Cole writes: "If you slam Mitt on Afghanistan policy, you have to explain why your Afghanistan 'surge' was not a failure."
Juan Cole; public intellectual, prominent blogger, essayist and professor of history. (photo: Informed Comment)
Dear Democrats: If you do That you have to do This
08 September 12
ear Democratic Party:
If you bring Gabby Giffords to say the Pledge of Allegiance, you have to bring up the issue of gun control somewhere in your speeches or platform.
If you slam Republicans for foreign policy naivete, you have to explain why you just pissed off 1.5 billion Muslims by giving away all of Jerusalem to Israel as its capital.
If you boast of taking out Osama Bin Laden by saying if someone kills innocent Americans we will follow them to the ends of the earth, you have to explain why it is all right to kill innocent civilians in Yemen with drone strikes when there is no legal framework for US attacks on Yemen.
If you slam Mitt on Afghanistan policy, you have to explain why your Afghanistan "surge" was not a failure.
If you keep invoking the 'scripture' and 'God' you have to explain why we shouldn't just let the Republican evangelicals run things.
If you say you care about global warming and the rising seas, you have to explain why you are praising more oil and gas drilling.
If you praise the Arab masses' striving for rights, you have to explain why you continued in force the unconstitutional PATRIOT Act here at home through 2014, which allows warrantless surveillance of Americans of the sort deployed by Hosni Mubarak and Muammar Qaddafi on their populations.
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Comments
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Clinton/AIPAC rules ...
Meanwhile, in the room, the posters come and go talking of Clinton/AIPAC rules . . .
Best,
Did you see Gore or Carter at the Democrats convention? Actually big depression would help environment - less consumerism, less greed, less carbon pollution.
Obama may not be perfect but he isn't bad either ! Those who want Romney to win this election will all be out posting articles or in the media trying to diminish Obama's bump after the DNC !
I live in WA - very blue state - and will be comfortable to vote against establishment (Democrats, Republicans) as I did in 2008 (voted for Cynthia McKinney - Green Party - she did not betray her voters as Obama did).
Worry about water pollution, worry about toxic air pollutants like H2SO4. Leave the frigging CO2 alone. We NEED it where it is or higher.
Obama vs Romney is a bad vs worse, far more critical choice, than good vs bad. I'ld say Obama might be bad, Romney worse.
Problem is that we have God, lawyers and economists deciding on data that they do not understand.
Are you serious? As an engineer, retired, I cannot believe you would post such crap. Mathematical models are scientific tools that simulate a real world situation. If you go back to the universities where you earned your credentials and make this argument you will be embarassed, humiliated and they may ask for you to return your academic credentials.
Well, not the year after that, but we're on a bad track. The thing is, it's likely to be even worse if the Romney-Ryan ticket wins along with a fresh wave of tea-dyed congresscreatur es.
Juan Cole and Noam Chomsky would give us a better Middle East narrative if they could make a little time and effort to read George Grant's "The Blood Of The Moon".
Prof. Cole's remark about 1.5 Billion Muslims is chronologically off, because Islam's primary mission since a bloody beginning has centered on removal of Jews & Christians from the planet. Trust the Qur'an: they will be pissed off even if they control every inch of Jerusalem, and Israel disappears too...
The letter to the Democrats would have been more useful with inclusion/discu ssion of the primary strategic reason America has been in the Middle East since WWII: America use a rubber tire based economic model, ever since Truman & Eisenhhower realized cheap oil was entre' to job creation. Cheap oil is gone, does anyone here comprehend what this means?? James H. Kunstler, Boone Pickens, Robert L. Hirsch, and Lionel Badel can tell you-
If Mssrs. Chomsky & Cole would/could simply grasp the fact we cannot deal with either climate change or the Military Industrial Complex while striving to maintain happy motoring, their writings would increase in usefulness. Dear profs, could you please have a long lunch with Richard Heinberg?
I did bot modeling on dependence on oil - Club of Rome - explain why price per barre; was $18 before ALL these wars started? NOw is $100 and going up as Israel is pushing US to war against Iran.
Beyond these comments, I'd say that the shift in Afghanistan policy has been a de facto admission that the surge failed. Troops are coming home in 2014. Many of us would like them to come home now, but they are coming home. What would Mitt Romney do? I don't think even he knows that answer and if he did give one now, it would be subject to change based on market conditions. But it's your role to raise these issues and I applaud you for it.
Where will the troops come from to continue doing these Wars...I do not see Mitt Family allowing their sons to serve Now so when will they?
I would like to see a draft in place with No Exceptions...no t Political, Religious, Rich/Poor. I think we got to shake them up, then let's see who Screams the Loudest. Certainly won't be the poor or middle class Their Children always are sacrificed.
