by "ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
Published 02/09/2017 at 17:01
by "ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
Published 02/09/2017 at 17:01
No Tags
STARS: 13
Following the, shall we say, less-than-successful US Navy SEAL raid in Yemen , in which numerous women and children were killed, one SEAL Team member was killed, and an MV-22 Osprey crashed and had to be destroyed, President Trump and his Press Secretary Sean Spicer lashed out at those who claimed that the mission was anything other than an unqualified success. One of those detractors was certified US war hero Senator John McCain (R-AZ), who was famously called out by then-candidate Trump during the presidential campaign for getting captured during the Vietnam War (McCain was shot down over Hanoi, and spent 5.5 years in captivity, including 2 years in solitary confinement), saying,
“He’s not a war hero,” Trump said. Sarcastically, Trump quipped, “He’s a war hero because he was captured.” Then, he added, “I like people that weren’t captured.” ( WaPo )
Despite the early evidence from the raid, Spicer doubled down on his rebuke of anybody, including McCain, who doubted the efficacy of the mission, and demanded that McCain apologize. McCain was unapologetic, and took Spicer to school.
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On a personal note, I’ve never been a fan of McCain’s politics, but anybody who served our country and sacrificed the way he did deserves nothing but our respect. Trump would do well to listen to experienced people like McCain, who is chairman of the Armed Forces Committee, after all. McCain deferred to Trump in the latter stages of the campaign as he fought for his own reelection. But the 80-year-old senator, who will unlikely be running again when this term is up, now has nothing to lose. I hope he continues to stand up for our country, and our soldiers. America will need people like him going forward.
"Jcarr" (jcarr)
02/09/2017 at 17:05, STARS: 6
I shook my head heartily at that garbage.
On matters of the military, McCain is nearly above reproach.
"EL_ULY" (uly)
02/09/2017 at 17:06, STARS: 2
mass amounts of mic droppage
"fintail" (fintail)
02/09/2017 at 17:08, STARS: 6
I don’t embrace him, but he is 100x more of a person and a leader than the current gang of slime. Funny that a relatively short time later, we’d look back at the 2008 candidates and think “not too bad”. Even Dingbat pales in comparison to these cons.
"Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo" (thetomselleck)
02/09/2017 at 17:08, STARS: 1
“After initially denying there were any civilian casualties, Pentagon officials backtracked somewhat on Sunday after reports from the Yemeni authorities begin trickling in and grisly photographs of bloody children purportedly killed in the attack appeared on social media sites affiliated with Al Qaeda’s branch in Yemen”
Christ.
"Berang" (berang)
02/09/2017 at 17:09, STARS: 6
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
I honestly can’t wait to see Trump and his automatons lash out and lose all their shit when they realize they can’t write off all their critics as bleeding heart libtards.
"Honeybunchesofgoats" (honeybunche0fgoats)
02/09/2017 at 17:13, STARS: 3
“Anybody who undermines the success of that rage owes an apology and a disservice to the life of Chief Owens.”
These are the people running the country right now.
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
02/09/2017 at 17:21, STARS: 1
I think he misspoke, and meant to say “raid.” However, I think that really may have been a Freudian slip.
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
02/09/2017 at 17:22, STARS: 7
Fortunately for the country, Trump is starting to piss off his own party.
"Ash78, voting early and often" (ash78)
02/09/2017 at 17:24, STARS: 6
There’s “bucking the establishment” (which many Trump supporters like and I can respect) and then there’s “being an asshole to a guy who nearly paid the ultimate price.” Not cool.
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
02/09/2017 at 17:25, STARS: 1
Yup. Of course, I am not privy to after action reports and military intel, but, by all accounts so far, they went into a situation with bad intel, knew it was bad, but went anyway. They never expected to find so many armed fighters (there are reports that the women were fighting too). You would do well to read more about this. It had been on the table during the Obama administration, but Obama was too careful to give the go-ahead. It wasn’t a sure thing, at least as sure as these things can be. I think Trump wanted a symbol of his toughness, but instead earned a symbol of his rashness.
"garagemonkee" (monke)
02/09/2017 at 17:27, STARS: 1
History has many learning moments about what happens when you treat your military like shit. Or don’t pay them.
