Kuleana,

Some of our differences are things such as your view about the US having "hegemonic imperial ambitions". I don't agree with your premise. I understand why you believe that. But I don't believe it. I agree that our wars after WWII have been political and illegal. But I don't see us gaining much of anything from any of those wars. I think for the US to have those sort of ambitions we should have been able to profit or gain something from each war. And I don't see where we have. As a matter of fact I see just the opposite.

I agree wholeheartedly that all of the military actions undertaken by the US did not have any significant benefit to the US as a whole.  However, I would argue that the military industrial complex in the US have been profiting from all of those escapades rather nicely through the years.


You wanted to know what enemies we need to defend ourselves from. I believe that the standard Russia/China enemy is always a threat. Combined, not separate. Russia has the technology, China has the manpower. If they ever got together and combined forces we would not stand a chance. As long as they continue to force themselves on our allies we will have to defend them against these agressive nations. North Korea, IMHO is crazy enough to launch a nuke our way. And Iran is crazy enough to send one towards israel. Which would pull us into war with a Russian ally.

I can see your position that Russia and China can be a formidable threat.  However, allow me to offer some consolation in the fact that both of those nations have not invaded any of its neighbors for the last 25 years or so.

As for North Korea, please have the comfort of knowing that their bark is worse than their bite or their nuclear program for that matter, which is laughable.

Iran, well now, rest assured that they will not be foolish enough to attack Israel or any of its neighbors for a matter of fact.  Iran, for that matter, has not launched an attack of aggression for the last 200 years.  By-the-way, Israel is suspected or has nuclear weapons; hence, they can defend themselves effectively.


But we have already been invaded. By the radical muslims and those who want to do away with our constitution. I see this as a war, just not as conventional as the wars fought by our armed services. We have already been attacked on our shores a few times. Not only by foreign combatants but domestics ones as well.

One of the best ways to deal with fringe radicals is essentially buy them out.  I do not agree with that philosophy, but it does work.  You don't need to invade every nation and install a US-puppet in the name of eliminating those "terrorists."


You want to know why we ally with socialist countries? For strategic bases. As a buffer for defense of our shores. For a buffer along our borders. Look at the list of nato allies. Quite a few are socialist. Many are friendships born during WWI and WWII. Look at the list of our friends that are not nato allies. Not all our friends and nato allies are free countries. We are a stronger nation with all those friends and allies. But that also comes with some of the issues you mentioned. But I don't believe that they dislike America in the same way you believe they dislike america. Yes some of the citizens of those countries espouse the same feelings you stated. We all have our differences. But obviously they have been able to work them out because the alternative might be to have to live under russian or chinese rule. Instead they are their own sovereign nations because we don't rule them.

I will have to disagree with your notion that if nations do not ally themselves with the US, they will be subject to Russian or Chinese rule.  In fact, one could argue that the issue facing all of America's allies is if they don't ally with the US there just might be a color revolution that installs a government that does.


This is just some of my opinions. I don't have the time type them all. Thanks for enlightening me and anyone else who is reading this.

I want to thank you for sharing as I also learned a lot from your perspectives as well.


Kuleana

What if there were large corporations that stood to benefit from some/all of the wars?  Large corporations that have influence.  I'm not saying that every conspiracy theory that's out there is true.  Honestly, I have no idea and haven't taken the time to delve to far.  That said, I think many of those theories (or even accusations) could very well be true. 

In every conspiracy lies a kernel of truth.  In the case of the US military industrial complex, that is not a conspiracy as they do profit handsomely in every war America participates.


That said, I also welcome enlightenment on those issues and others.  Seems like many here have done a lot of research and/or thought on these topics, and more. 

I am sure there are many on this forum that has information on such topics and issues.


Through my work, China and North Korea are real threats to the region.  Maybe not via direct land invasion type stuff, but from starting from smaller neighbor and regional issues and where big brother steps in on many sides.  Sort of like the scenarios in the movie War Games.  I used to think it would start in the Middle East.  It still might, but more and more I look further east (to our west).

If WWIII starts in the East, I would definitely not rule out the possibility of other political/financial forces manipulating the situation leading to the conflict.


Kuleana

1) In every conspiracy lies a kernel of truth.  In the case of the US military industrial complex, that is not a conspiracy as they do profit handsomely in every war America participates.

2) I am sure there are many on this forum that has information on such topics and issues.

3) If WWIII starts in the East, I would definitely not rule out the possibility of other political/financial forces manipulating the situation leading to the conflict.

