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Nobel Peace Prize

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Comments

  • BrigidBrigid Veteran
    edited December 2009
    I pretty much agree with the last two posts (Shenpa's and Max's).

    I had some rather high, but I thought fairly realistic, hopes based on some understanding of the political process (my degree is in politics) for Obama.

    Now I'm just plan disappointed. I look forward to finding out, if we ever do, the truth behind his decision to send 30,000 more troops into Afghanistan. I find it baffling...
  • JasonJason God Emperor Arrakis Moderator
    edited December 2009
  • edited December 2009
    Brigid wrote: »
    I pretty much agree with the last two posts (Shenpa's and Max's).

    I had some rather high, but I thought fairly realistic, hopes based on some understanding of the political process (my degree is in politics) for Obama.

    Now I'm just plan disappointed. I look forward to finding out, if we ever do, the truth behind his decision to send 30,000 more troops into Afghanistan. I find it baffling...

    It was a confusing speech indeed. No matter what anyone thinks of the war, the strategy is really a mystery.

    "We will not abandon Afghanistan to the fate of the Taliban...but we're leaving in 18 months.....We'll fight them in the skies, fight them on the beaches, in the hills, in the streets...but only for another year and a half."

    He's clearly trying to have it both ways by placating the hawks and the doves at the same time, and that won't work. Either he needed to say "Sorry, not our war, we're packing up..." or "Let's crack some skulls, smoke 'em out, etc..."

    But Obama is no Pericles. And he's no Lincoln either. I think he's turning out to be LBJ; an ambitious domestic agenda undone or minimized by foreign wars.
  • edited December 2009
    "We will not abandon Afghanistan to the fate of the Taliban...but we're leaving in 18 months.....We'll fight them in the skies, fight them on the beaches, in the hills, in the streets...but only for another year and a half."

    I agree with Thomas Friedman: our nation-building in Afghanistan (the second-most corrupt country on earth behind Somalia) is like an unemployed couple deciding to adopt a special-needs baby.
    But Obama is no Pericles. And he's no Lincoln either. I think he's turning out to be LBJ; an ambitious domestic agenda undone or minimized by foreign wars.

    His domestic agenda isn't as wholesome as his campaign promises would indicate. Check out Matt Taibbi's's article in Rolling Stone about the Wall Street foxes he's put in charge of financial hen house. It's worse than anything Bush did to the economy, which is no small feat.
  • edited December 2009
    Brigid wrote: »
    I pretty much agree with the last two posts (Shenpa's and Max's).

    I had some rather high, but I thought fairly realistic, hopes based on some understanding of the political process (my degree is in politics) for Obama.

    Now I'm just plan disappointed. I look forward to finding out, if we ever do, the truth behind his decision to send 30,000 more troops into Afghanistan. I find it baffling...

    To be fair to the President though, he is pretty much doing what he said he would. He campaigned on an anti-Iraq war platform, but he was hawkish about Afghanistan.
  • edited December 2009
    To be fair to the President though, he is pretty much doing what he said he would. He campaigned on an anti-Iraq war platform, but he was hawkish about Afghanistan.

    But that doesn't make it any better.
  • edited December 2009
    To be fair to the President though, he is pretty much doing what he said he would. He campaigned on an anti-Iraq war platform, but he was hawkish about Afghanistan.

    So, when are we pulling out of Iraq?
  • edited December 2009
    Lyssa wrote: »
    So, when are we pulling out of Iraq?

    We're never pulling out completely. We built a huge embassy there, and I'm sure we'll maintain a military presence there the same way we do Germany, Japan, and so many others. But whether or not Obama keeps his word, the main drawdown should be in 2011 I believe. Just in time for his re-election campaign.
  • edited December 2009
    Kevin wrote: »
    ... But whether or not Obama keeps his word, the main drawdown should be in 2011 I believe. Just in time for his re-election campaign.

