Why criticizing America is the right thing to do..

[DaBurglar]

Some people are so narrow minded and simple, they automatically take the position that ANYONE who says anything critical of the USA is automatically a bad person who does not deserve to live in America and should "go away" and live somewhere else (or even be kicked out.)I laugh at the moronic nature of such people, especially when they get in a lather when someone (like me) starts criticizing the American foreign policy since 9-11 that has proceeded to make the world even more unsafe, and that has literally WASTED a fortune so vast that conservative right wing republicans who constantly lament all the "federal giveaway programs" are the biggest hypocritical liars since Richard Nixon.Does anyone here have a grasp of the actual AMOUNT of money (US TAXPAYER dollars) that has been sunk (SUNK) into Iraq and Afghanistan?  Don't take my word for it, look it up.....it exceeds 3 TRILLION bucks (might be close to four by now!)  FOUR TRILLION BUCKS......Does anyone realize how much money that is?   Does anyone KNOW what could have been done with that money (assuming the right wing conservatives, including the tea baggers, would have authorized borrowing that much money for any other purpose besides killing brown skinned people living in the middle east who worship ALLAH and making the defense department and all its supporters wealthy?)      Basically EVERY SINGLE problem the USA has, healthcare, infrastructure, homelessness, joblessness.....all these could have been eradicated for about 1/4 to 1/3 of the total wasted on these two middle eastern blackholes, and WORLD HUNGER could have been eliminated about 50 times over with the remaining money.Read this article if you do not believe me, and then honestly ask yourself WHY and HOW things like this actually happen.   And remember that many many thousands of American military Men and women (mostly men) have died or been permanently disabled making crap like this possible in the first place....disabled military men that American Taxpayers will be footing the bill for the rest of their lives to support......http://news.yahoo.com/worlds-most-expen ... es.htmlAND FYI, just because I single out Right wing conservative types for this problem, do not think I also believe Democrats are blameless because they are not.....in an entirely different way they are just as much to blame for this incredible BS.  The USA needs a third party option to correct the broken system of the current two party mess......

[Tedlark]

I read that article earlier today and I found it to be a little one sided. There is more to the story and that information might become available later on down the road.

If the United States didn't do what we did (so far) in Iraq and Afghanistan it would be a heck of alot worse for us here today.

Sure, the United States could have been an island upon itself back in 1939 too...

[DaBurglar]

I read that article earlier today and I found it to be a little one sided. There is more to the story and that information might become available later on down the road.

If the United States didn't do what we did (so far) in Iraq and Afghanistan it would be a heck of alot worse for us here today.

Sure, the United States could have been an island upon itself back in 1939 too...Ok that's obviously your own nicely stated personal opinion, care to back it up with some sort of argument or evidence?   How is Iraq & Afghanistan even remotely similar to WWII?   And sometime articles are indeed "ONE SIDED" simply because there is only one real side to an issue......in this case the one side is the irrefutable, colossal, obscene, criminal WASTE that has taken place the last 15 years in US foreign policy in the middle east.And just to correct the potentially fatal historical error in your analogy, in 1939 the USA was indeed a staunchly isolationist nation and remained that way (a neutral non combatant until december 7 1941, more than 2 years after WWII started....it took a total ambush sneak attack to completely remove the strong isolationist tendency that lived in the USA's mindset.....even though FDR and many of his supporters had been slowly bringing the USA into the conflict by any and all means short of actual combat between 1939 and 1941.....)And lest people forget or not know history, the USA declared war on JAPAN on december 8, 1941 and the feeling was "let's kill them japs"......3 days later, on december 11, it was HITLER, committing perhaps his single greatest blunder (its either this or his invasion of Russia, take your pick) when he declared war on the USA (not the other way around like many people actually still think......)    There is lots of evidence to suggest that, IF hitler had not formally declared war himself on the USA on 12/11/41, it most certainly would have taken another year or two before the USA formally became involved in the European war, since in the war's first year for the USA (1941-42), the USA was so unprepared we had all we could do to fight and hold off the Japs in the Pacific, so it is extremely doubtful that the USA would have declared war on Germany of its own initiative....not until it had ramped up and started fielding a suitable military.    Now how that all relates to 21st century terrorism and islamic Jihad, and 3-4 Trillion bucks down the tubes, you got me....but please go ahead....relate.

[Tedlark]

There was no "potentially fatal historical error" in my analogy. There were many steps that the United States took in order to remain OUT of the war and if the United States wanted in sooner it would not have been too much of a problem.

Roosevelt knew that a majority of US citizens wanted to remain out of the war but FDR also had allies that he had to support. The Japanese did FDR a huge favor by attacking Pearl Harbor and the tactical miscalculation made by the Japanese of just a few hours simply helped solidify Roosevelt's hand. Now he would be able to openly and freely help our allies and he also gained huge support from the citizens of the United States.

But you knew all of this already.....

[DaBurglar]

There was no "potentially fatal historical error" in my analogy. There were many steps that the United States took in order to remain OUT of the war and if the United States wanted in sooner it would not have been too much of a problem.

