Israel launches preemptive attacks against Iran (US bombs Iran)...

[selmaborntidefan]

Being a Baby Boomer I can honestly say that I never supported any of the wars and in retrospect we can see what a waste of life and treasury they all were. I look back at the WW ll generation in my family to value what they left for us and with great regret realize how we have squandered it. We could discuss and debate the future for weeks, at least, but I am not optimistic for us to remain as a global power.

Well...one thing that gets me when we start passing around the nice words and the mean ones, the Boomers get pilloried while the "the Greatest Generation" gets a free pass because "those people went through the Depression and WW2."

Why does nobody ever want to point out that virtually everyone who thoroughly botched the Vietnam War was......the so-called Greatest Generation?

Eisenhower - sent in the advisors and his connection with WW2 is obvious
JFK - sent in more advisors and served on the PT-109
LBJ - won a Silver Star recommended by MacArthur (under dubious circumstances) and ESCALATED Vietnam beyond our comprehension
Nixon - okay, he started the drawdown, but he, too, was a Naval officer in WW2
McNamara - 2 deferments but did serve in WW2
Dean Rusk - dropped supplies to Ho Chih Minh in WW2 (really, he did)
McGeorge Bundy - an intelligence officer in WW2, an initially a huge hawk on Vietnam
Kissinger - served in US Army in WW2

Look, I'm not defending the Boomers here, but it's amusing to me how the folks who fought in WW2 get some sort of free pass for botching Vietnam. It wasn't the BOOMERS (born in 1946-onward) who botched Vietnam, our involvement there started when the first ones were in elementary school. YES, a number of Boomers were narcissistic and television broadcast their frailties just as social media does Gen Z now. But for all of the "those folks knew about sacrifice" - and YES, they did - it's funny to me how they somehow escape culpability for a war they largely began as far as American involvement goes.

 

[selmaborntidefan]

Remember that he used to call himself "The King of Debt." Kick the can down the road is nothing new to him. He genuinely doesn't care about deficits...

Yep - THAT, I do remember.

 

[81usaf92]

 

[UAH]

Remember that he used to call himself "The King of Debt." Kick the can down the road is nothing new to him. He genuinely doesn't care about deficits...

As you know the issue is with those people who buy bonds and the vigilantes will drive yields higher and higher. It is already painful for the Treasury and Federal Reserve.

 

[some_al_fan]

That smells like USSR / North Korea:

 

[rolltide_21]

Well...one thing that gets me when we start passing around the nice words and the mean ones, the Boomers get pilloried while the "the Greatest Generation" gets a free pass because "those people went through the Depression and WW2."

Why does nobody ever want to point out that virtually everyone who thoroughly botched the Vietnam War was......the so-called Greatest Generation?

Eisenhower - sent in the advisors and his connection with WW2 is obvious
JFK - sent in more advisors and served on the PT-109
LBJ - won a Silver Star recommended by MacArthur (under dubious circumstances) and ESCALATED Vietnam beyond our comprehension
Nixon - okay, he started the drawdown, but he, too, was a Naval officer in WW2
McNamara - 2 deferments but did serve in WW2
Dean Rusk - dropped supplies to Ho Chih Minh in WW2 (really, he did)
McGeorge Bundy - an intelligence officer in WW2, an initially a huge hawk on Vietnam
Kissinger - served in US Army in WW2

Look, I'm not defending the Boomers here, but it's amusing to me how the folks who fought in WW2 get some sort of free pass for botching Vietnam. It wasn't the BOOMERS (born in 1946-onward) who botched Vietnam, our involvement there started when the first ones were in elementary school. YES, a number of Boomers were narcissistic and television broadcast their frailties just as social media does Gen Z now. But for all of the "those folks knew about sacrifice" - and YES, they did - it's funny to me how they somehow escape culpability for a war they largely began as far as American involvement goes.

A quote from Burns’ documentary applies especially to that generation, “We viewed the war, at the time, as stopping communism from gaining a foothold in SE Asia. However, what it actually was the end of colonialism in SE Asia.“ Given their ties to WW2 and fighting communism, it makes sense why they did what they did. No excuse of course. Shouldve never been there but that quote to me gave it some perspective.

 

[selmaborntidefan]

A quote from Burns’ documentary applies especially to that generation, “We viewed the war, at the time, as stopping communism from gaining a foothold in SE Asia. However, what it actually was the end of colonialism in SE Asia.“ Given their ties to WW2 and fighting communism, it makes sense why they did what they did. No excuse of course. Shouldve never been there but that quote to me gave it some perspective.

I "get" the viewpoint, and I can at least understand from that viewpoint how we got STARTED over there. And the old "Americans don't run" mentality. And while I understand I have the benefit of hindsight, the domino theory in Asia never made a lot of sense to me anyway. I "get" being angry over the Soviet Union expanded into Europe via Czechoslovakia or Hungary or wherever.

And I want to be clear: I think generational warfare (Boomers/Zoomers/etc) is stupid. But it has always puzzled me how the BOOMERS get blamed for us losing Vietnam or being too chicken to fight (I understand the American thing here, but it's not like Ho Chih Minh attacked Pearl Harbor)...when the Boomers weren't the ones running the government. I have some serious issues of unforgiveness when I watch something like the creep in "Forrest Gump" (the white guy, I think SDS) who greets Gump with "who's the baby killer" - and who then hits Jenny, which is almost a perfect metaphor for some folks I knew.

I saw the Burns documentary. Honestly not sure how I felt about it. Sent my Netflix password to Dad (when you could do that). He watched every minute of it.

