Foreign policy experience - Obama vs. Trump

[Jayjay]

When did the voters ever really care about foreign policy experience? I think Trump can use Hillary's record against her (Benghazi! Benghazi!) and all he has to do is spin some yarn about how he's a master negotiator and dealmaker.

 

[fromderinside]

When did the voters ever really care about foreign policy experience? I think Trump can use Hillary's record against her (Benghazi! Benghazi!) and all he has to do is spin some yarn about how he's a master negotiator and dealmaker.

Intramural survivor season is over and election of leader of free world has begun. Forget unvetted slander. Its over. We're going to be watching a news event unfold without the Duke boys or Hotel choice venues. time for the profit whores to move aside.

 

[Hickdive]

Trump's foreign policy is, at best, incoherent and, at worst, naive.

He's completely misjudged Putin and Russia. A foreign-policy calamity on the scale of Chamberlain's appeasement of Hitler will happen if he's elected. His views on the Koreas and Japan make even less sense. Which is why no-one outside the US is at all thrilled by the idea of a Trump presidency.

Unfortunately, his supporters trot out the "we're paying for you schmucks and you're just upset at the gravy-train being stopped if he's elected" line, which is about as asinine as you can get without needing a printed card to remind you in which order you inhale/exhale.

Anyway, tramp, tramp, tramp...

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Trump's foreign policy is, at best, incoherent and, at worst, naive.

He's completely misjudged Putin and Russia. A foreign-policy calamity on the scale of Chamberlain's appeasement of Hitler will happen if he's elected. His views on the Koreas and Japan make even less sense. Which is why no-one outside the US is at all thrilled by the idea of a Trump presidency.

Unfortunately, his supporters trot out the "we're paying for you schmucks and you're just upset at the gravy-train being stopped if he's elected" line, which is about as asinine as you can get without needing a printed card to remind you in which order you inhale/exhale.

His comments on Korea-Japan are absurd when taken in the context that he wants to ramp up military spending. Where are we going to spend all this money if we leave the Asian Pacific Theater?!

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When did the voters ever really care about foreign policy experience? I think Trump can use Hillary's record against her (Benghazi! Benghazi!) and all he has to do is spin some yarn about how he's a master negotiator and dealmaker.

It matters. It is why W had Cheney, Obama had Biden.

 

[untermensche]

Obama's lack of experience has been a big problem.

His ignorant and criminal drone program does more harm than good.

His continuation of Bush policies because he had none of his own has been a disaster, just as they were for Bush.

The US is looked at as an insane and brutal bunch of thugs thanks to Bush and Obama.

Trump will only make matters worse.

But so will Hillary.

The only hope was Bernie.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Obama's lack of experience has been a big problem.

Obama was able to get the chemical weapons in Syria dealt with, and didn't need a single troop on the ground to do it. That seems somewhat smart.

His ignorant and criminal drone program does more harm than good.

Probably.

His continuation of Bush policies because he had none of his own has been a disaster, just as they were for Bush.

Last time I checked, we haven't invaded a single country under Obama. Yes, I know, all the wars... but they weren't actually wars. The US hasn't mobilized in Egypt, Syria, Libya, Yemen, Somalia, etc...

The US is looked at as an insane and brutal bunch of thugs thanks to Bush and Obama.

Actually no. Under Obama, the US has not looked like a bunch of thugs.

Trump will only make matters worse.

We have no idea what Trump will do as President. No one. Not even Trump.

But so will Hillary.

The only hope was Bernie.

Which is why Bernie won't win.

 

[untermensche]

Obama was able to get the chemical weapons in Syria dealt with, and didn't need a single troop on the ground to do it. That seems somewhat smart.

At what cost? Millions of refugees into Europe? Continual war?

For those who see Obama's disasters as great victories there is little that can be said.

His ignorant and criminal drone program does more harm than good.

Probably.

Probably!!??

Only probably to the brain dead and ignorant. We know the program is illegal. The way you know this is you ask if everybody should be allowed to do it. And there are no hard numbers but it is a numbers game. You kill enough innocent or enough who simply speak out and you will create terrorists.

His continuation of Bush policies because he had none of his own has been a disaster, just as they were for Bush.

Last time I checked, we haven't invaded a single country under Obama. Yes, I know, all the wars... but they weren't actually wars. The US hasn't mobilized in Egypt, Syria, Libya, Yemen, Somalia, etc...

There has not been one day of the Obama presidency that the US was not violently attacking somebody or something.

The US throws off all this massive violence.

But because it is aimed outward some people somehow can't see it.

The US is looked at as an insane and brutal bunch of thugs thanks to Bush and Obama.

Actually no. Under Obama, the US has not looked like a bunch of thugs.

