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America dropped 26,171 bombs in 2016. What a bloody end to Obama's reign
Topic Started: Jan 9 2017, 01:05 PM (355 Views)
Cymru
Alt-Right
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https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/jan/09/america-dropped-26171-bombs-2016-obama-legacy

Quote:
 
While candidate Obama came to office pledging to end George W Bush’s wars, he leaves office having been at war longer than any president in US history. He is also the only president to serve two complete terms with the nation at war.

President Obama did reduce the number of US soldiers fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq, but he dramatically expanded the air wars and the use of special operations forces around the globe. In 2016, US special operators could be found in 70% of the world’s nations, 138 countries – a staggering jump of 130% since the days of the Bush administration.

Looking back at President Obama’s legacy, the Council on Foreign Relation’s Micah Zenko added up the defense department’s data on airstrikes and made a startling revelation: in 2016 alone, the Obama administration dropped at least 26,171 bombs. This means that every day last year, the US military blasted combatants or civilians overseas with 72 bombs; that’s three bombs every hour, 24 hours a day.

While most of these air attacks were in Syria and Iraq, US bombs also rained down on people in Afghanistan, Libya, Yemen, Somalia and Pakistan. That’s seven majority-Muslim countries.


Kind of puts things in perspective doesn't it?

Especially when our media is getting hysterical about the Russian 'threat'.
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Steve K
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You want perspective?

How many civilian airliners did he have shoot down? How much territory did he illegally annex by military force? How many murderous regimes did he support by illegally bombing their opponents? How many rescue workers did he kill by use of double tap bombing to deliberately target them?

That'd be zero then, unlike for certain other leaders some here praise.

So perspective doesn't do Obama so bad does it compared to certain leaders to the East of us

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The Buccaneer
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The problem with 'whataboutery' is that there's always someone worse to compare to, but it doesn't absolve Obama of his decisions.
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Steve K
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The Buccaneer
Jan 9 2017, 02:19 PM
The problem with 'whataboutery' is that there's always someone worse to compare to, but it doesn't absolve Obama of his decisions.
Ah but when an OP asks for 'perspective' surely it should be provided
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Affa
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26,171 bombs.
How many lives did they take?
That's the only perspective that bothers me.
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Steve K
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Affa
Jan 9 2017, 04:50 PM
26,171 bombs.
How many lives did they take?
That's the only perspective that bothers me.
Very hard to tell. A lot of them seem to have been dropped on vehicles such as tankers that may or may not have been occupied at the time. As I've said before, USA rules of engagement are not those the UK uses or would choose.

Here's the main source data that was used: http://www.afcent.af.mil/Portals/82/December%20Airpower%20Summary.pdf?ver=2017-01-04-094321-250

And here's the Micah Zenko and Jennifer Wilson analysis article the Guardian blatantly ripped off: http://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/scary-fact-america-dropped-26171-bombs-7-countries-2016-18961
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RoofGardener
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Quote:
 

..... While most of these air attacks were in Syria and Iraq, US bombs also rained down on people in Afghanistan, Libya, Yemen, Somalia and Pakistan. That’s seven majority-Muslim countries.

Pakistan ??
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papasmurf
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I wonder if that number includes drone launched missiles.
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Affa
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Whatever ......... it's a lot of widows (or widowers), and orphans. Winning 'hearts and minds' it isn't.
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Malum Unus
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Steve K
Jan 9 2017, 05:59 PM
Affa
Jan 9 2017, 04:50 PM
26,171 bombs.
How many lives did they take?
That's the only perspective that bothers me.
Very hard to tell. A lot of them seem to have been dropped on vehicles such as tankers that may or may not have been occupied at the time. As I've said before, USA rules of engagement are not those the UK uses or would choose.

Here's the main source data that was used: http://www.afcent.af.mil/Portals/82/December%20Airpower%20Summary.pdf?ver=2017-01-04-094321-250

And here's the Micah Zenko and Jennifer Wilson analysis article the Guardian blatantly ripped off: http://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/scary-fact-america-dropped-26171-bombs-7-countries-2016-18961


Well, look on the bright side, at least they weren't dropping bombs on our forces this time.

In war, with allies like the Americans, you don't need enemies.
Edited by Malum Unus, Jan 9 2017, 10:44 PM.
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Curious Cdn
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Cymru
Jan 9 2017, 01:05 PM
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/jan/09/america-dropped-26171-bombs-2016-obama-legacy

Quote:
 
While candidate Obama came to office pledging to end George W Bush’s wars, he leaves office having been at war longer than any president in US history. He is also the only president to serve two complete terms with the nation at war.

