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Lack of American Commitment Makes This a Dangerous Time
Townhall.com ^ | May 19, 2016 | Victor Davis Hanson

Posted on 05/19/2016 5:03:23 AM PDT by Kaslin

In 1939, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain and French Prime Minister Edouard Daladier warned Adolf Hitler that if the Third Reich invaded Poland, a European war would follow.

Both leaders insisted that they meant it. But Hitler thought that after getting away with militarizing the Rhineland, annexing Austria and dismantling Czechoslovakia, the Allied appeasers were once again just bluffing.

England and France declared war two days after Hitler entered Poland.

Once hard-won deterrence is lost, it is almost impossible to restore credibility without terrible costs and danger.

Last week, Russian officials warned the Obama administration about the installation of a new anti-ballistic missile system in Romania and talked of a possible nuclear confrontation that would reduce the host country to "smoking ruins" and "neutralize" any American-sponsored missile system.

Such apocalyptic rhetoric follows months of Russian bullying of nearby neutral Sweden, harassment of U.S. ships and planes, warnings to NATO nations in Europe, and constant threats to the Baltic states and former Soviet republics

(Excerpt) Read more at townhall.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial
KEYWORDS: foreignaffairs; nato; vdh; wwii

1 posted on 05/19/2016 5:03:23 AM PDT by Kaslin
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To: bestintxas; COBOL2Java; DuncanWaring; EXCH54FE; ExTexasRedhead; FreedomPoster; Gondring; Kennard; ..

Victor Davis Hanson Column


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2 posted on 05/19/2016 5:04:51 AM PDT by Kaslin (He needed the ignorant to reelect him. He got them and now we have to pay the consequences)
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To: Kaslin
Obama’s 8 years in office have been far worse than a lack of commitment, it has been a COMPLETE and total SURRENDER, WITHDRAWAL, CAPITULATION, COWARDLY, DISRESPECTFUL, ISOLATIONIST, DECLINE of American Power, Prestige and Influence on the planet...
3 posted on 05/19/2016 5:06:01 AM PDT by Netz
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To: Netz

You can say that again.


4 posted on 05/19/2016 5:07:14 AM PDT by Kaslin (He needed the ignorant to reelect him. He got them and now we have to pay the consequences)
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To: Kaslin

Those nations which have been using US protection as a means to facilitate domestic welfare states are going to have to start pulling their own weight. The US is flat broke and our military dominance of the globe is rapidly ending as our economy disintegrates.


5 posted on 05/19/2016 5:09:50 AM PDT by thoughtomator
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To: Kaslin
Russian officials warned the Obama administration about the installation of a new anti-ballistic missile system in Romania

Wait, what? Did I miss something here? Did Russia threaten Romania with a missile attack?

I can see helping Israel with a missile defense. Bad guys really are shooting missiles into Israel. But Romania?

6 posted on 05/19/2016 5:10:49 AM PDT by Leaning Right (Why am I holding this lantern? I am looking for the next Reagan.)
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To: Kaslin

Putin is no good guy, but all this phony jingoism against Russia is stupid. They’re just upset that Russia pursues a self-interested foreign policy that doesn’t kowtow to globalist/EU mandates.

I’m sure they’d love nothing more than for Russia to be integrated into the transnational politic and used as yet another receptacle to dump 3rd world migrants into.


7 posted on 05/19/2016 5:24:30 AM PDT by Utmost Certainty
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To: Leaning Right
Bush placed missile shields or at least had those plans on the table for the Eastern bloc countries. Obama cancelled all the plans, now that he sees he has reduced American power to mush, he's trying to flex a bit of muscle???
8 posted on 05/19/2016 5:24:30 AM PDT by Netz
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To: Leaning Right

Yes. Putin is threatening to nuke Romania to eliminate US defence systems there.
And the Obama’s big concern is getting boys to shower with girls in schools.


9 posted on 05/19/2016 5:27:13 AM PDT by ctdonath2 ("Get the he11 out of my way!" - John Galt)
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To: Netz
The placing of a missile defense can be seen as an OFFENSIVE move. For if I have a better missile defense than you do, I might be more likely to start a conflict, knowing that I can easily absorb your counter-punches.

Bush or Obama...it doesn't matter...I see an overreach here.

10 posted on 05/19/2016 5:32:25 AM PDT by Leaning Right (Why am I holding this lantern? I am looking for the next Reagan.)
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To: Leaning Right
I see a lame duck Presidentextermely fearful that he will go down in history as the Defragmenter of US global reach and power. He's placing a band aid on a lost limb...
11 posted on 05/19/2016 5:39:02 AM PDT by Netz
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To: ctdonath2

It’s not a defensive system. The primary function of these systems is to allow a US first strike against Russia without Russia being able to retaliate.

Here’s a hint... if it’s a “US defence system”, then it’s going to be located in, or at least near, the US. To consider it defensive otherwise is an exercise in Orwellian semantic destruction.


12 posted on 05/19/2016 5:51:08 AM PDT by thoughtomator
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To: thoughtomator
Those nations which have been using US protection as a means to facilitate domestic welfare states are going to have to start pulling their own weight. The US is flat broke and our military dominance of the globe is rapidly ending as our economy disintegrates.

And I think that's what the author is talking about. With Trump taking the position that the U.S. may not be interested in supporting Europe or South Korea or Japan then those countries are going to be faced with increasing their own defense spending or becoming closer to Russia or China.

13 posted on 05/19/2016 5:52:07 AM PDT by Lower Deck
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To: Netz
Obama cancelled all the plans, now that he sees he has reduced American power to mush, he's trying to flex a bit of muscle???

Actually the plans continued. There is the land base in Romania that is just coming on line. And the U.S. has forward deployed four destroyers to Rota, Spain. All four are capable of downing ballistic missiles. So the missile shield is pretty much there.

14 posted on 05/19/2016 5:54:11 AM PDT by Lower Deck
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To: Kaslin

Yeah, right; Russia’s going to nuke Romania. All bluster this time. President Trump can afford to put out hits on the Russian leadership with plausible deniability, and that leadership ain’t stupid.


15 posted on 05/19/2016 6:24:15 AM PDT by JimRed (Is it 1776 yet? TERM LIMITS, now and forever! Build the Wall, NOW!)
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To: Leaning Right
Bad guys really are shooting missiles into Israel. But Romania?

A take-'em-out-early location for missile defense of Europe. Shots at us would go over the pole, so not useful to protect the homeland. Which is probably why Obama said OK.

16 posted on 05/19/2016 6:28:18 AM PDT by JimRed (Is it 1776 yet? TERM LIMITS, now and forever! Build the Wall, NOW!)
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To: thoughtomator

“Defense” being broadly defined. We wouldn’t attack Russia but for defensive purposes (a la “the best defense is a good offense”); we’re not going to launch for purposes of conquest.

But yeah, I can see why they’d be pissed off. Kinda like, say, if they put nuclear missiles in Cuba.


17 posted on 05/19/2016 7:48:29 AM PDT by ctdonath2 ("Get the he11 out of my way!" - John Galt)
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