US Politics Mega-thread - Page 621

On August 17 2018 21:39 riotjune wrote:
Same way people run charities and then end up keeping more than half the money to "run" it, leaving only a fraction that actually reaches people in need, only this time replace "charity" with "military parade."

Ongoing logistics and operational costs as upkeep probably, those vehicles need fuel and maintenance and aren't going to run themselves. And since the entire world will be watching, they'll probably get strict-as-hell units with tight coordination and formation like the Honor Guard to march so everyone doesn't look like jackasses like our last change of command ceremony, where half the soldiers stepped off first with the left leg and the other half the right due to conflicting commands and failure to communicate (looks ate up). They're probably practicing right now, if the plans are drawn up already.

On August 17 2018 23:08 JimmiC wrote:


I wonder if he knows how much Jet fighters cost? And what quality he thinks he can get a couple for 90 mil?

On August 17 2018 23:12 Excludos wrote:


He can get 95% of one F35A according to google, but I have no idea how many Russian MiGs he can get for that price...

On August 17 2018 23:54 Simberto wrote:
But it is a bit of a misrepresentation that you would need to buy those jet fighters. I would assume that the US military already has a bunch of them, and at that point it is just the cost of gas + maintenance. Which should be substantially lower.

Retired Adm. William McRaven, the man who oversaw the 2011 Navy SEAL raid that killed Osama bin Laden, issued a stunning rebuke of President Donald Trump's decision to revoke the security clearance of former CIA Director John Brennan on Thursday, defending the former spy chief as "one of the finest public servants I have ever known."

In an op-ed published by the Washington Post, McRaven, a former Navy SEAL who led US Joint Special Operations Command from 2011 to 2014, not only called Brennan "a man of unparalleled integrity," but volunteered to have his own security clearance revoked in an act of solidarity.

"Few Americans have done more to protect this country than John. He is a man of unparalleled integrity, whose honesty and character have never been in question, except by those who don't know him," McRaven wrote.

"Therefore, I would consider it an honor if you would revoke my security clearance as well, so I can add my name to the list of men and women who have spoken up against your presidency," he added.

His comments come just one day after Trump announced his decision to revoke Brennan's security clearance, marking an unprecedented use of a president's authority over the classification system to strike back at one of his prominent critics.

"This action is part of a broader effort by Mr. Trump to suppress freedom of speech & punish critics. It should gravely worry all Americans, including intelligence professionals, about the cost of speaking out. My principles are worth far more than clearances. I will not relent," Brennan tweeted after the announcement.

McRaven, who resigned as chancellor of the University of Texas in Austin earlier this year, is widely respected among the tens of thousands of active and retired special operators and his message will likely resonate within that community.
"Through your actions, you have embarrassed us in the eyes of our children, humiliated us on the world stage and, worst of all, divided us as a nation," McRaven said of Trump.

"If you think for a moment that your McCarthy-era tactics will suppress the voices of criticism, you are sadly mistaken. The criticism will continue until you become the leader we prayed you would be," he added.

China’s military has expanded its bomber operations in recent years while “likely training for strikes” against the United States and its allies, a Pentagon report released on Thursday said.

The assessment, which comes at a time of heightened U.S.-China tensions over trade, was contained in an annual report that highlighted China’s efforts to increase its global influence, with defense spending that the Pentagon estimates exceeded $190 billion in 2017.

“Over the last three years, the PLA has rapidly expanded its overwater bomber operating areas, gaining experience in critical maritime regions and likely training for strikes against U.S. and allied targets,” the report said, using an acronym for China’s People’s Liberation Army.

The report comes as China and the United States plan to hold trade talks, offering hope they might resolve an escalating tariff conflict that threatens to degenerate into an all-out trade war.

The report said that while the PLA had continued to extend operations, it was not clear what message Beijing was seeking to send by carrying out the flights “beyond a demonstration of improved capabilities.”

The Chinese embassy in Washington could not immediately be reached for comment.

This year China’s air force landed bombers on islands and reefs in the South China Sea as part of a training exercise in the disputed region.

On August 18 2018 01:49 Mohdoo wrote:
I think people surprised by the idea of Trump being supported by an unusual % of blacks haven't had much experience living in very ghetto'ish areas with large black/hispanic populations. There is some serious racism in bad neighborhoods. Black vs Hispanic racism is really, really huge in some areas. When I was in Virginia, there was some weeeeeeird borderline militant levels of racism in my community. It goes both ways for sure. Black vs Hispanic vs White is just a really sad situation, but it is very prevalent in some areas.

On August 18 2018 02:22 Danglars wrote:

I can also imagine them being a little ticked off by being called black anti-Hispanic racists living in ghettos by virtue of their support for Trump. I can really think of no better crystallization of clear racist sentiment than presuming high levels of black support for Trump is due to the quantity of black racists in the country.

On August 18 2018 02:27 Plansix wrote:
Racism and bigotry exists among all groups. I could tell stories about my catholic relatives and there strong dislike of my protestant mother. But the power structures in this country have been dominated by white men since the founding of this nation and its not like they are giving it up any time soon.

In Trumps case, he has tapped into culture wars and insecurities of white rural America. Having grown up there, they have been eager for someone champion their fears and validate them. But my home town is filled with people who think that having a single black student is unfair because they have to worry about saying something racist.