Comments on: Politics: McConoughey wins the day v. ‘Aaron Strangelove’ http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/2007/11/09/politics-mcconoughey-wins-the-day-v-aaron-strangelove/ Media and news from the original river city Sat, 20 Mar 2010 14:17:43 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: the wonderboy http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/2007/11/09/politics-mcconoughey-wins-the-day-v-aaron-strangelove/comment-page-1/#comment-97567 the wonderboy Fri, 09 Nov 2007 20:28:09 +0000 http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/2007/11/09/politics-mcconoughey-wins-the-day-v-aaron-strangelove/#comment-97567 Just did some checking because I was wondering about the Pershing's capabilities...apparently the thing isn't even used any longer. So we we have to build new Pershing systems in order to then sell then to Taiwan? Can someone else let me know if they have more info about the Pershing... Just did some checking because I was wondering about the Pershing’s capabilities…apparently the thing isn’t even used any longer. So we we have to build new Pershing systems in order to then sell then to Taiwan? Can someone else let me know if they have more info about the Pershing…

]]> By: the wonderboy http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/2007/11/09/politics-mcconoughey-wins-the-day-v-aaron-strangelove/comment-page-1/#comment-97559 the wonderboy Fri, 09 Nov 2007 17:26:47 +0000 http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/2007/11/09/politics-mcconoughey-wins-the-day-v-aaron-strangelove/#comment-97559 Valid point, bmcgill. I'm not sure I totally agree with you, but at least it is a considered position. I'm quite certain that your position is far more well considered than Schock's. And that, quite frankly, terrifies me when I consider the possibility of him in Congress. Valid point, bmcgill. I’m not sure I totally agree with you, but at least it is a considered position. I’m quite certain that your position is far more well considered than Schock’s. And that, quite frankly, terrifies me when I consider the possibility of him in Congress.

]]> By: C. J. Summers http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/2007/11/09/politics-mcconoughey-wins-the-day-v-aaron-strangelove/comment-page-1/#comment-97558 C. J. Summers Fri, 09 Nov 2007 17:08:02 +0000 http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/2007/11/09/politics-mcconoughey-wins-the-day-v-aaron-strangelove/#comment-97558 <blockquote>...smallish democratic allies having nuclear weapons to defend themselves is not necessarily a crackpot idea.</blockquote> But it is a crackpot idea in the case of Taiwan, because it would be a reckless provocation of China. Don't forget, Schock has already backed away from his statement. He completely reversed himself in his latest press release, although it was buried among criticisms of his opponents.

…smallish democratic allies having nuclear weapons to defend themselves is not necessarily a crackpot idea.

But it is a crackpot idea in the case of Taiwan, because it would be a reckless provocation of China. Don’t forget, Schock has already backed away from his statement. He completely reversed himself in his latest press release, although it was buried among criticisms of his opponents.

]]> By: bmcgill http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/2007/11/09/politics-mcconoughey-wins-the-day-v-aaron-strangelove/comment-page-1/#comment-97554 bmcgill Fri, 09 Nov 2007 16:45:23 +0000 http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/2007/11/09/politics-mcconoughey-wins-the-day-v-aaron-strangelove/#comment-97554 wonderboy, I agree that putting the genie back in the bottle is a much different proposition and that Israel has had the ability to defend itself using non-nuclear means in the past. The primary reason for that, however, was the overwhelming technological superiority of the Israeli forces. A review of the military forces of its Arab neighbors and the recent skirmish in southern Lebanon indicates that the gap has narrowed significantly. Even without a nuclear Iran, a modern day "7-day war" would likely turn out very differently, or at least much more protractedly. I appreciate your point and am concerned about the effect that a nuclear Iran would have not just on proliferation in Israel, but from Saudi Arabia, Egypt and other Arab (as opposed to simply Islamic) neighbors in the region. I guess my ultimate point was that smallish democratic allies having nuclear weapons to defend themselves is not necessarily a crackpot idea. wonderboy,
I agree that putting the genie back in the bottle is a much different proposition and that Israel has had the ability to defend itself using non-nuclear means in the past. The primary reason for that, however, was the overwhelming technological superiority of the Israeli forces. A review of the military forces of its Arab neighbors and the recent skirmish in southern Lebanon indicates that the gap has narrowed significantly. Even without a nuclear Iran, a modern day “7-day war” would likely turn out very differently, or at least much more protractedly. I appreciate your point and am concerned about the effect that a nuclear Iran would have not just on proliferation in Israel, but from Saudi Arabia, Egypt and other Arab (as opposed to simply Islamic) neighbors in the region. I guess my ultimate point was that smallish democratic allies having nuclear weapons to defend themselves is not necessarily a crackpot idea.

