Printable View
Despite the uproar from the left, he asked them to release stuff they already had. Not attempt to do new stuff. And so what? They have it, maybe. If so, use it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Guisslapp
He's only in this quagmire because of the overly concentrated effort to discredit him at all cost.
Oh, I see, Putin fell for politicians' campaign promises! What a maroon!Quote:
Originally Posted by Guisslapp
We have installed or propped up foreign heads of state that we later regretted - not that I think Puti regrets the outcome. Trump's lack of impulse control and need to claims a "win" is so reliable, Putin can play him like a puppet. Plus, he loves Trump's alternate facts and attacks on MSM - it makes Putin's misinformation campains more effective.Quote:
Originally Posted by dawg80
Do you believe that any positive skills Trump possesses in leadership and/or negotiation is offset by by what you believe to be his narcissistic personality disorder?
Let's take a trip down memory lane;Quote:
Originally Posted by JuBru
http://observer.com/2017/01/donald-t...-spy-alliance/
"Unfortunately, newly-inaugurated President Donald Trump is threatening the whole Western intelligence system with his brusque comments about our spies and worrisome ties to Moscow. For the first time, an American president is causing our allies and partners to wonder if Washington can still be trusted.
As I’ve explained, Trump’s aggressive comments about American spies—mocking them and comparing them to Nazis on Twitter, for example—have generated unprecedented enmity in our Intelligence Community. Going to war with the IC is a bad idea for any new administration, particularly given the new commander-in-chief’s rumored links to Vladimir Putin, which are keeping American spies up at night.
It’s not just Washington that’s worried. Throughout the Western spy alliance, intelligence agencies are pondering the previously unthinkable: Is the American president compromised? On several occasions over the decades, the IC had to reduce spy-links, usually only temporarily, to various partners when a new government contained too many cabinet ministers with Moscow linkages. Now the shoe is on the other foot, and it’s the American government that seems to have a Kremlin problem."
https://www.google.com/amp/observer....n-embassy/amp/
"Our Intelligence Community is so worried by the unprecedented problems of the Trump administration—not only do senior officials possess troubling ties to the Kremlin, there are nagging questions about basic competence regarding Team Trump—that it is beginning to withhold intelligence from a White House which our spies do not trust.
That the IC has ample grounds for concern is demonstrated by almost daily revelations of major problems inside the White House, a mere three weeks after the inauguration. The president has repeatedly gone out of his way to antagonize our spies, mocking them and demeaning their work, and Trump’s personal national security guru can’t seem to keep his story straight on vital issues."
Plus, there was that other article, I linked that cited non-anonymous ranking intelligence officials talking about Trump's lack of respect with the CIA. We are also now seeing that Kushner and Flynn tried to backchannel the Russians to avoid detection of the IC - another fact that surely gave them reason not to trust Trump.
What you are seeing is a normally functional organization showing signs of dysfunction due to lack of trust with their "leader." Some folks on here have mistaken my making this point with the idea that I support the leaks. I don't necessarily. It sucks that our IC is acting in ways that jeopardize its reputation. But on one hand - without them leaking this stuff, we might never learn about it, and if it is true, we do need to know. I am not calling them heroes, but I think you are doing a misservice to the quality of information that is coming out if you think Trump is being targeted unfairly because these are just a bunch of liberal HRC supporters.
Yes, what I have seen is an alpha-male pattern where he lets everyone know that he is the biggest swinging penis in the room and when that doesn't work he uses charm to make people feel special. That can work with some people.Quote:
Originally Posted by PawDawg
But his lack of self-control/impulsiveness, his need for admiration, his inability to handle criticism - those are negative traits in a leader, especially this job.
Furthermore, when you see those patterns with someone that has an outward grandiose sense about himself - ultraconfidence - what that tells me is that he has a fragile self esteem. He predictably acts with bluster and dominance when challenged. That doesn't serve him well, because that is usually when he tells his most blatant lies - crowd size, millions of illegal voters - which undermines his credibility and ability to lead.
Do you think Rand Paul possessed what is needed in a POTUS? If not, who do you think did? Also, would you have been more comfortable with Hillary in charge?Quote:
Originally Posted by Guisslapp
I would have been more comfortable with Hillary, though she would have surely tried to do things I did not like.Quote:
Originally Posted by PawDawg
Not sure about Rand Paul. No one that checks all the boxes with me will be a viable national candidate, I am afraid.
So the things that could have been with her in charge are of no significance to you?Quote:
Originally Posted by Guisslapp
Single pay health care.
Less O&G exploration
Extreme Liberal Supreme Court
...the list is long.
Not really a fan of those, but can live with them. Trump was and is a more existential threat to our country.Quote:
Originally Posted by PawDawg
Finally having the respect of our allies and some enemies other than North Korea and Iran is a problem for you?Quote:
Originally Posted by Guisslapp
You don't agree with CNN that his recent tour has been a success?
I don't know that we have won the respect of our allies. I think some of our traditional allies have concern with our leadership.Quote:
Originally Posted by PawDawg
As far as his first international trip - I don't know. A mixed bag. He took a softer stance on Islam, openly chastised our NATO allies to their faces that they weren't paying enough, didn't do any press conferences in Europe (which certainly limited his ability to go off script). Melania showed up. Noncommittal on the Paris climate agreement. That is all I remember of it.
Poor ole Goosey. Well, I think you should denounce your US citizenship and take refuge in a country more to your liking, like: Venezuela, Cuba, North Korea, the Island of Pago Pago... then check back in 8 years and see if we have a POTUS a lil more tolerable.
BINGO!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by Guisslapp
Only someone like you could find fault in his recent trip. By ALL measures it was a rip-roaring success! How do I know that? Well, first, of course, I know about such things. But, in this case, even if I didn't follow politics and our foreign affairs closely, I'd only have to watch CNN/MSNBC and see very little mention of the trip. Tells me Trump did well, else they would be filling their propaganda shows with non-stop whining.
And, no surprise, you admit you know very little about the trip...yet you feel qualified to comment on it and Trump's performance. Typical. You comment a lot on things you know very little about.
It was covered. But without his participation in press conferences, there was little to upstage his Russia problems at home.Quote:
Originally Posted by dawg80