Will Trump be a Good President? - Page 1055

#**21081** 10.01.2020, 22:00

	Quote:	TonyClifton
	There is only one God, and His name is Christ the Lord!

...and that, right there, is where all the problems start.

marton · #**21082** 10.01.2020, 22:10

	Quote:	TonyClifton
	There is only one God, and His name is Christ the Lord!

Thank you for your answer? So you are not a follower of the Christian doctrine of the Holy Trinity then?
Your answer reflects exactly the theological position taken by American Evangelists.

Meanwhile more problems for Trump

	Quote:
	The NYC de Blasio administration has referred findings from a review of the Trump Organization's property tax filings to the Manhattan district attorney's office, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Friday morning. In October, WNYC reported that President Donald Trump's business portfolio would cite lower income from its properties when reporting to the Department of Finance, which is in charge of levying property taxes, but would report higher values when speaking with investors. WNYC cited experts in its report that said the discrepancies in the Trump Organization's reported income may rise to the level of fraud.

Source

Raffles · #**21083** 10.01.2020, 22:11

	Quote:
	...and that, right there, is where all the problems start.

Amen to that.

#**21084** 10.01.2020, 23:06

	Quote:	TonyClifton
	Absolutely not! Religion is the excuse; however a binary Sunni-Shia conflict is no more the root cause than Western interference, Israel or even the Sykes-Picot lines in the sand. Of course these factors have exacerbated the situation however the motivating force for all the issues in the Middle East is far far simpler. Israel aside, every single country in the region is a totalitarian dictatorship. Every single one! The dictators of these countries are not interested in centuries old Sunni-Shia dispute, unless they can leverage it to secure dominance for themselves in the region and secure absolute power at home. This is why they are at each other’s throats one minute and then forming dirty alliances with one another the next. This is the case in Saudi Arabia, Iran, Syria, the Emirates, Qatar, everywhere! These dictators don’t care about their people; all they care about is power. They don’t regard legitimacy as coming from the people; they judge it as coming from themselves. Hence they don’t govern for their people and as a result their people suffer. This is the problem, and it's really a simple one. The only solution is democracy, but this has to come from within the region organically. This is the only way the West can assist, which is the great tragedy of the Arab spring, where the West had the opportunity to support the uprisings both directly and indirectly, and yet did nothing.

Well, given that God was invented by man, potato, potahto.

marton · #**21085** 10.01.2020, 23:06

	Quote:
	President Trump said in an interview airing Friday that Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani was plotting attacks against four embassies before the U.S. carried out last week's airstrike that killed the top commander.

Several Democratic senators say the administration did not discuss an alleged threat that Iran was planning to "blow up" a U.S. Embassy during a closed-door briefing this week.

Democrats, however, appeared caught off guard by Trump's allegation, noting it did not come up during a briefing with top administration officials including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Defense Secretary Mark Esper, and CIA Director Gina Haspel.

The usual haze of Trump chaos, smoke, mirrors, and lies!

greenmount · #**21086** 10.01.2020, 23:16

	Quote:	TonyClifton
	The only solution is democracy, but this has to come from within the region organically. This is the only way the West can assist, which is the great tragedy of the Arab spring, where the West had the opportunity to support the uprisings both directly and indirectly, and yet did nothing.

What was the West supposed to do? Interfere in those countries? You said democracy should grow organically....from within. What if people don't want to be "helped" = have a passive role? Anyways, it seems a bit hypocritical. Nobody really cares about Middle East unless it affects them directly or can take advantage somehow.

TonyClifton · #**21087** 11.01.2020, 00:00

	Quote:	greenmount
	What was the West supposed to do? Interfere in those countries? You said democracy should grow organically....from within. What if people don't want to be "helped" = have a passive role? Anyways, it seems a bit hypocritical. Nobody really cares about Middle East unless it affects them directly or can take advantage somehow.

This is the million dollar question! I don’t have a dog in this fight; in the Middle East all the regimes are as despicable as each other in my view. Neither do I care for Western “interests” there. What I do care about though is the people that live there and the suffering they have to endure.

There has been no coherent policy Western policy in the Middle East for about 15 years now. The Obama administration certainly didn’t have one, and unfortunately neither does President Trump. The EU is also pathetic in this regard; they care more about doing business with Iran rather than the human rights of the people that live there!

