While I have a certain sympathy for this I am not an admirer, particularly, of the pure-at-heart and holier-than-thou who can’t bear to vote for somebody who might win but is, alas, imperfect, and therefore the pure-of-heart give us, by default, the worst of all possible choices – this is the classic result that comes from the ‘scruples’ of the left. Think Mussolini, think Adolf Hitler.
Israel is certainly a problem, but it is not the root of all evil.
I think Hillary’s Hawkishness is perhaps exaggerated. I imagine too – perhaps I am indulging in wishful thinking – that once in power, if she gets there, Hillary will think twice about a ‘no-fly’ zone in Syria or find some way to coordinate things with the Russians and Iranians.
However, it is sweet that the Russians and Assad are killing, what, several hundred thousands men, women, and children and that a certain anti-American school seems loftily indifferent to this. After all, the killing is not being done by the US or Israel. Not sure whether this school includes Eric.
I agree that good relations with Russia are important, that the EU and US and NATO pushed too far east too fast and thus invited a Russian reaction; I also think the west was quite untactful on various occasions in dealing with Russian sensitivities and pride. Obama should never have dismissed Russia as ‘merely a regional power.’ And Stephen Harper was simply silly in going out of the way to insult Putin. Our biggest neighbor to the rapidly opening – and very vulnerable – north is the Russian Federation. This lack of tact tc has boomeranged. Russia, for very good reasons, does not want to see, cannot see, Ukraine as a hostile power. Russia has deep historical, geographic, structural, and present-day reasons to be paranoid; but then it often reacts in a way which earns it more enemies, and thus justifies its own paranoia, a vicious cycle.
I agree too that Assad is part of the solution – alas – as well as part of the problem. I have thought this from the beginning and thought it was a mistake on the part of the West to require the departure of Assad as a precondition for peace; it meant there would be no peace. Also, however brutally, Assad was protecting legitimate interests: the survival of the non-Sunni minorities.
I agree rebuilding infrastructure and education and social networks – and health care – should be on the US’s priority list. I agree too that ‘regime change’ is a stupid, self-defeating, idea.
As for Trump, latest signal is he wants to move the US embassy to Jerusalem, so I would expect Trump to be more unabashedly in favor of Israel than Clinton. Besides which he would tear up the nuclear deal with Iran – to the delight of Bibi – and thus help set off a nuke arms race in the Middle East and probably a preventive or preemptive war.
And of course, Trump would officially enthrone the cult of greed.
Besides which, he is insane. Even the Russians should wish for Clinton.
I think by the way that Margolis’ description of Hillary Clinton supporters is superficial, racist, misogynous, stereotyped, and highly inaccurate.
> http://ericmargolis.com/2016/11/trump-or-clinton-lord-save-us-i-vote-for-the-gary-aleppo-johnson/ <http://ericmargolis.com/2016/11/trump-or-clinton-lord-save-us-i-vote-for-the-gary-aleppo-johnson/>
gjreid 