Comments on: Lieberman’s Right, Hagel’s Wrong: Iran And Syria Will Not Help Us In Iraq

By: Mark

Mark — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 06:56:51 +0000

Umm…realpolitik would be pre-9/11 thinking…you’re seriously confused, my friend…

By: Mark

Mark — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 04:12:53 +0000

Yes, I’m a liberal nutjob…you know me well…

By: Andy

Andy — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 21:01:21 +0000

Good ole Joe. I’ve said it before and will say it again. The dude has my vote on foreign policy.

By: Sister Toldjah

Sister Toldjah — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 04:55:46 +0000

Misc. Sunday linkage

Some stories/blog posts you may be interested in perusing:
—- Boston Hearld editor Jules Crittenden writes a blistering editorial slamming the AP for its “shoddy” work on making sure the sources they get some of their scoops from on t…

By: Sister Toldjah

Sister Toldjah — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 04:55:46 +0000

Misc. Sunday linkage

By: daveinboca

daveinboca — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 02:01:16 +0000

Lieberman tends to reflect Israeli points of view, but in this case of speaking to Syria and Iran Lieberman, the Israeli view, and US national interests all coincide toward the correct conclusion.

Lieberman might be a good choice for VP for the Repubs in 2008. Might even swing more of the Jewish vote to the GOP!

By: Aaron

Aaron — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 22:05:08 +0000

Come April, France should be a better friend. Chirac will be out and — with luck — Sarkozy will be in.

And civil wars spread to neighboring states, it’s because the neighboring states have similiar populations — Hutus and Tutsis are in Rwanda and the DRC/Zaire, so a civil war in one state leads to a civil war in the other. When the neighboring states do not have the same population compositions, then they do not experience civil wars in neighboring states; they pick a side and intervene (either directly or with aid). Case in point, there was no civil war in Israel, Palestine or Syria in the late 70′s and 80′s, spilling over from Lebanon. Those states intervened in the Lebanese Civil War. Nor did the Canadians or Mexicans start fighting each other in the 1860′s.

And, as Mark pointed out, Syria continues to promote instability in Lebanon. It is true that no states desire failed states on their borders. Syria and Iran want puppets. Making Iraq and Lebanon into failed states is just a stepping-stone to get to puppet regimes.

By: Mark

Mark — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 21:19:49 +0000

Charlie, I understand Hagel is your guy, but listen to what he says here: the Talleyrand quote is the epitome of realpolitik, and it’s a very outmoded way of thinking, particularly in the post-9/11 era.

We DO have friends: England, Australia, Israel, and yes, even France, most of the time…and the reason they are our friends is because their societies largely believe in the same values we do.

Iran and Syria are murderous, thuggish regimes who make a habit of killing innocents, either directly or through their proxies. We don’t need to get further in bed with nations who are in direct opposition to our values…

By: Charlie

Charlie — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 21:01:33 +0000

Hagel sounds more realistic. Syria and Iran may want influence, but they don’t want chaos. Civil wars have a way of spreading to their neighboring states, so the last thing they want is a failed state in Iraq: then they’re in trouble.