President Trump's cabinet

OftenWrong · November 22, 2016

25 minutes ago, Wilber said:

They are already outside the defended area, the place is surrounded.

They had plenty of time to fortify their defenses, and bring in extra resources. It's a pity.

Wilber · November 22, 2016

They have been fortifying their defences and digging tunnels for months. They are surrounded, how do they bring in extra resources?

OftenWrong · November 22, 2016

39 minutes ago, Wilber said:

They have been fortifying their defences and digging tunnels for months. They are surrounded, how do they bring in extra resources?

How did this all happen? Who knows Wilder. I guess Obama knows.

But rather than speculate or give armchair advice I'll support my earlier proposition- Trump is right that secrecy and surprise are important military weapons. Telling your enemies "we will attack you on September 9th" is stupid idea.

?Impact · November 22, 2016

3 minutes ago, OftenWrong said:

But rather than speculate or give armchair advice I'll support my earlier proposition- Trump is right that secrecy and surprise are important military weapons. Telling your enemies "we will attack you on September 9th" is stupid idea.

Lots of retired military Generals have already weighed in and stated that Trump is wrong on this matter.

OftenWrong · November 22, 2016

Just now, ?Impact said:

Lots of retired military Generals have already weighed in and stated that Trump is wrong on this matter.

I'm aware of it. That was in the news about 3-4 weeks go. They declared Trump a fool and that all was going perfectly well in Mosul. Today we hear news of mass executions of civilians in advance of the announced invasion. They butchered thousands and put their bodies in mass graves, where they knew the troops would come through. A macabre welcome wagon.

I don't think they would of done that, had they not known about the invasion. The objective of ISIS is to create an islamic state, not a graveyard and had they believed that they held control without challenge, they would have subjugated the people into living according to wahhabism. Those generals doomed any chance of a quick success, and doomed all those people. Note that Wahhabism extends out of Saudi Arabia, those good friends and financial supporters of the Clintons. That can explain a lot of things...

Wilber · November 22, 2016

It wasn't an invasion, it was the gradual taking back of ISIS held territory. There was no possibility or capability of a surprise attack on Mosul. So are you saying Trump is going to put tens of thousands of US combat troops back into Iraq?

eyeball · November 22, 2016

1 hour ago, OftenWrong said:

When did I say that? Please quote the relevant section, so I know what you mean.

I don't think Obama is a traitor, or enemy of the US.

What you made public was your support for an extra-judicial process outside of public knowledge. You've done so for a president elect who seriously doubted the out-going president's loyalty and who represents millions of Americans who have no doubt whatsoever Obama was a traitor.

What you think and what you say appear to be at odds.

OftenWrong · November 22, 2016

9 minutes ago, eyeball said:

What you made public was your support for an extra-judicial process outside of public knowledge. You've done so for a president elect who seriously doubted the out-going president's loyalty and who represents millions of Americans who have no doubt whatsoever Obama was a traitor.

What you think and what you say appear to be at odds.

War is an extra-judicial process.

But did Donald Trump really doubt Barrack Hussein's loyalty to America?
Donald Trump praises Barack Obama
"Speaking to the press after his meeting with President Obama, President-elect Donald Trump praised Obama as a "good man" in response to questions from a reporter."

A traitor is not good man, so what did he mean? Donald Trump is so perplexing. Contemplate this on the tree of woe.

eyeball · November 22, 2016

How would you have us contemplate him if he decides to act in secret? The fact he'll able to point to people who support doing so will make it all the easier for him to make that choice.

bush_cheney2004 · November 22, 2016

14 minutes ago, eyeball said:

How would you have us contemplate him if he decides to act in secret? The fact he'll able to point to people who support doing so will make it all the easier for him to make that choice.

Sometimes that is by design. President Clinton & cabinet didn't tell Canada they were going to bomb Iraq in 1998. Surprise !

Argus · November 22, 2016

17 hours ago, OftenWrong said:

Excuses... everybody's got one. The element of surprise is not the most important thing, but it is still A thing. It worked on D-Day. How about drop in 50,000 paratroopers with air support.

