Brittney Griner

[Tennesseer]

Dec 10, 2022 14:08:37 GMT -5 scgal said:

Dec 10, 2022 12:03:36 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

Donald Trump Freeing 5,000 Taliban Members Compared to Biden Griner Deal

Critics of the deal that saw basketball star Brittney Griner released from a Russian prison camp in exchange for a notorious arms dealer are being reminded how the Donald Trump administration negotiated the release of 5,000 Taliban prisoners.

A number of social media users pointed out how in 2020, the Trump administration negotiated a deal which saw 5,000 Taliban fighters freed in exchange for up to 1,000 Afghan government captives as part of a peace deal between the U.S. and Islamist militants.

After originally rejecting the proposal, then Afghan President Ashraf Ghani eventually went on to free the thousands of Taliban members by August 2020.

In a statement at the time, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the decision to release the prisoners was "unpopular," but would ultimately pave the way for the war in Afghanistan to end.

Writing on Twitter, Omar Rivero, founder of Occupy Democrats, said: "The same Trumpers who are losing their minds right now because Biden freed a single Russian arms dealer in exchange for the release of WNBA star Brittney Griner didn't say a peep when Trump freed over 5,000 Taliban prisoners. You really can't make this sh*t up..."

Human rights lawyer Qasim Rashid said: "Republicans completely ignored it when Trump released 5,000 Taliban terrorists into Afghanistan—but are now outraged that Biden helped return Brittney Griner to the United States. I can't quite figure out why.

"If you're upset that Biden exchanged an arms dealer for Brittany Griner—but approved Trump releasing 5,000 Taliban terrorists who then took over Afghanistan—stop pretending it's national security you care about," Rashid added.

Lawyer Tristan Snell tweeted: "In late 2018, Trump released Abdul Ghani Baradar, one of the top leaders of the Taliban, along with 5000 other Taliban fighters, in exchange for... *checks notes*... nobody."

One year after the Taliban members were freed, U.S. troops left Afghanistan ahead of the takeover of the country by the Jihadist group.

During the evacuation, a suicide bombing at Kabul airport on August 26, 2021, killed more than 180 people, including 13 U.S. service members.

ISIS-K, a Central Asia affiliate of the Islamic State group (ISIS), claimed responsibility for the attack.

In a briefing on Thursday, Biden said Griner was on her way back to the U.S. following "painstaking and intense negotiations," while promising the administration has "not forgotten about" Whelan.

Donald Trump Freeing 5,000 Taliban Members Compared to Biden Griner Deal

OMG he didn't release 5000 we didn't detain them. He was helping set up the peace talks. Talk about twisting the facts to fit your narrative. Nobody has been more terrorist friendly than Obama

The 5,000 would not have been released without trump's approval.

Had you not had your head so far up trump's ass you would have known that.

[tallguy]

Dec 10, 2022 14:08:37 GMT -5 scgal said:

Dec 10, 2022 12:03:36 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

Donald Trump Freeing 5,000 Taliban Members Compared to Biden Griner Deal

Critics of the deal that saw basketball star Brittney Griner released from a Russian prison camp in exchange for a notorious arms dealer are being reminded how the Donald Trump administration negotiated the release of 5,000 Taliban prisoners.

A number of social media users pointed out how in 2020, the Trump administration negotiated a deal which saw 5,000 Taliban fighters freed in exchange for up to 1,000 Afghan government captives as part of a peace deal between the U.S. and Islamist militants.

After originally rejecting the proposal, then Afghan President Ashraf Ghani eventually went on to free the thousands of Taliban members by August 2020.

In a statement at the time, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the decision to release the prisoners was "unpopular," but would ultimately pave the way for the war in Afghanistan to end.

Writing on Twitter, Omar Rivero, founder of Occupy Democrats, said: "The same Trumpers who are losing their minds right now because Biden freed a single Russian arms dealer in exchange for the release of WNBA star Brittney Griner didn't say a peep when Trump freed over 5,000 Taliban prisoners. You really can't make this sh*t up..."

Human rights lawyer Qasim Rashid said: "Republicans completely ignored it when Trump released 5,000 Taliban terrorists into Afghanistan—but are now outraged that Biden helped return Brittney Griner to the United States. I can't quite figure out why.

"If you're upset that Biden exchanged an arms dealer for Brittany Griner—but approved Trump releasing 5,000 Taliban terrorists who then took over Afghanistan—stop pretending it's national security you care about," Rashid added.

Lawyer Tristan Snell tweeted: "In late 2018, Trump released Abdul Ghani Baradar, one of the top leaders of the Taliban, along with 5000 other Taliban fighters, in exchange for... *checks notes*... nobody."

