinks Trump is dangerous and has been unwittingly compromised by the Russians through flattery.
Putin is capable of such tactics; in fact we all remember that he used them with some success on GW Bush, who once claimed that he could see into Putin's soul and recognized a deep connection and a kindred spirit, or something like that, before later waking up to what kind of a leader Putin is.
Trump is certainly dumb enough and egotistical enough to fall for these tricks, which he plainly has already
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2016/08/05 16:02:29
feeder wrote: I think the real problem with former CIA Director Morell's open letter is that it cuts into the narrative that Trump and Clinton are equally as bad, only in different ways.
The only rational conclusion to draw from this is he has been paid off by Team Clinton to say those things.
I'm assuming that's sarcasm. On the off chance it's not, maybe just maybe he decided to endorse Clinton because he knows a whole hell of a lot about national security (former CIA director and all that), and he actually thinks Trump is dangerous and has been unwittingly compromised by the Russians through flattery.
Putin is capable of such tactics; in fact we all remember that he used them with some success on GW Bush, who once claimed that he could see into Putin's soul and recognized a deep connection and a kindred spirit, or something like that, before later waking up to what kind of a leader Putin is.
Trump is certainly dumb enough and egotistical enough to fall for these tricks, which he plainly has already
Yes, sarcasm. HRC is a perfectly fine and capable administrator, well suited for the job of "Most Powerful Person in the World". Trump is not qualified for the job.
They are not equally as bad. HRC is an experienced and competent political actor, and Drump is none of those things.
We were once so close to heaven, St. Peter came out and gave us medals; declaring us "The nicest of the damned".
“Anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that 'my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.'”
Why is it that every time I turn my back for two minutes, the US politics thread ends up getting locked, zapped or Benghazi'ed?
There's is never this problem on the UK politics thread, but I suppose we are an older and more mature democracy with 1000 years of history behind us...
Just kidding. Back OT.
Clint Eastwood has endoresed Trump. This makes me very sad
Still, at least he never brought out an empty chair
"Our crops will wither, our children will die piteous
deaths and the sun will be swept from the sky. But is it true?" - Tom Kirby, CEO, Games Workshop Ltd
feeder wrote: I think the real problem with former CIA Director Morell's open letter is that it cuts into the narrative that Trump and Clinton are equally as bad, only in different ways.
The only rational conclusion to draw from this is he has been paid off by Team Clinton to say those things.
I'm assuming that's sarcasm. On the off chance it's not, maybe just maybe he decided to endorse Clinton because he knows a whole hell of a lot about national security (former CIA director and all that), and he actually thinks Trump is dangerous and has been unwittingly compromised by the Russians through flattery.
Putin is capable of such tactics; in fact we all remember that he used them with some success on GW Bush, who once claimed that he could see into Putin's soul and recognized a deep connection and a kindred spirit, or something like that, before later waking up to what kind of a leader Putin is.
Trump is certainly dumb enough and egotistical enough to fall for these tricks, which he plainly has already
If you've ever read the book: 'legacy of ashes - a history of the CIA' you'll know that the last people on earth who know anything about national security are the CIA!
If the average American knew or cared about how bad the CIA have been over the years, they would have been disbanded long ago...
"Our crops will wither, our children will die piteous
deaths and the sun will be swept from the sky. But is it true?" - Tom Kirby, CEO, Games Workshop Ltd
This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2016/08/05 16:27:52
"Our crops will wither, our children will die piteous
deaths and the sun will be swept from the sky. But is it true?" - Tom Kirby, CEO, Games Workshop Ltd
feeder wrote: I think the real problem with former CIA Director Morell's open letter is that it cuts into the narrative that Trump and Clinton are equally as bad, only in different ways.
The only rational conclusion to draw from this is he has been paid off by Team Clinton to say those things.
I'm assuming that's sarcasm. On the off chance it's not, maybe just maybe he decided to endorse Clinton because he knows a whole hell of a lot about national security (former CIA director and all that), and he actually thinks Trump is dangerous and has been unwittingly compromised by the Russians through flattery.
Putin is capable of such tactics; in fact we all remember that he used them with some success on GW Bush, who once claimed that he could see into Putin's soul and recognized a deep connection and a kindred spirit, or something like that, before later waking up to what kind of a leader Putin is.
Trump is certainly dumb enough and egotistical enough to fall for these tricks, which he plainly has already
If you've ever read the book: 'legacy of ashes - a history of the CIA' you'll know that the last people on earth who know anything about national security are the CIA!
If the average American knew or cared about how bad the CIA have been over the years, they would have been disbanded long ago...
Never read it or heard of it. It would be suicide to disband our primary intelligence apparatus (for our allies as well). Better to change any problens via reform than to flush the whole service down the drain IMO.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2016/08/05 16:33:51
jreilly89 wrote: As much as I hate Trump and am voting against him, the media is definitely against him.
If he would stop saying false and moronic things, the media wouldn't be "against him."
Where were they in the early going of the primaries?
Seem to me, they want to "build up" a weak Republican candidate, and then tear him down in the General.
See Romney last year...
They were the same place literally everyone else was - snickering quietly at the thought of Donald Trump actually gaining enough support to get nominated. When they ran stories about him, reactions alternated between amused disbelief at whatever lunacy was coming out of Trump that day and 'stop giving him attention, you'll only encourage him'.
Considering his propensity to attack fellow Republicans, I wonder when Trump is going to start attacking...Pence?
"If you elect Hillary Putin will be in Ukraine." "he's already in the Ukraine." "Yea but not like how I mean." "He took over Crimea, and has troops in the Eastern third of the reminder of the country." "Yea but I mean like the important parts. When I am President I will make Ukraine great again." " How would you do that?" "With plans. I have so many plans. They are the greatest plans ever." "But you took that out of the Republican platform." "Thats because they are losers. They want us to help them, they gotta pay us. And I heard something crazy, that the Boston bombers were from there." "You mean they guys from Chechnya?" "Yea them." "Thats a different country." "I meant the other Chechnya. The one with Hillary's emails. Its just disgusting. Thats just what I heard, I am sure its a fine country. Who's to say?"
This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2016/08/05 16:58:54
-"Wait a minute.....who is that Frazz is talking to in the gallery? Hmmm something is going on here.....Oh.... it seems there is some dispute over video taping of some sort......Frazz is really upset now..........wait a minute......whats he go there.......is it? Can it be?....Frazz has just unleashed his hidden weiner dog from his mini bag, while quoting shakespeares "Let slip the dogs the war!!" GG
-"Don't mind Frazzled. He's just Dakka's crazy old dude locked in the attic. He's harmless. Mostly."
-TBone the Magnificent 1999-2014, Long Live the King!
~1.5k
3000
4000 
