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What's the Plan Guys?

Questions the presidential candidates should have to answer.

One of the agonizing aspects of being simply Brian Q. Public, is not being able to get answers for simple but critical questions from the two guys who want to run this horse and pony show. How can we make intelligent decisions for America, let alone wise decisions, if we have no real clue what the Flying RomObama Twins propose about issues of vast importance? Among these, my greatest curiosity has to do with epic wars. Here are my simple questions ... (and I realize I am tossing these questions to the wind).

1. Are you and when are you Mr. President, going to get us the heck out of Afghanistan? Would you, and when would you, Mr. Mitt, get us the heck out of Afghanistan?

2. Mr. President, will you do everything possible to avoid warfare with Iran and will you look into ways to relax the unprecedentedly severe economic sanctions currently imposed upon them, sanctions that are effectively inhumane? Mr. Mitt, Do you plan to attack Iran and if not, why specifically have you asked for two trillion for our military over the next ten years, a sum that close to doubles that spent on both the Afghan and Iraqi Wars?

I really want these questions answered ... But WHO is asking?

The twin wars we have been involved in this past decade were debacles that profited only multinational corporations tied to the war industry. One point three trillion dollars, hundreds of thousands of innocent dead, thousands of patriotic young Americans killed and for what? Freedom?

If you believe that is the agenda, then you must want to be misled. Even "corporate freedom" doesn't encapsulate the agenda of these wars. The wars are the actions of Empire and that Empire is primarily American and Corporate. They are wars of domination. My questions are really simple ... Are you guys going to continue this path of Empire, cruising the globe and overturning whatever does not align with the program of domination you hold (esposals aside)?

Somewhere it's written that when a (hu)mans words and actions disagree, go by their actions if you would known their true intent. Our actions in the Middle East, going back to the end of the second world war, have been focused, violent (militarily and economically), have directly or indirectly led to the deaths of millions of people, and have garnered towards us enough resentment to last generations. Our actions prove our administrations do agree on a central tenant, the Middle East is ours to exploit and the people of the Middle East have NO right to the God given rights our sacred constitution lays out, those inalienable rights.

The second question has already been answered to a great extent. We ARE at war with Iran. We have attacked with sanctions that are extreme to an unprecedented degree ... they reportedly outstrip those we held on Iraq. The sactions are obscene, inhumane and have obviously recently put a choke hold on the entire economy. People who have zero say in who governs them, are suffering greatly. It is as though they have been invaded by a great military force. The great ruse used to justify our onslaught, again, is the issue of nuclear weapons.

For 28 years this spectre has been raised and used to justify ends that for 28 years have been about power and money ... nothing more. The concept of a nuclear armed Iran actually deploying the weapons on Israel or the US is as daft as any other power doing so to anyone else. To attack another country with nukes is to commit suicide and none of the leaders on this planet wants to die ... they want to live and to rule. MAD is the stopper on the drain of nuclear desolation ... it's a lose-lose gambit.

I have another couple of questions, because the President and Mr. Mitt will never hear me. These questions are for you, the other Q. Publics.

Will you allow these candidates to get to election without being forced to own up to how they will answer these questions, questions that involve trillions of dollars, the potential for another decade of war, even an all out Middle Eastern War? Your kids or grandkids may well be dying in th next one, so you had best listen up.

Is this "global war on terror," to your liking? Is that the America you find respectable, the land of the free and the brave ... you have loved? An America that runs decade long wars with no discernible goals, timelines, or plausible means to determine a satisfactory end, yet funnels billions and billions into corporate coffers ... corporations you have never even heard of as well as the Halliburtons and Boeings you have?

I REALLY want some answers. No more fluff, no more standing behind the flag spinning platitudes. These guys want to lead us. Fine. I WANT TO KNOW: "Where?"