One year after the Taliban members were freed, U.S. troops left Afghanistan ahead of the takeover of the country by the Jihadist group.

During the evacuation, a suicide bombing at Kabul airport on August 26, 2021, killed more than 180 people, including 13 U.S. service members.

ISIS-K, a Central Asia affiliate of the Islamic State group (ISIS), claimed responsibility for the attack.

In a briefing on Thursday, Biden said Griner was on her way back to the U.S. following "painstaking and intense negotiations," while promising the administration has "not forgotten about" Whelan.

Donald Trump Freeing 5,000 Taliban Members Compared to Biden Griner Deal

OMG he didn't release 5000 we didn't detain them. He was helping set up the peace talks. Talk about twisting the facts to fit your narrative. Nobody has been more terrorist friendly than Obama

That is beyond stupid.  Under whose administration did we actually get Bin Laden?  Just to mention one....   

[tallguy]

Dec 10, 2022 16:38:42 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

Dec 10, 2022 14:08:37 GMT -5 scgal said:

OMG he didn't release 5000 we didn't detain them. He was helping set up the peace talks. Talk about twisting the facts to fit your narrative. Nobody has been more terrorist friendly than Obama

The 5,000 would not have been released without trump's approval.

Had you not had your head so far up trump's ass you would have known that.

The Afghani government, which was left out of the "negotiations" completely, initially opposed the release knowing how bad it would be.  I would not be surprised to hear they were pressured into accepting it by the Trump administration.  

[dondub]

Dec 10, 2022 14:08:37 GMT -5 scgal said:

Dec 10, 2022 12:03:36 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

Donald Trump Freeing 5,000 Taliban Members Compared to Biden Griner Deal

Critics of the deal that saw basketball star Brittney Griner released from a Russian prison camp in exchange for a notorious arms dealer are being reminded how the Donald Trump administration negotiated the release of 5,000 Taliban prisoners.

A number of social media users pointed out how in 2020, the Trump administration negotiated a deal which saw 5,000 Taliban fighters freed in exchange for up to 1,000 Afghan government captives as part of a peace deal between the U.S. and Islamist militants.

After originally rejecting the proposal, then Afghan President Ashraf Ghani eventually went on to free the thousands of Taliban members by August 2020.

In a statement at the time, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the decision to release the prisoners was "unpopular," but would ultimately pave the way for the war in Afghanistan to end.

Writing on Twitter, Omar Rivero, founder of Occupy Democrats, said: "The same Trumpers who are losing their minds right now because Biden freed a single Russian arms dealer in exchange for the release of WNBA star Brittney Griner didn't say a peep when Trump freed over 5,000 Taliban prisoners. You really can't make this sh*t up..."

Human rights lawyer Qasim Rashid said: "Republicans completely ignored it when Trump released 5,000 Taliban terrorists into Afghanistan—but are now outraged that Biden helped return Brittney Griner to the United States. I can't quite figure out why.

"If you're upset that Biden exchanged an arms dealer for Brittany Griner—but approved Trump releasing 5,000 Taliban terrorists who then took over Afghanistan—stop pretending it's national security you care about," Rashid added.

Lawyer Tristan Snell tweeted: "In late 2018, Trump released Abdul Ghani Baradar, one of the top leaders of the Taliban, along with 5000 other Taliban fighters, in exchange for... *checks notes*... nobody."

One year after the Taliban members were freed, U.S. troops left Afghanistan ahead of the takeover of the country by the Jihadist group.

During the evacuation, a suicide bombing at Kabul airport on August 26, 2021, killed more than 180 people, including 13 U.S. service members.

ISIS-K, a Central Asia affiliate of the Islamic State group (ISIS), claimed responsibility for the attack.

In a briefing on Thursday, Biden said Griner was on her way back to the U.S. following "painstaking and intense negotiations," while promising the administration has "not forgotten about" Whelan.

Donald Trump Freeing 5,000 Taliban Members Compared to Biden Griner Deal

OMG he didn't release 5000 we didn't detain them. He was helping set up the peace talks. Talk about twisting the facts to fit your narrative. Nobody has been more terrorist friendly than Obama

Many Trump supporters have shown a problem accepting various ‘truths’. Yes, 5000, including a main leader, were freed from prison.

And how was Obama ‘terrorist friendly’? The massive drone assassination program wasn’t friendly, that’s for sure. This just sounds like the false narratives created by the far right to trash him. He’s Muslim, he’s Kenyan, he’s this, he’s that. So feel free to back that up. Let’s see what ‘terrorist friendly’ looks like.

[scgal]

Dec 10, 2022 15:23:25 GMT -5 tallguy said:

Dec 10, 2022 14:00:58 GMT -5 scgal said:

I think your wrong Fast and Furious was under Obama in his first year he likes to say other wise but that is the truth. Bush had a similar program called wide open receiver.

