My favorite part:

If some of these folks think that it's time to launch a war they should say so, and they should explain to the American people exactly why they would do that and what the consequences would be.

Obama is a smart and strong, while the Republicans are busy cowering in fear at Rush Limbaugh's feet.

Thank you President Obama for speaking the truth and once again proving you are the thoughtful, smart adult in the room. There was a time when candidates discussing foreign policy was limited to ideas about how the US could improve relations with such and such, now they beat the war drums to sound tough for no good reason. They need to remember republican T. R. Roosevelt's words "speak softly, but carry a big stick".

after all, his diplomacy has worked so well thus far in disarming Iran /sarc

Do the Republicans never tire of seeing our brave young men and women come home with missing limbs, PTSD or, worse, in a casket? Do they care about the stresses on the loved ones waiting at home? Is any one of them willing to pay more taxes in order to fund the next war they are so eager to have? Or do they just throw red meat at the conservative base in a desperate attempt at massaging their own egos?

If you thought Iraq War was tough and a waste, it's nothing compared to what a war with Iran would be.

Iran is THREE TIMES the size of Iraq with three times the population.

Iran is far more developed than Iraq. Has a large intelligent professional class.

No airstrike will ever prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. It will only slow it down slightly.

To prevent Iran from getting nuclear weapon will take a full scale war and invasion of Iran.

That will take at least a consortium of 20 nations to conduct the war and it will last at least 5 years.

It will cost probably 4 times the cost of the Iraq War.

And the U.S. cannot single-handedly afford to spend 4-6 trillion dollars conducting such a war.

The reality is that Iran is going to get a nuclear weapon and it is already too late to prevent that.

Going out and mindlessly bombing Iran is useless because they've located all the critical locations 1/2 mile under a mountain.

Welcome to reality.

.

Jody,

I really don't think the GOP that there are different worldviews of people of good will. Let alone paradigm sifts in the world today. For them foreign policy is just be louder, and if that does not work, start a war so every country will pay attention and start counting their dead.

It is really frightening to me how quickly "bomb the bad guys" becomes the option of first choice.

Frightening that the candidates do not appear to understand the importance of speaking softly. The world knows we have a big stick. Talk of war should not be bandied about as campaign fodder. The consequences are far too serious to be used in such a manner. Hopefully they tone it down, way down.

President Obama is being prudent and thoughtful with respect to both Iran and Syria. Under the circumstances, he is being much more mature and sensible than his GOP counterparts, the cynical political hack and the hypocritical religious extremist...I mean, Romney and Santorum.

@Dont_carry_it_all & Sailcat: Remember, republicans must adhere to, and to the best of their abilities, maintain, that parties tradition of fleecing the governed through their tools of governance. Silly distractions while picking the pockets of the electorate are training exercises these candidates must complete before any can be dubbed "accomplished leaders". Course scripture spouting and illicit sex with either gender is always an added plus too.

Nicely played, Mac!

“big talk” that’s “more about politics than actually trying to solve a difficult problem.”

That's been the problem with the Republican Party since 1998. It took ten years. but I finally got sick of it. If they want my vote, they need to change.

Wasn't it just the other day that obama would not allow iran to continue moving towards developing a nuclear weapon? Reported by MSN news services as well.

Mac - You mean like the democrat ideal of big government is better? All those government commissions and studies obama wants to do (reference his state of the union speech). Had to chuckle at his press conference today when he essentially said that if congress doesn't do what he wants he will do it himself. Go for it mr obama, arrogance is not what the populace will vote for in november.

commonsense: The Republican Party is NOT the political party it was years ago. The Party today shares the same values, intellectual depth, and social class as Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, and Sara Palin. Limbaugh and Beck are recovering alcoholics and drug addicts; both flunked out of college; and both have been married several times. These people, along with FOX Entertainment (a network that won its argument before the Florida 9th Appellate Court that they were not a news network but an Entertainment Network and that lying to the public is their right guaranteed by the First Amendment), are telling you how to vote and what to think. That is what the Republican Party has become and anyone who supports that Party must look at themselves in the mirror and realize that is who they are and what they support. They are simply lying to themselves to think any thing else.

