US Politics Thread |OT| THE DARKEST TIMELINE

[CatsCatsCats]

Re: cupcake liberals and the real world, I've read lots of talk about how Obama has destroyed all foreign respect for our country. I've traveled to multiple countries in Europe and Asia both before and after the Bush administration. After Obama took office, the level of respect I got as an American in every country skyrocketed. It's no comparison. I always laugh when I hear that right wing argument, because I've fucking been there. Liberals don't live in the real world my ass.

Maybe if Israel and Saudi Arabia are the only foreign countries that count. Maybe.

I have experienced that as well, especially in the Middle East, but I think you could be misunderstanding what they mean by respect. I don't think they mean people being friendly and hospitable to tourists as equals, they mean the colonialism type of respect and fear as inferiors. I suspect they want the world to understand their place as second class citizens compared to Americans, where both on an intergrovernmental level and a personal level, an American can demand any sort of humiliating thing they want from a foreigner because the almighty American dollar is king.

More and more I see the big difference in American liberal and conservative attitudes as whether or not you think it's okay to stand on the backs of the less fortunate.

[Mandark]

http://www.theonion.com/multiblogpost/this-war-will-destabilize-the-entire-mideast-regio-11534

God fucking dammit

[Phoenix Dark]

As part of a broad national security plan to defeat ISIS, Republican Presidential candidate John Kasich proposed creating a new government agency to push Judeo-Christian values around the world.

The new agency, which he hasn't yet named, would promote a Jewish- and Christian-based belief system to four regions of the world: China, Iran, Russia and the Middle East.

"We need to beam messages around the world" about the freedoms Americans enjoy, Kasich said in an interview with NBC News Tuesday.

He defended creating a new government agency at a time when fellow Republican presidential candidates discuss eliminating government agencies to making the government smaller.

http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/kasich-proposes-new-government-agency-promote-judeo-christian-values-n465101

Hey that kinda sounds like...well, ISIS.

[VomKriege]

Russia will certainly be captivated to learn about Christianity.

[Brehvolution]

ChrIStIS

[Human Snorenado]

ESCH EXPLAIN

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/bobby-jindal-suspends-white-house-bid

[Steve Contra]

Bobby Jindal outlasted Scott Walker

[Mandark]

https://twitter.com/harikondabolu/status/666764215949074432

[Brehvolution]

Jindal may have lasted longer if he was a community organizer. 

[Phoenix Dark]

Bobby Jindal outlasted Scott Walker

the Ls keep stacking for me.

[benjipwns]

Russia will certainly be captivated to learn about Christianity.

Real Christianity™. Not that messed up calendar crap.

[Mandark]

The reaction to the Paris bombings, both by public figures and personal acquaintances, has been a depressing but predictable reminder of how shitty we tend to be about people outside the tribe, especially when we're scared.

Got hit with "why'd all those Americans fight to free France in WW2 if they were going to let the Muslims take over?" and also our governor has come out against any resettlement of Syrian refugees here.  Among all the other fuckery.   

[Phoenix Dark]

The reaction to the Paris bombings, both by public figures and personal acquaintances, has been a depressing but predictable reminder of how shitty we tend to be about people outside the tribe, especially when we're scared.

Got hit with "why'd all those Americans fight to free France in WW2 if they were going to let the Muslims take over?" and also our governor has come out against any resettlement of Syrian refugees here.  Among all the other fuckery.   

You should have said "what if France won the Revolutionary War for us so they could let Muslims take over in 2015?"

[benjipwns]

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/18/business/media/gawker-politics-media.html

Gawker.com, a site that pioneered the knowing, irreverent tone that has come to define web journalism, will switch from covering New York and the media world, as it has done since its founding in 2003, to focus on politics.

The change, which is part of a broad reorganization of the site’s parent company, Gawker Media, was announced in a memo to the staff on Tuesday.

The site, wrote Gawker’s founder, Nick Denton, “will ride the circus of the 2016 campaign cycle, seizing the opportunity to reorient its editorial scope on political news, commentary and satire.”