As far as the aca the flawed system is an understatment. Taxing people because they don't want it is crap (one of the best things Trump did was end that). The high cost associated with it for the middle class was ridicilous. Our health ins went thru the roof when the ACA went into effect. The first year after Trump was in same insurance dropped to the lowest levels my company ever seen. 

Yes, there were several similar operations run out of the same Phoenix ATF office, led by the same people.  It is logical to assume that if they were allowed under the Bush administration that they believed they would also be allowed to do the same things under the Obama administration.  Bill Newell, the Special Agent in Charge, is on record however saying that there is no evidence that Eric Holder knew about it.  If his Attorney General did not know about it, it is logical to assume that President Obama did not know about it.  What is not in dispute is that the Obama administration put an end to it.

With regard to the ACA, you are ignoring or obscuring several facts.  Anecdotally, it is possible that you indeed were hurt a bit by it.  Tens of millions were helped.  That is not in dispute.  This is an area where Obama's attempts to collaborate and cooperate with Republicans resulted in a worse bill being passed.  You cannot logically blame Obama for that though.  If conservatives would have engaged on trying to do something good for the American people instead of uniting merely to deny Obama credit for a tremendously positive result, we would all have been better off.  The ACA was not the best bill that could have been crafted.  It WAS the best bill that could have passed.  And conservatives STILL were not finished, preferring to try and undo it by sabotage.  Instead of working with the plan to benefit their states, many red-state governors refused to expand Medicaid, condemning their poorer citizens to lower levels of care and/or death due to lack of care.  When trying to apportion blame for the ACA not being good enough, Democrats have a lot of company.  Republicans certainly deserve their share.  Insurance companies are due a healthy portion as well.  There is more, including that the whole plan was based on a conservative plan that had been created and adopted in Massachusetts, and which Republicans promptly turned their backs on, but what I have written already should be sufficient.       

Fast and furious there is alot of assumptions to let Obama off the hook the kind no one gives Trump but hey that's ok. Fact is fast and furious was an operation under Obama's administration where border agent Terry died. 

ACA fact is republicans were told you have to pass it to read it why? They knew it was full of crap in there. It may have been the best bill that could have passed but a turd is turd no matter how much you polish it. 

[scgal]

Dec 10, 2022 16:48:59 GMT -5 dondub said:

Dec 10, 2022 14:08:37 GMT -5 scgal said:

OMG he didn't release 5000 we didn't detain them. He was helping set up the peace talks. Talk about twisting the facts to fit your narrative. Nobody has been more terrorist friendly than Obama

Many Trump supporters have shown a problem accepting various ‘truths’. Yes, 5000, including a main leader, were freed from prison.

And how was Obama ‘terrorist friendly’? The massive drone assassination program wasn’t friendly, that’s for sure. This just sounds like the false narratives created by the far right to trash him. He’s Muslim, he’s Kenyan, he’s this, he’s that. So feel free to back that up. Let’s see what ‘terrorist friendly’ looks like.

Trading 5 terrorist for Bergdahl Why don't he just go over to the taliban and work from them he's no American

[Tennesseer]

Dec 10, 2022 16:42:52 GMT -5 tallguy said:

Dec 10, 2022 16:38:42 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

The 5,000 would not have been released without trump's approval.

Had you not had your head so far up trump's ass you would have known that.

The Afghani government, which was left out of the "negotiations" completely, initially opposed the release knowing how bad it would be.  I would not be surprised to hear they were pressured into accepting it by the Trump administration.  

That would be correct.

For scgal

By September 2020, the Afghan government had freed about 5,000 Taliban prisoners after a request from the Trump administration. A government mediation team remained on standby to travel to Doha for talks with the Taliban, but delays persisted.[46]

US–Taliban deal

“Our agreement is with the Americans and we have asked them to ensure that their side of the agreement is implemented. They keep giving us various reasons for the delay. We are ready to talk as soon as the prisoner release is complete,” Wardak said, referring to the agreement signed in February.

Talks between the Afghan warring sides aimed at lasting peace are expected to begin in the Qatari capital following the completion of the prisoner swap agreed as part of the United States-Taliban deal signed in Doha.

The West-backed Afghan government has reluctantly released most of the 5,000 Taliban prisoners under pressure from the Trump administration, but is still holding some Taliban fighters who have serious charges against them.

