"Previous administration and Afghanistan" Topic

We do agree that what we have now is not effective. But I disagree about the prior admin. I think it was weak, lacked stature with foreign powers, did little that lasted or achieved what we were told.Partly due to a revolving door cabinet and advisors, ask John Kelly. There were some successes killing terrorists but negotiating with terrorists was not one of them, IMO.
I respect your views and given our media sources, there are likely plenty of missing pieces about both admins. So who knows?

Yes, who knows … and we may never know. But again, IMO the current team up at bat has no depth in their bench. Nor they cannot put a real score on the board.

Among other things too many sacrifices for no real gains.

So who knows?

We can know by reading about what happened.

1. No new wars
2. Multiple Historic peace deals, including the Abraham Accords
3. NATO pushed, kicked and prodded into upping its defense expenditures
4. Iran contained by strong sanctions and when needed, taking down Iranian officials like their head of the IRG, Soleimani

So it worked. It was old fashioned, and it worked because human nature remains the same.

Add :
no missile firings by Little Rocket Man, after he was given some attention.
China not constantly pushing.
I don't believe the Houthis were firing missiles at ships.

I noticed the Potus taking credit for the increase in spending by NATO yesterday at his speech in front of NATO. 🙄

I will add, if Trump wins, anything he attempts to accomplish, will be challenged immediately in the court systems by his opponents, delaying anything from happening. If the SC finally rules against them, they will then challenge in a different way. Hoping nothing can be accomplished. They did it fairly successfully with the border wall.

Yes, SB, but here is what I concluded, based on the media sources I believed. Meaning again, who knows?

Abraham Accords – avoided addressing the core issue which has come to full fruition. Friedman, Mnuchin, and Kushner all walked away with billions in investments from the Saudis. 96% of Saudis now want to cut ties with Israel. Nothing will work there until the Palestinian issue is addressed. Which we all knew,I think. Again, there were some modest positive outcomes – but Hamas was especially enraged. And we know where that went. It was a decent idea, but they just left out the hard part.

I don't feel like Iran and its proxies were contained. They kept right on building nukes and supporting their terrorist buddies according to their own agendas.

The satellite reports on the results of US strikes in Syria show far less results than we claimed, but I would trust nobody on this.

NATO came alive after Trump left and Putin invaded. Trump did help push more contributions from some Nato countries. But he was too polarizing and did not have the gravitas to reunite the alliance.

China's problems are mostly the fault of China…

Whoever wins needs to deal with the border ASAP. But first deal with the US Congress. Can anybody get them moving without a fight?

Abraham Accords – avoided addressing the core issue which has come to full fruition.

Why? Because Biden BROKE and undermined the Abraham Accords! The key driver for that peace deal was common Arab-Israeli concern about Iran. The US said they would protect the Abraham signatories from a rising Iranian threat, as the US put in place stronger containment through this new alliance.

Hamas and Hezbollah were sidelined and there was Arab-Israeli cooperation in moving past the Palestinians as the focus of Middle Eastern politics.

What did Biden do? End sanctions on Iran, unlock tens of billions of $$$ in frozen assets, GAVE them Billions more, took tehri terror proxies the Houthis off the terror watch list, allowed travel and trade again with Iran. So Iran started blowing up its neighbors again, with CHINESE protection and patronage! Iran gave billions to in weapons and $$ to Hamas and Hezbollah and the Houthis.

When the US did NOTHING to stop Iran, the Saudis cut a deal with CHINA to slow the attacks down since China has influence over Iran -- AND Saudi Arabia agreed to NON-DOLLAR backed oil sales to get more protection guarantees from CHINA.

So Biden frucked that up just like he frucked up Afghanistan, Ukraine, etc., and He has much blame for the Gaza War, Iran's fingerprints are all over this War!

Whoever wins needs to deal with the border ASAP.

Not the Democrats, they cause the open border mess in the pursuit of domestic political power and even voted AGAINST requiring proof of Citizenship to register to vote and to vote!

