Tonny from BelgiumMar 26th, 2008 - 20:27:20

Finally, someone in the Republican party has realized that there is great wisdom in Europe. We in Europe have great experience in foreign affairs. Look at the fine job we did during the last century. While we are generous with our opinions, don't expect us to actually do anything (like contribute funds or equipment or soldiers). We are just in the opinion business.

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Mcbomb said...Mar 26th, 2008 - 22:32:12

'When we believe international action is necessary, whether military, economic, or diplomatic, we will try to persuade our friends that we are right,' he said. 'But we, in return, must be willing to be persuaded by them.'

Comment:
All these hypotheticals reveal his true nature. Chomping at the bit to use POWER for something, even before having an enemy or cause.

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You are doing my shtick !!!!Mar 26th, 2008 - 23:06:46

'in Europe have great experience in foreign affairs.'

Yes, WW2, WW1, The Franco-Prussian war, Kosovo, etc... ;-)

Europeans are like tics riding on a dogs backside getting a free ride/lunch. The only difference is that they have the audacity to complain that they cant control the poor dog.

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tonny from belgumMar 26th, 2008 - 23:09:06

I prefer to be seeing the Obama president because his preacgher is the only religous person who is not a muslim that i have agreed with .

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SP4:Mar 26th, 2008 - 23:37:19

McCain's comments marked a sharp departure from the Bush administration's policy of acting unilaterally when it believes US interests are at stake.

What other role does the President have, other than acting in American interests?

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tonny from belgiumMar 26th, 2008 - 23:38:26

Don't be lured into thinking the two posts above were made by me,any decent man can only enjoy the fact that McCain is throwing overboard the legacy of BUsh.I guess somebody else here is losing his marbles now that McCain tries to get rid sever the ties with what was obviously a disgrace to the american people .I always knew they will wake up and join the international world community .Where is SP4 now that all his ships are burning...hiding behind my name ?Good,I'd be enjoying that .I'm sincerely glad the last moronic cretins refuting global warming...like noharness claiming that it is al due to bad positioning of measuring instruments (how stupid can one be to reduce the biggest problem of humanity to such explanation) and his friend SP4 are now on the way out.Let's all wave them out.And as somebody else already said ...the door is that wooden thing in the wall,don't let it hit you in the bum.

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SP4:Mar 26th, 2008 - 23:49:57

My posts are labeled, as such, above.

They contain no ambiguities, but they do require you to, perhaps, think.

By all means, apply yourselves and be sure to get back to us!

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SP4: 'Heloo?'Mar 27th, 2008 - 00:31:01

'...yes, this is th prez e dint...oh!...hello Johnny.....how's it goin?...con grats on th nomination...nah...you'll git er fer sure Johnny...jes let me knoow if ya need ol Karl t come up an hep...no?...no Karl?....golly Johnny, he's th best...yeah, ah knoow..who knew Kerrys men really hated im s much?...beats me....coulda been calin em names or sumpin...beats th haell outa me...pretty dumb fer such a smart guy..'

'What..unilateralism.....y what?....jes a minute....lookin it up....oh yeah..that!...haell Johnny, what d ya think thit oath ya take on the capital steps means....it sure as haell don't mean ya oil up t sum'un who's cornholin ya bee hind ya back....ah guiss thit covers pretty much th whole damn world...but ya cin't do it anyways unless yur doin th cornhoolin..n' Johnny, it's a figyah o speech...noo ah don't knoow if Clinton did that eithah...maybah...she wuz th type, thit's fer sure!...'

'cooperation?....oh, thit....yeah, we git sum o thit...yep, th Brits, th poles....sum tahmes evin th French...th germans...yep...th Italians...yep, th Saudis, th Indians, Pakis's, sum othim S. Amiricans...Th Mexicans and th canucks too!...heck Johnny, evin th Russians on a good dayah....S whats th problim thire Johnny...is the Viet Cong....c'mon Johnny, be honest...they still rubbin ya th wrong way....waell, who cin blame ya....y could always pick anothah fight with em Johnny....no? Waell, OK bah me...'

'Here's what ah do Johnny...most o these other nations jes hate mah guts, but th leadahs cum t me fer hep, an I hep em! Yep, reel prahvate an all! Ah hepp'ed thim euro's git outa Kyotoo, got ol Sarkzy..nahce wahfe eh..wish SHE wuz runnin fer Hillarah, huh? That'd be worth gittin a lamp broke oveah y ' head fer sure!...got im sum stuff, covahed fer th Brits, hepp'ed th Germans, covah'ed fer both thim jews and most o th towelhaeds...thim S. Amiricans with CAFTA...ah hep em all Johnny, an let em piss on mee in thire own coutries t hep em summore! It works reeel good
Johnny..most of all, they all quit complainin, ya notice? Heh, heh, he...nuthin more pree dictable thin a politician, eh Johnny?!'

