President Trump: Making America Great Again...

[Bo Diddley]

I'm glad ISIS doesn't actually physically control Mosul anymore, but that's not a consolation to my clients that had to flee Iraq because of actual threats from ISIS. They're not going back any time soon, and I certainly don't think Trump ought to take a victory lap.

But to CardiacCoug's original point, the Hillary would be taking those same victory laps, were she in office. And if she was taking them, CNN would be cheering her on, no doubt about it.

[Uncle Ted]

I'm glad ISIS doesn't actually physically control Mosul anymore, but that's not a consolation to my clients that had to flee Iraq because of actual threats from ISIS. They're not going back any time soon, and I certainly don't think Trump ought to take a victory lap.

Yeah, Drumpf needs to be more like Obama... and bomb the hell out of them and their terrorist babies with drone strikes. If Biden would drop all his other stupid ideas and commit to the Obama doctrine of peace in the middle east then he might be worth voting for.

[Bo Diddley]

Yeah, Drumpf needs to be more like Obama... and bomb the hell out of them and their terrorist babies with drone strikes. If Biden would drop all his other stupid ideas and commit to the Obama doctrine of peace in the middle east then he might be worth voting for.

UT, you take a lot of abuse on here, but i want to be on record that I appreciate your sense of humor. I dont think they get it.

[Commando]

Yeah, Drumpf needs to be more like Obama... and bomb the hell out of them and their terrorist babies with drone strikes. If Biden would drop all his other stupid ideas and commit to the Obama doctrine of peace in the middle east then he might be worth voting for.

Trump gets it in when it comes to drone strikes- put your mind at ease!

[PaloAltoCougar]

...

Trumps does deserve some credit for the peace deal. Hopefully it works out well and leads to more peace in the region. We'll see.

It was a long time ago, but was the 1993 Isreali-Palestinian peace deal a big deal for Clinton and his re-election in 1996? I was on my mission in 96, so I have no idea. I would say that deal hasn't lived up to its potential.

The imminent sign-on of other Arab countries to an Israeli peace accord has been predicted by some each time a treaty has been reached in the past (Egypt in the ‘70s, Jordan in the 90’s). It’d be great if others suddenly fell in line, but the past suggests otherwise.

And putting aside the fact that the UAE and Bahrain deals have been underway since pre-Trump, he deserves credit for not screwing it up.

But it’s my understanding that the primary motivator for the deal wasn’t anything Trump did, but rather what he hasn’t been doing…. The Arab states are much more worried about Iran than they are Israel. In recent years, Iran has become increasingly aggressive toward its Arab neighbors, including countless attacks on Arab oil production and shipping, nearly all of which has gone unpunished by the US. By entering into these deals, the Arab states are, in effect, counting on Israel to provide protection against Iran aggression since they can't count on Trump to do so. As the U.S. withdraws its influence from the Middle East, look for Russia and China to make more obvious moves in the region. But at least we’ll save lives and money in the near-term.

[Now who’s the dean?]

But to CardiacCoug's original point, the Hillary would be taking those same victory laps, were she in office. And if she was taking them, CNN would be cheering her on, no doubt about it.

True. But Hillary would be participating or at least aware of what was going on. What are the chances this deal made one of the 3 bullet points the orange messiah allows in his “briefings” per week? Pretty slim unless the deals involve turning the temple mt into a Trump resort.

[creekster]

The imminent sign-on of other Arab countries to an Israeli peace accord has been predicted by some each time a treaty has been reached in the past (Egypt in the ‘70s, Jordan in the 90’s). It’d be great if others suddenly fell in line, but the past suggests otherwise.

And putting aside the fact that the UAE and Bahrain deals have been underway since pre-Trump, he deserves credit for not screwing it up.

But it’s my understanding that the primary motivator for the deal wasn’t anything Trump did, but rather what he hasn’t been doing…. The Arab states are much more worried about Iran than they are Israel. In recent years, Iran has become increasingly aggressive toward its Arab neighbors, including countless attacks on Arab oil production and shipping, nearly all of which has gone unpunished by the US. By entering into these deals, the Arab states are, in effect, counting on Israel to provide protection against Iran aggression since they can't count on Trump to do so. As the U.S. withdraws its influence from the Middle East, look for Russia and China to make more obvious moves in the region. But at least we’ll save lives and money in the near-term.

Wait, are you suggesting that we should have "punished" Iran for its numerous provocations? Should this punishment have been accomplished militarily or through sanctions? And is it your position that we have some duty to mete out such punishment, as opposed to the states that were direct objects of Iran's provocations, in order to staunch Russian or Chinese influence? And this naughty Iranian regime is the same one that we were supposedly trusting in the nuclear power treaty? And don't your second and third paragraphs contradict each other? If the deals were in place already how could Trump's ineptitude in not punishing the unruly Iranian school boy lead to the deals?

I think Trump is a buffoon, but this deal is a more hopeful development than any that have come out of the middle east in quite a while, it seems to me. I am also not sure there was as much hope about other nations joining in under the sadat accord or the Jordan agreement nor do I think that is much of a reason to minimize the importance of any state recognizing israel now. Maybe for Trump it's a blind squirrel sort of thing, but it is a pretty important development.

