The Soapbox

Joined: 01/04/2001 Posts: 27073
Likes: 34368

What's this?

Do you really consider that to be a material consideration?

I mean, at what point do we stop spinning the Lazy Susan for options to justify the unjustifiable? It started with "The Kurds weren't with us in WW II!!", presumably part of the notion that Turkey has been our NATO ally for decades and decades.

Which is great. But in the fight against ISIS, Turkey was helpful to ISIS by tolerating ISIS fighters passing into Syria across its border. Not to mention that Turkey of course has been working with Russia at cross purposes with NATO in recent years. The Syrian Kurds were probably the staunchest ally we had in beating down ISIS.

As things were, we were not being forced to choose sides between Turkey and the Kurds. We were patrolling jointly with the Turks and keeping them at arms length from the Kurds. We needed to find a way out, everyone agrees, which should have been a transition. And I don't mean a transition to Trumpian chaos.

Now, seems like sanctions against Turkey is politically necessary in this country, all the good I expect them to do. So do we stand with anyone? We obviously are not in the good graces of the Kurds we just threw to the wolves. And we'll, I guess, be sanctioning their enemies, our supposed NATO allies, the Turks. So I guess it's Russia, Assad, Kurds on one side, and the Turks on another side, and ISIS getting a new lease on life on another side, and then there's us, somehow managing to stand against all of them.

But yeah, the question is " Is the PKK dealing drugs?"

Wonder what the Trumpistani Lazy Susan will stop on tomorrow.
[Post edited by hoolstoptheheels at 10/16/2019 12:49PM]

(In response to this post by Hoos Operator)

Posted: 10/16/2019 at 12:45PM

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Current Thread:

Trump: “Kurds no angels.” -- hooshouse 10/16/2019 11:27AM

Correction, according to CNN he said "It's not our border" not "problem". ** -- bballbill 10/16/2019 2:25PM

Isn’t the PKK designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization and doesn’t it -- Hoos Operator 10/16/2019 12:27PM

Do you really consider that to be a material consideration? -- hoolstoptheheels 10/16/2019 12:45PM

The PKK is not the Pershmerga. -- hoothat 10/16/2019 1:31PM

If you are going to talk about Kurdish factions... -- Hoodeac 10/16/2019 2:00PM

I misplelled! Oh no! ** -- hoothat 10/16/2019 2:44PM

Oh, the irony! ** -- Hoodeac 10/16/2019 3:12PM

No, actually, I'm not aware of any who do, and that strikes me as another -- hoolstoptheheels 10/16/2019 1:53PM

Then why did you keep saying it? ** -- hoothat 10/16/2019 2:43PM

Saying what exactly? When did I claim all Kurds are alike? ** -- hoolstoptheheels 10/16/2019 3:02PM

The Kurds are no angels. ** -- Hoos Operator 10/16/2019 1:19PM

Yeah, so? -- hoolstoptheheels 10/16/2019 1:54PM

I heard the Kurds are helping MS 13. -- Blah 10/16/2019 12:39PM

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I'd say we are most definitely clowns. It is shameful. ** -- Seattle .Hoo 10/16/2019 12:47PM

Correct. We look like clowns because we are clowns. -- hoolstoptheheels 10/16/2019 12:48PM

I don’t minimize the sacrifice the Kurds have made acting on behalf of -- Hoos Operator 10/16/2019 12:44PM

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Have any whistleblowers come forward alleging that past -- 111Balz 10/16/2019 4:02PM

Tell Vladimir I’ll have more flexibility after the election. Who said -- moohoofus 10/16/2019 4:58PM

The "everybody does it" argument? Nice ** -- HooJet 10/16/2019 1:07PM

Try reading comprehension 101. That would be nice. ** -- moohoofus 10/16/2019 1:14PM

You might want to try it too. I was highlighting Trump's incompetence. -- Blah 10/16/2019 1:21PM

I made a statement. How i would love to see many more released. Pretty -- moohoofus 10/16/2019 1:25PM

I'm not offended, but you didn't get the gist of my original post. -- Blah 10/16/2019 1:30PM

No problem. Some things should be kept a secret whether we like it or not. -- moohoofus 10/16/2019 1:37PM

I agree, but I bet almost all the talks were made with American interests.. -- Blah 10/16/2019 1:38PM

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What’s that got to do with what I said? ** -- moohoofus 10/16/2019 1:18PM

What you said is speculative nonsense intended to justify your President's -- Seattle .Hoo 10/16/2019 1:22PM

Speak for yourself. You have a hard enough time with that. I’ll try to make -- moohoofus 10/16/2019 1:28PM

If you can't defend your own bullshit just back away from it. ** -- Seattle .Hoo 10/16/2019 1:32PM

