Mr. Bush has created a scenario where he has rendered himself as irrelevant to the degree where the Speaker of the House has to participate in reasonable international dialogue. This is fitting since that last 6 years the executive branch has usurped, with tacit acceptance of the Senate and House, the oversight abilities of the Legislative Branch. Now is the Legislative Branch’s turn to usurp Executive authority. Couple this with the Saudi King’s peace initiative proposal, Mr. Bush has given a new meaning to the term “Lame Duck”.
Pelosi for President in 2008.
Posted by Frank at April 9, 2007 03:55 PM
I am frankly a little torn about the institutional problems posed by conflicts among what should be coordinate branches of government; it seems to me that no government should be presenting a divided policy to foreign nations. On the other hand, when policy is this far broken, maybe the institutional conflict needs to spill over.
Eric makes some really compelling arguments in favor of congressional intervention in what would otherwise be a united (though executively mandated) policy, but I would argue that this kind of conflicted policy should only be countenanced in situations where things are really really broken. I am inclined to think that we are at that state now, but I would hate to see members of Congress independently making foreign policy in any situation even marginally less serious than the one we are in now.
Posted by chatman at April 9, 2007 04:20 PM
Frank:
I agree with you, but I would say this; Congress gave up their sovereign and co-equal powers voluntarily when they signed off on the Use of Force Authorization. If you read the language of that document (It’s short), it really is appalling that so many of our nations lawmakers could have abdicated their authority to the president as they did, regardless of the ‘post-9/11’ mentality that was prevalent at the time. The whole thing stinks of what the Weimar government did after the Reichstag fire… I’m not saying that 9/11 was staged, as the Reichstag fire was, but it seems clear that even educated and powerful people can make the same mistakes over and over again when they are scared.
On the other hand, Bush has not voluntarily given up any of his executive authority; in fact, he is fighting tooth and nail to keep it, and the powers granted to him by a lame-duck senate. The balance needs to be restored, and I hope that this might be the most sober way to do it. But I think only time will tell…
Posted by chatman at April 9, 2007 04:24 PM
I speak as an outsider to the US. I can understand the outlook that says the US is the greatest danger to world peace. I do not speak as one hostile to the US as defined by its constitution. I am a great admirer of that constitution, and mourn its passing.
Do I sound angry and hostile? I’m sure I do. I see the actions of the present US regime on the international stage, as having destroyed my children’s hope for the future, as surely as an American must see the destruction of the US constitution as destroying their children’s hopes. How can I not sound strident?
For Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, Haiti… the list seems endless, US military and political interventions have been directly destructive. For the rest of the world, what of the opportunities missed for the environment? We neglect that the distraction of war destroys far beyond the limits of the immediate conflicts.
As for freedoms, even the reactions of the left wing opposition to the military commissions act - their shock that its measures might apply to American citizens - served to emphasise that that act of the American congress essentially denies me and my children, along with people all over the world, the right of habeas corpus, not by act of their own government, but by act of the American government.
The regime in the US has been a tragedy the world could ill afford. It is a relief to see Americans beginning to recognise that fact, but should I regret that Americans are affected by acts of their own government? It would be anti-American to wish such ignorance and blindness on them.
See? Hard not to sound strident. Sorry about that.
Posted by Raven at April 9, 2007 06:08 PM
I’ve heard people jabbering that the reason that Pelosi went to the middle east was because she has a prominent lebanese donor base that she is catering to. i highly highly doubt that, but any thoughts?
Posted by fahdp at April 9, 2007 07:21 PM
Well, as an “insider” of the U.S., I can opine that many Americans have a weakness that many “great powers” suffer from: we have too exalted a notion of what military might is capable of. It’s not so much “might makes right” but a fear of “evil prospers when good men do nothing.” Of course, there has been a strain of exceptionalism and political messianism in the American mindset ever since Massachusetts Bay, a mindset that cannot tolerate or even admit mistakes, much less defeats, except with the greatest reluctance. [I really don’t think that makes us much different from other great cultures or states, but we happen to have the best military in the world that tempts us into trying to prove we’re right!]