    Fool me once...
  • fivebellsfivebells Veteran
    edited December 2009
    I think he's turning out to be LBJ; an ambitious domestic agenda undone or minimized by foreign wars.

    No, he's going to be a Carter: a talented, conscientious man who'll be blamed for problems created by irresponsible predecessors. (It kind of mystified me that <b>anyone</b> would be fighting over the presidency during the last election. Anyone who was willing to sign on for the job of taking responsibility for the messes Bush has left behind is a true patriot.)
  • cazcaz Veteran United Kingdom Veteran
    edited December 2009
    The peace prize seems only to be awarded to the NON jobbers, why award a peace prize to a man who is currently engaged in war ?
    Its a pretty meaningless award now as far many of its holders are hypocrites and media darlings. Why bother ?
  • edited December 2009
    Did anybody catch his speech today for the Nobel Prize? He sounded like a neo-conservative with his talk about evil and how only force could defeat al-Qaeda/the Taliban and their ilk. Some of the speech was mush, but for the most part, I liked it.
  • fivebellsfivebells Veteran
    edited December 2009
    I didn't hear his speech, but I liked what <a href="http://vegan27.livejournal.com/565743.html">this guy</a> said about it.
  • JasonJason God Emperor Arrakis Moderator
    edited December 2009
    Does anyone else find it painfully ironic that he justified war while invoking the names of Gandhi and King in his Peace Prize acceptance speech?
  • cazcaz Veteran United Kingdom Veteran
    edited December 2009
    Jason wrote: »
    Does anyone else find it painfully ironic that he justified war while invoking the names of Gandhi and King in his Peace Prize acceptance speech?

    Yup :eek:
    Might as well posthumously give the prize to hitler as well :lol:
  • edited December 2009
    caz namyaw wrote: »
    Yup :eek:
    Might as well posthumously give the prize to hitler as well :lol:

    That's a bit of a stretch. But I don't put any stock in the Nobel Peace Prize.

    His speech was almost Bush-like. Eerily so in fact.

    If his health care efforts fail and the cap-and-trade nonsense flops, AND if he stays tough on the war, I will call myself an Obama supporter by the end of his first term.
  • cazcaz Veteran United Kingdom Veteran
    edited December 2009
    That's a bit of a stretch. But I don't put any stock in the Nobel Peace Prize.

    His speech was almost Bush-like. Eerily so in fact.

    If his health care efforts fail and the cap-and-trade nonsense flops, AND if he stays tough on the war, I will call myself an Obama supporter by the end of his first term.

    Id hardly call it a stretch the prize is practically a joke if they can hand it to someone who continues war. :wtf:
    I thought obama may be a good thing, but now i realize he's a big hype machine and no substance.
  • edited December 2009
    caz namyaw wrote: »
    Id hardly call it a stretch the prize is practically a joke if they can hand it to someone who continues war. :wtf:
    I thought obama may be a good thing, but now i realize he's a big hype machine and no substance.

    I'm not going to argue with you on that. But I can't help but be entertained observing the comments on this site. I was saying the same things about him a year ago. But as the support on here for the President dwindles, it's usually over the few issues that I agree with him on.
  • cazcaz Veteran United Kingdom Veteran
    edited December 2009
    I'm not going to argue with you on that. But I can't help but be entertained observing the comments on this site. I was saying the same things about him a year ago. But as the support on here for the President dwindles, it's usually over the few issues that I agree with him on.

    As the same with all politicians they enjoy some popularity for sometime and then they are seen for what they are...liars. :rolleyes:
    To be a good politician you have to be able to convince people you will deliver what they want, an excellent politician will be still able to convince you to vote for them even when they had no intention of doing what they promised.

    Obamamania isnt a goodthing based on this personality cult people will always experience dissapointment when their saviour doesnt deliver. :cool:
  • edited December 2009
    For those who think Obama's domestic decisions are good: http://www.lewrockwell.com/taibbi/taibbi17.1.html
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