Mitt Romney: “I was too important to go to Vietnam”

[TulsaRufnex]

I am against any candidate who would is too eager to go to war...and you know which one that actually is.  Or one who would go to war based on the same kind of structure of lies that caused Colin Powell to consider his time in that administration as his biggest disgrace.  

And no, lest one be tempted to try to twist what I am saying about Iran - I happen to agree that they likely will have to be hit.  Soon.

You know, I remember as a kid how much our family hated Jane Fonda, and how much we hated the Vietnam War protesters and how vets were treated after they got home... it's just amazing how we've gone from wanting a "strong defense" to the "world's policeman."

When I seriously considered voting for the GOP for prez, I watched the South Carolina debate in 2000, and figured if McCain got the nomination, I'd likely vote for him over Al Gore... every four years after that, I've made a point of watching the South Carolina primary debates in 2004, 2008 and 2012....

Just seems like it's become a game of "Who wants to be the biggest warmonger?" played out by neoconservatives who never served...  

[heironymouspasparagus]

You know, I remember as a kid how much our family hated Jane Fonda, and how much we hated the Vietnam War protesters and how vets were treated after they got home... it's just amazing how we've gone from wanting a "strong defense" to the "world's policeman."

When I seriously considered voting for the GOP for prez, I watched the South Carolina debate in 2000, and figured if McCain got the nomination, I'd likely vote for him over Al Gore... every four years after that, I've made a point of watching the South Carolina primary debates in 2004, 2008 and 2012....

Just seems like it's become a game of "Who wants to be the biggest warmonger?" played out by neoconservatives who never served...  

You have to understand who is working behind the scenes and what the agenda is.  In this case, there are mroe than one.  First, the military industrial complex that Eisenhower warned about lo, these many years ago.  He was a brilliant strategist, who understand what the industrial powers wanted and were working for.

Second, there is a very strong fundamentalist movement that wants very much for the fulfillment of prophecy along the lines of what could happen with Israel, the mid-east, and Armageddon.  (Personally, I think it is presumptuous to try to "help" God along with His final days like that.)

Money and religious fanaticism.  Sounds like the "demons" on the other side, huh?  Wacko's on both sides causing the rest of us a whole lotta grief.

[Gaspar]

Do I have to lesson you once again on Iran?

1) Persians are decent people. Their country is a theocracy with a little short pipsqueak for a mouth. He scares people who think he's really dangerous. The actual cleric who calls the shots has a committee. This group tends to believe in education and furthering the needs and desires of their people. They are not war mongers.
2) In 1980's war with Iraq cost to the Iranians was over a million lives. They wish never to return to such a situation. As a nation of historical and locational significance, their desire is to grow and learn. They are more civilized than any mid east country.
3) More than any other country in the middle east, Iranians come closest to what we have here in America with regard to stability. They have a right to self determination which means they do have a right to nuclear energy.
4) The world worries about the development of an Iranian nuclear weapon. The world has dealt with more devious countries who may have used the weapon for destruction were it not for containment.  Iran, again, has no use for attacking another country.

Israel is a proxy for the zionists, AIPAC, big oil, weapons manufacturers, and a faction of their country we will recognize as extreme (Likud). The real enemy in the Middle east is Hezbollah and Syria. What is really happening in the middle east with dictators overthrown limits aggression, wars, and chaos in the long run. Who benefits from such things as war? They are the one's behind this panic.

My opinion of Beni has changed further in the last week. I think he's a POS to try to politicize a "red line"...no logic other than to disrupt and distort....a proven GOP/Teabag strategy that will fail. I trust Obama a lot more than Beni the Mouth.

That's not related to my questions.
My questions to Nate were related to his support for President Obama, and if he would continue to support him if he were to engage in a war with Iran.

I'll pose the same question to you.

Actually, I'll go ahead and follow up on that since I am already aware that neither you or Nate will be capable of a satisfactory response. . .
President Obama has the opportunity, no actually the invitation, to sit down with Netanyahu and possibly thwart a war.  Do you think he should?

OR, are his appearances with Lettermand and Jay-Z simply too important to reschedule, as he implies?

[nathanm]

Gaspar, I strongly suggest you stop listening to Alex Jones' paranoid rants. There is this thing that Bush never understood but Obama and his State Department has thus far proven very good at: diplomacy. If he and his team think that letting Netanyahu stew for a while is the best way to advance the interests of our nation (not Israel, not Iran, not Canada, Japan, or anyone else, our nation) I'm willing to let out the leash a bit. Not because I have some raging hard on for Obama, but because he's proven himself in this area.

[Gaspar]

. . . but because he's proven himself in this area.