The SAVE Act – which requires proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections – passed the House 221-198 on Wednesday.

Nearly every Democrat lawmaker voted to protect the ability of illegals to vote in federal elections.

This is after Joe Biden flooded the US with more than 15 million illegal aliens.

The White House issued a statement on Monday, condemning a House Republicans' bill requiring proof of citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections.

link

Yes SB, you are correct about the Save Act. I doubt it makes it to the Senate floor. Even if passed in the Senate, the POTUS has vowed to veto it.

Why is it wrong to require someone to prove they are citizens to register to vote in National Elections? Why is it wrong to require a valid ID to go in to vote?

There are currently anywhere from 10 million to over 20 million illegal aliens in our country. They could make all the difference.

Also why is it they tell us that the Russians and Chinese can hack into our voting mechanisms and influence our elections, but then tell us it is domestically impossible and we cannot believe that it happens or has happened?

We disagree on the Accords. Leaving out the Kushner /Mnuchin thing as a motivation for dealing, I just don't see why such a lightweight deal would resolve age old problems there. China is by far the Saudis' and Iran's biggest oil customer, thus China has the most influence, period. Money talks. But I would not trust them even if we bribed them. The sanctions on Iran are routinely evaded. Their economy still continues to be subpar. The Accords dont matter,IMO. The ME is the same old story.

Am I correct in saying that the SAVE act is unconstitutional? Maybe I am thinking of the census. There are millions of Americans who could not pass a citizenship test. This includes some of our leaders. They still get to vote no matter how little they know. So being a citizen doesn't make you a more responsible voter. Proof of legal residence might make more sense.

BTW, checkout Trump's NATO remarks from yesterday. This has to give Putin hope.

We disagree on the Accords. Leaving out the Kushner /Mnuchin money grab, I just don't see why such a lightweight deal would resolve age old problems there. China is by far the Saudis' and Iran's biggest oil customer, thus China has the most influence, period. Money talks. But I would not trust them even if we bribed them. The sanctions on Iran are routinely evaded. Their economy still continues to be subpar. The Accords dont matter,IMO. The ME is the same old story.

Am I correct in saying that the SAVE act is unconstitutional? Maybe I am thinking of the census. There are millions of Americans who could not pass a citizenship test. This includes some of our leaders. They still get to vote no matter how little they know. So being a citizen doesn't make you a more responsible voter. Proof of legal residence might make more sense.

BTW, checkout Trump's NATO remarks from yesterday. This has to give Putin hope.

Tort, I agree many people would fail a citizenship test who currently vote. But that is not the point. To "register" to vote, you should have to prove you are a citizen of this country, (something that proves you are indeed a citizen). I don't care if you have to spend a few bucks to get whatever paper or card you need. We have to believe that elections are fair and citizens are valid. We also need bipartisans in every area, reviewing voter rolls and clearing the dead off the voter rolls. No "mail in" ballots sent out to addresses of anyone who is on the voter rolls. You need to prove your right to vote and request a mail in ballot specifically. Mail ins and drop off buckets are just too easy to cheat with. FYI, they were only placed in "due to Covid", so why have they not been rescinded?

People overseeing elections, should sit next to each other, not 6 feet or 10 feet away (another Covid joke). If you had a written orders game and someone did something that you questioned if they had indeed written that order, if they stood 10 feet away and said read it, but you can't come see it, could you read it? Would you trust them? Especially if you knew they cheated in the past?

We need to have as much faith in our voting system as is possible. We no longer need Tammany Hall, the mayor Richard Daly "voting machine", or the other big city voting machines that have existed and probably still do in some measure.

I am required to show an ID (drivers license) or a bill with my address (stupid and unsafe) in Ohio to vote. But I know of 2 incidents in 2020 where people had neither and were allowed to vote anyway.

