Meh. Sounds like a non-story. But my thoughts, for what they're worth.
Legolas Send a noteboard - 02/09/2012 11:05:52 PM
1) How hawkish does Romney strike you outside of his necessary campaign leanings? And how likely is he to surround himself with hawks?
I'm inclined to say hawk or not doesn't even matter much at this point - there is no money and no public support to engage in a new war, not unless America's hand is forced so badly that pretty much any president would have to make the call - Syria taking the genocide against its own population too far, or Iran attacking Israel.
Though for what it's worth, Romney doesn't really strike me as particularly hawkish. He doesn't strike me as having much of a particular interest in foreign policy in general, really. And one can hope that if president he would appoint somebody serious at State - Powell is probably not an option anymore since he's shown himself too blatantly liberal, but Rice or Lugar or someone like that would be good.
2) From the perspective of a hawk, how apparent will be the necessity or foolishness of another war in the middle east in the next four years?
There's absolutely no money, momentum or desire for Iraq-like wars. If at all possible, they'll deal with an escalating Syria Bosnia-style (or Libya-style, I guess we should call it now). If Israel and Iran face off... that could really turn out many different ways, but American troops on Iranian soil seems like a fairly extreme result.
3) Would a second Obama administration really be any different on that score from a first Romney administration?
Not too much, no. Although a Romney administration would be even more useless with regards to the Israeli-Palestine conflict than an Obama one, judging by what he's said so far. But then, I find it increasingly hard to see what an American president can still contribute to the solution of that conflict. Looks like in the end it'll be the two countries themselves that will have to do the hard work - neither's allies are really all that helpful when you get down to it.
Biden claims Romney wants war with Syria and Iran.
02/09/2012 10:48:24 PM
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Meh. Sounds like a non-story. But my thoughts, for what they're worth.
02/09/2012 11:05:52 PM
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Biden should be busy preparing to debate Ryan so he is not shredded, instead of saying stupid things
02/09/2012 11:52:35 PM
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We should introduce a new military doctrine
03/09/2012 02:46:33 AM
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I still think the post-war Axis powers the best model, but that requires equivalent manpower.
03/09/2012 03:57:12 AM
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It's a terrible model.
03/09/2012 11:42:36 PM
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Re: It's a terrible model.
04/09/2012 04:09:21 AM
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I recently read Stephen Ambrose's Band of Brothers, about a regiment from the 101st in WW2.
04/09/2012 10:29:01 PM
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wars they didn't start themselves? how do you figure that?
04/09/2012 10:45:07 PM
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We cannot hold all Afghanistan/Iraq accountable for governments against which they were powerless.
04/09/2012 11:54:46 PM
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so what? Governments habe always been who goes to war
05/09/2012 02:55:25 AM
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True, but we cannot hold people responsible for actions of their undemocratic governments.
05/09/2012 03:19:20 AM
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well thanks to the US they now have democratcily elected governments and can be held accountable *NM*
05/09/2012 02:30:41 PM
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Democratically elected? We will be propping it up with the US Army for at least two more years.
05/09/2012 07:19:21 PM
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being propped up by the US military doesn't make it not a democracy
05/09/2012 07:29:42 PM
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Political power that comes out of the barrel of a gun precludes democracy.
05/09/2012 09:01:40 PM
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it was always a lost cost and all governments are backed up by the barrel of a gun
05/09/2012 09:49:51 PM
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No more so than Iraq, but at least there was a threat to America to fight in Afghanistan.
23/09/2012 04:51:14 AM
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I said start. I quite agree with you about the things that went on after the wars themselves ended.
05/09/2012 08:51:58 PM
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shooting at our aircraft is none hostile?
05/09/2012 10:06:07 PM
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It is very difficult to reconcile this post with Toms.
04/09/2012 11:50:06 PM
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Hey, remember when Bush invaded Iraq? For no reason at all, it turned out?
03/09/2012 01:56:49 AM
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Realistically, I don't think Romney would do MUCH different. But that little bit...
03/09/2012 02:19:14 AM
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After all the moeny he took from Sheldon Adelson he HAS to attack Iran. Adelson will foot the bill. *NM*
03/09/2012 05:19:27 AM
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I don't think Romney is that interested in starting a war with anyone
04/09/2012 02:39:14 PM
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