What if there were large corporations that stood to benefit from some/all of the wars?  Large corporations that have influence.  I'm not saying that every conspiracy theory that's out there is true.  Honestly, I have no idea and haven't taken the time to delve to far.  That said, I think many of those theories (or even accusations) could very well be true. 

That said, I also welcome enlightenment on those issues and others.  Seems like many here have done a lot of research and/or thought on these topics, and more. 

Through my work, China and North Korea are real threats to the region.  Maybe not via direct land invasion type stuff, but from starting from smaller neighbor and regional issues and where big brother steps in on many sides.  Sort of like the scenarios in the movie War Games.  I used to think it would start in the Middle East.  It still might, but more and more I look further east (to our west).

What I was trying to say, and obviously I didn't do a good job of it, was saying "us" as in the U.S. Government. I don't see how the U.S. Government (or the people as a whole) have benefited much from these wars directly if we have "hegemonic imperial ambitions".

The geopolitical situation with the US today was no different from empires from the past.  No one would argue that Rome, Mongol, or British Empire had hegemonic imperial ambitions and in each case did not provide a direct benefit to the common people of those regimes.  As always the case, it is the elite or 1% of those empires that benefited from the nations they colonized and/or enslaved, while the poor in those societies received marginal improvements in their daily lives at best.


I agree that China and NK are prime candidates for an engagement with us.

I concur, but I do not think they will fire the first shot.


But with Putin's taking over the Crimea and the Ukraine next on his list I believe that Russia is raising its ugly head once again as a threat to us

With all due respect, the Crimean people voted in a referendum to secede from the Ukraine and then join the Russian Federation as granted by the UN Charter covering self-determination. 


I think the most likely scenario will be the middle east centered around Iran IMO.

If it happens in the Middle East, like America's illegal involvement in Syria, it will be the US doing the attacking, not Iran.


Maybe I am not looking at the bigger picture. Obviously, no one can predict what will happen, if anything. But I do know that a strong leader POTUS will be the biggest deterrent to any war/engagement.

That is indeed necessary, but a more aware and critical-thinking citizen populace that exercises their opposition to global wars would be a stronger deterrent to the powers that be that push for such conflicts.


I believe the reason Russia and China are encroaching in to areas that don't belong to them is that our leader is weak and they know he won't lift a hand to stop them.

If both of those countries actions are seen as encroaching to their neighbors, it is entirely due to America's military aggressiveness to both those nations.  Surely, you are well aware of America's forward operating bases that surround Russia and China.  The US has bases that houses bombers that could strike the capitals of both nations in minutes.  Russia and China has no such bases with bomber capability towards the US.  If this is indeed the military situation, it is the US that is militarily encroaching both nations and not vice-versa.


Respectfully,
Kuleana

I have no doubt that many corporations are profiting from any engagement/war we are in. I would be a fool to think otherwise. And when those corps profit, I am sure a certain ugly, white, fat, racist, crooked female presidential candidate is enriched from their profits. Oh sorry, I meant to say her foundation is enriched. 

What I was trying to say, and obviously I didn't do a good job of it, was saying "us" as in the U.S. Government. I don't see how the U.S. Government (or the people as a whole) have benefited much from these wars directly if we have "hegemonic imperial ambitions".

I agree that China and NK are prime candidates for an engagement with us. But with Putin's taking over the Crimea and the Ukraine next on his list I believe that Russia is raising its ugly head once again as a threat to us. I think the most likely scenario will be the middle east centered around Iran IMO. Maybe I am not looking at the bigger picture. Obviously, no one can predict what will happen, if anything. But I do know that a strong leader POTUS will be the biggest deterrent to any war/engagement. I believe the reason Russia and China are encroaching in to areas that don't belong to them is that our leader is weak and they know he won't lift a hand to stop them.

1) I concur, but I do not think they will fire the first shot.

2) If both of those countries actions are seen as encroaching to their neighbors, it is entirely due to America's military aggressiveness to both those nations.  Surely, you are well aware of America's forward operating bases that surround Russia and China.  The US has bases that houses bombers that could strike the capitals of both nations in minutes.  Russia and China has no such bases with bomber capability towards the US.  If this is indeed the military situation, it is the US that is militarily encroaching both nations and not vice-versa.

The reason for this forward bases is to ensure mutually assured destruction in the event of an aggressor decided to utilize nuclear weapons.  Offensive defense.   