Politics, writ large, “has provided the scene for some of Gawker’s most recognized editorial scoops,” he said, citing reporting on Mayor Rob Ford of Toronto smoking crack cocaine, and the power of Fox News.

“Is there any doubt,” he wrote, “that the 2016 U.S. presidential election campaign, a contest between reality-defying fabulists and the last representatives of two exhausted political dynasties will provide rich new opportunities for sensation and satire?”

In an interview, Alex Pareene, Gawker.com’s editor, said that he wanted to define politics broadly, and that it would include coverage of big business, the media and culture when appropriate.

“There is going to be a lot of campaign coverage, because this campaign is great and a dream for any writer. But we’re not going to become Real Clear Politics,” he said, referring to a political news site.

“There will be a sort of satirical tone and satirical approach to reporting real news,” he said, citing John Oliver, whose HBO show combines aggregation, reporting and humor.

Gawker, Mr. Pareene said, will be hiring editors, and at least one political reporter. In an email to the company’s staff, John Cook, the executive editor of Gawker Media, said that two reporters, Allie Jones and Sam Biddle, would head out on the campaign trail, while Ashley Feinberg will “obsessively monitor the dark and hilarious lunatic fringes on the right and left.” Tom Scocca, currently executive features editor, will begin writing a column, as will Mr. Pareene.

Gawker, Mr. Cook wrote, “will take a ‘Daily Show’ approach to covering the ever-intensifying culture wars, documenting, satirizing and reporting on the ways that political disputes are refracted in every aspect of our popular culture.”

Look out Vox, your days are numbered!

[brob]

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/11/18/us/politics/ben-carson-is-struggling-to-grasp-foreign-policy-advisers-say.html?_r=0

“Nobody has been able to sit down with him and have him get one iota of intelligent information about the Middle East,” said Duane R. Clarridge, a top adviser to Mr. Carson on terrorism and national security. He also said Mr. Carson needed weekly conference calls briefing him on foreign policy so “we can make him smart.”
[...]
And Mr. Carson has attracted extra attention because his statements give rise to questions about where, as a retired neurosurgeon without government experience, he turns for information and counsel on complex global issues. What is unusual is the candor of those who are tutoring him about his struggle to master the subject.

[Brehvolution]

Carson's popularity stems from the fact that you don't have to know what you are talking about. You just have to say you love jesus and that is good enough for some people.

[brawndolicious]

To be fair, Jesus should've been a better politician.

[Samson Manhug]

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/11/18/us/politics/ben-carson-is-struggling-to-grasp-foreign-policy-advisers-say.html?_r=0

“Nobody has been able to sit down with him and have him get one iota of intelligent information about the Middle East,” said Duane R. Clarridge, a top adviser to Mr. Carson on terrorism and national security. He also said Mr. Carson needed weekly conference calls briefing him on foreign policy so “we can make him smart.”
[...]
And Mr. Carson has attracted extra attention because his statements give rise to questions about where, as a retired neurosurgeon without government experience, he turns for information and counsel on complex global issues. What is unusual is the candor of those who are tutoring him about his struggle to master the subject.

This week, Mr. Carson’s advisers said that his source for claiming Chinese involvement in Syria was a telephone conversation he had had with a freelance American intelligence operative in Iraq.

Edit: Wow, that piece was incredible. Is leap a slur for Chinese that I don't know about? Also, the comments on this Facebook post from Carson providing "evidence" of the Chinese in Syria really make me sad:

https://www.facebook.com/realbencarson/photos/a.143829065783568.1073741825.138691142964027/555567407943063/?type=3&theater

[brob]

yeah, that whole piece is terrific. Carson is my fave in the race,  I hope he ends up being at least top three of the GOP nominees.

[Samson Manhug]

Here's the info on the Chinese racial slur I was confused about from the last sentence of that piece:

https://newrepublic.com/minutes/124070/anti-chinese-racial-slur-ben-carsons-foreign-policy-adviser-use

What anti-Chinese racial slur did Ben Carson's foreign policy adviser use?The New York Times new story on Ben Carson is delicious, but buries the lede (or one of several potential ledes) way down in the kicker.

