If there is another World War, those Pacific and European bases would be invaluable.
1 Like
Yeah. Especially now that China is ramping up their stupidity level.
I think we should stay in the ME too but only in a defensive-preventative capacity inside bases for emergencies. No more drone killings, no ground troop excursions and definitely no more stupid extra-judicial assassinations.
The only reason to be involved in policing this stupid world is to keep the world from messing with us.
This, in my view, is a damn good reason. But keeping it in mind helps us get the details right, and not get distracted by globalism or nation building or any other such utopian nonsense.
Well, if you believe in keeping intelligence on potential terrorist activity in the ME, there needs to be something on the other side to keep it in check.
Drones would seem to remain the best of a bad list of options. Effective use of them depending on the scrutiny of intelligence. Or maybe if you have a cell hiding in a civilian area, you might want to send units in to erase. Talking about non-government official related targets.
When you hear about presidents getting reality checks when they get voted in, I donāt think itās about area 51 evidence, itās about the amount of people in areas like the ME who want to organize and would be happy to secure some very dangerous weaponry. And even if the percentage chance of them doing it is low, if it exists at all you cannot neglect staying on top of it for any reason.
I donāt think itās controversial to want to get out as much as possible but not at the cost of potential power vacuums that could lead to acquisitions of a WMD.
1 Like
Lest we forget . . Soleimani helped US fight against ISIS
" While western nations, including the U.S., were slow to react to ISISās march across northern Iraq, Soleimani was quick to play a more public role in Tehranās efforts to tackle the terror group. For example, the commander was seen in pictures with militiamen in the northern Iraqi town of Amerli when it was recaptured from ISIS last September.
Top U.S. general Martin Dempsey has said that the involvement of Iran in the fight against ISIS in Iraq could be a positive step, as long as the situation does not descend into sectarianism, because of fears surrounding how Shia militias may treat the remaining Sunni population of Tikrit if it is recaptured. The military chief also claimed that almost two thirds of the 30,000 offensive were Iranian-backed militiamen, meaning that without Iranian assistance and Soleimaniās guidance, the offensive on Tikrit may not have been possible."
4 Likes
Noriega and Stalin were also useful to US interests at one point.
1 Like
Libertarians are hating Trump as much as they hated Obama.
The nuance youāre failing to grasp, I think, is the concept that when you go after people you have allied with in the past, that can lead to a future where you canāt find any allies.
In other words, you need to think about the past and the future in addition to whatās for breakfast. A little more complicated than ābad guy dead, goodā.
1 Like
Nahā¦ Always some dude in need of hardware in return for service to the current cause or willing to pay ball for an ulterior motive, and most of them know the tables could turn at any time.
Also, Trump doesnāt really care about ISIS, pentagon report said his actions have enabled them. So thereās that.
1 Like
German troops are leaving Iraq. May return if situation calms down and Iraq gives permission to return.
They were training recruits for the Iraqi army.
Hence stay as a defensive force only. Small scale activities should be dealt with by local governments. We should just be there to stop the groups from becoming too bold and try to set up their own governments.
This way it will be safer for our troops and we wonāt turn skeptical locals into enemies by bombing their relatives to kingdom come or use their soil to create enemies for them.
1 Like
It doesnāt work like that.
People will tell you it works like that, but it doesnāt work like that.
This is why I donāt think you know what a nuance is.
If it could be done effectively in such a way, sure. Iām just saying doing whatever it takes to avoid organization and the potential acquisition of WMDs is required, even if that means something like drones. Lightest possible footprint is always ideal of course.
1 Like
Heās obviously been fantasizing about actions like using troops as pawns to secure re-election for a long time. Just like he was willing to use Ukraine aid for the same thing. Almost like thereās a clearly established pattern of how he thinks, and who he servesā¦
Also, how right was he about Obama? Obama clearly won because he started a war with Iranā¦I mean he backed down because of Trumpās prediction then lost the presidency to Romney.
Too bad all those guys in Hawaii finding Obamaās real birth certificate for Trump never made it back alive.
1 Like
Iām starting to think Soleimani was killed just because the media was running out of clickbait stuff to publish.
3 Likes
Just who defines āwhatever it takes?ā
Because if we guess too low, we wonāt know until itās too late.
The same people in the Pentagon who are actual experts, who concluded Trumpās policies are aiding ISIS. Iāve also read reports those same people were not encouraging Trump to do this killing but he went with the urging of Pompeo and against their advice.
Hereās how they felt about that:
So in other words, not Joe Rowland, plumber extraordinaire, for example.
But Iām sure you plumb just fine and Iāll be sure to call you for all my clogging-related problems. Sometimes I need to flush 10, 15 times, itās awful.