The Democrat Thread

[StrangeSox]

Hermain Cain's "9-9-9" plan was from Sim City, Ben Carson's magical grain pyramids are from Sid Meier's Civilization

 

Ben Carson's bizarre theory about the pyramids, explained

 

Carson also argued that the advanced engineering the pyramids required can be explained by divine intervention. "And various of scientists have said, 'Well, you know there were alien beings that came down and they have special knowledge and that's how' — you know, it doesn't require an alien being when God is with you." (For the record, scientists do not believe that aliens taught the Egyptians how to build the pyramids.)

 

Carson defended his views on the pyramids to reporters on Wednesday, stating, "The pyramids were made in a way that they had hermetically sealed compartments. You wouldn't need hermetically sealed compartments for a sepulcher. You would need that if you were trying to preserve grain for a long period of time."

 

Ben Carson, currently the second-place candidate for one of two national political parties in the United States of America.

[NorthSideSox72]

We've targeted schools, embassies and weddings, but not hospitals!

 

If Assad had bombed a civilian hospital in Syria, the US would rightly be criticizing him for it. Absurd hypocrisy in foreign policy is standard for every single country on the planet, though.

 

I don't think so.

 

Anyway, there is nothing hypocritical on this whatsoever. What it is - and this is the valid argument you could make - is an example that when you go to war, you risk doing exactly this sort of thing accidentally.

 

 

‘Look for Hospitals as Targets’

 

“The bigger the hospital, the better it was,” he said. Stevenson said he believed the hospitals were rated highly as potential targets, not because American commanders wanted to attack wounded enemy troops, but because hospital complexes were often protected by company- or battalion-sized troop units….

 

 

Probably just an accident. Only bad countries do this.

Vietnam 40 years ago??? Come on. I wasn't saying EVER, that should have been clear. I meant the military is not now in any way doing that, and you know it.

 

[StrangeSox]

I don't think so.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States...ssy_in_Belgrade

http://www.thenation.com/article/us-has-bo...g-parties-2001/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deh_Bala_wedd...party_airstrike

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/...han-school.html

 

Anyway, there is nothing hypocritical on this whatsoever.

It's hypocritical in that the US will criticize unfriendly country X for doing something friendly countries or the US itself does routinely. Like I said though, every single nation on earth does this.

 

What it is - and this is the valid argument you could make - is an example that when you go to war, you risk doing exactly this sort of thing accidentally.

It's an argument for why those who pushed for some of these disastrous wars should be rotting in prison or, at the very least, never taken seriously again instead of continuing to hold influential positions, regular media appearances and be key members of Republican foreign policy teams.

 

Vietnam 40 years ago??? Come on. I wasn't saying EVER, that should have been clear. I meant the military is not now in any way doing that, and you know it.

http://thinkprogress.org/world/2015/10/08/...spitals-bombed/

Edited November 6, 2015 by StrangeSox

[NorthSideSox72]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States...ssy_in_Belgrade

http://www.thenation.com/article/us-has-bo...g-parties-2001/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deh_Bala_wedd...party_airstrike

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/...han-school.html

 

And again, those were (except maybe some wedding parties involving a lot of bad guys) accidental. Therefore, not targeting.

 

It's hypocritical in that the US will criticize unfriendly country X for doing something friendly countries or the US itself does routinely. Like I said though, every single nation on earth does this.

 

Actually, the US doesn't do that. They get angry when it is done intentionally to be sure. But again, you keep conflating hitting with targeting.

 

It's an argument for why those who pushed for some of these disastrous wars should be rotting in prison or, at the very least, never taken seriously again instead of continuing to hold influential positions, regular media appearances and be key members of Republican foreign policy teams.

 

 

http://thinkprogress.org/world/2015/10/08/...spitals-bombed/

 

It's an argument for why wars are bad. Stretching to war crimes is a different matter.

 

[bmags]

There have been enough of these in the drone era that you'd really hope there was a lot of reevaluation of what the circumstances need to be for these types of attacks. Unfortunately we will not know if that's the case because there is not that transparency. But, the loss of innocent lives in hospitals/schools/weddings is really piling up (intended), and there needs to be a discussion on whether that is justifiable.

[NorthSideSox72]

There have been enough of these in the drone era that you'd really hope there was a lot of reevaluation of what the circumstances need to be for these types of attacks. Unfortunately we will not know if that's the case because there is not that transparency. But, the loss of innocent lives in hospitals/schools/weddings is really piling up (intended), and there needs to be a discussion on whether that is justifiable.

Agreed.

 

And at a higher level, really, it should just remind people why the country needs to be much less quick to jump to military action.

 

[GoSox05]

I don't think any of this being done on accident. This country has always weighed how much "collateral damage" we can get away with. Even if it was, what is the difference? You think the people at a wedding who just had their whole family killed cares if they were targeted or it was by accident? They know who did it.

 

When you are constantly bombing weddings, hospitals, schools and other similar things. Whether it's accident, mistake or on purpose, it's probably time to stop and leave.

[StrangeSox]

I think we're talking past each other there a bit on semantics. I'm meaning targeted literally, in that their bombs and bullets went exactly where they wanted them to go and it wasn't some technical malfunction or operator error that caused it. The US planes targeted and successfully bombed and shot up the DWB hospital. According to DWB, they absolutely should have known that it was a DWB hospital, but I'm more willing to believe that it was yet another intelligence failure rather than deliberately targeting DWB.

 

The US, like every other country, criticizes other foreign countries for taking actions that the US and its allies/friends have taken regularly. We've supported horribly oppressive regimes while criticizing other horribly oppressive regimes. We've (rightly) criticized Israel for similar bombing "accidents" in the past, for example.