“The jump from Erbil and Soviets” to the Chinese “in Damascus is a long leap,” Mr. Clarridge said, using an ethnic slur for the Chinese.

Duane Clarridge is Carson’s national security and intelligence adviser, and in addition to everything else he said on the record to the Times, he’s also apparently comfortable referring to Chinese people as “chinks,” or something similarly offensive, to a reporter. Which means we can’t rule out the possibility that he uses pejoratives when advising Carson, who in turn can’t be counted on not to repeat such slurs in public. As slur-prone Donald Trump might say, What a mess!

[Tasty]

http://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2015/11/18/ben-carson-campaign-shares-distorted-map-new-england/QvuG3WugGLF27drGZzN7XO/story.html

C'mon man.

[Steve Contra]

I can't get over how amazing that NYT piece is.

[benjipwns]

http://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2015/11/18/ben-carson-campaign-shares-distorted-map-new-england/QvuG3WugGLF27drGZzN7XO/story.html

C'mon man.

[Rufus]

Speaking of:
http://thinkprogress.org/world/2015/11/16/3722838/all-paris-attackers-identified-so-far-are-european-nationals-according-to-top-eu-official/

[benjipwns]

Chinese-Syrian refugees in Canada are trying to steal our states.

They already used some kind of shrink ray on Massachusetts.

[benjipwns]

I'm wondering why they even bothered to move the states, I'm sure they copy-pasted the U.S. map from somewhere right?

[Joe Molotov]

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/11/18/us/politics/ben-carson-is-struggling-to-grasp-foreign-policy-advisers-say.html?_r=0

“Nobody has been able to sit down with him and have him get one iota of intelligent information about the Middle East,” said Duane R. Clarridge, a top adviser to Mr. Carson on terrorism and national security. He also said Mr. Carson needed weekly conference calls briefing him on foreign policy so “we can make him smart.”
[...]
And Mr. Carson has attracted extra attention because his statements give rise to questions about where, as a retired neurosurgeon without government experience, he turns for information and counsel on complex global issues. What is unusual is the candor of those who are tutoring him about his struggle to master the subject.

I'm sure Dewey Clarridge will get him sorted out on where to sell the missiles and which murder squads needs to be armed.

[Phoenix Dark]

"Michael Meador
The US captured a "prototype" rifle in Afghanistan about 8 years ago that turned out to be Chinese. Now, China is in Syria. The prototype rifle was very advanced and is literally decades ahead of the M16. I would like to publicly thank all the short sighted politicians that won't repeal the Unconstitutional machine gun ban for their actions. Our enemies have access to a new generation of small arms that we cannot build. If we lose our electronic warfare superiority, we are screwed. If this happens, the firearms industry cannot create, prototype, and get into action a firearm to respond to this new technology in time. The industry isn't going to put money into serious development of a small arm when there is literally one customer that can buy it. This is why we have had the M16 for 50 years. Stop the political crap and start realizing that these stupid laws are putting our nation, our way of life, our freedoms and our very lives at risk."

Carson's Facebook followers

[Brehvolution]

We need to repeal our machine gun ban because someone may have a better machine gun on the other side of the planet?
 

[benjipwns]

I doubt the machine gun ban applies to the military and its contractors, especially since he's not even talking about machine guns and the I'm pretty sure the M16 has mostly been replaced: http://www.military.com/daily-news/2015/03/18/army-wants-upgrades-improve-m4a1-carbines-performance-accuracy.html?comp=7000023435630&rank=3

[benjipwns]

Wait...now I'm replying to internet comments.

 

[Phoenix Dark]

Anyone know where that satellite pic is from? Wouldn't be stunned if it's fake or out of context.

[benjipwns]

Anyone know where that satellite pic is from? Wouldn't be stunned if it's fake or out of context.

