Top Iowa Story: Rudy Attacks Bill Clinton — Plus Russia And China
Here's the top story out of the Iowa local press: Rudy Giuliani told an audience at Iowa State University that the American military needs to be bigger, and he lashed out at Bill Clinton for cutting the military during the 1990's.
"Our military is too small to deal with the Islamic terrorism threats," Giuliani said, "but it really is too small to deter would-be aggressors to even think of challenging us. And that's due to Bill Clinton."
Instead, Rudy called for a massive military buildup in order to "send a very strong signal to China and then Russia ... that it doesn't make sense to challenge us."
Comments (43)
NCSteve wrote on November 9, 2007 10:47 AM:And we'll fund this massive increase in our military with another round of tax cuts for rich people which will surely send our revenues surging ever hight.
NCSteve wrote on November 9, 2007 10:51 AM:Um, "higher," not "hight." Blew that one liner.
But, also, I'm sure everyone will be surprised to find out that he's telling another whopper. The most of the Post-Cold War downsizing of the military was done on GHWB's watch, closely managed by his Secretary of Defense. Fellow named Cheney, as I recall.
votenic wrote on November 9, 2007 11:15 AM:2008 Presidential Election Weekly Poll
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Oh, right lets keep blaming bill clinton. When will these whiners get over it. It's been 7 years for God's sake. I am so sick and tired about hearing this same absurd finger pointing. If you're going to blame bill, you should blame reagan, bush I, and bush II. They are all to blame for the state of the military for a host of reasons. Why not go back to freaking eisenhower for not reigning in the military-industrial complex. Or how about johnson and nixon, because of vietnam. This is so gd absurd.
Also, I don't recall bill clinton blaming bush I for the 93 bombing. What a bunch of a**holes.
The Conservative Deflator wrote on November 9, 2007 11:54 AM:History has shown that all great empires collapse from over-spending on their military. America is in the process of collapsing as well - check the value of the dollar vis-a-vis other world currencies. Putting a buffoon like Giuliani in the White House only hastens the collapse, although I am not convinced most of the Democratic candidates will slow the collapse either.
jolly ranchero wrote on November 9, 2007 11:54 AM:Because Russia and China are on the very precipice of challenging us...
Uh...if China wanted to "challenge us", they sell our f'in bonds and debt. That'd kill us without a single bullet fired. I'm sure Guilani, with that plethora of foreign policy experience, realizes this, right?
gcs wrote on November 9, 2007 12:00 PM:Let me see if I have this straight. The mainstream media is still giving Rudy the kid glove treatment despite -
- walking out on two wives
- admitting to adultery
- repeatedly lying through his teeth
- having a mobbed-up police commissioner
- being attacked by the firemen's union
- his kids want nothing to do with him
- having no real position on anything
- pretending that mayor is really president
- now threatening a global war?
Oh, wait he's a Republican. That's as much as people expect from them.
Anonymous wrote on November 9, 2007 12:07 PM:who in there right mind is going to want to sign up for this expanded military, especially if there's a chance that's it controlled by another repub president who treats these kids in the armed forces like a fantasy football team?
EH wrote on November 9, 2007 12:13 PM:Isn't this a fairly obvious Kerik distraction? When anything inconvenient crops up, just make with the crazy talk.
RichM wrote on November 9, 2007 12:30 PM:Is Godwin still in effect? Didn't he just say that if he were President, he would build the Military to start WWIII, or IV or V or whatever?
biff diggerence wrote on November 9, 2007 12:51 PM:Rudolph's grasp of history is as firm as Bushtwerp's.
The post-Cold War reduction in DoD spending was courtesy Poppy.
Uh, Rudy.
Vlad the Impaler still has SS-18's targeted for Manhattan.
Shut the fuck up, please.
phil james wrote on November 9, 2007 12:54 PM:I for one am glad to finally see the emergence of a certified cajones candidate from the high-octane field of crusty old white guys to lead the testosterone ticket and grab eight more years of self-indulgent belligerence in the name of every christian fundamentalist (and CF wannabe) in this red-white-and-(way too) blue, soon-to-be-entirely walled off nation of ours. Could our future be any brighter?
