Obama-the Stuart Smalley President???

[Volpone]

Eh. It is an overlong commentary on Fox, but it still has some interesting facts in it:

John Wayne, Meet Stuart Smalley -- Obama Team Strikes Special Diplomatic Tone
ANALYSIS: While former President George W. Bush drew charges of "cowboy diplomacy" for his unilateral style of doing things, the Obama team might just be Stuart Smalley to Bush's John Wayne.
FOXNews.com
Thursday, March 26, 2009

Call it your daily affirmation.

The Obama administration over the past several weeks has developed a certain conciliatory style of diplomacy, striking a hard contrast between this White House and its predecessors.

While George W. Bush drew charges of "cowboy diplomacy" for his unilateral style of doing things, the Obama team might just be the Stuart Smalley counterpart to Bush's John Wayne. ...

"We know that you are a great civilization, and your accomplishments have earned the respect of the United States and the world," Obama said in a Web video message to Iran in celebration of Nowruz, the country's new year, last week, praising the country's art, music and literature that have "made the world a better and more beautiful place."

...

When the president granted his first TV interview after taking office to Al Arabiya in late January, he made clear he was just trying to be the best president he could be.

"All too often the United States starts by dictating ... and we don't always know all the factors that are involved. So let's listen," he said. "And I think if we do that, then there's a possibility at least of achieving some breakthroughs."

He continued: "My job to the Muslim world is to communicate that the Americans are not your enemy. We sometimes make mistakes. We have not been perfect."

...Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano avoided using terms like "terrorism" and "September 11" at her first congressional hearing. And the Obama administration has replaced, though not officially, the term "Global War on Terror" with "Overseas Contingency Operations." ...

Clinton, ahead of her arrival in Mexico City, gave a mega mea culpa, saying the U.S. is equally at fault for much of Mexico's spiraling drug-fueled violence.

She acknowledged a "co-responsibility" for the conflict -- the kind of admission that Mexico long accused the previous White House of never making.

"Our insatiable demand for illegal drugs fuels the drug trade," Clinton said. "Our inability to prevent weapons from being illegally smuggled across the border to arm these criminals causes the deaths of police officers, soldiers and civilians."

As Smalley might say, that's just "stinking thinking."

[my emphasis]
So we've had our President tell a nation that sponsors terrorism, executes its citizens for being gay or getting raped (among other things), has been killing Americans and trying to destabilize Iraq, is engaging in a rogue nuclear program that has been condemned by the civilized world, and has vowed to "push Isreal into the sea", our President is praising them for "mak[ing] the world a better more beautiful place"!? Fuck. Those fuckers still have a bombing coming for storming the US embassy and holding our diplomats hostage for over a year.

Then we've got him making "aw, shucks" comments to the Arab world. "What can we say? We're incompetent. We deserved to have terrorists destroy the World Trade Center and kill thousands. It's our fault." :bang:

And then finally we get Hillary, taking the blame for Mexico being a shithole. If the bad ol' US didn't want so many drugs, then the poor, poor Mexicans wouldn't be forced to make them. If we didn't have all these guns, then the poor, poor Mexicans wouldn't be so well armed.

It's gonna be a long four years, people. And in 2012, after four years of Carter 2.0, we're gonna need Reagan 2.0 to rebuild this nation and its standing in the world.

 

[Sarek]

Typical conservative spin. Obama was praising Iran's contributions to the world in the form of art, music and literature. There's a big difference between politics, art and terrorism. Like you do with religion, you conservatives seem hell bent on combining it all and condemning a whole culture or country. The Catholic church is responsible for some of the most atrocious crimes in history in the name of religion. But they're also home to some of the most beautiful art known to man. Yet religion is your friend so you don't condemn Catholics.

As for Hilary's comment. I fail to see where she's wrong. We provide weapons that get smuggled across to Mexico, they bring drugs across our borders due to consumer demand and we've failed to stop it. Does it insult your sensibilities that we in the US aren't picture perfect? Is the new conservative mantra 'That which isn't seen can't be true'?