This is a man who NEVER - and I mean NEVER - talks about being in Nam.
All we know is his barracks were blown up twice.

(I know he has serious issues with "thank you for your service" - sneering, "ah, the same people who when I returned we had to exit airport out a side so nobody knew I was military, NOW you want to thank me").

 

[81usaf92]

New reports of the strikes

Appears all sites are still intact and the damage only set Iran back a ‘few months’.

Trump’s team just canceled a congressional intelligence meeting right at the time this new military intelligence became available.

 

[PaulD]

New reports of the strikes

Appears all sites are still intact and the damage only set Iran back a ‘few months’.

Trump’s team just canceled a congressional intelligence meeting right at the time this new military intelligence became available.

Strike Set Back Iran’s Nuclear Program by Only a Few Months, U.S. Report Says

Needless to say, the DIA report got a cold reception from the Press Secretary:

“The leaking of this alleged assessment is a clear attempt to demean President Trump, and discredit the brave fighter pilots who conducted a perfectly executed mission to obliterate Iran’s nuclear program,” she said in a statement. “Everyone knows what happens when you drop 14 30,000-pound bombs perfectly on their targets: total obliteration.”

 

[81usaf92]

Strike Set Back Iran’s Nuclear Program by Only a Few Months, U.S. Report Says

Needless to say, the DIA report got a cold reception from the Press Secretary:

“The leaking of this alleged assessment is a clear attempt to demean President Trump, and discredit the brave fighter pilots who conducted a perfectly executed mission to obliterate Iran’s nuclear program,” she said in a statement. “Everyone knows what happens when you drop 14 30,000-pound bombs perfectly on their targets: total obliteration.”

it’s why Obama waited until he had Bin laden’s dental records, the Seals orders to come back stateside, and the CIA after action reports before addressing the nation. But Trump desperately wants to mimic Obama’s highlights whether it be delivering a night address to the nation after a controversial military strike on a foreign nation or the noble peace prize considerations.

Actual facts are irrelevant.

 

[CrimsonJazz]

'Declaring War Is Our Job,' Declare Congressmen Who Never Do Their Job

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Ongoing hostilities in the Middle East raised tensions in the nation's capital as well, with frustrated legislators who fail to meet their responsibilities on a daily basis reminded everyone that launching military actions was their responsibility.

babylonbee.com

"Declaring war is our job!" said one congressman. "We haven't really been holding anyone to that for the last half-century or more, but still, it's our job. Along with protecting the border, keeping the economy in good shape, and bringing federal spending under control. But we don't really do any of that either, we kinda just talk about it a lot. In front of cameras, preferably."

Other members of Congress were just as adamant that declaring war fell under the umbrella of things Congress is responsible for doing, but never does. "It's important to understand who has the power to declare war," said another congressman. "Under the War Powers Resolution, it is made crystal clear that part of the job we have that we don't do is declaring war against foreign entities. So, if the president wants war declared, he can just add it to the things he asks us to do that we don't do."

 

[81usaf92]

'Declaring War Is Our Job,' Declare Congressmen Who Never Do Their Job

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Ongoing hostilities in the Middle East raised tensions in the nation's capital as well, with frustrated legislators who fail to meet their responsibilities on a daily basis reminded everyone that launching military actions was their responsibility.

babylonbee.com

they do realize the last time we declared war was against Romania in ww2

 

[crimsonaudio]

they do realize the last time we declared war was against Romania in ww2

And the US has been in near-constant war ever since…

 

[81usaf92]

And the US has been in near-constant war ever since…

I know. Telling an OEF veteran that they never saw war is a bit ridiculous. But I’m just pointing out the misleading statements that they are using is just a dumb way to make a point. The president has the right to use the military to settle conflicts but needs congressional approval to continue it past a certain time. While “Congress is the only ones that can declare war” is correct… it doesn’t win the argument here.

 

[crimsonaudio]

I know. Telling an OEF veteran that they never saw war is a bit ridiculous. But I’m just pointing out the misleading statements that they are using is just a dumb way to make a point. The president has the right to use the military to settle conflicts but needs congressional approval to continue it past a certain time. While “Congress is the only ones that can declare war” is correct… it doesn’t win the argument here.

I mean, how do people not know about the War Powers Act? I learned about this in high school...

 

[JDCrimson]

I really dont know what they teach in school anymore. No cursive handwriting, no home econ, no shop, no drivers ed. Spend an inordinate amount of time on how to de-riddle the ACT exam.

I mean, how do people not know about the War Powers Act? I learned about this in high school...

 

[some_al_fan]

I really dont know what they teach in school anymore. No cursive handwriting, no home econ, no shop, no drivers ed. Spend an inordinate amount of time on how to de-riddle the ACT exam.

ChatGPT, please give me answers to the latest ACT exam….

 

[Huckleberry]

Lest anyone think that Alabama and Florida have clear claim to the stupidest politicians, don't forget about Tennessee.

 

[Huckleberry]

The Atlantic gift link

The Problem With Trump’s Cease-Fire
Abandoning diplomacy could make Iranian nuclear progress harder to stop.

Last night, President Donald Trump announced a “total and complete” cease-fire between Israel and Iran. Iran’s nuclear program, Trump said, had been “obliterated” and “totally destroyed” by the U.S. strikes, and Iran’s retaliation was “very weak” and resulted in “hardly any damage.”

If the cease-fire holds, this episode would appear to mark a major foreign-policy victory for the president. But Trump may have made a crucial mistake that could bring about the very outcome that successive American presidents have sought to prevent: an Iranian nuclear weapon.

 

[selmaborntidefan]