Comments on: My mixed feeling about Obama’s victory http://www.limbicnutrition.com/blog/my-mixed-feeling-about-obama/ Food for the pleasure center of the brain Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:04:56 +0100 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: limbic http://www.limbicnutrition.com/blog/my-mixed-feeling-about-obama/comment-page-1/#comment-22900 limbic Tue, 18 Nov 2008 12:29:33 +0000 http://www.limbicnutrition.com/blog/?p=5335#comment-22900 I do believe you. Some of my best comments never saw life after they were lost to time-outs or the vagaries of poor commenting systems. My comments system detects good counter arguments and protects me from cognitive dissonance by deleting them before they ruin my day :-) Very interesting article. Thanks for that. I do believe you. Some of my best comments never saw life after they were lost to time-outs or the vagaries of poor commenting systems.

My comments system detects good counter arguments and protects me from cognitive dissonance by deleting them before they ruin my day :-)

Very interesting article. Thanks for that.

]]> By: Kieran http://www.limbicnutrition.com/blog/my-mixed-feeling-about-obama/comment-page-1/#comment-22899 Kieran Tue, 18 Nov 2008 12:24:03 +0000 http://www.limbicnutrition.com/blog/?p=5335#comment-22899 The horror! I wrote a reply and sent it but having not filled in the email information in the box above I received an error message and it is now gone. My points were strong and conclusive, you'll just have to believe me :) What do you think of the following article as an aside? http://www.counterpunch.org/bond11122008.html The horror!

I wrote a reply and sent it but having not filled in the email information in the box above I received an error message and it is now gone. My points were strong and conclusive, you’ll just have to believe me :)

What do you think of the following article as an aside?
http://www.counterpunch.org/bond11122008.html

]]> By: limbic http://www.limbicnutrition.com/blog/my-mixed-feeling-about-obama/comment-page-1/#comment-22898 limbic Tue, 18 Nov 2008 08:35:13 +0000 http://www.limbicnutrition.com/blog/?p=5335#comment-22898 Hi Kieran, Thanks for the comment. Sorry I am late replying. I disagree that the US policy towards Russia or China has been aggressive. Quite the opposite really. It is Russia that has come roaring our of its corner since high oil prices and European energy dependency have enabled it to punch above its weight economically. As for China, the US in particular and the West in general have been nothing less than pusillanimous in the face of Chinese aggression over Taiwan (massive military build up and manoeuvres), cheating in world trade (by artificially suppressing the Renminbi), abuses in Tibet (which are some of the most egregious anywhere) and continued obstructiveness on just about ever issue that is important to the West (it is routinely China and Russia that lead the charge against the West in the UN - Zimbabwe is a great example). As for Iraq and Afghanistan, they are very different situations. The Iraq war is essentially over. Just yesterday the Iraq cabinet agreed the final US drawdown agreement that sees the full withdrawal by 2011 and cessation of patrolling in urban areas by end 2009. As for Afghanistan, there has hardly ever been a most just war. The Taliban were and are the most vile regimes ever to have power. The West's support of the democratically elected government of Afghanistan is for me the minimum we can do to defend our Western values of democracy, human rights and freedom - wherever they are jeopardised. Hi Kieran,

Thanks for the comment. Sorry I am late replying.

I disagree that the US policy towards Russia or China has been aggressive. Quite the opposite really.

It is Russia that has come roaring our of its corner since high oil prices and European energy dependency have enabled it to punch above its weight economically.

As for China, the US in particular and the West in general have been nothing less than pusillanimous in the face of Chinese aggression over Taiwan (massive military build up and manoeuvres), cheating in world trade (by artificially suppressing the Renminbi), abuses in Tibet (which are some of the most egregious anywhere) and continued obstructiveness on just about ever issue that is important to the West (it is routinely China and Russia that lead the charge against the West in the UN – Zimbabwe is a great example).

