Do you care about our military and national security?

[hollodero]

(06-12-2020, 11:35 AM)Dill Wrote: Being "beholden to the war industry" is about economics: weapons instead of new schools and roads, but not necessarily war.  All presidents are "beholden" to the lobby and its jobs. 

I think it might be safe to assume that the war industry is not opposed to wars or rather is prone to advocate for it.
Also, that a war does not result in an overall economic boost. I'd wager Trump gets that too.

(06-12-2020, 11:35 AM)Dill Wrote: That 3.5 years without major or war is really just chance though, right? 

Right.
To be fair though, it usually is.

(06-12-2020, 11:35 AM)Dill Wrote: He at least twice put us on the doorstep of war, increasing rather than lessening the risk,--unnecessarily--and it required the cooperation of our adversaries to make sure we didn't cross the threshold.  Kind of like tossing a coin in the air. 

I cannot think of a single person on Fred's list who would have tossed that coin so unnecessarily and twice--or who would "already" have us in Iran or Venezuela.

The cointossing is a fair point. As to the latter, I honestly can start with the very first name on that list. Not that I'd be certain, but there is a fair chance imho. With other names, some of those I'd trust not to be, some others not so much. Admittedly, many I don't really know much about, but I trust no republican general in general, and only a few US politicians really. Not when it comes to peacekeeping at least.

(06-12-2020, 11:35 AM)Dill Wrote: And I cannot think of one who would have scotched the Iran Deal or pulled us out of the TPP.

Mattis a) did not resign after Trump pulled out of the Iran deal and b) blamed aggressive Iranian behaviour for said pulling out. He seemed quite positive about the decision in congressional hearings.
That he might sing some different tunes now doesn't make me trust him again.
Similar story with Kelly.

I concede that you are right on many other points though.

I will throw in that wiki quote though "In characterizing the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, he [Mullen] described them as "a fight against a syndicate of Islamic extremists led by al-Qaeda"... aaaand there goes my trust. Btw. Ash Carter supported the Iraq war too and advocated preventative invasions in Iran and North Korea. I should trust that guy?