Oh and Tort, as Trump and NATO, I could only find certain sources of MSM. But below is "Politico". Trump was in the White House for 4 years. We were still in NATO after he left. He tried to force NATO to pay their share.. which was the responsible thing to do. He took a hard line with them. I have no issue with that. If the Netherlands is NOT paying their share, their man should NOT be head. Bringing the Ukraine in would not be a good idea. I think bringing any country in that bordered Russia was a bad idea. One move by Russia and you have triggered the alliance and WW3 begins. But if not in the alliance and a move is made, you have leeway as to how you will act. I believe that is the smart and intelligent way and keeps you out of world wars.

I know many disagree with that, especially if you live in Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Poland.. etc., but I believe alliances in peacetime are dangerous, especially when you are the main country being relied upon to carry the load and the most likely stopping point for the majority of the Nukes.

Lastly, most of those below are unnamed and or potential Trump staffers. So this, like his "supposed" association with the 2025 Project, are pre-election scare tactics. Just like Russian collusion, pee tapes and all the other 💩 propagated by the MSM in the past.

"With help from Miles J. Herszenhorn

Subscribe here | Email Matt | Email Eric

Top people in DONALD TRUMP's orbit have a message for NATO summit attendees: This may all be for naught.

The three-day spectacle will feature some major developments, with the alliance's declaration that Ukraine's accession to NATO is "irreversible" chief among them. But the problem for transatlanticists is Trump's confidants are already signaling that the Republican candidate might unwind much of what is agreed to in Washington should he recapture the Oval Office in November.

RIC GRENELL, a key Trump foreign policy adviser who is considered a potential secretary of State pick, wants incoming NATO Secretary General MARK RUTTE replaced because his home country, the Netherlands, doesn't spend at least 2 percent of its GDP on defense. And Trump will likely be advised to shutter an alliance office in Kyiv and lengthen Ukraine's already long path to NATO membership.

A person close to Trump, granted anonymity to detail discussions with the former president, said that while the presumptive Republican nominee is thinking far more about the election and domestic issues right now, he is likely to revel in the idea of undoing whatever President JOE BIDEN and allies have designed. Trump also will rankle at any move that hints of the U.S. wading deeper into a foreign war.

"He definitely won't like what's coming," the person said.

It's unclear that Trump could single-handedly derail NATO plans, such as moving the functions of a U.S.-led group of allies that coordinate military aid for Ukraine under NATO's auspices. The U.S. may be the bloc's most powerful nation, but 31 other nations at least get a say as to what the alliance does.

KAROLINE LEAVITT, the Trump campaign's national press secretary, said Europe has only seen "death and destruction" since Biden came to power. "When President Trump returns to the Oval Office, he will restore peace and rebuild American strength and deterrence on the world stage."

Members of Trump's orbit — even high-up people like Grenell — don't directly speak for Trump, though they have a good sense of what his second-term foreign policy might look like, partly because they could have a hand in shaping it. Some of them are also advising Trump to care less about NATO and Ukraine, push European allies to prioritize their own defense and focus on competing against China or thwarting Iranian aggression in the Middle East.

Still, Trumpworld is making its presence known at NATO's 75th anniversary fest, even if they aren't inside the Washington Convention Center itself.

Grenell had dinner Sunday evening with Macedonian Prime Minister HRISTIJAN MICKOSKI and breakfast Monday with senior Turkish officials at the Waldorf — site of the former Trump hotel on Pennsylvania Avenue.

Three officials from NATO countries confirmed they are actively seeking out former Trump administration figures or people close to the Republican to suss out how Trump would handle transatlantic relations this time around. And what they've generally heard is a softer message from the former president's team, that Trump won't withdraw the U.S. from NATO and is only making such threats to scare Europeans into spending more for their own defenses.

But allied concerns remain.

Trump also has a pile of reports from — and held a slew of briefings with — confidants and former officials on what to do about Ukraine should he win.