Prisoner release issue continues to impede intra-Afghan talks

[tallguy]

Dec 10, 2022 17:12:43 GMT -5 scgal said:

Dec 10, 2022 15:23:25 GMT -5 tallguy said:

Yes, there were several similar operations run out of the same Phoenix ATF office, led by the same people.  It is logical to assume that if they were allowed under the Bush administration that they believed they would also be allowed to do the same things under the Obama administration.  Bill Newell, the Special Agent in Charge, is on record however saying that there is no evidence that Eric Holder knew about it.  If his Attorney General did not know about it, it is logical to assume that President Obama did not know about it.  What is not in dispute is that the Obama administration put an end to it.

With regard to the ACA, you are ignoring or obscuring several facts.  Anecdotally, it is possible that you indeed were hurt a bit by it.  Tens of millions were helped.  That is not in dispute.  This is an area where Obama's attempts to collaborate and cooperate with Republicans resulted in a worse bill being passed.  You cannot logically blame Obama for that though.  If conservatives would have engaged on trying to do something good for the American people instead of uniting merely to deny Obama credit for a tremendously positive result, we would all have been better off.  The ACA was not the best bill that could have been crafted.  It WAS the best bill that could have passed.  And conservatives STILL were not finished, preferring to try and undo it by sabotage.  Instead of working with the plan to benefit their states, many red-state governors refused to expand Medicaid, condemning their poorer citizens to lower levels of care and/or death due to lack of care.  When trying to apportion blame for the ACA not being good enough, Democrats have a lot of company.  Republicans certainly deserve their share.  Insurance companies are due a healthy portion as well.  There is more, including that the whole plan was based on a conservative plan that had been created and adopted in Massachusetts, and which Republicans promptly turned their backs on, but what I have written already should be sufficient.       

Fast and furious there is alot of assumptions to let Obama off the hook the kind no one gives Trump but hey that's ok. Fact is fast and furious was an operation under Obama's administration where border agent Terry died. 

ACA fact is republicans were told you have to pass it to read it why? They knew it was full of crap in there. It may have been the best bill that could have passed but a turd is turd no matter how much you polish it. 

It was an operation during Obama's first year as president.  "During" does not equate with "under."  It was the same people doing an apparent carryover from the last few years under Bush.  There is no evidence that Obama was involved or even knew about it, much less approved it.  There is proof that he ended it. 

ACA - Blame Republicans who wouldn't engage and then sabotaged it at every opportunity, even though it was originally a conservative plan.  Blame insurance companies who wrote themselves favorable terms and then scammed even more money for themselves.  Blame Democrats too, but don't forget the others.

[dondub]

Dec 10, 2022 17:16:36 GMT -5 scgal said:

Dec 10, 2022 16:48:59 GMT -5 dondub said:

Many Trump supporters have shown a problem accepting various ‘truths’. Yes, 5000, including a main leader, were freed from prison.

And how was Obama ‘terrorist friendly’? The massive drone assassination program wasn’t friendly, that’s for sure. This just sounds like the false narratives created by the far right to trash him. He’s Muslim, he’s Kenyan, he’s this, he’s that. So feel free to back that up. Let’s see what ‘terrorist friendly’ looks like.

Trading 5 terrorist for Bergdahl Why don't he just go over to the taliban and work from them he's no American

There you have it ladies and gentlemen. Her Trump can free 5000 hardened Taliban terrorists…no problem. The ‘Other’ president trades FIVE for the confused American serviceman Bergdahl and he should “just go to the Taliban and work for them he’s no American”. Is your sense of reason really that corrupted that Trump gets a free pass for 1000 times more?

[pulmonarymd]

Dec 10, 2022 17:46:54 GMT -5 dondub said:

Dec 10, 2022 17:16:36 GMT -5 scgal said:

Trading 5 terrorist for Bergdahl Why don't he just go over to the taliban and work from them he's no American

There you have it ladies and gentlemen. Her Trump can free 5000 hardened Taliban terrorists…no problem. The ‘Other’ president trades FIVE for the confused American serviceman Bergdahl and he should “just go to the Taliban and work for them he’s no American”. Is your sense of reason really that corrupted that Trump gets a free pass for 1000 times more?

She can’t even criticize trumps call to suspend the constitution. She just said it was crazy and he misspoke. Because he is so outrageous he gets a pass.

If any democrat said what he said, there r we oils be a parade of republicans calling them Un-American and Fox News would be talking about it 23/7

[Opti]

Dec 10, 2022 17:16:36 GMT -5 scgal said:

Dec 10, 2022 16:48:59 GMT -5 dondub said:

Many Trump supporters have shown a problem accepting various ‘truths’. Yes, 5000, including a main leader, were freed from prison.

And how was Obama ‘terrorist friendly’? The massive drone assassination program wasn’t friendly, that’s for sure. This just sounds like the false narratives created by the far right to trash him. He’s Muslim, he’s Kenyan, he’s this, he’s that. So feel free to back that up. Let’s see what ‘terrorist friendly’ looks like.

