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Hypothetical Attack

tlord82

Registered User
pilot
BlackBear,

What you're forgetting is that this hypothetical attack would be a relatively unprovoked attack that would kill scores of American airmen and Marines. It would not be a conflict started by our forces (Iraq, Somalia). Americans would get pissed and pissed quick. Very few Americans question why we have our forces forward deployed throughout the world (limp-dick liberals and far right isolationists). Flash is spot on. If the administration makes common sense arguments to the public as we rush forces to the theater, Americans would be screaming "Remember the Maine" in no time.
And the Air Farce can have as many F-22s as they want as long as they keep those Fulcrums and F-10s off my ass.
 

ArkhamAsylum

500+ Posts
pilot
As long as the media portrays somebody as the "Bad Guy" that we have to defeat, the public will support just about anything. I cite as examples King George III, Jefferson Davis, Emperor Hirohito, Hitler, Stalin, Osama, and Sadaam. (Wasn't it about the time we captured Sadaam that the public started protesting more heavily?)
 

Spekkio

He bowls overhand.
tlord, more to the point:

I think you'd be hard pressed to find an American who thinks that we didn't belong in Afghanistan chasing Al Qaeda. On the other hand, Iraq was sold to the public on false premises and promises. That might not be so bad if this administration mapped out a clear-cut, plain English plan for achieving victory. As it stands, this Presidency is a lame duck, and the American public is sick of hearing daily stories of wounded Soldiers and Marines with no clear, tangible military objective.

If we were attacked again like we were on 9/11, I would have no doubt that 99% of the American public would want to annihilate whoever did it.
 

raptor10

Philosoraptor
Contributor
tlord, more to the point:

I think you'd be hard pressed to find an American who thinks that we didn't belong in Afghanistan chasing Al Qaeda. On the other hand, Iraq was sold to the public on false premises and promises. That might not be so bad if this administration mapped out a clear-cut, plain English plan for achieving victory. As it stands, this Presidency is a lame duck, and the American public is sick of hearing daily stories of wounded Soldiers and Marines with no clear, tangible military objective.

If we were attacked again like we were on 9/11, I would have no doubt that 99% of the American public would want to annihilate whoever did it.
How do you explain Ron Paul supporters? Over here on the left coast, I saw plenty of objections to fighting the Taliban and Al Qaeda... Even today, I know more than an handful of people who believe that if we didn't have a military we would not be attacked...
 

eddie

Working Plan B
Contributor
How do you explain Ron Paul supporters? Over here on the left coast, I saw plenty of objections to fighting the Taliban and Al Qaeda... Even today, I know more than an handful of people who believe that if we didn't have a military we would not be attacked...

You explain them as the minority small enough to be ignored. :)
 

Spekkio

He bowls overhand.
How do you explain Ron Paul supporters?
Most Ron Paul supporters are in the 18-25 year old group. Additionally, Ron Paul is a fiscally conservative/socially liberal type of candidate, which is extremely rare. Republicans want to give people freedom with their money and to buy guns, but then they launch dumb crusades to stop people from listening to Howard Stern. Democrats don't give a shit if you listen to Stern, but damned if you're gonna keep your money. Ron Paul speaks to the "liberal" side of college students: he deems any social legislation (ie drugs, alcohol, censorship) as a waste of tax money, and wants to reduce our military.

Also, I don't think that Ron Paul supporters necessarily think that we shouldn't be fighting Al Qaeda.

I actually liked a lot of Ron Paul's ideas until I heard him speak. It seems shallow, but now picture a guy like that making a diplomatic trip to speak to other world leaders, or "selling" a policy to the American public. There's no way that he's cut out for the Presidency.

Even today, I know more than an handful of people who believe that if we didn't have a military we would not be attacked...
It's really pointless to speculate over this in either direction, ie that attack was imminent no matter what or that attacks were provoked by forward bases. The fact is that we do have forward bases, but Al Qaeda didn't attack those forward bases; they attacked our homeland.

I think that resentment in the Middle East toward America is due to a combination of fear of "westernization" and U.S. support for Israel. I don't necessarily think that pulling out of forward bases in the Middle East is going to make either reason for their hatred disappear.
 

loadtoad

Well-Known Member
pilot
Contributor
I think that resentment in the Middle East toward America is due to a combination of fear of "westernization" and U.S. support for Israel. I don't necessarily think that pulling out of forward bases in the Middle East is going to make either reason for their hatred disappear.


