Associated Press
Though John Bolton's credibility as a prominent voice on foreign policy was shredded years ago, the former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. is back -- Mitt Romney has brought Bolton as a leading campaign surrogate and advisor.
With that in mind, Bolton raised a few eyebrows this week with a Washington Times op-ed, celebrating the temporary halt to diplomatic talks with Iran. "Fortunately," he wrote, "the recently concluded Baghdad talks between Iran and the U.N. Security Council's five permanent members and Germany (P-5+1) produced no substantive agreement."
Time's Joe Klein, generally a mild-mannered political observer, described Bolton yesterday as a "nutjob," and characterized his op-ed as "a cut below his usual tripe."
For one thing, any sane, sentient human being wants these talks to succeed, so that Iran makes it excessively plain, in an irrevocable and transparent fashion, that it will not pursue nuclear weapons.... For another thing, if Bolton knew anything -- I mean the tiniest smidgeon -- about these negotiations, he'd understand that what happened in Baghdad was a sign of success, not failure. The Iranians were hoping that empty gestures would be enough to split the international alliance–that the Russians and Chinese were desperate for an excuse to jump ship. Guess what? The Russians and Chinese held firm. No concessions were made. The Iranians have had to go back to the drawing board. [...]
The idea that Mitt Romney would associate himself with this thoughtless goofball is as feckless as his embrace of Donald Trump, and considerably more dangerous. Romney has taken flak, rightly, from Republican realists for his overly aggressive, ill-informed foreign policy statements. He is making a fool of himself on the issues most central to the commander-in-chief function of the presidency. He needs to ditch John Bolton, and fast.
That last part is of particular interest. Bolton demanding a U.S. invasion of Iran is about as predictable as the sunrise. The fact, however, that this shameless warmonger has the ear of the Republicans' presidential nominee makes his warmongering much harder to dismiss.
Indeed, the Obama campaign released a statement from Michele Flournoy, former Under Secretary of Defense for Policy and the highest-ranking female in Pentagon history, who was also unimpressed with Bolton's screed.
"Bolton has made it clear that he's rooting for American diplomacy to fail and has repeatedly called for a rush to war with Iran. Gov. Romney needs to be clear with the American people: Does he believe there's still time for diplomacy to work? Or is he ready to take us to war, like his advisor John Bolton is advocating? If Romney wants to be Commander-in-Chief, he owes it to the American people to answer these crucial questions. [...]
"Today, because of [President Obama's] leadership, Iran is weaker and more isolated than at any time in history. If Gov. Romney shares his advisor John Bolton's views that it is time for the US to go to war with Iran, the American people deserve to know."
Michael Hirsh had a related item in National Journal, reporting that even most of George W. Bush's foreign policy team considered Bolton too extreme and unconstructive.
It would appear that Mitt Romney disagrees. Given that the former governor has no background or working understanding of foreign policy or national security issues, who he brings on as advisors is all the more significant. And in this case, he's listening to John Bolton.
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Romney, who "desperately longed" to fight in Vietnam while he was busy getting the kind of deferments that only the son of a family high in the Moron, er, I mean Mormon, heirarchy could get, has no idea what war is. (Of course, he has no idea what anything else is, either)
He is the queintessential demonstration of all five points of what is a stupid person:
"The economic historian Carlo Maria Cipolla is famous for his essays about human stupidity. The essay, "The Fundamental Laws of Human Stupidity", explores the controversial subject of stupidity. Stupid people are seen as a group, more powerful by far than major organizations such as the Mafia and the industrial complex, which without regulations, leaders or manifesto nonetheless manages to operate to great effect and with incredible coordination. These are Cipolla's five fundamental laws of stupidity:
I am not entirely convinced that he is 'stupid'.
G W Bush was the most incurious and superficial president in recent memory. Romney thinks that is a feature, not a bug.
He is stupid and a self entitled brat grown up. When does pastor Hagee become his foreign policy advisor? Where's Doug Feith, Paul Wolfowitz, Richard Perle...and who could forget Cheney. Listen to Romney talk off script and you can easily see...he really is stupid. He can only say what he's been told to say or what he thinks he is expected to say but he cannot think for himself or problem solve. I can't believe we have sunk so low politiclly that this goober is even a candidate. Without the money he is irrelevant...just ask Trump.
