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rdcrags wrote:I am a simple man, and my take on the Middle East and Africa is simple: Those societies have been experiencing TRIBAL WAREFARE for a long time and will probably continue to do so for a long time. U.S. strategic interests are redefined evey 10 years or so, justifying our involvement. I will not forget the gasoline lines of the 1970s when the Saudis punished us twice for taking sides. Energy independence would be nice. Note that "we" are already debating the wisdom of exporting crude and/or finished products as counterproductive to a goal of such independence. Is the federal government going to "regulate" global energy companies to the extent of managing the oil movements for them as a new service supported by taxation? Start excavating for the new buildings in major cities to build the buildings, hire more federal employees, buy the furniture and computers and other office supplies, and pay the taxes and utilities to start this new service that we can't live without.

There, I feel better now.

Beiruty wrote:

rdcrags wrote:I am a simple man, and my take on the Middle East and Africa is simple: Those societies have been experiencing TRIBAL WAREFARE for a long time and will probably continue to do so for a long time. U.S. strategic interests are redefined evey 10 years or so, justifying our involvement. I will not forget the gasoline lines of the 1970s when the Saudis punished us twice for taking sides. Energy independence would be nice. Note that "we" are already debating the wisdom of exporting crude and/or finished products as counterproductive to a goal of such independence. Is the federal government going to "regulate" global energy companies to the extent of managing the oil movements for them as a new service supported by taxation? Start excavating for the new buildings in major cities to build the buildings, hire more federal employees, buy the furniture and computers and other office supplies, and pay the taxes and utilities to start this new service that we can't live without.

There, I feel better now.

If US does NOT get energy independent, it is doomed.

A poll of Egyptians conducted last month shows that they have increasingly positive views of Iran, believe that both Iran and Egypt should obtain nuclear weapons, and still trust their own military more than any other institution in Egypt.

The poll of 812 Egyptians, half of them women, was conducted in a series of in-person interviews by the firm Greenberg Quinlan Rosner and sponsored by the Israel Project, a pro-Israel advocacy organization with offices in Washington and Jerusalem. According to the poll, Iran is viewed favorably in Egypt, with 65 percent of those surveyed expressing support of the decision to renew Egypt-Iran relations and 61 percent expressing support of the Iranian nuclear project, versus 41 percent in August 2009.

Sixty-two percent of those polled agreed that "Iran and its president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, are friends of Egypt," though 68 percent held unfavorable views of Shiite Muslims.

Iran's deputy defense minister said recently that the Iranian regime is seeking more military cooperation with Egypt. "We are ready to help Egypt to build nuclear reactors and satellites," he said on the occasion or Egyptian President Mohammed Morsy's meeting with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad last month. Morsy's office has said the two didn't discuss military cooperation.

Eighty-seven percent of respondents want Egypt to have its own nuclear bomb.

The Annoyed Man wrote:

RoyGBiv wrote:I'm gonna need some time to digest this in order to agree/not with your two-faced-administration conclusion. At first blush something doesn't feel right about it. I can easily believe the administration is doing these things, but the answer to the question "to what end?" needs to be answered more clearly for me.

That said.... To the notion, if true, that Stevens was "coordinat(ing) with the Turkish, Saudi and Qatari governments on supporting the insurgencies in the Middle East".... All I can say is.... HOLY COW BATMAN.!!

I can think of any of a half dozen reasons why, running the gamut from evil to well-intentioned. To me, that is not the point. Charlie Wilson's War, mentioned above, is a perfect example of "well-intentioned." But consider the ultimate outcome of that one...... Wilson leads the effort to fund Operation Cyclone, a CIA effort to aid the Mujahideen (which became the Taliban) in tossing the Soviets out of Afghanistan. But any Mujahideen/Taliban gratitude to their U.S. sponsors was very short lived, as it wasn't very long (just 12 years) before they let the Muslim Brotherhood/Al Qaeda set up shop there, from whence they directed the events which lead up to the 9/11 attacks on the U.S.

And so now we are apparently aiding a new crop of "Mujahideen," described in the article as "Jihadists," to fight against their own oppressive government. Who among us wants to take the bet that in 12 years from today (the amount of time between the end of Operation Cyclone and 9/11/01) those same Jihadists won't find some imagined grievance against the U.S. and try to kill a bunch of Americans?

The Annoyed Man wrote:

Beiruty wrote:

rdcrags wrote:I am a simple man, and my take on the Middle East and Africa is simple: Those societies have been experiencing TRIBAL WAREFARE for a long time and will probably continue to do so for a long time. U.S. strategic interests are redefined evey 10 years or so, justifying our involvement. I will not forget the gasoline lines of the 1970s when the Saudis punished us twice for taking sides. Energy independence would be nice. Note that "we" are already debating the wisdom of exporting crude and/or finished products as counterproductive to a goal of such independence. Is the federal government going to "regulate" global energy companies to the extent of managing the oil movements for them as a new service supported by taxation? Start excavating for the new buildings in major cities to build the buildings, hire more federal employees, buy the furniture and computers and other office supplies, and pay the taxes and utilities to start this new service that we can't live without.

There, I feel better now.

If US does NOT get energy independent, it is doomed.

Exactly. And it is incredibly short sighted of the administration's energy policy to keep us dependent. But in all fairness, Obama is not the first president to keep us in bondage to other nations.

Beiruty, what is your take on the following story?

New poll: Egyptians turning toward Iran, want nuclear weapons
Posted By Josh Rogin Friday, October 19, 2012 - 4:15 PM
ForeignPolicy.com

A poll of Egyptians conducted last month shows that they have increasingly positive views of Iran, believe that both Iran and Egypt should obtain nuclear weapons, and still trust their own military more than any other institution in Egypt.

The poll of 812 Egyptians, half of them women, was conducted in a series of in-person interviews by the firm Greenberg Quinlan Rosner and sponsored by the Israel Project, a pro-Israel advocacy organization with offices in Washington and Jerusalem. According to the poll, Iran is viewed favorably in Egypt, with 65 percent of those surveyed expressing support of the decision to renew Egypt-Iran relations and 61 percent expressing support of the Iranian nuclear project, versus 41 percent in August 2009.

Sixty-two percent of those polled agreed that "Iran and its president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, are friends of Egypt," though 68 percent held unfavorable views of Shiite Muslims.

Iran's deputy defense minister said recently that the Iranian regime is seeking more military cooperation with Egypt. "We are ready to help Egypt to build nuclear reactors and satellites," he said on the occasion or Egyptian President Mohammed Morsy's meeting with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad last month. Morsy's office has said the two didn't discuss military cooperation.

Eighty-seven percent of respondents want Egypt to have its own nuclear bomb.

Oldgringo wrote:I don't think Beiruty cares much for Israel?

For that matter, the current POTUS doesn't seem to have them on his "Friends" list either. I wonder why that is?

We have all the "energy" we need right here within our own boarders. Just need to harvest it. Once/if that happens, it will not be us that will be doomed.

Senior officials described him as ready to move on what one described as the “left-hand side” of a broad spectrum that ranged from “arming the opposition to boots on the ground.”