We are not 'belligerently sticking our wang in people's faces' I wish to hell that this attitude would die. The United States is required by NATO and U.N. treaties to act as the enforcement arm of both organizations. While I won't claim that we haven't taken independent action (Fuck you to death W.), the vast majority of American involvement in other nations politics is caused by some European asshole waving a treaty in our face and saying "Do what you promised our American friends", and then going on their national television and denouncing us to the public as terrorists and imperialists.
If other NATO members were half as active as we are in attacking militants where they live, I'd be more willing to agree with you. But striking into allied nations sometimes with their permission and blessing, sometimes without, how is that not throwing our war wang in people's faces? At one point Pakistan told us we were done with drone strikes, because of all the civilian casualties among the tribes we were causing, and we pretty much went "Heh, ok" and continued doing it.
If you don't even grasp that then don't make asinine comments about our military being utilized as required.
Yes. It's not our fault, we're just doing what our alliances require. That's about as asinine a position as it gets. You can't pull the trigger/push the button and then blame someone else for making you do it. That may have contributed to the decision, but to waive the US's responsibility for it, or the actions like I just stated above, is burying your head in the sand.
Redking: That may be valid criticism, but we have no clear method for determining cause and effect beyond the information that is made available for public consumption. That information clearly indicates a trend of foreign powers invoking treaties to get what they want.
"We can't prove anything. So in the absence of evidence, just categorically state it's our allies fault." Way to own up to today.
But this is all irrelevant to the election though, because no American candidate campaigns on foreign policy; the electorate at large just doesn't give a fuck. This would probably fit better in the ISIS thread.
Despite the Republicans bringing Netanyahu over here, and everyone beating their chest about being friends of Israel or not, supporting attacking Iran or not, this has nothing do with American foreign policy as it relates to elections?