McCain's foreign policy plan

[umalak_]

http://www.foreignaffairs.org/200711...n-freedom.html

it's 7 pages but i think if you just read the first 3 or so that'd give you the idea of what he wants to do. it's very obvious that he has an extensive plan for the military... and only about a fourth of it i agree with, the rest of it is nonsense that he'll probably never be able to pull off.

posting it just in case anyone wants to read it

[umalak_]

btw, he wrote that last year and he stated that he thought the UN should do more in regards to Iran and they have:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/04/wo...tml?8au&emc=au

[JohnMos]

Defeating radical Islamist extremists is the national security challenge of our time. Iraq is this war's central front, according to our commander there, General David Petraeus, and according to our enemies, including al Qaeda's leadership.

That's as far as I have to read to know I will never vote for this guy.

[umalak_]

Iraq is important in the war on terror, no doubt about that. Having a stable democracy or rather a stable country in the middle of the Mid east like that will certainly help things out in the long run. If you really want to see where McCain goes wrong then you need to read on. You should read some of the things he says he is going to try to get done...

[zerojunkie]

Besides getting into pissing matches with Russians and trying to raise million man armies. What don't you agree with?

[St. Stalin the Apathetic]

Originally Posted by umalak_

Iraq is important in the war on terror, no doubt about that. Having a stable democracy or rather a stable country in the middle of the Mid east like that will certainly help things out in the long run. ..

you have a severe fever recently?

[umalak_]

no fever, why do you ask?

and zerojunkie, when i get a free moment i'll go back over McCain's words and highlight the paragraphs that he wrote that are just ridiculous

[St. Stalin the Apathetic]

Originally Posted by umalak_

no fever, why do you ask?

The fact that you didn't declare any use of military force inherently wrong and in need of immediate cessation suggests either a fever, demonic possession or a slight maturation in your worldview.... two of those options seemed fairly ridiculous to consider.

[umalak_]

heh ok

I am not against the use of military under all circumstances even if that was the purposeful impression I have given off in the past, what I'm against is the irresponsible use of military.... for example: the U.S. going into Iraq in the first place. Us going into Iraq CAUSED problems that now us staying there has a chance to FIX.

But there were better ways to handle things than invading Iraq to begin with.

[St. Stalin the Apathetic]

Originally Posted by umalak_

But there were better ways to handle things than invading Iraq to begin with.

reasonable debate may be had on that point... that we did it wrong is not subject to much debate... that we have to finish it right (FIX) is also, imo, not subject to much debate...

neither are these points \/ subject to much debate

Originally Posted by umalak_

Iraq is important in the war on terror, no doubt about that. Having a stable democracy or rather a stable country in the middle of the Mid east like that will certainly help things out in the long run.

I am sure you would agree that there was reason for me to be astonished with your apparent turn

[jaesun]

Originally Posted by umalak_

heh ok

I am not against the use of military under all circumstances even if that was the purposeful impression I have given off in the past, what I'm against is the irresponsible use of military.... for example: the U.S. going into Iraq in the first place. Us going into Iraq CAUSED problems that now us staying there has a chance to FIX.

But there were better ways to handle things than invading Iraq to begin with.

I like you a little more now.




don't tell anyone

[umalak_]

Okay sure. The reason I take such a hardline stance on an issue like that is because right now the overall opinion of the majority of people is that war is okay to be an option. Most people, especially four years ago, thought that invading Iraq was okay. I don't think that war should be so easy of an option. We shouldn't take it off the table but we shouldn't be putting it up in neon lights above the table either. War is NOT an attractive option and I still think we have leaders in Washington who don't take a good enough look at the different options before resorting to war.

That's why I take such a hardline stance in the other direction. I want to see the balance tipped in the other direction.

[umalak_]

Originally Posted by jaesun

I like you a little more now.

don't tell anyone

would you like me more or less if I told you that I don't think McCain would be nearly as bad of a President as any of the other Republicans would?

I'm not sure why some of you would've voted for Guiliani though, wow that would've sucked for this country.

[St. Stalin the Apathetic]

Originally Posted by umalak_

Okay sure. The reason I take such a hardline stance on an issue like that is because right now the overall opinion of the majority of people is that war is okay to be an option.

I disagree... war is almost always the worst option.... w/Iraq I felt it the least bad of a variety of very bad options. Like I said, reasonable debate can be had but it was anything but easy.

Originally Posted by umalak_

I don't think that war should be so easy of an option.

Here's our big disagreement... I never thought it was an easy choice to make. My brother and 2 first cousins were there...

Supporting an action that could kill my family is anything but easy. Knowing what my family risked meant it impacted every other person the same way. I've been to soldiers' funerals... it is not easy. It is painful and tragic. I'm baffled how you could think anyone found it an easy choice.

[umalak_]

If you don't think that between Cheney, Rumsfeld, and Bush that they felt that war was an easier option that you're making it out to be then I don't know what to tell you. It's clear to me and many other people that those three had a bone to pick with Iraq and when push came to shove they did not lose sleep over making that decision to invade Iraq.