Barack Obama

[randolph]

Tracy

No, the British divided up Arabia into countries all on their own, without out our help.

True enough, but we eagerly took over the Middle East imperialism from Briton. Its the oil you know. Now we are the ones to deal with the situation. We could save a lot of American lives if we cut back on oil consumption and let the Arabs kill each other off. The Arabs potentially hate each other more than us, if we would just leave them alone.

Driving 60mph instead of 80mph can save 20% on gas consumption. The price would go down and the Arabs can go to hell.

Bumper stickers
"Enrich the Arabs drive 80mph"
"Its Ok to drive 60mph"
"Relax 60 mph is OK"
"Fuck the Arabs stay home"

[jimnaseum]

I knew the Iraqi war was doomed when I found out Halliburton was charging our own Military forces $5.00/gallon for gas. We could has driven to Iran and gotten it for 25 cents a gallon.

There is no Security. Only Opportunity. -McArthur

[The Conquistador]

Hey randolph! I like the last bumper sticker!

[TracyCoxx]

Originally Posted by randolph

True enough, but we eagerly took over the Middle East imperialism from Briton. Its the oil you know. Now we are the ones to deal with the situation. We could save a lot of American lives if we cut back on oil consumption and let the Arabs kill each other off. The Arabs potentially hate each other more than us, if we would just leave them alone.

I agree. It would be great if we could get out of there and let them implode. But if they're pissed at us for engaging in business with their leaders they need to take it up with their leadership first.

Originally Posted by randolph

Driving 60mph instead of 80mph can save 20% on gas consumption. The price would go down and the Arabs can go to hell.

I doubt it would save that much on gas consumption. I was driving 90-100mph for long stretches in New Mexico and increased my gas mileage by about 25% over my usual stop/start driving habit in town. If you want to increase gas mileage get rid of all those unnecessary stop signs & stop lights.

Originally Posted by randolph

Bumper stickers
"Enrich the Arabs drive 80mph"
"Its Ok to drive 60mph"
"Relax 60 mph is OK"

Ok, now we really have some areas of disagreement! 60 mph? That's crazy. I can't drive 55, and 60 isn't much better.

[TracyCoxx]

Good bye and good riddance to Chris Dodd (D-CT), Byron Dorgan (D-ND), Gov Bill Ritter (D-CO). Don't let the door hit your butts on the way out.

[randolph]

Originally Posted by TracyCoxx

I agree. It would be great if we could get out of there and let them implode. But if they're pissed at us for engaging in business with their leaders they need to take it up with their leadership first.

I doubt it would save that much on gas consumption. I was driving 90-100mph for long stretches in New Mexico and increased my gas mileage by about 25% over my usual stop/start driving habit in town. If you want to increase gas mileage get rid of all those unnecessary stop signs & stop lights.

Ok, now we really have some areas of disagreement! 60 mph? That's crazy. I can't drive 55, and 60 isn't much better.

Drag racing from stop lights is hard on gas mileage, I know from experience!

Oh! So you want to eliminate stop signs and lights and drive 90mph through town. The problem with that would be all the funeral processions clogging the streets!

Hey, I like your Mustang, I had one of the first ones back in 1964. The engine was crap but it got a lot of attention.

By the way, I just bought an electric bike. I love it. It goes up hills great and cruises at 20mph without pedaling!
Ill pull over if I see you coming.

[TracyCoxx]

Why is Al Asiri, the so called Underwear bomber who tried to bring down a plane on xmas being given a civilian trial? He is not a US citizen. And the indictment mentions nothing about terrorism or even Al Qaeda even though it's known Al Asiri was with Al Qaeda. Why?

The administration's response to this attempted bombing has been abysmal. First they allow a person who is actually on a terror watch list onto a plane, then we get lucky and subdue him, and Napalitano says the system works. What did National Counterterrorism Center Director Michael Leiter do when he heard of the news? Resumed his ski trip.

We are now told Americans will feel "a certain shock" when a report is released today detailing the intelligence failures that could have prevented the alleged Christmas Day airline bomber from ever boarding the plane. This should be interesting. So BO has 2 strikes before he's been in office even a year. The Ft Hood terrorist attack, and the attempted xmas jet bombing. Al Qaeda is certainly sensing weakness and are circling, testing their prey, and probing for weaknesses.

Then there was the CIA attack in Afghanistan on December 30th. Well BO has them investigating climate change now. Yes I'm serious. Instead of letting them do what they've done so well during most of Bush's terms, they're now investigating climate change.

The question the BO administration wants to know: If you ignore terrorists, will they go away?