Trading 5 terrorist for Bergdahl Why don't he just go over to the taliban and work from them he's no American

Why doesn't he go work for his jailers? Are you for real on this?

[Tennesseer]

Dec 10, 2022 18:12:16 GMT -5 Opti said:

Dec 10, 2022 17:16:36 GMT -5 scgal said:

Trading 5 terrorist for Bergdahl Why don't he just go over to the taliban and work from them he's no American

Why doesn't he go work for his jailers? Are you for real on this?

scgal will next be posting she wants to suspend the Constution and install Trump as president.

[Opti]

Dec 10, 2022 18:15:55 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

Dec 10, 2022 18:12:16 GMT -5 Opti said:

Why doesn't he go work for his jailers? Are you for real on this?

scgal will next be posting she wants to suspend the Constution and install Trump as president.

I don't think so, but I have been wrong before. 

[tallguy]

Dec 10, 2022 18:12:16 GMT -5 Opti said:

Dec 10, 2022 17:16:36 GMT -5 scgal said:

Trading 5 terrorist for Bergdahl Why don't he just go over to the taliban and work from them he's no American

Why doesn't he go work for his jailers? Are you for real on this?

I'm guessing that referred to Obama, not Bergdahl.  It is still another comment that qualifies as beyond stupid, but not THAT stupid.

[Opti]

Dec 10, 2022 18:24:02 GMT -5 tallguy said:

Dec 10, 2022 18:12:16 GMT -5 Opti said:

Why doesn't he go work for his jailers? Are you for real on this?

I'm guessing that referred to Obama, not Bergdahl.  It is still another comment that qualifies as beyond stupid, but not THAT stupid.

OK, but given Trump apparently has worked for the Taliban given his deal with them over the Afghan govt, can we send him there or Russia since he works for them it seems more than us in the US?

[tallguy]

Dec 10, 2022 18:26:27 GMT -5 Opti said:

Dec 10, 2022 18:24:02 GMT -5 tallguy said:

I'm guessing that referred to Obama, not Bergdahl.  It is still another comment that qualifies as beyond stupid, but not THAT stupid.

OK, but given Trump apparently has worked for the Taliban given his deal with them over the Afghan govt, can we send him there or Russia since he works for them it seems more than us in the US?

Except then he would have even more reason to sell out the U.S.  Lord knows the greed and phony adulation he always falls for should be enough for Russia to get whatever they want out of him, but if he were also to hold an actual grudge while not being here to exploit his followers any more?  Far better for the country if we just execute him.

[Tennesseer]

"Dead men tell no tales"

[weltschmerz]

Dec 10, 2022 18:15:55 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

Dec 10, 2022 18:12:16 GMT -5 Opti said:

Why doesn't he go work for his jailers? Are you for real on this?

scgal will next be posting she wants to suspend the Constution and install Trump as president.

scgal will next be posting she wants to suspend the Constution and install Trump as King for Life.

**fixed**

[weltschmerz]

Navalny is on CNN right now. You should watch it.

[djAdvocate]

Dec 10, 2022 14:00:58 GMT -5 scgal said:

Dec 10, 2022 9:56:41 GMT -5 djAdvocate said:

Fast and Furious started under W.
ISIS was not handled well.
and the ACA was the only meaningful healthcare reform since WW2.
i agree that it was flawed, but i don't agree that it was not worth doing.

I think your wrong Fast and Furious was under Obama in his first year he likes to say other wise but that is the truth. Bush had a similar program called wide open receiver.

www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2012/01/05/144761413/documents-suggest-bush-administration-used-fast-and-furious-tactics

i am not much on what things are called.  the program under Bush was nearly identical.  the program was continued under Obama, but there is no evidence he knew about it until the ISSUES with it came to light.

[djAdvocate]

Dec 10, 2022 14:00:58 GMT -5 scgal said:

Dec 10, 2022 9:56:41 GMT -5 djAdvocate said:

Fast and Furious started under W.
ISIS was not handled well.
and the ACA was the only meaningful healthcare reform since WW2.
i agree that it was flawed, but i don't agree that it was not worth doing.

As far as the aca the flawed system is an understatment. Taxing people because they don't want it is crap (one of the best things Trump did was end that). The high cost associated with it for the middle class was ridicilous. 

first of all, there has been a problem in our healthcare system since Reagan.  under a policy instituted by him (which i happen to think is deeply humane), nobody can be turned away for emergency medical care if they lack insurance.  what this did, effectively, is place the burden of the uninsured on the insured.  so, whether you LIKE IT OR NOT, you have been paying for the uninsured since 1986.

what Obama did was to REVERSE that.  he put the burden of the uninsured on the uninsured.  that seems RATIONAL AND FAIR to me, not "crap".  i think one of the things Democrats fail to do is to point out the rationale behind policy, and how it FIXES defects in existing policy, and the ACA was a DISMAL PR failure.

oh, and i don't think the GOP fixed the mandate issue.  it was fixed in the courts.

