tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31461204.post1849402320874143275..comments2023-12-11T06:11:11.449-05:00Comments on Bruce's MidEast Soundbites: Obama Pulls Back Syria ThreatBrucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09331211089963297411noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31461204.post-34223043517645868712013-09-17T12:37:49.202-04:002013-09-17T12:37:49.202-04:00It's true that during the Bush years, Iran was...It's true that during the Bush years, Iran was not yet understood as the bigger threat. Israel did understand this and apparently advised Bush against hitting Iraq. <br /><br />I hope that you're wrong about Americans not supporting a strike on Iran. Americans do perceive Iran as a threat. I hope they'd support a strike if it were surgical and quick. <br /><br />I understand what you're saying about Congress, but it was a poor move as he could not line up the votes [which makes us look weak]. Brucehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09331211089963297411noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31461204.post-67066920407392041912013-09-17T08:19:33.147-04:002013-09-17T08:19:33.147-04:00Bush hit Iraq when Afghanistan was the issue. Ira...Bush hit Iraq when Afghanistan was the issue. Iran was not a credible threat while Iraq was a functional and powerful neighboring enemy. Part of Hussein's lies about WMD were to keep Iran cowed. We knew this because Saddam was a friend of ours for a decade while he pummeled Iran, and we probably knew exactly what he didn't have---which is why Colin Powell felt abused and betrayed by the Bush administration. Thanks to the mishandling of Iraq, the American people would never support striking Iran now. Syria is the actual problem because it is slaughtering innocents. It is using gas. We could bomb them fiercely and show Iran that even worse is waiting for a nuclear minded troublemaker. However, how much do you bomb Assad when in reality he could have been more aggressive, and his replacements might be 10 times worse? That is what stays Obama's hand. He's not as arrogant or foolhardy as the previous administration. That is why he left this one to Congress---let the loudmouths who never contribute anything, only complain about the attempts to solve problems by others---let them have to deal with the real world for a change. Congress is being forced to consider how messy reality is---not the black and white dream world of Rush Limbaugh and Tea Party Republicans.LHwriteshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15890891351498768757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31461204.post-57395279092605965352013-09-16T14:03:10.267-04:002013-09-16T14:03:10.267-04:00I agree that this situation is sad and complex. H...I agree that this situation is sad and complex. However, Obama seems to be parroting Bush in his focusing on the wrong target. Bush hit Iraq when Iran was the issue. Obama is focusing all this attention on Syria, when Iran is the puppetmaster. <br /><br />I say hit Iran now.<br />Brucehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09331211089963297411noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31461204.post-45853292552870055052013-09-13T12:40:12.262-04:002013-09-13T12:40:12.262-04:00This is a sad and complicated situation. The comp...This is a sad and complicated situation. The complications are not created by this administration, though conservatives sure like to pain it that way. The country is sick and weary of war---with good reason. They have been involved with two of them for over a decade. Neither went well, Iraq, we knew it wouldn't and there was never any justification to go in there. Afghanistan, we had to go in there, and had we focused on that one war--our win would be more decisive and effective. The President is hamstrung by the mistakes of his predecessor. It is disingenuous for all the smarmy Republican barbs and complaints when they helped screw up the MiddleEast (more than it already was)and created the situation that leaves America so weary of war. Not to mention, but of course I will, that our screwing up Iraq is what empowered Iran, that until then was cowed by their mortal enemy next door. The conservatives are very good at complaining about today while forgetting how we got here. As Santayana aptly put it, "those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat its mistakes". It is not a surprise that most of the current republicans don't want to remember the past. Just as republicans in congress enjoy some of the richest health benefits, while continuously trying to rewrite history to deny hard working uninsured Americans of their right to affordable coverage, they like to complain daily about how Obama handles everything---while ignoring their decades of inaction, and worse---years of stupid and failed actions. America, Israel and average Americans are all worse off today because of the failures and stupidity of the same people complaining today. We would all be wise, whenever hard right wingers speak, to remember those sage words of George Costanza, I paraphrase: Whatever their instincts tell them---we should all do the opposite.LHwriteshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15890891351498768757noreply@blogger.com