"Michael Hirsh had a related item in National Journal, reporting that even most of George W. Bush's foreign policy team considered Bolton too extreme and unconstructive." But not so much so that Bush didn't use a recess appointment for Bolton as U.N. Ambassador for more than a year. That is the problem with Romney's GOP. They have no fresh ideas, policies, or positions, and very few fresh faces. If Romney wins, the country will get Bush Deaux, with a little (or maybe a lot) of tea flavor.
It is not even about ideas; it's about positioning Romney to appeal to one sub-group or another. Bolton is a lure to attract a particular segment. Its about adding to the base.
To (hammers) neo-cons like Bolton, everything looks like a nail. Rmoney would be putty in the hands of neo-cons.
I know everyone is thinking more of economy, so let us think how attacking more countries (like Iran) would affect the budget, then.
I do not think they really care about budgets, but they would like to spend much more on MIC and cut or gut social programs, leaving economy worse.
Romney is Bush 2.0
Just a different face on the same failed policies that have repeatedly screwed this country.
Is there any daylight between Bush and Romney on any major policies? Not that I can see.
No one, left or right, seems to be paying the slightest attention to the fact that, quite literally, every single thing Romney has said or written about foreign policy and national security for the last six years has been entirely, disastrously, catastrophically wrong. Time and again, he shows not only that he simply does not know what the hell he's talking about, but, even more dangerously, he's confident that, by virtue of his magic CEO powers, he's an expert on these things and needs no additional information and advice.
I'm talking about stuff like his ridiculous editorial about the START treaty:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/05/AR2010070502657.html
His frequent pronouncements that a Romney Administration would give Israel the kind of carte blanche support in attacking Iran that Kaiser Wilhelm gave Austria Hungary in the summer of 1914.
http://articles.latimes.com/2012/feb/24/opinion/la-ed-iran-20120224
His eager embrace of the PNAC neocon cartel who were demanding, and planning, a war of aggression against years before 9/11--people whose every thought and position was demonstrated, over and over again to be catastrophically wrong:
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/05/why-colin-powell-bashed-mitt-romneys-foreign-policy-advisers/
His shockingly, yet impenetrably, ignorant--in strictly military terms--pronouncements on the size of the Navy and the Air Force:
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2012/jan/18/mitt-romney/mitt-romney-says-us-navy-smallest-1917-air-force-s/
The man has been uncharacteristically consistent. He's shown us, over and over again, in no uncertain terms, that he will make us look back at the Bush (II) Administration as a golden age of international statesmanship, and yet no one seems to think it's very important because, after all, when we have an economy in such dire need of fixing with tax cuts for rich people, tax increases for the poor, deregulation of Big Finance and austerity for everyone but the 1%, who cares about dumb ol' foreign policy?
So when is Willard going to announce Cheney as his VP?
With Citizens United having taken over the political ship, I fear for the future of our country that is reminiscent of the scene in the movie "Titanic" where we saw the ship heading from port out into open waters as the uplifting background music trails off changing its mood with the feeling of impending doom.
I am the eggman, they are the eggmen.
I am the walrus, goo goo g'joob g'goo goo g'joob.
Goo goo g'joob g'goo goo g'joob g'goo...
It sure scare everyone nearly half of this country is seriously considering voting for Romney.
"...reporting that even most of George W. Bush's foreign policy team considered Bolton too extreme and unconstructive."
Gee, when the other chicken-hawks start disparaging the "other Sith Lord" you know WE all should start paying attention! And while we're asking questions maybe we can ask Mittens how many of his children will be participating in this next mis-adventure called empire?
The fact that anyone listens to Bolton scares the hell out of me.
1) Didn't Bush's SecDef Gates say "anyone who advocates for a land war in Asia needs to have their head examined?
2) Republicans love one thing almost as much as cutting taxes and that is sending other people's children to die in pointless military adventures in faraway lands. How do they keep winning elections?
The sheeple are easily herded in their direction......
"Didn't Bush's SecDef say "anyone who advocates for a land war in Asia need to have their head examined?"
Matt Maybe you're thinking of The Princess Bride
"You fell victim to one of the classic blunders - The most famous of which is "never get involved in a land war in Asia" ..."
But maybe Bush's SecDef gotten it from the movie. ;-)
Reminds me of the best summary I've heard of Bush's foreign policy technique: "C'mon out with your hands up!"
