Obama To Ramp Up Military Presence In Pacific Rim

[Conan71]

Well, those in the military who were afraid they would be out of work after we leave Iraq and Afghanistan will be relieved to know that we are going to increase our presence in that region.

President Barack Obama traveled to Indonesia on Thursday after spending two days in Australia, where he declared that the United States will increase its military presence and expand its role in shaping the Asia Pacific region.
"Our enduring interests in the region demand our enduring presence in this region," Obama told the Australian Parliament. "The United States is a Pacific power, and we are here to stay."
He announced an agreement with Australia on Wednesday that will expand military cooperation between the longtime allies and boost America's presence in the region.
In a speech a day later, Obama made it clear that the military expansion is a top priority in the wake of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, even as the United States faces the need to reduce mounting federal deficits and debt.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/11/17/world/asia/australia-obama-trip/

Seems somewhat contrary when even conservatives are calling for less military spending.  This certainly can't play well with his liberal base.  I'm beginning to wonder if he's trying to get himself voted out of office or if he seriously has Asperger's.

[Teatownclown]

Oh please, what 250 soldiers? Lots of risk down under?

Give me a break you partisan hack

Aspergers? seriously?

[Gaspar]

I think it's a good idea to send soldiers to Asia.  That is Asia, right?

I have some friends in the service that really really want this assignment!

[Conan71]

Oh please, what 250 soldiers? Lots of risk down under?

Give me a break you partisan hack

Aspergers? seriously?

Eventually ramping up to 2500, just in Australia.  I'm pretty certain there will be announcements of more troops sent to SoKo and improvements to the base in Okinawa.   

I've got a better idea, why doesn't Australia send 2500 of their troops instead to monitor our southern border.  I'm tired of the U.S. being the world's police force.

[heironymouspasparagus]

I'm beginning to wonder if he's trying to get himself voted out of office or if he seriously has Asperger's.

That's not even close to Aspergers.  He could never be an engineer or any other highly technical type person.

Voted out of office would be my guess.

[Conan71]

That's not even close to Aspergers.  He could never be an engineer or any other highly technical type person.

That's true, there's strong evidence to suggest he's not very high functioning in the intellect department.  But he is a great reader.

[Gaspar]

That's true, there's strong evidence to suggest he's not very high functioning in the intellect department.  But he is a great reader.

I think he's smart.  He had great professors at Columbia.

[Ed W]

I have infrequent correspondence with a guy in Australia.  He said the prices of nearly all consumer goods and groceries are increasing as the Chinese buy up whatever is available.  The relative strength of the Chinese military would make it very possible for them to seize it rather than buy it.  Don't rule out India either, as it needs raw materials for its expanding economy.

[Conan71]

I have infrequent correspondence with a guy in Australia.  He said the prices of nearly all consumer goods and groceries are increasing as the Chinese buy up whatever is available.  The relative strength of the Chinese military would make it very possible for them to seize it rather than buy it.  Don't rule out India either, as it needs raw materials for its expanding economy.

And we have a more justified responsibility to protect Aussies from China than we did to protect Iraqi citizens and their neighbors from the atrocities of Saddam Hussein?

I'm pretty sure there's a few hundred thousand dead Kurds who wish they could argue that point with you.  Oh and maybe a million or so more Iraqis and Iranians who would love to argue that as well.

In spite of the liberal focus becoming a lack of WMD in Iraq, let's consider the favor we did the world by taking this psychopath out of power.

[heironymouspasparagus]

And we have a more justified responsibility to protect Aussies from China than we did to protect Iraqi citizens and their neighbors from the atrocities of Saddam Hussein?

I'm pretty sure there's a few hundred thousand dead Kurds who wish they could argue that point with you.  Oh and maybe a million or so more Iraqis and Iranians who would love to argue that as well.

In spite of the liberal focus becoming a lack of WMD in Iraq, let's consider the favor we did the world by taking this psychopath out of power.

Well, some of the numbers are close, but reversed in sequence.  Saddam killed about 1/4 million of his own people in his 25 +  years.  We killed a million civilians in the last 6 or 7 years.  That's the Iraqi count, just to be clear.

Yeah, there were another million or so between Iraq and Iran during their war, with a great deal of the contribution to the death toll due to the chemical weapons we helped Iraq build.

Happy to help straighten out your numbers for you.

[we vs us]

In spite of the liberal focus becoming a lack of WMD in Iraq, let's consider the favor we did the world by taking this psychopath out of power.

WMDs were the stated reason for the war, not a lib conspiracy theory or talking point.  That's the actual reason we invaded.  The gassed Kurds really didn't enter into it.   

[Ed W]

And we have a more justified responsibility to protect Aussies from China than we did to protect Iraqi citizens and their neighbors from the atrocities of Saddam Hussein?

I think the presence of 2500 Marines is negligible militarily, yet they serve a function as a trip wire to any hostile force.  We did the same thing in Saudi prior to Gulf War One.  Invading a country with a contingent of Marines on hand guarantees an overwhelming US response.  

[Conan71]

I think the presence of 2500 Marines is negligible militarily, yet they serve a function as a trip wire to any hostile force.  We did the same thing in Saudi prior to Gulf War One.  Invading a country with a contingent of Marines on hand guarantees an overwhelming US response.  

How quickly we forget.  Didn't 66,000 Americans eventually get killed after sending 500 "advisors" to some little third world country about 50 years ago? 

Again, why is this acceptable to people like you and Wevus when your guy is in the White House?  Even for the reasons of fiscal conservatism, I'm sick and tired of playing top cop all over the world, much less putting our soldiers at risk.

[Conan71]

WMDs were the stated reason for the war, not a lib conspiracy theory or talking point.  That's the actual reason we invaded.  The gassed Kurds really didn't enter into it.   

It was one of a myriad of stated reasons we went into Iraq.  Missing WMD's, terrorist training camps, and a connection to the 9/11 terrorists, remember?  WMD This may have been the only "stated" reason for talking points on trying to get Kerry elected in '04. In the run-up to the Iraq war, these atrocities were a major justification to every liberal and conservative in backing POTUS Bush on the call to action.  Gassed Kurds and tortured Iraqis were very much a part of the sound bites in early 2002.

[Gaspar]

It was one of a myriad of stated reasons we went into Iraq.  Missing WMD's, terrorist training camps, and a connection to the 9/11 terrorists, remember?  WMD This may have been the only "stated" reason for talking points on trying to get Kerry elected in '04. In the run-up to the Iraq war, these atrocities were a major justification to every liberal and conservative in backing POTUS Bush on the call to action.  Gassed Kurds and tortured Iraqis were very much a part of the sound bites in early 2002.

I thought we went for oil?