OP ED-"Little Timmy Wants to Know Why Nobody Likes Airplanes Anymore?

[AndyFromCB]

What good is a strong military if it's left guarding an empty warehouse? We can easily defend ourself with 1/10th of what we spend and let the socialist europe pick up its own tab. South Koreans aren't exactly starving either, and maybe Taiwan really just need to get owed itself and join China like HK did.

[John Pleisse]

We are an all volunteer force. Perhaps if you had lived in France, Israel or Sweden, you would have enjoyed your two years of compulsory military service and be in a better position to assert your view of military in society and world order.

.

[AndyFromCB]

We are an all volunteer force. Perhaps if you had lived in France, Israel or Sweden, you would have enjoyed your two years of compulsory military service and be in a better position to assert your view of military in society and world order.

.

I'm assessing it from the point of view of cost. I am not concerned about world order. We can trade with anyone, money does not stink. When we get democracy and equality here then we can start spreading it across the world.  $1 trillion a year if you add it all up, John, $1 trillion...

 

Each and everyone of our attempts at world order ended up in a disaster. We fuck shit up.

[John Pleisse]

Oh...but we are now.....and have been for nearly 7 years. The results have been quite predictable.

[AndyFromCB]

Oh...but we are now.....and have been for nearly 7 years. The results have been quite predictable.

 

Yes, because before Obama, Bush was doing so well in Iraq to completely forget about Afganistan let the Pakistanis run the show. Spare me your bullshit, I'll spare you mine. The results were predictable in 2003 when I made that prediction. There is only one way to run Iraq. Split it up. Or install another Saddam.

[AndyFromCB]

We are an all volunteer force. Perhaps if you had lived in France, Israel or Sweden, you would have enjoyed your two years of compulsory military service and be in a better position to assert your view of military in society and world order.

.

Neither France or Sweeden have compulsory military service. And don't get me started on Isreal, another artificially created mess, because of your heavenly real estate agent. What was wrong with Nevada?

[John Pleisse]

Iran policy. 2009, Obama goes to Saudi Arabia in capitulation and disgrace. The King (rest his soul), literally hates him and completely distrusts him. Proof of our Iran policy failures? The Saudi king drops crude prices for only one purpose, to choke Iran, because the Obama coalition had sanctions lifted. Meanwhile, just in, the Department of State and the administration are completely blindsided by the fall of Yemen to Iranian Shia, while supposedly negotiating in a good faith nuclear deal with us. Saudi Arabia becoming surrounded. Jen Psaki and Marie Braf (The Sisters of Tri-Delt) have no answer for the American people, while the President conducts an interview with this PYT:

 

http://www.breitbart.com/video/2015/01/22/obama-laughs-at-glozell-green-saying-castro-puts-the-dic-in-dictatorship/

 

Andy, I only enumerate the connection of these dots, because they are overt policy failures. The Saudi King and his son? They don't like Hilary either. Where do you think gas prices will be in 2016? Paybacks are hell and strong military is important.

[AndyFromCB]

Iran policy. 2009, Obama goes to Saudi Arabia in capitulation and disgrace. The King (rest his soul), literally hates him and completely distrusts him. Proof of our Iran policy failures? The Saudi king drops crude prices for only one purpose, to choke Iran. Meanwhile, just in, the Department of State and the administration are completely blindsided by the fall of Yemen to Iranian Shia, while supposedly negotiating in a good faith nuclear deal with us. Saudi Arabia becoming surrounded. Jen Psaki and Marie Braf (The Sisters of Tri-Delt) have no answer for the American people, while the President conducts an interview with this PYT:

 

http://www.breitbart.com/video/2015/01/22/obama-laughs-at-glozell-green-saying-castro-puts-the-dic-in-dictatorship/

 

No Andy, I only enumerate the connection of these dot, because they are overt policy failures. The Saudi King and his son? They don't like Hilary either. Where do you think gas prices will be in 2016? Pay backs are hell and strong military is important.

 

You assume it wasn't all planned…Obama wants strong Iran…And Abdula didn't have a soul ;-)

[John Pleisse]

Neither France or Sweeden have compulsory military service. And don't get me started on Isreal, another artificially created mess, because of your heavenly real estate agent. What was wrong with Nevada?

 

Sorry...they once did. I should have pulled an "Andy an have done a rote Google search first to provide Angola...Australia...blah.blah...blah.

[John Pleisse]

You assume it wasn't all planned…Obama wants strong Iran…And Abdula didn't have a soul ;-)

 

Yes...this is why the administration looked "really on top" of things yesterday........please. Why on earth would you want a strong Iran? They have our interests in mind?

