RomaVicta

I'M SO TIRED OF HEARING HIS VOICE, BITCHING WHINING LYING ABOUT BEING THE VICTIM HERE. TRUTH!!!!!!!

Again, I'm a layperson, but I do know how to put together a rational argument. I think the assertion that Trump is influencing the statement is a sound one. If these are good lawyers, I'd be shocked if they created this statement in a vacuum. Trump's basic defense against any accusation is to call the accuser a "never-Trumper." He's a never-Bidener, should we discount everything he says? I see strong Trump influence on that tack. I don't see myself using that as an argument. The "very popular tv show" also sounds like a Trump phrase as he is obsessed with ratings and lying about them. Stormy made a life off these communications? She used "pure opportunism" to get Trump to fork over 6 figures? Huh? She's made money since on this story, so she must be evil. I still don't think that holds much sway in a trial. Who wouldn't cash in? * I love this last sentence. She knew nothing about the actual crimes alleged here. Well, Blanche, she can confirm she got paid off and anything she may have witnessed indicating why.

Two things from the defense presentation jump out at this layperson. The choice of cloaked in innocence is odd to me. It suggests that though not innocent himself, Trump has a cloak of innocence protecting him. The idea of a cloak is most often associated with secrecy and deceit. Contrast it to, "He is innocent through and through." The usage just leapt out at me as a strange word choice for a carefully conceived presentation. Second, the idea that evidence is too old to be valid made me laugh. I imagine a criminal appeal where the lawyer's argument is, "My client should be released! His signed confession is more than ten years old. You can't seriously consider that to be evidence!"

Thanks for the response. I was swayed by the extensive reporting of how formidable the Iraqi army would likely be. They'd had combat experience and we hadn't been in anything a conventional battle with another nation in decades. I recall persons like me being scorned (you're not doing that) for not thinking the US would easily win the invasion. It's was like I was a bad fan of my team. My response was always, "What? Did you think I had my own intelligence service working in Iraq?" I just knew what I read in several news outlets. Amusingly, one of the things to worry about was to be Iraq's airforce. They flew to Iran to hide. A bad sign for Iraquis. I don't think I'm swayed by Ted Cruz (how dare you!). China is a big country that develops some of is own war technology. There are a lot of them. If we get involved, I'm concerned about the survival of our surface fleet. I'm concerned about the number aircraft China has in the area. I'm concerned about their esprit d' corps. In their yard, it would be extremely difficult, in my opinion. And look how right I was about Iraq!

I think that's generous on your part. I don't see a subtle nudge from a pitiful minion shaking Trump's fealty to Putin. I think Lindsay wants to make sure he has a spot if the fascists win out. Trying to stay of the proscription lists.

Or any part of their military. Was the NVA (North Vietnamese Army) the last disciplined and determined force we met in the field? That was 50 years ago. China is well-equipped and trained as far as I know. There would be nothing easy or inevitable about fighting them. We get into to trouble thinking things will be easy and our enemies are not as brave as we are. Taiwan is similar in training and determination. It would be a nasty, bloody fight. If it expands to a US-China conflict...fuck, I don't know.

I absolutely support aid to Ukraine with pretty much no restriction on their use. Just because we've been pretty bad at this in the past doesn't mean you can't make a good decision in the present. They're bleeding the Russians white. The Russians are a clear enemy of the US.

Is there just one of his feet dangling out of Trump's diaper like the tail of lizard going down the hatch of a snake?

Thanks for responding. I don't know what IFF stands for.

There's likely not a student on that campus that has a memory of the Wrecking Crew. If you were 10 in 1993, you'd be 40 today. There are likely few undergraduates who were alive for their last conference championship.

Is he? He can answer that. I agree with everything you write. This is the best of our foreign war efforts since WW2, I think. I guess Korea, too.

How did you get that from this? I think I'm watching Anastasis Derangement Syndrome (ADS). @Anastasis is an able debater who needs no aid from me, but I honestly mostly see some really smart posters here projecting all kinds of shit onto what he/she actually says. I don't get it. I've agreed and disagreed with Anastasis over the years particularly when there was still more than a vestigial meaning to Republican. This is an observation rather than a defense. I've agreed with the meat of all of his posts over the last few pages.

Untold benefits? Really? Vietnam, the Iraq invasions, and our bumbled occupation of Afganistan have provided what benefits to whom? Do we count proxy wars and deadly campaigns to enthrone dictators throughout Latin America so we could exploit their resources before those people could? Sure, those countries generally didn't go communist, but was what we put in place really better? "At the end of the day, we're still speaking English" Post WW2, no English speaking countries were ever in danger or near danger. We did save Berlin, but that wasn't a war effort although war was risked. As part of WW2 we treated with the USSR to draw a boundary beyond which they were not to go. "the dollar is the most sought after currency" Okay. Not sure how you can tie that to a successful war campaign in a foreign land since WW2 "we still have the strongest military" At what cost? Our wars have been enormously costly to produce so little besides enormous debt; corrupt, bloated military budgeting; the ongoing costs of the (shamefully inadequate) care needed by veterans of our idiotic foreign campaigns named above. I won't delve, but this pride in our strong military goes to the insecure adolescent mindset we've been encouraged to have; we're told we're a laughing stock or we appear weak, and the rubes in the cheap seats cheer sending in the tanks. "and most of the world still looks to us on just about everything." And the world's in fine shape. We destroyed the goodwill after 9/11 by invading Iraq for whatever "untold benefits" (not surprisingly untold) we got there. We led the denial of the dangers of climate change which has become a climate emergency, and it's likely beyond halting now. The right-wing control of this country which is leading to fascism here has likely aided the rise of fascism in other countries whose leaders have often named Trump as an example. Further, we just had a president who is more interested in cozying up with non-free countries while demeaning, alienating, and losing the trust of our traditional allies. The world does not look to us on healthcare provision, prison conditions, gun violence, fair application of the law, or making minor personal sacrifices for the good of everybody else. Who has the biggest pick-up in the office parking lot? I'll never give up some of my hamburger consumption to make the world better for my children. I'm teaching them to feel the same way! The ongoing racism here and burgeoning sexism, sexualityism, and anything-you-do-is-my-business-ism are hardly lanterns in the dark to lead the world. Any organization or entity that devotes more time to self-congratulation than to honest self-appraisal is likely headed for disaster. Written without rancor.