I've voted for many Republicans from 1968 - 1990, and my wife and her family were life long Republicans. My wife became so angry with the Republican Party in 2008 she wrote three hot letters to the Republican National Committee and marched down to the County Courthouse and changed her registration from Republican to Democrat. My wife's 80 year old sister did the same as did my brother-in-law. We all live in different states and none knew the other had changed parties. Former Republicans like yourself, my wife, her sister, and my brother-in-law are well educated, middle class people, who refuse to accept they are what their former political party has become.

I hear you Mac! ; )

The Rethugs mantra: Party FIRST! Even if they become so illogical in their fight to oppose Obama in any way! Thumping their chests for war, and at the same token demanding cuts for smaller government! TOTAL OXYMORON! God knows what the heck is really inside their noggins! Crying and accusing Obama for all the deficit but not thinking where the hell will they get the money for this war?! They really think China will loan us MORE?! Will their children and grandchildren serve in the military?! (Yeah, you Mitt!!) These vile hyprocrites, lying about loving this country, but don't give a damn about our American men and women that they will continue to put in harms way. And how much more! Forcing the draft back?!

Here is a good example:

On Capitol Hill, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) called for a “declaration of war” vote as a credible step in showing Iran that moving toward making nuclear weapons is unacceptable, NBC’s Debra Pettit reports.

I would like parrotface McConnell be use as a missile warhead! That old doddering bigot - why don't he do something about the falling bridges in Kentucky! And by the way, Kentucky has been voted the 2nd most miserable state 2 years in a row! Well, having a wacko for a senator who don't do jack for its constituents will make any one miserable.

People of Kentucky, wise up and get this jerk out of office. He is not doing squat for you people!

Tonight we witness a "bedlam" born of a perverted people strewn among all classes within the American electorate. It is a manifestation of extreme queerdom of the most base peculiarities as such presentations appear throughout mankind's historical efforts to govern himself. No way to put this gently. The republican party has shown itself to be both unable and unwilling, to effectively govern within the realities of those tenets basic to our republic, and in effect, proudly deny the reality of the world in which we live. That party does this to the favor of "loudmouthed war mongering", selective sexual copulation control. and female gender irrelevance". Further, the republicans are taking aim at changing the republic from a secular government to a mix of church and state theocracy.

A surface glance reveals four candidates who cannot be elected President. This is likely true, provided those who resist their convolutions of realism continue to beam the lights of reason upon, and into, their pits of rancored perceptions which they are committed to construct and have all serve without question or recourse.

Reasonable people of this beloved republic have thus far noted and fought this perversion of individual and collectively dignity with proper and effective effort. It is time now for that party of our hope to match those efforts. Democrats, your time is now. The advantage is yours. Let not your contrasts ever contain the pus of unfairness, nor the stench of inequality.

Amen, Brother Mac! Amen!

Aye and the contrast is vivid, Mac.

It's easy to talk smack when you have no say in the matter and even less responsibility for the outcome. Mittens will flip flop on these views faster than a speeding bullet if he were elected.

The Republicans and their masters the Tea Party want a war with Iran and yet they want to reduce spending. Do they think we can fight another war without spending trillions of dollars? I thought these folks wanted to reduce the national debt and balance the budget. Ya, right, FAR RIGHT!

baldeagle11: "The president is privy to information the rest of us, including Senator McCain, aren't privy to."

Exactly. I believe that until Romney/Santorum actually becomes the president-elect - which isn't going to happen - they don't receive national security briefings. Even Senator McCain is not sitting in the Oval Office listening in on the President's phone calls. Before shooting off their mouths about what the President is or isn't doing about Iran, they would do well to remember how little anyone knew ahead of time about the plans to get bin Laden or more recently, to free the captives held by Somali pirates.

I find it fascinating that the same people who criticize the President for (in their words) giving the enemy advance notice of our specific withdrawal plans in Iraq and Afghanistan can in the next breath criticize him for not making public the specific strategy we're employing behind the scenes with Iran.

As the President said, this is not a game, and there's nothing casual about it.

What President Obama understands – and candidate Romney fails to grasp – is that the key to being a great leader is getting what you want WITHOUT going to war.

