Originally posted by mikewhitney
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The De-Ukrainification of the National Security Council
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"If you believe, take the first step, it leads to Jesus Christ. If you don't believe, take the first step all the same, for you are bidden to take it. No one wants to know about your faith or unbelief, your orders are to perform the act of obedience on the spot. Then you will find yourself in the situation where faith becomes possible and where faith exists in the true sense of the word." - Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship
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Originally posted by Cow Poke View PostIt's always helpful, my misguided friend, to make it clear to whom you are addressing questions, so that the intended party may respond accordingly.
It seems that even the US security apparatus is not immune from Trump’s perversity. When he has captured that last bit, the struggle for democracy is over, and a new, revised history of the recent past will emerge.“I think God, in creating man, somewhat overestimated his ability.” ― Oscar Wilde
“And if there were a God, I think it very unlikely that He would have such an uneasy vanity as to be offended by those who doubt His existence” ― Bertrand Russell
“not all there” - you know who you are
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Originally posted by myth View PostMyth? lol. I've studied some of the world's worst dictators, and Trump is (somewhat acting like them). Now, I'm realistic. He's not nearly as bad as major dictators, but there are some similarities.
Let's say you had some case to make toward that, how does it even seem likely that he could inspire the whole of DC and the anti-Trump US government to succumb to such dictatorship? And what do you think is the effect of this dictatorship?Last edited by mikewhitney; 02-08-2020, 03:53 PM.
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Originally posted by myth View PostExactly my point. So why do you seem to be supporting author whom apparently doesn't understand the distinction, or that there are limits? You can disagree with Vindman's decision all day long, but like Mitt Romney he followed his moral compass and made an unpopular decision.
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Originally posted by rogue06 View PostMore than one has been relieved of their command like this famous instance
[ATTACH=CONFIG]42632[/ATTACH]
In much more current example (and one also because the officer in charge had said things about the president which angered the latter) there is Obama's firing of General Stanley McChrystal, the commander of our forces in Afghanistan, because of some unflatoring things he said to a reporter from Rolling Stone magazine about ObamaThe first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.
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Originally posted by firstfloor View PostI was asking you.
What is your interest in pedalling Russian inspired disinformation?
And if you didn’t recognise it immediately, then you have been sucked in by the worst elements of the treacherous right wing media.
It seems that even the US security apparatus is not immune from Trump’s perversity.
When he has captured that last bit, the struggle for democracy is over, and a new, revised history of the recent past will emerge.The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.
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Originally posted by Cow Poke View PostAh, that's why we have the quote function, and "Reply with Quote".
The "US Security apparatus", like the FBI, has become more and more politicized, and much less independent. (Add the IRS to that list, as well)
You're hoping, perhaps, Mayor Pete will salvage the resulting collapse?
But I'm not sure how Chasten would manage the 'First Lady' role. Is there a protocol or something being planned for that contingency?“I think God, in creating man, somewhat overestimated his ability.” ― Oscar Wilde
“And if there were a God, I think it very unlikely that He would have such an uneasy vanity as to be offended by those who doubt His existence” ― Bertrand Russell
“not all there” - you know who you are
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Originally posted by firstfloor View PostAs long as it's not Trump, recovery will be speedy.
But I'm not sure how Chasten would manage the 'First Lady' role. Is there a protocol or something being planned for that contingency?The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.
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Originally posted by simplicio View PostIf Vindman decided to lie to show some loyalty to his boss, I wonder if he would be a hero to some!Some may call me foolish, and some may call me odd
But I'd rather be a fool in the eyes of man
Than a fool in the eyes of God
From "Fools Gold" by Petra
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https://www.washingtonpost.com/graph...ment-timeline/
Read from Jan 11, 2017.“I think God, in creating man, somewhat overestimated his ability.” ― Oscar Wilde
“And if there were a God, I think it very unlikely that He would have such an uneasy vanity as to be offended by those who doubt His existence” ― Bertrand Russell
“not all there” - you know who you are
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Originally posted by firstfloor View Posthttps://www.washingtonpost.com/graph...ment-timeline/
Read from Jan 11, 2017.
Debates (points for your position) made via weblink are not allowed. Weblinks may be used when a substantive summary of the point being made is posted on the board with a link given for further information regarding your position. Remember responsive arguments are to be as personal as possible, not "cut and paste" dueling articles. This can be avoided by giving one's personal analysis along with an article, or just quoting the specifically relevant portions and showing relevance.
You can't just post a link that says "podcast by Joe Blitzenberger". You really need to give some indication of what it's about, or what it's intended to prove...