[djAdvocate]

Dec 10, 2022 14:08:37 GMT -5 scgal said:

Dec 10, 2022 12:03:36 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

Donald Trump Freeing 5,000 Taliban Members Compared to Biden Griner Deal

Critics of the deal that saw basketball star Brittney Griner released from a Russian prison camp in exchange for a notorious arms dealer are being reminded how the Donald Trump administration negotiated the release of 5,000 Taliban prisoners.

A number of social media users pointed out how in 2020, the Trump administration negotiated a deal which saw 5,000 Taliban fighters freed in exchange for up to 1,000 Afghan government captives as part of a peace deal between the U.S. and Islamist militants.

After originally rejecting the proposal, then Afghan President Ashraf Ghani eventually went on to free the thousands of Taliban members by August 2020.

In a statement at the time, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the decision to release the prisoners was "unpopular," but would ultimately pave the way for the war in Afghanistan to end.

Writing on Twitter, Omar Rivero, founder of Occupy Democrats, said: "The same Trumpers who are losing their minds right now because Biden freed a single Russian arms dealer in exchange for the release of WNBA star Brittney Griner didn't say a peep when Trump freed over 5,000 Taliban prisoners. You really can't make this sh*t up..."

Human rights lawyer Qasim Rashid said: "Republicans completely ignored it when Trump released 5,000 Taliban terrorists into Afghanistan—but are now outraged that Biden helped return Brittney Griner to the United States. I can't quite figure out why.

"If you're upset that Biden exchanged an arms dealer for Brittany Griner—but approved Trump releasing 5,000 Taliban terrorists who then took over Afghanistan—stop pretending it's national security you care about," Rashid added.

Lawyer Tristan Snell tweeted: "In late 2018, Trump released Abdul Ghani Baradar, one of the top leaders of the Taliban, along with 5000 other Taliban fighters, in exchange for... *checks notes*... nobody."

One year after the Taliban members were freed, U.S. troops left Afghanistan ahead of the takeover of the country by the Jihadist group.

During the evacuation, a suicide bombing at Kabul airport on August 26, 2021, killed more than 180 people, including 13 U.S. service members.

ISIS-K, a Central Asia affiliate of the Islamic State group (ISIS), claimed responsibility for the attack.

In a briefing on Thursday, Biden said Griner was on her way back to the U.S. following "painstaking and intense negotiations," while promising the administration has "not forgotten about" Whelan.

Donald Trump Freeing 5,000 Taliban Members Compared to Biden Griner Deal

OMG he didn't release 5000 we didn't detain them. He was helping set up the peace talks. Talk about twisting the facts to fit your narrative. Nobody has been more terrorist friendly than Obama

i would argue that Bush was more terrorist friendly before 911.  he just didn't know he was being terrorist friendly.

[azucena]

Dec 10, 2022 8:06:31 GMT -5 scgal said:

Dec 9, 2022 16:29:07 GMT -5 pulmonarymd said:

Yeah, whats a little insurrection among friends. I am sure you agree that we should suspend the constitution an install Trump as president.

The idea that you think Trump is better than anyone is so ridiculous that it makes me question your intelligence. All you constitution worshiping conservatives all have nothing to say about his remarks, defend him, or say he didn't mean it.

I don't defend anything I will call him out also. I said many times he shoots his mouth off. At the same time I won't try to twist and misinterpret something that he does just to fit my disapproval either. This whole constitution thing he said is crazy he jumped off the cliff on this one

Care to call Trump out on any actions besides just words?

[azucena]

Dec 10, 2022 14:00:58 GMT -5 scgal said:

Dec 10, 2022 9:56:41 GMT -5 djAdvocate said:

Fast and Furious started under W.
ISIS was not handled well.
and the ACA was the only meaningful healthcare reform since WW2.
i agree that it was flawed, but i don't agree that it was not worth doing.

I think your wrong Fast and Furious was under Obama in his first year he likes to say other wise but that is the truth. Bush had a similar program called wide open receiver.

As far as the aca the flawed system is an understatment. Taxing people because they don't want it is crap (one of the best things Trump did was end that). The high cost associated with it for the middle class was ridicilous. Our health ins went thru the roof when the ACA went into effect. The first year after Trump was in same insurance dropped to the lowest levels my company ever seen. 

Still a squirrel argument.

