what is the president going to say tonight?

[johnhannibalsmith]

Well really, what do you expect him to do? Realistically? Deliver your interpretation of the religion to the masses and declare Islam a plague on not just America but the world at large? I'm giving my reaction and in the context of Obama and his redundant messages over and over, he managed to hit on all the predictable things while also throwing out a few surprises that you wouldn't have expected from a guy that's a lame duck with nothing to worry about and consumed with saving face at all times. Acquiescence is just not something he does and yet he was willing to on a few pretty important concepts. If you thought he was going to straight up convert on those concepts, I guess you are going to be terribly disappointed in the speech no matter what he said. My reaction/observation/opinion whatever you want to call it to the speech is based almost entirely on the departure from the speeches that are nothing more than political angling, pitting citizens against one another because of an upcoming election or vote or polling or whatever. I thought that I was fairly clear that I didn't necessarily agree with his ideas, but that it was simply refreshing to hear him posit on that front while conceding a few things to try to garner some support for those ideas. It hasn't been in his playbook for seven years and is one of the major reasons, in my opinion, why he has largely been a massive disappointment.

[woodtoo]

Originally Posted by Greyfox

True ideals of Islam?

Gimmee a break Jake.

Obama's rosy presentation of Islam's ideals did not acknowledge several fundamental tenets of the Koran (Qur'an)
For starters, infidels must be:
1. converted
2. made slaves
3. killed
ISIS is practicing those ideals.
They are not in any way bastardizing them- as you say.
The silence of so many other Muslims is that they too know that via the Angel Gabriel in his conversations with Muhammed in a cave, Allah has made those commands.
If you knew anything about the history of this religion and the murderous activities of Muhammed, you would never ever johnhannibalsmith try to sell us on the rhetoric that Obama used this evening.
In my opinion, Obama said nothing new tonight to assure the nation that he is on top of this problem.

This is the elephant in the room, getting islam out of stone age. As it is currently taught in madrassa's thruout Arabia, Afghanistan etc. It is
unacceptable.

[Greyfox]

Originally Posted by johnhannibalsmith

Well really, what do you expect him to do? Realistically? Deliver your interpretation of the religion to the masses and declare Islam a plague on not just America but the world at large?.

I'd expect more honesty from the man.
For starters, U.S. intelligence reports estimate that ISIS may have as many as 300,000,000 (300 million) Muslim sympathizers around the world.
That is not a small fraction of the Islam religion as Obama suggested.
Secondly, he fails to acknowledge that Islam is also a huge political movement.
It's leaders have a huge political agenda. Some adherents will try to establish their goals by peaceful means. Some adherents will try to establish their goals by violent means.

Nevertheless, Islam is a far more dangerous political movement than any of the other fascisms of the 20 th Century. It's believers hold that God (Allah) is at the helm and guiding them.
Until Westerners realize that this is a POLITICAL MOVEMENT under the guise of religion, we'll always be at a disadvantage to them.

[classhandicapper]

Originally Posted by Greyfox

Until Westerners realize that this is a POLITICAL MOVEMENT under the guise of religion, we'll always be at a disadvantage to them.
[/b]

It's also an economic movement. Their banking rules, beliefs about interest rates etc.. are different.

That's exactly what people don't understand. Even if they were all peaceful and not warring between their own tribes all the time too, what they would want peacefully is not exactly compatible with western democracy, free markets, and our laws. We could theoretically peacefully co-exist, but whenever there are two competing grand ideas for the world it has generally caused conflict.

Something is going to have to change so that their views on organizing society are reasonably compatible with ours. Then who cares what they believe about Allah.

[Robert Goren]

Originally Posted by Greyfox

I'd expect more honesty from the man.
For starters, U.S. intelligence reports estimate that ISIS may have as many as 300,000,000 (300 million) Muslim sympathizers around the world.
That is not a small fraction of the Islam religion as Obama suggested.
Secondly, he fails to acknowledge that Islam is also a huge political movement.
It's leaders have a huge political agenda. Some adherents will try to establish their goals by peaceful means. Some adherents will try to establish their goals by violent means.

Nevertheless, Islam is a far more dangerous political movement than any of the other fascisms of the 20 th Century. It's believers hold that God (Allah) is at the helm and guiding them.
Until Westerners realize that this is a POLITICAL MOVEMENT under the guise of religion, we'll always be at a disadvantage to them.

