speaking directly to the Democrats who gave Bush

was forced by ISIS and the countries they are terrorizing. Bernie Sanders could be President and I'm confident the result would be the same. Countries in the region are crying out for help with these idiots and we are the only capable military to do it.

Before this thing is over, Russia will be more involved and with support, and I mean any support, from Arab countries we'll knock these guys out.

I would like something in return, however. First, the coalition needs to find a way to cut off funding for the extremists. Will be touchy for the oil barons in the region that support these fools, but I think they would ultimately rather keep their fortunes than constantly deal with crazy terrorists. Secondly, my God, can we do something about education in these countries. Arab countries need to embrace a bit of modernism and teach something to kids besides religion. I know we aren't the ones to set up secular schools in the region but somebody has to. Oil rich countries need to take the lead on this and get it done or they will be dealing with idiot extremists on a massive scale for a long time to come.

Tiggity®

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Here's the deal with the whole Middle East mess, and our

Sep 23, 2014, 1:59 PM

decades long inept foreign policy....

America can not being democracy to any nation, people, religion, whatever, who don't want it or can't deal with it. Period. I supported what Bush did in Afghanistan, but not as much in Iraq because we had no dictator in exile on standby to install in Iraq.

The bottom line with the Middle East is that it is in our best national interest NOT to try and make the place a democracy because that will fail. We are much better served, as we were in Afghanistan, installing a dictator who is friendly with America. AND, we need to let that dictator who is friendly, or at least ambivalent to the US, be as ruthless as he needs to be to stomp out the extremists.

I don't think what Obama is doing will be helpful to the United States overall because it's weak and open-ended. IF Bush were smart about it, he and the CIA would have figured out which Sunni and which Shia leaders were the most popular in Iraq BEFORE going to war. Then we go to war, get rid of Saddam, split the place along sectarian lines, and install the most powerful dictator for each of the competing sides and let them be. Another option would be to split it three ways, Kurd, Sunni, and Shia. IF you did it that way, you could try and support democracy in each of the three autonomous areas.

As long as these people are fighting each other, or are oppressed into submission by some unsavory dictator, I'm fine with that. When a culture is as religious as they are in Muslim nations, putting up with a dictator (as long as he leaves us alone) is preferred over trying to bring democracy to that nation and letting the nuts run free and collect power. I mean, do you think a democracy in a nation full of people who practice sharia law and want all Jews dead and America destroyed, is in our best interest?

And one more thing Mr. President Bush, Reagan, Obama, etc.....our enemies enemy is NOT necessarily our friend. We supported the Taliban because we didn't like Russia. We supported Saddam because we didn't like Iran. So what did we get for our efforts in these circumstances? We should have let Russia take Afghanistan. ####, I can't understand why Russia wanted it to begin with. Those people will never integrate with Russia either way. Russia was actually probably better off having lost that war than having to deal with victory.

I just wish Saddam had never tried to kill Bush, Sr. because that was the real reason for that war above all others. Saddam placed himself as a direct threat by doing that, and Bush the younger took that very personally. Had Saddam just done like Khadaffy (however you spell it) and minded his own business, he would still be in power, alive, and ISIS would not exist.

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If I had a vote, I would have voted no. And I would

but without a vote, does the President have the authority

Can you declare war on a group of people?

Certainly. Indeed, ISIS has more statelike

Isis is no more state like than any other terrorist group

they control significant territory, energy production, etc..

They had all of Afghanistan as their playground

Re: they control significant territory, energy production, etc..

Why? ******

Re: Why? ******

Why do they want us to attack?***

Re: Why do they want us to attack?***

Russia certainly wants us to attack

I say, once Congress issues these Letters of marque

LMAO***

ISIS is not recognized by any nation state

Where is Code Pink?***

or Geechie, DemoCat, phi, etc...

Pretty much right where you'd expect them.

A few things.

well said

^^^Agrees with my #2.

Africa does not have oil? WRONG!

Re: A few things.

Excuse me, I shouldn't say "no oil."

Not on board.***

Re: Not on board.***

A Middle East full of radical religious nuts? Can't imagine.***

Re: A Middle East full of radical religious nuts? Can't imagine.***

They're already using our weapons.

Re: They're already using our weapons.

Re: They're already using our weapons.

Speculating? I'd say nukes are unlikely.***

Re: Speculating? I'd say nukes are unlikely.***

Re: Speculating? I'd say nukes are unlikely.***

agree 100%

Re: agree 100%

but will a blue jew vote against Israel?***

Re: but will a blue jew vote against Israel?***

I don't think there is any reason to politicize it, our hand

I'm not sure it's "politicizing" to ask if this is...

Re: ...^^^ this...***

The extremists are the result of trying to support democracy

Here's the deal with the whole Middle East mess, and our

Splitting up countries in the Middle East works great.

Best way might be to encourage Arab nationalism***

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