I am glad that Margolis pointed out that Congress is the pre-eminent branch of government. It is simply not true that the executive, legislative, and judicial branches are “co-equal.” For instance, Congress can forcibly remove the highest members of the executive and judicial branches, but those branches do not in turn have any power over the membership of Congress; only Congress can evict Congressmen. Congress is not all-powerful, but it is pre-eminently so.
Posted by CalmHorizons at April 9, 2007 07:39 PM
America is not Canada!
I’m extremely sceptical when anyone part of the American government talks about the greater good or welfare of other people.
If they wanted to do something about the poor people of the world, they’d start with their own people.
During the black plague, europeans used to mark houses with black markings which showed how many dead were lying in the house. This was because they could identify the dead better.
A cousin of mine who’s visiting from the US told us about how he had visited New Orleans and seen the same black markings on almost every other home in some neighbourhoods.
If Canada says something about human suffering or democracy, I’d listen. If anyone from the US says something similar, I’d ask myself; Why does this guy need be worried about something thats happening all the way around the world. There are enough people in the US who need help.
The sound bites are a foreign policy tool which is driven by interests.
Posted by _RealityBites_ at April 10, 2007 12:23 AM
CalmHorizons:
I posted a rebuttal to your latest reply in the earlier thread, though I don’t think I want to pursue that discussion too much further. As for the present….
——“It is simply not true that the executive, legislative, and judicial branches are “co-equal.” … Congress can forcibly remove the highest members of the executive and judicial branches, but those branches do not in turn have any power over the membership of Congress; … Congress is not all-powerful, but it is pre-eminently so.”
This pre-eminence through Constitutionally enumerated powers is, to some extent, illusory. On paper (or parchment), the Congress is the most powerful of the institutional branches of government, with the longest list of powers. But it is also the largest, and governing power is diffused substantially among its electorally sensitive constituents, all of whom have local and national interests to balance. That diffusion of power and interest is Congress’s greatest weakness. The Framers surely realized this, and granted the branch its powers to counterbalance the debilitating requirement of Congress to build consensus among its conflicted members.
The only Congress has recently done to any unity or consensus is to ABDICATE some of their considerable powers to the President through the Use of Force Authorization. How’s that for irony?
The impeachment powers of Congress have rarely been invoked; they’ve tried to impeach 2 presidents, and unsuccessfully attempted to impeach one Supreme Court justices.
Even though the coordinate branches of government have fewer enumerated powers, their greater structural cohesion makes them not considerably less powerful than Congress as a practical matter. The Federal judiciary is bound by rigid adherence to precedent, security of compensation and position, and the ability to negate Congressional legislation as a matter of Constitutional law. The President also has a growing list of powers and tremendous internal cohesion within his cabinet and the agencies he is empowered to direct. He also has one of the two major war powers (the deployment power).
——“I can opine that many Americans have a weakness that many “great powers” suffer from: we have too exalted a notion of what military might is capable of. It’s not so much “might makes right” but a fear of “evil prospers when good men do nothing.”
Agreed, though I would add that Americans are keenly unaware of the fact that use of our military, and hard power in general, is the most expensive of options, both in terms of lives, politics, and enemies created. In dollars alone, the cost of deploying the 5th Fleet to the straits of Hormuz probably cost U.S taxpayers more than it would to fund the construction of a hundred schools in Iraq.
The U.S military, as effective as we think it is, is too expensive to use for anything beyond short “shock and awe” campaigns. The fact that we are spending hundreds of billions on an unwinnable land war in Asia is testament to that fact…
Posted by chatman at April 10, 2007 01:39 AM
http://www.time.com/time/cartoons/20070408/7.html
http://www.time.com/time/cartoons/20070408/8.html
Posted by _RealityBites_ at April 10, 2007 05:43 AM
Re: “Never has Israel and its neighbors been closer to peace”
Yes, now that the Palestinians have elected a group sworn to the destruction of Israel, we have clearly never been “closer to peace”.