To make this comment, falls short of our problems. This is more to the point for the entire world to think of. "When you think you are right/Think again. When you know your right, then do something about it." We have people in this country/world that think thay are right. But if you just sit back, you know which of them actuly know thay are right. Problems of today is power. To the people of wis. you sold your votes to money power. Unions force themselves upon the public with no reguards for the commone people. Insted of comming to a conclussion, you mis-used your strike power. This was good after the first depression, when money was all power. Now again it so, but from a different angle. From unions. I've watched over the years, of how unions mis-used their powers, to the extent of losing, all youve gained. Wake up world the rich must share with the poor, and the poor must share with the rich. It can't go on like this
Consider...) "...Conservatives get to stand on desks with their hair on fire and shriek the most ludicrous, vile and mendacious hogwhiz – year after year after year after year after mother@!$%#ing year -- unchallenged" after which "...these same howler monkeys -– who have been not just wrong but spectacularly, catastrophically wrong about everything, every time -- keep getting invited back in front of the cameras and onto the pages of major newspapers..."
Instead:
...the MSM continues to prop up the rotting carcass of the GOP like the corpse in ”Weekend at Bernie's”, and waltz it lovingly across the national stage year after year after year, protecting it as ferociously as they would their own children even as it goes raving mad, putrefies and crumbles to reek and maggots in their arms...." -Driftglass. Pretty much sums up Romney and the media huh.
Spread the word folks, the youth of the world are sick and tired of cults, governments, and others who try to control our lives.We are ready to stand up against these tyrants and face our worst nightmares knowing full well that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. This message is to all Mormon youth who are ready to call it quits. Your time has come to be heard and be thanked for your strength, the Mormon church can no longer suppress the youth of this world, we need to fight back and take a stand against the great Mormon Beast!
There is a Mass Mormon Resignation (memberships resignation) happening on June 30th of this month. You can read about the details here:
http://resignmormon.blogspot.com/
There are a ton of Mormon youth that will be at this event. I know the leaders of the event will not say how many have already committed to resignation, but its somewhere in the neighborhood of thousands.
Come join us in our festivities as well celebrate the end of the Mormon Church's control over our minds, bodies, and souls. Its high-time we show the Mormon church that they don't control us, but we control them
United States & the Mormons
Quotes from great Mormon leaders about America:
“U.S. President Zachary Taylor is dead, and in hell. And I am glad of it.”
- Prophet Brigham Young, quoted in Perry Brocchus, “Utah Officials’ Report to President Fillmore,” Congressional Globe, new series, v. 25, p. 87; cited in B.H. Roberts, Comprehensive History of the Church, 1930, v. 3, p. 520, footnote 3
“Mormon leaders consistently expressed their feelings that the war had been brought on by the wickedness of the United States, which had rejected Mormonism and permitted the death of the prophet of God and his servants…. Although the waste of lives was lamentable, a war between states would avenge the death of Joseph Smith. The Saints seemed especially gratified that Jackson County was a war zone and that Missouri would suffer the penalty of its cruelties to the Mormons. Besides avenging the blood of the innocent, the Lord would also prepare the way before his coming, which Mormons believed would occur in Jackson County, Missouri…. William Clayton wrote that such a spirit seemed to operate on Brigham Young’s mind: ‘All Latter-day Saints will not stay here [in Utah] forever. He [Young] talks much and frequently about Jackson County, Missouri.”
- Eugene E. Campbell, Establishing Zion: The Mormon Church in the American West, 1847-1869, 1988, p. 235
“So as to make you realize the enormity of Mormonism suffice it that I found them a community of traitors, murderers, fanatics, and wh**r*es. The people publicly rejoice at the reverse to our arms and thank God that the American government is gone as they term it, while their prophet and bishops preach treason from the pulpit. Federal officers are entirely powerless and talk in whispers for fear of being overheard by Brigham’s spies. Brigham Young rules with despotic sway and death by assassination is the penalty of disobedience to his command.”
- Colonel Patrick E. Conner, Union Army officer, letter dated September 14, 1862; see Abanes, One Nation Under Gods, p. 274
“These people [the Mormons] repudiate the authority of the United States in this country, and are in open rebellion against the general government…. So strong have been my apprehensions of danger to the surveyors that I scarcely deemed it prudent to send any out…. We are by no means sure that we will be permitted to leave, for it is boldly asserted we would not get away alive.”
- David H. Burr, Surveyor-General for Utah, August 30, 1856, letter to Thomas A. Hendricks, General Land Office, March 28, 1857; see Abanes, One Nation Under Gods, p. 229