#30

You hit the nail on the head. OEF is theatrics. Nothing more.

If Willowby is hoping for some sort of decisive strategic victory, it's not gonna happen. Not under Trump.

At least former administrations were trying to win.

How many times has Trump declared victory over Iran? What are we up to? 37? 38?

Something like that.

#186

But hasn't that been true of every socialist, from Lenin, to Hoxha, to Castro, to Ceau'escu, and others?

"Because I've got a few million examples of dictatorship and fascism once in power."

I've got more examples for Socialism...

"For the same reason I don't believe Saddam's Republican Guard were Republicans."

Why don't you beleive?

Iraq was (is) a Republic. So was the USSR. And North Korea.

Republican does not refer to a party, it refers to the composition of government.

"Why are you ignoring 50% of their chosen title?"

Why do you ignore 50% of Hitler's chosen title?

"Except that plenty of DSA Dems won as well"

Angie Nixon, a DSA member, came within 3 points of her Republican opponent in Florida. She beat her primary opponent, who had made a name for himself as an Army officer who got sideways with Trump.

Florida is full of old people, and is very red. The DSA message is resonating with more people than one might otherwise imagine.

"Except that plenty of DSA Dems won as well"

Angie Nixon, a DSA member, came within 3 points of her Republican opponent in Florida. She beat her primary opponent, who had made a name for himself as an Army officer who got sideways with Trump.

Florida is full of old people, and is very red. The DSA message is resonating with more people than one might otherwise imagine.

"But that name was in the Party ... so they could trick others to get power."

Do you think the Democratic Socialists are trying to pull the same trick. Because as far as I can tell, none of them are socialist either.

"But that name was in the Party ... so they could trick others to get power."

Do you think the Democratic Socialists are trying to pull the same trick. Because as far as I can tell, none of them are socialist either.

"But make no mistake. She's the future of the Democratic Party and was the beginning of the shift to Democratic Socialism."

Maybe it's time for them to start their own party.

"So do you analyze them based on what they call themselves, or by their actions once in power?"

What they do. Without a doubt.

Obama was painted as a socialist too. One of his mentors had been a key leader in the Communist Party of the United States.

Obama turned out to be one of the most moderate, most measured presidents in my lifetime. I'd vote for him in a hot minute, given the chance.

"Carry on with your ignorance."

What a well thought and insightful response.

I must assume you regard "A Day Without Capitalism" as something other than ignorance codified.

"Americans took Capitalism away from Cuba."

Castro was a capitalist???

"DSA is the future of the Democratic Party."

Yeah...sure.

"A Day Without Capitalism"

My old office in Doha now has a gaping hole in the side of it...although I'm not sure you could no longer call it a "US" base. I don't know how many US people are there anymore.

I'm just hoping my current office in Germany won't soon have a similar gaping hole in the side.

"We're conducting an illegal war against Cuba and the perpetrators of it should be considered war criminals and arrested and tried."

Under what statutes?

No one is being prevented from delivering fuel to Cuba, other than possible dark fleet ships. But Holland could poor oil into Cuba all day long. So could most countries.

They just don't seem to want to.

So Snoofy, do you think the US would sink, or even board, a Norwegian-flagged oil tanker delivering oil to Cuba?

Nevamind...I already know the answer.

"The ships' seizures came amid the Trump administration's fuel blockade on Cuba."

So your argument is that the US would attack a Russian oil tanker delivering oil to Cuba?

They didn't in the past.

And it would be a bad idea.

"Cuba is being toppled by external capitalists who can't stand a country that wont let them buy it."

Is your argument that socialism can't survive without capitalists to keep it afloat?

"The United States would put retaliatory tariffs on any country doing that, per Executive Order 14380"

OK. So seafood becomes more expensive for USans.

Norway has about $4 billion in trade each year with the US. Norway's GPD is $650 billion, and their Sovereign Wealth Fund is worth $2.5 trillion.

If they wanted to, they could push oil to Cuba all day long. What the US could potentially do in response, would be to deny them support for the military purchases they have made, such as the F-35. But I'm sure those F-35s would quickly find an out-of-market buyer, and be replaced by similar aircraft.

"Embargo and Blockade aren't really interchangeable regardless of what the critics think. Iran is under blockade, and blockade runners get hit with missiles instead of sanctions."

Yeah.

Norway could push oil into Cuba all day long and no one would do anything about it. Same with Russia. And they have.

"Are we arguing about something?"

During the Cuban Revolution, Fulgencio Batista was overthrown by the communists, who ended up being worse than Batista. He may have been bad, but Cuba at the time was one of the most developed and prosperous countries in the western hemisphere. Now, the average household income as around $277 per year. In comparison, the average yearly income in Afghanistan is around $5,700 per year.

There is no argument. Just a cautionary tale about how sometimes the cure is worse than the disease.

"Capitalism is doing a trade embargo to prove that Socialism doesn't work."

Because socialism was working prior to January 2026?

Is that what you're saying?

It's always seemed like there was a dearth of USans moving south to experience Cuban socialism. More like the exact opposite.

"What kind of regime is enforcing an oil blockade on Cuba?"

A blockade?

Like the one outside the Straits of Hormuz?

How many warships?

"You've proven time after time you haven't a clue what socialism is."

Says the person who thinks that Germany and Norway are socialist...