You are so right. Why do you think these republican candidates don't get that? How can they be so caveliar about sending young men and women off to another horrific war? Where are their brains? They seem to have no filter when it comes to destroying the President. Anything, no matter how inflammatory, as long as you can trash the President. Does not matter that you have no way of accomplishing your agenda and if you did, at what price? And perhaps most importantly, who will pay the true price.

Good for the President. God bless him as he is faced with all these challenges.

baldeagle11,

You too can wait about 20 years under the Freedom Of Information Act to get the Mission Videos to the C4I Helicopter, Video Conferences between the C4I Helicopter, Afghanistan (General Petraeus and Bagram AFB), SOC, JSOC (Admiral McRaven), CIA (Leon Penetta), Pentagon, Whitehouse to learn the truth, same thing with the rescue of Captain Phillips. Those were NOT what you believe.

And as far as the US Military Industrial Complex as previously created by President FDR 1937-1939 before US Entry Into WWII, what was it's purpose during President FDR's time. You keep believing that the US Military Industrial Complex is some faceless entity, when in fact employs almost a hundred million expensive overpaid US Civilians that get a "Fair and Living Wage" as the reason that the US Military pays $300 for a hammer and that expensive USAF Toilet Seat by US Law (US Code) "US Military Must Buy Only US Products, Goods, and Services" instead of the US Military being able to violate that US Law and go to Walmart and buy less expensive Made In China.

As far as the Current Situation at Iran, it is TOO LATE for any US Military or US Ally Military Actions. That "Window of Opportunity" has passed in 2010 when the US Ally Saudi Arabia was demanding US Military and or US Ally Military Actions. And I do not care what Political Party you are, US Civilian Control of the US Military allowed the Build up of Iran's Military:

http://david393071.newsvine.com/_news/2012/01/03/9928679-iran-2009-to-2012-strait-of-hormuz

ALL Political Parties need to stop believing that Military Actions will stop Iran, as they have their Nations, Political Will, Military Might (built up since 2009), Sphere of Influence (including thru their Allies the Chinese; Russians; Hamas; Hezbollah; Muslim Brotherhood; Kurdistanis PKK, HPG, KGK; Al Quada Yemen; Al Quada Syria; Shiites (Fundamentalist Islam) at Iraq; the people (Fundamentalist Islam) at Pakistan; the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group at Libya; Al Sheebah at Somalia; various Governments at South and Central Americas (for the basing of Iranian IRBMs); the best 21st Century Technology that Iran's Oil Wealth can buy; Iran as a honorary member of the Arab League of Nations since 2010; Member of OPEC; and without regards to National borders the "Islamic World"; etc..

The last US Weapons System capable of attacking an Underground Facility (Iran's case 250 feet underground inside the mountains, plus feet of reinforced steel concrete) was destroyed under SALT, START, and the INF Treaty, as the "Earth Penetrator" Warhead of the US Pershing II Missile System specifically designed to destroy the USSR underground C4I and attack the USSR Ural Mountain Complex. Everything pertaining to this, including plans, CNWDI, manufacturing processes, launchers, etc. were verified as destroyed by the USSR during and after the US Retrogrades of the INF (Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces) from Europe.

So in the case of Iran it would be Iran and all of the above (and the rest of the World) versus US, US Ally Saudi Arabia, US Ally Israel. Count out the involvement of US Ally Germany and France as they get their Oil and Natural Gas from Iran's Ally the Russian Federation. US Ally Turkey has been involved in an all out War at Northern Iraq, Southern Turkey, Border of Syria, Northwestern Iran since 2010 after attacking the Main Islamic Jihadist Training Camp at the "Automnous Kurdistanis Region", this Main Islamic Jihadist Training Camp is still fully supported by Iran with Iranian Special Forces Advisers/Trainers, weapons, funding, munitions, military equipment as either manufacturered at Iran or purchased from their Allies the Chinese or Russian Federation.

