Uhhh… yes it is. WMD’s was not the only rationale they pushed. It’s just the one you heard. I recall vividly at the time arguing with people in Hannity about that exact thing. Even posting a white paper from 2002 that predicted the Arab spring should Iraq be democratized and the rise of extremist that would take advantage of it, and what the final outcome would be… eventually, a more democratic and moderate middle east. That white paper was pretty much on point across the board. Obama laughed it off as fantasy and screwed up the whole thing. then watched it happen and backed the wrong horses.
Well they should have told us regular Americans about it. Instead of us feeling all Gulf of Tonkin about the situation.
The entire antiwar movement was based on the wild ass claims that somehow a guy who couldn’t even afford to keep his MiG-23s in the air was developing a sophisticated nuclear weapons program and would lead to a nuclear 9/11.
I don’t think enough credit is given to the danger of the goal of BRICS? The more that join, the greater the probability it’s goal will come true. That goal is to have a currency, that is respected and coveted more than the US dollar. If that happened, it would be CATASTROPHIC to the US. Another economy wants to join and strengthen that endeavor.
Well it’s only devastating if everyone suddenly just offloads their dollars and starts trading in whatever currency Brics comes up with.
I highly doubt most western countries and SK and Japan would suddenly just say ■■■■■ the dollar” and go with whatever brain dead solution China and Russia cook up.
It will take time and there are many obstacles but…IMO…with our spending of being 35 trillion in debt…imagine if our dollar wasn’t valued around the world? It’s that power that allows our government to print and spend money it didn’t earn. BRICS is a threat to that, in as such…keep your eye on it.
somehow, I don’t think this trash is going to enhance the basket of trash
It’s definitely a long term issue if it takes off. China’s economy is done with its exponential growth now it’s only going to slack. And the Russians have seen fit to obliterate their entire economy shooting hypersonic missiles into Ukraine and refurbish tons of old Soviet tanks.
Those are the two somewhat serious economies in Brics but who knows if it’ll ever get its ■■■■ together.
Turkish money is literally one step away from hyper inflation. That’s why the EU keeps them at arms length from the Eurozone.
UPDATE:
The Russian foreign ministry has confirmed that Turkey submitted an application to join BRICS.
Russia is the current President Pro Tempore so BRICS applications go through the Russian foreign ministry.
again, so what? Adding Turkey’s trash currency won’t enhance the value of the other trash in the basket
Turkey is the 11th largest economy according to World Bank GDP-PPP figures. A weak currency has not prevented economic development.
Unlike Turkey, the US relies on the dominate position its currency to support its exploding national debt and widening trade imbalance. The main US export is dollars manufactured by the Federal Reserve. A weaker dollar is an existential threat the current US financial system.
A quick look at the map shows Turkey is at a strategic location between the Middle East and Europe and between the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. The BRICS application shows that Turkey is moving away from the US and Europe and towards Russia and China and other members of BRICS.
Turkey looking eastward is a huge long-term strategic issue.
Nominal GDP? LOL
Per Capita GDP is a measure of the standard of living. Turkey is 47th, right below Puerto Rico, which isn’t even a thing.
The BRICS application shows Turkey is trying to pressure the EU into opening the door. As far as moving away from NATO goes, they are not going to risk being let back into the F-35 project by dumping their S-400’s.