As for Iraq and Afghanistan, they are very different situations. The Iraq war is essentially over. Just yesterday the Iraq cabinet agreed the final US drawdown agreement that sees the full withdrawal by 2011 and cessation of patrolling in urban areas by end 2009.

As for Afghanistan, there has hardly ever been a most just war. The Taliban were and are the most vile regimes ever to have power. The West’s support of the democratically elected government of Afghanistan is for me the minimum we can do to defend our Western values of democracy, human rights and freedom – wherever they are jeopardised.

]]> By: eon http://www.limbicnutrition.com/blog/my-mixed-feeling-about-obama/comment-page-1/#comment-22896 eon Mon, 17 Nov 2008 23:03:04 +0000 http://www.limbicnutrition.com/blog/?p=5335#comment-22896 The Republicans would surely have won if they'd let Sarah Palin be more like Michael Palin. As an Alaskan she's a natural for the lumberjack song. And when those interviewers caught her out she would've garnered a lot more sympathy if they'd gone 'never heard of the Bush doctrine? That's a chip up the nose, Sarah'. The Republicans would surely have won if they’d let Sarah Palin be more like Michael Palin. As an Alaskan she’s a natural for the lumberjack song.

And when those interviewers caught her out she would’ve garnered a lot more sympathy if they’d gone ‘never heard of the Bush doctrine? That’s a chip up the nose, Sarah’.

]]> By: Serbian view on US elections, campaign, Obama, McCain and USA | Belgraded blog http://www.limbicnutrition.com/blog/my-mixed-feeling-about-obama/comment-page-1/#comment-22698 Serbian view on US elections, campaign, Obama, McCain and USA | Belgraded blog Wed, 05 Nov 2008 19:32:10 +0000 http://www.limbicnutrition.com/blog/?p=5335#comment-22698 [...] have mostly mixed feelings towards Obama’s ability to change America for the better – Jonathan and Marko, as well as Chris Farmer. I could safely say that this type of “mixed [...] [...] have mostly mixed feelings towards Obama’s ability to change America for the better – Jonathan and Marko, as well as Chris Farmer. I could safely say that this type of “mixed [...]

]]> By: Kieran http://www.limbicnutrition.com/blog/my-mixed-feeling-about-obama/comment-page-1/#comment-22696 Kieran Wed, 05 Nov 2008 18:14:58 +0000 http://www.limbicnutrition.com/blog/?p=5335#comment-22696 It is the last highlighted text that worries me about American leadership typified by Bush and presumably McCain, "a man who will fight the world's enemies." We are quick to define 'enemies' and seem to do this with ease despite the proximity of our borders (which Palin will attest to) and our shared fate on this planet. Astoundingly, today this includes Russia ("when Putin rears his head") and China (Tibet). Thus we are quick to jump to aggressive action against them. Some would argue Serbia itself is a victim of this. What good has come of the handling of Iraq and Afghanistan for both of these countries and the international community? Obama, hopefully, doesn't share this same ethnocentricity. Any goodwill he fosters isn't due to softness but the possibility that he might show a sense of respect for other cultures, and even take advice from other market principles. The current crisis shows the American model hasn't perfected everything. Iraq is evidence that our definition of enemy is fallable and the ability to win is uncertain. It is the last highlighted text that worries me about American leadership typified by Bush and presumably McCain, “a man who will fight the world’s enemies.” We are quick to define ‘enemies’ and seem to do this with ease despite the proximity of our borders (which Palin will attest to) and our shared fate on this planet. Astoundingly, today this includes Russia (“when Putin rears his head”) and China (Tibet). Thus we are quick to jump to aggressive action against them. Some would argue Serbia itself is a victim of this. What good has come of the handling of Iraq and Afghanistan for both of these countries and the international community?

Obama, hopefully, doesn’t share this same ethnocentricity. Any goodwill he fosters isn’t due to softness but the possibility that he might show a sense of respect for other cultures, and even take advice from other market principles. The current crisis shows the American model hasn’t perfected everything. Iraq is evidence that our definition of enemy is fallable and the ability to win is uncertain.

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