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Random political chatter....

  • SportsAndLady
    Another "scandal" for Christie. Investigating the use of hurricane sandy funds.

    The media will talk about this stuff that isn't even confirmed yet they'll continue to hide actually scandals happening right now that they can confirm (looking at you NSA)
  • gut
    ccrunner609;1567256 wrote:news outlets reporting that Obama and Kerry have a backdoor deal with Iran.
    I thought going thru the backdoor was punishable by death in most Muslim countries
  • ptown_trojans_1
    ccrunner609;1567256 wrote:news outlets reporting that Obama and Kerry have a backdoor deal with Iran.
    Depends on the details on whether it is good or bad.

    BTW, any Iran sanctions bill that Congress may pass is stupid right now. Would undo any tentative deal.
  • ptown_trojans_1
    ccrunner609;1567579 wrote:agreed. No liting of any sanctions until they do their part. These people hate America and will lie
    You obviously have no idea what's going on.
    The current framework allows for some of the heaviest sanctions to be relieved over the next few months as Iran stops enriching above 5%. This is then verified by the IAEA.
    This sets the table for further talks down the road.

    Congress wants to blow the whole damn thing up by cranking up new sanctions, in which Iran would say any deal already done is dead.
    If the new sanctions are passed, Iran would do the opposite, instead of stopping enrichment at say 5%, they will continue to enrich further and continue to build new facilities.
    Essentially, Congress would be screwing everything up as usual.

    Anyone that knows a damn about the situation says the sanctions bill by Congress is an insanely stupid idea.
  • believer
    ptown_trojans_1;1567842 wrote:You obviously have no idea what's going on.
    The current framework allows for some of the heaviest sanctions to be relieved over the next few months as Iran stops enriching above 5%. This is then verified by the IAEA.
    This sets the table for further talks down the road.

    Congress wants to blow the whole damn thing up by cranking up new sanctions, in which Iran would say any deal already done is dead.
    If the new sanctions are passed, Iran would do the opposite, instead of stopping enrichment at say 5%, they will continue to enrich further and continue to build new facilities.
    Essentially, Congress would be screwing everything up as usual.

    Anyone that knows a damn about the situation says the sanctions bill by Congress is an insanely stupid idea.
    While I tend to agree that Congress is insanely stupid, do you honestly believe the Iranian gubmint will honor ANY agreement regarding enrichment regardless of alleged IAEA "verification"?

    We've been down this path many times with this rogue regime and the results are always the same. The Iranians will gladly pay lip service to the international community to take the sanction monkey off their backs while secretly doing what they want with regard to the nuclear program.

    What Congress does or doesn't do is largely irrelevant.
  • gut
    believer;1568166 wrote:While I tend to agree that Congress is insanely stupid, do you honestly believe the Iranian gubmint will honor ANY agreement
    Did you honestly just ask Ptown that?
  • Con_Alma
    ptown_trojans_1;1567842 wrote:...

    Anyone that knows a damn about the situation says the sanctions bill by Congress is an insanely stupid idea.
    Anyone that knows a damn thing about Iran knows that expecting them to be true to an agreement is foolish as it relates to their nuclear weapons development program.

    The sanctions should be "cranked up" to a crippling level.
  • gut
    Sanctions only cause the non-govt types to suffer. Iran won't honor the "agreement" for even 24 hours.

    Hope this helps.
  • ptown_trojans_1
    believer;1568166 wrote:While I tend to agree that Congress is insanely stupid, do you honestly believe the Iranian gubmint will honor ANY agreement regarding enrichment regardless of alleged IAEA "verification"?

    We've been down this path many times with this rogue regime and the results are always the same. The Iranians will gladly pay lip service to the international community to take the sanction monkey off their backs while secretly doing what they want with regard to the nuclear program.

    What Congress does or doesn't do is largely irrelevant.
    Con_Alma;1568170 wrote:Anyone that knows a damn thing about Iran knows that expecting them to be true to an agreement is foolish as it relates to their nuclear weapons development program.