[BorealOne]

Expecting those who are able to work, rather than make a living off EBTs and Welfare ... does NOT mean that I feel it is too expensive to feed the hungry. It means that I want the government to do a better job differentiating between the two. The huge increase in Food Stamp receipients and those now "below poverty level" does not jive with Obama's claims our economy is recovering nicely? Now does it?

 

Actually it jives very well - the problem in American isn't wealth creation (you guys do a fine job in that department) but in the concentration of that wealth in the hands of the very very wealthy through regressive taxation regimes. If the current trends continue, you'll have a lot more hungry to feed. Expecting the middle class to pay the rent for everyone seems like really bad policy to me. 

[John Pleisse]

Iran policy. 2009, Obama goes to Saudi Arabia in capitulation and disgrace. The King (rest his soul), literally hates him and completely distrusts him. Proof of our Iran policy failures? The Saudi king drops crude prices for only one purpose, to choke Iran, because the Obama coalition had sanctions lifted. Meanwhile, just in, the Department of State and the administration are completely blindsided by the fall of Yemen to Iranian Shia, while supposedly negotiating in a good faith nuclear deal with us. Saudi Arabia becoming surrounded. Jen Psaki and Marie Braf (The Sisters of Tri-Delt) have no answer for the American people, while the President conducts an interview with this PYT:

 

http://www.breitbart.com/video/2015/01/22/obama-laughs-at-glozell-green-saying-castro-puts-the-dic-in-dictatorship/

 

Andy, I only enumerate the connection of these dots, because they are overt policy failures. The Saudi King and his son? They don't like Hilary either. Where do you think gas prices will be in 2016? Paybacks are hell and strong military is important.

 

 

Just announced!! Guess who will forgo his life long dream to visit Taj Mahal and actually do his job? POTUS will be visiting the Abdala's in Saudi Arabia Tuesday.... Whew.... I was worried. I think he is finally realizing our Iran and Middle East policies are fast becoming a disaster before our eyes. Then there's this little dity that snuck by everyone.

 

http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/368710/has-iran-gained-foothold-arabian-peninsula-daniel-pipes

 

So, let's do the math. Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, now Yemen and add UAE and Oman. We've got a problem.

[BorealOne]

So what's the solution?

[BorealOne]

And don't y'all have bigger problems, what with bears running rampant in your streets?

 

[John Pleisse]

Not sure. Choke Iran...that simple. Funny how they suddenly have the cash flow to do no good in the region, since the sanctions were lifted. I would start by negotiating a large Airbase/Missile base in central Iraq (100 year lease arrangement). Tell the Iranians all deals pertaining to the nuclear agreement are off unless they straighten up. Start being more Israel-centric. Make sure Egypt is on board. You remember in the first months of the Obama presidency, we had the chance to take Iran out? They were among the first of the Arab Spring. 100,000's of college kids ready to storm the palace and we did nothing. This is an utter catastrophe.

[BorealOne]

I'm with you on the complete failure of the West to engage the Iranian opposition. Unlike much of the rest of the region, democracy actually had a shot there. We blew it (again).

[BorealOne]

UPDATE:

When my wife arrived home from work last night I informed her we were moving away from the evil hateful conservative (which also means racist) white man in the US of A to a European Socialist Utopia, where just about everything is perfect in every way! I was so excited, but she did not share my enthusiasm...

Anyways to make a long story short, she won't move away from her Mama and Daddy, so if I can maybe get them to move to European Socialist Utopia ... ?

...

 

Dave, hope you didn't forget to tell your wife about Canada? She'd be closer to ma and pa, and we've even got a racist evil greedy conservative white man in charge of our Euro-Socialist Utopia!

[AndyFromCB]

I'm with you on the complete failure of the West to engage the Iranian opposition. Unlike much of the rest of the region, democracy actually had a shot there. We blew it (again).

 

I'm sorry, Iran had a democracy. If I recall correctly, it was 1953, when US backed a coup and installed a dictator. I wonder why they might be weary of our "help". We have no claim to any moral superiority in the region. Zero, nil, nada. Actually, anywhere. 

[AndyFromCB]

Not sure. Choke Iran...that simple. Funny how they suddenly have the cash flow to do no good in the region, since the sanctions were lifted. I would start by negotiating a large Airbase/Missile base in central Iraq (100 year lease arrangement). Tell the Iranians all deals pertaining to the nuclear agreement are off unless they straighten up. Start being more Israel-centric. Make sure Egypt is on board. You remember in the first months of the Obama presidency, we had the chance to take Iran out? They were among the first of the Arab Spring. 100,000's of college kids ready to storm the palace and we did nothing. This is an utter catastrophe.

 

Why don't we build an airbase there. And then spend more money air-conditioning it than NASA's entire budget. That's what we did in Iraq for last however many years. Our annual A/C budget beat NASA's by a billion. 