During the first presidential debate with Biden, Trump vowed to negotiate peace between Ukraine and Russia after the election but before the inauguration, a claim that has Ukrainian officials worried that the U.S. under Trump would push Kyiv to accept it had lost territory by force.

As much as some allies would like to "Trump-proof" the alliance while in Washington, the whispered truth is that such a thing is a myth. "There's no practical way to shield the alliance from a recalcitrant U.S., given our centrality," said KORI SCHAKE, director of foreign and defense studies at the American Enterprise Institute.

On a related note, here are a few must-read NATO pieces from our team to keep you in the know during this chaotic week:"

35th, I did give credit to Trump for taking on the financial part. My concern was that he makes everyone in Europe not want to be led by him. His persona and his inexperience in dealing other leaders makes trying to work with him less effective. He made NATO into a dues paying issue. Ironic….

Does he mean what he says? The election is his only concern, same for his team, so they adjust the message accordingly. Both sides may do this, especially now. But NATO is taking him at his word. Pay in full or the Russians can have you.

I think Trump is too mercurial to lead, his grasp of details limited. My personal opinion – most here will not agree, or may see this as a plus. I get it, just not my opinion.

In the end, I expect the US to pull out. At best we might agree to some limited last resort role. Grenell is an isolationist.

I doubt we will pull out of NATO if Trump is elected but I expect him to play hard ball with our Allie's that refuse to honor their NATO commitments.

Why should the USA spend it's GDP to defend countries that are unwilling to defend themselves? Are we expected to fight and die for them while they only give lip service to the alliance?

The biggest mistake of the NATO charter was establishing a 2 percent GDP annual expenditure. What it should of been is how many combat formations does each country bring to the table equipped and supplied to an established NATO standard. The standard could be negotiated and determined based on the size of the country.. Not bringing anything at all or obsolete trash should result in a serious conversation with our allies.

AFAIK the former POTUS basically only said he'd pull out of NATO is the members don't pay the 2% GDP in accordance the with charter. As already pointed out …

So, in turn I think the USA is not going to leave NATO. With the current threats to NATO member nations. E.g. Putin/Russia starts a war of imperialism in Europe. The PRC/CCP are going on what looks like a war footing with the large numbers of military production items. Plus, Iran and islamic terrorism.

So this, like his "supposed" association with the 2025 Project, are pre-election scare tactics. Just like Russian collusion, pee tapes and all the other 💩 propagated by the MSM in the past.

Yes, I agree … as we have seen before. E.g. Literally making things up to suit a narrative and agenda.

OVI +1

SB +1

To "register" to vote, you should have to prove you are a citizen of this country, (something that proves you are indeed a citizen).

That is basically what the Founding Fathers intended AFAIK.

To "register" to vote, you should have to prove you are a citizen of this country, (something that proves you are indeed a citizen).

There are 195 nations in this world.

Requiring proof of citizenship to Vote: 194
Does not require proof of citizenship to Vote: 1 – the US.

We spoke of DEI in the military. I see this as DEI and indoctrination against those who oppose the agenda of those currently in power. (Yes I verified this against other sources, before we get typical "it's Breitbart". Actually based on everything being exposed recently, and within the last year, I found these sources to be more accurate than those of the MSM and what we have been told by members of the current administration's spokespeople.)

Subject: Army Briefing Slide Calling Pro-Life Group Terrorists Was 'Not Vetted'

link

Well we have our opinions. I do feel like bluster is part of the game.I never thought the dues was a huge issue in itself, the founding principle was to fight them over there so we did not have to fight them here back in the day. But maybe I am wrong.

+1 Legion I am not advocating for non citizens voting here, but at the very least everyone should have credible proof of residence in the US. It may not be in the Constitution, but intent is clear,it makes no sense not to vet voters or let citizens of other countries vote here. Everybody is a legal citizen somewhere. Go home. And vote there. I am mostly bemoaning the citizens who do vote who can barely find America on a map.

+1 Dragon …it's not the cash, show us you can fight for you country and we will help you.