I would like to support President Trump’s idea to withdraw troops as for too long the West has been in the Middle East getting blamed for the problems there. However I know were troops to be withdrawn then it would leave the region open to the next militant group to seize control. Under the current circumstances this would likely be Iranian state backed and they would do what they always do, which is to kill, imprison and torture people. In the interests of human rights, it is important that troops are kept in the Middle East, the aim should still be to withdraw them eventually.

The ideal outcome is that the West stops pandering to these dictatorships. They fear though that China and Russia wait in the wings, which is the why it was such a tragedy that the opportunity in 2011 was missed! There is a small glimmer of hope though, President Trump made a very good point this week, which is also true, that the US is both energy independent and the Dollar remains the undisputed world reserve currency. The EU on the other hand will remain political lightweights in world politics as long they can’t match the US in these two areas. Now I only wish the US would use this position to assist the people of the Middle East more!

marton · #**21088** 11.01.2020, 00:14

More rubbish from the Trump administration today from White House spokesman Hogan Gidley

	Quote:
	Soleimani was, in fact, planning "imminent attacks." While Democrats and the media quibble over its definition, quick point: When Obama killed bin Laden, al-Awlaki and Gaddafi, without Congressional approval, there were NO "imminent attacks" and Democrats did not ask or care. — Hogan Gidley (@hogangidley45) January 10, 2020

One of several replies from US Senators

	Quote:
	Like, just do a google search, man. Obama didn't kill Gaddafi. Libyans did. Obama didn't need to claim an "imminent attack" in either the al-Awlaki or bin Laden killing. You know why? Because there was explicit congressional approval to target Al Qaeda leaders. [The Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Terrorists (AUMF), Pub. L. 107-40] — Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) January 10, 2020

The essence of the Republican Party in 2020 is to reject facts in favor of "What sounds good to an arena of fired up people who don't care about facts?"

marton · #**21089** 11.01.2020, 00:45

	Quote:	TonyClifton
	This is the million dollar question! I don’t have a dog in this fight; in the Middle East all the regimes are as despicable as each other in my view. Neither do I care for Western “interests” there. What I do care about though is the people that live there and the suffering they have to endure. There has been no coherent policy Western policy in the Middle East for about 15 years now. The Obama administration certainly didn’t have one, and unfortunately neither does President Trump. The EU is also pathetic in this regard; they care more about doing business with Iran rather than the human rights of the people that live there! I would like to support President Trump’s idea to withdraw troops as for too long the West has been in the Middle East getting blamed for the problems there. However I know were troops to be withdrawn then it would leave the region open to the next militant group to seize control. Under the current circumstances this would likely be Iranian state backed and they would do what they always do, which is to kill, imprison and torture people. In the interests of human rights, it is important that troops are kept in the Middle East, the aim should still be to withdraw them eventually. The ideal outcome is that the West stops pandering to these dictatorships. They fear though that China and Russia wait in the wings, which is the why it was such a tragedy that the opportunity in 2011 was missed! There is a small glimmer of hope though, President Trump made a very good point this week, which is also true, that the US is both energy independent and the Dollar remains the undisputed world reserve currency. The EU, on the other hand, will remain political lightweights in world politics as long they can’t match the US in these two areas. Now I only wish the US would use this position to assist the people of the Middle East more!

AAMOF, the US is not energy independent; it still imports around 200 million barrels of oil per month.
The reason is that there are different types of crude oil so different types of end products and oil refineries are mostly built to handle just one type of crude oil and produce one set of end products.
It would be a huge and long term investment to build new refineries and close some of the existing ones.
Basically the US produces mostly light crude oil and has to import the heavier grades.

Trump's statement was somewhere between an oversimplification and nonsense.

#**21090** 11.01.2020, 08:34

Iran admits shooting down the plane: https://twitter.com/HassanRouhani/st...56679423823872

Very respectful to admit such a disastrous mistake and apologize!

YuropFlyer · #**21091** 11.01.2020, 08:54

Indeed. While it certainly was a terrible mistake, at least after a short while they admit their wrongdoings.

On the contrary..

"Three years after the incident, Admiral Crowe admitted on American television show Nightline that Vincennes was inside Iranian territorial waters when it launched the missiles."

The US never admitted that officially and didn't accept their mistake, and only paid peanut compensation after 8 years (afaik only about 200k USD per killed person)

Bush Sr. even run his campaign based on "I will never apologise"

Iran still is run by a terrible regime I'd not support a single meter. But compared to Trump, they look reasonable (also taking in account their response to the two attacks against their top staff members). And that's quite something for an islamic regime.