As far as the successful US Military Missions entering into this arguement, we are still pulling the knife out of our backs from President Obama's Reduction In Forces (RIF) of the US Military of 80,000 US Military Personnel + 27,000 US Military Personnel returning from the Wars (mostly Iraq) + 10,000 US Military returning from the closed US Military Installations at Germany (our Logistics support here (Afghanistan), + 5 more Brigades (recently announced). And before you even attempt to argue that it is the Repugnants, Scrotums (Tea Baggers), nope, President Obama is that Commander In Chief. He backpeddled on his April 2009 US Military Defense Budget Cuts of the USAF and USN, after the hundred thousand pissed off US Labor Union workers at Viriginia threaten to drive to D.C. and strike at the steps of the Whitehouse if he eliminated the one USN Aircraft Carrier Strike Group that they work on, so instead of getting rid of the expensive US Civilians, now the below minimum wage US Military Personnel (larger numbers required to be RIFed, instead of a few of the expensive US Civilians) are being RIFed by President Obama as Commander In Chief. If you think that a RIF of the US Military is funny you try to crew a USN Vessel (Ship or Submarine) with only 3/4ths or less of the required crew considering that only 1% of US Citizens are currently Serving in the US Military, and 92% of US Citizens are NOT Serving. Historically, sounds just like the Roman Empire just before the Fall of the Roman Empire, as more "Citizens of Rome" believed that it was no longer a Roman Citizen's Duty to protect the Roman Empire (but did want the Roman Empire's Standard of Living).

The Threat of Fundamentalist Islamic Iran is so great that on December 31, 2011, President Obama reversed his opposition to President Bush's Plan to protect Europe from the Iranian Missile Threats by deploying US Military ABMs to Romania.

Just something from Basic US Military Leadership, all the titles in the World mean nothing; you EARN the respect of those that are your superiors, peers, and especially subordinates. As an example, you go be appointed as a Commander of US Military Asymmetric Warfare Forces and you do not wear one of the US Military Asymmetric Warfare Earned Qualifications (US Army SF, USAF Special Operations, USMC MARSOC, USN SEALs, etc.) and see if they will even give you the benefit of the doubt to even let you prove that you can Command or Lead them (even if you do you still have to Earn their Respect and prove that you can implement what you were trained to do). As far as "skin in the game" (I do not play games in this Life or Death School of Hard Knocks, same thing I wrote in response to one of my superiors writing on my OER that I "do not play nice with others"), wait about 3 months so that most of us can go back on Retirement again as Forced Retirements of President Obama's RIF (that is a written fact, not an opinion, just like most of the above.). note: For the us that I mentioned even if you start at age 18 to 20 by the time you are trained just enough to survive to gain more experience (so that you will survive) you are about age 35, and that does not count the required Language(s) and Cultural Education (College Level) required for your Area(s) of Operation(s); nor does this count the required Operational Experience gained during conducting actual Missions to prove that you can implement what you were trained to accomplish.

David: at some point one has to live with a certain amount of threat in ones life. You never can eliminate the entire threat. Unless you want to systematically root out some people in other countries. Which is of course beyond what any human being should want. It poses a question in howfar you want to go as a nation to impose your will unto others without wanting to face or expect repercussions whatsoever. When you have 900 military bases in the world and counting, you are still feeling unsafe when some are RIF? When China uses an aircraftcarrier for international efforts, not unlike the USA does, would you feel unsafe?

Is anyone but the USA allowed to do anything at all? Or should every sovereign nation kneel first and get the "nod" from the military of the USA to continue as the USA wishes?

I think your fear is somewhat exaggerated to me. (very informative though, thanks by the way). I think reality is complex as it is. You cannot do anything about it. So why worry? You have to trust people to make the complex, tough and hard decisions that influence your lives. Or go into politics yourself. In the land of the free the opportunities are endless, no?

Also you dont have to destroy the entire bases underground. You just need to find the vents. Destroy/melt/block those vents that are used for fumes/gasses/warmth. Also you can find other ways to maybe poison some groundwater and or soil. USA has lot of fracking experience and mountaintop-mining. Use that for multipurpose Ops. Buildings might be still there, but people cannot live without warmth/food/water/air. An infraredscan of the area might reveil some nice vents.

Here are 4 links for you war mongers to ponder, which will clearly show how and why the neocons, allied with Israel, got the US into the war in Iraq and the position we are in today with Iran. It will show there was an unholy alliance of the neocons and Israeli leadership that conspired to use American power to advance Israel's dreams of a greater Israel.