PaulM wrote on November 9, 2007 12:55 PM:Don't you just love our "liberal" MSM?
I remember in 2000 when Al Gore was a serial exaggerator:
-He "invented" the Internet (he actually funded the programs that helped create it)
-He "lied" about being at a disaster site with ex-FEMA director James Lee Witt (he was at one site with Witt's deputy, despite being at about 17 other sites with Witt.
-And of course, he exaggerated the whole global warming issue (or, as rare people would say, "global warming")
Yet Giuliani is making more ridiculous claims that are blatantly false and the fantastically "liberal" MSM is poo-pooing it off.
"Outstanding!"
Anonymous wrote on November 9, 2007 12:55 PM:Great new feature, Eric, covering the local press.
Keep up the good work.
Nathan wrote on November 9, 2007 12:56 PM:Rudy, we have already made a huge investment in our military to dissuade Russia and China from challenging us: Our nuclear arsenal. Now go back to playing with the other wingnuts, sweetheart.
miss marple wrote on November 9, 2007 12:59 PM:It seems to me that after Iraq, Rudy would need to institute the Draft if he's going to take on the World.
Anonymous wrote on November 9, 2007 1:02 PM:I think I saw data somewhere to the effect that Clinton left office with essentially the same miliaary budget as Bush the Elder.
In any event, blame Clinton, scream "liberal," scream "illigal immigrant," and swiftboating won't do it this time. The economony will be way in the dumper in 08 and we'll have years of Dems controlling the WH, the Senate and House.
I love it.
How quickly we all forget one thing. Never underestimate the ability of the American public to elect an idiot to run things.
Ryogam wrote on November 9, 2007 1:29 PM:Yes, as 9/11 proved, if only we had more troops, more tanks, more planes and bombs, the 19 terrorists would never have tried to take over 4 planes with box cutters. Because, you know SUICIDE bombers are deathly afraid of being, uh, killed by our awesome military.
What a moron.
Christ, all Rudy is really saying is that, instead of spending money on the things that really are effective in stopping terrorist attacks, like, police investigations, enhanced security screening, you know, boring shit that works, he wants to buy shiny things that make loud noises, look really cool and blow things up real good.
cmo wrote on November 9, 2007 2:05 PM:I didn't think it was possible to have Giuliani Derangement Syndrome before he's even won the nomination. A serious question - even if they're unwilling to go after Republicans like they do Democrats, when will the MSM at least realize how moronic and dangerous this jerk is? And when will people like Maureen Dowd and many on the left take a little break from bashing Hillary and start concentrating on this guy?
Raj wrote on November 9, 2007 2:10 PM:Phil, you are dead on - "Never underestimate the ability of the American public to elect an idiot to run things" and to add to that -- never underestimate the ability of American public to be repeatedly bamboozled by these elected idiots.
I live in suburban Texas and it still atonishes me to come across highly educated, white collar, Senior Executive types who to this day think GWB is the best president - ever.
Go figure..
For folks like these, Rudy is becoming an obvious choice. Sad, but true. And the "MSM" continues the dumbing down of America...
The armed forces draw-down of the early 1990's began with Poppy Bush the Elder.
Remember the 'Peace Dividend'.
Two points:
1) We should heed the words of Ike and "Beware of the military industrial complex." It is obvious that we are already a fascist state inasmuch as corporations rule the government and dictate its policies.
2) How long can these trillions of dollars of debt and trade deficits continue. We are already seeing some of the early effects in the falling dollar. This has happened before folks and it has always resulted in the same government policy ... monetizing the debt.
Icy Truth wrote on November 9, 2007 3:54 PM:"Why not go back to freaking eisenhower [sic] for not reigning in the military-industrial complex."
