Tonight’s debate

I would have to say I’ve heard the dumbest thing on any debate so far this season.  Mitt Romney got asked along the lines of, “ How do you end the war with the Taliban?”  Note that Ron Paul had just had his say about Iran, which his response was the usual, “we’re provoking them”.  Mitt’s answer?

“You beat ‘em.”

Sounds logical, even patriotic, right?

This is why you should have paid attention in history class, kids.  People have been trying to “beat ‘em” since Alexander the Great, with typically Pyrrhic results.  In the last couple hundred years, the Persians, Brits, Russians, and now us have tried; it is a losing proposition.  As long as a) you are a foreigner, and b) there’s one guy with a sharp stick left, they will not quit.  They will not surrender.

How do you beat ‘em?  You go in and take away their power to hurt you.  We had that basically done in the first month of air strikes.  Then you get out and let them go back to killing each other.  Because you could stay there 100 years “nation-building” and two weeks after you leave, they’ll be right back at it.  One place in the world I agree with Ron Paul.

Best thing said comes from Newt- “We don’t want to send someone (to the White House) just to preside over the decay.”  Think about the picture of our nation that THAT paints.

Quickie analysis:
Ron Paul.  Very strong tonight, except in foreign policy questions.  He’s going to have to get over the “we’re to blame for everything” schtick and realize that there are some people you just can’t TALK to.  Too much like President (Let’s just say we’re sorry) Obama for me.
Rick Santorum:  Brian Williams of NBC continues the “let’s just ignore him out of the game” plan.  He did okay, though, but plays too much to the Tea Party for my taste.  Very willing to blast everyone else for compromises- I think he’d live to regret that were he elected.  Did a good job on the Terri Shiavo questions.

Mitt Romney:  Mostly good, but was way out of his depth trying to attack Gingrich.  His definition of “influence peddler” would likely take in about 70% of America.  Totally disingenuous when he blamed his attacks on Gingrich on himself being attacked in the SoCar debates, since it was at the end of that debate he said he wanted to focus on Obama and not before.  Williams held out the bait and he took it.

Newt Gingrich:  Once again proves himself the master debater.  Also the master realist:  “(Obama’s) going to spend a billion dollars on the campaign.  If we don’t come together, we’ll have a difficult time overcoming it in the debates.”

Without going into details, if what I saw in links today were the best the left can throw up against him (personal opinions from overseas, vicious insults, and “nuff saids”), I gotta like his chances.