I am sure David is quite familiar with this story.

http://www.rense.com/general29/perl.htm

http://www.serendipity.li/iraqwar/ignoble_liars.htm

http://www.thornwalker.com/ditch/snieg_conc1.htm

http://www.thornwalker.com/ditch/snieg_conc2.htm

Another question.

Being that 50% of the homeless are war veterans, what plans do you have for solving the homeless problem for current and future vets?

AF,

EXCELLENT question! One that needs an answer!

phinephancy: Me, too! Americans First, ditto.

Too bad the media following these candidates around never bother to ask those questions.

As a candidate, Mitt Romney is rattling his saber, so it seems he does plan on going to war.

His lips are sealed when it comes to paying for it and saying who will be sent to fight.

Two things are sure though:

One, Mitt will not use his own money, nor will he ask rich people to help foot the bill. That's your job as a middle class taxpayer. Mitt pays taxes at less than HALF the rate I do, and his children managed to amass $100 million without anyone paying ANY taxes on it.

Two, Mitt will not be seeing any combat, nor will his sons. Mitt hid out in France during the Vietnam War, to make sure he wouldn't get drafted, and the apple doesn't fall far from the tree in this case, when it comes to military service.

common

When did you enlist??

If you want to know the answers pertaining to the Selective Service and or Manditory Compulsory US Military Service go look at the Candidate Obama Presidential Debates on youtube.com, see and hear the solution for yourselves. What Candidate Obama stated was/is a viable Solution to stop the continous deployments, strain, hardships on the 1% of US Citizens of the US Military; and would require that the 92% of US Citizens that have Never served "to do their Fair Share". As stated by Candidate Obama "US Military Service is a Civic Duty", and "US Citizenship is not an Entitlement".

In less than 3 months most of us will go back on Retirement again. This time "Too Old" to ever be Recalled to Active Duty again (and again and again).

Americans First-3238795 - Another question. Being that 50% of the homeless are war veterans, what plans do you have for solving the homeless problem for current and future vets?

That is a very complex situation. Including why I had to go all over the US to reform my Teams after the 9/11 2001 Attacks, including dragging some from being Homeless. As many US Military Veterans have the psychology that someone else (not themselves) deserve or need the earned benefits (help) more than they do.

Pertaining to the above and post#3.4:

"Good luck tonight," he said. "Really!"

GOOD call ...eye2eye, it is true you haven't heard too much from these sorry ASSES.

Give Cheney a couple of more weeks. He's like most of the rest of the cons....just when you think they are gone in shame they're baaacck. So addicted to their self aggrandizing they just can't help themselves. Just look at the current candidates for proof.

John, you do know that your last statement paints you as vendictive prejudice - right?!

In regards to the Iraq's scientists - there is no proof they would have gone to Iran. For all we know they were outed by the CIA. And let's be clear the lost of these scientists and failed mission is the fault of Carl Rove/Scooter Libby/Darth Cheney and of cours DUH-BYA.

juno6,

Together we must also confront the new hazards of chemical and biological weapons, and the outlaw states, terrorists and organized criminals seeking to acquire them. Saddam Hussein has spent the better part of this decade, and much of his nation's wealth, not on providing for the Iraqi people, but on developing nuclear, chemical and biological weapons and the missiles to deliver them. The United Nations weapons inspectors have done a truly remarkable job, finding and destroying more of Iraq's arsenal than was destroyed during the entire gulf war. Now, Saddam Hussein wants to stop them from completing their mission. I know I speak for everyone in this chamber, Republicans and Democrats, when I say to Saddam Hussein, "You cannot defy the will of the world", and when I say to him, "You have used weapons of mass destruction before; we are determined to deny you the capacity to use them again.

And US Law H.R.4655 "Iraqis Liberation Act of 1998", Section 2 "Findings" Justification Weapons of Mass Destruction. This US Law (with US Congressional Appropriations) after 1998 Operation Desert Fox became US Military Operation Iraqis Freedom 1998 to 2011. As the First Declared War since World War II with the US Laws of both Houses of US Congress, House of Representatives H.R.4655 and the US Senate 2002 Iraqi War Resolution and the US Congressional Appropriations of both Houses of US Congress.

TJefferson-1649275,

How about facts instead of emotive opinions.

