The VP debates that took place last night were an entertaining spectacle, which is sad if you think about it. I think Biden won hands down but that’s besides the point as I have a bone to pick with both of them. First, it was predictable yet frustrating to see them both talk about how sanctions are a good policy on Iran. Biden even went so far as to proclaim the sanctions regime the most strident the US has ever enforced. He should be ashamed! By most accounts, the sanctions are not preventing Iran’s nuclear program (to which it is legally entitled under the NPT) and are impoverishing a nation! Years from now when some event transpires and people take to the streets in the region angry with the US, Americans will once again ask themselves, “Why do they hate us?” They should take a moment to see the policies that are being pursued at this very moment to find the answer to a question they ask now and will certainly continue to ask themselves. Second, why is Benyamin Netanyahu being quoted in a US VP debate? This fascist colonizer of the remaining Palestinian lands has zero credibility to lend to anybody, let alone an American VP or his opponent. Please. Third, why is Paul Ryan still angry with Obama for withdrawing US forces from Iraq in 2011? Obama simply implemented the Status of Forces agreement that his predecessor, Bush, signed, which stipulated that all military personnel must be out of Iraq by the end of 2011. If Paul Ryan wants to blame anyone, he should blame Bush and Iraqi democracy, which, theoretically is sovereign and didn’t want US troops to remain in the country!
I couldn’t be less interested in these elections.
Well put.
But i think we have to wait till the dust is settled to see who is standing in ME .
The debates only show a great nation in decline and desparate for independent leadership.
Hi PB, I’m just curious, are you voting and for whom? Thanx in advance.
My boy went down the flames. Ron Paul capitulated to his son’s future. I can’t blame him.
I learned awhile ago that my vote don’t count, but my money does. So, I send my money where my mouth is. There is a certain sense of gratification in that, and I don’t feel hopeless. I also give to Trisa Parsi sometimes when he stops his idea of targeted sanctions. I exchanged a couple of emails with him few year ago that targeted sanction will lead to an invasion. He did not agree. Guess who was right?
I am thinking of voting for Romney. I know! but hear me out:
I think Obama has put the nation onto a path to war unless there are secret negotiations we are not aware of.
A Democratic President can rally this nation on a war on Iran by getting some (but no all) Democrats to back him, and he would have all of the Republican party behind him. So, if Obama wants war he will get it. I think he will have no choice but war.
On the other hand, a Republican president will have a hard time rallying the nation as everyone will say “here go the Republicans again.”
Obama will have far more credibility in taking this nation to war against Iran than any Republican.
War would be bad both for Iran (obviously) and this nation. And I think it would destroy Iran but it would bring the house down on this side of the Atlantic.
PS I enjoyed reading your piece on HP. And I got banned again.
Very interesting points. And I think you’re right, at this point Democrats can get away with much more than Republicans when it comes to launching a new war. As much as I think Obama deserves criticism, I still don’t think he wants a war with Iran.
As for Trita Parsi, I don’t know him personally but Ive been on NIAC’s listserv since I was an undergrad almost 10 years ago and I “follow” him on twitter and I support his anti-war and anti-broad sanctions position. I think sanctions are a bad idea overall, especially w the ones we have in place now that are ravaging an entire population.
How and why did you get banned from HP again? 🙂
Hi,
Well, it’s funny. I mean I don’t even know why I got banned. But I can tell you that my experience, since 2009, on various websites is that people like me get banned. I avoid being rude, attacking directly, and other tactics that I have learned over time so as not to give any excuses. I just have not had the time to set up a new email and register with a new name. Knowing what kind of a political junky I am, I will get to it.
I think Trisa is a good guy. And I don’t pretend to know him. But he did support the so called “smart sanctions” that focused on individual members of the Iranian government, like its defense minister. That should have been a clear indication that this could put us on the path to war. I mean, who puts another nation’s defense minister on a sanction’s list? What’s to come out of it? How do you get one’s defense minister off except with war? That was the beginning and we are where we are at.
And here is what I fear: I don’t think Obama can stop the momentum of what he has built. War is obviously bad for the people of Iran, but I think it will bring misery to the lives of every American. No one really knows what all this deficit will do to our lives. No one can tell us that we can even pay it off just as it is now. We are in uncharted territory. That is why investors are holding $32 trillion off shore. They don’t know where America will be. But a Republican victory would split the nation and stop the war train’s momentum, I think. This is one occasion that I would support national division-to stop another dump war.
Good conversing with you.