Rand's article in Foreign Policy Magazine: Peace thru Strength

[Cabal]

I had a history/psychology teacher who swore he had a friend that lived in Massachusetts during ww2 and said he saw German troops swarming the beaches but didn't make it very far in. I know "officially" but I tended to believe him.

...lol

 

[brandon]

Freedom is slavery.

 

[Natural Citizen]

The U.S. has been a military superpower for many decades, and nevertheless has been engaged in near perpetual war of one degree or another for those many decades.

Edit. I'll start a new thread.

 

[rich34]

...lol

Disagree? Just curious, I've googled it before and there seems to be more folks that seen it other than his friend.

 

[July]

You really must not have listened to any Ron Paul speeches or Rand Paul speeches if you have to ask that question. Both Ron and Rand have cited Pres. Reagan with that quote many dozens of times --although it has been used throughout history. In case you havent' heard, Reagan was a fairly popular president.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peace_through_strength

The phrase has a long history, but yeah I would assume it's meant to refer to Reagan in this case.

 

[Cabal]

What is American exceptionalism?

Some ridiculous, nonsensical, patriotic, nationalistic, intellectually bankrupt superiority complex, as best I can tell.

 

[Cabal]

Disagree? Just curious, I've googled it before and there seems to be more folks that seen it other than his friend.

Yes, I do disagree. But that wasn't why I was laughing. I was laughing at the fact that you presented this as if it were even remotely valid or relevant.

"My teacher once knew a friend, who had a sister, whose ex-boyfriend once cheated on her with this girl who claims to have seen a unicorn flying through the sky farting rainbows." Similarly, I would get a good laugh at this too.

 

[Harald]

RE: If we feel weak, we might think that we need to engage in wars, overthrow other governments. If we are strong, we don't have to.

Except this has not been the case at all. It's been the exact opposite as what you state. The U.S. has been a military superpower for many decades, and nevertheless has been engaged in near perpetual war of one degree or another for those many decades. The U.S.'s neighbors are Canada and Mexico--neither of which have ever been even marginally close to being a military threat. To the east and west, the U.S. is guarded by vast oceans. A foreign soldier has not set foot on U.S. soil for like 200 years. The only 'attacks on the U.S.' have occurred within foreign nations, or have been perpetrated by terrorist organizations as a result of our presence in foreign nations. We have enough firepower to blow up the world like 12 times over. Strength, or power, is not something the U.S. has been lacking, militarily.

So no, peace, quite clearly, does not necessarily follow from strength at all.

I agree. I was making an argument trying to convince "machos" that current behavior of US is behavior of a weak country. Country not sure of its own defensive capabilities that it had to go and actively weaken its future enemies.

Compare with China or Russia, they spend way less than US, but nobody things that they are push-overs and they don't seem to defending themselves by constant meddling in other countries affairs

 

[mac_hine]

Ultimately, the United States cannot and will not take any option off the table in order to protect Israel and other regional democracies...

Ever hear of non intervention Rand?

Going forward, the United States should dramatically increase our political and diplomatic efforts to halt Iran's nuclear weapons program...

Where's the proof Iran is developing nuclear weapons Rand?

...Harsher sanctions...

Sanctions are AN ACT OF WAR Rand.

SMH, It should be obvious to all here that Rand is putting his political ambitions ahead of the interests of the American People. He's either shilling for votes and establishment support, or he truly believes this garbage and has lost whatever principles he may have had.

Ron, if given the chance, would have thrown the "one ring" into the molten pits of Mordor. Rand, on the other hand has the libido dominandi. He wants to wear that ring. Principles be damned.

Bring on the hate....

 

[Natural Citizen]

Ever hear of non intervention Rand?



Where's the proof Iran is developing nuclear weapons Rand?



Sanctions are AN ACT OF WAR Rand.

SMH, It should be obvious to all here that Rand is putting his political ambitions ahead of the interests of the American People. He's either shilling for votes and establishment support, or he truly believes this garbage and has lost whatever principles he may have had.