    The sanctions should be "cranked up" to a crippling level.
    Sanctions have already worked to a degree in getting Iran to the table.
    Before, they would not even discuss any limits on their program.

    Now, they will stop enriching above 5%, not build any new facilities, and not complete the Arak reactor.
    So, there is no need for more sanctions. Otherwise, all those things are gone.

    And, the IAEA, unlike other cases, can verify this, as they have been since 2004. The IAEA puts out pretty technical and reliable quarterly reports on the Iranian program.
    The thing is with Iran, it is better to have a limit on the Iranian program, than no limits at all.
    Which, if Congress passes the law, we are back to square one.

    Not popular on here, sure, but it is the reality of the situation.
  • believer
    ptown_trojans_1;1568185 wrote:Sanctions have already worked to a degree in getting Iran to the table.
    Before, they would not even discuss any limits on their program.

    Now, they will stop enriching above 5%, not build any new facilities, and not complete the Arak reactor.
    So, there is no need for more sanctions. Otherwise, all those things are gone.

    And, the IAEA, unlike other cases, can verify this, as they have been since 2004. The IAEA puts out pretty technical and reliable quarterly reports on the Iranian program.
    The thing is with Iran, it is better to have a limit on the Iranian program, than no limits at all.
    Which, if Congress passes the law, we are back to square one.

    Not popular on here, sure, but it is the reality of the situation.
    Keep telling yourself, "trust and believe, trust and believe".
  • HitsRus
    ccrunner609;1568626 wrote:http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/01/17/kerry-says-us-will-not-be-pressured-into-decision-on-long-delayed-keystone/

    unreal that these people are in power. The US would be a much stronger world power with this pipeline
    ...and it would be a huge step for North American energy security.

    The administration has been stalling because it is afraid of the political fallout that a decision one way or the other will cause. They are going to take a lot of heat no matter what they decide, and the one thing that should be obvious, is that this administration does nothing unless it can gain a political advantage from it. More over, it refuses to make any decisions that it can be held accountable for, no matter whether the decision is good for the country or not. Keystone has been studied...and studied...and studied...for years now.

    What they are waiting for is a 'study' that shows them the decision that will net them the most amount of votes or cause the least political damage. That of course, will be to difficult to parse out, so the strategy is very simply to stall stall stall...and then blame it on Canada when they pull out.
  • HitsRus
    agreed and when another administration finally does it and it turns out to be a economic boom of an idea, history will write Obama and his failures as the worst presidency of all time
    Unfortunately, it won't happen because Canada will go in a different direction and the opportunity will be lost. It's a huge investment for Trans Canada and they are not going to wait forever. I am convinced that this administration will never approve it despite that it almost seems a no brainer because it's approval would benefit states that mostly vote Republican and it would anger its hard core DEM support by enviromental groups. It is sad that this is where we are as a country.
  • ptown_trojans_1
    believer;1568700 wrote:Keep telling yourself, "trust and believe, trust and believe".
    There is verification from the IAEA. It is not perfect, but it would be better than the current course, which is Iran stockpiles uranium at 20% and keeps building more centrifuges.
    Which option is better: an Iran that still enriches, but does not grow the program and does not build Arak, or an Iran that continues to enrich to 20% and build more centrifuges?
    ccrunner609;1568716 wrote:you were so wrong on Obama and his ability to the foreign policy messiah (why you said you voted for him) that you truly cant believe that he has some magic wand to deal with this issue when he has been the worst president of all time.
    Not a magic wand, just pragmatic on Iran. Honestly, what is your solution then? Sanction them and sanction them, until what?
    Iran is not getting rid of their program, that ship has sailed. So, you have to meet in the middle. Compromise, I know a dirty word on this crazy board.
  • believer
    ptown_trojans_1;1568768 wrote:There is verification from the IAEA. It is not perfect, but it would be better than the current course, which is Iran stockpiles uranium at 20% and keeps building more centrifuges.
    Which option is better: an Iran that still enriches, but does not grow the program and does not build Arak, or an Iran that continues to enrich to 20% and build more centrifuges?
    I can believe you have faith in the IAEA, but I do not.

