Listening to Leon Panetta talk about the cuts in military spending, the future, my initial thought, "what has this guy been smoking?" Honestly, I don't understand this thinking. This goes beyond politics so what the f..k! Do these people have some script they are reading from? There are plenty of ways to cut. And, to me, at this stage, it is all philosophical. But, I don't think that Panetta or even the President "gets it." Life has changed--circumstances have changed in the world. HELLO! HELLO! The Arab Spring should have taught us that countries can determine their own destinies without us. Panetta talks as if we are in the cold war. Sure, there are threats in the world but we are not the world policeman. Even if we wanted to continue to be stupid, we no longer can afford it. But, what is more important than that is our worldwide police activities have produced nothing but dead bodies, i. e., mostly young Americans and innocent civilians. Listening to Panetto (that I basically like) is what makes someone like Ron Paul credible. His foreign policy sounds drastic but only compared to what we have been doing and the way Panetto is talking.
Look at the objective evidence of the past three wars. Vietnam, we left with our tail between our legs. Ten years and a waste. In a thumbnail view, they solved it on their own. The great strategy of the domino theory was so much bullshit. IRAQ. All we got out of that was a dead Hussein and lost American soldiers. Just a day or two ago, close to a hundred Iraqis killed.
And, for goodness sakes, don't listen to the generals on Iraq or Afghanistan. They have to share some of the blame for our misadventure into Iraq, especially, where we don't even get a break on Iraqi oil. (The only general that kicked the traces on the invasion of Iraq was Shinsik)i. They in essence fired him. And, Afghanistan is a f..king mess by any standards and the only people who say otherwise are the generals and State Department.
It is insane to continue our present strategy. We simply cannot afford it. And, what is equally disturbing to me is the lack of interest in our foreign policy which often involves troops. I heard one of the Republicans criticizing the President for his military cut-backs while singing the tune of a strong military. His audience applauds and why not; He's talking to people who have no "skin" in the game. We have no draft, other people's children are fighting our wars (Romney, for instance, has no military experience and doubt that his 5 sons have served). Here's why Ron Paul is a possibility. His overall strategy wouldn't fly. Simply, couldn't pull it off but he might be able to do enough to move us to a sensible and sustainable position. It is worth looking at. Any possibility that it might happen? F..k no, the American electorate by in large is a selfish entity with only one mantra, "how does this affect me?"
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