Bear Pit: now the sole domicile of politics at LuLa

[digitaldog]

Additionally, you forget, as did most of the press in their reports, that US Secretary of State Powell lied before the world at the United Nations swearing that Iraq had WMD weapons of mass destruction justifying our war against that country. 

Absurd! He did not lie. He reported what faulty intelligence he received.
Meanwhile Trump told thousand of lies, that didn't seem to bother you.
Additionally, you forget, someone here (most following along know who) accused another poster of calling him a liar, which was untrue; a lie itself? 🤔
"The only thing worse than a liar is a liar that's also a hypocrite! "-Tennessee Williams
Someone here with historically bad intelligence wrote that all prints are “300 DPI”. Like Powell, not a lie; faulty intelligence. Just one of hundreds of examples in “print”.

[Manoli]

I happen to like Powell. He's from The Bronx as I am and went to CCNY as I did.   

And *that* is where the similarity, if any, ends.

[digitaldog]

And *that* is where the similarity, if any, ends.

Only one graduated? 

[Peter McLennan]

.  Apparently, you don't feel Powell should be called for a disastrous and unnecessary war he help start.

I made precisely zero mention of Powell.

[Robert Roaldi]

Yeah, She's really going to scare the Chinese Navy.

Care to explain that one?

[digitaldog]

Never ascribe to malice what can perfectly well be explained by stupidity.

[TechTalk]

Yeah, She's really going to scare the Chinese Navy.

There are times when the lack of comprehension knows no bounds.

[digitaldog]

  Apparently, Powell didn't think McCain's military and Senatorial service was good enough for him to make a good Republican President. 

Apparently means assumptions again:
https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/18/politics/barack-obama-colin-powell-2008/index.html

With two weeks remaining in the historic 2008 presidential race, Colin Powell delivered a surprise announcement: He endorsed Democratic candidate Barack Obama and offered words of regret to his old friend, John McCain.

"I think we need a generational change," said Powell, the former secretary of state, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and retired Army general.
At the time, it was a bombshell that neither Obama nor McCain -- a fellow Republican -- was expecting.
Powell barely knew Obama, the junior senator from Illinois, but he had been watching his presidential campaign carefully and was impressed by what he called Obama's "intellectual vigor." His assessment of the McCain campaign was far less charitable, from selecting Sarah Palin to serve as his running mate to what he viewed as a scattershot approach to the economic crisis.

Here, we often see the vast opposite of intellectual vigor sadly. Usually opinions based on assumptions and without studying the facts or even what (in this case), Powell actually said.

There are times when the lack of comprehension knows no bounds.

Exactly correct.

[Robert Roaldi]

NPR's Fresh Air had a very illuminating interview with Fiona Hill on the release of her new book, https://www.npr.org/programs/fresh-air/2021/10/06/1043696888/fresh-air-for-oct-6-2021-russia-expert-fiona-hill?showDate=2021-10-06.

It was a wide-ranging discussion about security and foreign policy, especially wrt to Russia, which is (was) her area of expertise. The discussion was not primarily about Trump but of course he figured large some parts of it. She gives some insight into the Russia / Ukraine / Hunter Biden / Trump shenanigans. The insider insights and details are fascinating. Trumpeteers won't like what she has to say, so my advice to them is not to listen, since she will upset you and you won't believe her anyway. She is of course very critical of Trump and his inner circle, but honestly, how can you not be.

[TechTalk]

However, Powell was a RINO (Republican In Name Only)as asserted by Trump.

Colin Powell was a military officer who joined the army in 1958 and completed his military training in Georgia where he was refused service in restaurants and other public facilities. Still, he dedicated his life to the service of his country.

Following service in Vietnam, he served a White House Fellowship under Richard Nixon from 1972-73. He then earned an MBA and attended the National War College. He served as a brigade and corps commander.

During the Reagan administration he served as senior military assistant to the Secretary of Defense and Deputy National Security Advisor. Ronald Reagan appointed him as his National Security Advisor in 1987. George H. W. Bush appointed him as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1989, the most senior and highest ranking military officer in the United States. After serving in that role and overseeing the 1991 Persian Gulf War, he retired in 1993. He was awarded both the Congressional Gold Medal and Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1991 and a second Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction upon his retirement from the Army in 1993. His military service won him admiration among both Republicans and Democrats.

During his 35-years of military service he was an independent with no declared party affiliation or registration. He declared himself as a Republican in 1995 and began campaigning on behalf of Republican candidates that year. Given his widespread popularity among Republican and Democratic voters, there were intense efforts made to convince him to run as a Republican candidate for president in 1996, Powell declined to run saying that he lacked the passion for politics needed to be a successful candidate and president. Despite his decision not to run, he won the 1996 New Hampshire Republican vice-presidential primary on write-in votes.

George W. Bush appointed him as United States Secretary of State in 2001. He retired from public service in 2005.

As for your embrace of sociopath and malignant narcissist Trump's description of Powell as a RINO, I'm not the least surprised. Colin Powell was a centrist and a moderate in a Republican Party which has taken a dangerous turn to undemocratic radicalism which indulges a cultish personality worship and fear of Trump and has actively sought to push out, attack, or denigrate anyone in the party that doesn't robotically tow that line.