-- Military spending as a % of GDP, for budgets submitted by Pres. Eisenhower:
1954 13.1
1955 10.8
1956 10.0
1957 10.1
1958 10.2
1959 10.0
1960 9.3
1961 9.4
Was this the highest level of peacetime spending? Yes. And he did this after getting us out of Korea, and while keeping us out of Vietnam -- or any other major war (against GUESS which 2 countries?) -- AND balancing the budget in 3 of his 8 years in office (the last president to do so).
In his farewell speech to the nation, Eisenhower raised the issue of the Cold War and role of the U.S. armed forces. He described the Cold War saying: "We face a hostile ideology global in scope, atheistic in character, ruthless in purpose and insidious in method..." and warned about what he saw as unjustified government spending proposals and continued with a warning that "we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex... Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together."
-- Do you think he was lying? or that he was passing the buck?
-- Bill Clinton reduced military spending in all 8 budgets enacted under his tenure. His last 5 budgets contained the lowest level of military spending as a % of the GDP since before WWII.
Persona non grata wrote on November 9, 2007 6:58 PM:While it is true that military spending as a % GDP was higher in 1954 than it is today there weren't as many government entitlements programs then either.
CranialRectalLoopback wrote on November 9, 2007 8:09 PM:Is Rudy saying that for the last seven years the Repubic-hens have been derelict in their duty to restore the size of the military? After all, if Rudy can do it, then the Repubic-hens should have already done so.
jrw wrote on November 9, 2007 9:13 PM:EH has it right...it's all a distraction. "Bernie Kerik? Wait, look over there, it's China and Russia!".
phil james wrote on November 9, 2007 11:16 PM:Ike was the last...the very last...Republican president with true intelligence, foresight, and an understanding of how our Democracy should work. Since then every Re-thug president has sold us down the river. The best that can be said about Saint Ronnie Raygun is that he was a glib con-man. We reached the end of the line in pure unmitigasted self-serving blather with Dubya. Or at least we thought we had...until we started to hear from Rudy.
bfellow wrote on November 10, 2007 12:58 AM:The real threat to this country is the election process. Dems offer up countless entitlement programs to entice poor voters. Repubs offer up bigger military spending and tax cuts for the rich. Both of these end up in the same place. Federal deficits. Campaigners are spending YOUR tax dollars before they even get in office by offering up all these very costly programs to get you to vote for them. All this debt is being bought by foreign governments, like has been mentions here.
Have you all heard of the sign in Washington that displays approx. where our national debt is? I have come up with a solution to keep our dollars in America. When I die, I am going to place all the money I made from the dot-com days into a binding trust. This money will stay there permanently, forever earning interest. I will have a ticker on my tombstone that displays how much money is in the trust at the time. Eventually, through the power of compounding interest, I will consume all the earths monetary value in the name of the United States of America.
easter wrote on November 10, 2007 1:05 AM:First of all. Politics is NOT bi-partisan. The very term is designed to give the illusion of choice. Just like the phrase "Federal Reserve System"
Secondly, if it's not bi-partisan, then what's going on? It's a bunch of rich people using the governmental body to dictate actions on their behalf. Rudy is in meetings with the (self-proclaimed) elites of the american central banking establishment, and they have an agenda. His very words are dictated to him, and he's so obsessed with gaining power that he'll help destroy this country to get it.
Lastly, what the hell am i doing posting a little note on a website that is NEVER going to have any impact on anything....ever!
Get your degrees in law and politics, get your asses to washington, and start stacking that god damned congressional building with people of sound morals and judgement (read: the opposite of what's there now)!!!!!!!!
elamb wrote on November 10, 2007 1:27 AM:Am I the only person that thinks that this dude is crazier than a fart in a duffel bag.
He will definitely be elected. Only then will people realize how power hungry he is... but it will be too late. Say goodbye to the constitution.
Guiliana and his bimbos wrote on November 10, 2007 1:55 AM:Americans indeed need to send a tough message to the world by NOT electing this IDIOT.
Deals wrote on November 10, 2007 4:01 AM:Did you guys know: that Romney's team has a war profiteer on it? Global Linguist Solution (GLS) is headed by Retired General James Marks.