TJefferson-1649275 - They want to go after another country they have identified as having weapons of mass destruction when this time we KNOW Iran doesn't have one.

One, For the longest time the Father of the Pakistanis Nuclear Weapons Program has been at Iran.

Two, after Iran built that 250 foot (plus steel reinforced concrete) underground facility, it is TOO LATE for any US or US Ally Military Operations.

Three, the UN's own inspectors stated that Iran cannot account for a few hundred pounds of Uranium (in the metal form). And the sad fact that since most people have never worked with Nuclear (Weapons) Physics do not know the actual amount and to what "enrichment" is actually required (was used for previous US ("Tactical") Nuclear Weapons (actually Strategic if you happened to be in the targeted City)). Having taught Nuclear (Weapons) Physics, and experience later from being assigned to the INF (Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces) before they were dismantled there were many "small" nuclear weapons with very little amounts of actual nuclear material, as not to use a US CNWDI example eventhough those US examples were destroyed, the USSR "Backpack Nukes" (just one would take out most of a Major European or a US City).

Four, Iran's Ally the Russian Federation has done the most difficult part for Iran, the separation of uranium from tons of rocks (uranium ore). And the refining to below weapons grade and into the metal form as aka "pellets" that go into nuclear reactor "rods" or medical devices. Using the amount of centrifuges Iran currently has they can further enrich the uranium to weapons grade. And they do not "need" plutonium to create a nuclear weapon (look at the two designs used during WWII, especially the one that did not use plutonium, as a very simple design).

TJefferson-1649275 - They have hyped themselves up again, created another foreign monster, armed it with nuclear weapons, and have convinced themselves it is going to attack Israel and the unarmed United States at any moment. With what??!!??

Ask President Obama why he backpeddled to his opposition to implementing President Bush's Plan to deploy US Military ABMs (Anti Ballistic Missiles) to Europe, December 31, 2011; those are not bottle rockets that Iran currently has:

Ask him (President Obama), and if he asks how you know December 31, 2011, Romania, tell him US Department of State unclassified announcement:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/submit-questions-and-comments

TJefferson-1649275 - The United States is the most powerful nation on the planet.

"Was" the most powerful nation on the planet. Now a days what do we have, 1990s US Military Equipment (USN Ships; USAF, USMC, USN Aircraft; etc.), 1960s Jungle Warfare Individual Weapons (M-16, M-4s, etc.). So while the US has been stagnating the other Nations have been implementing 21st Century Technology into their Weapons Systems (including those stolen from the US, and not even considered yet to even be built for the US Military), and the primary reason for the Chinese and Russian Federation doing this: Hundreds of Billions (USDs) Sales of their Military Equipment to former US Customers.

Historically, kind of like what happened to the "Peacetime" US Military prior to the Pearl Harbor Attack, running around with Bolt Action Rifles, WWII "Doughboy" Helmets, and 1911 to 1917 Battlerams (not Battleships. With no "state of the art" anti aircraft batteries, except for anti aircraft training Battleram, BB-35, USS Texas.). So 1941 minus 1917 equals 24 year old US Military Equipment, as in sometimes older than those having to use the US Military Equipment (just like now).

TJefferson-1649275 - Our defense budget is so large that it literally takes the defense budgets of all the rest of the countries on this earth to equal ours!

One, demand that the US get out of the United Nations, so that the United Nations stops using us (US Military) as their UN Military B!tches.

Two, demand that the Chinese and Russian Federation instead of opposing everything that the US and the rest of the UN demand (Military Actions) do their Fair Share (contribution of their Military Forces).

Three, unlike the Chinese and the previous USSR, we (US) do not take people out and execute them for Contract Defaults, Contract Disputes, Contract Delays, etc.. Like I mentioned before abou the US Military Defense Industrial Complex providing almost a hundred million US Civilians with Jobs that pay a "Fair and Living Wage"; how about letting us (US Military) violate US Law (US Code) "US Military Must Buy Only US Products, Goods and Services" so that we can go to Walmart and buy $6.00 Made In China hammers instead of Made In US $300 hammers; so using that ratio of 6 and 300 how much more would the US have to spend on US Defense just to keep up with the Chinese and Russian Federation?