[digitaldog]

As for your embrace of sociopath and malignant narcissist Trump's description of Powell as a RINO, I'm not the least surprised.

Like most things Trump, what he says is often just the opposite of the truth ("I know more about..." fill in the blank, "I only hire the best people", "I'm honest, he's a crook" etc).

From that liberal rag, the Wall Street Journal:
Trump Is a Democrat: How’s That for a Conspiracy Theory?
https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-is-a-democrat-conspiracy-theory-voting-2022-election-11634568064
Trump, the ultimate RINO.

Trump registered as a Republican in Manhattan in 1987; since that time, he has changed his party affiliation five times. RINO.
In a 2004 interview, Trump told CNN's Wolf Blitzer: "In many cases, I probably identify more as Democrat", explaining: "It just seems that the economy does better under the Democrats than the Republicans" Now, it shouldn't be that way. But if you go back, I mean it just seems that the economy does better under the Democrats...But certainly we had some very good economies under Democrats, as well as Republicans. But we've had some pretty bad disaster under the Republicans. RINO. And a disaster to democracy.
Such admissions and facts will of course fall upon two deaf ears of someone here who will continue the embrace of sociopath and malignant narcissist (as you well point out).

[TechTalk]

Additionally, you forget, as did most of the press in their reports, that US Secretary of State Powell lied before the world at the United Nations

The assertion that "most of the press" forgot Colin Powell's appearance before the UN prior to the start of the invasion of Iraq is simply false. This is either an example of your inability to differentiate fact from fiction or you are in desperate need of better sources of news.

Your inability to understand what a lie or lying means is already well demonstrated in your past posts declaring yourself of victim of such accusations, though you're willing to accuse another poster of lying.

[TechTalk]

It was Trump, who long before he ran for president, was opposed from the beginning to getting into a war with Iraq.

Another Trump falsehood that you regurgitate without hesitation.

https://youtu.be/Trump on Iraq invasion

[digitaldog]

Indeed, providing facts to those open to facts is soooooo useful, and such an utter waste of time for those in a bubble opposing facts, science, logic, data. Like so much out of Trump's mouth, the opposite is true.

Fact check: Trump falsely claims, again, to have opposed the invasion of Iraq

President Donald Trump has revived one of his most significant false claims from the 2016 presidential election: his inaccurate insistence that he opposed the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

The claim was definitively debunked in 2016 by Andrew Kaczynski and Nathan McDermott of CNN’s KFILE team, who were then reporting for BuzzFeed. But Trump has started repeating his fiction again – at least four times since August, including in his remarks on Sunday about the death of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
So it’s worth laying out what actually happened.

Facts First: Contrary to his repeated claims, Trump did not publicly express opposition to the invasion of Iraq before it occurred. He began criticizing the war in 2003, after the invasion, but he also said that year that American troops should not be withdrawn from Iraq. He emerged as an explicit opponent of the war in 2004.

In his 2000 book “The America We Deserve,” Trump argued that a military strike on Iraq might be necessary.

Trump wrote that the US still did not know the true status of Iraq’s nuclear program. He then wrote, “I’m no warmonger. But the fact is, if we decide a strike against Iraq is necessary, it is madness not to carry the mission to its conclusion. When we don’t, we have the worst of all worlds: Iraq remains a threat, and now has more incentive than ever to attack us.”

He continued: “Am I being contradictory here, by presenting myself as a deal-maker and then recommending preemptive strikes? I don’t think so. There’s nothing really comparable to unleashing a squadron of bombers, but in the world of business sometimes you have to make quick, secret, decisive moves in order to gain a negotiating advantage.”

When radio host Howard Stern asked Trump in September 2002 if he is “for invading Iraq,” Trump responded, “Yeah, I guess so. I wish the first time it was done correctly.”

https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/29/politics/fact-check-trump-false-claim-opposed-iraq-invasion/index.html

[Robert Roaldi]

"Stand your ground" surfaces again, https://www.thedailybeast.com/white-texas-property-owner-terry-turner-avoids-arrest-after-killing-moroccan-driver-adil-dghoughi.

Wouldn't it be nice if just once we'd hear about an incident where some "good guy with a gun" actually stopped a mass shooting or crime being committed by a "bad guy with a gun". With all the "good guys" with guns around, you'd think it would happen more often, wouldn't you? It happens in the movies all the time.

[TechTalk]

Indeed, providing facts to those open to facts is soooooo useful, and such an utter waste of time for those in a bubble opposing facts, science, logic, data. Like so much out of Trump's mouth, the opposite is true.

Throughout all of 2003, Trump never gave anything but wishy-washy answers when asked about the invasion of Iraq. It was controversial and so, he straddled the middle of the road without a firm answer saying that he supported or opposed the war. He always danced around it. In 2003, his main concern was his celebrity status to improve his odds when chasing young women or trying to convince gullible people of his business acumen.