Ron, if given the chance, would have thrown the "one ring" into the molten pits of Mordor. Rand, on the other hand has the libido dominandi. He wants to wear that ring. Principles be damned.

Bring on the hate....

Actually, I agree with you. Everything is some sort of game with these people.

 

[Matt Collins]

Sanctions are AN ACT OF WAR Rand.

Actually they're not, unless the government they are being imposed on declares them as such.

 

[mac_hine]

Actually they're not, unless the government they are being imposed on declares them as such.

Ok let me rephrase... Sanctions are ACTS OF TERRORISM.

 

[Cabal]

Hawkish and approaching neo-con / establishment rhetoric, IMO.

 

[Occam's Banana]

Actually they're not, unless the government they are being imposed on declares them as such.

Yeah, right. And a shoolyard bully isn't really a thief if he only steals lunch money from kids who won't complain about it because they're afraid of getting the shit beat out of them ...

 

[jmdrake]

Ever hear of non intervention Rand?



Where's the proof Iran is developing nuclear weapons Rand?



Sanctions are AN ACT OF WAR Rand.

SMH, It should be obvious to all here that Rand is putting his political ambitions ahead of the interests of the American People. He's either shilling for votes and establishment support, or he truly believes this garbage and has lost whatever principles he may have had.

Ron, if given the chance, would have thrown the "one ring" into the molten pits of Mordor. Rand, on the other hand has the libido dominandi. He wants to wear that ring. Principles be damned.

Bring on the hate....

I'm glad you went with the LOTR reference. People in this movement have long associated Ron with Gandalf. Well I think Rand is Frodo. Prior to Frodo getting close enough to the mountain of doom to throw the ring in, he and Sam had to disguise themselves as orcs. Apt analogy I think. The only question is, who is Sam Gamgee? Matt Collins? Jesse Benton? Who's Gollum? (Okay, maybe I'm getting a bit carried away.)

 

[rich34]

Yes, I do disagree. But that wasn't why I was laughing. I was laughing at the fact that you presented this as if it were even remotely valid or relevant.

"My teacher once knew a friend, who had a sister, whose ex-boyfriend once cheated on her with this girl who claims to have seen a unicorn flying through the sky farting rainbows." Similarly, I would get a good laugh at this too.

You are correct it had nothing to do with OP's post. I guess I got to involved in the thought process of if we've ever had foreign troops on our land before. My apologies..

I guess it would have been as useful as saying my uncle had a friend in college who's cousins son once banged your momma, but I digress. :- )

I'll stay on topic next time and off your momma.

 

[Cabal]

You are correct it had nothing to do with OP's post. I guess I got to involved in the thought process of if we've ever had foreign troops on our land before. My apologies..

I guess it would have been as useful as saying my uncle had a friend in college who's cousins son once banged your momma, but I digress. :- )

I'll stay on topic next time and off your momma.

I'm embarrassed for you right now.

 

[rich34]

I'm embarrassed for you right now.

I'm not so don't be. Besides, was just trying to lighten the mood. Hopefully it made someone laugh that was my intent. It made my wife laugh anyway.

Honestly, meant no disrespect at all. Having a little fun that's all.

 

[Matt Collins]

Yeah, right. And a shoolyard bully isn't really a thief if he only steals lunch money from kids who won't complain about it because they're afraid of getting the shit beat out of them ...

Actually all governments agree that sanctions aren't an act of war unless they are declared to be as such. Try studying international relations some time.

 

[rich34]

Actually all governments agree that sanctions aren't an act of war unless they are declared to be as such. Try studying international relations some time.

I've never studied international relations, but it does seem like by default sanctions would be an act of something if not war.

If another country denies another from medical or food trade/aid or perhaps an oil embargo as was done to Japan in WW2 I can't see how it wouldn't be an act of war. But then again I've never studied we'll say IR so by definition I have no idea..