Well put
 

raptor10

Philosoraptor
Contributor
Most Ron Paul supporters are in the 18-25 year old group.
Proof? And how does that detract from the fact that they support him?
Ron Paul is a fiscally conservative/socially liberal type of candidate, which is extremely rare.
Proof?
Also, I don't think that Ron Paul supporters necessarily think that we shouldn't be fighting Al Qaeda.
Proof?
It's really pointless to speculate over this in either direction
So we should make policy decisions regardless of the situation on the ground?
I think that resentment in the Middle East toward America is due to a combination of fear of "westernization" and U.S. support for Israel.
Translation, you believe that the ulama fear losing power...
 

Spekkio

He bowls overhand.
Proof for the fact that most Ron Paul supporters are young: Look at the polls. Better yet, look at the fact that Ron Paul was quoted as saying such in the debates.

Proof that his type of candidate is extremely rare: Have you been following politics for the past few years? It's the reason that I'm registered as an independent. You have a package deal with both parties, and each wants to make it so that you cannot do something. It's just a matter of what that something is. Republicans don't want you to enjoy life, and democrats don't want you to enjoy your money. It's just what they stand for. Why do you think that the "Christian Right" is attracted to Republicans? Why do you think that so many young people are attracted to Democrats? If you don't believe me, you can look it up. Paul is a separation from that because of his libertarian stance. He wants you to enjoy life and money.

Proof that Ron Paul supporters don't necessarily think we should stop fighting Al Qaeda: I don't have proof in this area beyond the Ron Paul supporters I've spoken to.

So we should make policy decisions regardless of the situation on the ground: I never said that we should. I don't know how you got that from my post. I was simply saying that speculating over something that cannot be proven either way is a waste of time. It's like speculating over whether there are moon men in another galaxy that we cannot see. What's the point? We have forward bases, and we're not going to shut them down just so that we can "test" this hypothesis that our forward bases are the root of all resentment in the Middle East.

Translation, you believe that the ulama fear losing power...
Yes and no. It doesn't take an Einstein to realize that Arab life is much different from ours. The thing that we sometimes forget is that they might like it like that.
 

tlord82

Registered User
pilot
Spekkio,

I agree with what you're saying because you're agreeing with what I was saying. You'll notice that in my post I did not mention afghanistan as one of our unpopular conflicts.
 
Well, just to add to the numerous China related threads, I thought I'd throw this one in the mix...a friend sent it to me earlier: http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2008/01/airforce_china_strategy_080121/

Thought it might be able to spark some good conversation/debate...

China stands to lose much economically. We need to show greater military strength off their coasts at the same time we pull them closer economically in a manner that closes the trade deficit. They need to be dependent upon us, without us being too dependent on them - in as much as that is possible given they are a big player in a globalised world.

Iran is the reason I want to join the Navy. They are a dangerous adversary to America and American interests. They are religiously nationalistic, worship "martyrdom" and have elevated the rhetoric in ways I am concerned are a prelude to war. Have you ever read "Guests of the Ayatollah" - it's a very fascinating look into the way they think. When a war comes it will be the Navy who makes that first crucial hit against Iran.
 

Brett327

Well-Known Member
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
we pull them closer economically in a manner that closes the trade deficit. They need to be dependent upon us, without us being too dependent on them.

Easier said than done. What's the plan here?

Iran is the reason I want to join the Navy. When a war comes...
I can appreciate your bravado, but that kind of determinism is a dangerous thing in our business. Make no mistake - a war with Iran will be an ugly, ugly thing and it will be a lose/lose situation for both sides. It should be the option of last resort. That said, as in the Cold War, we need to train and be prepared, and hope that day never comes.

Brett
 

Spekkio

He bowls overhand.
The only thing this accomplishes is to prevent you from voting in the primaries(in most states).

Brett

And what good is voting in the primary going to do me when the party with whom I'm registered isn't putting up a candidate I like? This year I happen to be following the Republican debate because I like those candidates better. In 2012, I might like the Democrats better. If I'm registered as a Democrat (or vice-versa) and I only like the opposing party's choices, then it doesn't matter.

I can appreciate your bravado, but that kind of determinism is a dangerous thing in our business. Make no mistake - a war with Iran will be an ugly, ugly thing and it will be a lose/lose situation for both sides. It should be the option of last resort. That said, as in the Cold War, we need to train and be prepared, and hope that day never comes.
Yea, a war with Iran poses a ton of problems, from impassable terrain to a diplomatic mess with all the countries who provide fuel for our war machine.
 
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