Correction. The Dems are going ga-ga. The Reps and the Independents are planning, come November, to seriously rain on his parade. Personally, I think 9/11 made a deeper impression in the USA than anywhere else. But that's OK. It may have been (and is) largely subliminal, but it was/is very bracing.
Dick, your version of the Republican & Independents amount to less then 40% of the American People. Polls have constantly showed over the last year that about 60% of the Americans want the US to withdraw from Iraq over the next couple of years.
Note: Talking to Dictators and even being Friendly with Them like with Mubarak, has been US policy under both Republican and Democrat Administrations as far back as I can remember.
2nd Note: Most Americans like Winston Churchil, believe that it is far better to "Jaw, Jaw, Jaw then to War, War, War".
I am sorry, but while Hezbollah's partial takeover of Lebanon is bad, believe that both Rubin and Ami Isseroff, (who I usually agree with) are really hyperventally on this. Both sound like Carol Glick on steroids.
Note: Lebanon would make a good base for Iran's Navy as soon as Iran has one that is more then a coastal patrol force.
Will try and comment more on Lebanon latter.
I think your sixty percent figure is balony, like most of the "polls." And if you think those results mean Barry is going to win the presidency, you are in for a shock.
Dick, there may be enough racism left in the US so that Obama will be defeated, but right now it does not appear so.
Note: calling polls baloney is usually done by the party that is losing and usually ends up defeated.
As for which one ends up shocked, we will just have to wait till the day after the Election to find out.
Talking to enemies is one thing (anyone who thinks we are not secretly talking to Syria and North Korea all the time is fooling themselves). It’s the assumption that Obama and his supporters bring, that dialogue will produce major changes in the feelings of those we are fighting. That’s what people are criticizing when they speak of Obama’s willingness to “talk.”
Hezbollah, Hamas, Al-Qaeda can be “talked” to, but their ideology and strategic goals are not going to be changed by a pretty smile and some honest chatting. Look no further than North Korea, where different approaches to dialogue have been attempted for the last 50 years. It doesn’t change the fact that the North needs its weapons program to survive and to bargain with the West. There is no reason for them to give it up, as there is little reason for Hamas or Hezbollah to give up their stated aims when they think there will never be a serious military repercussion against them.
So President Obama can hold public talks all around the world for all I care. I just don’t expect a single thing to come of it, other than wasted time.
David, I am not one to criticize US policy in most cases, however we should make a distinction between people like Mubarak and people like Kim Il, Ahmadinejad and their likes.
In the past, during the cold was, US was indeed entering into some unsavory friendships. However, no one (literally) from the so called enlightened nations could get on the high moral horse on that issue. Look what most European countries are ready to do for money and, especially, for oil...
And there must be a limits to talking to murderous dictators. Not that it should not be done, but licking their arses like Carter is used to do is way too much.
David, I really don't think racism will do Barry in, though I realize it will be the predominant excuse for his loss. When 90 percent of blacks vote for Obama, the fact that he loses West Virginia 4-1 because of the white vote (in a state with few blacks), can hardly be called racism. The fact that he's black is going to hurt him with working-class whites, some of whom are racist, but most especially because he's an empty suit (my favorite putdown is that he "the weightless man") with no experience, no military service, and no credability. Plus, given his weird associations, especially, with his racist pastor, no character.
As for the polls, they have been proved wrong time and again. They're especially hard to pull off in this day when ubiquitous sales calling has most Americans leaving the answering of their phones to machines.
Roland, I agree with what you said about talking with Hamas, Hezbollah and Al Queda and I believe Obama has said he would not talk with them either.
Snoopy, I agree with you that talking for the sake of talking with disagreeble rulers is nonsense. And becoming a shrill for terrorists like Hamas Jimmy is idiotic.
While Obama says he would talk openly with Iran's current leadership, it is hard to think that would change the situation much.
Dick, your description of Obama sounds a lot like our current President, who failed at everything, lost millions of dollars for his investors and had everything he got including Presidency delivered courtesy of his Family and their retainers like Big Jimmy Baker who made sure the Gore votes in Florida ended up sleeping with the Fishes!
Note, the Republicans have now lost 3 special Congressional Elections in a row all in normally safe Republican districts. The latest one being this week in Mississippi. The last time this happened was in 1974 during the final months of Watergate.
2nd Note: Obama is not the only one with a bigoted Minister. McCain or III as I will call him from now on has the nasty Rev. Hargis on his side.
3rd Note: In response to Dick calling Obama, Barry, have decided to put back the III McCain has dropped from his name. The first two John S. McCains were his father and grandfather, the only father-son combination in the history of US Navy to both reach the rank of Full or four star Admiral.
Correction to 2nd Note: I believe III's bigoted Minister is actually named Hagee.
Sorry about the mistake.
The GOP smear campaign against Obama
has already begun. Its chief tactic will be to repeat the words Obama and Islam as close together as possible and as often as possible. Also they have started distorting Obama's words. For example when Obama called the Israeli-Palestinian conflict a running sore, right-wing bloggers over at Little Green Footballs said Obama had called Israel a running sore. This is sort of distortion you can expect from now to the Election in November.
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