[djAdvocate]

Dec 10, 2022 15:23:25 GMT -5 tallguy said:

Dec 10, 2022 14:00:58 GMT -5 scgal said:

I think your wrong Fast and Furious was under Obama in his first year he likes to say other wise but that is the truth. Bush had a similar program called wide open receiver.

As far as the aca the flawed system is an understatment. Taxing people because they don't want it is crap (one of the best things Trump did was end that). The high cost associated with it for the middle class was ridicilous. Our health ins went thru the roof when the ACA went into effect. The first year after Trump was in same insurance dropped to the lowest levels my company ever seen. 

Yes, there were several similar operations run out of the same Phoenix ATF office, led by the same people.  It is logical to assume that if they were allowed under the Bush administration that they believed they would also be allowed to do the same things under the Obama administration.  Bill Newell, the Special Agent in Charge, is on record however saying that there is no evidence that Eric Holder knew about it.  If his Attorney General did not know about it, it is logical to assume that President Obama did not know about it.  What is not in dispute is that the Obama administration put an end to it.

With regard to the ACA, you are ignoring or obscuring several facts.  Anecdotally, it is possible that you indeed were hurt a bit by it.  Tens of millions were helped.  That is not in dispute.  This is an area where Obama's attempts to collaborate and cooperate with Republicans resulted in a worse bill being passed.  You cannot logically blame Obama for that though.  If conservatives would have engaged on trying to do something good for the American people instead of uniting merely to deny Obama credit for a tremendously positive result, we would all have been better off.  The ACA was not the best bill that could have been crafted.  It WAS the best bill that could have passed.  And conservatives STILL were not finished, preferring to try and undo it by sabotage.  Instead of working with the plan to benefit their states, many red-state governors refused to expand Medicaid, condemning their poorer citizens to lower levels of care and/or death due to lack of care.  When trying to apportion blame for the ACA not being good enough, Democrats have a lot of company.  Republicans certainly deserve their share.  Insurance companies are due a healthy portion as well.  There is more, including that the whole plan was based on a conservative plan that had been created and adopted in Massachusetts, and which Republicans promptly turned their backs on, but what I have written already should be sufficient.       

i have said this before, but i detest private insurance for GENERAL MEDICINE.  the reason being that insurance companies profit by having you NOT use your insurance.  in other words, they are adversarial to healthy outcomes.  i can't think of another industry that you PAY to work AGAINST you.  insurance is unique and horrible in this respect and should ONLY be used for "luxury items" like specialized care that is unavailable and USUALLY unneeded for the mass of the public.

[azucena]

Dec 11, 2022 6:15:17 GMT -5 djAdvocate said:

Dec 10, 2022 14:00:58 GMT -5 scgal said:

As far as the aca the flawed system is an understatment. Taxing people because they don't want it is crap (one of the best things Trump did was end that). The high cost associated with it for the middle class was ridicilous. 

first of all, there has been a problem in our healthcare system since Reagan.  under a policy instituted by him (which i happen to think is deeply humane), nobody can be turned away for emergency medical care if they lack insurance.  what this did, effectively, is place the burden of the uninsured on the insured.  so, whether you LIKE IT OR NOT, you have been paying for the uninsured since 1986.

what Obama did was to REVERSE that.  he put the burden of the uninsured on the uninsured.  that seems RATIONAL AND FAIR to me, not "crap".  i think one of the things Democrats fail to do is to point out the rationale behind policy, and how it FIXES defects in existing policy, and the ACA was a DISMAL PR failure.

oh, and i don't think the GOP fixed the mandate issue.  it was fixed in the courts.

Dj - just wanted to let you know that I learn a lot from your postings. Sometimes I have to ask questions or research a bit mote to understand since I tend to tune out the news (top depressing and frustrating and fright for my mental health). Your posts keep me coming to check political so thank you.

[djAdvocate]

Dec 11, 2022 6:20:48 GMT -5 azucena said:

Dec 10, 2022 14:00:58 GMT -5 scgal said:

I think your wrong Fast and Furious was under Obama in his first year he likes to say other wise but that is the truth. Bush had a similar program called wide open receiver.

As far as the aca the flawed system is an understatment. Taxing people because they don't want it is crap (one of the best things Trump did was end that). The high cost associated with it for the middle class was ridicilous. Our health ins went thru the roof when the ACA went into effect. The first year after Trump was in same insurance dropped to the lowest levels my company ever seen. 

Still a squirrel argument.

i really don't like personalizing the debate.  for every anecdote, another on the opposite side can be offered.

for example, my friend, a self employed person with a chronic back condition, a wife and two kids, could not afford private insurance.  when the exchanges opened up, he bought it for his entire family.  it transformed his life.

we could do that kind of crap ALL DAY and it would accomplish nothing.  this is why i prefer to discuss matters generally, not anecdotally.  