How about we let the damned Iraqis fight their own wars? Remember that the US spent billions equipping the Iraqi military before leaving. The Iraqi army had something like ten thousand heavily armed troops guarding Mosul and they broke and ran, abandoning tanks, artillery, bradley fighting vehicles, weapons and uniforms before a few hundred ISIS members armed with AK-47s and driving Toyota 4x4s. Since then the Iraqi government has been incapable of finding and refitting enough military units to take on ISIS, in part because its corrupt 'generals' mostly have little military experience and tend to funnel money meant for weapons and soldiers into their Swiss bank accounts.

Why should the west send tens of thousands of men and women over there to fight, risk their lives, and maybe die on behalf of this group of corrupt Arabs who mostly have no respect or even liking for the west or Christianity anyway?

OftenWrong · November 23, 2016

6 hours ago, Argus said:

How about we let the damned Iraqis fight their own wars? Remember that the US spent billions equipping the Iraqi military before leaving. The Iraqi army had something like ten thousand heavily armed troops guarding Mosul and they broke and ran, abandoning tanks, artillery, bradley fighting vehicles, weapons and uniforms before a few hundred ISIS members armed with AK-47s and driving Toyota 4x4s. Since then the Iraqi government has been incapable of finding and refitting enough military units to take on ISIS, in part because its corrupt 'generals' mostly have little military experience and tend to funnel money meant for weapons and soldiers into their Swiss bank accounts.

Why should the west send tens of thousands of men and women over there to fight, risk their lives, and maybe die on behalf of this group of corrupt Arabs who mostly have no respect or even liking for the west or Christianity anyway?

The country is splintered into factions that don't cooperate. Sunnis vs Shiites vs Kurds, vs. whatever. There's no chance for democracy if they hate each other. What they need is a strongman... a brutal dictator to take charge and keep things in order. Someone who can unite the country into protecting itself, by FORCE.

?Impact · November 23, 2016

5 minutes ago, OftenWrong said:

The country is splintered into factions that don't cooperate. Sunnis vs Shiites vs Kurds, vs. whatever. There's no chance for democracy if they hate each other. What they need is a strongman... a brutal dictator to take charge and keep things in order. Someone who can unite the country into protecting itself, by FORCE.

Force does not bring unity, although it might bring more stability and less violence.

OftenWrong · November 23, 2016

12 minutes ago, ?Impact said:

Force does not bring unity, although it might bring more stability and less violence.

Worked fine in Iraq before about 1992. Tell you one thing, hugs and flowers won't work.

Obama- "Let good feelings prevail."
ISIS- "F*** you".

Edited November 23, 2016 by Michael Hardner
language

Wilber · November 23, 2016

41 minutes ago, OftenWrong said:

Worked fine in Iraq before about 1992. Tell you one thing, hugs and flowers won't work.

Obama- "Let good feelings prevail."
ISIS- "F*** you".

Because in 92, the government was left intact. GWB tore the place apart and then expected it to be grateful and become just like us.

Edited November 23, 2016 by Wilber

Wilber · November 23, 2016

54 minutes ago, OftenWrong said:

The country is splintered into factions that don't cooperate. Sunnis vs Shiites vs Kurds, vs. whatever. There's no chance for democracy if they hate each other. What they need is a strongman... a brutal dictator to take charge and keep things in order. Someone who can unite the country into protecting itself, by FORCE.

They had a strong man until GWB went in and f----- the place up.

eyeball · November 23, 2016

18 hours ago, OftenWrong said:

Worked fine in Iraq before about 1992. Tell you one thing, hugs and flowers won't work.

Obama- "Let good feelings prevail."
ISIS- "F*** you".

So where were you in '92? Probably lambasting lefties for questioning the wisdom of invading of Iraq would be my guess.

OftenWrong · November 24, 2016

5 hours ago, eyeball said:

So where were you in '92? Probably lambasting lefties for questioning the wisdom of invading of Iraq would be my guess.

Hey, who edited my post? I didn't type no F***. I thought this was an adult board. I mean, if the incumbent POTUS can say "grab em by the pussy", what the hades?

Who's running this place, the Order of Victorian Nuns?

Anyway, in 1992 I was just a young, impetuous fella, fulla piss and vinegar. Much like yourself, I assume.

