Dunno what the many implications of the deal could be, but Qatar is smackdab between SA and Iran. With the historical hostility between both nations, hopefully nothing sinister happens :/

On the Iran nuclear issue, could someone please explain to me why there is such a huge discrimination between Iran's and Israel's nuclear programs? I'm not in favor of anyone developing WMDs, however, Israel is freely allowed to do so whereas with Iran there is so much animosity, even though currently their program is geared towards nuclear energy (I understand that they could develop weapons in the future using the same technology).

Especially considering that Israel has a history of using excessive violence, breaking international laws and murdering civilians, while the same cannot be said about Iran. I am completely baffled.

Best US president of all time imo

https://twitter.com/ABCPolitics/status/726595566654750721?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

RealGunner wrote:Best US president of all time imo

https://twitter.com/ABCPolitics/status/726595566654750721?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Probably the president with the best comic timing and delivery ever

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbcZ_Z5hglg

Obama is literally provoking Putin. What an asshat. That is a very stupid and risky move.

Myesyats wrote:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbcZ_Z5hglg

Obama is literally provoking Putin. What an asshat. That is a very stupid and risky move.

Obama is actually handling this in a mature way. If our president was someone like Johnson, a guy from the south where I am from, we would have a tank in St Petersburg outside of the Winter Palace, just sitting, and if anybody touched it there would be a problem.

There's no threat from Russia (for now). It's actually the US who are a threat and who showcase aggresive behaviour.

Western media twist Putin's words so they seem like he is preparing for war. He, in fact, is not doing anything more than just interfering in the conflict in Syria.

Western media literally say "Russian aggresion" while in fact it is Obama who sends troops to the East and Putin only says that he is prepared for any potential agressor.

Myesyats wrote:There's no threat from Russia (for now). It's actually the US who are a threat and who showcase aggresive behaviour.

Western media twist Putin's words so they seem like he is preparing for war. He, in fact, is not doing anything more than just interfering in the conflict in Syria.

Western media literally say "Russian aggresion" while in fact it is Obama who sends troops to the East and Putin only says that he is prepared for any potential agressor.

I liked this post because in the first sentence you give a truth that the world knows, but won't say. Russia is NO threat to the US. There seems to be narrative, which has gone back to the Cuban Missile Crisis that Russia is somehow comparable to us Military-wise. Or that they are rivals. They know it would be the end of them if they tried anything with any of our allies.

Like a parent shows a belt to lay down discipline, Obama lined up some tanks so that Russia is aware of this fact. We can be diplomatic, but there is still one major power in the world, and Western Europe is under our protection.

Myesyats wrote:There's no threat from Russia (for now). It's actually the US who are a threat and who showcase aggresive behaviour.

Western media twist Putin's words so they seem like he is preparing for war. He, in fact, is not doing anything more than just interfering in the conflict in Syria.

Western media literally say "Russian aggresion" while in fact it is Obama who sends troops to the East and Putin only says that he is prepared for any potential agressor.

I suppose I'm confused. Russia invades and retakes the Crimea and then causes political chaos in the Ukraine yet  we're the ones acting aggressively?

Here you have the Crimea situation explained. 95.7% of Crimeans in referendum voted to join Russia, BTW.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrolgvsHmY4

And here, USA's aggression clarified since you have doubts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqD8lIdIMRo



I don't support Russia or anything they do but I can acknowledge that Putin is highly intelligent and says it as it is... unlike Western media who manipulate EVERYTHING they can.

Putin is also highly manipulative, ruthless, and very calculating. You'll forgive me if I take what he says with copious amounts of salt.

Meanwhile, our president (I like the guy, but he's made several mistakes foreign policy wise) draws red lines and then does nothing when that line is stepped over. I don't consider that to be aggression.

I think there was a stat one time that said the USA pump 6x more money into military potential in comparision with Russia.

When you gain such advantage, it is inevitable you'll seek to use it.

How is that not agression? The amount the money they pump into the military area is insane and the key to peace is military balance, not a significant advantage of one party in that aspect.

Myesyats wrote:I think there was a stat one time that said the USA pump 6x more money into military potential in comparision with Russia.

When you gain such advantage, it is inevitable you'll seek to use it.

How is that not agression? The amount the money they pump into the military area is insane and the key to peace is military balance, not a significant advantage of one party in that aspect.

We spend that much because we have military bases everywhere usually full of service men families.

Poland welcomes America troops:
http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/14/europe/poland-us-troops-nato-welcome/

Your countrymen know we are their best hope.

http://www.globalfirepower.com/countries-listing-europe.asp

We ain't that bad when it comes to military potential but yes, it is hard not to appreciate the cooperation with a country as yuge as the entire European continent almost.

McLewis wrote:Putin is also highly manipulative, ruthless, and very calculating. You'll forgive me if I take what he says with copious amounts of salt.

Meanwhile, our president (I like the guy, but he's made several mistakes foreign policy wise) draws red lines and then does nothing when that line is stepped over. I don't consider that to be aggression.

All politicians are and I like what you say about taking everything with copious amount of salt, but do the same for the USA president(s) as well. USA is not to the other countries like your media presents to you and I know this since I've noticed it while living in Vermont. 80% of the world sees USA as an aggressor and not savior. I can say this because I live in a small country on the Balkans. Do you know what USA is doing here in order to keep the Balkan under its own influence? Conflicts, raising different nationalities to fight among them, testing new scenarios, creating crises out of nowhere.