[PaloAltoCougar]

Wait, are you suggesting that we should have "punished" Iran for its numerous provocations? Should this punishment have been accomplished militarily or through sanctions? And is it your position that we have some duty to mete out such punishment, as opposed to the states that were direct objects of Iran's provocations, in order to staunch Russian or Chinese influence? And this naughty Iranian regime is the same one that we were supposedly trusting in the nuclear power treaty? And don't your second and third paragraphs contradict each other? If the deals were in place already how could Trump's ineptitude in not punishing the unruly Iranian school boy lead to the deals?

I think Trump is a buffoon, but this deal is a more hopeful development than any that have come out of the middle east in quite a while, it seems to me. I am also not sure there was as much hope about other nations joining in under the sadat accord or the Jordan agreement nor do I think that is much of a reason to minimize the importance of any state recognizing israel now. Maybe for Trump it's a blind squirrel sort of thing, but it is a pretty important development.

I'm on vacation* and won't take the time to respond to all of your questions for now, as I don't want to anger you as I've done before with things political. Quick note: perhaps it was unclear, but I think a treaty can be underway but not yet completed, the two new treaties are good things, I believe Trump deserves credit, and I hope there are more. And there is only one Iran, to my knowledge.

______________________
*On a tour of Bryce Canyon today, our guide, who resembled a brain-damaged Wilford Brimley, provided the ten of us with some Utah History and lore, including, for example, that there are very few black people in Utah because "Mormons are still holding a grudge against blacks because of the curse on Abraham, and when blacks move in, they never stay more than a couple of years because they're driven out."

[creekster]

I'm on vacation* and won't take the time to respond to all of your questions for now, as I don't want to anger you as I've done before with things political. Quick note: perhaps it was unclear, but I think a treaty can be underway but not yet completed, the two new treaties are good things, I believe Trump deserves credit, and I hope there are more. And there is only one Iran, to my knowledge.

______________________
*On a tour of Bryce Canyon today, our guide, who resembled a brain-damaged Wilford Brimley, provided the ten of us with some Utah History and lore, including, for example, that there are very few black people in Utah because "Mormons are still holding a grudge against blacks because of the curse on Abraham, and when blacks move in, they never stay more than a couple of years because they're driven out."

Maybe we can get Kushner to now turn his attention to minorities and mormons to work something out.

[falafel]

But to CardiacCoug's original point, the Hillary would be taking those same victory laps, were she in office. And if she was taking them, CNN would be cheering her on, no doubt about it.

Truth.

[CardiacCoug]

But to CardiacCoug's original point, the Hillary would be taking those same victory laps, were she in office. And if she was taking them, CNN would be cheering her on, no doubt about it.

Every wacky belief system that succeeds exploits a small kernel of truth.

The Essential Oils crowd is mostly wrong but totally correct in that doctors hurt people all the time by recommending harmful and unnecessary drugs and surgeries/procedures.

The Fake News crowd is mostly wrong but totally correct in that the good things that Trump [accidentally?] does receive zero credit in the mainstream media.

[Lost Student]

Every wacky belief system that succeeds exploits a small kernel of truth.

The Essential Oils crowd is mostly wrong but totally correct in that doctors hurt people all the time by recommending harmful and unnecessary drugs and surgeries/procedures.

The Fake News crowd is mostly wrong but totally correct in that the good things that Trump [accidentally?] does receive zero credit in the mainstream media.

The CB crowd is totally correct that yewts suck!

edit:
Trump_UofU.jpg

[frank ryan]

I'm not that familiar with how ISIS was taken down. All I remember was the US getting out of the way so Turkey could do some dirty work. I also remember some dustups with Russia in Syria as well. Do you have any overview of what has taken place the last 8 years with it?

Trumps does deserve some credit for the peace deal. Hopefully it works out well and leads to more peace in the region. We'll see.

It was a long time ago, but was the 1993 Isreali-Palestinian peace deal a big deal for Clinton and his re-election in 1996? I was on my mission in 96, so I have no idea. I would say that deal hasn't lived up to its potential.

Turkey wasn’t and isn’t interested in the destruction of ISIS. Turkey went after the Kurds. New life was breathed into ISIS in the area as a result of the bullshit decision. Turkey and ISIS are defacto allies just about, that’s why the allowed the terrorists to move freely from their soil into Syria and Iraq. Fuck Erdogan.

[Now who’s the dean?]

Every wacky belief system that succeeds exploits a small kernel of truth.

The Essential Oils crowd is mostly wrong but totally correct in that doctors hurt people all the time by recommending harmful and unnecessary drugs and surgeries/procedures.

The Fake News crowd is mostly wrong but totally correct in that the good things that Trump [accidentally?] does receive zero credit in the mainstream media.

[emoji849]
That is a steaming pantload. Both sides have good people indeed.

[CardiacCoug]

[emoji849]
That is a steaming pantload. Both sides have good people indeed.

Weird response dude.