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What the Cuban Missile Crisis Can Teach Us About Barack Obama (Biden's Crisis Prediction)
Townhall ^ | October 20, 2008 | Matt Lewis

Posted on 10/20/2008 8:13:09 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet

Joe Biden's warning that Barack Obama's election will precipitate an international crisis included these words:

"It will not be six months before the world tests Barack Obama like they did John Kennedy."

While Kennedy is fondly remembered today, it should be noted that during his presidency, America came closer than we have ever come to nuclear war.

As Michael Dobbs implies in his new book, "One Minute to Midnight," the Cuban Missile Crisis occurred -- at least partly -- because of Kennedy's previous mishandling of a summit meeting with Khruschev (remember how Obama wants to meet with everyone without pre-conditions?):

"Their single summit meeting -- in Vienna, in June 1961 -- had been a brutal experience for Kennedy. Khruschev had treated him like a little boy, lecturing him on American misdeeds, threatening to take over West Berlin, and boasting about the inevitable triumph of Communism."

... It's not hard to imagine Ahmadenijad schooling Obama like this. Dobbs goes on to write,

"... 'Roughest thing in my life,' Kennedy had told James Reston of The New York Times, after it was all over, 'He just beat the hell out of me.' Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson was contemptuous of his boss's performance. 'Khruschev scared the poor little fellow dead,' he told his cronies."

... It's not hard to imagine Joe Biden saying (or at least, thinking) the very same thing of Obama.

Dobbs adds,

"As Kennedy later confessed to Reston, his superpower rival had no doubt concluded that "I'm inexperienced. Probably thinks I'm stupid. Maybe most important, he thinks I have no guts."

...Yes, it's true, foreign leaders pay attention to which leaders they deem to be weak and/or inexperienced. They size-up their adversaries, and determine whether or not they can take the next step. In this instance, Kennedy's perceived weakness and inexperience emboldened Khruschev.

And while Kennedy's inexperience fortunately did not result in a nuclear war, it did lead us to the brink of nuclear war -- a situation which would never have occurred if Eisenhower had been in office -- or if Nixon had succeeded him...


TOPICS: Editorial; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: 2008; biden; election; electionpresident; elections; mccain; obama
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Scared yet?
1 posted on 10/20/2008 8:13:10 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

if people believe obamao-biden,

they’ll believe this piece.


2 posted on 10/20/2008 8:14:55 PM PDT by ken21 (people die and you never hear from them again.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
I think Biden and Obama saw the threat assessment and Intel Briefing over the weekend and it must have scared the hell out of Biden.
3 posted on 10/20/2008 8:17:20 PM PDT by txroadkill (Do it for Sarah!- Conservatism= finding joy in duty)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I do believe that the stuff is going to hit the fan somewhere here in the U.S. while Shelly and Barry are putting up the drapes in the White House. The Islamofascists are going to want to remind us that they are still the boss as a soon as they can.


4 posted on 10/20/2008 8:18:08 PM PDT by FlingWingFlyer ("I'm just going to spread YOUR wealth around." - Barack HUSSEIN Obama a.k.a. Barry Soetoro)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
While Kennedy is fondly remembered today, it should be noted that during his presidency, America came closer than we have ever come to nuclear war.

Regardless of what anyone thinks of Kennedy, the U.S. and the world came very close to an all out nuclear war. The larger fact remains, no nuclear war occurred. That is a good thing.

5 posted on 10/20/2008 8:22:18 PM PDT by dragnet2 (We witnessed the biggest expansion of government in American history)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I said years ago that if the Democrats get into office, we’ll enter the high-intensity war-to-come late and draft an enormous army. The way things are going, that will happen whether the Democrats get into office or not. But the Democrats would give you even more socialism, if the deficit weren’t so high.


6 posted on 10/20/2008 8:29:50 PM PDT by familyop (cbt. engr. (cbt), NG, '89-'96, Duncan Hunter or no-vote)
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To: txroadkill

I think you are correct.


7 posted on 10/20/2008 8:30:10 PM PDT by JaneNC (I)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Big difference between Obama and Kennedy … Kennedy was a vet. He understood things military, he knew what it would take to make Khrushchev back down over the Cuban crises. Obama has no history with things military … how will he respond; from whence will he garner his military wisdom.


8 posted on 10/20/2008 8:31:49 PM PDT by doc1019 (Obama IS running against Palin)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
They size-up their adversaries, and determine whether or not they can take the next step. In this instance, Kennedy's perceived weakness and inexperience emboldened Khruschev.

