Posted on 10/05/2015 7:26:07 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, when asked if he believes the Middle East would be better today if Moammar Gadhafi of Libya and Saddam Hussein of Iraq were still in power, responded, "It's not even a contest."
He related the situations in both of those countries with what is currently happening in Syria and seemed to endorse a stronger President Bashar Assad, even while admitting that he is "probably a bad guy."
"You can make the case, if you look at Libya, look at what we did there — it's a mess — if you look at Saddam Hussein with Iraq, look what we did there — it's a mess — it's [Syria] going to be same thing," the real estate mogul said.
This is a sentiment that Trump took with him on Saturday to a rally in Franklin, Tennessee where he recalled our strategy with arming rebels during the days of Qaddafi's reign. Trump told about 1,500 in an event hall: "Then the rebels killed our ambassador in the worst way, what happened to him. And three other people, and many other people by the way. Okay? Remember that."
In regards to Iraq, Trump echoed a familiar line from his campaign: "Don't forget, ISIS came out of Iraq," Trump recalled, calling the terror organization "the leftovers that didn't get taken care of."
He also told the Franklin audience that during the time of Saddam Hussein's "vicious" rule in Iraq "there were no terrorists in Iraq." "You know what he used to do to terrorists?" Trump polled the crowd. "A one day trial and shoot him…and the one day trial usually lasted five minutes, right? There was no terrorism then."
(Excerpt) Read more at nbcnews.com ...
Perhaps had the Pentagon Historians been consulted and that information used wisely, these (tribes) would have been recognized and put to better/stronger use for that nation. Making a 'reality show' out of Iraq, the MSM and the Bush administration cheapened what should have been a peaceful ending for Iraq, perhaps even her neighbors and the USA.
“Now watching FR cheering on the KGB is sickening- the stupid has been growing stronger here over the years.”
I assume you are referring to Putin. So you align yourself with Obama, Soros, Kerry, Hillary and McCain then?
“Someone is always going to be the world’s policemen- everyone who isn’t is will be the world’s policed.
There’s no in between.”
That is a neocon lie. We policed no one until the 20th century, and prospered accordingly.
Outstanding post. Every point important, and every one true.
“Russia was “more stable” under Joseph Stalin too but I don’t think it was a good thing.”
Actually that was the most tumultuous, expansive and aggressive period of the Soviet Union’s existence, but don’t let that stand in the way of a good story.
Ok, so to play "Devil's Advocate" here, what happens if Russia wasn't stable during that period, would we all be speaking German today?
Absolutely true
SoDamn Hinsane was evil and had to be removed because he was actively involved with killing people in Israel.
He was paying families of suicide bombers $25,000 remember?
But we did not leave a stable government in place. We had no plan to. There should have been a meeting with the 3 main groups where we imposed a “United States of Iraq” solution on them with 3 states and a copy of our constitution. Then told them if you don’t do this we will do it for you, and you wont be around to see it.
Libya, on the other hand, was nice and well behaved since Reagan handed him his ass (almost literally)
Absolutely correct.
Wrong. He was asked that question 15 TIMES in a row by that smarmy puke Chuck Todd. Is that the new tactic to get Trump to respond to asinine questions?
With the luxury of 20-20 hindsight we can see that ousting Saddam was probably a mistake,(not having the benefit of a parallel universe to see what would have happened had SH been left alone) but at least Iraq was under control until December 2011 when the little gay commie RAT-bastard pulled all US troops out of Iraq for his own aggrandizement. In contrast to Obozo’s carelessness, I remember Cheney being asked how long we were going to have US troops in Iraq. He said “indefinitely...as long as it takes”.
We did not start the Iraq war. Saddam did in 1990 with his invasion of Kuwait. The invasion of 2003 was a continuation of that same war brought about by the refusal of Saddam to adhere to multiple UN resolutions agreed to by him at the time of the “truce”. IMO the major point debatable is whether or not Bush should have had the US Military enforcing UN resolutions...The UN...the most corrupt and useless body on Earth.
The destruction of stability in the middle-east began with Bush-43 attack on Iraq, done on a credit card, with borrowed money from China. We will pay interest on that cost for ever because there are no budget surpluses to pay off the principle.
Who cares if the oil was sold by rich Kuwaiti’s or Iraqi dictators? Every oil producing country has to sell oil, even the mullah’s of Iran. If they want to fight wars among themselves, why should we act as policeman on borrowed money from China?
It was a huge blunder, done only to avenge his stupid father, but we get behind our military, so of course we supported it once done.
In fact, there was HUGE support here at FR for THE SURGE as well.
The Surge came FAR too late, and put Pelosi in power and lay the groundwork for Obama's ascension. Bush was a complete disaster.
It was a huge blunder, done only to avenge his stupid father, but we get behind our military, so of course we supported it once done.
In fact, there was HUGE support here at FR for THE SURGE as well.
The Surge came FAR too late, and put Pelosi in power and lay the groundwork for Obama's ascension. Bush was a complete disaster.
If we just pumped every drop we had, from Texas to ANWR to offshore to shale, we wouldn't have to give two shits about which towelheads kill other towelheads. To hell with them all.
Yes, all true. The only thing I will say in Bush's favor is that he sought stability in Iraq, at least. His dreams of "Muslim Democracy" (or more cynically, attempts to re-order the Mideast with the Saudis, and maintain the petrodollar) were just expensive fantasy. But he attempted to put stability on his mess with the surge, and had achieved that to some end
Obama simply gave it all up, and as well turned Libya, Egypt and Syria on their heads.
uh oh....he’s taking the “Bush’s Stupid Illegal War” weapon right out of the Democrats’ hand.
Knowing what we know today I think Trump is right. Who knew at the time that Obama would come into power in 2008 and totally screw things up. He was behind the unrest in Egypt, the over throw of power in Libya, trying to unseat Assad in Syria and who knows what else.
RE: Knowing what we know today
We do not have the luxury of that when it comes to foreign policy.
RE: Bush’s Stupid Illegal War”
1) It was TOTALLY LEGAL.
Saddam Violated his terms of 1991 surrender, Bush went to Congress for approval and formed a coalition of 40 countries in the United Nations.
2) As for stupid, well it’s easy to call it that it in hindsight.
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