*puts on pith helmet and wades into the fray*

[windandwater]

So. The first debate. And I happen to be a political scientist-with-my-degree-goddammit. Anyway. *cough*

I slept through the entire thing. ^^;; I really wanted to watch it, but sometimes that sleep deprivation just hits like a freight train. Anyway, I plan on reading transcripts of the debate (probably during Sales tomorrow), and I already know that campus is going to be a seething pit of debate. Aaah... the environment of being around legal scholars makes me want to throttle myself sometimes. Trust me, no one is going to be talking about anything else. XP

Uhmmm... does anyone want to know my opinions on the current topics? I rarely pontificate in my own LJ, since knowing exactly how the system works has rather badly colored my view of things. That, and the last time I said anything political, I got flamed to hell. *grumbles over that*

*yawns* I suppose I should try to do something tonight. Like write.

Comments

[kodalai.livejournal.com]

Uh... sure.

[windandwater.livejournal.com]

e_e

I meant more like you give me a topic to mention. I'm not going to write a full political stance essay. Those things take forever.

*kicks your shin*

[kodalai.livejournal.com]

*hops around and then falls to the ground*

North Korea.

[windandwater.livejournal.com]

Kim Jong-Il is a madman.

You probably wanted something more informative than that, though.

[kodalai.livejournal.com]

Well, I was more, what's an effective strategy for dealing with madmen sitting on piles of nuclear bombs.

[windandwater.livejournal.com]

*points down to the response to Lav*

[lavenderfrost.livejournal.com]

I'd like to know your thoughts.

*sheepish*
I took 4 pages of notes on the debate last night... >_> ^^;;

[windandwater.livejournal.com]

Urrr... on what specifically? I don't feel like covering EVERYTHING if I have to.

But I like Poland.

[lavenderfrost.livejournal.com]

*shrugs* Someone mentioned Kim Jong-Il. That's as good a place to start as any.

Was Bush wrong to downplay North Korea and negotioate with Kim Jong-Il, while trying to play up Saddam's supposed weaponry and refusing to negotiate? Why did Saddam have to disarm or get smoked out of his hole while Kim Jong-Il gets handled more diplomatically?

How do we deal with this lunatic? Go with Bush's strategy? Kerry's Bi-lateral negotiations? Nuke 'em all, let God sort 'em out? (Yes, I have relatives who are saying that. -_-;; )

[lavenderfrost.livejournal.com]

....*kicks typos*

[windandwater.livejournal.com]

Frankly, I think the US should be watching the growing tensions between China and Taiwan right now, but that's neither here nor there. The difference between North Korea and Iraq, to my opinion, is oil. It's sad to say but in outing Saddam, the US can make a play for the resources in Iraq. North Korea doesn't have very much of anything the US wants.

From a less cynical standpoint, Kim Jong-Il could be, and should be, considered the more serious threat. However, the US has had a history of severly underestimating Asian forces and powers. With Iraq, the US can mention terrorism and militant Islamics, etc. With North Korea, the only force is Communism, which the US managed to effectively squash with the downfall of the USSR, China notwithstanding. Frankly, regular people KNOW about Iraq. Less know about North Korea.

And let's face it, it's a grudge match. The US has been trying to get rid of Saddam for YEARS. This is Junior's way of following his father's footsteps and succeeding. Oh, and the US isn't very good at assassinating other political leaders. They tried numerous time with Kadaffi and, hell, Castro is still kicking 90 miles off our coast.

... did I answer enough?

[windsorblue.livejournal.com]

Not really political in the presidential scheme of things, but just because you're in law school and I'm curious: US vs. Philip Morris Inc., et al.

[windandwater.livejournal.com]

Mmmm... anything specific? I'm gonna have to read this case to remember stuff.