 

http://gizmodo.com/5813257/air-conditioning-our-military-costs-more-than-nasas-entire-budget

 

What a wise way to add to our debt. 

[BorealOne]

I'm sorry, Iran had a democracy. If I recall correctly, it was 1953, when US backed a coup and installed a dictator. I wonder why they might be weary of our "help". We have no claim to any moral superiority in the region. Zero, nil, nada. Actually, anywhere. 

 

I know the history, and we can be pretty sure that American help would be unwelcome even among the progressives in Iran. But the West is a big place, and guys like Mousavi need all the friends they can get. Unfortunately, when they called in 2009-2012, the West didn't answer.

[BorealOne]

No ... not according to Andy. I'll explain (or he will) in a minute ...

The only problem with us moving to Canada, so mrs daver328 can be closer to Mama an Daddy, (apart from your winters) is that America is like "The Hotel California." You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave (with your wallet). If you are a US citizen, then your money belongs to the government for life! You may or may not be allowed to relinquish your passport and citizenship, and then only after years of applications, and numerous trips to Washington DC for interviews. Even after living in Canada years and decades, we would have to fill out income tax forms and pay US taxes on our earnings, even those earned abroad. Like Andy said about his sister having to still file tax forms each year. And the US government just increased the fees to renounce citizenship by over 200%. You can leave, but you have to leave your wallet here!

The United States of America is the only nation in the world that taxes non-residents the same as residents!

 

You can let Ms. Daver328 know that our winters ain't that bad. It's only -25C today, and it's daylight for another 3h!

 

And on the US citizen global taxation thing...so much for the land of the free, eh?

Fortunately for you, in the decades that wealthy American executives have been coming up here to run Canadian branch plants and wealthy Canadian snowbirds have been buying up Florida and Arizona, our two countries have negotiated a pretty comprehensive tax treaty to avoid double taxation. It's not the easiest thing in the world to navigate, but there's a whole industry of lawyers and accountants on both sides of the border who make their money helping folks do just that. 

[BorealOne]

Well, before you get to that level, you'd have to pass a few basic tests. Like this one:

 

http://helloquizzy.okcupid.com/tests/the-canadian-slang-proficiency-test

[AndyFromCB]

No ... not according to Andy. I'll explain (or he will) in a minute ...

But first in response to your analysis. All those evil white racist conservatives have charts that show even if we seized all the wealth from those evil very wealthy in America and all the wealth from those evil corporations in America, it would only run American for something like six weeks or something ... and then we would be broke again.

You see, according to Andy, out of control spending and colossal debt is no problem we just print more money ... and get rid of the military. It's simple, out of debt in ten years and then we have our own socialist utopia right here in the good ole' U S of A! Just go back a few pages and re-read. If you had only been to Greece ... you might understand?

The only problem with us moving to Canada, so mrs daver328 can be closer to Mama an Daddy, (apart from your winters) is that America is like "The Hotel California." You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave (with your wallet). If you are a US citizen, then your money belongs to the government for life! You may or may not be allowed to relinquish your passport and citizenship, and then only after months of applications, and numerous interviews. Even after living in Canada years and decades, we would have to fill out income tax forms and pay US taxes on our earnings, even those earned abroad. Like Andy said about his sister having to still file tax forms each year. And the US government just increased the fees to renounce citizenship by over 200%. You can leave, but you have to leave your wallet here!

The United States of America is the only nation in the world that taxes non-residents the same as residents!

And irrespective of all this, the POTUS in his SOTU said he is fixing things for the middle class in America? And I really believe in him. Look at how much hope and change he has brought to the middle class in America already!

 

And yet you keep on defending the "land of the free". Are you slowly realizing that you are only free to shut the fuck, pay your taxes and support the troops while the wealthy keep on milking the budget and if you don't, you'll end up in jail...

[AndyFromCB]

And having lawyers and accountants deeply involved in our daily life and finances is just a jolly thought!

 

If you already don't, then the good old US of A will let you relinquish your passport with no problems. This only affects the wealthy.

 

Are you slowly realizing that the land of the free might not be so free after all and never has been no matter what bullshit they fed in you history classes.

[John Pleisse]

I'm sorry, Iran had a democracy. If I recall correctly, it was 1953, when US backed a coup and installed a dictator. I wonder why they might be weary of our "help". We have no claim to any moral superiority in the region. Zero, nil, nada. Actually, anywhere. 

 

Andy...this is where you have deep conflicts with arrogance and fabulous ignorance, all tied together with unbridled impulse control. It has nothing to do with our "moral superiority" or even our "virtue". It has everything to do with our interests.