James "Spider" Marks is the CEO of GLS and Vice President of McNeil Technologies. GLS is the joint venture between McNeil Technologies and Dyncorp International to bid for an INSCOM contract that....what a coincidence...Marks has inside connections with.
Didn't you hear? Dyncorp just 'lost' a billion dollars? Oops.
Romney endorsing Marks and his business practices is just another way to profit from the War in Iraq.
Jared wrote on November 10, 2007 4:16 AM:Kucinich is Americas only hope.
www.dennis4president.com
Lou wrote on November 10, 2007 7:48 AM:We already have enough nuclear weapons to destroy the earth 10 times over --- what more do we need to deter Russian and China?
Guillianni is talking like this because he knows this kind of talk is what the military-industrial complex wants to hear, and is the kind of message they want to give the American people. That way, Americans won't mind when billions of their tax dollars are spent on excessive military buildup.
Anonymous wrote on November 10, 2007 9:48 AM:I'm pretty sure the reason we keep having horrible leaders is because we have horrible voters.
Steve G wrote on November 10, 2007 9:57 AM:"Our military is too small to deal with the Islamic terrorism threats, but it really is too small to deter would-be aggressors to even think of challenging us."
I think my head just exploded. Does he realize we spend about as much on our military as the rest of the world combined. If 500+ billion dollars isn't enough to deal with cave dwellers we are in real trouble and spending more isn't going to help us.
This guy is nuts!!!!
The thought of this militant megalomaniac with his finger on the button is more than I can handle.
jenn wrote on November 10, 2007 12:20 PM:LOL! This guy is hysterical. People want us out of the war, they are upset about the debt and bill clinton has rock star status. Strike 1,2 and 3 rudy, you're outta here.
Will wrote on November 10, 2007 12:30 PM:So let me get this straight... Rudy wants to borrow money from China to dramatically increase our military to protect us from China???
Anonymous wrote on November 10, 2007 2:31 PM:Anonymous wrote on November 9, 2007 1:02 PM:
I think I saw data somewhere to the effect that Clinton left office with essentially the same miliaary budget as Bush the Elder.
In any event, blame Clinton, scream "liberal," scream "illigal immigrant," and swiftboating won't do it this time. The economony will be way in the dumper in 08 and we'll have years of Dems controlling the WH, the Senate and House.
I love it.
The democrats control the house right now and they lack the courage to stand up to the republicans. In 2006 Americans voted that they wanted a change, but right now the only thing the rivals the presidents low approval rating is congresses. Maybe a democrat in the whitehouse might change the country's direction though.
Anonymous wrote on November 10, 2007 4:22 PM:I read through most of these comments, and most of them are well writen, lucid and intelligent opinions, but like every other political article that bolsters such responses, this one is no different; we know what the deal is, we know what state our country is in. Anyone with half a brian can figure out that if we, the American people dont do something, things are just going to get worse, and not just for the U.S.A, but for most of the world. So in stead of posting passive agressive comments to these articles and blogs, why not start thinking about actually doing something. I realize that i myself am doing just what i was harping on about but maybe its finally time to take action. America has already seen one revolution. When it comes down to the total enslavement of the United States, the burning question on my mind is will the people fight to resist it, or beg and cry out for it.
slava wrote on November 14, 2007 8:24 AM:9/11 was an inside job. There is overwhelming amount of evidence to pointing to that fact. Do some research. You can start with many sites like Architects and Engineers for 9-11 Truth http://www.ae911truth.org/
, watch one of many excellent fims on the subject like
Architect Richard Gage "How the Towers Fell"
http://youtube.com/watch?v=rW6Oez7pag0&feature=PlayList&p=A7A2837423D0F7E1&index=7
Loose Change 2nd Edition
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Yx9NRX37SM&feature=PlayList&p=A7A2837423D0F7E1&index=48
any many others.
I think the real function of Benito Giuliani is to scare people into voting for Hillary. He does a pretty good job at that.
However he won't be nominated. Ron Paul is on a roll and is going to surprise a lot of "common taters". Unless the Diebold machines speak of course.