Edited November 24, 2016 by OftenWrong

Derek 2.0 · November 24, 2016

On 11/9/2016 at 9:10 PM, Derek 2.0 said:

Straightforward topic, who will Trump tap to help make America Great Again?

My picks:

Secretary of State - John Bolton

Secretary of the Treasury - Speaker Newt Gingrich

Secretary of Defense- ~~Sen. Jeff Sessions~~

Attorney General- ~~Mayor Rudy Giuliani~~ Sen. Jeff Sessions

Secretary of the Interior- Gov. Sarah Palin

Secretary of Agriculture- Gov Ric Perry

Secretary of Commerce- Gov. Chris Christie

Secretary of Labor- ???

Secretary of Health and Human services- Dr Ben Carson

Secretary of Housing and Urban development- Gov Jan Brewer

Secretary of Transportation- Donald Trump jr

Secretary of Energy- Sen. Bob Corker

Secretary of Education- ~~???~~ Besty DeVos

Secretary of Veterans Affairs- Gov. Mike Huckabee

Secretary of Homeland Defense- Stephen Hadley

White House Chief of Staff- Renice Priebus

National Security Adviser- Retired Lt General Mike Flynn

White House Press Secretary- Kellyanne Conway

And add Nikki Haley as UN Amd

So far, of the six named members, I've gotten two right, mixed up Attorney General and SECDEF, didn't pick an Secretary of Education, nor pick a UN Ambassador.....it sounds like Carson will be going to Housing though, but has yet to confirm....

?Impact · November 24, 2016

Betsy DeVos for Secretary of Education. Never stepped inside a classroom, typical Trump choice.

bush_cheney2004 · November 24, 2016

1 hour ago, ?Impact said:

Betsy DeVos for Secretary of Education. Never stepped inside a classroom, typical Trump choice.

Then how did she graduate from high school ?

Argus · November 25, 2016

21 hours ago, Derek 2.0 said:

And add Nikki Haley as UN Amd

Has she ever even been out of the United States? Has she seen a map? Most countries like their UN ambassador to know something about the world.

Argus · November 25, 2016

21 hours ago, ?Impact said:

Betsy DeVos for Secretary of Education. Never stepped inside a classroom, typical Trump choice.

Not only never worked in education but her kids went to private schools.

I like how Trump suggested his son in law could bring peace to the middle east, apparently because he's a Jew. His son in law who knew so little about government that he was surprised that Obama's aides were leaving when he did and would have to be replaced.

Edited November 25, 2016 by Argus

dre · November 25, 2016

On 11/22/2016 at 10:02 AM, Argus said:

How about we let the damned Iraqis fight their own wars? Remember that the US spent billions equipping the Iraqi military before leaving. The Iraqi army had something like ten thousand heavily armed troops guarding Mosul and they broke and ran, abandoning tanks, artillery, bradley fighting vehicles, weapons and uniforms before a few hundred ISIS members armed with AK-47s and driving Toyota 4x4s. Since then the Iraqi government has been incapable of finding and refitting enough military units to take on ISIS, in part because its corrupt 'generals' mostly have little military experience and tend to funnel money meant for weapons and soldiers into their Swiss bank accounts.

Why should the west send tens of thousands of men and women over there to fight, risk their lives, and maybe die on behalf of this group of corrupt Arabs who mostly have no respect or even liking for the west or Christianity anyway?

The real question is why would we fight to force large Sunni populations in Iraq and Syria to be ruled by Iranian proxy governments in the first place.

Icebound · November 25, 2016

On 11/21/2016 at 9:21 PM, OftenWrong said:

How did this all happen? Who knows Wilder. I guess Obama knows.

But rather than speculate or give armchair advice I'll support my earlier proposition- Trump is right that secrecy and surprise are important military weapons. Telling your enemies "we will attack you on September 9th" is stupid idea.

You have to remember that it not not just enemies that you are attacking. Your shells will be killing a large amount of civilians, as well.

Iraqi forces on the ground claim that a surprise attack would have given ISIS way more momentum in their recruitment drives.... whereas now, the civilian population clearly sees their atrocities for what they are. Also, the slower approach is providing some intelligence from the civilian underground.

It is not stupid at all to save civilian lives.