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bemildred

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57. To be fair, he's admitted that, that is his complaint, we didn't do enough. We didn't plan.

Sun Apr 10, 2016, 11:16 PM

Apr 2016

Which is what I disagree with, we should have stayed out, not bombed it into chaos. Getting some asshole, even Gaddafi, is not justification for sending a nation into chaos, and personal vendettas never have a place in international affairs. You can send a guy to the the ICC, sure, glad to, but not at the cost of yet more lives you're supposed to be "helping".

That's my beef with our policy in Iraq (get Saddam) and Syria (get Assad) and our former policy in Iran (get Ahmadinijad). We got bin Laden. We got a shitload of #2s. We wanna get Putin and socialists in Latin America and jihadis in Africa, and it just goes on.

Mullah Omar never quite got up to that level of attention though.

So having got all of those people, now what have you got? Jack Shit, that's what. Less than Jack Shit. And no amount of planning is going to put Humpty Dumpty together again. That is the outcome.

So what is the chance that more of the same will somehow produce a better outcome? Where are the vibrant budding democracies resulting from our magnanimous efforts?

But I think Obama is not that engaged with it, he is just saying what he's agreed to say here. It's faint praise and faint damnation too.

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What Obama Says Is His 'Worst Mistake' as President [View all] mia Apr 2016 OP

Except he didn't think it was the right thing to do nichomachus Apr 2016 #1

yup,she did,with advice from Sidney Blumenthal wendylaroux Apr 2016 #5

Obama considers her loyal. Nitram Apr 2016 #71

I like pretzels. wendylaroux Apr 2016 #72

Me too. With beer. But they aren't the best analogy for logical reasoning. Nitram Apr 2016 #73

exactly wendylaroux Apr 2016 #74

No one knows what Obama considers her and, as Secretary, she made a very bad recommendation. merrily Apr 2016 #76

And involving Blumenthal after being given direct instruction to keep him away, again goes Kittycat Apr 2016 #89

The buck stops where? Zambero Apr 2016 #43

Not the point. Obama is not running. The SOS who made the horrific recommendation is running. merrily Apr 2016 #78

Right, it failed because we didn't intervene enough. bemildred Apr 2016 #2

We didn't do nation building? RobertEarl Apr 2016 #18

To be fair, he's admitted that, that is his complaint, we didn't do enough. We didn't plan. bemildred Apr 2016 #57

We didn't plan on rebuilding RobertEarl Apr 2016 #75

A very messy subject. bemildred Apr 2016 #82

He'll want to be remembered RobertEarl Apr 2016 #86

I think he could make a really interesting ex-President, so there's that. bemildred Apr 2016 #85

you mean after we saw what happened across the Med ChairmanAgnostic Apr 2016 #92

Dear President, it is time to stop covering for SoS Clinton. She talked you into this and you should thereismore Apr 2016 #3

That is not what he does. iandhr Apr 2016 #7

NOT prosecuting bushco for war crimes or bankers for destroying the economy onecaliberal Apr 2016 #4

I like your list but there's more swilton Apr 2016 #14

Here's a few more that he shouldn't have signed: davidpdx Apr 2016 #66

Then there is FUBAR...our foreign legacy anacromym. n/t libdem4life Apr 2016 #87

His worst mistake happened before he was even sworn in. Cassiopeia Apr 2016 #20

yes Locrian Apr 2016 #31

That was a day I groaned in disbelief Plucketeer Apr 2016 #54

Yeah, his feet must be killing him! Elmer S. E. Dump Apr 2016 #56

Anybody read the book The Fixers? 2cannan Apr 2016 #81

thanks - looks like a cool read n/t Locrian Apr 2016 #84

Agreed. And that was my first thought before W was sworn in. nm floriduck Apr 2016 #77

It's all of a piece. He's a New Democrat, so of course, his picks were New Dems and Republicans. merrily Apr 2016 #80

Yup. Like GWB, Obama surrounded himself with bad staff, imo (nt) bigwillq Apr 2016 #100

I don't know, I think I'd put no jobs programs high up on the list. The military PatV Apr 2016 #41

Well, to be honest... freebrew Apr 2016 #68

Churchill became PM in 1940 after the Gallipoli fiasco in 1915 Califonz Apr 2016 #6

I think his worst mistake was thinking the Repugs would ever cooperate with him diane in sf Apr 2016 #8

I agree---his trusting and accomodating the repubs was his worst mistake. (nt) Paladin Apr 2016 #10