Its all about money and influence and the presidents are just puppets if you ask me but still I do think that Russia would have done the same to preserve its influence here on the Balkan but come on that doesn't make the USA less of a aggressor than Russia. We (the small countries) suffer and Russia and USA are aggressors to us, I hate how every time there's a conflict they come and try to 'sort it out' and yet they create more tension.

and Putin is right Kosovo had it right to ask for independence so has that region its the same scenario, the fact that USA is a friend of Kosovo doesn't make it more alright than that other region. Stop trusting the media please guys, the small countries are at loss because of these two 'super powers'

And I don't buy that democracy crap, its all just an illusion, we have no choice we think we do, but we don't. In the name of democracy a lot of countries, traditions and lives have been destroyed,

What do you think the answer is to prosperity, if not some form of democracy, Devi?

Myesyats wrote:I think there was a stat one time that said the USA pump 6x more money into military potential in comparision with Russia.

When you gain such advantage, it is inevitable you'll seek to use it.

How is that not agression? The amount the money they pump into the military area is insane and the key to peace is military balance, not a significant advantage of one party in that aspect.

Russia outspends the US (and every NATO ally) in military

http://blogs-images.forbes.com/niallmccarthy/files/2015/06/20150625_Defense_GDP_Fo1.jpg

Also your argument is false. Poland (along the UK and US) is the only country that meets NATO's required 2% military spending and 20% equipment spending, doesn't mean you're about to invade your neighbors simply because you can.

Also how can you compare moving some troops to actually invading another country and seizing part of fits territory One country is clearly far more aggressive than the other here. Obama is all bark whereas Putin is bite.

http://www.pgpf.org/chart-archive/0053_defense-comparison

USA's "defensive" military expenditure is bigger than the next 7 countries combined.

Why do you keep bringing up the Crimea situation and insist on ignoring USA's missions in Libya or Iraq or any other country for that matter because apparently they think they are entitled to control anyone the want.

I'm not one to defend US invasions, but Iraq was not under Obama so I hardly see how it's relevant to the current discussion and in Libya it was a UN-led assault, not US based.

McLewis wrote:What do you think the answer is to prosperity, if not some form of democracy, Devi?

not some form, but true democracy. Not democracy where everything is planned ahead, not democracy where people who raise their voice often lose something important or get bribed etc etc. Media needs to be left alone to report what they want, to criticize politicians and political parties not support one and attack another, not to show only selective stories, they should be the tool of the people not the other way around. Same goes for the politicians they should work for the people and be afraid of them, not the other side around.

I know it sounds impossible but that is what democracy is - power from the people, for the people, to the people

DeviAngel wrote:

McLewis wrote:What do you think the answer is to prosperity, if not some form of democracy, Devi?

not some form, but true democracy. Not democracy where everything is planned ahead, not democracy where people who raise their voice often lose something important or get bribed etc etc. Media needs to be left alone to report what they want, to criticize politicians and political parties not support one and attack another, not to show only selective stories, they should be the tool of the people not the other way around. Same goes for the politicians they should work for the people and be afraid of them, not the other side around.

I know it sounds impossible but that is what democracy is - power from the people, for the people, to the people

Noble notions.

Freedom of the press is actually guaranteed here in my country under the 1st Amendment, which covers freedom of speech. This allows the media to essentially report on anything and everything, be it true or not. When obstructed from information they want, they can sue the government (local, state and federal) in order to obtain that information.

So the media is quite free here, however I'm puzzled that you called for the media to be left alone, but just before that you asked that I not believe them as well when it came to Russian aggression. This appears contradictory.

McLewis wrote:

DeviAngel wrote:

McLewis wrote:What do you think the answer is to prosperity, if not some form of democracy, Devi?

not some form, but true democracy. Not democracy where everything is planned ahead, not democracy where people who raise their voice often lose something important or get bribed etc etc. Media needs to be left alone to report what they want, to criticize politicians and political parties not support one and attack another, not to show only selective stories, they should be the tool of the people not the other way around. Same goes for the politicians they should work for the people and be afraid of them, not the other side around.
I know it sounds impossible but that is what democracy is - power from the people, for the people, to the people

Noble notions.

Freedom of the press is actually guaranteed here in my country under the 1st Amendment, which covers freedom of speech. This allows the media to essentially report on anything and everything, be it true or not. When obstructed from information they want, they can sue the government (local, state and federal) in order to obtain that information.

So the media is quite free here, however I'm puzzled that you called for the media to be left alone, but just before that you asked that I not believe them as well when it came to Russian aggression. This appears contradictory.

It is in every country but the media have and always will be under pressure by politicians and politics that shouldn't happen. The media always take sides in every country when its up to politics and that is not right and it shouldn't be, plus some TV stations and newspapers are owned by politicians, (what was posted above by Pedram is the thing I am trying to say also)


I asked you not to believe them when its up to Russian AND USA aggression, I also said that we (the small countries) suffer from the big ones and their battle of influence. The pro - USA media condemn Russia for the politics for that part of Ukraine while the situation is the same as it was on Kosovo and they greeted the USA and gave support right away. That doesn't work that way, this is where democracy should be seen, equal right for everyone let's not forget that. Every country that chooses independence and the citizens vote for it should get independence.