It was the following year, 2004, that he launched the fraudulent Trump University and began playing his role as a reality TV celebrity. It was also in 2004 that he had his third bankruptcy with Trump Hotels & Casino Resorts and was forced by bondholders to surrender his majority interest to cover debts. Not a great businessman, but he played one on TV, retaining his all important celebrity status. Important at least to his narcissistic ego and ability to grab 'em by the...

[TechTalk]

NPR's Fresh Air had a very illuminating interview with Fiona Hill on the release of her new book, https://www.npr.org/programs/fresh-air/2021/10/06/1043696888/fresh-air-for-oct-6-2021-russia-expert-fiona-hill?showDate=2021-10-06.

It was a wide-ranging discussion about security and foreign policy, especially wrt to Russia, which is (was) her area of expertise. The discussion was not primarily about Trump but of course he figured large some parts of it. She gives some insight into the Russia / Ukraine / Hunter Biden / Trump shenanigans. The insider insights and details are fascinating.

Thanks for posting that link. I'm going to listen to it now instead of responding to ridiculous posts.

Trumpeteers won't like what she has to say, so my advice to them is not to listen, since she will upset you and you won't believe her anyway. She is of course very critical of Trump and his inner circle, but honestly, how can you not be.

How can you not be? Blinders are now available in an XXXL size and free to all Trump apologists.

[Alan Klein]

Colin Powell was a military officer who joined the army in 1958 and completed his military training in Georgia where he was refused service in restaurants and other public facilities. Still, he dedicated his life to the service of his country.

Following service in Vietnam, he served a White House Fellowship under Richard Nixon from 1972-73. He then earned an MBA and attended the National War College. He served as a brigade and corps commander.

During the Reagan administration he served as senior military assistant to the Secretary of Defense and Deputy National Security Advisor. Ronald Reagan appointed him as his National Security Advisor in 1987. George H. W. Bush appointed him as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1989, the most senior and highest ranking military officer in the United States. After serving in that role and overseeing the 1991 Persian Gulf War, he retired in 1993. He was awarded both the Congressional Gold Medal and Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1991 and a second Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction upon his retirement from the Army in 1993. His
During his 35-years of military service he was an independent with no declared party affiliation or registration. He declared himself as a Republican in 1995 and began campaigning on behalf of Republican candidates that year. Given his widespread popularity among Republican and Democratic voters, there were intense efforts made to convince him to run as a Republican candidate for president in 1996, Powell declined to run saying that he lacked the passion for politics needed to be a successful candidate and president. Despite his decision not to run, he won the 1996 New Hampshire Republican vice-presidential primary on write-in votes.

George W. Bush appointed him as United States Secretary of State in 2001. He retired from public service in 2005.

As for your embrace of sociopath and malignant narcissist Trump's description of Powell as a RINO, I'm not the least surprised. Colin Powell was a centrist and a moderate in a Republican Party which has taken a dangerous turn to undemocratic radicalism which indulges a cultish personality worship and fear of Trump and has actively sought to push out, attack, or denigrate anyone in the party that doesn't robotically tow that line.[/b]

First off, American generals don't declare party affiliation as their duty is to defend the constitution and not be tainted with party politics. General Eisenhower wasn't a declared Republican either until after he left the military and ran for PResident.  The Democrats were trying to get him to join their party as well.

Why do you bring Trump up regarding Powell's positions?  They should stand on their own.  The fact is Powell was hired by President Bush to become his Secretary of State in 2001 as you said  owing his allegiance and support to Bush who wanted war with Iraq along with the Neocons.  So Powell did his job swearing that Iraq had WMDs and helping to sell the war to Americans and the world.  He should have known better and questioned the so-called "evidence" but allowed himself to be used politically.    He claimed he was fooled by the intelligence.  But really he fooled himself just as all underlings disemble for their president.

Second, for you to smear Senator McCain, a former Naval aviator who spent years in an enemy POW camp and tortured by them, does not provide cover for Powell's lack of support he should have given his fellow Republican and military officer.   Certainly McCain was not undemocratic or radical. You ignored Powell's lack of support for McCain. That's why Powell's a RINO. 

[digitaldog]

Second, for you to smear Senator McCain, a former Naval aviator who spent years in an enemy POW camp and tortured by them, does not provide cover for Powell's lack of support he should have given his fellow Republican and military officer.   

Smear where sir? Copy and paste the (assumed) smear from this member.
More fiction from the fabulist. Nothing new here.

Why do you bring Trump up regarding Powell's positions?

Do not ask questions; you are unable to parse the factual  answers.

First off, American generals don't declare party affiliation as their duty is to defend the constitution and not be tainted with party politics.

When, as a general did he declare party affiliation? Do attempt to provide some evidence to back up your fables.

[TechTalk]

Why do you bring Trump up regarding Powell's positions?

Because you brought up Trump and Powell. Regurgitating Trump's line that Powell was a RINO.

That's why Powell's a RINO.

Powell was appointed to the highest national security positions by every Republican president from Reagan to George W. Bush, but Powell is a RINO in the eyes of Trump and his parrots. This is one of the many problems with what the Republican Party has become today.