tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3820377390281203107.post4146363085400974472..comments2024-03-07T02:17:34.434-08:00Comments on Tom In Paine: Obama, Cameron and Hollande Share Blame for Paris Attacks.Marc Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10746456438052849715noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3820377390281203107.post-5104648973861041992015-12-06T08:03:40.424-08:002015-12-06T08:03:40.424-08:00"One other point; I really wish you would sto..."One other point; I really wish you would stop your use of the word "blame." Leaders get things wrong because of political cowardice, or mistaken worldview, or just because even the best get things wrong. They need to be held accountable. But the BLAME for the victims of terrorism lies with the terrorists and their supporters, and no one else"<br /><br />I use the word "blame" for one significant reason: It was avoidable. I used it the same way I would blame a construction company for using shoddy materials in a bridge or building collapse. Obama has had since 2011 to do something about Isis. His judgement was incompetent when he had 3 Secretaries of Defense, a Secretary of State and a Director of the CIA all telling him Isis was a significant threat that needed to be destroyed in its infancy. That Obama called Isis the junior varsity both disparaged and mocked the advice he was getting. He wasnt just cowardly which he is, or gets it all wrong which he does, he was arrogant and wrong. And that deserves blame. Since it is up to the U.S. to lead and we didnt because he thought he knew better than anyone else. And you've seen whats happened since. Shifts in policy, commadoes dispatched, an attempt to cover up his culpability by trying to insinuate maybe the intelligence was wrong when those advising him to arm the moderate Syrian rebels to destroy Isis had the same intelligence he did. I think the word blame for Obama fits,and unfortunately it took Paris for the French to decide not to wait and take matters into their own hands.Marc Rubinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10746456438052849715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3820377390281203107.post-8623907813483874832015-11-14T10:38:26.568-08:002015-11-14T10:38:26.568-08:00tdraicer:
One other point; I really wish you woul...tdraicer:<br /><br />One other point; I really wish you would stop your use of the word "blame." Leaders get things wrong because of political cowardice, or mistaken worldview, or just because even the best get things wrong. They need to be held accountable. But the BLAME for the victims of terrorism lies with the terrorists and their supporters, and no one else.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3820377390281203107.post-51050280323000105772015-11-14T08:40:50.890-08:002015-11-14T08:40:50.890-08:00tdraicer: Given the threat she faces from Sanders,...tdraicer: Given the threat she faces from Sanders, Hillary can hardly come out explicitly for boots on the ground. But I have more faith in her than Sanders (or Obama) to do the right thing in office. (As for the GOP candidates, I wouldn't trust any of them with anything.)<br /><br />Which is to say, on the whole I agree with you. I opposed our going into Iraq, and if we hadn't, IS probably wouldn't exist, but that is water under the bridge. It exists now, and we need to deal with that reality on its own terms, rather than re-fighting the arguments of 2002. Destroying Isis will require boots on the ground. It is unfortunate, but many things in the world are.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com