    First, despite the fact the agency purports to be autonomous, it still reports to the UN. The UN is a bumbling, inept anti-American joke of an organization rife with corruption and political bullshit. Call me an obtuse partisan hack all you want but I trust NOTHING associated with the UN. A HUGE waste of American time, talent, and economic resources.

    Second, Iran is a rather large country governed, like it or not, by proponents of radical Islam who will not rest until they are fully capable of following through on their promise to eradicate Israel. Despite all the latest and greatest espionage & spy technology available, there is - IMHO - absolutely no way the IAEA has sufficient resources available to monitor, with even a reasonable modicum of certainty, Iran's nuclear development regardless of what their leaders might agree to in public to ease economic sanctions.

    Third, since the fall of the last Shah, Iran has an impeccable track record of reneging on it's international promises for economic and political expediency. It's naive to believe they've changed.

    You can buy off on the idea the Iran will suddenly "compromise" and play by secular international rules and guidelines on their nuclear enrichment program in light of IAEA oversight all you want.

    I choose to believe Iran will continue to lie to ease economic sanctions while covertly (and relatively easily) proceeding with their nuclear enrichment program.
  • ptown_trojans_1
    ccrunner609;1570132 wrote:you are not pragmatic, you are a naïve. they are going to say one thing and do the other. Nothing is going to stop them from doing what they are doing.
    Sure chief.
    Stop them huh. Well, they have stopped producing uranium beyond 5% and building the processing plant.
    This whole deal is a first step.
    It is not the endgame.

    And besides, every other policy thus far has not worked.
  • ptown_trojans_1
    Big news in the DMV area, besides the snow.
    Former VA Governor and his wife were formally indicted today.
    http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/former-va-gov-mcdonnell-and-wife-charged-in-gifts-case/2014/01/21/1ed704d2-82cb-11e3-9dd4-e7278db80d86_story.html

    Around here, the scandal was one of the many reasons why the R's lost the Governor race. I liked McDonnell, but if the charges stick, pretty shady stuff.
  • ptown_trojans_1
    ccrunner609;1570489 wrote:thanks for making my point. THis one wont either.
    If you mean, slowing the Iranian program, then yes, it is working thus far.
    If you mean stopping the Iranian program, then no. But, then again, at this point in the game, nothing short of actual force will halt that.
  • GOONx19
    ccrunner609;1570489 wrote:thanks for making my point. THis one wont either.
    It would probably be more effective if everyone would pay into it like they promised. $20 a person is likely all it would take.
  • believer
  • like_that
    believer;1578324 wrote:Hey P-town...what's your take on this?

    http://freebeacon.com/iranian-navy-commander-vows-to-sink-u-s-warships/

    They would be picking a fight with the wrong Navy.
  • Con_Alma
    like_that;1578403 wrote:They would be picking a fight with the wrong Navy.
    Amen to that.
  • believer
    ccrunner609;1578408 wrote:I would hope that our ***** ass president would wipe them off the map./
    More likely he'd grant them amnesty and offer them citizenship as long as they agree to vote for Democrats.
  • HitsRus
    Just to illustrate how #### up the left is... General Motors, who should be lauded for hiring a woman as CEO, has come under fire for paying her less guaranteed salary than her male predecessor. Stupid liberals, who complain about corporate execs being paid too much are now bitching that her salary is too low.... Despite the fact that her total compensation could be 58% more than her predecessor if company performance incentives are reached.( negotiated in her contract).

    sorry I'm on vacation and posting from my phone and am not tech savy enough to post the link. The article is in today's USA Today.