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Politics : Ask Michael Burke -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Broken_Clock who wrote (111488)	2/18/2008 5:58:55 PM
From: longnshort	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 132070

Clinton punches Obama backer. breitbart.tv

To: Broken_Clock who wrote (111488)	2/18/2008 7:50:21 PM
From: Freedom Fighter	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 132070

BC, >>Here's a novel idea. Keep our troops home and learn to live within our means as a part of the world community.<< I am entirely in favor of that idea. I am a big Ron Paul fan. Unfortunately, I'm also trapped in the real world. The global economy (including the US and all our major trading partners) are still dependent on the free flow of large amounts of oil from the middle east. If we didn't have a presence there, it would be more likely a few governments in the area would be overthrown, people hostile to U.S. would take over etc.. In addition, countries like China and Russia might fill the gap, but almost certainly not in a way that would be beneficial to the US and some of our strongest allies. So I think we have to grow up and realize that until the global economy doesn't require Middle East oil, someone is going to have to make sure the cork doesn't come all the way out of the bottle in that area. Unfortunately, I think we are stuck in that role unless we are in the mood for a global depression and/or playing 2nd/3rd fiddle to a bunch of ex-commies. The idea that we can leave and everyone will behave nicely and in the interests of the global community is simply more idealistic nonsense. One of the less talked about aspects of the Iraq war is why France and Russia were so pissed off and against the idea. It was because they had huge oil deals with Saddam that were void when he was overthrown. So they didn't have any high moral ground on the issue. Everyone understood the strategic significance of the oil and was looking out for themselves. The oil, Islamic extremism, Israel, our interference in the region etc... are all interrelated. I think your idea (one that I totally support as a long term objective) is not viable until the economics of alternate energies make sense and have been implemented on a wide enough scale globally to make the middle east irrelevant. IMO, what we need is leadership courageous enough to tell that truth, sensitive enough to understand that our interference also causes problems, and a plan to get us off oil. What we don't need are people living in an idealistic fantasy world or more idiots like we have now.