"Honeybunchesofgoats" (honeybunche0fgoats)
02/09/2017 at 17:36, STARS: 1
Oh he definitely misspoke on that and the disservice thing, but he’s still an idiot and it speaks volumes about how this administration perceives its obligation to communicate to the public.
"Cherry_man1" (Cherry_man1)
02/09/2017 at 17:38, STARS: 0
He’s been pissing them off from about the very start of this whole thing. It’s the main reason I have not totally lost my belief in them but the fact his sheer stupidity is what weights the party down. Also the fact that if people from his own party vote against him right now the people in the heavy red states will abandon them in the next election.
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
02/09/2017 at 17:38, STARS: 1
This administration thinks, “We will tell you what we want to tell you and you will believe it. If you don’t, you’re a traitor.” Basically.
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
02/09/2017 at 17:40, STARS: 2
Yes. The Republicans have made their bed, and now they have to lie in it. Those craven kissed the ring to protect their own careers, and now they are having to swallow a bitter pill. And the whole country is worse off for it.
"crowmolly" (crowmolly)
02/09/2017 at 17:40, STARS: 3
http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2008/01/28/john-mccain-prisoner-of-war-a-first-person-account
From 1973. You may not like his politics but the man has an iron will. I guess that’s what kept him from lashing out at Trump.
"Cherry_man1" (Cherry_man1)
02/09/2017 at 17:48, STARS: 1
I mean we had 3 people better then him and the fucking danger Cheeto won.
"facw" (facw)
02/09/2017 at 18:07, STARS: 0
McCain is right of course, though I’m disappointed to hear him correct himself from American lives to life, given that there were indeed two Americans killed in this raid.
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
02/09/2017 at 18:08, STARS: 2
The GOP and DT played a good game. They rallied the base, and sold their narrative. Hillary and the Dems were too smug and blew it. If the Dems had nominated a wet paper sack it would have beaten Trump. Hillary was just not electable, but they went with her anyway. That’s where the blame lies, IMO.
"gmporschenut also a fan of hondas" (gmporschenut)
02/09/2017 at 18:10, STARS: 2
2012 ain’t looking too bad
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
02/09/2017 at 18:11, STARS: 0
Are you counting al-Awaki’s daughter as the other?
"Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo" (rustyvandura)
02/09/2017 at 18:12, STARS: 1
Take Neil Gorsuch. There’s a guy whose politics I’d be unlikely to find much agreement with. But he is a stallar guy and a stellar justice. As with McCain. I don’t need to agree with any of their politics; the other side won the election. But the disdain the Trump administration show for the rule of law and the American government is appalling. Meanwhile, Trump thumbs his nose at even
feigning
concern about potential conflicts of interest. Politics be damned. Can we just show a modicum of respect? Even
self
respect?
"fintail" (fintail)
02/09/2017 at 18:17, STARS: 0
Rmoney was like Bernie’s twin compared to the current crapshow.
"facw" (facw)
02/09/2017 at 18:18, STARS: 1
Yes.
"Chariotoflove" (chariotoflove)
02/09/2017 at 18:20, STARS: 1
So, my understanding from the news report I read is that the raid accomplished an important goal in that it terminated some big name Al Queda figures that it targeted, but that it wasn’t an unqualified success because of the collateral damage to non-combatants and loss of property and American life. It might be better called a pyrrhic victory. What a press secretary who is good at his job should be doing is being thankful for what was achieved while acknowledging the failure and lessons learned, not brushing it under the rug. Trying to lie to a press corps that can independently verify is not just insulting, it’s downright incompetent.
"Chariotoflove" (chariotoflove)
02/09/2017 at 18:22, STARS: 0
The take I read in the Dallas Morning News story was that Obama didn’t want to authorize a raid that would be carried out after he left office (scheduled because of the phase of the moon, IIRC), that he didn’t think it proper. Of course, he is also a careful and prudent person, and he may have just had too many doubts about this mission.