Michael McClusky October 9, 2012 at 07:56 pm
@Robert B. Well said!
Richard Head October 9, 2012 at 08:33 pm
It's a predicament for which there is no palatable solution. Remember, American terror drones kill, main and destroy almost daily - in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia, Libya, and perhaps other places we don't know of.
Oil is a wondrous resource - but once it is burned - it is gone forever. We waste it. Our entire economy is waste-based. We have no choice now. People have to die - lots of people. Who will volunteer? Seven billion + cannot live the lifestyle we in America have grown accustomed because we live on a finite Planet with limited resources - and our numbers destroy the healthy environment we need to continue on. Our currency wars are strangling Europeans - who can no longer afford pricy oil, and whose economies are collapsing. The financial death of millions of Europeans will likely lead to their physical deaths - which is Conservation by Other Means. I fully agree with the precepts of the Georgia Guide-stones - but it will be a less than palatable ride to get there - and most of us wouldn't.... http://thegeorgiaguidestones.com/Message.htm Remember, the President is a mere figurehead - and those truly in power are never seen. What happens next is unknown - but I believe it is likely that the final fight for Oil will go nuclear. Armies, Navies, and Air Forces must have oil to run - and countries with no fuel are reduced to lobbing nukes. America will fight for oil - the Empire collapses without it.
Brian Carlson October 9, 2012 at 09:08 pm
I understand the sentiment. When other countries have four to six candidates, requiring much detailed debate and discussion and thought, so many people in th US are LP locked into black and white think....dem or rep.. Lib or conservative....as ough there are only two ways to think. It is pathetic, outmoded and is a huge disservice, IMO, to the country, to have only two effective choices each four years.
Brian Carlson October 9, 2012 at 09:16 pm
RHead... Many good points and a plausible scenario. My question to me is then, do I want to live the rest of my life saying nothing in opposition to what I see as gross injustice, rampant greed, the rape of the planet, the continued destruction of indigenous populations by administrations or more often now, corporations, the discounting of the value and sanctity of human life....do I want to serve the destruction in a sentence, or do I want to stand up, for whatever it's worth, and say I oppose this madness?
Jay Sykes October 9, 2012 at 09:17 pm
I thought the Obama 'Big Bird' commercial was a SNL parody, but, apparently it's real.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZxs09eV-Vc
Brian Carlson October 9, 2012 at 09:22 pm
Sykes.... The line between satire and propaganda depends only on point of view. We live in a time of political comedy and comical politics.
Michael McClusky October 10, 2012 at 01:29 am
@Brian Carlson Go on the internet and look up Supertramp's 1974 album "Crime of the Century.' Listen to the title song. It depicts our current state of affairs pretty accurately.
Brian Carlson October 10, 2012 at 01:52 am
Michael..... Google my song....Fools Command.mp4. I will check out Supertramp.
Brian Carlson October 10, 2012 at 02:10 am
Nobama is bordering on hate speech if he hasn't already arrived there.... I am personally embarrassed for the white race when I hear his asinine suprematist words. I can't apologize for him...I don't know the person.... But I can say his post tonight competes for the bottom of what Patch has to offer...a vehicle for the dissemination of ignorance. Fortunately intelligent readers just see this display of ignorance and shake their heads. Once again though, the conservatives would do well IMO to speak up. What is your opinion of this conservatives rants?
Brian Carlson October 10, 2012 at 02:12 am
Ok I read his whole pathetic statement. He is speaking as a racist. It's pure hate speech. If I was the editor I would flush this posting of his down so it could reside where it belongs.
Craig October 10, 2012 at 02:30 am
I think they did....it doesn't show up anymore.
Craig October 10, 2012 at 02:34 am
Sometimes people attempt to make a point, and take it a step beyond what is considered civil. Sometimes people are just plain assinine. I can't understand either side - one plays the race card, and the other is pure evil racism.
You would think we are human beings could become better than acting like a bunch of animals.
Neil A Rubble October 20, 2012 at 01:17 am
Ahhhh, censorship at it's finest. Good job gents on shutting down free speach.
Neil A Rubble October 20, 2012 at 01:22 am
I am white. It's very presumptuous to speak for a whole race Brian.
I'm back Brian!!! Just spent a 3 week vacation in central america. So fun!
Brian Carlson October 20, 2012 at 01:50 am
I missed the part where I speak for the whole white race Neil.
Keith Schmitz October 20, 2012 at 02:27 am
"Is it possible our weakness screwed up Afghanistan? Maybe this a problem of not enough force."
