"We can't kill ourselves out of this mess."

[Direckshun]

Was it just me, or did Mitt Romney say something brilliant and prescient?

****ing applause for the man. Easily his wisest line of the entire election season.

Not even kidding.

Mitt Romney, talking about the war on terror, just rejected every ounce of neoconservativism, drone-reliant warfare of civilian casualties to kill battle-aged men in countries full of brown people.

This is something foreign policy doves have been saying since the turn of the millenia. To defeat terrorism, it is not enough to simply murder a requisite number of bad guys.

You've got to exercise a foreign policy that doesn't unnecessarily incite hatred in foreign countries, and turn down the heat on all the rhetoric and much of the unnecessary, counterproductive behavior that feeds recruitment for these foreign countries.

I think this was the best line of the debate. Bar none. And it's something that's been long overdue out of the mouth of a national-level Republican.

I think Obama won the debate and all that jazz, but credit where it's due. Romney found a winner of a line and an idea. I hope it finds a way to spread.

[philfree]

Originally Posted by Direckshun

I was warned of that in 2008 and we're doing alright.

I guess my idea of alright is different then yours.

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by philfree

I guess my idea of alright is different then yours.

Fair enough.

I'm just saying, I was told in 2008 that he was going to weaken America. I fail to see it. I was told he had secret plans to ruin us, and nothing shocking bubbled up.

So why should I give two shits about your dire prediction four years later?

[Pawnmower]

Originally Posted by Pawnmower

Well, if one side has the intention of 'obliteration' of the other, and declares war on the other side...Is it war?

Or do both sides need to declare war?


The problem here is that for one side, PEACE is Israel giving up , and for Israelis to allow Hamas to take over their government essentially...

(Or however you want to imagine Israel ceasing to exist....)

SO really I wish I had an answer to your question....

What DO we do with Jihadis who are bent on murder and violence until Israel ceases to exist?

Just an emphasis on the main question. Killing them is an option, but what are your other alternatives?

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by Pawnmower

Well, if one side has the intention of 'obliteration' of the other, and declares war on the other side...Is it war?

Hamas doesn't want to obliterate shit. Attempting to do so wipes them off the map.

They just want to consolidate power.

The sooner you stop looking at them as civilizational warriors, and instead as incredibly cynical politicians, the closer you'll be to figuring out how they work.

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by Pawnmower

Just an emphasis on the main question. Killing them is an option, but what are your other alternatives?

Deflate their recruiting turnout.

[listopencil]

Originally Posted by Direckshun

Yeah.

I just think it was a very, very true statement, and very well expressed by Romney.

I don't anticipate him following that idea to a better Middle Eastern policy. But a man can dream.

I have found Romney to be speaking some interesting ideas, in eloquent ways, on a few of the occasions that I have heard/read them. I generally dismiss it as the rhetoric that all politicians use on the campaign trail.

[philfree]

Originally Posted by Direckshun

Fair enough.

I'm just saying, I was told in 2008 that he was going to weaken America. I fail to see it. I was told he had secret plans to ruin us, and nothing shocking bubbled up.

So why should I give two shits about your dire prediction four years later?

I've made no predictions.

[Pawnmower]

Originally Posted by Direckshun

Hamas doesn't want to obliterate shit. Attempting to do so wipes them off the map.

They just want to consolidate power.

The sooner you stop looking at them as civilizational warriors, and instead as incredibly cynical politicians, the closer you'll be to figuring out how they work.

Really so please explain to me the Hamas Charter, specifically Article 13:

http://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/hamas.asp

Sounds suspiciously like you have no idea wtf you are talking about.

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by philfree

He's going to weaken our country

Originally Posted by philfree

I've made no predictions.

Originally Posted by philfree

He's going to weaken our country

Originally Posted by philfree

I've made no predictions.

Originally Posted by philfree

He's going to weaken our country

Originally Posted by philfree

I've made no predictions.

Go Chiefs.

[Pawnmower]

Originally Posted by Direckshun

Deflate their recruiting turnout.

BZZZT......

Well, see...they can just come up with made up things like CARTOONS and MOVIES (that no one saw) to get offended at, and kill people.

So walking on egg shells to not give them recruitment material seems like it is a failure.

NEXT IDEA?

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by listopencil

I have found Romney to be speaking some interesting ideas, in eloquent ways, on a few of the occasions that I have heard/read them. I generally dismiss it as the rhetoric that all politicians use on the campaign trail.

Sadly.

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by Pawnmower

Really so please explain to me the Hamas Charter, specifically Article 13:

http://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/hamas.asp

Sounds suspiciously like you have no idea wtf you are talking about.

The sooner you stop looking at them as civilizational warriors, and instead as incredibly cynical politicians, the closer you'll be to figuring out how they work.

[Pawnmower]

Originally Posted by Direckshun

The sooner you stop looking at them as civilizational warriors, and instead as incredibly cynical politicians, the closer you'll be to figuring out how they work.

The sooner you and people like you making excuses for their charter, the sooner we will have peace and a Palestinian state.

How can you possibly justify that charter?

The 'moderates' like you who ****ING JUSTIFY the murderous intent of the charter prolong the suffering and warfare that is killing people on every side of the conflict.

Surely you're not too stupid to see that?

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by Pawnmower

The sooner you and people like you making excuses for their charter, the sooner we will have peace and a Palestinian state.

How can you possibly justify that charter?

The 'moderates' like you who ****ING JUSTIFY the murderous intent of the charter prolong the suffering and warfare that is killing people on every side of the conflict.

Surely you're not too stupid to see that?

I didn't make excuses for their charter.

I didn't justify it.

I didn't claim I was a moderate.

But other than that, you're doing great.

[philfree]

Originally Posted by Direckshun

Go Chiefs.

So why should I give two shits about your dire prediction four years later?

I didn't make any predictions 4 years ago. Today I voiced my opinion and I blieve in my opinion so those quotes you posted over and over make about as much sense as Obama foreign policy.