The United Nations was designed as a platform to peaceably resolve problems between member countries in order avoid war. It would probably have gotten much closer to its goal if all countries had equal standing. I sincerely hope that happens in my lifetime. It was never designed to be a foreign policy extension of a just a wealthy few.
If you think Bush’s CIA was bad, buckle up for what it is about to become, thanks to the utter lack of courage and integrity of Republican senators last night which confirmed an inept drunken toady to run the entire defense department, to the joy of all of America’s enemies.
Even if he weren’t an alcoholic sexual predator (he is), he has ZERO experience in running even a small organization, let alone the MILLIONS of people in the military.
Let’s take a look at the law of unintended consequences as caused by the CIA.
In the 1950s the CIA overthrew the democratically elected president of Iran and put the much despised Shah back on the throne. In time this lead to the the Islamic Revolution and an Iran that hates America and is allied with Russia.
During the 1950s and early ’60s, the CIA was complicit in the overthrow of various Central American governments in order that United Fruit could plunder the countries without any local interference. The repeated destruction of local government lead to the lack of functioning governments in many of those countries. This anarchy has caused the mass migration of people from those countries trying to escape the chaos and death this anarchy has brought about. So they head to America. Guess the Dulles brothers and Ike never expected that to happen.
I imagine the CIA is responsible for some more subtle foreign government interference we don’t know about and whose results we don’t know or else the feces hasn’t hit the fan yet. It is sad that so much the CIA does to make things better ends up making things worse. Someone needs to get them a better crystal ball so they can see how their actions now will screw up the future.
The name is interesting: Central Intelligence Agency. The implication is that the agency will gather as much information as possible to enable the decision-makers to make informed choices based on reliable evidence. What’s not implied by the term is that the agency itself will act to make certain things happen in foreign countries. But apparently that’s what it does. And not just casually, infrequently, or unintentionally. And it’s not at all clear who’s determining what those “certain things” are or should be.
As to Saddam, it takes some looking even on Google, but the majority of the Iraqi people think they are better off without Saddam, although they didn’t ask if they thought it was worth the trouble. 80% of Iraq is Shia Muslim but they had been ruled by Sunni Muslims since the Turkish conquest 500 years earlier. This means nothing to us but a lot to them. At the end of the war a Shiite Muslim leader led protests demanding immediate withdrawal of American troops, but the top Ayatollahs sent him out of the country for “more education” Later American troops were withdrawn at the request of the elected government. It might have been a fine opportunity for good relations with Iraq just as the present situation in Syria where the Russians were forced out by the revolution might be. Good luck with that.
snsurone76 2 days ago
Just what HAS overthrowing Saddam done for our country??
think it through 2 days ago
It taught republicans how to overthrow governments and how to create and run a dictatorship.
markkahler52 2 days ago
The lush pastures of Greenland are ripe for conquest! It will be a victory for the People!!
[Unnamed Reader - 641507] 2 days ago
It eventually gave us tRump.
Packratjohn Premium Member 2 days ago
It distracted us from problems on the home front… for a couple of minutes.
mrwiskers2008 2 days ago
The United Nations was designed as a platform to peaceably resolve problems between member countries in order avoid war. It would probably have gotten much closer to its goal if all countries had equal standing. I sincerely hope that happens in my lifetime. It was never designed to be a foreign policy extension of a just a wealthy few.
Squoop 1 day ago
If you think Bush’s CIA was bad, buckle up for what it is about to become, thanks to the utter lack of courage and integrity of Republican senators last night which confirmed an inept drunken toady to run the entire defense department, to the joy of all of America’s enemies.
Godfreydaniel 1 day ago
Even if he weren’t an alcoholic sexual predator (he is), he has ZERO experience in running even a small organization, let alone the MILLIONS of people in the military.
Godfreydaniel 1 day ago
He’s a former talking airhead on the Fox propaganda channel, and that’s it.
charlieschulze 1 day ago
WAR! Huh, what is it good for, absolutely nothing.
TexTech 1 day ago
Let’s take a look at the law of unintended consequences as caused by the CIA.
In the 1950s the CIA overthrew the democratically elected president of Iran and put the much despised Shah back on the throne. In time this lead to the the Islamic Revolution and an Iran that hates America and is allied with Russia.
During the 1950s and early ’60s, the CIA was complicit in the overthrow of various Central American governments in order that United Fruit could plunder the countries without any local interference. The repeated destruction of local government lead to the lack of functioning governments in many of those countries. This anarchy has caused the mass migration of people from those countries trying to escape the chaos and death this anarchy has brought about. So they head to America. Guess the Dulles brothers and Ike never expected that to happen.
I imagine the CIA is responsible for some more subtle foreign government interference we don’t know about and whose results we don’t know or else the feces hasn’t hit the fan yet. It is sad that so much the CIA does to make things better ends up making things worse. Someone needs to get them a better crystal ball so they can see how their actions now will screw up the future.
Richard S Russell Premium Member 1 day ago
The name is interesting: Central Intelligence Agency. The implication is that the agency will gather as much information as possible to enable the decision-makers to make informed choices based on reliable evidence. What’s not implied by the term is that the agency itself will act to make certain things happen in foreign countries. But apparently that’s what it does. And not just casually, infrequently, or unintentionally. And it’s not at all clear who’s determining what those “certain things” are or should be.
willie_mctell 1 day ago
For a low information voter Zipper does surprisingly well.
gh787888 1 day ago
As to Saddam, it takes some looking even on Google, but the majority of the Iraqi people think they are better off without Saddam, although they didn’t ask if they thought it was worth the trouble. 80% of Iraq is Shia Muslim but they had been ruled by Sunni Muslims since the Turkish conquest 500 years earlier. This means nothing to us but a lot to them. At the end of the war a Shiite Muslim leader led protests demanding immediate withdrawal of American troops, but the top Ayatollahs sent him out of the country for “more education” Later American troops were withdrawn at the request of the elected government. It might have been a fine opportunity for good relations with Iraq just as the present situation in Syria where the Russians were forced out by the revolution might be. Good luck with that.