The question I want to know: Why isn't Al Asiri being tried as an enemy combatant rather than as an American citizen, which he clearly is not?

[randolph]

Hey, come on Tracy, blaming Obama for these security screw ups is ridiculous. We have had these problems in the last few administrations. It is the bureaucracy that is the problem. I have been to Washington and seen the incompetence and self centered administrators wallowing in politics. We spend billions on the CIA and they get conned by a Jordanian the same way Bush/CIA got conned by an Iraqi. What we need is a lean and mean security division that has its act together. Since Obama is releasing the report to the public, it sounds like he means business to get these jerks shaped up.

[jdawg]

I agree with Randolph, this is a Washington problem not an Obama problem. Agencies don't talk to each which creates problems with intelligence. It sounds like we had a lot of good info on the dude and he still got onto a plane with a failed attempt at murder.

I'm kinda worried about the Yemen situation. This place is hot, but do we open up yet another front? I'd suggest not, but anyhing is possible.

Randolph was also pretty spot on with the reasons why they hate us. I believe Al Qaeda put out a document or something stating reasons why they attacked. I wish I could remember the book or website I read it from as its stuff everybody should read.


I disagree with the comment Tracy made about how Al Qaeda should realize they made a mistake with 9/11. If anyhing they are pleased with the results. They got a weakened United States which had to be a goal.

[randolph]

Originally Posted by jdawg

I agree with Randolph, this is a Washington problem not an Obama problem. Agencies don't talk to each which creates problems with intelligence. It sounds like we had a lot of good info on the dude and he still got onto a plane with a failed attempt at murder.

I'm kinda worried about the Yemen situation. This place is hot, but do we open up yet another front? I'd suggest not, but anyhing is possible.

Randolph was also pretty spot on with the reasons why they hate us. I believe Al Qaeda put out a document or something stating reasons why they attacked. I wish I could remember the book or website I read it from as its stuff everybody should read.


I disagree with the comment Tracy made about how Al Qaeda should realize they made a mistake with 9/11. If anyhing they are pleased with the results. They got a weakened United States which had to be a goal.

Yes, Bin Laden's stated goal is to weaken the US from the inside by draining its resources. He has an unlimited supply of suicide bombers that are far cheaper than drones, soldiers and vast amounts of military equipment.

[ila]

Originally Posted by randolph

Hey, come on Tracy, blaming Obama for these security screw ups is ridiculous. We have had these problems in the last few administrations. It is the bureaucracy that is the problem. I have been to Washington and seen the incompetence and self centered administrators wallowing in politics. We spend billions on the CIA and they get conned by a Jordanian the same way Bush/CIA got conned by an Iraqi. What we need is a lean and mean security division that has its act together. Since Obama is releasing the report to the public, it sounds like he means business to get these jerks shaped up.

So Obama is not to blame for current security screwups, but Bush is to blame for previous security screwups? Do I have this right, randolph? After all that is what you just posted in the quote.

[randolph]

Originally Posted by ila

So Obama is not to blame for current security screwups, but Bush is to blame for previous security screwups? Do I have this right, randolph? After all that is what you just posted in the quote.

OK, I guess I was not clear. Bush/Cheney "wanted" to believe Iraqi informers in order to justify invading Iraq. Also, Cheney was intimately involved with the Iraqi shenanigans. Also, Bush/Cheney avoided getting serious about Bin Laden because having him alive justified their continued "anti terrorist program" in Afghanistan. Certainly, as head of state, Obama is ultimately responsible for what goes on in his administration. I just think the two situations are very different. I think Obama is serious about getting Bin Laden and resolving the Afghanistan mess he inherited from Bush/Cheney. I don't think any president since FDR has the challenges Obama has. How to clean up the Middle East mess, the financial mess, the Palestine mess, the Iran problem, the N. Korea problem, the unemployment problem. All of these issues were escaberated by the Bush/Cheney administration.
As a new president I wish him well, for all of us sake. He needs all the help he can get. He doesn't need any more screwups in his administrations anti-terrorist efforts, that's for sure.

[jimnaseum]

Originally Posted by TracyCoxx

The question I want to know: Why isn't Al Asiri being tried as an enemy combatant rather than as an American citizen, which he clearly is not?

Because the crime occured by an individual on American Soil.

What I want to know is if every criminal is given a lawyer, wht isn't every ill person given a doctor?

[transjen]

Originally Posted by TracyCoxx

Ok, now we really have some areas of disagreement! 60 mph? That's crazy. I can't drive 55, and 60 isn't much better.

Nice car, I hate to say it but lools like we agree on something else
Jerseygirl Jen