 

[Volpone]

Quick, Liet: Name me one Iranian artist, one musician, and one writer.

And if all the demand for drugs is in the US, then why don't we just make all the drugs here? If all the weapons are in the US, why isn't the violence here? For that matter, if the problem is cross border smuggling, why not just crack down on smuggling?

 

[Sarek]

Quick, Liet: Name me one Iranian artist, one musician, and one writer.

The Persian rug is one of the most recognized art forms that has roots predominantly in Iran. The same can be said for miniature carvings.

Notable Artists:
Kamaleddin Behzad
Reza Abbasi
Kamal-ol-molk

Musicians:
Barbad - Credited with inventing the Lute
Sarkad
Ramtin
Nakissa
Zaryab - Credited with inventing a style of music that was an influence over Andalusian and Spanish music.

Sa'di
Hafiz
Rumi
Omar Khayyam

All well known in the world and have influenced the literature of many countries

And if all the demand for drugs is in the US, then why don't we just make all the drugs here?

Um, last time I checked, we do. But it's a supply demand issue. We eradicate what we find in the US but just like with any market, there's an issue of imported product. Are you really that stupid?

If all the weapons are in the US, why isn't the violence here?

You're just being an idiot right? You really want to tell me you're completely unaware of all the drug related violence in American cities?

For that matter, if the problem is cross border smuggling, why not just crack down on smuggling?

I know, let's build a wall to separate us from them and......

Oh, wait. Bush tried to do that. And it's way behind schedule and way over budget. Another legacy to conservative ineptness.....

 

[Volpone]

So. Two hours on Google and the best you can come up with is a bunch of people I've never heard of, a writer from ONE THOUSAND YEARS AGO, and a RUG!?!? Weak.

Exactly what I expected. :bergman:

So has Iran done anything SINCE the eleventh century that is noteworthy?

I mean, apart from terrorism.

 

[Sarek]

So. Two hours on Google and the best you can come up with is a bunch of people I've never heard of, a writer from ONE THOUSAND YEARS AGO, and a RUG!?!? Weak.

I had errands I was running when you posted. But, it still goes to show how uninformed you are.

There are some Persian rugs out there that are worth more than you'll make in your lifetime. I'm kind of an amatuer expert on them. Both my wife and I have an extensive collection of Persian and Turkish rugs from both our deployments and travels in Mideast. And in this day and age, the fact that you've never heard of a person doesn't make that persons contributions any less important. I know kids today that have never heard of D'Vinci, Shakespeare, Socrates, or Nostradamus. Yet they're some of histories most famous artisans.

BTW, the Bible was written over 2000 years ago. Ever heard of that 'novel'?

Exactly what I expected. :bergman:

No, I don't think it was what you expected. You expected me to not be able answer your question. But I did and now you look the idiot.

So has Iran done anything SINCE the eleventh century that is noteworthy?

I mean, apart from terrorism.

Has the Catholic church done anything noteworthy SINCE the crusades? Depends on your perspective.

 

[Volpone]

...Has the Catholic church done anything noteworthy SINCE the crusades? Depends on your perspective.

What, you mean besides developing the Big Bang theory? :S:

How about spending millions worldwide to "reduce poverty, support families, and empower communities"?

Jesus, man. If you're going to try and derail a thread with straw-men, at least try and come up with some decent ones. Your debating skills are weaker than Obama's foreign policy.

 

[Sarek]

What, you mean besides developing the Big Bang theory? :S:

Only so long as evolution doesn't go hand in hand. Can't have that.

How about spending millions worldwide to "reduce poverty, support families, and empower communities"?

Thousands of organizations world wide spend similiar on the same causes. Doesn't make them special.

Jesus, man. If you're going to try and derail a thread with straw-men, at least try and come up with some decent ones. Your debating skills are weaker than Obama's foreign policy.

I haven't derailed this topic at all. I've just provided fact to debunk your narrow minded views. Views that your limited intelligence can't accept. And debating skills are only as strong as the perspective of the person being debated. So I can understand why you think they're weak.

