Quote (IceMage @ 9 May 2019 19:40)

https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-army/2019/05/08/hr-mcmaster-says-the-public-is-fed-a-war-weariness-narrative-that-hurts-us-strategy/

Agree completely.

Quote (Black XistenZ @ May 9 2019 12:16pm)

I agree that the cost of pulling out and ceding the country to the Taliban is undersold; and that the current commitment could be sustained in the long run. But neither of those points answers the fundamental question: is it worth it to stay in there?

For example, how much control over the country do the allied forces actually still have, and how much of Afghanistan is already under Taliban rule again? How well are the measly 15k troops actually able to keep an eye on or deter a Taliban-AlQaida/ISIS alliance?
And could we reduce our presence even further without giving it up entirely while retaining the same (I suppose small-ish) benefits of having a/any presence there?

McMaster is making decent points, but in reality, he's just scratching the surface of an incredibly complex strategic decision.

Quote (thesnipa @ 9 May 2019 20:43)

there's a perverse calculation the american public needs to do. what body count of a rise in domestic terror is worth a decline in military casualties and spending.

i.e. how many San Bernadino's to years more of the Afghanistan war is an acceptable ratio? as soon as we pull out power vacuums will be filled and attacks will follow, we know this. but how many of our boys in uniform, plus the spending to train, arm, clothe, and transport them are worth deaths of US citizens who are entirely innocent.

also how many years will the region stay radicalized if we leave entirely? 5? 25? 100? not sure.

Quote (Black XistenZ @ May 9 2019 12:56pm)

part of the saved resources could be redirected to ramp up anti-terrorism intelligence.

also, in the long run, not having anything to do with a country like afghanistan might actually put us OFF the table of afghan terrorists. not in the short run, sure, but perhaps in the long run.

Quote (thesnipa @ 9 May 2019 21:03)

i agree they can, but don't think it should factor into a calculation, because we can't know it's effectiveness. so far it seems the best defense for domestic terror attacks is foreign occupation of the region that's attacking us. that's as close to a constant as we can use. and we're already heavily invested into surveillance domestically, it's hard to say how much more effective it would become in prevention dollar for dollar in investment.

i think personally we should create a fund to pay victims of domestic terror attacks. use the money we spend in Afghanistan to repair the lives of people killed by terror here. insurance already takes care of the damage to property but how much did each person get paid that was shot in San Bernedino? Who got their son's funeral paid for that was in Pulse Nightclub? etc

Quote

Perhaps I’ll just propose Representative Simms redirect his ire and concern for inclusivity, tolerance, and respect elsewhere.Where he can really impact Philadelphia. Since our mayor won’t stand up to it, Representative – take your phone and your RuPaul swagger and head across town to the Muslim American Society Islamic Center.

Yell at those kids on video as you did the young women on a public sidewalk just for trying to save a life. Shame the young jihadists’ teachers for teaching them songs about murdering Jews. Go ahead, Mr. Simms. You’re on a roll!

And hey, while you’re there you can tell them all about your LGBTQ activism and how proud you are of your sexuality. The thing I hear about Islamists is – they love to celebrate alternative lifestyles with fun activities like stoning and rooftop shoving. It’s a hoot!

Or maybe you could talk to them about women forced to cover themselves head to toe with only slits for eyes? Genital mutilation? How about the severe beatings they take for even talking to another man who’s not their husband.

Yes, Mr. Simms now’s your chance. Don’t waste your time on praying schoolgirls in front of an abortion clinic. Go bigger and storm into the Islamic Center in North Philadelphia and show ‘em just how butch you are when it comes to inclusiveness and false religious teaching.

I’ve got your back.

Quote

Congress and Donald Trump's fight over his financial records is now on the fast track.

Judge Amit Mehta plans next week to weigh the major legal issues raised in President Donald Trump's challenge of a congressional subpoena for his accounting firm's records, according to an order issued Thursday -- putting the case on an even faster track than it previously looked to be.
Congress has subpoenaed Trump and his business' accounting records from the firm Mazars USA, and Trump's personal legal team sued to stop the records from being turned over.
A hearing is now scheduled for May 14.
Previously, the case was set up so that Mehta, a nominee of President Barack Obama, would consider it in multiple stages, beginning next week -- which could have lengthened out the legal fight and held off Congress from getting the records.

The court case comes as the Democratic-led House of Representatives continues to investigate Trump, his administration and his businesses.
House Oversight Chairman Elijah Cummings issued the subpoena to Mazars, which compiled Trump's financial disclosure forms, over questions about whether Trump manipulated his net worth.
Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen provided the committee with three years of financial statements prepared by Mazars, in which Cohen says Trump inflated his wealth while he was attempting to purchase the National Football League's Buffalo Bills. Cohen, who reported to federal prison for a three year sentence earlier this week, has accused Trump of financial fraud.
The House Financial Services and Intelligence Committees are also investigating the President's finances and have delivered subpoenas to Deutsche Bank, Capitol One and other major banks.
Trump, his businesses, and three of his children -- Ivanka, Donald Jr. and Eric -- are suing to stop the subpoenas to the banks.
The House Ways and Means Committee requested six years of the President's personal and business tax returns.

Quote (Skinned @ May 10 2019 06:06am)

https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/09/politics/trump-financial-subpoena/index.html



It happening lol.

It is fun seeing how a transparent democratic system is dealing with a sovereign who is disdainful of democracy and transparency. First guy since Nixon, a guy we had to impeach, to hide all this financials, as if conflicts of interest aren't a thing. Plus you have someone who is known to be so unethical like Trump himself...

I'm enjoying this embarrassing presidency even though it is leading to a Constitutional Crisis. He hired a corrupt Attorney General who is acting as his personal lawyer as his actual personal lawyer checks in for a years long prison sentence, saying his boss committed a lot of financial fraud and is lying about conflicts of interest.

Trumpshills will make excuses with semantics as to why they love someone with such poor character.