Those are balls.

[Samson Manhug]

I just googled image searched US map and USA outline map and USA map vector but couldn't come up with anything. Hopefully someone getting actually paid to do this can find it and we'll see it on Buzzfeed, Vox, or something soon.

[Samson Manhug]

Anyone know where that satellite pic is from? Wouldn't be stunned if it's fake or out of context.

I bet the pic is legit, but it's not a surprise that the SAA has Chinese equipment. Here's an article written in 2013 where the author is excited that we get to test Chinese radar by bombing it in Syria:

If the US strikes Syria, China would get to see just how well some of its radars and electronic warfare (EW) emitters perform in combat.

Among the Chinese systems deployed by the Syrian military are the JYL-1 3-D long-range surveillance radar, Type 120 (LLQ120) 2D low-altitude acquisition radar, and JY-27 VHF long-range surveillance radar, according to Richard Fisher, a senior fellow with the US-based International Assessment and Strategy Center.
[...]

http://archive.defensenews.com/article/20130830/DEFREG04/308300018/Syrian-Strikes-Would-Battle-Test-Chinese-Radars

It's obviously not what Carson meant during the debate (if he even knew what he meant) but it's a pretty good pivot as campaign politics go. Surprised it took them that long to come up with something coherent.

[helios]

France is still accepting refugees despite the attack. Meanwhile, all of these states her in America are being pussies. Guess we can't really make fun of France being cowards anymore.

[Trent Dole]

France is why we don't have the fucking Queen on our money but plenty were happy to talk shit anyway a few years back. People don't let something as trivial as facts get in the way of their ranting.

[Mupepe]

France is also the reason we have skimpy and sexy underwear.  If it wasn't for them we'd still be ogling ankles and shit.

[Samson Manhug]

France is also the reason we have skimpy and sexy underwear.  If it wasn't for them we'd still be ogling ankles and shit.

I just fact-checked this and it seems that an English woman pioneered visually appealing lingerie in the late nineteenth century and an American woman patented the first bra.

[Samson Manhug]

Obama's shade just gets more and more amazing as he nears the end of his term:



http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/nov/17/republicans-congress-syrian-refugees-us-paris-attacks

[Joe Molotov]

Obama's shade just gets more and more amazing as he nears the end of his term:

(Image removed from quote.)

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/nov/17/republicans-congress-syrian-refugees-us-paris-attacks

Ted Cruz is triggered af and is ready to throw down with Obama.

http://www.nbcnews.com/video/feisty-cruz-to-obama-insult-me-to-my-face-lets-debate-refugee-plan-569136707820

[Tasty]

This is amazing.

[Phoenix Dark]

McCain looked rustled as fuck 

[Mupepe]

France is also the reason we have skimpy and sexy underwear.  If it wasn't for them we'd still be ogling ankles and shit.

I just fact-checked this and it seems that an English woman pioneered visually appealing lingerie in the late nineteenth century and an American woman patented the first bra. (Image removed from quote.)

Patents-Smatents.  French people are pervy and that's why we love them.

[Phoenix Dark]

Maybe there would be no refugee crisis, maybe there would be. What we do know is that taking out Assad would result in a pretty simple question: who takes over next? And what's to stop that new regime from punishing those who benefited from Assad's reign, thus creating a refugee problem or a mass killings problem. There is no simple or good solution. If anything it seems to me like Assad holding onto power and defeating his enemies would result in the most stable "solution."

[Samson Manhug]

Wasn't the unofficial plan to topple Assad's regime after Saddam, but that got nixed when the Iraqi insurgency got out of control? I remember wargaming Syria invasions in 2005.

So basically it's Bush's fault for being a weak military leader, not Obama's.

 

[Phoenix Dark]

Didn't Cheney say he had heavily advised Bush to bomb some Syrian location that year and Bush refused. Cheney argued it was a legitimate indictment on Bush's handling of the war on terrorism in his book lol.

