tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-379287241318002122.post8315567658182887726..comments2024-01-28T08:54:32.914-06:00Comments on That's interesting...: Why We Did ItBill Garthrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08552459555883204060noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-379287241318002122.post-1052348597785905892014-04-16T07:21:17.758-05:002014-04-16T07:21:17.758-05:00Anonymous, by "how it should have been done i...Anonymous, by "how it should have been done in the first place," I specifically meant going after Osama bin Laden after 9/11 using a small SEAL team, rather than invading Afghanistan.<br /><br />But even in that respect, we probably could have - and should have - done things differently. We could have considered 9/11 to be a crime, rather than an act of war, and we could have worked with international police forces worldwide to bring the criminals to justice. We had a lot of support in the world after 9/11.<br /><br />We didn't do any of that, and to a great extent, Barack Obama is constrained by what we <i>did</i> do. We <i>did</i> make 9/11 an act of war, we <i>did</i> use it as an excuse to invade two Muslim nations (one of which had absolutely nothing to do with it), we <i>did</i> decide that we were at "war" with a handful of religious nuts and anyone else who objected to our actions.<br /><br />We had a lot better options before we invaded Afghanistan than afterwards. Afterwards, as far as I could tell, we had no good options at all.<br /><br />Even a new president has to accept the reality of the situation, especially given the fact that he took office not just with two ongoing wars, but also in the depths of the worst economic collapse since the Great Depression (<i>and</i> that he had to try and work with Republicans in order to do anything at all).<br /><br />Even at the time, I could see no good options. In many ways, Obama has continued the policies of George W. Bush, true. And in some of those ways, I think that was wrong. But in others, I don't have a clue what he <i>should</i> have done - not a clue.<br /><br />We're between a rock and a hard place. It was easy enough to get there, but it's not going to be so easy getting out again. I can criticize specific actions, but I can't fault Barack Obama for trying to muddle through it when I don't have a clue myself how to extract America from that situation.<br /><br />Thanks for the comment. Perhaps you have more specific ideas about what, exactly, we should do now?<br />Bill Garthrighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08552459555883204060noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-379287241318002122.post-77405425773860611822014-04-15T13:51:01.258-05:002014-04-15T13:51:01.258-05:00I agreed with most, and partially everything you h...I agreed with most, and partially everything you had to say. Some good info, just adequately difficult to articulate. However, the part that I most defiantly disagree with and consider an oxymoron is where you stated "Barack Obama showed us how it should have been done in the first place". Okay.... there should not have been a war in the "first place". Also, Bush was a terrible president, and the things he did hurt the people bad, And today we put all the credit of the bad things on Bush (Which he deserves, it is his fault) Though... Obama has did nothing but continue the things Bush did. He hasn't made thinigs worse, but continues what those "Right-Wingers" started that fucked as all up.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-379287241318002122.post-16687861354760971252014-03-09T12:52:12.536-05:002014-03-09T12:52:12.536-05:00These two are so comfortable with each other it se...These two are so comfortable with each other it seems more like two friends chatting then an interview. :)Chimeradavehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14373236451090168388noreply@blogger.com