 

Launching unprovoked foreign invasions and implementing torture regimes count as war crimes.

[bmags]

Agreed.

 

And at a higher level, really, it should just remind people why the country needs to be much less quick to jump to military action.

 

The problem is do people even think we are engaged in military action in Yemen/Syria/(pakistan)?

 

The status quo is that these are basically perfect in that there are no soldier lives at risk and no long term commitment. We are talking about a situation largely absent of what we think of military action.

[StrangeSox]

Ben Carson fabricated a story about getting accepted to West Point.

 

http://www.politico.com/story/2015/11/ben-...st-point-215598

[NorthSideSox72]

Ben Carson fabricated a story about getting accepted to West Point.

 

http://www.politico.com/story/2015/11/ben-...st-point-215598

Predictably, that looney bin is starting to be exposed for just how absurd it is that he's even a candidate.

 

Trump wave is already past crest, and Carson has crested. Both too early. Which works well, so that maybe the GOP will have a nominee that isn't a complete joke.

 

[caulfield12]

Greg appearance to defend Carson in 3, 2, 1....

 

Well, probably after midnight.

[StrangeSox]

Predictably, that looney bin is starting to be exposed for just how absurd it is that he's even a candidate.

 

Trump wave is already past crest, and Carson has crested. Both too early. Which works well, so that maybe the GOP will have a nominee that isn't a complete joke.

 

There's pretty good evidence that Carson has just been running his campaign as a brand-building grifting effort and not a serious political campaign. He's been spending a majority of his money on more fundraising efforts. Mailing lists can be very, very valuable.

[greg775]

Ben Carson fabricated a story about getting accepted to West Point.

 

http://www.politico.com/story/2015/11/ben-...st-point-215598

 

What's with all the gotcha Journalism surrounding Ben Carson? Man they are out to get him and no outrage. I didn't realize the Republican party was hated as badly as it is. They're just paving the smooth road for Hillary with all this.

As far as this story ... so far I'm not enraged by it cause all politicians lie (cop out but true). Just like all major college and pro coaches lie. They just do.

[Balta1701]

What's with all the gotcha Journalism surrounding Ben Carson? Man they are out to get him and no outrage. I didn't realize the Republican party was hated as badly as it is. They're just paving the smooth road for Hillary with all this.

As far as this story ... so far I'm not enraged by it cause all politicians lie (cop out but true). Just like all major college and pro coaches lie. They just do.

Missed all your outrage when the NYT made up then basically retracted a story about how Hillary was "Under DOJ investigation" when it wasn't Hillary and it wasn't under investigation.

[StrangeSox]

What's with all the gotcha Journalism surrounding Ben Carson? Man they are out to get him and no outrage. I didn't realize the Republican party was hated as badly as it is. They're just paving the smooth road for Hillary with all this.

As far as this story ... so far I'm not enraged by it cause all politicians lie (cop out but true). Just like all major college and pro coaches lie. They just do.

Investigating and reporting on the claims candidates make isn't gotcha journalism, it's just journalism.

 

[greg775]

Investigating and reporting on the claims candidates make isn't gotcha journalism, it's just journalism.

Thing is, it looks like it was another badly written/reported story by Politico. Again, why don't we hear more about Hillary's claim she was in the poorhouse with Bill after their presidency when they were filthy rich. What about back in the day in Arkansas some of the shady stuff going on. They should lay off Mr. Carson IMO until they find something real important to nail him on. Who gives a f*** if he lied about the West Point thing and chances are he didn't even lie. More bad reporting in the Internet age of break the story first even if it's wrong cause it's all about clicks, baby.

[caulfield12]

If it's written in black and white in your official biography, the only one to blame is your ghostwriter...or the teller of the stories, Carson in this case.

 

He had the right to edit it before it was released.

[greg775]

If it's written in black and white in your official biography, the only one to blame is your ghostwriter...or the teller of the stories, Carson in this case.

 

He had the right to edit it before it was released.

Yes but they are nitpicking if they are looking for lies in books. Again, let's see an equal amount of effort to zap Hillary Clinton and her husband, Bill.

Anybody catch the hilarious spoof of Dana Carvey on Bill returning to the White House? It's really really funny. Carvey is dirty as hell and he goes after Bill's sex drive. Just do a google and check Carvey's most recent stuff on Fallon and at laugh factory with other comics.

[StrangeSox]

More on Carson's personal lies

http://m.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2015/1...honesty-problem

[juddling]

Ben Carson fabricated a story about getting accepted to West Point.

 

http://www.politico.com/story/2015/11/ben-...st-point-215598

 

yeah.....about that......

 

Politico admits to hit piece......

[StrangeSox]

Lol, a link to the federalist. It is shockingly fundamentally dishonest in its representation of reality.

[Kyyle23]

Lol, at the end of the federalist article he states that nobody admitted to a hit piece

 

Now, as for Kyle Cheney’s concession that he fabricated his piece on Carson. He didn’t. That’s how I’m interpreting his decision to stealthily edit his piece to remove much of the error.

[Dick Allen]

This is hilarious, thanks Obama.

 

http://www.esquire.com/news-politics/video...rs-jobs-report/

Edited November 7, 2015 by Dick Allen

[StrangeSox]

Lol, at the end of the federalist article he states that nobody admitted to a hit piece

Ben Carson claimed in writing that he was offered and turned down a full scholarship to West point. There is no record of this ever happening.

 

Compare it to his multiple other crazy personal lies and it seems like he's a serial liar who needs to puff up his own story