'Johnny, don't worry aboout it....thim votahs are eithah gonna or not....trah stayin outa trouble...muddy th watah a little...talk tough whin ya need to, an give the farm aways! ya' all win everah tahme! N' git out thire an win Johnny, make me proud boyh!'

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Jackass SP4 wants US to think!Mar 27th, 2008 - 02:42:51

RE: McCain's comments marked a sharp departure from the Bush administration's policy of acting unilaterally when it believes US interests are at stake.

What other role does the President have, other than acting in American interests?

===============================

Hey, schmuck - just perhaps, the President might be acting in America's interest just by shutting up and listening, and getting off that high-horse that he envisions himself riding? We're part of NATO as a common defense pact, and not the sole influence, as one example.

Bush showed zero interest in listening to anyone when even his own people advised against his policies in Iraq. Rumsfeld's 'old Europe' comment typified that egomania that YOU seem to share - the Neocon curse, as it were.

Bush has compounded his own stupidity by considering anyone not agreeing with him to be against him, and therefore disloyal.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraq_Study_Group_Report#Diplomatic_concerns

RECOMMENDATION 2: The goals of the diplomatic offensive as it relates to regional players should be to:

Support the unity and territorial integrity of Iraq.

Stop destabilizing interventions and actions by Iraq's neighbors.

Secure Iraq's borders, including the use of joint patrols with neighboring countries.

Prevent the expansion of the instability and conflict beyond Iraq's borders.

Promote economic assistance, commerce, trade, political support, and, if possible, military assistance for the Iraqi government from non-neighboring Muslim nations.

Energize countries to support national political reconciliation in Iraq.
Validate Iraq's legitimacy by resuming diplomatic relations, where appropriate, and reestablishing embassies in Baghdad.

Assist Iraq in establishing active working embassies in key capitals in the region (for example, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia).

Help Iraq reach a mutually acceptable agreement on Kirkuk.

Assist the Iraqi government in achieving certain security, political, and economic milestones, including better performance on issues such as national reconciliation, equitable distribution of oil revenues, and the dismantling of militias.

In this report, however, the goals of the United States take precedence over the interests of the population of Iraq:

Recommendation 41: The United States must make it clear to the Iraqi government that the United States could carry out its plans, including planned redeployments, even if Iraq does not implement its planned changes. America's other security needs and the future of our military cannot be made hostage to the actions or inactions of the Iraqi government.

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McCain will lose hard-right votes for thisMar 27th, 2008 - 02:50:36

(When you see our resident a-hole SP4 objecting, it's a good sign that someone in the GOP has absorbed a dose of realism. We've lost partners in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the Annapolis mideast conference become a symbol of a photo-op presidency where Bush occasionally went through the motions of listening, and then did exactly what he intended to in the first place. Efforts in Afghanistan are behind, and McCain has simply moved towards the center on the issue of respect for other countries.)

ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hVQ5j3WPZHqytrv1y0vQoA_M_QEwD8VLE7PO0

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Republican John McCain on Wednesday called anew for the United States to work more collegially with democratic allies and live up to its duties as a world leader, drawing a sharp contrast to the past eight years under President Bush.

'Our great power does not mean we can do whatever we want whenever we want, nor should we assume we have all the wisdom and knowledge necessary to succeed,' the likely presidential nominee said in a speech to the Los Angeles World Affairs Council. 'We need to listen to the views and respect the collective will of our democratic allies,' McCain added.

Coming days after his trip to the Middle East and Europe, McCain's speech was intended to signal to leaders abroad — and voters at home — that he would end an era of what critics have called Bush's cowboy diplomacy. McCain never mentioned Bush's name, though he evoked former Democratic Presidents Truman and Kennedy.

It was, in effect, a fresh acknowledgment from the Arizona senator that the United States' standing on the world stage has been tarnished and that the country has an image problem under Bush.

'We know that we have work to do,' McCain told reporters later.

Critics at home and abroad have accused Bush of employing a go-it-alone foreign policy in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks when the administration spurned international calls for caution and led the invasion into Iraq.

'The United States cannot lead by virtue of its power alone,' McCain said in the speech, noting that the United States did not single-handedly win the Cold War or other conflicts in its history. Instead, he said, the country must lead by attracting others to its cause, demonstrating the virtues of freedom and democracy, defending the rules of an international civilized society and creating new international institutions.

He said the United States must set an example for other democracies and renewed his call for creating a new global compact of more than 100 democratic countries to advance shared values and defend shared interests. Later, he told reporters he discussed his League of Democracies idea last week with French President Nicolas Sarkozy and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

In the speech, McCain also distanced himself from Bush by reiterating positions that run counter to the president: he favors the quick closure of the Guantanamo Bay prison for suspected terrorists, a successor to the Kyoto climate treaty, a global nuclear disarmament effort and a renewed commitment to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.

'If we lead by shouldering our international responsibilities and pointing the way to a better and safer future for humanity ... it will strengthen us to confront the transcendent challenge of our time: the threat of radical Islamic terrorism,' said the four-term senator and top Republican on the Armed Services Committee.

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