citizenr.bsky.social
Massive nerd, national security wonk, and dismayed patriot
105 posts
42 followers
118 following
Getting Started
Active Commenter
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What a complete disgrace.
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We just attacked them. Countless examples show that regimes under attack consolidate power - including this Iranian regime in 1980. Iraq’s invasion probably averted a civil war. We just cemented them in power and unified Iran against us.
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Nailed it. A real war would be so far beyond this senior team’s abilities and it would be very revealing if Iran takes the path of pain.
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Longtime Iran watcher here aghast at this latest turn of events. Israel’s position was long that there wouldn’t be war bc Tehran can’t afford to retaliate. Now they can’t afford not to. Trump isn’t all in on war; but they now absolutely have to be. POTUS is making a bad bet, IMHO.
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The gunman was not, however, a good person. He was actually a total piece of shit.
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They just launched a preventive war with zero specific justification.
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They are handing Trump the justification to crack down harder on a silver plate. That’s pretty fucking stupid. Trump has spoiled for a fight like this for literally years.
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It is honestly exhausting. This is like the “Reply All” of democratic collapse.
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They’re gonna get crushed.
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And actually hitting the streets at this point and creating the chaos Trump wants to provoke gives him the excuse he needs to crackdown and reap the political benefits of restoring law & order, paints his enemies (you) as lunatics, etc.
Don’t feed the Beast.
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Huge used car salesman energy here.
“It’s gonna benefit you, it’s gonna benefit me, it’s good for the kids. I should be paying YOU for the privilege of living under the Golden Dome. Sir, you show culture and discernment shopping here with us at Crazy Pete’s. America salutes you. God Bless.”
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Leadership matters.
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Previous American precedent (somewhat anyway) in Huey Long. That guy was also a fucking disaster and had the same con man shtick, basically took over Louisiana for awhile. Closest thing to Trump IMHO.
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You’re misreading my emphasis. Decadent capitalism to the Nazis meant something different in regard to moral degradation, that is how they viewed Weimar. And they viewed liberal democracy itself as weak, not that democracy was a sign of success.
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Hitler’s views are a little fragmentary but are well documented in well worn biographies by Ian Kershaw, Volker Ullrich, and Alan Bullock. Hitler did view the US as a dynamic strategic future threat and there were tactical/political reasons why he acted when he did, captured in this brief article.
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Hitler believed the US was a racially mongrelized, decadent capitalist, Jewish controlled, and failed democracy and that is in part why he did not hesitate to declare war, one of the worst calculations in all of history. And we hear the same stupid shit from some leftists about the US today.
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I grew up in a smallish town. It was a great place. My folks left NYC to live there. I was grateful. But that doesn’t mean that I would remain there indefinitely trapped in a bad situation; I’d figure out how to improve it. Most people are capable. They shouldn’t just blame others and go on as-is.
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They have so much opportunity open to them, but it might require leaving temporarily and then returning with new skills, new perspectives. So many are unwilling to adapt and yet the rest of the country should be beholden to their whims as their own town falls apart around them?
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The Bulwark is not a secret society people. Read some books. The Never Trumpers are real people, a minority but nonetheless influential minds and frankly skilled political operators. They are actually right about many things.
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You don’t actually need to cleanse original sin in order to be worthy of redemption. The entire idea about the more perfect union is just that, we strive for better. Not smugly point out everything that went wrong to get us to a uniquely unusually and dangerous moment, that isn’t helpful.
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If I hear “America was founded on genocide” then I know it’s worthless to appeal to a civic sense of pride or patriotism to oppose fascism because that person doesn’t believe the US can do good regardless. Most modern countries have dark history, dirty laundry. Nation states were not born happily.
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Trump is fundamentally different and those arguing otherwise need to ignore the profound and tortuous shifts among principled conservatives to contort themselves or ultimately reject him. Yes he capitalized on trends, but he also is himself counter to many of the prevailing standards of 50+ years.
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Shit did it really, the place on M?
Zorba’s at DuPont is still around I think. There used to be a carry out spot not far from the M St kiosk that made an amazing lemon chicken soup.
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And it’s not inevitable that he would progress this far or that he would have the final victory.
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Jesus Christ
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Just a few.
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Reading this with my kid right now actually!
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It’s also not the way American manufacturing works. If this work was done here, it would be done by robots, not an army of underpaid laborers. As if that was even a desirable outcome! They want industrial serfdom not consumer prosperity.
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You have been a steadfast defender of democracy and far more tolerant of conservatives’ bullshit than I can muster. As a former Republican what has happened to the party disgusts me. I appreciate your civility and common sense approach as we try to wake folks up to the danger.
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I don’t post that often but I read all the gift links. Thank you.
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I thought buying votes was illegal.
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Hulu. Good variety, more grown up stories and material, great series and a sports package.
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Who among us hasn’t transmitted sensitive national defense information inappropriately resulting in an unauthorized disclosure? Let he who is without a target list cast the first stone!
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The DARVO presidency.
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Yeah. These officials are completely fucking negligent and it is absolutely infuriating that they come in front of the American people and lie about what isn’t really classified to downplay their mistake. Own it and move on, but none of this would be tolerated from a line analyst.
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We have always been at war with Eastasia, Tom.
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I’m glad you are out here explaining this to the folks at home. Yeah, that kind of shir is at minimum SECRET//NOFORN if not higher classification. Disastrous poor judgment and mishandling of national security information.
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JFC
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OK that’s awesome.
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Good job Wyoming. Make them fear you more than Trump. And vote the bastards out!
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I am overjoyed to see how visibly upset he is. This absolute bastard has destroyed countless public service careers with wanton disregard and is now sad that everyone the world over hates Tesla and wants to hold him to account? He couldn’t pass his own standards for what constitutes “waste.”
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Nah we’d rather be making our own refrigerators.
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For perhaps the first time, the common refrain that we are led by idiots is actually true.
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Obsession with “warfighting” likely to lead to the loss of next major war
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I don’t know who this is aimed at, but you need to speak directly to SW Virginians. And the message should very clearly be, “Trump doesn’t care. He f’d you.” I have a lot of respect for nonpartisan public service but Senator. You have to start meeting them where they are.