Eric: There were violent anti-American groups westerners call `terrorists’ long before Iraq, Afghanistan, Abu Ghraib, Gitmo and global warming, but that doesn’t fit the script so we’ll just ignore that?
I find it odd that an entire article about the make-up of the US government and Nancy’s trip to Syria doesn’t mention the fact that Assad is the epitome of a dictator. He inherited the job for life from his daddy – prior to becoming the boss for life his experience consisted of heading up the Syrian Computer Society. He has repeatedly promised “reforms” and then failed to produce them.
He is widely suspected of green-lighting assassinations, most famously the murder of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. His former Vice President, Abdul Halim Khaddam, accused him of being behind the operation. Assad has refused to be questioned himself or for other high-ranking Syrian officials to be questioned by the special UN prosecutor in connection to Hariri’s murder.
And, of course, he supports (logistically at a minimum) happy-fun-time gangs like Hezbollah, Hamas, and Islamic Jihad.
But none of that gets a mention.
OK, fine. What about Pesoli? Margolis refers to some “debate” about her message from Israel, but it seems quite clear that she flubbed it.
The Arab League’s real reason for bringing up the Beirut offer again last month was that a number of key members are worried about the security of their own regimes after U.S. forces in Iraq give up and go home.
Posted by hegadumb at April 10, 2007 09:01 AM
I love how Mr. Margolis throws in an obscure word of French, German, or Latin origin -gives his article an intellectual touch. Then again who am I to judge?
Coming to the article, America is in a nose dive. The democrats can do all they want, but the most they can manage is a hard landing. Pride comes before the fall, and America has had its pride.
Hopefully EU, and the rest of the Western world can pull together learn to live without the their Trojan Ass known as the United States of America.
Posted by John Edward at April 10, 2007 01:32 PM
Chatman:
Yes, I realize that Congress is the slowest, least efficient branch. However, that also keeps it from being too exposed to the whim of the populace.
I would totally agree that Congress has effectively ceded many of its powers, and in fact it has been a major player in eviscerating the Tenth Amendment and expanding the Federal government. Ultimately, I can only blame the electorate itself for that one: interest in limited government couldn’t be lower than it is. If a weak-willed Congress represents a weak-willed populace, then there is no quick or easy solution to anything.
I’d like to see Congress impeach and remove a President just to prove the point about Constitutional powers.
Posted by CalmHorizons at April 10, 2007 02:21 PM
I just realized something… people really don’t know much about Canada, do they? If they did they would know that Canada has consciously exported many of its citizens over to the CIA, FBI and so forth to be tortured, mistreated, and humiliated. The Security Certificate (Patriot Act’s twin brother) is still in tact, the conservatives are still going through ahead with the American War of Terror, it is using JTF-2 (Canadian Commandos) to do some America’s dirty jobs around the world, and the current government is flip-flopping out of the Kyoto Accord. Also, Quebec just voted in some closet neo-Nazis into their parliament.
Posted by John Edward at April 10, 2007 07:12 PM
I’ve lived in Canada. There arent any ghettos there, and the people support diversity not forceful integration. Canada is a very good place to live(low crime rate, medical etc.).
There may be some funny stuff there but its nothing compared to the scale at which the US does things.
If you look at the overall picture Canada is a force for good
thats my opinion
Posted by _RealityBites_ at April 11, 2007 03:35 AM
I believe Eric’s claim the Palestinian/Israeli issue is close to peace is based on his assumption that the key obstacles to peace are Israel and the US. I agree with that but don’t agree that we are close to peace. Israel will never do anything it doesn’t want to do and American politicians will never have the backbone to force Israel to make peace. Really all the Arabs can hope to do is take the higher ground, continually embarrass Israel, thus isolate this modern version of the Spartan city state amongst civilised western nations.