And murdering ME terrorist would not see a female in the Oval Office as a weakness?

Is the author is suggesting someone one heartbeat away from the presidency, who has no combat experience, no military experience, would be a better fit? Kennedy was at least a combat military veteran. Does the author have any idea what Mid Eastern men think of women?

Kennedy made mistakes, as did Eisenhower, and the CIA, but the fact remains, after the events of '62, there were no Soviet nuclear missiles sitting on top of Miami, and most of the U.S. and the world was not a dead smoldering cinder.

I believe Obama is a lying AH. However comparing, Kennedy, a military combat veteran to Obama is really a stupid misguided analogy.

9 posted on 10/20/2008 8:37:52 PM PDT by dragnet2 (We witnessed the biggest expansion of government in American history)
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To: doc1019

And despite being a Kennedy elite, at least JFK had some experience and maturity.

Can’t say that of Obama, who’s been spoonfed his adult life.


10 posted on 10/20/2008 8:41:51 PM PDT by A_Former_Democrat (u)
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To: dragnet2

I assume you are referencing Governor Sarah Palin. Do we choose our leaders based on the cultural hang-ups of a death cult and society stuck in the 7th Century?


11 posted on 10/20/2008 8:41:51 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet (Barack Obama: In Error and arrogant -- he's errogant!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

//////Scared yet?//////

Of course not

With barack’s multi tasking skills, I’m sure he’ll want to review the US Park Service budget in the midst of the next Cuban missile crisis.


12 posted on 10/20/2008 8:44:54 PM PDT by Ceebass
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To: ken21

I see a repeat coming possibly


13 posted on 10/20/2008 8:46:17 PM PDT by Balcifer
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To: Balcifer

i do not know.

i’m very unhappy with my friends that watch tv all day and vote democrat.

they haven’t a clue what’s going on but will probably win the election for the annointed one.


14 posted on 10/20/2008 8:48:16 PM PDT by ken21 (people die and you never hear from them again.)
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To: Ceebass

It’s 3 AM... Where’s Barry???


15 posted on 10/20/2008 8:48:52 PM PDT by Thunder90
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Do we choose our leaders based on the cultural hang-ups of a death cult and society stuck in the 7th Century?

That was your question, you'll have to answer yourself, as it had little to do with my post. My post was based on facts. If your offended that a female would be looked at by murdering fanatical terrorist as weak, and inexperienced, I can't help you.

16 posted on 10/20/2008 8:49:47 PM PDT by dragnet2 (We witnessed the biggest expansion of government in American history)
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To: A_Former_Democrat

And will undoubtedly be spoon-fed during all his presidency (should he win) by those with a socialist agenda.


17 posted on 10/20/2008 8:51:24 PM PDT by doc1019 (Obama IS running against Palin)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
My tinfoil hat nightmare:

Obama is elected. Israel attacks Iran because it can't wait until Obama is inaugurated. Bush escalates the situation to WWIII levels and then hands it over to Obama and heads for Texas.

Obama is faced with supporting Israel and enraging islam or making good on his (and Jesse Jackson's) promise to side with islam and put the Zionists in their place. That's why Biden said we will have to”comfort and support” Obama as he struggles.

IMHO we cannot afford to take the risk that some drastic event happens and thousands of lives lost just to”test” Obama. This is getting crazy.

18 posted on 10/20/2008 8:54:28 PM PDT by April Lexington (I'm voting for McCain in 2008 and Jefferson Davis in 2012)
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To: dragnet2
That was your question, you'll have to answer yourself, as it had little to do with my post. My post was based on facts. If your offended that a female would be looked at by murdering fanatical terrorist as weak, and inexperienced, I can't help you.

Do you think Middle Eastern leaders thought Margaret Thatcher was weak? Their bias may be well founded when it would come to a female Dem President (just as a male neophyte like Obama) but not a true blue conservative woman like Sarah Palin.

It seems your gist that there shouldn't be a female President because they would see her/us as weak is just....weak.

19 posted on 10/20/2008 8:56:48 PM PDT by torchthemummy (Why Is The Educational Establishment Comfortable With Ayers' Unrepentent Radicalism (Terrorism)?)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
It is pretty obvious from all of the illegal foreign contributions pouring into Obama’s coffers that they are HOPING he'll win. They LIKE a weak president. Remember what the mullahs did to Jimma Catha?
20 posted on 10/20/2008 8:58:05 PM PDT by April Lexington (I'm voting for McCain in 2008 and Jefferson Davis in 2012)
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