There are 1.6 billion Moslems in the world. About 1.3 billion are Sunni. But like Protestants in Christianity, there are several sects of Sunni. Although the number of 300 million seems pretty high, the number of ISIS sympathizers is definitely growing. There was very active but relative small number of anti- Western terrorists pre Iraqi War. The Syrian War has caused the number of anti- Western terrorists grow by leaps bounds. Pre Iraqi war there probably fewer than 10 million Muslin that were strongly anti-Western. Today there are at least 100 million of which there are probably 100,000 potential terrorists world wide. I seen estimates that may be as many 10,000 in the United States, most of which are US citizens. How many of those will eventually act is anyone's guess. One thing is for sure, any potential terrorist in the United States that decides to act can do so with relative ease. They will have no trouble in getting bomb making supplies and Military grade guns and ammo. Fortunately for us, most of them are so mentally ill that their ability to kill more than few people is limited. When a sane terrorist decides to act, they can cause real carnage like in California. Even there, things could have been a lot worse.

[Thebart]

It doesn't matter whether you're a Republican or Democrat. I have always respected - and not hesitated to show that respect - for Republican Presidents from Nixon through both Bush's. And the same goes for Democratic presidents from Carter through Obama. I was raised to believe that a real American always show respect for the office and it's occupant.

It is disturbing that so many on here will reproduce viral emails distributing birther and other BS, subscribe to the most hideous conspiracy theories, and such demeaning language in referring to our current president. One idiot even suggested that since he doesn't respect the President, he just tuned to Australian racing. There's a real brain surgeon. Perhaps he should consider just going to the Australian paradise and wagering there.

I don't always agree with Obama. I was actually disappointed that his speech didn't go far enough in terms of insisting on ground troops from the Saudi's and gulf oil nations to fight ISIS.

But I did watch and listen. The man is our president and it would be nice if those with hate in their heart would grow up and act like real Americans. It is OK to disagree, but we don't have to be disagreeable all the time.

[classhandicapper]

Originally Posted by Thebart

It doesn't matter whether you're a Republican or Democrat. I have always respected - and not hesitated to show that respect - for Republican Presidents from Nixon through both Bush's.

So have I, but IMO this man is contemptible.

He has been wrong on virtually every major policy decision he's made during his administration (which is bad enough), but he does it with an arrogance like the rest of us are the problem when things go bad.

It's bad enough he is wrecking the economy long term with debt accumulation, healthcare promises that can never be kept, and putting our lives and position in the world at greater risk than they need be, but then I have to look at that smug face like we don't get it. When he's not doing that, he's not man enough to admit he's made a mistake. He lies and deflects and again blames others. I thought Bush did a lot of foolish things, but I never came away from any of it disliking him. I actually kind of liked the guy. Same with Clinton, Carter and the rest. This guy, it's impossible.

[Tom]

Respect is earned.
Or, in this case, not.

FUBO.

[PaceAdvantage]

Originally Posted by horses4courses

Many of you think the prez should be wearing a Superman cape.
That he is all-powerful, and can remedy the worst of situations.

You mean like you guys thought Bush should have acted after Andy Card whispered in his ear that fateful September morning in 2001?

Donned his cape and flew out the window to save America?

You're nothing but a joke and a huge hypocrite at this moment.

[Tom]

OK, some one leaning left please answer this for me.
Obama said that the radical islamists do not represent islam and are a small part of it. But when the radical use mosques to plant their terror attacks and hide weapons, as they did in Iraq, doesn't that disqualify them as islamic religious sanctuaries and turn them into targets, to raid, eavesdrop on, bomb, whatever? And would that not be the right thing to do to protect the majority of islamics who are being used by the radical few? After all, the mosques and their flocks did not report the terrorists, so must not we assume THEY are
radical as well?

[PaceAdvantage]

No, no, no, no, no Tom! Your puny undeveloped Monkey-Brain simply can't comprehend the subtle complexities that play themselves out every single day on the world stage. Only a genius like Obama and his friends are capable of such Herculean mental tasks such as this...that's why we leave everything up to DEAR LEADER to figure out FOR US and to keep US SAFE. For without him, we are nothing..

[Tom]

My gosh, you are right, PA.
Why didn't I see that before?

I feel so safe now, I will remove the lock from my doors on my house and leave them open all the time from now on.

Same with my car, and I will leave the keys in the ignition and park it two blocks from my house every night. And leave my shopping bags in the back seat, windows down.

And here, my SS number is 455-4W-5421.
And my bank password it Ali Akbar57.

I am making Bean Soup tonight, and I will not even bother to look for stones in the beans before I cook them. I am sure they have been properly vetted.

No need to worry now, Barry has my back!

Serenity NOW!

[Thebart]

Originally Posted by classhandicapper

So have I, but IMO this man is contemptible.