Project 25 is real, it's the Heritage Foundation's Presidential Transition Plan, probably the most influential conservative think tank in the country. At least 140 people who have worked for Trump have worked on it and many would be in his government again. Obviously he knows some of them pretty well.

35th, I agree. You need to know crowd assessment, gate security measures, recognition procedures, etc. you don't need to know politics. Very disturbing that someone thought that slide was relevant.

Tort yes the project 25 is real, but Trump is not adhering to it. It a scare tactic, being used like Russian Collusion, the US leaving NATO, He will put you back in chains….etc. as scare tactics by the left in the hopes of energizing their base. If he is elected, he is in for 4 years (contrary to more left scare tactics). He will owe the Heritage Foundation nothing.

Below is the platform, read it yourself.

You said:

"I think Trump is too mercurial to lead, his grasp of details limited. My personal opinion – most here will not agree, or may see this as a plus. I get it, just not my opinion"

He led for 4 years. I feel I was far better off and much safer under him, than currently. Have you listened and watched the current POTUS? Do you feel safe under him if the Nukes fly? Who is really making the decisions? I watching him now. I watched the debate. I've watched and listened to him since before 2020. I do not feel safe nor secure, nor do I feel he can make it another 4 years.

Did you hear him call Zelensky, Putin today? It took Zelensky by surprise. 😮😉 in the current speech, he called Trump his Vice President.

I assume I can say the above since you referred to Trump as Mercurial. Besides, I am not saying anything that is not true and I can't document. 😉 FYI, in debates and press sessions, Trump is Mecurial. I cannot deny that. But it does not affect his foreign policy.

If Trump was Putin's patsy, Putin would not have waited until Joe was elected, to invade the Ukraine… again (yes the other was under Obama). He would have gone in under Trump, I mean Trump would have given him a free hand… at least if you listened to the MSM. 🙂

Subject: Citizen Free Press on X: "The brand new 2024 RNC Trump Platform. Short and sweet. Trump's Contract with America. t.co/9GxX2aOTrU / X


link

I did see video of Trump talking about the Project in 2022 and embracing it just tonight. I know it doesn't much matter what he says on such things though. He is very expedient in his positions. But look out NATO…

Yes,I heard the gaffes. Scary. As are Trump's. And the ability to get through four more years for either is tough to imagine.

No I don't feel especially secure right now. I am no better or worse off than under Trump in a number of ways, but much of that is subjective and mostly coincidental. The nukes don't worry me more now than before.

We are starving for integrity, character, and competence in leadership. That makes me insecure. I envy you guys your faith in your guy.

We are starving for integrity, character, and competence in leadership. That makes me insecure. I envy you guys your faith in your guy.

Our nation is sick with Establishmentitis -- Trump's the chemo for the cancer.

Well one thing we can be sure of, at least currently, as George Carlin said: "The Elites are running the government".

Yes he was right before now as well. I think the cure is more like seeing a therapist for the next 4 years, while waiting for someone entirely different to come along. For some reason, I just can't give up on the integrity thing….

I am not advocating for non citizens voting here, but at the very least everyone should have credible proof of residence in the US.

You must be an American citizen born here or became one following the law. To vote in any election especially national ones. Some states allow illegal aliens to vote in local elections. That has to stop.

Otherwise … if nothing happens in the USA after the election. The US borders must be shutdown tight. No need to let anyone else in at this time if ever. With 12-20 million gal aliens already here. Many/most do not belong here as they do not qualify.

The US must commence mass deportations of illegal aliens. With military age makes being the priority. Starting with outlawing sanctuary cities and even states. Allow ICE, CBP, LEOs of all types, etc., to do their jobs. Round up illegal aliens maybe even using the military to assist. Load them up on C-17s, etc. and send them back from where they came. They should be processed, filed, etc. and never allowed to become an American.

You want to be an American do it legally. Many here don't want to be Americans … they want all the freebies, etc. Or they are here with criminal intent.