]]> By: the wonderboy http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/2007/11/09/politics-mcconoughey-wins-the-day-v-aaron-strangelove/comment-page-1/#comment-97551 the wonderboy Fri, 09 Nov 2007 16:08:42 +0000 http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/2007/11/09/politics-mcconoughey-wins-the-day-v-aaron-strangelove/#comment-97551 bmcgill...that is a good question, but not necessarily as related to the topic of arming Taiwan as you present. Disarming a country is a completely different discussion than arming one. The practicalities of disarming a country which already has nuke capability are drastically different from those involved when a new country wants to have or develop the power. As a side note, I'm not sure it matters. Looking past pop culture references to real international history, Israel has never needed to use a nuke to hand the rest of the region their asses on a plate. At this point, Israel likely needs to maintain the threat simply as a means to protect itself from a nuclear-capable Iran in the future. bmcgill…that is a good question, but not necessarily as related to the topic of arming Taiwan as you present. Disarming a country is a completely different discussion than arming one. The practicalities of disarming a country which already has nuke capability are drastically different from those involved when a new country wants to have or develop the power.

As a side note, I’m not sure it matters. Looking past pop culture references to real international history, Israel has never needed to use a nuke to hand the rest of the region their asses on a plate. At this point, Israel likely needs to maintain the threat simply as a means to protect itself from a nuclear-capable Iran in the future.

]]> By: bmcgill http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/2007/11/09/politics-mcconoughey-wins-the-day-v-aaron-strangelove/comment-page-1/#comment-97550 bmcgill Fri, 09 Nov 2007 15:46:11 +0000 http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/2007/11/09/politics-mcconoughey-wins-the-day-v-aaron-strangelove/#comment-97550 This presents a more interesting policy question than folks are considering. I'd like to hear where these three stand on another "illegitimate" nuclear power (at least allegedly), Israel. Lets see, small technologically advanced country, imperiled by its neighbor(s), perhaps whose only self-defense is the deterent of a nuclear threat. Would McC, Morris or Vercase encourage the disarmament (if they have them) of Israel? As crazy as Iran is, they have a good point in pursuing nuclear weapons. Why do we get to say who can and can't have the bomb? Answer: because we have them and the power to keep others from getting them. The real reason not to give nukes to Taiwan is that we are afraid of China, either because of their military might, or our economic dependence (Wal-Mart would collapse), or more directly their ability to impact our economy by selling off so much of our massive federal debt. We put nukes in Europe to escalate the cold war against the Soviet Union (now Russia). China may be a more formidable foe than the USSR ever was.... Sorry if my post requires more thought than pop culture references. This presents a more interesting policy question than folks are considering. I’d like to hear where these three stand on another “illegitimate” nuclear power (at least allegedly), Israel. Lets see, small technologically advanced country, imperiled by its neighbor(s), perhaps whose only self-defense is the deterent of a nuclear threat. Would McC, Morris or Vercase encourage the disarmament (if they have them) of Israel? As crazy as Iran is, they have a good point in pursuing nuclear weapons. Why do we get to say who can and can’t have the bomb? Answer: because we have them and the power to keep others from getting them. The real reason not to give nukes to Taiwan is that we are afraid of China, either because of their military might, or our economic dependence (Wal-Mart would collapse), or more directly their ability to impact our economy by selling off so much of our massive federal debt. We put nukes in Europe to escalate the cold war against the Soviet Union (now Russia). China may be a more formidable foe than the USSR ever was…. Sorry if my post requires more thought than pop culture references.

]]> By: prego man http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/2007/11/09/politics-mcconoughey-wins-the-day-v-aaron-strangelove/comment-page-1/#comment-97548 prego man Fri, 09 Nov 2007 15:30:21 +0000 http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/2007/11/09/politics-mcconoughey-wins-the-day-v-aaron-strangelove/#comment-97548 Roman, whatever you're smokin' and drinkin', I'd like to order a few dozen of each... I'm going to need it by the time next November rolls around. Roman, whatever you’re smokin’ and drinkin’, I’d like to order a few dozen of each… I’m going to need it by the time next November rolls around.

]]>