Interesting comment from Rudy Guiliani on Road to the White House

[journalist3072]

Did anyone else watch Road to the White House this evening on C-span?

I was listening to it on C-span Radio, and something Rudy Guiliani said really stood out like a sore thumb. He was saying something to the effect that (and I am paraphrasing here) if the United States wants to protect itself, it has to show a willingness to use military force. And if we show a willingness to use military force, there is a LESS chance that we will actually HAVE to use it.

In other words, he's saying that in order for us to NOT have to use our military might so often, we have to play strong-arming badasses and actually show we're not afraid to use it.

Anyone else have a problem with this logic? It's almost as if the United States has the "short man's" syndrome. Do we somehow feel the need for people to be afraid of us? Are we that narcissitic and arrogant?

[tularetom]

1. Perhaps we're just afraid the world will find out we have really tiny

er, missiles.

[Jackpine Radical]

2. Republican idiocy. What do you expect

from a Republican idiot?

That's the way he solved crime in NY, y'know. Death Penalty for turnstile-jumpers or something.

[mmonk]

3. If we use it, there's a less chance we have to use it?

Come again?

[Olney Blue]

4. Pretty tough talk for "America's mayor".

[KG]

5. guliani is a shithead. ignore his stupid ass.

[RoyGBiv]

6. I hate to say this ...

But Rudy's not being very original here. What he has described in a nutshell has been the guiding principle of the United States' international relations since at least WWII.

Its embryonic form was being put to work during Wilison's presidency, prior to the US's entry into WWI.

And, yes, I have a huge problem with it.

[twylatharp]

7. Please tell me Giuliani doesn't have a chance

It would be just too depressing. There were a lot of questions about New York City's preparedness for a disaster on 9-11, I can't believe he would even consider it. Someone must be greasing the way

[no_hypocrisy]

8. Giuliani used similar logic when he took control over NYC's police force

like it was his private army. He took credit for a drop in crime by arresting a few squeegee window washers, getting rid of the porn in Times Square, and maiming or killing a few citizens of color (e.g., Abner Louima, Patrick Dorisman, Amadu Diallo) to make his point that he was a tough guy. God help us all if he gets a hold of the U.S. military. We'll be talking about the Bush years in terms of the good ole days.

[Skwmom]

9. The message is you'd better elect someone like me who has

a tough image if you want to deter future attacks b/c if you elect a wimp, the terrorists will be emboldened. Do I think this argument will work with the American Public? Yes.

I notice how the talking heads like to say if Iraq is a problem in 08, any Democrat will win. I think that is a ridiculous assumption. As H. Clinton pointed out:

"We have to nominate someone who can have the trust and confidence of the American people to make the tough decisions as commander in chief," she said. "That is the threshold issue."

I don't think the majority of the American public will trust Hillary to keep them safe, or Edwards once his hair video becomes well known (and it definitely will if he is the nominee because no amount of pr spin will erase that image from the mind of the American public). Richardson has the national security scandal. I think the Democrats are going to be on the losing end in 08 unless they have a candidate that the American public can envision as commander-in-chief. Because the Republicans are bucking Bush, I don't think the Democrats will just win by default in 08 because it will be viewed as a Bush debacle rather than a Republican debacle (especially considering the Republicans can argue that the majority of the Democratic candidates voted for the war, and Edwards even sponsored it and was cited on the Bush website).

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

12. ???Hair Video?????

????
:shrug:

[spag68]

10. Rethugs and logic, that's an oxymoron

[originalpckelly]

11. War is peace?

Big Giuliani?