Chromie, the road to Afghanistan is littered with the bones of empires. Ronald Wrinkles didn't bring down the USSR despite all the money he gave to his defense contractors. Foolish pride that they could control Afghanistan did in the Politburo. Now Mitt is surrounding himself with the same clowns that brought us into Iraq. Watch him take us into another trillion dollar munching war.
Keith Schmitz October 20, 2012 at 02:30 am
Romney certainly has those connections with the military industrial complex through his rich friends. Eisenhower warned us against this.
Military money sucks money out of the economy. It's time we stop playnig Roman empire to satisfy he "defense" industry.
Craig October 20, 2012 at 02:33 am
Brian: This is a question I think is in your area of expertise:
Where is the US involved in 'conflicts' that most people are not aware of? How many troops do we have there? Is there anyone keeping track of the deaths from said 'conflicts' the media doesn't talk about? It is a serious question, I am not trying to bait you into anything. My conservative friends can relax, I am not going to start beating any drums. or am I? :-P
Neil A Rubble October 21, 2012 at 12:30 am
" I am personally embarrassed for the white race when I hear his asinine suprematist words.". Remember when you wrote that?
Brian Carlson October 21, 2012 at 03:39 pm
Craig, not an expert. We have drone warfare goin on in Yemen, Somalia, and Pakistan... All of which we have not declared war on. Drone warfare, as it doesn't require a boots on the ground invasion...allows the govt to get around formal declarations. Slick, but people die, things are blown up, civilians terrorized, etc, war is. War.
Brian Carlson October 21, 2012 at 11:52 pm
Keith... I find it very disconcerting that Romney wants two trillion for "defense" but hasn't specifically said why. sounds like a war budget.
Craig October 22, 2012 at 01:40 am
Actually Romney made it clear. The $2 Trillion is the exact amount Obama cut the defense. So it ends up being wash.
Craig October 22, 2012 at 01:43 am
This is something we agree on. we aren't doing ourselves any favors where the people dislike us to begin with. After we drone them, they hate us.
So many countries pretend to be our ally, but really hate us. Saudi Arabia is a prime example.
Brian Carlson October 22, 2012 at 01:47 am
Craig....Where was that stated? The wars together have cost one point three trillion over a decade. Give me a reference for Obama diphthong two trillion and Romney only trying to get it back up to pre-cut levels. Thanks.
Brian Carlson October 22, 2012 at 01:50 am
Craig...agreed on the drones...but warfare is typically first economic. You might find John Perkins book, Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, very interesting relative to how our foreign policy works.
Craig October 22, 2012 at 02:55 am
Brian: Eating crow here...Neither link spells it out perfectly, but it seems to be fuzzy math.
http://www.npr.org/2012/10/18/163148823/romneys-defense-plans-call-for-higher-spending http://factcheck.org/2012/10/will-romney-increase-defense-spending-by-2-trillion/
Brian Carlson October 22, 2012 at 03:38 pm
Craig... Yes not simple to understand but apparently, as far as I grasp it, Romney would direct that toward the military and Obama would send it to debt reduction or other non military items.
Craig October 23, 2012 at 03:35 pm
I did not know Pakistan was a nuclear threat. 80 nukes for such a small and poorly controlled country?
I think we have more problems than terrorists hiding in the caves.
Randy1949 October 23, 2012 at 04:03 pm
@Craig -- Pakistan has been a nuclear threat to India for quite some time. And it could become a threat to us if one of those nukes fell into the wrong hands.
Brian Carlson October 23, 2012 at 04:33 pm
Nukes, all weapons of mass destruction, are such horrific devices, designed for such indiscriminate slaughter, that they are ALWAYS in the wrong hands. Their existence is an abomination. In the early sixties all of Kennedys trusted advisors, men of intelligence and good will, all AMERICANS, advised him to bomb Cuba....an act that would have resulted in nuclear retaliation and the end of the current world as we know it. Miraculously he resisted his entire staff and chose to negotiate....which is probably why we are alive. But we were at the edge with a majority voting to leap. There are people given and maybe only capable of thinking in abstractions..... And "nukes," becomes a lite slang term for what is an ignition of the atmosphere into an immense extremely intense fireball, a flash oven inside which most life is incinerated with all the evil of the ovens in Birkenau. Indiscriminate slaughter of children, infants, mothers, the old and infirm.... On a vast scale. That was Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The most unfortunate died slowly from radiation poisoning and burns. We are all like children's holding hand grenades not understanding the potential consequences of our actions, or even our words.

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