We are the worst fucking allies people with righteous causes could have. I haven't opened this thread in quite a while because it was too sickening to read about another ally being let down at the crucial moment. We've been Lucy to the Kurd's Charlie Brown for decades upon decades. With full heart, I agree with Doc Sam. With full rage, I despise the GOP for holding off on this for so long. We've cost Ukraine soldiers and made their job harder. Aren't we at about the point where Ukraine should have pilots ready to fly F-16s against Russia? Supposedly they'd be deployable after the winter.

I had no knowledge of this woman. She's what they were going for when they produced the aborted prototype, Experiment Boebert. Bombastic as Trump? Check Hostile to truth? Check Ruthless? Check Beautiful? Holy shit, check. Poised on camera? check Embraces all stands of the GOP criminal organization? Abso-fucking-lutely. Disarming smile ala Reagan? Check I think I love her, but she's evil. I'm sure she'll make a great president.

To some, he's an idiot. To others, he's a professor. I.W.

Every one of them has an AgTag. Ever sensitive to the negro, the Aggies put inclusive art on the walls of the suite to make those people feel at home. [To be absolutely clear, my ironic post scorns romantic notions about American enslavement of African people. If, even in this context, it offends, I will gladly and swiftly remove it. Neg rep or a PM will do.]

I'm such an idiot. I looked up all those names thinking they were transfer players. The first reference to Kenny Baker, whom I suspected was a lineman, was to this guy: Now you know why I pos rep links to players.

I wonder if A&M gives out small bags just to make a player,s list. It's a cheap way to see themselves among the elite, and it builds their incredible, amazing brand!

Criminally indicted former president

He literally threw a fit when the driver refused to take him to the Capitol. He tried to seize the wheel. He knew his presence would be decisive. When he drives up, the tear gas stops.

I think we have a crisis of epic proportions. Are the Capitol Police going to block the President of the United States if he orders them to step aside? Once he is in, would they stop the mob? Trump makes it to the chamber where the votes are tallied. Do the GOPs unite except for Mitt Romney? They sured backed the SOB when impeached later on. What does Pence do? I think he resists Trump, but would it matter? Nancy Pelosi orders that Trump be removed from the chamber. Who tries to do this? There's a mob present. Trump demands the box of electoral votes or walks to the dais to take them himself. What does the SS do to Senators who choose to physically intervene? Again, the mob presence. Chaos. The count is stopped. Trump's minions in the Pentagon keep the Army in check. Trump orders the Army to remain where they are. Military mutiny? What happens to Nancy and Pence? If Trump leads the mob back out, we have less chance of immediate violence. If he tells them to stay, does the Capitol get retaken through military assault? The world watches what is possibly the end of the Republic of the United States. Do soft, suburban boys like me take up arms? I doubt it. It's too nice in the living room with your TV and steel-belted radials for the pick up truck you drive to the office in. Those Secret Service agents were key. A horrible day could have been worse. Far worse.

You and I are in agreement on the issues. I just take issue with this line that is often repeated. Jews lived in Palestine prior to the creation of modern Israel. The history of this conflict dates back to the creation of Israel after WW2. In antiquity, empires were rolling in and out of this area. I'm reading "Jerusalem" at the moment which is a history of that city starting from scratch. Great book. There was no particular animus between what is now Palestine and the different national forms of the Jewish state (comprised of Judah and Israel). The imperial ambitions and violence of those times were the norm. Sometimes you were on top, sometimes the bottom, sometimes just hanging on. Again, I agree with where you stand on the issues.

The lead paragraphs: This is an embarrassing proposal that some geniuses on the panel must think is pretty subtle. "You see, we can sanction certain units. It's looks like we're doing something, but we're really not. Nobody will notice. Hee hee." As a response to "serious human rights abuses," it's a transparent fig leaf placed atop our slavish dedication to Israel no matter what their policies are. We sold them a bunch of 2000-pound bombs a few weeks ago amid the other support for their fake "war" in Gaza. We support a campaign of high explosive bombs against neighborhoods and use of famine to displace an entire population. I'm thinking Blinken, whom I know nothing about, probably sees this quarter-measure for what it is and how it would play. It's worse than doing nothing. Doing nothing is at least honest even if it's otherwise wicked. The press ballyhoos this as though the sanctions would mean something. They would mean something to idiots in the press who refuse to think critically. But hey! They got a scoop and have made it into pap for Idiot World. Any moment, the panels on CNN and elsewhere will talk about "signals." What kind of signal is this? That analysis passes as intelligent as well. American foreign policy is cheap theater entertainment for the masses here. It's worse now that the GOP has decided their interests are more important than the interests of the United States. Pathetic.

Later outside the gates of Mar-a-lago.