How about this we cut the US Military Defense Budget by 50% and throw all those expensive overpaid US Civilians on Unemployment, then replace them with below minimum wage US Military Personnel like it was before.

Four, Then get rid of the over 3,000* Too Expensive US Contractors and all those US Civilians that they employ; seriously, a US Civilian Truck Driver costs $200,000 and a below minimum wage US Military Truck Driver gets (after 3 years Service) $35,000, in the same convoy, with the US Military Truck Driver also having to provide Security to the $200,000 US Civilian Truck Driver.

*This is why when the uneducated keep ranting about Halliburton, KBR, Blackwater (Xe) they have no idea why they were chosen instead of those other 3,000 US Contractors that were crying foul (mostly to the Demoncraps that were getting money from them); unlike the other US Contractors, Halliburton, KBR, Blackwater (Xe) did what the other US Contractors refused to do, hire mostly US Military Veterans, to meet the minimum US Contract Requirement of Previous Experience.

And currently, almost laughing, most of the US Politicians (all Parties) are looking at getting all the US Military Installations from Anti US Military California (statements of then Speaker for all Demoncraps, Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi); that includes many of the Pro US Military Demoncraps wanting those California US Military Installations moved to their States (lots of US Civilian "Fair and Living Wage" Jobs, and Federal Funding for their States; example: The State of Hawaii wanting all of California's USN and USAF Bases.). With the Demoncraps that were around after Fort Ord, California closed down crying foul. And yes, President Bush's 2005 Base Realignments and Closures (BRAC) as approved by both the Demoncraps and Repugnants (the Scrotums aka Tea Baggers did not exist yet) is to blame for the failing US Economies in and around those Stateside Realigned or Closed US Military Installations.

TJefferson-1649275 - Our satellites tell us where every Iranian airplane is, where every Iranian missile is and when it is fired, where every Iranian military installation is and what is going on in it.

You really believe that hype? Ask yourself these questions: Who was performing maintenance on the US Satellites? Is that maintenance still being performed just to keep them in orbit? What do you believe is the capability for US NRO to see underground? Just like the shell game played by both the US and USSR during the "Cold War" do you believe that the US can identify both empty (loaded with sandbags) and full missile containers/launch tubes? Does that mean that the US Military no longer has the mission of Special Reconnaissance (not in uniforms)? How many Chinese and Russian Federation Military Units are currently at Iran, and what are their missions (answer this as C.A.R.V.E.R., and S.A.L.U.T.E. and in the important context of the Strategic Political Impacts (Results)(what the Chinese and Russians will do if the US attacks their Military at Iran).)?

I know the answers to these questions from experience, do you?

TJefferson-1649275 - Has everyone but a Republican forgotten that Iran was in a state of revolution and civil war only a couple of years ago.

2012 minus 1979 "Student Revolution" equals 33 years ago.

TJefferson-1649275 - Has everyone but a Republican forgotten that there is a large segment of the Iranian population that hates the leadership, and that consequently, the Iranian leadership is more afraid of them than they are Israel and the USA?

Really, when was the last time you were at Fundamentalist Islamic Iran. Do you know Farsi? (you can replace me if you do since I am going on Retirement again in less than 3 months along with most that have that "Middle East" Qualification). The time for the US to have committed us (US Military Asymmetric Warfare Forces in the Insurgency Role to Overthrow the Iranian Government) was during the Student Demonstrations against the Fundamentalist Islamic Iranian Government (again too late, so now their Fundamentalist Islamic Law Enforcement (Shia Law, Sharia Law), SAVAK (Counter Insurgency), their version of the Gestapo (Iranians ratting out Iranians), their version of the KGB (Counter Intelligence), their Stalin equivalent of the NKVD (oath of loyalty to the Ayatollahs), Iranian Special Forces (Counter Insurgency, Insurgency Warfare), Iranian Military (sworn oath of loyalty to the Ayatollahs, think Waffen SS), etc. are just waiting for us to try something.). The Fundamentalist Islamic Iranian Government as actually controlled by the Fundamentalist Islamic Ayatollahs; the Ayatollahs have their hands so far up President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad arse that they can make his mouth move. So to justify the massive expenditures of the Iranian Oil Wealth with the Iranian People suffering, the Ayatollah controlled Iranian Government keeps stating thru their News Media (FARS, ISNA, IRNA, etc.*) why they must (For Fundamentalist Islamic Reasons as the Islamic Republic of Iran) spend so much on the Iranian Military (Build up since President Obama's 2009 Improved Relations with Iran Policy that allowed Iran to do anything without US Interventions, a number 2 President Obama achievement according to the previous DNC lists).

