TWD 74 said:1. I concede Trump had the advantage of rappore with Saudi's. Not much we can expect from them. As for encouraging domestic production, not sure what a President can do that $116 a barrel doesn't.Mothra said:Ignore your largely fictional explanations, designed to absolve your president of responsibility for the current **** show? I think RMF did a pretty good job of debunking most of your positions. But if you would like me to comment, I'd be happy to:TWD 74 said:Pleading guilty to cut and paste from the wrong place in thread. Feel like I should get some credit for the cut and paste, though. Feel free to ignore, you seem to be good at it.Mothra said:I realize you're a Biden apologist, but I think you responded to the wrong poster with your b.s. excuses.TWD 74 said:
1 - Executive Orders basically killing the Petro Industry--
Biden created exactly two Exec. Orders effecting Petroleum Industry: The expected stoppage of the XL Pipeline and the pause on leases on Federal Lands. The first deals with Canadian oil, the second with the fact that remaining offshore possibilities are in extreme areas where there are only 2-3 major players that have an expertise in dealing with. The fact that BP and others are not bidding might tell us something about the difficulties involved. It should be noted that US Crude production is above 365mm barrels a month, just off the all-time highs established prior to the pandemic, and more than 20% more than the historic high production levels achieved in 1970, which were the all-time US high for almost 50 years. Bottom line, US Petro industry is on an unprecedented upsurge that Biden has done nothing to stop (no fracking ban as was predicted). Based on the current oil prices, one would think a "thank you, President Biden" would be a proper response from the industry, LOL.
2 Afghanistan
is essentially a consequence of Trump negotiations. Trump reduced our military presence in Afghanistan to 1500 troops on the day Biden Took Office. In addition to forcing an agreement with the Taliban on the Afghan Govt. (pressuring them to release thousands of Taliban prisoners), and eliminating our direct mission contact with Afghan troops, contributed to the collapse of the Army and the regime. Fact is Biden was faced with a deadline to leave the country from an agreement he had nothing to do with, and the choice of accepting the plan or begin full on hostilities with the Taliban with no troops and support on the ground.
3 Ukraine--
Russia has been hoarding cash for several years prior to the invasion, which indicates it was something he had been working toward for quite a while. Trumpians claim Putin would not have made the move with Trump still in WH, but based on what? When did Trump ever say no to Putin? Trump's only interest in Ukraine was getting dirt on Biden. Like every Despot who has made naked aggression against a neighbor, this was all on Putin, and his underestimate of the Ukraine resistance and the West's response.
4 - Russia-China Allies on his watch
Yeah, this must be all on Joe. Because the adoration of Putin and the trade war with China was the perfect policy.
6 - Shootings Up
The all-time high was 2017-18. Anyone remember who was POTUS then?
11 - North Korea is firing missiles again
Again, completely mystifying. I mean, Trump shook the guys hand, so they were stopping their nukes and missile programs, right?
1) While the executive orders and stimulus have helped to increase gas prices, the main issue is output, which Biden has been ineffective at resolving. He apparently can't convince OPEC to increase output, nor the domestic suppliers.
2) The Fall of Saigon moment in Afghanistan was entirely on Biden. He ignored his military advisors, who advised against pulling out all troops, and to keep a small cadre of troops (2,500) behind to control the airport and evacuate Americans and our allies, and as a result, we had people on TV hanging from planes. That's entirely on him.
3) Biden's bellicose rhetoric did nothing to calm the Russian situation. You don't advertise to the world months before the invasion that you want Ukraine to become a member of NATO, as Biden did. That served to heighten tensions and embolden Putin to act. Would that have happened under Trump? No one can say, but it's highly doubtful Russia would have seen a need to invade during a Trump presidency.
6) Your facts are wrong. More Americans died of gun-related injuries in 2020 than in any other year on record. And 2022 is on track to be the worst by far.
11) Did you really think us engaging in bellicose rhetoric with little Kim was going to get him removed from his position? What did that accomplish with Obama? Well, among other things, they went nuclear. At least with Trump, there was a mortarium on tests. Now, NK has zero incentive to stop working on nukes and missiles.
I recall someone in the Obama admin saying Joe has never been right on foreign policy. That's about right. Your guy has been a total ****ing disaster. So don't pretend you can clown people with your ****ty excuses.
2. I agree that Afghanistan was a debacle, but do not think we could have maintained 2500 troops in a Country where the nations Army was dissolving. Whether or not aggressive action on our part would have helped restore Afghan Regime in 2021, I believe they were done when Trump made them sign the taliban agreement pretty much at gunpoint in 2020.
3. Getting Ukraine into NATO was not likely ever going to happen before the invasion, and Putin knew that. Why? Germany was cool on the deal. The public explanation from Biden was that Ukraine had to fix things internally to be acceptable to NATO. Putin stockpiled the hundreds of $billions and $140b in gold over past couple of years, and puts a huge chunk of his military forces on month long maneuvers' prior to going in. He was never not going in, as it fulfills his life-time ambition to restore the empire.
6. My stats were from Mass Shootings, not gun violence. Might be wrong as my google check was a quick one.
11. I never expected Rocket Man (I give credit, one of Trumps better nicknames) to give in under any circumstances. The amount of sacrifice a nation like NK has expended to build a nuke arsenal and missiles, they are never going back from that. When we looked the other way 20plus years ago when Pakistan developed, we let the genie out of the bottle for a number of rogue nations. The only ongoing strategy for dealing with these guys is that for every one they have we have a thousand more, and we know how to hit something beside the Pacific Ocean.
3. If I were critiquing Biden on Ukraine, I would identify his weakness as Afghanistan, not the negotiations with Putin. Old Soviet players would always test when they sensed weakness. It is possible Putin sensed weakness after Afghanistan. I remember from Eisenhower bio, when he spoke with JFK after the Bay of Pigs, he noted the tendency of Russia to exploit weakness, and warned Kennedy they would likely test him. Joe needs better Cold War Advisors, if there are any left...
Ok, I can deal with that analysis. I do think Trump.would have handled Afghanistan and Ukraine better, for one reason. Trump was totally unpredictable. With Trump, Putin is worried if Trump goes nuclear.. Taliban is worried Trump breaks it and starts bombing. Or worse napalm the poppy fields.
North Korea, who knows.