Roosevelt knew that a majority of US citizens wanted to remain out of the war but FDR also had allies that he had to support. The Japanese did FDR a huge favor by attacking Pearl Harbor and the tactical miscalculation made by the Japanese of just a few hours simply helped solidify Roosevelt's hand. Now he would be able to openly and freely help our allies and he also gained huge support from the citizens of the United States.

But you knew all of this already.....Yes I did.....I'm just perplexed why you stated in your first post response to my original post that the US remained an ISLAND in 1939 and then followed it up with THIS post, but don't bother responding ....I was hoping more people would jump in with current affairs related responses either in favor or (more likely) against what I said originally.    It just confirms my view that in today's USA, the average citizen is so detached and unmoved by the world situation, until or unless it ultimately impacts his day to day life and his ability to watch wheel of fortune, play video poker (in his underwear or otherwise), eat his Chicken Pot pie and occasionally share intimacy with his spouse or significant other.The US public has made its own bed and now must sleep in it, and has NO cause or grounds to blame anyone or anything except for him or herself.   Seriously, NO ONE believes in prevention any more, in taking the LONNNNNNG view of issues, of making even small sacrifices TODAY to help future generations tomorrow......that type of thinking is long gone.Every person who actually thinks we should be in Iraq and Syria RIGHT NOW, with lots of soldiers, putting the ISLAMIC state out of action, honestly has zero understanding or clue about what happens NEXT......No one ever bothers to calculate or consider the RESULTING situation or circumstances AFTER a certain action is taken, and the reason for this is simple:  it requires REAL honest THOUGHT and Calculation, something most people are terrible at doing (really, most people SUCK at thinking more than one move ahead in any situation...they only can consider what is directly immediately in front of them.)   

[Buffilita]

I don't think politics should be debated in a video poker forum, especially one-sided politics attacking "right wing conservatives, including tea baggers." But since DaBurgIar brought up the topic, I'm insulted that he thinks Republicans don't care about poverty, homelessness, nutrition and healthcare. Further, to say that right wing conservatives only want to kill middle east residents who worship Allah and make defense contractors wealthy is obscene. I do agree with your assessment that the United States is not as secure since 9/11, but could that be because we have no meaningful border control, we prematurely withdrew troops from the Middle East, allowing the rise of ISIS, we trade terrorists for traitors, we allow chemical warfare to be carried out on innocent citizens, and we allow Russia to supply weapons to terrorists?

You are right, we are not safer and we are not safe. A strong military makes a strong country, and I do not think my tax dollars are wasted taking care of the men and women who have sacrificed for this country. They are not a burden, they are heroes.

[Casino Knight]

I don't think politics should be debated in a video poker forum, especially one-sided politics attacking "right wing conservatives, including tea baggers." But since DaBurgIar brought up the topic, I'm insulted that he thinks Republicans don't care about poverty, homelessness, nutrition and healthcare. Further, to say that right wing conservatives only want to kill middle east residents who worship Allah and make defense contractors wealthy is obscene. I do agree with your assessment that the United States is not as secure since 9/11, but could that be because we have no meaningful border control, we prematurely withdrew troops from the Middle East, allowing the rise of ISIS, we trade terrorists for traitors, we allow chemical warfare to be carried out on innocent citizens, and we allow Russia to supply weapons to terrorists?

You are right, we are not safer and we are not safe. A strong military makes a strong country, and I do not think my tax dollars are wasted taking care of the men and women who have sacrificed for this country. They are not a burden, they are heroes.

Worth repeating, and thanks Buffilita.
CK

[pokerforme]

Great post Buffilita

[Tedlark]

Oh DaBurglar you are SO more intelligent that the rest of us mere idiots. There, is that what you've been wanting to hear for the last 3 years? By the way, is your membership on this site still current or are you back to freeloading? Again?

Edited to add: DaBurglar you needn't answer my question about your membership, I just saw that you are "Basic." Quite fitting I'd say...

[DaBurglar]

Oh DaBurglar you are SO more intelligent that the rest of us mere idiots. There, is that what you've been wanting to hear for the last 3 years? By the way, is your membership on this site still current or are you back to freeloading? Again?

Edited to add: DaBurglar you needn't answer my question about your membership, I just saw that you are "Basic." Quite fitting I'd say...

Now ted feels "Safe" to resort back to his cowardly mean spirited pointless posting style since he perceives a sudden "Shift" in the winds here now that a few people have shown up to participate.....I doubt Ted realizes how transparent he is.   Too bad, even though I disagreed with your first two posts, at least you were debating on a intellectual level instead of this totally false crap.....1) Never said anyone was an idiot (in this thread)....nice try with your misrepresentation tactics.2)  What does my membership status have to do with this?    And WTF does "Current" mean?   No such term applies here.....again, an attempt by you to alter people's perception with a false non issue.    This is a FREE site (as it advertises), and you realize you just called EVERY other person here who CHOOSES not to pay the monthly fee a Freeloader, not just "me".....well done, Mr "Oh my god, I wonder what everyone thinks of me now?" Tedlark.