General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: How would DU react to the 1930s and Hitler? [View all]OilemFirchen
(7,288 posts)And because the Republicans have, once again, created an inverse political paradigm. They did so with Clinton - impeachment is no longer a tenable legal action because the Republicans trivialized it. By abusing the tradition of the Unary Executive. By attacking, then manipulating the UN. And, mostly, by ignoring our solemn requirements to both abide by our treaty responsibilities and support and defend our allies. Every one of their fuckups became a new benchmark for how we don't do things any more.
While there were a smattering of naysayers during the Bosnian conflict, the country (including the Left) supported our actions, and it became a hallmark for the proper use of U.S. (and NATO) intervention. I had occasion to witness the Dayton Peace Accords. Those people were heroes.
"Boots on the ground" is now a euphemism for "Bush Doctrine". It wasn't always that way. Shit, it wasn't ever that way.
BTW, one can't "win the hearts and minds" of religious extremists out to destroy you. We can't even do that here.