What if the aggressor is the US?

There is no guarantee the US would not use the tactical advantage of forward military bases to launch a war of aggression under false pretenses (i.e., Iraq War II) .


If we did not have a powerful military to deter aggression the world would be a far worse place.  As we see the slip today, a direct result on weak foreign policy, military reduction, and apology.

Although other nations have been narrowing the gap, the US still has the most powerful military in the World in both relative and absolute terms.  If the US spends more on its military than all other nations combined, I fail to see how America be slipping militarily.  Moreover, any nation having the most powerful military has only proved that it will be only that nation that will be illegally invading and making war on the militarily weaker nations in the World.


Kuleana

1) I don't see that either.  I see both/either being more like that punk who wants to start something, so will go up to another and sort of feint a blow, trying to get the other to strike back.  Then say, see, he swung first. . .

America does and have used the same tactics in its history.

The goading of Japan to attack Pearl Harbor that led to America's entry to WWII was one example which President Roosevelt utilized to get America involved in WWII.

Please see http://www.theamericanconservative.com/2011/12/05/did-fdr-provoke-pearl-harbor/  for details.


2) They have definite capability towards US interests.  And I wouldn't discount their capabilities toward the US mainland.  They may not fire the first shot, but the Chinese (and NK) are growing by leaps and bounds.

They have done so because of America's foreign policy as laid by such policies as the Project for the New American Century that seeks to imperially subjugate the World to US domination.


Kuleana

Well, good thing I already ate my breakfast before reading that.  Hopefully it stays down.   

America does and have used the same tactics in its history.

The goading of Japan to attack Pearl Harbor that led to America's entry to WWII was one example which President Roosevelt utilized to get America involved in WWII.

Please see http://www.theamericanconservative.com/2011/12/05/did-fdr-provoke-pearl-harbor/  for details.

You and your breakfast are lucky I didn't provide a picture!   
Well, maybe just one.
Or two.

Yeah, I've read/heard about that story/theory regarding Pearl Harbor, among others.  Frankly, some are interesting, but many are exhausting to read, convoluted, etc and end up giving me a headache.   

This is because you are a true American patriot that does not like it when, for example, the powers-that-be lie to its populace and get them to go along with a war or military intervention that benefits their political or financial agenda at that particular time at the expense of the taking of domestic and foreign lives. 


Kuleana

The one thing Kuleana has illustrated, if not his ability to type and an enormous amount of time to spend online , is how perspective, prejudice and subjective opinions differ among people talking global politics.

It has been very slow for me in the last few days.


The Chinese obviously had some motive or agenda for doing what they did.  Was it a parting shot knowing he's leaving office?  Have they been holding back for over 7 years to avoid repercussions?  Do they see Hillary has no chance to win and want to ingratiate themselves to Trump?

Most definitely a combination of those things.


Whatever their reasons, it's pretty obvious they purposely disrespected our President.  Maybe it's a hint to the next President they will have their work cut out for them if they want less stressful relations between our countries.

In foreign affairs, every move is calculated and in-response to something that occurred prior, good or bad.


We only know what our complicit media tells us about Obama and whatever deals he tells them about.  We have no idea what friction might have been created if he treats other leaders like he treats our Congress with his "my way or the highway" version of "compromise."

Exactly.

This is why it is the responsibility of all citizens to keep themselves of what our so-called elected leaders are doing upfront, but more importantly behind-the-scenes.


It'll be interesting if the next President offers a more transparent look at what's happening behind the scenes whether or not that information melds with their public narrative (i.e. Benghazi).

If Trump wins, we will probably get a media circus daily, but more transparency on what decisions are being made domestically and internationally than what we have experienced since the last century.     

If the Clinton gang gets forced down America's throat by the "Power Elite", then be ready for the death-nell of the US Constitution, Bill of Rights, and the Electoral Process, as the US as we knew it, will definitely no longer exist.     


Kuleana

You disagree?  How atypical!

And what? I'm not allowed to disagree with you?

You are the one whining about it.

Typical behavior.  Throw out an attack and immediately pretend you are not the one hijacking the thread by posting the Stop-Jack!

Your trolling really gets old.

I posted my own thought on the topic. I didn't attack you or anyone else. The only thing I am guilty of is having a different opinion. You are the one who  started debating like a little kid by insulting me for no reason. I tried to return to topic but you cannot let it go can you? Is this how you get your jollies?  Nevermind, I don't want to know the answer.