Just to clarify, Olmert isn’t suddenly running around with flowers in his hair. He has zero popularity in Israel so is desperate to try anything. Being a warmonger did him no good so now he’s going to talk like a peacenik. He’s typical of the amoral leadership democracy creates.
As for the Assad bashing, there’s nothing wrong with inheriting a dictatorship when you see the evil men our apathetic western democracy’s are electing. Judge the man by his actions, not your personal bias against him. He’s tried for peace with Israel and offered to demilitarize the Golan Heights, turn it into a provincial park. Instead of following up his initiative with more talk, the west continues to demonize the man(far easier than dealing with him like civilised human beings). All this lame speculation about Lebanon is bogus. One need not speculate about what Olmert did in Lebanon last summer. But he’s a good guy because he came to power in a democracy, chosen by a racist electorate. Regarding Hizbollah and Hamas: how dare they fight back against Zionism and western neo-colonialism!
All I ask is for intelligent people to judge the major players in the Middle East based on facts. Don’t waste your brains being suckers for propaganda.
Posted by Paul Whiteside at April 11, 2007 09:05 AM
George Bush is Master of the Universe
George Bush is God of all Heavens
George Bush is Supreme King and Ruler of Earth
George Bush is Eternal
George Bush will live Forever
Long live George Bush
Posted by Rabinovitz at April 11, 2007 04:02 PM
Heg, Rab…
You guys really don’t like the discussion aspect of this blog, do you? Rabin (Heg), It amazes me that you can come on here with absolutely nothing to say, and spew vitriol at Heg (Bino) that even a ten year old could best. What is truly amazing to me, is that the other actually responds in kind, and they allow their conversations to degenerate to this level of rancor and childishness. How old are you two anyway?
Given the predictability of your childish interactions, I almost wonder if the two of you are the same person, trying his level best to shut down the discussion for everyone else by deliberately throwing bilge between two manufactured personalities.
This board’s days are numbered, given these antics. I’ve had fun with it, but it looks like these two have it in for the board. More’s the pity, as I’ve learned a lot from the more civil interactions on this board.
Posted by chatman at April 11, 2007 04:53 PM
Hey Rabin,
Did you ever consider the profound disrespect you do not only to your target (Bino), but also the host? Do you really think that someone of Eric’s stature would want his website to be associated with your bawdy gutter talk? Can’t you insult someone with a little more subtlety or class?
Posted by chatman at April 11, 2007 04:56 PM
When Bush and Blair meet to have hot sizzling gay sex under the supervision of Olfert, who takes the role of the man and who takes the role of the woman? My guess is that Tony stars out by fellating George’s flaccid penis, and then Georgie fucks Tony up the ass really hard and deep, all while Ehud gives directions and films the scene using his high-tech mossad spy cam.
Posted by Rabinovitz at April 11, 2007 09:19 PM
Rabin:
You are performing over and above the call of duty. Shut up already, will you?
Chatman:
——I almost wonder if the two of you are the same person, trying his level best to shut down the discussion——-
The thought crossed my mind too, more than once.
The simplest explanation is usually the correct one. Occam’s Razor and all that.
Posted by The Questioner at April 12, 2007 12:47 AM
Thanks for the reality check, Chatman. Again.
I’d like to apologize to the board for allowing myself to be dragged down like that. I promise all of you that it will not happen again no matter how crass and repugnant the attack on me.