I am tired of all the Peaceniks....wh en in fact, they do not care as long as it is not their kids. When we marched against War we were berated and chastised saying we had no respect for troops. My friends died in Nam or when they came home. I can count on one hand those who served and are ok today. But the Kewl People, they say they want Peace but Freedom isn't Free.
Sorry Juan...where were you 20 or so years ago when this Mess was allowed to start under false pretenses. I mean War, Jobs, and all the rest of the bs that came with it?
Where are the Churches...good Question I know this Bible everyone talks about and the other Holy Books like Koran says 'Thou Shalt Not Kill' That is only one of the Commandments I see some problems with but definitely the biggest one. Covetting thy neighbors goods well, right now Israel seems to be ignoring that with USA. Pass the Collection Plate and we will ignore All Sins??
I recall that when the surge was announced, it was immediately (if not concurrently) followed by a withdrawal date. Had Obama withdrawn immediately, the Generals (and Republicans) would now be wailing about how Obama had lost the war in Afghanistan. No, it was the Generals who lost it.
The sad thing is, there was never any way of winning. Even worse, Obama knew that when he authorized the surge. But he has only limited resources and couldn't get bogged down in that fight too.
I'm not saying the surge was the right thing to do. And I could be mistaken about Obama's thinking on the subject. Or the reason may even have been more sinister -- such as the cut in war spending would have pushed the US economy into an even deeper recession.
Or it could have been both of these reasons, plus something else.
Like drug addict when they take drugs away - depression follows.
The militarism paid by debt keeps US going - pathetic.
The Obamabots will be all over you soon. You have failed to read the day's bullet points.
Now repeat after me, it's all the fault of obstructionist Pubs.
What's the poor guy to do, he's trying his best. Even when he had control of Congress there were those damn blue dog infiltrators to contend with.
Don't you realize you are playing into the hands of those troglodyte Pubs when you make these kinds of comments?
Hey Juan, the more I think about it, the more you are pissing me off! He's our guy, do you think we have any other choice? What the hell's wrong with you anyway?
Anyone can nitpick about this or that and ignore the positive.
So Mr Smartypants, I bet you won't mention Dear Leaders great democratic achievement, it takes the truly jaded, recidivist reactionary editors of Taki to point it out, "...we finally have a nation where people of all colors, genders, sexual orientations and creeds can be imprisoned for life without trial".
Obama has to praise God to give Stupid Americans the comfort of knowing he too believes in the myth.
Obama has to continue to enforce the PATRIOT act because the agencies that run it are too powerful to control and would not hesitate to "take Obama out".
Its "OK" to kill Yemenis because Americans are too stupid to know what that means. They think all Muslims are terrorists. (see the comments on God)
Jerusalem has to be the capital of Israel to keep the Israelis from Nuking Iran, and because Americans are too stupid to understand that it isn't already.
Obama cannot talk gun control because Americans are too stupid to understand what a "well regulated militia" is.
Governance through hypocrisy has been a staple of America. It was why the Civil war was fought. Doesn't make it right, but doesn't mean the Democrats have to do anything but what they are doing.
Stupid Americans get the government they deserve.
Brown Shirts for EVERYBODY!
So, I'll hold my nose and vote for "Status Quobama" and try to shame my state Federal Legislators into fighting the Military Empire status quo and being DEMOCRATS!
The Dems are the party of populist rhetoric but action that favors the ruling class.
Your demands are correct, but the party you are addressing doesn't exist.
Labor Party 2016.
There was nothing stated in the message from the Coca Cola Convention that touched on what ails Americans, collectively. We are not all middle-class and have never been.
Thought not, but all one chooses to whine about is the DNC convention.
Wonder why that is?
Democrats, you cannot have it BOTH ways -- You cannot talk the GOOD GUY talk while walking the BAD GUY walk -- and thousands of us have been telling you this for years.
But apparently EVERYTHING is "image" -- as advertising teaches. Bomb innocents, assassinate and imprison our own, while you scourge other demons for doing the same.
Make unimpeachable royalty of the rich, while thumping your chest for "democracy," and pretending the Bad Guys beat you down, when you speak up (in such a wee small voice!) for our poor. Elevate Israel to Boss of the World -- and make SURE they have the arms and funds to maintain their power. AND, show your willingness to drag us into another war WE don't want, but THEY do.
Then yell at our Progressives that if we do not send YOU our children's milk money, WE will be the cause of losing an election -- the failures of YOUR integrity have nothing to do with it. So YOU say.
