Presidents who want to prove they aren't weak..

I've always heard this theory about LBJ that he personally was very dovish, but after being painted as weak by the media, he doubled down on Vietnam to prove otherwise....

That he knew even then that there was no benefit to that war, but since his political opponents were casting him as weak in the media, it totally influenced his actions..



I personally think trump made a deal, but if we assume he didn't, might trump decide to push military action against Russia and her allies in an attempt to prove he is not putin's puppet??


I think we might get to find out...

a reply to: JoshuaCox

Trump read from a prepared script, just like all the presiders before him...


ETA: Wake up and smell the coffee, its always done on pretext of WMD and dead babies, Iraq, Libya-- WMD and babies.

Bombs for Peace...

a reply to: JoshuaCox

Could we put part of the blame you place on Trump's character flaw back on the last president that tended to cowtow to every foreign leader he met, including that one in Russia?

A wild conspiracy.

Are you comparing Trumps strike against Syria and possible aggression against Russia to LBJ's Vietnam war? Because the two are completely different. Acting without just cause is just as weak if not more so than not acting at all. Something along the lines "better to be thought a fool than to open your mouth and prove it".

Also, there are two types of people, those who talk the talk and those who walk the walk.

a reply to: JoshuaCox

No, Trump just made an irrational decision without complete information.

Kinda scary when you think about it.

originally posted by: JoshuaCox

originally posted by: Aliensun
a reply to: JoshuaCox

Could we put part of the blame you place on Trump's character flaw back on the last president that tended to cowtow to every foreign leader he met, including that one in Russia?

[snip]

You didn't say Trump had a character flaw, but the need to be able to blame Obama for everything is very real for some folks.

As for Johnson, the guy had authorized military operations, overt and covert, on three different continents. Never heard anything about him thinking he was really a closeted dove.

The missiles have been fired, the rocks have been moved around a little bit, a runway or two is cratered. We'll declare that a victory and now pursue diplomatic avenues. That's my bet, anyway.

originally posted by: StoutBroux
Are you comparing Trumps strike against Syria and possible aggression against Russia to LBJ's Vietnam war? Because the two are completely different. Acting without just cause is just as weak as not acting at all. Something along the lines better to be thought a fool than to open your mouth and prove it.

Also, there are two types of people, those who talk the talk and those who walk the walk.

No I am asking a question concerning the psychology of being the most powerful person on the planet and how media coverage would influence their actions...

The same would apply to any other president??

If they were saying obama was a russuan puppet, would he take a harder stand??


Or better yet , they did call obama "a super secret Muslim plante who was gonna crown himself king before destroying America", and what happened???

Obama killed more Muslims with drones than anyone..

a reply to: JoshuaCox

This is what I always worried about Trump. He's thin skinned, and if Putin or any other leader pushes his buttons, he is the type of person who won't think first and react because he is personally offended.

I think he made the right decision in Syria. However my beef is, why does the U.S. always have to go it alone? The use of chemical weapons should have had other nations sending a military message to al-Assad. Why didn't China or our allies fire a missile? We have a United Nations that condemns these acts, yet these nations don't act in unison!

If it wasn't for innocent people and children being killed, I'm really on the side that both the Syrians and the rebels both engage in terrorism and believe in radical ideologies. It's a cesspool of twisted beliefs and chronic violence related to those beliefs. Sending our men and women into Syria to defend this crap, is not defending freedom nor our country.

Not The Political Mud Pit

Means: You will not call people "shills", "paid agents", "disinfo agents", etc.

Tread lightly.

Do not reply to this post.

a reply to: JoshuaCox
I really don't think that Trump needs to prove anything--he's pretty far from weak-minded and indecisive.

The problem is, he doesn't always make the right decision, and most of the time (maybe 99.5%?) when it's shown that he was wrong, he refuses to accept it and doubles down anyhow. But, he also makes the right decision a lot of the time, too, so we'll see how this plays out, although I don't think it's going to have the proverbial 'happy ending.'

I disagree.

But let's not forget people, the US is an empire, we can do whatever we want in the Global Hierarchy, I know that may come as a surprise to some of you, but that's my indoctrinated American Exceptionalism speaking, of which I gladly hold dear and close to me.

I don't think President Trump will be pushed by the Media to prove that he is a "strong" leader. He is trying to focus at home. Of course, with everybody vying for his ear, he made a decision for strikes against a Syrian airfield.

An interesting conspiracy, but nonetheless, a conspiracy.

originally posted by: JoshuaCox
Obama killed more Muslims with drones than anyone..

He was most likely just following orders.

a reply to: Shamrock6

Agreed.

originally posted by: Arnie123
I disagree.

But let's not forget people, the US is an empire, we can do whatever we want in the Global Hierarchy, I know that may come as a surprise to some of you, but that's my indoctrinated American Exceptionalism speaking, of which I gladly hold dear and close to me.

I don't think President Trump will be pushed by the Media to prove that he is a "strong" leader. He is trying to focus at home. Of course, with everybody vying for his ear, he made a decision for strikes against a Syrian airfield.

An interesting conspiracy, but nonetheless, a conspiracy.

A strike against Syria , a Russian ally over using chemical weapons on people decidedly NOT american citizens...


I'm not sure that is in Americas best interest...

It is making a statement , not fulfilling a military goal.

So since it was mainly about optics, I'm not sure if we can seperate it from public opinion and such.

originally posted by: Arnie123
I disagree.

But let's not forget people, the US is an empire, we can do whatever we want in the Global Hierarchy, I know that may come as a surprise to some of you, but that's my indoctrinated American Exceptionalism speaking, of which I gladly hold dear and close to me.

I don't think President Trump will be pushed by the Media to prove that he is a "strong" leader. He is trying to focus at home. Of course, with everybody vying for his ear, he made a decision for strikes against a Syrian airfield.

An interesting conspiracy, but nonetheless, a conspiracy.

Not so much a strong leader, as "not a Russian puppet..".


That is something that is asserted daily...

a reply to: Arnie123

It's pretty clear that Trump changed his mind on Syria due to looking at pictures of dead children killed by the Sarin gas attack. He literally let his emotions get the better of him and fired at Syria only two days after saying he wasn't going to interfere with them.

originally posted by: Krazysh0t
a reply to: Arnie123

It's pretty clear that Trump changed his mind on Syria due to looking at pictures of dead children killed by the Sarin gas attack. He literally let his emotions get the better of him and fired at Syria only two days after saying he wasn't going to interfere with them.

Sure bashes the putin/trump theory's a little too well...

a reply to: Vector99

No, Trump just made an irrational decision without complete information.

Kinda scary when you think about it.



Not really irrational or scary. Russia knew beforehand to get out of the way thats why it took days to do. Russia is OK with it.