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	Name:	Talullahhound -
	Subject:	World safer with the Messiah??
	Date:	5/25/2009 9:10:07 PM

I don't think that Obama ever said we were less safe because of Bush. I do think that he said that the US has lost respect in the world because of Iraq and the Bush Administration's tendancy for unilateral action.

Have been following the North Korea story today. I'm not sure that they are "testing" the Obama Administration -- the world doesn't necessarily revolve around the US. However, it appears that North Korea is seeking world attention -- apparently they want to be recognized as a nuclear nation and are seeking some kind of concessions. I'm not an expert on Korea at all, but I seem to recall reading that they have done this sort of thing before when they want something. Last I heard the world is considering "sanctions with teeth", and military action is not beind considered. I think it is important that the US and the rest of the world not over-react.

You know, I'm not sure that we are safer either way. I've written extensively here before about what I consider the "illusion of safety" so I'm not going to repeat myself. I still believe in a strong national defense.

With regard to Gitmo, I have no idea what we should do with the prisoners. I don't think we need to rush into anything, but I don't think it is realistic to keep them there forever. One of the things I think the Gitmo situation illustrates is the need to think a plan through, and figure out what the end game will be before you take action. Too often, govenment gets in a hurry and doesn't take the time to fully develop a strategy. I've been in meetings before where the consensus was to go forward and figure out the end "later", on issues much less contentious than Gitmo. We were told that the war on terror was going to be a long war, and I wonder how much thought went into what success would look like? I don't know that they spent much time thinking about what to do with captured terrorists, other than to use them for intelligence purposes.
I also worry that the Obama Administration feels some sort of pressure to do "something" without thinking through the total strategy. One thing that should make you feel better is that Bob Gates is still SECDEF, transcending the political process in favor of continuity. He strikes me as a reasonable man.