This is not what leadership looks like

[RecycleMichael]

During the republican debates the candidates were asked how America should handle Iran.

Romney said, "I'd get on the phone to my friend Bibi Netanyahu and say, 'Would it help if I said this? What would you like me to say and do?'"

Romney would ask the Prime Minister of Israel how to deal with Iran. Unbelievable.

[Conan71]

During the republican debates the candidates were asked how America should handle Iran.

Romney said, "I'd get on the phone to my friend Bibi Netanyahu and say, 'Would it help if I said this? What would you like me to say and do?'"

Romney would ask the Prime Minister of Israel how to deal with Iran. Unbelievable.

Why are we concerned about Iran in the first place?

Because Ahmadinejad has Israel squarely in his crosshairs.

Your grasp on our Israeli policy seems about on par with President Obama's.

[Hoss]

Great foreign policy, Obama is too busy to meet with Bibi in New York and too busy to meet with him in DC.  Plenty of time to get his mug on Letterman while in NYC though, that's certainly more important than chatting about Iran's nuclear program.

Reading Israeli news sources, they don't seem to pleased with Obama.

Are we sure about that?

http://www.politico.com/politico44/2012/09/obama-calls-netanyahu-135245.html

[RecycleMichael]

Your grasp on our Israeli policy seems about on par with President Obama's.

Feel free to educate us on "our Israeli policy". Feel free to use words, numbers and pictures if needed.

[Conan71]

Are we sure about that?

http://www.politico.com/politico44/2012/09/obama-calls-netanyahu-135245.html

Have you read anywhere that Obama has said he will sit down with Bibi when he's here in the states?  I sure haven't.  But he's got time to sit down with ol' Dave.

[Hoss]

Have you read anywhere that Obama has said he will sit down with Bibi when he's here in the states?  I sure haven't.  But he's got time to sit down with ol' Dave.

By that same token, have you read anywhere where he has said he WON'T?

You see how that works?

[Conan71]

By that same token, have you read anywhere where he has said he WON'T?

You see how that works?

Um yeah, where he's got a "scheduling conflict" and can't make time to sit down with him.

[erfalf]

So, I heard mentioned earlier that the U.S. supports Israel financially more than most if not all other countries. To be fair, we also support their opponents as well.

http://dailycaller.com/2012/09/10/obama-aids-egypt-as-it-tries-to-buy-u-boats/

[nathanm]

Who was it that said "a well armed society is a polite society"?

[Red Arrow]

RA, they get the same credit either way. The cuts don't affect benefits. Of course, this is just tossing more IOUs into the trust fund, but we were doing that anyway.

I understand what you are saying but am losing the confidence it will happen. 

Fixing the economy would more than make up for any shortfall, but that would depend on the economy actually being fixed,

I mostly agree up to here.

which isn't going to happen with the refusal of the Republicans to brook any compromise on stimulus and the continued debt overhang that is continuing to depress consumption.

This is where we diverge on how to fix the economy.

[nathanm]

This is where we diverge on how to fix the economy.

If slack demand caused by excessive debt levels isn't keeping the economy stagnant, what is?

[heironymouspasparagus]

Feel free to educate us on "our Israeli policy". Feel free to use words, numbers and pictures if needed.

You gonna supply the large size crayons for that effort?  Nobody can explain it in any rational means other than using large crayons and kraft paper....it just doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

[heironymouspasparagus]

If slack demand caused by excessive debt levels isn't keeping the economy stagnant, what is?

That's where you diverge...it couldn't possibly be anything that would actually be the reason, or do anything that might actually work.

[erfalf]

Considering the recent events, does no one but me find the irony is us discussing Obama's stellar foreign policy experience.