Believe me, not all of us who are moved to go and vote for your man on election day are deceived -- or approving. The other choice is just too vile to swallow.
http://www.youtube.com/embed/GbF5loRF61U
Produced by Matrixx Productions in association with the Foundation for the Advancement of Free-market Thinking - Produced by EDWIN VIEIRA - HENRIETTA M. JAEGER, Executive Producer ANTHONY WILE, Associate Producers DIANA ZOPPA - DAN HAPPEL - ELIAS ALIAS . Written & Directed by JAMES JAEGER
Inspired by Ayn Rand...
People need to fight, easier doing so with just two sides. Third and Fourth come in and both descend on them.
Personally I believe People should not need a President and federal agencies. We should regulate our States and Convene at Assemblies. This is just another Sport, we are the ones losing
The Democratic and Republican Parties are two haves of a magnet. The Tea Party pulled the Republican Party back in one direction, and somehow the Green Party has to be powerful enough to pull in the other. I live in Pennsylvania where Obama is ahead by over 6% So I can have my Savvy Voter campaign urging all I meed to vote for Gill Stein and Philadelphia's local hero Cheri Honkala. I urge those in overwhelmingly Romney country to make a future by voting for Stein as well, or if you are too Conservative also stand up for peace by voting Libertarian.
I'm concerned that you feel confident of the outcome in PA. Polling and Romney spending aside, voter suppression tactics still worry me. I saw first hand the games a GOP-controlled state can play with votes. Remember 2004? Ken Blackwell ring a bell?
People are too uppity, and the dyed in Political Party People laugh at the others.
Sure let the townships, cities have the concerned citizen group, the independent but they are Not Growing in number. I have been waiting since John Meyer ran back in 1980
Ohio...I hope you take back your state
Mitt is hoping all the snivelers vote green, independent , liberal even KKK He is counting on it. Shame on those who do this year...may as well stay home or move to Canada
Sorry did have faith in others but they are taking votes away from what is a better candidate, OB than Nazism in USA
Corbet et al GOP in Pa should choke on Fracking. Nut the Democrats did not fight when they should have And the phony Dems4change are glittered TPers around the NorthEastern Tier. Too uppity to go door to door in depressed counties. Sure they are not getting ids for the people or planning to bus them...GOP do and make sure we see it.
I do not know where Dems are and I see Casey swung outside the cage and not towards the betterment of the People or Environment or Animals. So we do need strength in other Parties but I got sucked in over 25 years ago and the Yuppies still aren't organized. So guess I will stay and Independent Democrat who votes for the person to hopefully keep us free
He was a good man, good men should be respected leaders.
Gore, perhaps he is tired of the sell out.
Get them in then business as usual.
Gore should have contested, he did not.
But he like Nader are enjoyable people who want to do good for environment without destroying jobs. Industry does not want this anymore.
I do not believe either will endorse either. I believe they have detached themselves. Or maybe like myself they wonder where is the democratic party. Have a good day. I am looking at Change.org for petition. Then I must pick my words just right. Later
Makes it hard to support Obama. Except the hope that he would change things more in his second term....
don´t vote Obama!
How can you vote for someone who has a
kill list and has signed indefinite
detention
and don´t talk about Congress, everything
signed by Obama was signed without a gun
to his head.
Vote Green, Alternative, third party,
we need a totally new system without
money in politics.
First get Greens together on one subject, than make yourselves known in each State\
You cannot win, you have not won. What you have established is still stuck in the Mud. Sorry, I will vote Green, Independent etc for Senate, Congress to get them established but never for President. Do you realize that they would have a worse time than OB just did. Get educated...get the Greens in Office making a difference in every State before Preaching to us to Vote them in a National Campaign
Sierra Club during the past 4 took sizable money from Fracking. But I get no notice from Greens on their Stance. I get notifications on this old hog daily from at least sixty organizations if someone is sneezing.
What I have seen at meetings, see at House is you have to have some Power to wield. Not bad power, but you have to have your sea legs. These third choices have less say on the floor in large assemblies than a slug or snail.
Heck the Democrats haven't supported their own they aren't going to support a different toy this late in the season.
Have a good week We will have to make the changes, we always did.
In other states - vote your conscience - vote Greens.
another election of voting for the lesser of two evils.
They will have no connections to get anything done. First they must build a base before they can launch the ship
Vote for OB and then get out an Petition him to do what is Right. That means you got to get off of here and actually organize people or join with groups to get what we all want
They will have no connections to get anything done. First they must build a base before they can launch the ship
I live in Pennsylvania where Cheri Honkala fought hard for local office.
I think Jill is as well known in Massachusetts
In Romney states I will be overjoyed if the Libertarian peace votes makes makes the election results go past midnight. I wish Jill would stop condemning Obama just say, why vote for a crumb when you can vote for a whole loaf of better ideas.
