The GOP and Its Militarism...

by: Les Carpenter
Rational Nation USA
Purveyor of Truth


GOP war hawkism is experiencing a revival. No doubt driven by circumstances in the Middle East, old time "militarists" and warriors like Sen. John McCain, and the ever influential MIC with its insatiable appetite. Plan on hearing a lot of rhetoric supporting increased military presence and an expanding role for the military again. Of course expect the push for renewed growth in defense budgets.

Can hardly wait for the 2016 presidential election campaigns to get started. Just imagine all the fertile fodder it will provide for pundits and bloggers on all sides of the issue(s).

One thing we must do at all times is maintain an effective and mobile defense, whatever the cost. Visability has its cost and they are indeed high.

the weekly Standard The Republican flirtation with dovish noninterventionism is over. It wasn’t much of a fling.

For five years, we’ve been hearing that foreign policy and national security issues would split the Republican party. The new noninterventionists, we were told, buoyed by war-weariness and deep concern over government spending, would mount a serious challenge to the more hawkish, internationalist traditions of the Republican party.

The supposed paradigm shift was always much more about big personalities and media hype than substantive change. That’s not to say there was nothing to the speculation. Some Republicans celebrated the automatic cuts in defense spending required by the sequester, and others contributed to the misinformation about the terrorist surveillance programs. But whatever the real temptations of a GOP return to Robert Taftian isolationism and permanent cuts to national security budgets, they’re pretty much gone.

Republican Senate candidates in North Carolina, Alaska, New Hampshire, Iowa, Arkansas, and elsewhere are running with a heavy emphasis on their hawkishness. New Jersey governor Chris Christie is hitting Barack Obama on his handling of ISIS. Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal will deliver a speech on October 6 at the American Enterprise Institute on rebuilding U.S. defenses—three weeks after Marco Rubio gave a speech entitled “American Strength: Building 21st Century Defense Capabilities.” Rand Paul, the most outspoken of the new noninterventionists, and a man who has spent much of his time in the Senate railing against hawks like John McCain and Lindsey Graham, is now echoing their calls for airstrikes on terrorists in Iraq and Syria.

“The conservative coalition has always been hawkish,” says Brad Todd, a Republican strategist involved in several campaigns this cycle. “The few doves in the Republican coalition like Rand Paul always get exposed for not being conservative on foreign policy in times of crisis. The doves believe in a false premise—that disengagement brings peace instead of chaos. The same theory has failed in every era of American foreign policy since the 1800s, and it will fail again.”

He adds, “I do think the mess Obama is creating overseas will be a major factor—and a disqualifier—in the 2016 primaries.”

Read more BELOW THE FOLD.

Comments

  1. Les, excuse me for going off subject, but a few friends are here and we're enjoying 10 year old single malt Scotch "Benromach," and we thought about The Kingston Trio's "Scotch and Soda." Then we went on to "Charlie on The MTA." Lots of laughs and Scotch. WYWH!* Will talk about your subject later..

    ReplyDelete
  2. Single malt Scotch and the Kingston Trio trumps my topic for sure. You are therefore excused. If you have one for me!

    ReplyDelete
  3. WYWH = Wish You Were Here! As well as Mrs. RN USA. The Benromach was excellent, smokey taste, and smooth as velvet on silk. Two of the friends here are self-identified Libertarians, and we didn't even punch each other! LOL! Seriously, no politics tonight, just Benromach and music (and some, well YAY COLORADO!)

    ReplyDelete
  4. It would have been fun!

    Just shows ones politics does not have to preclude friendship or treating those you disagree with with respect and dignity.

    Life, friendship, and love are all ultimately more important than politics. But I shouldn't start on all that so early.

    ReplyDelete
  5. re: Shaw.... no politicz!!!!!! sheesh, what is this blog world commmmmming to? Damn....best go get a doughnut.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. OKjimm: here. Just because I will always love Bloom County. But sorry, no donuts.

      Delete
  6. If we are ever going to push economic growth past 2.5% we need this war.
    Badly.

    It all makes sense when you think of the economy as long as you don't think deeply.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Shaw, if you like the smokiness, you've got to try some high end mezcal... not the rot-gut most places sell. The subtleness of the surrounding flowers with a nice light smoky finish can blow your mind.

    I love a single malt, but mezcal? Magic...

    Cheers...

    ReplyDelete
  8. ah, can not seem to wrap my head aroung politics....the unhinged right seems to make no sense and operate in an echo chamber. I have no idea what happened to the Republican Party as a moderate group of the 'loyal' other party. We are all the worse for it.

    Personally.... I have other challenges to attend to. After almost three years of near blindness, I can see again. Many books to catch up on....many crosswords puzzles to ponder.

    Dave Miller- I have tried a single batch tequila, five years old, all made from the same agave field.
    Delicious and beyond my price range. I did splurge and got some goddam good donuts today.... made with real apple cider and single batch cinnamon and sugar topping.

    hmmmmm.....I think I must get ready.....Sarah Palin has announced an invasion of Ebola....she can see it from her porch.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Ok... I hope it was pure Mexican cane sugar...

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hmm, you mention GOP and the talk turns to serious drinking!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Yeah, the fringe GOP and the fringe POD (Party of the Donkey) can do that BB Idaho.

    ReplyDelete

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