Back on topic, it seems as though Pesoli might also want to chat with Iran:
Pelosi, Lantos may be interested in diplomatic trip to Iran
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/04/10/BAGV9P6C0S6.DTL
Posted by hegadumb at April 12, 2007 10:28 AM
Eric:
PLEASE keep the site open as I for one learn a lot from informed others. BUT do block Bino, aka hegadumb (click on his link and you get: binolikesbeer@rogers.com) AND the Rabinovitz. They are 2 sides of the same intolerant coin, one a zionist, the other the equal and opposite reaction. These guys are the two major downers on this blog. As I have stated when Bino first appeared, his goal is to discredit and shut down this site; please do not fall into his trap.
Paul Whiteside, as ever, you make emminent sense.
Re: discussion on the international moral standard of the USA. My wife brought it into focus for me when she said “The US is the world’s richest 3rd world country.” Canada, for those not familair with my country is, by contrast, a caring and compassionate society to both its fellow citizens and foreigners, notwithstanding the current Republican-wanna-be Conservative party aberration. There may be exceptions but the rule still applies.
I saw Eric on TVO last evening being interviewed by Steve Paikin. It was a terrifically interesting and wide ranging conversation. Eric is well-informed on international issues across the board, knowledgeably expanding on Steve’s lines of enquiry. Cool we can particpate in his realm like this.
Posted by shazam at April 12, 2007 12:37 PM
Shazam:
Among these two, Hedagem is the worse of the two by far. Bino can be terse and disagreeable, but Rabin’s comments are downright disgusting, and completely unacceptable. On the other hand, I think Bino’s good to have around as counterpoint, at least when he responds respectfully to arguments presented. Admittedly, however, Hedagem’s juvenile invective makes that pretty difficult to do; add to that the fact that Hedagem adds little actual commentary, aside from his equally childish equations defining complex world affairs, and allusions to Bino when Bino isn’t even around…
Posted by chatman at April 12, 2007 02:42 PM
Thanks for recognizing the lesser of two asshats, Chatman. My problem is that I tend to respond in kind. I often do so when dealing with the Hegadems of the world. It’s a flaw on my part and you won’t see it again. Sure, I’m still going to throw some terse replys out there, but I won’t again resort to getting down on my belly to toy with the snakes.
Posted by hegadumb at April 12, 2007 03:18 PM
—-Hedagem is the worse of the two by far——
No… just by a margin.
—-Bino can be terse and disagreeable—-
Snide and insolent and a muck-raker is a much more accurate description.
However… doesn’t matter what or to how much degree we might feel nauseated by either of these two… fact is, they.. both of them.. were named and shamed by Eric not too long ago.
I did complain by email. Glad it had an effect.
Btw, Bino has been “handled” by the webmaster, a second time, in case anyone is counting (I am). Yet, his insolence will not change. Count on it. I know the type.
Nobody wants either of these two around here. And it is these two as they are grotesquely feeding on each other… like that description from “Jaws” … slit a shark open and it starts eating and expelling it’s own intestines….. over and over.
Posted by The Questioner at April 12, 2007 03:19 PM
Let he who hath not sinned, my dear poster formerly known as Rampart.
Posted by hegadumb at April 12, 2007 03:33 PM
Btw, Kurt Vonnegut went kaput, as I’m sure you’ve all heard.
I was just wondering if Margolis knew him personally…. seems to have run into all the people most of us will never get a chance to run into….
(this is a hint for a mention on next week’s topic)
Is it my imagination or is America really losing it’s literary traditions as the world sees it in a more negative light and it’s great writers pass away? Like some gloom settling in slowly?
I say this because I have noticed a increase of rehashing of earlier material in print and film.
Posted by The Questioner at April 12, 2007 03:39 PM
—-You only post a comment when the article is about Pakistan——
No. Not really.
And “Afhanstan”???
Almost the same spelling mistake that Bino made? Hmmmmmm
Posted by The Questioner at April 12, 2007 03:48 PM
Bino, You sound genuinely contrite. It almost makes you endearing. Since you are in a humble moment, which means you are listening, kindly add some quality to your copy and paste exerpts of selective exceptions that are meant to inflame or put down and instead add something positive and personal that offers insight rather than insiting.