[djAdvocate]

Dec 11, 2022 6:25:17 GMT -5 azucena said:

Dec 11, 2022 6:15:17 GMT -5 djAdvocate said:

first of all, there has been a problem in our healthcare system since Reagan.  under a policy instituted by him (which i happen to think is deeply humane), nobody can be turned away for emergency medical care if they lack insurance.  what this did, effectively, is place the burden of the uninsured on the insured.  so, whether you LIKE IT OR NOT, you have been paying for the uninsured since 1986.

what Obama did was to REVERSE that.  he put the burden of the uninsured on the uninsured.  that seems RATIONAL AND FAIR to me, not "crap".  i think one of the things Democrats fail to do is to point out the rationale behind policy, and how it FIXES defects in existing policy, and the ACA was a DISMAL PR failure.

oh, and i don't think the GOP fixed the mandate issue.  it was fixed in the courts.

Dj - just wanted to let you know that I learn a lot from your postings. Sometimes I have to ask questions or research a bit mote to understand since I tend to tune out the news (top depressing and frustrating and fright for my mental health). Your posts keep me coming to check political so thank you.

az: that is perhaps the nicest thing anyone has said to me on the board.
thank YOU.

[djAdvocate]

Dec 10, 2022 17:12:43 GMT -5 scgal said:

Dec 10, 2022 15:23:25 GMT -5 tallguy said:

Yes, there were several similar operations run out of the same Phoenix ATF office, led by the same people.  It is logical to assume that if they were allowed under the Bush administration that they believed they would also be allowed to do the same things under the Obama administration.  Bill Newell, the Special Agent in Charge, is on record however saying that there is no evidence that Eric Holder knew about it.  If his Attorney General did not know about it, it is logical to assume that President Obama did not know about it.  What is not in dispute is that the Obama administration put an end to it.

With regard to the ACA, you are ignoring or obscuring several facts.  Anecdotally, it is possible that you indeed were hurt a bit by it.  Tens of millions were helped.  That is not in dispute.  This is an area where Obama's attempts to collaborate and cooperate with Republicans resulted in a worse bill being passed.  You cannot logically blame Obama for that though.  If conservatives would have engaged on trying to do something good for the American people instead of uniting merely to deny Obama credit for a tremendously positive result, we would all have been better off.  The ACA was not the best bill that could have been crafted.  It WAS the best bill that could have passed.  And conservatives STILL were not finished, preferring to try and undo it by sabotage.  Instead of working with the plan to benefit their states, many red-state governors refused to expand Medicaid, condemning their poorer citizens to lower levels of care and/or death due to lack of care.  When trying to apportion blame for the ACA not being good enough, Democrats have a lot of company.  Republicans certainly deserve their share.  Insurance companies are due a healthy portion as well.  There is more, including that the whole plan was based on a conservative plan that had been created and adopted in Massachusetts, and which Republicans promptly turned their backs on, but what I have written already should be sufficient.       

Fast and furious there is alot of assumptions to let Obama off the hook the kind no one gives Trump but hey that's ok. Fact is fast and furious was an operation under Obama's administration where border agent Terry died. 

ACA fact is republicans were told you have to pass it to read it why? They knew it was full of crap in there. It may have been the best bill that could have passed but a turd is turd no matter how much you polish it. 

that was a comment about procedure, i believe.
the reason is that until a bill is passed, it is undergoing editing.
Nancy made that comment prior to the ACA reaching it's final form.
a lot has been made of that remark, but it is true for EVERY bill.

[azucena]

Dec 11, 2022 6:26:41 GMT -5 djAdvocate said:

Dec 11, 2022 6:20:48 GMT -5 azucena said:

Still a squirrel argument.

i really don't like personalizing the debate.  for every anecdote, another on the opposite side can be offered.

for example, my friend, a self employed person with a chronic back condition, a wife and two kids, could not afford private insurance.  when the exchanges opened up, he bought it for his entire family.  it transformed his life.

we could do that kind of crap ALL DAY and it would accomplish nothing.  this is why i prefer to discuss matters generally, not anecdotally.  

Your posts reflect that and are likely better for it.

ACA affected me personally with the removal of pre-existing conditions. As a couple, DH and I have always had great insurance through my jobs. Pre-exisiting conditions clauses kept me in a lower paying professional $30k job for almost 5 extra years as I couldn't interview elsewhere without the fear of DH not being covered due to his ulcerative colitis, two hip replacements, severe anemia, and ostomy during our first 5 yrs of marriage. ACA lifted that and I could begin interviewing freely and landed my current job where I started at $60k.