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
02/09/2017 at 18:27, STARS: 0
Exactly. Nobody is saying that the raid was a disaster. If reports are true, as you said, it recovered some valuable intelligence. But nothing that Trump does can be anything other than a brilliant success. I think that his Tweet about Ivanka’s clothing line is telling. Along with his complaint about Nordstrom’s dropping her line of clothes, he qualifies it by saying that “she is a great person” as if that alone is enough. I think it shows a lot about Trump himself. He probably grew up being told that he was a great person and that he could have whatever he wanted simply by being great (it helps being born into wealth, of course). He’s such a petulant baby boy that he can’t stand it when somebody tells him that he isn’t perfect. Trump’s team is definitely incompetent, and he has, for the most part, nominated incompetent cabinet members. Maybe they’ll get better as time goes on, but we aren’t exactly in a position where we can tolerate on-the-job training. There are plenty of qualified people (even Republicans!) who can fill those jobs.
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
02/09/2017 at 18:29, STARS: 0
I read a lengthy article in the WaPo (can’t find link right now) that spoke more to the latter. The Obama team handed Trump an big dossier of information about their planning for the raid, and the Trump team basically tossed it and said that they could do it better. I’ll see if I can find the link.
"Chariotoflove" (chariotoflove)
02/09/2017 at 18:37, STARS: 0
I dunno, I’m kinda liking his Supreme Court pick. ;)
I gotta give the guy integrity points for doing what he said he was going to do (even as I have to dock him some for his business conflicts of interest), but gee whiz, why does he have to attack everyone who isn’t in lock step with him. If he would just chill out, everything would go so much easier for him. As it is, his party is going to distance itself from him out of sheer survival instinct. At this point, I’m rooting for the appellate court to smack him down and remind him that he isn’t the Emperor, only the President. Because if he doesn’t settle down, nobody is going to get anything done these next 4 years.
"Chariotoflove" (chariotoflove)
02/09/2017 at 18:38, STARS: 0
Cool. I’d like to read it.
"Phatboyphil" (justphil)
02/09/2017 at 18:42, STARS: 0
I recall in 08 republicans voting for Hilary in the primaries bc they knew she’d lose the presidential race.
"Phatboyphil" (justphil)
02/09/2017 at 18:45, STARS: 2
I know. I reminisce about the days of yore, when people talked about policy instead of exaggerating scandals.
"BorkBorkBjork" (tbirdlemons)
02/09/2017 at 18:45, STARS: 1
John McCain has always been a straight shooter, I love watching videos of him criticizing the F-35 and other wasteful programs. My favorite is when he made Air Force Chief of Staff Mark Welsh look like a kid with his hand in the cookie jar when McCain questioned him on the A-10s retirement.
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Too bad he didn’t throw his hat in the ring last November...
"DipodomysDeserti" (dipodomysdeserti)
02/09/2017 at 18:53, STARS: 1
These people think John McCain is a liberal.
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
02/09/2017 at 18:54, STARS: 1
I’m not certain McCain is being entirely fair here. If the A-10 disappeared tomorrow, then the AF would be using whatever they had: F-15E, F-16, etc. But the A-10 is still in theater, so they are using it. Don’t get me wrong—the A-10, especially considering the type of warfare we are fighting now, is hands down the best plane for the job and it should remain. But the general is also right—there’s just no money to have everything you want. The AF would love to re-engine the B-52, but there’s no money for that. Trump is talking like he will fix that. Fine. But don’t expect to draw down any deficits at the same time.
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
02/09/2017 at 18:55, STARS: 0
That wouldn’t surprise me, though I hadn’t heard that.
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
02/09/2017 at 18:56, STARS: 0
Well, the Court of Appeals just handed him his ass. I wouldn’t be surprised if his contempt for the rule of law in general had something to do with that decision. He’s a fat cat CEO, who is used to saying “BOO” and getting what he wants. He doesn’t know how to work with other people because he’s never had to.
"IanZ - limited-slip indifferential" (ianz-limited)
02/09/2017 at 19:02, STARS: 1
Any Republican who DARES step outside of Daddy Trump’s line is automatically labeled a cuck. John McCain and Lindsey Graham are Republican enemies #1 and #2.
"Chariotoflove" (chariotoflove)
02/09/2017 at 19:10, STARS: 1
Did they? Oh goody! He needs someone to give him a time out. Also, at the very least, banning people who had already obtained visas or green cards was really shitty.