Bull.

The drone program is viewed as criminal and Obama is viewed as some violent godfather of a crazed mafia.

Trump will only make matters worse.

We have no idea what Trump will do as President. No one. Not even Trump.

We only know the man is ignorant. He's lived in an impenetrable bubble for decades. And like many encased in bubbles he is crazed with delusions of his own brilliance.

But his policies will be golden because as we know from ignorance great things flow.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

At what cost? Millions of refugees into Europe? Continual war?

The war in Syria is a Syrian Civil War.

For those who see Obama's disasters as great victories there is little that can be said.

Same could be said about placing another nation's civil war at Obama's feet.

His ignorant and criminal drone program does more harm than good.

Probably.

Probably!!??

Only probably to the brain dead and ignorant. We know the program is illegal. The way you know this is you ask if everybody should be allowed to do it. And there are no hard numbers but it is a numbers game. You kill enough innocent or enough who simply speak out and you will create terrorists.

Probably.

His continuation of Bush policies because he had none of his own has been a disaster, just as they were for Bush.

Last time I checked, we haven't invaded a single country under Obama. Yes, I know, all the wars... but they weren't actually wars. The US hasn't mobilized in Egypt, Syria, Libya, Yemen, Somalia, etc...

There has not been one day of the Obama presidency that the US was not violently attacking somebody or something.

The US throws off all this massive violence.

But because it is aimed outward some people somehow can't see it.

Like I said, no invasions.

The US is looked at as an insane and brutal bunch of thugs thanks to Bush and Obama.

Actually no. Under Obama, the US has not looked like a bunch of thugs.

Bull.

The drone program is viewed as criminal and Obama is viewed as some violent godfather of a crazed mafia.

What nations are calling the program criminal? I agree, it is very likely illegal as it presumes guilt of a target, forget the whole collateral damage on the side. And if China and Russia were using drones, I think the US would have a much markedly different view of it. But how many nations are calling it criminal?

Trump will only make matters worse.

We have no idea what Trump will do as President. No one. Not even Trump.

We only know the man is ignorant. He's lived in an impenetrable bubble for decades. And like many encased in bubbles he is crazed with delusions of his own brilliance.

But his policies will be golden because as we know from ignorance great things flow.

But we don't know from which angle he will try to deal or cope with issues.

 

[arkirk]

Obama got electing preaching military disengagement and has spent his entire presidency in a kind of foggy world of Oz where the drones hum and kill and stir the natives up and then he has to go back to the "old way" and send in troops. Obama was a liar when he represented himself as a peace candidate. I knew it at the time he first ran in 2008. We need a president who cares about the quality of our civil society. Are they educated, healthy, housed, clothed, and fed? As long as any one of these things is lacking, a national leader has no reason to embark on military adventures in foreign lands.

The way I see it, both Hillary and Trump and of course our current prez is promising us nothing but blitzkreig..with wins and smiling faces everywhere once we kill all the bad people (military and civilians) in other countries. These people are no less ridiculous as national leaders than Hitler himself.

 

[untermensche]

The war in Syria is a Syrian Civil War.

That's how it started but once ISIS emerged it became something else.

ISIS doesn't begin but it grows into a power because of the US invasion of Iraq. It's military leadership is Iraqi. It's resources are US and Iraqi.

It has members from all over the world. But it did begin in Syria so it has interests in Syria.

But Syria is just one thing ISIS is doing.

For those who see Obama's disasters as great victories there is little that can be said.

Same could be said about placing another nation's civil war at Obama's feet.

As I said, there is little I can say when disastrous policy is simply labeled a "civil war" so it can be neatly ignored.

Like I said, no invasions.

Every drone is an invasion.

But how many nations are calling it criminal?

Nations can't talk.

But many of the talking apes that have positions of power like any kind of weapon.

The majority of opinion of their nation is many times different.

But we don't know from which angle he will try to deal or cope with issues.

I think it is clear his position is that the US is dominant and calls all the shots.

He has been a very rich person his entire life.

He is used to barking orders and having people grovel.

 

[funinspace]

Obama got electing preaching military disengagement and has spent his entire presidency in a kind of foggy world of Oz where the drones hum and kill and stir the natives up and then he has to go back to the "old way" and send in troops. Obama was a liar when he represented himself as a peace candidate.

Uhm....not really. Obama promised to ratchet it up in Af-Pak, and he delivered. Though he did promise to eventually get out of Af-Pak by 2014, and in that he has failed. Though with about 10,000 soldiers remaining, only 22 died in 2015 and 3 so far this year. Other than the promise to unwind Iraq, which he sort of did as he campaigned (even if helped by Iraqi govt. intransigence), he was fairly foggy on future endeavors...