The exception, of course, would be when somebody challenges you to provide a link (often by asking "linky?"), then it's appropriate to provide just the link, without comment.The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.
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Originally posted by Cow Poke View PostThe De-Ukrainification of the National Security Council
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Firing Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, a Ukraine expert at the National Security Council, and his twin brother Yevgeny, an NSC lawyer, is just the start of a promised restructuring and a rebuilding of the National Security Council.
Last September, National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien pledged to drastically downsize what he called the “bloated” NSC staff, so it is encouraging to see that some of that “bloat” was just escorted out of the White House on Friday. The swelling of the NSC ranks was real and Obama was to blame. During the George W. Bush administration, there were 100 policy professionals working in the NSC under Condoleezza Rice — but, the number ballooned to 236 under President Obama.
President Trump should have demanded that the NSC be streamlined in 2016, but he has been poorly served by the Council and was undermined by a few too many Vindmans. OÂ’BrienÂ’s goal is to bring the NSC down to fewer than 120 policy staffers. However, his real goal should be to retain only those whose first priorities are to truly serve the president. Lt Col. Alexander Vindman is not one of those.
Like several of those testifying at the impeachment hearings against Trump, Vindman’s allegiance to Ukraine was clear. During the preliminary televised hearings, Vindman claimed that in the spring of 2019 he became aware of what he called “outside influencers” promoting what he called a false narrative of Ukraine inconsistent with what he believed were “the consensus views of the interagency.” He stated that he believed that what he called a “false” narrative which suggested that Ukrainian government officials attempted to derail Trump’s candidacy in 2016 was “harmful to U.S. government policy… and undermined U.S. government efforts to expand cooperation with Ukraine.”
In his testimony against the President, Vindman made the statement that “a strong and independent Ukraine is critical to U.S. national security interests because Ukraine is a frontline state and a bulwark against Russian aggression.” And he was hostile to anyone who did not agree.
This ignored the fact that even Politico reported in January 2017 that Ukrainian officials tried to undermine Trump in the 2016 election by publicly disseminating documents implicating a top Trump aide in corruption and suggesting that they were investigating the matter....
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Originally posted by JimL View PostWow....The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.
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Originally posted by myth View PostFunny, and here I thought the point of serving on the National Security Council staff would be to serve the nation. I'd expect nothing less than these petty shenanigans from Trump.
This cult of personal loyalty to Trump is troubling in the extreme.Geislerminian Antinomian Kenotic Charispneumaticostal Gender Mutualist-Egalitarian.
Beige Federalist.
Nationalist Christian.
"Everybody is somebody's heretic."
Social Justice is usually the opposite of actual justice.
Proud member of the this space left blank community.
Would-be Grand Vizier of the Padishah Maxi-Super-Ultra-Hyper-Mega-MAGA King Trumpius Rex.
Justice for Ashli Babbitt!
Justice for Matthew Perna!
Arrest Ray Epps and his Fed bosses!
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Originally posted by myth View PostExactly my point. So why do you seem to be supporting author whom apparently doesn't understand the distinction, or that there are limits? You can disagree with Vindman's decision all day long, but like Mitt Romney he followed his moral compass and made an unpopular decision. Trump doesn't seem to even have a moral compass, but so many Trump supporters seem to think we should just blindly support him no matter what.
The fact of the matter is, Trump isn't smart enough to keep his corrupt shenanigans hidden. He seems incapable of understanding why people raise a stink about blatantly visible corruption.
Seriously, he has extreme political opponents (the Democrats, not me)...and he doesn't have the wherewithal to keep his wrongdoing hidden?
Why is this, you ask? Because he's President, and he thinks that means he can do WHATEVER he wants. And you know what, a bunch of spineless Republican Senators (minus Mitt Romney, of all people) confirmed that he CAN do whatever he want.
I'm also not interested in hearing any B.S. about Trump supporting Christian values. Trump is pandering to the evangelical base for political expendiency. He wouldn't know an actual Christian if they punched him in the face. And besides, if the Senate would have removed Trump...there's not a single thing he's done is support of Christian values that Pence wouldn't also do.Geislerminian Antinomian Kenotic Charispneumaticostal Gender Mutualist-Egalitarian.
Beige Federalist.
Nationalist Christian.
"Everybody is somebody's heretic."
Social Justice is usually the opposite of actual justice.
Proud member of the this space left blank community.
Would-be Grand Vizier of the Padishah Maxi-Super-Ultra-Hyper-Mega-MAGA King Trumpius Rex.
Justice for Ashli Babbitt!
Justice for Matthew Perna!
Arrest Ray Epps and his Fed bosses!
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