"BorkBorkBjork" (tbirdlemons)
02/09/2017 at 19:28, STARS: 1
That video wasn’t really the whole story. The Air Force had been dumping money into building F-35s, which hasn’t even completed operational testing yet (due to the flawed concept of “concurrency”), while flying the wings off of our legacy strike fighters and threatening to cancel the A-10. Pissing money into a program that will, in terms of sheer operating cost, piss away even more money is a bad idea. If the General were convinced that the F-35 was the catch-all multirole platform, then the F-16 should be on the chopping block, not the A-10. The Warthog is out most cost effective and results effective ground attack aircraft.
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
02/09/2017 at 19:33, STARS: 1
Yes. All of this.
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
02/09/2017 at 19:35, STARS: 1
And, in even more delicious irony from the Department of Unintended Consequences:
California Farmers Backed Trump, but Now Fear Losing Field Workers
"gmporschenut also a fan of hondas" (gmporschenut)
02/09/2017 at 19:47, STARS: 1
There is blood in the water. After party loyalty, re-elections are going to be their biggest concern over the next 2 years. there is no point being loyal to someone who isn’t going to return the favor.
"Chariotoflove" (chariotoflove)
02/09/2017 at 20:37, STARS: 0
Heh. They didn’t think he’d do what he said about immigration because no one before him ever did. And when the dust settles, I doubt he will be able to do near as much as he thinks he can.
Honestly, I don’t start with much sympathy for employers who insist they need illegals because what that means is they need to underpay and take advantage of their workers to stay in business. I’m not sure why we don’t let more immigrants in legally to do the work. Then they would both pay into the system and, most importantly, have its protections.
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
02/09/2017 at 20:54, STARS: 0
Sorry, not Yemen. It was the plan to capture Raqqa, the ISIS capital in Syria. It’s a fascinating read, and gives you a good idea of just how hard this job is, and how you can’t just go like a bull in a china shop.
So on Jan. 17, just three days before the transfer of power, Obama directed his national security adviser to hand over to the Trump team a paper detailing the plan to arm the Kurds, including talking points that President Trump could use to explain the move to Turkey’s president, who officials knew would be furious. The Turks viewed the Kurdish fighters as terrorists and their No. 1 enemy.
Obama hoped that his last-minute preparations would clear the way for Trump to authorize a swift assault on the Islamic State’s most important stronghold, where U.S. intelligence officials say militants are plotting attacks outside Syria.
Instead of running with the plan, Trump’s national security team deemed it wholly insufficient and swiftly tossed it.
Let me know if you get blocked by the WaPo pay wall.
"fintail" (fintail)
02/09/2017 at 20:58, STARS: 0
When they have no policy to talk about...well....her emails!
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
02/09/2017 at 21:19, STARS: 1
You sound like a Democrat. ;) Seriously, though, there hasn’t been a whole lot of level-headed thinking on this subject in the last few years.
"Chariotoflove" (chariotoflove)
02/09/2017 at 22:04, STARS: 1
I see no reason to get insulting. :p
Yeah, for sure.
"Chariotoflove" (chariotoflove)
02/10/2017 at 10:03, STARS: 0
That really was interesting. I can believe the authors assertion that the pendulum has swung from a president who may have been too cautious to one who tends to be rash. I’m hoping the military advisors he hired bring a sense of prudence to the table and we end up with some effective in between.
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
02/10/2017 at 10:15, STARS: 1
It will be interesting to see how much independence his choices wield. However, if you are constantly in fear of getting fired by pissing off your boss, that tends to make you a yes man.
"Chariotoflove" (chariotoflove)
02/10/2017 at 11:15, STARS: 1
Yep, but he did pick a guy for the Supreme Court who wasn’t afraid to chastise him publicly. So there’s hope.
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
02/10/2017 at 11:44, STARS: 0
It’s funny to watch the White House backpedal on Gorsuch’s criticism. Now they are saying that he wasn’t responding to Trump’s specific criticisms of the judiciary, just criticisms in general. It’s laughable.
"Chariotoflove" (chariotoflove)
02/10/2017 at 11:54, STARS: 0
Oh, I missed that. Is that what The Mouth of Sauron is saying in press conferences now? I should pop some corn and go look.
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
02/10/2017 at 12:05, STARS: 1
"Chariotoflove" (chariotoflove)
02/10/2017 at 12:49, STARS: 1
Well he was responding to criticisms of the judiciary in general. But the President’s comments fall under that heading. So,...