He has been wrong on virtually every major policy decision he's made during his administration (which is bad enough), but he does it with an arrogance like the rest of us are the problem when things go bad.

It's bad enough he is wrecking the economy long term with debt accumulation, healthcare promises that can never be kept, and putting our lives and position in the world at greater risk than they need be, but then I have to look at that smug face like we don't get it. When he's not doing that, he's not man enough to admit he's made a mistake. He lies and deflects and again blames others. I thought Bush did a lot of foolish things, but I never came away from any of it disliking him. I actually kind of liked the guy. Same with Clinton, Carter and the rest. This guy, it's impossible.

I suspect you are blind to the fact that it was Reagan who in an absurd quest to use Arab terrorists to defeat the former Soviet Union in Afghanistan who armed the that gang to the teeth. Then Bin Laden used that force and weapons to create Al Queada.

Papa Bush, always loyal to the Royal Family interests of the Saudia Arabia and Kuwait felt it necessary to save Kuwait from Saddam Husein. But, he was smart enough to do the job, get in, get Hussein's forces out of Kuwait, and leave.

Unfortunately his son W. Bush under the guidance of Cheney invaded Iraq, destroyed any semblance of government. Dismissed thousands of soldiers and police and left them broke with no job. All based on the ignorant (and I do mean ignorant) notion that they would just love and embrace western style democracy. The result: Total Bleeping Chaos and now another new force that hates America. Is it any wonder that substantial parts of that force - trained by Husein's government - have embraced ISIS?

Oh, but no, only Obama, Clinton, Carter get named and ridiculed. I see it differently. Yes, Democratic presidents have made foreign policy mistakes. But none as big and costly as those made by Reagan and W. Bush.

Oh, don't lecture us on debt without mentioning that W. Bush put the entire bleeping Gulf war on the federal credit card because Republicans apparently think war it free. No free lunch, but perpetual free war. Or so they think.

Finally, on the point of arrogance and smugness, no president I know demonstrated more arrogance then W. Bush standing in front of a Mission Accomplished banner on a US Ship when nothing permanent had been accomplished and in fact, the entire region had been thrown into chaos because Bush didn't know how to stand up to Cheney's war machine of advisers.

[thaskalos]

Originally Posted by Thebart

I suspect you are blind to the fact that it was Reagan who in an absurd quest to use Arab terrorists to defeat the former Soviet Union in Afghanistan who armed the that gang to the teeth. Then Bin Laden used that force and weapons to create Al Queada.

Papa Bush, always loyal to the Royal Family interests of the Saudia Arabia and Kuwait felt it necessary to save Kuwait from Saddam Husein. But, he was smart enough to do the job, get in, get Hussein's forces out of Kuwait, and leave.

Unfortunately his son W. Bush under the guidance of Cheney invaded Iraq, destroyed any semblance of government. Dismissed thousands of soldiers and police and left them broke with no job. All based on the ignorant (and I do mean ignorant) notion that they would just love and embrace western style democracy. The result: Total Bleeping Chaos and now another new force that hates America. Is it any wonder that substantial parts of that force - trained by Husein's government - have embraced ISIS?

Oh, but no, only Obama, Clinton, Carter get named and ridiculed. I see it differently. Yes, Democratic presidents have made foreign policy mistakes. But none as big and costly as those made by Reagan and W. Bush.

Oh, don't lecture us on debt without mentioning that W. Bush put the entire bleeping Gulf war on the federal credit card because Republicans apparently think war it free. No free lunch, but perpetual free war. Or so they think.

Finally, on the point of arrogance and smugness, no president I know demonstrated more arrogance then W. Bush standing in front of a Mission Accomplished banner on a US Ship when nothing permanent had been accomplished and in fact, the entire region had been thrown into chaos because Bush didn't know how to stand up to Cheney's war machine of advisers.

Just a minute here...

You are the guy who told us a while ago that it is the duty of every "real American" to respect the American president at all times. "Always show respect for the office and its occupant"...you told us. And now you take the podium...and you blast EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM?

If none of them are any good...then why are they entitled to our respect, in the FIRST place?

[Tom]

I suspect you are blind to the fact that it was Reagan who in an absurd quest to use Arab terrorists to defeat the former Soviet Union in Afghanistan who armed the that gang to the teeth. Then Bin Laden used that force and weapons to create Al Queada.

Not absurd at all. It worked.
Stinger missiles drove the USSR out of Afghanistan. They USSR was our #1 enemy at the time, not terrorists. That ultimately resulted in the falling of the Iron Curtain. The mistake was assuming those people were rational, civilized human beings.