The Donald's Blind Spots

Jesse Helms. Copy from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:JesseHelms.jpg (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

speaking at CPAC in Washington D.C. on February 10, 2011. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I have not been following the presidential election closely. At all. I have yet to watch a debate. And Trump gets very boring very fast. But I was just thinking, should Trump end up the Republican nominee, Hillary is going to make mincemeat out of him. The reason is the guy has these massive blind spots on policy issues. Not only are you supposed to have stated positions, they are also supposed to be well thought out. The presidential campaign is designed to expose you if you don't have the stuff. And Trump clearly doesn't.

The guy has been making racist comments left and right. One, it is designed to cover up his policy shortcomings. It is too late for him to start. It takes a lifetime. Two, he thinks he is appealing to people in places like Iowa. This is a snobbish New Yorker who thinks he needs to talk severely racist, that is the only way to reach to the people back there. And people in Iowa sense that. That is part of the reason they are giving such a thumbs up to Ben Carson. They are like, let me show you Donald.

When you say you want a database of Muslims, you are exposing the fact that you don't understand (a) databases and (b) Muslims. That's a double whammy. There's a limit to how many racist comments you make before you start looking like an out and out buffoon. When someone like Jesse Helms would make his racist comment, it was different. You could feel the guy is laying out his deeply held worldview. With The Donald, it does not come across that way. It comes across as pandering. Only this pandering is coming to backfire fast and furious. Iowans, for one, are offended. They are not offended with the racist remarks. They are offended he thinks that is how he needs to appeal to them. If there is one thing white folks in this country hate more than other, it is being called a racist. And The Donald is calling Iowans racist. They are not liking it one bit.

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America Does Not Want Another Vietnam

Português do Brasil: O presidente Lula recebe o presidente da República Árabe Síria, Bashar al-Assad, no Itamaraty. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

If the War On Terror is like the Cold War, which I have maintained it is since 9/11, will this war also see a Vietnam? ISIS sure wants one. Their central mission is to get enemy troops on the ground. But giving in would be a mistake. And that is where I find myself agreeing with President Obama. Troops on the ground are always a tricky operation, even when fighting a traditional state.

But there is no wishing ISIS away. And it is not a force that can be contained. They have to engage in far flung acts of terror to stay alive as an organization. They can not stay in their territory. If they did, they would die out.

Vietnam was an open-ended ground operation that ended very very badly and lasted way too long. Luckily, there are better options available. But the goal does have to be to deny ISIS territory. Working with Russia for an Assad-less Syrian transition might be one way. Smart, sustained aerial strikes might be another.

But this is a global fight. Better intelligence sharing among the democracies of the world would go a long way.

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