[Samson Manhug]

Tuesday, April 15, 2003

BUSH VETOES SYRIA WAR PLAN

The White House has privately ruled out suggestions that the US should go to war against Syria following its military success in Iraq, and has blocked preliminary planning for such a campaign in the Pentagon, the Guardian learned yesterday.
In the past few weeks, the US defence secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, ordered contingency plans for a war on Syria to be reviewed following the fall of Baghdad

[...]

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2003/apr/15/syria.usa

Bush the coward created this mess by not showing the world US strength!

[Great Rumbler]

I wonder what caused Bush to balk at a Syria invasion, considering that Cheney and Rumsfeld well all for it?

[Joe Molotov]

After our success in Iraq, why not just sweep through Syria on the way out the door?

[VomKriege]

Jesus, have Republicans made a bet to outdo far right Euros in outrageous quotes regarding refugees ?

[benjipwns]

Everyone knows Saddam's WMDs were trucked into Syria prior to the invasion. If Bush continued the war into Syria his masterplan to steal Iraq's oil for Halliburton by not even manufacturing WMDs to find would have come undone once all the WMDs with "FROM: IRAQ; TO: SYRIA" stamped on them with Saddam's signature were discovered.

It also would have harmed his plan to place Obama as his successor to retroactively justify all his policies after using Hillary's Iraq vote to take her out. He knew a foreign born Muslim couldn't overturn his war policies and that only a Muslim could kill Osama without causing a massive uprising in the Middle East. Unfortunately, Obama and Hillary are so clueless they allowed Benghazi which directly led to ISIS.

[Mods Help]

France is still accepting refugees despite the attack. Meanwhile, all of these states her in America are being pussies. Guess we can't really make fun of France being cowards anymore.

The France are cowards jokes have always been dumb.

A lot of French died in WW2.

Remember Freedom Fries? America should be forever reminded of that embarrassment.

Google France's reaction to the Iraq War. They had an amazing speech at the UN.

France made a statue to honor the peril and tribulations of slaves. America didn't like that one bit because Americans are cowards.

Truth is, we've kind of always been the cowards. Starting a war with little international support and strong arming countries to join in is pretty cowardly.

Having police murder 1000 citizens in a year and having school shootings week after week and not wanting to do anything about it because "bubu my guns" is pretty cowardly.

So we know who the real cowards are. We just don't want to admit it.

[Mods Help]

If you hate America, and what it stands for, this is a pretty great piece for you that was last year in the Japan Times.

A pertinent quote:

Speaking of which, Americans have a lot of balls calling Frenchman “surrender monkeys” considering that nearly twice as many French soldiers were killed in the 1940 Battle of France over six weeks as the United States lost in Vietnam over the course of a decade. Meanwhile, we’re still whining about the 58,000 we lost in — no, invading — Vietnam.

More here:

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2014/12/12/commentary/world-commentary/why-are-americans-such-cowards/#.Vk9ChYpOLv4

[VomKriege]

Those slurs were always dumb, especially in relation to the Bush Adventures in Iraq (The WWII one stings but the French Army was thoroughly exposed, and whatever the causes you adhere to, none really shine a bright light on what happened). I don't think one needs to go back to the French intervention in the American Civil War or make comparisons of casualties counts. France has had in spades its own sort of bad faith regarding those matters, and a lot of countries end up the butt joke of military valor, all fairly equally unjust to the individual soldier. History is history as it was once said nations have no permanent friends or allies, they only have permanent interests. I am fairly confident France, the UK and USA would stand together when in grave, real need, and I value this a lot more than the jingoistic moodswings of either country.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

And if the US do not... well, we still have our nuclear deterrent.

[close]

[brawndolicious]

A good response to that stuff is to just sing Le Marseillaise in English. Makes most anthems sound like nursery rhymes.

[Joe Molotov]

http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/20/opinions/bush-refugee-policy/index.html

Jeb, you can't even lead a misanthropic group of political lightweights, bro.

[Tasty]

Deffo voting for Bernie now.

[benjipwns]

[Barraco Barner]