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Rand Paul blocks Montenegro from joining NATO; McCain: He's "working for Putin"
- Thread starter chadskin
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Giant Panda
Member
Didn't Russia just get caught trying to start a coup there?
Yes.
BronsonLee
Member
lol McCain is just gonna ride that Putin train until it derails huh
Cause Trump's a fucking idiot
Cause Trump's a fucking idiot
The Faceless Master
Member
some people don't like what winning looks like?
quickwhips
Member
why do republicans want to increase military budget but not help anyone?
USA USA USA
elrechazado
Banned
Because whether you agree or not, paul's stand on these specific issues are a matter of principle, and McCain is the most frigid of cold warriors.
It'll be nice to have the extra cash for our war with Iran.
BlastProcessing
Member
It's far easier to stay unified when you are working against a common opponent. Not that the GOP runs the show, every member has a laundry list of things that they have been waiting to accomplish. No one has the same list and some of their wishes directly oppose each other.
You need strong leadership to navigate this sort of situation and they obviously don't have anything even remotely resembling that.
The Albatross
Member
I think McCain is pretty off base here, but I think it's irresponsible of Rand Paul to be against new state memberships to NATO on the basis of funding.
Well... the US has a pre-existing obligation to NATO so the funding is locked in via international treaties. Opposing new member states to NATO on the basis of American funding is irresponsible.
But, in this case, it's a Republican opposing Montenegro's membership on the basis of not increasing the military budget.
Well... the US has a pre-existing obligation to NATO so the funding is locked in via international treaties. Opposing new member states to NATO on the basis of American funding is irresponsible.
But, in this case, it's a Republican opposing Montenegro's membership on the basis of not increasing the military budget.
So what you saying this is what would have happen if 80s cartoon Cobra had actually won?
they're officially tired of winning
theignoramus
Member
Was Russia doing the bold meddling it does now under Yeltsin and, crucially, before NATO started expanding eastward"
Just wondering if NATO expansion to defend from Russian hostility is a self fulfilling prophecy.
The Russian government is no champion of freedom or (any) liberal values, but its easy to understand why the Russians are intent on carving out a sphere of influence in Eastern Europe, they were invaded by land twice in the 20th century and probably have siege mentality thats underpinning their foreign policy stance.
Just wondering if NATO expansion to defend from Russian hostility is a self fulfilling prophecy.
The Russian government is no champion of freedom or (any) liberal values, but its easy to understand why the Russians are intent on carving out a sphere of influence in Eastern Europe, they were invaded by land twice in the 20th century and probably have siege mentality thats underpinning their foreign policy stance.
Host Samurai
Member
I seriously would not be surprised at this point. Their actions are everything.
BlastProcessing
Member
gutter_trash
Banned
ironically, Russia has partnered up with "NATO member" Turkey.
The Albatross
Member
ALso worth remembering that prior to November 2016, every story was about Republican infighting and how the party was falling apart, wouldn't last another decade, would never win elections, etc.
While obviously not all of it was true, a lot of it was. Republican infighting and the divisions in the GOP Are mostly what led to Donald Trump getting the nomination. Without that deep rift between establishment Republicans (McCain) and Tea Party Republicans (Rand, although he's been much more legitimate than most other 2010 Tea Partiers), Trump would have never ridden that populist wave. On the flipside, a mostly cohesive Democratic Party held what many felt to be like a coronation during their primary, and then they ended up getting embarrassed in November.
Totally agree.
gutter_trash
Banned
nah, the Western world should not take their eyes off the Mafia State that is Russia
KernelPanic
Member
McCain knows
I don't see how this is true.
Phobophile
A scientist and gentleman in the manner of Batman.
Gotta stock pile for that civil race war!
No reason to done anything down. McCain was not accusing Paul of being a KGB operative or anything. He was pointing out the fact that Paul even if for other reasons than Putin's is delivering what Putin wants.
Russia just got caught trying to Kill the current leader and cause a coup to install a Russian Government. So yeah Montenegro is topic of concern. Rand Paul is a piece of shit who thinks even giving a dollar to the poor violates the constitution in some way
Russia just got caught trying to Kill the current leader and cause a coup to install a Russian Government. So yeah Montenegro is topic of concern. Rand Paul is a piece of shit who thinks even giving a dollar to the poor violates the constitution in some way
NOPE. that's crap. The bottom line is people need to know just how deep Russia is now tangled with parts of the U.S. government period, end of story. Especially as more and more things come out, its one way to piss off moderate republicans is by "teaming" with Russia.
So i'm all for it.
... And they want tax cuts for the rich. Trumpcare is 500+ billion handout via decrease in taxes to the rich. None of their actions make any sense budget wise:
Less tax revenue from rich people = less money for state and local governments to use
Military spending = an expense
Increasing the military budget and cutting taxes screws America over literally everywhere else pushing us towards another recession. I can wait for all those college students that wanted to make 'Merica great again to get dragged down to earth out of the atmosphere as the realization hits that their futures are fucked job wise. America lost a generation thanks to the great recession and it's looking like it's going to happen again but this time Generation Y gets some of it.
SMH at vetoing this over increasing $20 trillion debt while pushing for tax cuts for rich people that don't pay their fair share of taxes anyway.
Eh, there's quite a bit of evidence out there regarding Rand Paul and his stance on Russia, specifically how quickly it changed around 2014.
Because their only cause for the past 8 years has been whining and blocking everything. It's like the same principle as a group of people pushing with all their energy on a door for hours and hours, the finally just falling all over each other when it finally opens.
NervousXtian
Thought Emoji Movie was good. Take that as you will.
McCain's crazy.. but any dig at Paul is good in my book.
Keep on fighting each other.
Keep on fighting each other.
Autoignition
Member
McCain is a jackass with bad policies in his head, but if there's one thing he doesn't fuck around with, it's this nation's sovereignty. I look at this story and feel like he's about one bad day away from spilling everything he knows so far about Trump/Russia.
gutter_trash
Banned
If only more people knew we somehow ended up the bigger beneficiary of NATO in the long run thanks to Iraq and Afghanistan and to a lesser extent Kosovo.
Once I saw the receipts I pretty much realized the argument is moot. Yeah we're the backbone and lynchpin of the group but we do squeeze sufficient value out of our partners already.
Sweeney Tom
Banned
If Rand Paul ever becomes President, even GAF won't be able to say an American election could never be rigged
It's not even that. Putin is just counting on an inherent strengthening of isolationist politics under Trump.
He doesn't have to spend a dime on this.
kame-sennin
Member
theignoramus
Member
Take a guess.
Oh yeah, I forgot Jeffrey Sachs played a role advising Russia's "neoliberal reforms" in those 90s years.
This isn't the reasoning he gave, and I don't like Rand Paul, nor am I attempting to explain his decision, but...
Do we really want to add a country to NATO that Russia just tried to initiate a coup in? Some little Yugoslavian dustup between world powers could lead to much larger problems that aren't in the strategic interests of the US.
Do we really want to add a country to NATO that Russia just tried to initiate a coup in? Some little Yugoslavian dustup between world powers could lead to much larger problems that aren't in the strategic interests of the US.
principle of helping Putin? lol.
Because this is all that is. Him saying thanks my friend!
Montenegro has been working towards admission for years now. The fact they finally got to the point they are a viable entrant is exactly why Putin acted. To back down now would just signify Putin can throw a tantrum anytime something is going to happen and we will stop.
I mean that is basically North Korea now. When they are low on food throw a tantrum with their nukes and the world rushes to make them happy until the next tantrum
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