 

[arkirk]

Obama got electing preaching military disengagement and has spent his entire presidency in a kind of foggy world of Oz where the drones hum and kill and stir the natives up and then he has to go back to the "old way" and send in troops. Obama was a liar when he represented himself as a peace candidate.

Uhm....not really. Obama promised to ratchet it up in Af-Pak, and he delivered. Though he did promise to eventually get out of Af-Pak by 2014, and in that he has failed. Though with about 10,000 soldiers remaining, only 22 died in 2015 and 3 so far this year. Other than the promise to unwind Iraq, which he sort of did as he campaigned (even if helped by Iraqi govt. intransigence), he was fairly foggy on future endeavors...

You are correct. The media focused on the withdrawal but he was already on the long march into Afghanistan. The fact is he just gave a speech in which he advocated increased use of mechanical flying assassins called drones and lied about the civilian casualties and extremist recruiting power of his war by drones. This policy is extremely foolhardy. I have been surprised that those under drone attack have not developed defenses against them. They will in time and then it will be more troops and more blood spilled on both sides. I don't think a national leader in today's world should ever have the options our system has granted Obama. I feel he undoes his diplomatic gains with his stupid insistence on drone warfare against primative people.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

The big fart's ideas on the first 100 days:

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/05/us/politics/donald-trump-president.html

Insane!

 

[untermensche]

Foreign policy is not Trumps biggest problem.

Hillary might even be more Hawkish.

Trumps biggest problem is the first thing he will do as president is pick a Supreme Court nominee.

That is all Hillary has to keep reminding people.

Especially women.

 

[Harry Bosch]

Foreign policy is not Trumps biggest problem.

Hillary might even be more Hawkish.

Trumps biggest problem is the first thing he will do as president is pick a Supreme Court nominee.

That is all Hillary has to keep reminding people.

Especially women.

Wow, I think that foreign policy is a big concern with Trump. Sure electing a right winger to the supreme court would have consequences. But if he gets angry or petty with China over some issue, he could start inadvertently start a nuclear war. Trump is a crazy man. He's petty, intolerant, dogmatic, vengeful, conspiratorial, no grasp of complicated issues, and full of himself. We'd be crazy to trust him with the nuclear football.

 

[untermensche]

Foreign policy is not Trumps biggest problem.

Hillary might even be more Hawkish.

Trumps biggest problem is the first thing he will do as president is pick a Supreme Court nominee.

That is all Hillary has to keep reminding people.

Especially women.

Wow, I think that foreign policy is a big concern with Trump. Sure electing a right winger to the supreme court would have consequences. But if he gets angry or petty with China over some issue, he could start inadvertently start a nuclear war. Trump is a crazy man. He's petty, intolerant, dogmatic, vengeful, conspiratorial, no grasp of complicated issues, and full of himself. We'd be crazy to trust him with the nuclear football.

If people vote thinking about the Supreme Court then Hillary will win in a landslide.

If they are thinking about other things then it is a toss up.

Because Trump has so many unknowns. But one of his knowns is he wants somebody like Scalia on the Court. This can effect lives in real ways especially the lives of women.

 

[Will Wiley]

America doesn't need someone with foreign policy experience. They need someone who can address the enornous problems at home.

What have the foreign policy "experts" done lately?

Spent as much as 6 trillion dollars on two wars they couldn't win. Destroyed Syria and Libya, as well.

Yeah...thanks "foreign policy fuckwits"

 

[untermensche]

America doesn't need someone with foreign policy experience. They need someone who can address the enornous problems at home.

What have the foreign policy "experts" done lately?

Spent as much as 6 trillion dollars on two wars they couldn't win. Destroyed Syria and Libya, as well.

Yeah...thanks "foreign policy fuckwits"

What they need first and foremost is a sane Supreme Court Justice, not another radical like Scalia.

 

[fromderinside]

With trump its not his policies which are abysmal its his taking over, some would correctly say corrupting, news functions with entertainment. Media let him get away with it in primaries where show apparently trumped process for profit. Hey we can get lots of people to watch if we entertain. Up til now presidential process has been controlled by party neutral entities as a news event rather than business interests who, as we saw treated the nomination process as an entertainment event.

 

[Cheerful Charlie]

Trump is now doubling down on torture. He has already been told by high ranking military officers they will not obey illegal orders. Trump will very much be a loose cannon without much common sense. He not only has little foreign policy experience, but he hasn't the sense to be Commander in Chief. His style, making outrageous comments and posturing will enable people like Putin to us him as an excuse to continue on being outrageous. He certainly won't be able to gain support of any allies being a fool who loudly claims he will reinstitute and legalize torture.