That being said, what great experience does Obama have? And by extension Clinton (who is widely hailed as being an expert on the subject)? From what I can tell this is the bulk of our current President's foreign policy credentials:

* Trying to undo a constitutional overthrow of pro-Chavez dictator.
http://www.americanthinker.com/2009/07/honduras_and_iran_obama_betray.html
* Convinced Canada to sell oil to China instead of us by attempting to block the XL.
* Since only Obama knows how to deal with the U.K., the admin decided to back the Argentinians over them in a dispute with the Falklands.
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/peterfoster/100165348/the-falklands-dispute-lays-bare-the-damage-that-barack-obama-has-done-to-the-not-so-special-us-uk-relationship/
* The attacks recently on U.S. consulates. Just to be fair, not once during our "occupation" of Iraq did the consulate there get attacked.
* Afghanistan surge. Why don't we just give them the playbook next time.

Good things:
* Kept Guantanomo open, although he opposed it.
* Confronting the naval threat by Iran in Strait of Hormuz, but then shows little support for Israel.
* accelerating the drone program, which is a Bush admin program, and is something that would seem to fly in the face of what he campaigned on.
* Osama bin Laden's death.

[Hoss]

Considering the recent events, does no one but me find the irony is us discussing Obama's stellar foreign policy experience.

That being said, what great experience does Obama have? And by extension Clinton (who is widely hailed as being an expert on the subject)? From what I can tell this is the bulk of our current President's foreign policy credentials:

* Trying to undo a constitutional overthrow of pro-Chavez dictator.
http://www.americanthinker.com/2009/07/honduras_and_iran_obama_betray.html
* Convinced Canada to sell oil to China instead of us by attempting to block the XL.
* Since only Obama knows how to deal with the U.K., the admin decided to back the Argentinians over them in a dispute with the Falklands.
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/peterfoster/100165348/the-falklands-dispute-lays-bare-the-damage-that-barack-obama-has-done-to-the-not-so-special-us-uk-relationship/
* The attacks recently on U.S. consulates. Just to be fair, not once during our "occupation" of Iraq did the consulate there get attacked.
* Afghanistan surge. Why don't we just give them the playbook next time.

Good things:
* Kept Guantanomo open, although he opposed it.
* Confronting the naval threat by Iran in Strait of Hormuz, but then shows little support for Israel.
* accelerating the drone program, which is a Bush admin program, and is something that would seem to fly in the face of what he campaigned on.
* Osama bin Laden's death.

During Bush, however (just in a span from 2001 to 2006), let's look and see HIS record:

June 14, 2002, U.S. consulate in Karachi, Pakistan
Suicide bomber kills 12 and injures 51.
February 20, 2003, international diplomatic compound in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Truck bomb kills 17.

February 28, 2003, U.S. consulate in Karachi, Pakistan
Gunmen on motorcycles killed two consulate guards.

July 30, 2004, U.S. embassy in Taskkent, Uzbekistan
Suicide bomber kills two.

December 6, 2004, U.S. consulate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Militants stormed and occupied perimeter wall. Five killed, 10 wounded.

March 2, 2006, U.S. consulate in Karachi, Pakistan
Suicide car bomber killed four, including a U.S. diplomate directly targeted by the assailants.

September 12, 2006, U.S. embassy in Damascus, Syria
Gunmen attacked embassy with grenades, automatic weapons, and a car bomb (though second truck bomb failed to detonate). One killed and 13 wounded.

January 12, 2007, U.S. embassy in Athens, Greece
A rocket-propelled grenade was fired at the embassy building. No one was injured.

July 9, 2008, U.S. consulate in Istanbul, Turkey
Armed men attacked consulate with pistols and shotguns. Three policemen killed.

March 18, 2008, U.S. embassy in Sana'a, Yemen
Mortar attack misses embassy, hits nearby girls' school instead.

September 17, 2008, U.S. embassy in Sana'a, Yemen
Militants dressed as policemen attacked the embassy with RPGs, rifles, grenades and car bombs. Six Yemeni soldiers and seven civilians were killed. Sixteen more were injured.


Finally...guess what?  A 'consulate' in Iraq didn't exist until 2009.

You really make me chuckle sometimes.  LOL.

BTW, the attacks in Benghazi and Cairo are the first two on the President's watch.

Let's also remember who RMoney has said the biggest geopolitical foe of the US is.  Not Al Qaeda....but Russia.  Time warp anyone?