 

[Volpone]

:lol: In 1943, [strike]Liet[/strike] Sarek would've been like "Wagner wrote some pretty cool operas! And Hokusai? Tell me you don't like 'The Great Wave'." Yes, Iran may have done some great stuff a thousand years ago. The fact remains that they are in the business of killing Americans and our allies. And Obama is cozying up to them. :bergman:

But hey. It can't hurt to hold out an olive branch, can it? It's worked so well with Venezuela. :S:

 

[Sarek]

In 2001, an organization by the name of Al Qaeda, based out of Afghanistan and the Pakistani border, launched a successful attack against the United States of America that resulted in over 3000 American and allied deaths and cost billions of dollars in physical damage to property and interests of the United States. Shortly thereafter, in October of that same year, George W. Bush launched a counter attack against the nation of Afghanistan in a purported attempt to both stop and eradicate Al Qaeda and capture Osama Bin Laden, the reported mastermind. By spring of the following year, American troops were deeply embedded in, not Afghanistan, but Iraq. A country with no reported ties to Al Qaeda and a country with absolutely no ability to wage a successful attack against the United States. Though he had sworn while in office to both capture Bin Laden and eradicate Al Qaeda during his terms as President, to this day, both remain active and at large in the Mideast.

Obama has a long way to go if he wants to run neck and neck with George Bush when it comes to boneheaded mistakes and ineptness in leadership.

 

[Ancalagon]

Sorry man, but this time you're off. Persian culture is pretty damn cool. Not to mention the people there like us more than anyone else in the M.E. except for Israel.

Bush fucked up being confrontational. He got nothing done by it, and just helped keep Admininininnijab and the conservatives in power. By reaching out he has a chance to get reformers back in power (elections are coming up). Reformers have always been about rapprochement with the US, unfortunately neither Bush nor Clinton were able to tap into to this.

 

[Volpone]

Do retarded things like that come to you naturally, or do you have to work at coming up with them?

 

[Volpone]

Sorry man, but this time you're off. Persian culture is pretty damn cool. Not to mention the people there like us more than anyone else in the M.E. except for Israel.

Bush fucked up being confrontational. He got nothing done by it, and just helped keep Admininininnijab and the conservatives in power. By reaching out he has a chance to get reformers back in power (elections are coming up). Reformers have always been about rapprochement with the US, unfortunately neither Bush nor Clinton were able to tap into to this.

*BZZT!* Catherine Bell was born in England and is an American citizen. Try again. Saying she's Iranian is like saying that I'm German.

Catherine Bell is a better argument for how wonderful Scientology is than how wonderful Iran is.

 

[Ancalagon]

*BZZT!* Catherine Bell was born in England and is an American citizen. Try again. Saying she's Iranian is like saying that I'm German.

Catherine Bell is a better argument for how wonderful Scientology is than how wonderful Iran is.

Raised in LA by her Iranian mother. If you were raised by German parents I'd say you were a product of German culture.

 

[Volpone]

Soo...LA is in Iran?:smfhuh:

 

[Ancalagon]

Soo...LA is in Iran?:smfhuh:

Are you playing stupid now?

Her mother was Iranian. She was raised by her mother. She is a product of Iranian upbringing, even if it was in LA.

 

[Sarek]

Are you playing stupid now?

After lengthy exchanges with him and some careful consideration on my part, I don't think he's playing.

 

[Volpone]

Are you playing stupid now?

Her mother was Iranian. She was raised by her mother. She is a product of Iranian upbringing, even if it was in LA.

Sooo. Her mother fled Iran over 40 years ago--back when the Shah was in power. Saying Catherine Bell is the product of an Iranian upbringing is like saying--I dunno. I don't have a good metaphor but its a bit of a reach.

 

[Dirk Funk]

It's gonna be a long four years, people. And in 2012, after four years of Carter 2.0, we're gonna need Reagan 2.0 to rebuild this nation and its standing in the world.

Reagan 2.0 or Goldwater 2.0. Either one would be fine.

 

[CaptainWacky]

I like Obama. He's nice.