#**21092** 11.01.2020, 09:16

	Quote:	YuropFlyer
	The US never admitted that officially and didn't accept their mistake, and only paid peanut compensation after 8 years (afaik only about 200k USD per killed person)

The crash victims of the 2 Boeing’s 737 Maxes will receive $166k.

IKEA will pay $46m to the US family of a child who suffocated after pulling a chest of drawers onto himself.

Apparently, you can put a dollar value on life.

On the USS Vincennes, the missile launch officer received a commendation and medal for his ‘efficiency and competency’ in shooting down a commercial aircraft.

greenmount · #**21093** 11.01.2020, 10:26

	Quote:	k_and_e
	Iran admits shooting down the plane: https://twitter.com/HassanRouhani/st...56679423823872 Very respectful to admit such a disastrous mistake and apologize!

Wouldn't have been more respectful to admit it the first time?
It would have been very stupid not to do so eventually. Zelensky wants full admission, apologies and compensations now...

YuropFlyer · #**21094** 11.01.2020, 11:04

	Quote:	greenmount
	Wouldn't have been more respectful to admit it the first time? It would have been very stupid not to do so eventually. Zelensky wants full admission, apologies and compensations now...

Tell him to queue behind the victims of Iran Air 655 for those apologies and admission ...

TonyClifton · #**21095** 11.01.2020, 11:21

Oh dear oh dear, the apologists are already out in force! It is not respectful to admit a mistake after shooting down an airliner that has taken off from your country’s main airport, saying it crashed due to “engine failure”, then blaming Donald Trump, before saying it was human error. They are only admitting to it because we thankfully live in an age where social media holds these people to account.

It is also ridiculous to suggest that the Iranian regime looks reasonable compared to Donald Trump. Donald Trump doesn’t round up and kill protesters. Again thank God that people with these views never get anywhere near power!

greenmount · #**21096** 11.01.2020, 11:23

	Quote:	YuropFlyer
	Tell him to queue behind the victims of Iran Air 655 for those apologies and admission ...

I see. It's like religion: my victims are better than your victims.

Good that both Trump and Iranian regime have cut the BS for a while and we won't have WW3....

	Quote:	TonyClifton
	Oh dear oh dear, the apologists are already out in force! It is not respectful to admit a mistake after shooting down an airliner that has taken off from your country’s main airport, saying it crashed due to “engine failure”, then blaming Donald Trump, before saying it was human error. They are only admitting to it because we thankfully live in an age where social media holds these people to account. !

The all-so-powerful "social media" you think? I can see why forumists tend to believe that. lol
No, the evidence was out there, that was all.

marton · #**21097** 11.01.2020, 11:29

	Quote:	TonyClifton
	Oh dear oh dear, the apologists are already out in force! It is not respectful to admit a mistake after shooting down an airliner that has taken off from your country’s main airport, saying it crashed due to “engine failure”, then blaming Donald Trump, before saying it was human error. They are only admitting to it because we thankfully live in an age where social media holds these people to account. It is also ridiculous to suggest that the Iranian regime looks reasonable compared to Donald Trump. Donald Trump doesn’t round up and kill protesters. Again thank God that people with these views never get anywhere near power!

Surely social media is banned in Iran so how does it hold Iran to account?

#**21098** 11.01.2020, 11:37

	Quote:	greenmount
	I see. It's like religion: my victims are better than your victims.

It’s all ‘forgiveness’, ‘turn the other cheek’ and ‘love thy neighbour’ but only when it suits, and chimes with your own world view.

Thank God my arse.

#**21099** 11.01.2020, 11:57

	Quote:	greenmount
	Wouldn't have been more respectful to admit it the first time? It would have been very stupid not to do so eventually. Zelensky wants full admission, apologies and compensations now...

Yes, I agree. But they could have put up a smoke curtain like Ukraine and Russia did in the Air Malaysia crash. Also, this exposes them and makes them liable.

Last but not least, if not even the Iranians themselves blame the US, then that theory must be extremely silly😀

greenmount · #**21100** 11.01.2020, 11:58

	Quote:
	It’s all ‘forgiveness’, ‘turn the other cheek’ and ‘love thy neighbour’ but only when it suits, and chimes with your own world view. Thank God my arse.

You are not the first to point that out..

Luke 11:37-38

Mathew 15:1-2

Luke 11:39-40

Luke 11:41

Luke 11:42

*found an article with the right quotations, in case you wonder...