I know Bernie Sanders is a true Prophet of God

[_Gunnar]

Bernie Sanders will definitely get my vote as well, if he is nominated. He was right in 2002 and most everything he says today makes eminently more sense than anything I have heard from the Republican candidates so far. I feel foolish and ashamed for ever having been in favor of Bush's invasion of Iraq.

I think that Iraq's own top military leaders would eventually have toppled Saddam Hussein had we not invaded. Hussein had a paranoid fear that any Generals in his military who demonstrated any real talent and leadership ability would inevitably challenge his authority and try to oust him as leader. His military officials were trapped between a rock and a hard place. If they demonstrated outright stupidity and incompetence, they were purged and executed. On the other hand, if they showed outstanding initiative and brilliance and gained any public admiration, Saddam feared them as potential rivals, and purged them using trumped up charges, and had them executed. To survive as a high ranking officer in Saddam's military, one had to demonstrate or feign mediocrity, neither hopelessly incompetent nor outstandingly brilliant. This was a difficult and narrow line to walk, and helps to explain how the U.S. military defeated them so easily. Sooner or later, some coalition of Iraqi military officers with actual ability or initiative would have successfully plotted and succeeded in ousting Hussein, just for their own self-preservation.

Had this happened, I think it is likely that the former Iraqi Military officers who now play a leading role in ISIS would not have been so radicalized by a humiliating defeat at the hand of the U.S., and further alienated by refusal by U.S. authorities to even consider enlisting their help in rebuilding and normalizing Iraq and its infrastructure after Hussein's defeat and ouster, which some might gladly have done if given the opportunity, as many high up in Iraq's military and important government agencies and infrastructure had very good reason to be glad Hussein was gone. Nor do I think that Hussein himself would have lasted much longer, even had we not initiated that war.

In short, I doubt that ISIS would even exist or be a problem now, had Bush not convinced congress to let him invade Iraq.

[_subgenius]

...(snip)...I feel foolish and ashamed for ever having been in favor of Bush's invasion of Iraq.

but obviously proud of your inconsistent political views and easily swayed armchair opinions

[_Doctor Steuss]

There’s likely not an individual running right now that has more integrity, and honesty. That being said, his isolationist proclivities worry me (especially on an economic level). There is much to be admired in him; but I’m still on the fence of whether he is the best thing for the country.

Thankfully I have almost a year to hash it out.


<This Space Reserved For "John Huntsman For President" Advert>

[_Some Schmo]

There’s likely not an individual running right now that has more integrity, and honesty. That being said, his isolationist proclivities worry me (especially on an economic level). There is much to be admired in him; but I’m still on the fence of whether he is the best thing for the country.

Thankfully I have almost a year to hash it out.

You only have a few months if you intend to influence the Dem primary.

<This Space Reserved For "John Huntsman For President" Advert>

Maybe you don't intend to, however. hehe

I like Huntsman. He's another Repub I consider a sane moderate.

[_Doctor Steuss]

You only have a few months if you intend to influence the Dem primary.

I'm a registered Repub.

Wife just changed her registration though over to Dem... she feels the Bern.

[_Some Schmo]

You only have a few months if you intend to influence the Dem primary.

I'm a registered Repub.

Wife just changed her registration though over to Dem... she feels the Bern.

Tell her some schmo on the Internet thinks she's great.

[_Some Schmo]

You only have a few months if you intend to influence the Dem primary.

I'm a registered Repub.

by the way, I too registered as Dem this year strictly for Bernie (previously Independent - like Bernie).

[_Brackite]

I won't, but I think that my niece is going to. She is a Bernie supporter as a lot of young people are.

why?

Why my niece supports Bernie for President, or why I won't be voting for Bernie??
Do I really have to explain why I won't be voting for Bernie??

...(snip)...I feel foolish and ashamed for ever having been in favor of Bush's invasion of Iraq.

but obviously proud of your inconsistent political views and easily swayed armchair opinions

There is really Nothing wrong about somebody's political views changing a bit over time.

[_Gunnar]

There is really Nothing wrong about somebody's political views changing a bit over time.

Especially when some of one's previous political views were clearly shown to be wrong or unreasonable. Besides that, I changed political parties more because the Republican party changed for the worse in many ways than because some of my personal political views changed.

[_subgenius]

There is really Nothing wrong about somebody's political views changing a bit over time.

Especially when some of one's previous political views were clearly shown to be wrong or unreasonable. Besides that, I changed political parties more because the Republican party changed for the worse in many ways than because some of my personal political views changed.

for example?
got a time line of this rather decisive process?