Rabinovitch, are you Bino’s alter ego working at the tips of his fingers or in concert to shut this blog down? Cease and desist - get positve rather than reactive or else we will think you are a Bino shill.
Posted by shazam at April 12, 2007 04:53 PM
—-or else we will think you are a Bino shill.——
We already do.
Posted by The Questioner at April 12, 2007 04:58 PM
New axis of evil: USA + Britain + Azzrael + Pakstan
Posted by Rabinovitz at April 12, 2007 08:46 PM
Eric - Rabinovitz, Bino and Hegadumb are all the same disruptive person. The rest of us are here to share wisdom and information.
Posted by shazam at April 12, 2007 10:33 PM
Rabin / Hegadem craves attention, and I for one won’t be giving him anymore, regardless of (or perhaps especially because) of the egregious and vile quality of his writing. So feel free to throw slime on the board, either against me or anyone else. Such antics are not worth the attention of thinking adults.
What’s really sad to me is the way this sullies what is otherwise a very good article raising interesting institutional and foreign policy conflicts. The sooner we can leave the name calling behind (or at least isolate it to just one person), the sooner we can start learning from each other again.
Posted by chatman at April 12, 2007 11:15 PM
Chatman:
Stop trying to protect Bino. As I just proved to all, Hegadem/Rabin is no Iranian. He just pretended to be to raise dust with his shadow, Bino/Hegadumb.
They may be diferent people, yet move in concert. Like a well choreographed dance.
Notice how he is trying to de-rail it again by posting nonsense about Pakistan… why does Tovy/Bino/Hegagem, keep bringing up Pakistan??? I never brought it up in the first place. He is the same fellow who posted as “Shofar” and “Kalasewer”, for example.
Now the “Hegadumb/Bino” part of him will be a good guy, while he will keep pouring out shit using his other side. 14 year old.. yeah right. LOL
Just a game of mucking up this blog, that is all.
This joker moves faster than Eric can. Notice the determination … both came back the instant they were “banned”. Ba-bye comment section.
Posted by The Questioner at April 13, 2007 12:24 AM
For those who are slow to catch on, this is an attempt to goad me into digging up muck about Iran and posting it here.
I have no problem with that but why should I play the other fellow’s game? LOL
Posted by The Questioner at April 13, 2007 12:31 AM
Chatman:
—- a very good article raising interesting institutional and foreign policy conflicts. ——-
The problem, I think, is that the people who make and implement policy, are stuck in a 19th century frame of mind.
For example… a small thing… not too long ago, I read that when you landed in the UK, and they noticed you carrying a computer, they would turn it on and look for porn on the drive.
How silly is that? What is the point of bringing porn into the country on a computer when you can do it much faster through the net?
This is 19th Century thinking. We call it “tulla-dimagh” (cop’s brain) thinking. The US is also a victim of such thinking. They clearly underestimated the speed with which other folk can react and counter. And only a cop’s brain sees the world as black and white, not as shades of gray.
The best way is to move with the flow not against it. Go be pals with Syria instead of demonizing it.
Posted by The Questioner at April 13, 2007 01:18 AM
One Amreekan I have true respect for… look at what he is saying.
http://depression2.tv/d2/node/261
———————————
Had Enough? Am I the only guy in this country who’s fed up with what’s happening? Where the hell is our outrage? We should be screaming bloody murder. We’ve got a gang of clueless bozos steering our ship of state right over a cliff, we’ve got corporate gangsters stealing us blind, and we can’t even clean up after a hurricane much less build a hybrid car. But instead of getting mad, everyone sits around and nods their heads when the politicians say, “Stay the course.” Stay the course? You’ve got to be kidding. This is America, not the damned Titanic.
—————-
It gets better. Read it all.
Now I know why I like Bush so much. Amreeka being run by idiots is a dream come true for the world and those who can take any advantage out of this senile giant.