Egypt
Syria
Afganistan
Pakistan
Russia
Libya

I guess I don't see it. Of course we look at things through different lenses.

[Townsend]

I am already aware that neither you or Nate will be capable of a satisfactory response. . .

Implementing the same logic used by birthers is unbecoming.

[Conan71]

Do I have to lesson you once again on Iran?

1) Persians are decent people. Their country is a theocracy with a little short pipsqueak for a mouth. He scares people who think he's really dangerous. The actual cleric who calls the shots has a committee. This group tends to believe in education and furthering the needs and desires of their people. They are not war mongers.
2) In 1980's war with Iraq cost to the Iranians was over a million lives. They wish never to return to such a situation. As a nation of historical and locational significance, their desire is to grow and learn. They are more civilized than any mid east country.
3) More than any other country in the middle east, Iranians come closest to what we have here in America with regard to stability. They have a right to self determination which means they do have a right to nuclear energy.
4) The world worries about the development of an Iranian nuclear weapon. The world has dealt with more devious countries who may have used the weapon for destruction were it not for containment.  Iran, again, has no use for attacking another country.

Israel is a proxy for the zionists, AIPAC, big oil, weapons manufacturers, and a faction of their country we will recognize as extreme (Likud). The real enemy in the Middle east is Hezbollah and Syria. What is really happening in the middle east with dictators overthrown limits aggression, wars, and chaos in the long run. Who benefits from such things as war? They are the one's behind this panic.

My opinion of Beni has changed further in the last week. I think he's a POS to try to politicize a "red line"...no logic other than to disrupt and distort....a proven GOP/Teabag strategy that will fail. I trust Obama a lot more than Beni the Mouth.

If the clerics are truly interested in peace, why do they allow this bellicose little pipsqueak to do their bidding for them?  You would think they would craft a different message or find a different "mouth" if their true intention was peace.

[nathanm]

If the clerics are truly interested in peace, why do they allow this bellicose little pipsqueak to do their bidding for them?  You would think they would craft a different message or find a different "mouth" if their true intention was peace.

The rabble-rousing is what keeps them in power. If you recall, last time they loosened their grip and let less of a mouthpiece President get elected they had mass demonstrations against them.

[Conan71]

The rabble-rousing is what keeps them in power. If you recall, last time they loosened their grip and let less of a mouthpiece President get elected they had mass demonstrations against them.

So the idea is, the threat of nuclear obliteration is keeping the minions in line?

[Townsend]

So the idea is, the threat of nuclear obliteration is keeping the minions in line?

It's worked here for 67 years.

[nathanm]

So the idea is, the threat of nuclear obliteration is keeping the minions in line?

Never read 1984, I take it? When they're not focused on external "enemies," the Iranian people hate the Ayatollahs and hate the hard liners. But, as with most people, including people here, they can be convinced to support authoritarianism when they feel threatened by outsiders. What do you think makes us tolerate strip search machines at airports and the government listening to all their phone calls?

The nuclear threats and all the threats before it are largely about goading Israel into saber rattling enough to enable the existing power structure in Iran to remain. It's not dissimilar from the tactics al Qaeda uses against us. They blow up bombs to goad us into pissing more Muslims off and pushing the ridiculous security theater even farther.

[Conan71]

Never read 1984, I take it? When they're not focused on external "enemies," the Iranian people hate the Ayatollahs and hate the hard liners. But, as with most people, including people here, they can be convinced to support authoritarianism when they feel threatened by outsiders. What do you think makes us tolerate strip search machines at airports and the government listening to all their phone calls?

The nuclear threats and all the threats before it are largely about goading Israel into saber rattling enough to enable the existing power structure in Iran to remain. It's not dissimilar from the tactics al Qaeda uses against us. They blow up bombs to goad us into pissing more Muslims off and pushing the ridiculous security theater even farther.

I lucked out.  I started the HS I graduated from as a sophomore.  It was the first reading assignment of freshmen.

I suppose not reading it has made me far less paranoid than some of my peers 

[Teatownclown]

Wow....to think so many US citizens would line up behind a liar, cheat, and dodger amazes me.

[Conan71]

Wow....to think so many US citizens would line up behind a liar, cheat, and dodger amazes me.

You lined up behind Clinton in '92 and '96 I bet.

I finally realize what is wrong with half of our electorate!!!

They think Gary Trudeau, Bill Maher, and Michael Moore are credible sources when it comes to politics.

[Hoss]

You lined up behind Clinton in '92 and '96 I bet.

I finally realize what is wrong with half of our electorate!!!

They think Gary Trudeau, Bill Maher, and Michael Moore are credible sources when it comes to politics.

Just as the other half think Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity and Glenn Beck do...