*What I find amusing is how much the Iranians keep bragging (as justification to the Iranian People) thru their News Media about all their new Military Equipment bought from the Chinese and Russian Federation using Iran's Oil Wealth (implied every so often their Allies (Fundamentalist Islamic Kurdistanis and Fundamentalist Islamic Shia at Iraq) at Iraq Oil Wealth also).

Of course TJefferson-1649275 you know all about the above from experience ?

yes just like there fence project..tax payers money..forever...to fund the fence..and maintaining it

Yes the democrats are just like the big bird that puts its head in the ground and says all is good!!!!

please say it was obama..people seem to forget

Last time I checked the Repugnants were not in charge in 1998.

Together we must also confront the new hazards of chemical and biological weapons, and the outlaw states, terrorists and organized criminals seeking to acquire them. Saddam Hussein has spent the better part of this decade, and much of his nation's wealth, not on providing for the Iraqi people, but on developing nuclear, chemical and biological weapons and the missiles to deliver them. The United Nations weapons inspectors have done a truly remarkable job, finding and destroying more of Iraq's arsenal than was destroyed during the entire gulf war. Now, Saddam Hussein wants to stop them from completing their mission. I know I speak for everyone in this chamber, Republicans and Democrats, when I say to Saddam Hussein, "You cannot defy the will of the world", and when I say to him, "You have used weapons of mass destruction before; we are determined to deny you the capacity to use them again.

And US Law H.R.4655 "Iraqis Liberation Act of 1998", Section 2 "Findings" Justification Weapons of Mass Destruction. This US Law (with US Congressional Appropriations) after 1998 Operation Desert Fox became US Military Operation Iraqis Freedom 1998 to 2011. As the First Declared War since World War II with the US Laws of both Houses of US Congress, House of Representatives H.R.4655 and the US Senate 2002 Iraqi War Resolution and the US Congressional Appropriations of both Houses of US Congress.

Next time you go into Iraq to start up an Insurgency to Overthrow an Established Government in accordance with a US Law (with US Congressional Appropriations) not once but twice if you include 2002 Operation Hotel California. By the way during Operation Hotel California you might want to research the Iraqis Facility.

your right..hahahaha

Nice failed attempt at the Deflection of Blame Game:

IN WRITING:

Together we must also confront the new hazards of chemical and biological weapons, and the outlaw states, terrorists and organized criminals seeking to acquire them. Saddam Hussein has spent the better part of this decade, and much of his nation's wealth, not on providing for the Iraqi people, but on developing nuclear, chemical and biological weapons and the missiles to deliver them. The United Nations weapons inspectors have done a truly remarkable job, finding and destroying more of Iraq's arsenal than was destroyed during the entire gulf war. Now, Saddam Hussein wants to stop them from completing their mission. I know I speak for everyone in this chamber, Republicans and Democrats, when I say to Saddam Hussein, "You cannot defy the will of the world", and when I say to him, "You have used weapons of mass destruction before; we are determined to deny you the capacity to use them again.

And US Law H.R.4655 "Iraqis Liberation Act of 1998", Section 2 "Findings" Justification Weapons of Mass Destruction. This US Law (with US Congressional Appropriations) after 1998 Operation Desert Fox became US Military Operation Iraqis Freedom 1998 to 2011. As the First Declared War since World War II with the US Laws of both Houses of US Congress, House of Representatives H.R.4655 and the US Senate 2002 Iraqi War Resolution and the US Congressional Appropriations of both Houses of US Congress.

Next time you go into Iraq to start up an Insurgency to Overthrow an Established Government in accordance with a US Law (with US Congressional Appropriations) H.R. 4655, not once but twice if you include 2002 Operation Hotel California. By the way during Operation Hotel California you might want to research the Iraqis Facility.

There was also 1998 US Military Operation Desert Fox.

The Historically Documented Facts eluded both of you.