Exactly right. 3catwoman3 Apr 2016 #11

have to agree nt steve2470 Apr 2016 #15

My first and thought as well. nt Lucky Luciano Apr 2016 #19

They have on what is most important to him Cassiopeia Apr 2016 #21

+1000 TeamPooka Apr 2016 #24

That was my first thought rpannier Apr 2016 #25

That's a big one. Even bigger was when he found out they wouldn't, he kept on giving them PatV Apr 2016 #42

I agree Democat Apr 2016 #63

I am freaking amazed... yallerdawg Apr 2016 #9

I'm amazed that you think the USA is the policeman of the world. tabasco Apr 2016 #16

Self-determination means we don't set up anything! yallerdawg Apr 2016 #23

Oh, okay. tabasco Apr 2016 #44

So far... yallerdawg Apr 2016 #45

So... rpannier Apr 2016 #26

See? There it is. yallerdawg Apr 2016 #30

Zero credibility with you rpannier Apr 2016 #39

Better than absolute national collapse. Scootaloo Apr 2016 #29

Heavy-handed intervention? yallerdawg Apr 2016 #33

Read the OP and get back to me Scootaloo Apr 2016 #34

I read the article. yallerdawg Apr 2016 #36

Sit down Scootaloo Apr 2016 #37

Saddam Hussein's own people were getting ready to remove him in a coup. DhhD Apr 2016 #83

good grief -- foreign military interventions is how "self-determination" is realized? stupidicus Apr 2016 #38

As long as they don't bother us or behead Christians I'm fine with dictators over what replaced them Reter Apr 2016 #46

"Far worse." yallerdawg Apr 2016 #48

Ah, you are reading the spin that was pushed by PNAC and the ultra right. ChairmanAgnostic Apr 2016 #93

I'm not reading revisionist history. yallerdawg Apr 2016 #95

No, you are regurgitating the crap that they tried to feed us all. ChairmanAgnostic Apr 2016 #99

Long story short. Xolodno Apr 2016 #12

THERE WAS NO MESS until we intervened! ChairmanAgnostic Apr 2016 #94

I thought it was assuming Republicans want what's best for its citizens. Spitfire of ATJ Apr 2016 #13

Lack of cost controls in the ACA? Umbral18 Apr 2016 #17

First they stole the 2000 election RobertEarl Apr 2016 #22

Worst Mistake noretreatnosurrender Apr 2016 #27

they also blamed France and Britain--"here, stick your dick in the same mousetrap we are!" MisterP Apr 2016 #28

I am speechless. Skwmom Apr 2016 #32

Domestically, his continuation of Bush education policies. callous taoboy Apr 2016 #35

I thought it might be his support of DWS for DNC chair. Gore1FL Apr 2016 #40

Beats the hell out of Dubyah's sniggering: "Gee, I cain't think o' nothin' I did rawng!" Aristus Apr 2016 #47

wasting time playing footsies with repukes Skittles Apr 2016 #49

My question is why President Obama chose the lack of a plan after intervening in Libya . . . PWPippin Apr 2016 #50

I suspect what is he saying is his mistake is trusting certain people... DemocracyDirect Apr 2016 #51

I guess he can't admit that appointing DWS to head of the DNC was his worst error fbc Apr 2016 #52

Worse beltanefauve Apr 2016 #55

I Think Foreign Military Intervention That Helped Grow ISIS.. Corey_Baker08 Apr 2016 #58

Tim Kaine was DNC chair in 2010. moondust Apr 2016 #61

I think Third Doctor Apr 2016 #53

Not prosecuting Bush? SoapBox Apr 2016 #59

The list is so much longer zipplewrath Apr 2016 #60

I disagree. Maedhros Apr 2016 #79

I understand zipplewrath Apr 2016 #101

His biggest mistake was trusting, and listening to, Hillary. Scuba Apr 2016 #62

You are a broken record and many are sick of hearing it Democat Apr 2016 #64

Feel free to use the ignore function. I'm sure many do. Scuba Apr 2016 #65

Feel free to stop the anti-Clinton propaganda. Nitram Apr 2016 #90

If I've repeated any untruths, please point them out and I'll self-delete. Scuba Apr 2016 #91

Feel free to self delete. Nitram Apr 2016 #96

Gee, lemme try to remember who was Sec. of State at that time, tabasco Apr 2016 #67

His biggest mistake was thinking he and the GOPee could work together. muntrv Apr 2016 #69

Mitch McConnell's day one comments spoke to that Zambero Apr 2016 #70

Lybia, Syria, ... ozone_man Apr 2016 #88

Mistakes surfer2009 Apr 2016 #97

He's always said that. Sunlei Apr 2016 #98