PS If it wasn't for Foreign Policy, I would take my chances and vote for flip flop if I lived in a close state
http://thinkprogress.org/security/2011/06/22/250807/obamas-troop-reduction-afghanistan/
Sorry they will come home to what? But if Romney gets in, they will be shipped to Israel against Iran so I think I will pray for the ships to bring them home in 2014, let A take care of itself, it won't but there is always a chance.
You see if you want Freedom You have to fight for it Yourself. Something Americans are forgetting right here at home.
Just a graph showing actual US troop levels in Afghanistan from 2002 through 2009, and then the giant upward increase from 32,800 at the time of Obama's inauguration to 98,000 in September 2010, and showing the small decrease that to 65,000 by the end of 2012 that Obama has decided on.
Obama's widely hailed "withdrawal" of troops from Afghanistan will be a reduction to from 98,000 to 65,000 at the end of 2012 - about twice the 32,800 troops in Afghanistan when he was inaugurated, and far more than George Bush ever had there.
The graph is made from numbers supplied by the March 2011 Congressional Research Service paper "The Cost of Iraq, Afghanistan, and Other Global War on Terror Operations Since 9/11" by Specialist in U.S. Defense Policy and Budget Amy Belasco. ( http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/RL33110.pdf )
If you had followed the link I gave you, you'd have known this.
There is no U.S. troop withdrawal in 2014.
We are ordinary Afghans wishing for peace, and we have eyes and ears and feelings of love and despair, so please read on.
The Washington Post, in reporting the recent signing of the "U.S. Afghan Enduring Strategic Partnership Agreement", stated ( http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/obama-makes-surprise-trip-to-afghanistan-to-sign-key-pact-mark-bin-laden-raid/2012/05/01/gIQAvYHduT_story.html?hpid=z1 ) that U.S. trainers and Special Operations troops that remain beyond 2014 will live on Afghan bases.”
U.S. citizens should understand that there will not be a complete withdrawal of U.S. troops in 2014, whether Obama or Romney wins. As Steve Chapman of the Chicago Tribune wrote in ‘Every President is a war President’( http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-05-06/news/ct-oped-0506-chapman-20120506_1_anti-war-candidate-air-war-barack-obama ), There is no Democratic or Republican Party. There is only the war party.”
By The Afghan Peace Volunteers
http://antemedius.com/content/afghan-okinawa-no-us-troop-withdrawal-2014
You want to look up History...did you see how the Puritans ran things. If people do not wise up the Evangelical/Mor mon/Nazis will be just as bad with the witch burnings...righ t now they are filthy mouthed, actually bombing free clinics and killing people. They allow Killing although God didnot We have enough Religion to make us all want to avow Atheism. We have Religious Cults always did.
Global Warming.I thing people are wising up. But for right now, I am environmentalis t believe we have more to fight for. I think I want to remain free, with medical, own my home and land.
I do not see this with Mitt Crew
War...I am against any killing, here in the streets, overseas. I hate people who are right now killing innocent animals on the earth, air or sea. Man has to kill everything. Watch out because after the Wolves, Buffalo, Fish and Birds are gone they are coming after you animals then your family.
War..I do not believe that from the first man killing man there has ever been an exemption to allow this. Not by hand, gun, drone or poison What is the difference, when did it start making a difference? White Man has been Killing Heathens since beginning. They Sanction themselves using God,Country, Children but it has always been the same risk game for Control of the World.
Funny thing is we will never Control the World.
Brass is out to save its ass! Do you realize what these people make, how they live while the service people are fighting and dying for us.
Always Question Authority.
http://antemedius.com/content/full-show-challenging-power-changing-politics-moyers-sanders-stein-honkala
What is your point, Mr. Cole? Vote Green? Vote Romney? That'll teach the Dems a lesson? Yeah, that'll teach us all a lesson, won't it?
I daresay most Democrats are unhappy with many aspects of the current administration' s Mideast policy. Still, no new wars have begun since January, 2009.
Shades of gray matter.
NATO bombing of Libya = war on Africa was intensified ..
Sending terrorist to Syria - proxy war on Iran is new - add Yemen, drones on Pakistan.
Read: readersupported news.org/opinio n2/287-124/1328 4-why-america-a nd-israel-are-t he-greatest-thr eats-to-peace
"The decade-long War in Afghanistan (2001–present) has caused the deaths of thousands of Afghan civilians directly from insurgent and foreign military action, as well as the deaths of possibly tens of thousands of Afghan civilians indirectly as a consequence of displacement, starvation, disease, exposure, lack of medical treatment, crime and lawlessness resulting from the war. The war, launched by the United States as "Operation Enduring Freedom" in 2001, began with an initial air campaign that almost immediately prompted concerns over the number of Afghan civilians being killed ...
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