Posted by The Questioner at April 13, 2007 02:08 AM
I forgot to mention… this was by Lee Iacocca.. the guy who made the Ford Mustang (seen “Gone in 60 seconds”? LOL. Damn good movies… both of them) and later CEO of Chrysler.
Here is another gem: (I didn’t know this!)
—————————
Bush has set the all-time record for number of vacation days taken by a U.S. President, four hundred and counting. He’d rather clear brush on his ranch than immerse himself in the business of governing. He even told an interviewer that the high point of his presidency so far was catching a seven-and-a-half-pound perch in his hand-stocked lake. It’s no better on Capitol Hill. Congress was in session only ninety-seven days in 2006. That’s eleven days less than the record set in 1948, when President Harry Truman coined the term do-nothing Congress. Most people would expect to be fired if they worked so little and had nothing to show for it. But Congress managed to find the time to vote itself a raise.
……
What is everybody so afraid of? That some bobblehead on Fox News will call them a name? Give me a break.
————————
Posted by The Questioner at April 13, 2007 02:50 AM
I saw Eric on TVO Wednesday night. A wonderful interview! I wonder if my writing to TVO last year to complain Eric was no longer on DI means we’ll get to see more of him on the Agenda.
Regarding this forum, we only need to eliminate 2 or 3 immature posters to fix the problem. Unfortunately they just come back under another nickname. What can I say? See you at the McLaughlin Group boards? Thanks for the memories!
Posted by Paul Whiteside at April 13, 2007 08:48 AM
Anyone read the Iacocca article I linked to?
Posted by The Questioner at April 13, 2007 10:19 AM
Please restrain yourself to a maximum of two continuous posts. You are spamming us. You write more than Eric. Enough is enough.
Posted by Tovy at April 13, 2007 10:36 AM
The Iacocca article reminds me of the Vietnam days. Support for Vietnam among the business elite in the U.S. didn’t start collapsing until it was clear that the war was lost and American business interest was being hurt.
The same in the Middle East. There was nary a peep from the business community when the war started. Not until now when the war is being lost and further aggression in other parts of the Middle East will hurt American business interest do we hear fellows like Iacocca start to make some noise.
The difference I see this time is that in Vietnam, the “red menace” was the hot button that was used for popular support. That was a primarily a stupid political motivation which couldn’t sustain popular support. In the Middle East, the tripartite buttons of control of oil, unreserved support for Israel and the “holy crusade” to “liberate” the Middle East from “Islamofascism” could keep the US there despite the political and economic damage being done to the US, the latter two being more visceral to the populous and the former being necessary for the Pax Americana” envisioned by the current US administration.
Posted by Weary at April 13, 2007 11:30 AM
So you are saying that sales of American cars, for example, are hurting in the MidEast?
I had no idea.
Posted by The Questioner at April 13, 2007 11:38 AM
—-none of which are on topic—-
They are very much on topic. Read Eric’s article again. They concern the loss of American prestige in the eyes of the world.
(I said that to make it obvious for the slow-witted)
Posted by The Questioner at April 13, 2007 12:00 PM
Mr. Margolis….???
I see the kick Mr. Margolis gave you, is starting to have an effect… LOL
—-enjoy your weekend——
Why, thanks! You also enjoy, hear?
Posted by The Questioner at April 13, 2007 03:42 PM
Bino/hegadumb, get a grip, grow up, act your age. I have come to think you are mentally ill, albeit in a Zionist sabotage kind of way. Get help elsewhere.
Questioner - I read the Iaccoca article with great interest and admiration and posted on the blog. I encourage others to read his too. In fact I sent the link to many people. Thanks for bringing it to our attention. You’re a good guy and if I am ever in your neck of the woods, I would like to hook up.