Like I said, quit speculating and speak for yourself. I’m glad the bs king -- moohoofus 10/16/2019 1:34PM

I doubt anything this blatant. Like this one, we would have heard -- HoosQ 10/16/2019 1:04PM

You are naive if you think shady dealings between leaders is not -- moohoofus 10/16/2019 1:19PM

I ain't naive. I think the others are smart enough to conceal it WAY -- HoosQ 10/16/2019 1:23PM

Founders weren't naive either. That's why impeachment is included -- HoosQ 10/16/2019 1:31PM

No need. We just need to see the calls yielding suspicious results, -- hoolstoptheheels 10/16/2019 12:58PM

Yep. Only the Trump years. Figures. Count me surprised at that statement. ** -- moohoofus 10/16/2019 1:21PM

Well, for a loyal subject of Trumpistan, devotion to a man - a personality -- hoolstoptheheels 10/16/2019 1:56PM

Relax. Put your Trump hate away and keep resisting. The dems on stage last -- moohoofus 10/16/2019 2:07PM

I may not be relaxed cuz I'm at work and spending too much time here. -- hoolstoptheheels 10/16/2019 3:05PM

Get back to work. Hopefully if Liz gets in there you’ll still have a job. ** -- moohoofus 10/16/2019 3:46PM

I doubt Liz will help me keep my job. Not sure I want to keep my job! -- hoolstoptheheels 10/16/2019 4:15PM

Best wishes. Keep working. We need the revenue. 👍 ** -- moohoofus 10/16/2019 4:59PM

Can I add -- VaTechie 10/16/2019 12:38PM

I would ** -- hoolstoptheheels 10/16/2019 12:29PM

@KaitlanColins -- hooshouse 10/16/2019 12:11PM

Translation: Erdogan made me look bad. -- Blah 10/16/2019 12:15PM

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He should show 'em his tattoed hair ** -- 111Balz 10/16/2019 12:22PM

Matt Lewis of CNN/Daily Beast wins -- WahooMatt05 10/16/2019 11:59AM

Jim Jordan is such an idiot. He claimed that the whistleblower ... -- Blah 10/16/2019 12:10PM

There's a reason they're using the whistleblower approach and its -- Hoodafan 10/16/2019 12:51PM

Here's the thing: it's NOT a manufactured accusation. President Idiot ... -- Blah 10/16/2019 1:16PM

You're right. We have the transcript. We have Ukraine saying they didn't -- Hoodafan 10/16/2019 1:53PM

It's illegal to SOLICIT a favor from foreign nation for personal means. -- Blah 10/16/2019 2:04PM

And you're back to defending not investigating Hunter's influence peddling -- Hoodafan 10/16/2019 2:10PM

LOL. Trump released the partial transcript and said it was perfect. -- Blah 10/16/2019 2:16PM

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You heard BS. The whistle blower laws are very clear -- 111Balz 10/16/2019 1:12PM

I think he's honestly too dumb to distinguish between a WB and a witness. ** -- WahooRQ 10/16/2019 1:15PM

...and sadly, this is also standard procedure for responding to whistle- -- HoosQ 10/16/2019 1:15PM

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I don’t know if they’re stupid or intentionally dishonest -- WahooMatt05 10/16/2019 12:21PM

Why are the two mutually exclusive? ** -- WahooRQ 10/16/2019 12:34PM

They can be both, and i think they are ** -- 111Balz 10/16/2019 12:25PM

Apparently there are UVA graduates who can't distinguish between a whistle -- WahooRQ 10/16/2019 1:09PM

Trump playbook: 1. Deny; 2. Attack; 3. Play the victim; 4. Threaten to sue. -- Blah 10/16/2019 11:47AM

Not eligible for Darwin award. He's bred already, and I'm guessing that -- Late 80s Hokie 10/16/2019 3:21PM

That's a pretty perfect synopsis of our WLBOTUS ** -- 111Balz 10/16/2019 12:24PM

Alex Jones - The Kurds are just a bunch of crisis actors... -- Hoodeac 10/16/2019 12:11PM

Impeach the Kurds!!! ** -- graycalhoo 10/16/2019 11:59AM

Ahh, but the Saudis.. -- Chuck Taylor 10/16/2019 11:43AM

@ddale8 -- hooshouse 10/16/2019 11:42AM

He's bonkers, more so then usual even ** -- Hoo TV 10/16/2019 11:45AM

He’s a disgrace. I might fly the flag for a year once he’s out. ** -- hooshouse 10/16/2019 12:00PM

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The Canadians were there . . . . oops. ** -- graycalhoo 10/16/2019 11:37AM