USA elections: I think I reached the point where I think it is going to be BAD wherever way it goes.

[alexandral]

I was reading about USA elections and found this piece of Biden's statement he apparently made during the Democratic convention:

"Bush foreign policy has dug us into a very deep hole, with very few friends to help us climb out. And for the last seven years, the administration has failed to face the biggest the biggest forces shaping this century. The emergence of Russia, China and India's great powers, the spread of lethal weapons, the shortage of secure supplies of energy, food and water.

Ladies and gentlemen, in recent years and in recent days we once again see the consequences of the neglect, of this neglect, of Russia challenging the very freedom of a new democratic country of Georgia. Barack and I will end that neglect. We will hold Russia accountable for its action and we will help Georgia rebuild. I have been on the ground in Georgia, Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and I can tell you in no uncertain terms, this administration's policy has been an abysmal failure. America cannot afford four more years of this failure.And now, now, despite being complacent in the catastrophic foreign policy, John McCain says Barack Obama, Barrack Obama is not ready to protect our national security. Now let me ask you this. Whose judgment do you trust? Should you trust the judgment of John McCain when he said only 3 years ago, "Afghanistan - we don't read about it anymore in the papers, because it succeeded"? Or do you believe Barack Obama, who said a year ago, "We need to send two more combat battalions to Afghanistan"?

The fact of the matter is, al-Qaida and the Taliban - the people who have actually attacked us on 9/11 - they've regrouped in the mountains between Afghanistan and Pakistan and are plotting new attacks. And the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has echoed Barack's call for more troops and John McCain was wrong and Barack Obama was right."

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Leaving the Georgia issue aside as a difficult and controversial one it still seems:

1. Even though Biden seems to be a supporter of the troops withdrawal from Iraq his view doesn't imply that USA should stop it's wars. No, he means that instead of Iraq war it will be the war with Afganistan and (sort of implied) attacks on Pakistan borders. Or even a war with Pakistan?

2. Russia, China and India's "great powers" are bulked with lethal weapons.

3. The "war on terror" (and international paranoia) will continue, just in a different place.

4. Even though I promised to leave the Georgia issue aside, "We will hold Russia accountable for its action" sounds kind of ominous. BRRRRRRRRRRR.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I need to dig a hole and hide. It does seem that whoever wins the elections there is not going to be any changes. McCain/Palin support the war in Iraq. Obama/Biden support the "war on terrorism".

Comments

[seven-trees.livejournal.com]

I need to dig a hole and hide.

Save some space for me.

[bzoppa.livejournal.com]

I could be completely wrong, but I don't think foreign policy is going to be the highest priority if Obama/Biden win, ie expanding US efforts in war.

These are just my thoughts.

One factoid Biden (exhaustively) repeated was the US spends the same amount in Iraq in 3 weeks as spent in Afghanistan for the past 7 years. I think he was trying to highlight the waste of money spent in Bush's war rather than the "war on terror" where it should be, and the money that should be directed inwards.

I think if Obama/Biden win, their focus will be to pull in all that crap we've been wasting overseas and fix things internally: health care, education, the middle class, the economy. I think the bits he threw in there were to appease the, "But if we pull out of Iraq, what are you going to do to continue the 'war on terror?'"-people.

Imagine working in an Irish pub in Washington, DC during that debate. The owner's a Republican and the city is 92% Democrat. Plus beer.

[ancarett]

Obama & Biden's policy statement on foreign relations is very reassuring. Regarding Russia, they're fairly positive:
"Russia today is not the Soviet Union, and we are not returning to the Cold War. Retrofitting outdated 20th century thinking to address this new 21st century challenge will not advance American national interests."

Biden, in the debate, decried the idea that a surge policy is needed in Afghanistan, pointing to the U.S. commander in Afghanistan's recent words against a surge-type policy, instead saying that more troops would not help without helping the government, building infrastructure and making a difference, that way.

So, really, I think that this ticket is much more positive.

[nutmeg3.livejournal.com]

I have to say, I'm not thrilled with my choices in November, but Obama is so decidedly the better choice, imo, that I'm praying he gets in and then has a staff who bring some reality to bear on some of his more troubling positions.

[trailer-spot.livejournal.com]

I don't want to say too much about politics. It just makes me angry. ;) So just a few bullet points.

- I exaggerate (a little) but in general I'd say, politicians say nothing but lies before the elections. So I don't think much about it.
- I always thought that Obama is the leser evil than McCain but once he's president he will be more conservative than people may think. Even if he wants to bring back troops from Afghanistan and Iraq it will take longer than people think.
- the "war on terror" will not end anytime soon. So many nations have now an infrastructure in place to "fight this war" terror but at the same time is just at least as efficient (probably even more so) in keeping their people in check by controlling what they are doing and saying. It is way too tempting for politicians to scare their people and pretend "they" are the only ones who can protect them.
- I suspect that the US will for a while have their hands full with economic problems (same goes for Russia). While sometimes governments start wars to deflect from domestic problems, I don't think they will do it for now because they can't finance it and in case of the US don't have the people to fight it.

On a different, more pleasant topic. I've watched the first two new episodes of "Life". I think I now know what you meant when you said that they made Detective Resese even more beautiful. :D
No more shirts but even more "figure-hugging" tops and she always wears her hair open. Now, I would be lying if I said that I don't find her more attractive on a physical level. However, I don't think it is really a good change. It's one of the cases where "less is more". It's far more attractive if she wears it open only in special situations. If she does it all the time then one gets used to it.
But don't get me wrong, that's not really a "problem" for me. But I would've preferred it if they hadn't changed it. :)

Any thoughts on the new eps/changes? The new chief?

[arathisiewen.livejournal.com]

*sigh*

Again, let me jsut move to Canada NOW, okay??