Posted by shazam at April 13, 2007 07:31 PM
Republics Past & Present
The emergence of a too-powerful executive branch in the USA is a recurring phenomenon, during the American civil war for example, (or the ancient Roman Republic). In America’s case, it appears that the American corpus is weaker after each of its outbreaks of “executivism”.
That this most recent outbreak may the last, or near last, gasp before that Republic succumbs remains to be seen although the rise of full-blown virulent secrecy and secret operations and groups with secret, often illegally obtained, funding points to a difficult, if not impossible, recovery.
Full disclosure is the first, most important, step - without it the lies and subterfuge will prevail.
All else flows from that.
The Way It Can Be
http://twicb.blogspot.com
Evan Palmer
Posted by Evan Palmer at April 14, 2007 08:22 AM
Shazam:
Thanks. And anytime.
Palmer:
I recently downloaded (99% of my reading material has been swiped from the internet) a horrifying book … horrifying if you’re an American, that is… called “Civil War 2 - The coming breakup of America”…. by an ex-soldier.
It painfully details very convincing scenarios of what might happen if Chimps keep running Amreeka. Lessons from various conflicts that the author was part of or has studied, are used to illustrate his ideas. I have only started reading it, but am hooked.
If anyone wants this book, email me at rampart-at-large@hotmail.com. It is about 2.5-MB.
Posted by The Questioner at April 14, 2007 11:23 AM
The U.S. props up DICKtators until they no longer serve amerikan interests. Once Washington no longer needs them, trusted friends become “tyrants” and freedom fighters become “terrorists”. Remember: Shah of EYE-ran, Saddam Hussein, Osama Bin Laden and various DICKtators of South Amerika: all were U.S. allies when they were committing their worst crimes.
Posted by Rabinovitz at April 14, 2007 03:14 PM
With the week ending - and perhaps the end of this comment board - may I make a suggestion? I’d like to see the troublemakers banned and to prevent them returning under another nickname a freeze should be put on new posters signing up. This was a pretty good board when I first came here and it’d be nice to see those who used to post regularly come back. Right now they’re being drowned out by a couple of idiots. Plus it’d be a shame to give the immature element exactly what they now want - to shutdown this comment board.
Posted by Paul Whiteside at April 15, 2007 05:35 PM
I agree Paul. I miss the pre-idiot days. Bye bye rabinovitz and hegadumb aka bino.
Posted by ghawley at April 16, 2007 01:30 AM
Questioner said:
“So you are saying that sales of American cars, for example, are hurting in the MidEast?
I had no idea.”
That is not what I am saying. Rising energy prices, staggering debt and deficit, and the incresing alienation of the U.S. in the world are what I mean.
Posted by Weary at April 16, 2007 09:12 AM
Weary:
I was wondering out loud, at what point this increasing alienation and the other factors you mentioned, will start damaging US products and services…. or if it has happened already. From the ads I see on TV (ads meant for UAE, Saudi, etc) it seems business as usual. Cost of production must have certainly gone up… but since I don’t have a single American product in my home, I can’t tell.
Ghawley:
You saw how badly these two reacted to the ban. Unless a ban has permanent teeth, it only encourages obnoxious behavior, as we saw above. Good idea, that one.
To all:
I have sent the book to everyone who wanted it.
If you don’t get it (look in your spam folders too), please let me know. I don’t like or trust Hotmail. LOL
Posted by The Questioner at April 16, 2007 11:09 AM
The collective inability of some posters to actually follow their own advice and stop talking about other posters is mind-blowing. That so many who waste bandwidth, to claim the high ground (naturally), are oblivious to their on-going infringement upon Eric’s rules is almost comedic.
ghawley, rampart, shazam - I hate to single you out but you are all guilty of this above, so please stop already.
Thanks!
Posted by hegadumb at April 16, 2007 11:22 AM
Bush does not want true democracy in the Middle East. What he really wants are puppet regimes that will sell out their own people to amerikan interests.
Posted by Rabinovitz at April 16, 2007 03:07 PM