President Obama did reduce the number of US soldiers fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq, but he dramatically expanded the air wars and the use of special operations forces around the globe. In 2016, US special operators could be found in 70% of the world’s nations, 138 countries – a staggering jump of 130% since the days of the Bush administration.

Looking back at President Obama’s legacy, the Council on Foreign Relation’s Micah Zenko added up the defense department’s data on airstrikes and made a startling revelation: in 2016 alone, the Obama administration dropped at least 26,171 bombs. This means that every day last year, the US military blasted combatants or civilians overseas with 72 bombs; that’s three bombs every hour, 24 hours a day.

While most of these air attacks were in Syria and Iraq, US bombs also rained down on people in Afghanistan, Libya, Yemen, Somalia and Pakistan. That’s seven majority-Muslim countries.


Kind of puts things in perspective doesn't it?

Especially when our media is getting hysterical about the Russian 'threat'.
I'm afraid that I've lost count. How many bombs did the Russians drop on those Syrian civilians, ISIS, the Kurds, the Ukranians, this year? It must be a hell of a high number!
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RoofGardener
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I'm puzzled.

The OPA mentions 26,171 bombs dropped on various middle-eastern countries.

Is the objection that the bombs where dropped... or that there weren't ENOUGH of them ? !jk!
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C-too
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One of the recurring problems on this forum is the single minded subjective assessments that are put forward by some posters, leaving it for others to attempt to bring some balance to such posts.
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Affa
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Curious Cdn
Jan 9 2017, 11:34 PM

I'm afraid that I've lost count. How many bombs did the Russians drop on those Syrian civilians, ISIS, the Kurds, the Ukranians, this year? It must be a hell of a high number!

It adds up!
With all these bombs, all the shelling that all sides exchange, all the bullets that have flown, it's amazing there is anyone left to kill.
Edited by Affa, Jan 10 2017, 11:23 AM.
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Curious Cdn
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Affa
Jan 10 2017, 11:22 AM
Curious Cdn
Jan 9 2017, 11:34 PM

I'm afraid that I've lost count. How many bombs did the Russians drop on those Syrian civilians, ISIS, the Kurds, the Ukranians, this year? It must be a hell of a high number!

It adds up!
With all these bombs, all the shelling that all sides exchange, all the bullets that have flown, it's amazing there is anyone left to kill.
I blame Obama.
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Affa
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Curious Cdn
Jan 10 2017, 12:02 PM
Affa
Jan 10 2017, 11:22 AM
Curious Cdn
Jan 9 2017, 11:34 PM

I'm afraid that I've lost count. How many bombs did the Russians drop on those Syrian civilians, ISIS, the Kurds, the Ukranians, this year? It must be a hell of a high number!

It adds up!
With all these bombs, all the shelling that all sides exchange, all the bullets that have flown, it's amazing there is anyone left to kill.
I blame Obama.

The armaments trade isn't in recession ......... money to be made.
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RoofGardener
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C-too
Jan 10 2017, 09:15 AM
One of the recurring problems on this forum is the single minded subjective assessments that are put forward by some posters, leaving it for others to attempt to bring some balance to such posts.
Isn't that the essence of debate ?

Thesis, plus antithesis, produces synthesis hysterisis ;D
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Alberich
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You can't simply take the number of bombs dropped, and extrapolate from that figure the conclusion that suits your own prejudices without also examining the motivation behind the air attacks, and at whom they were targeted. And as they were mainly aimed at terrorist Muslim groupings, some might argue that makes a lot of sense.
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C-too
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RoofGardener
Jan 10 2017, 03:29 PM
C-too
Jan 10 2017, 09:15 AM
One of the recurring problems on this forum is the single minded subjective assessments that are put forward by some posters, leaving it for others to attempt to bring some balance to such posts.
Isn't that the essence of debate ?

Thesis, plus antithesis, produces synthesis hysterisis ;D
I prefer objectivity to subjectivity in debate.
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johnofgwent
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papasmurf
Jan 9 2017, 08:47 PM
I wonder if that number includes drone launched missiles.
would that matter ?

surely it's not the thing that drops them that matters, it's what they land on.
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Curious Cdn
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America dropped 26,171 bombs in 2016

They have a "best before date", you know. Drop'em or bin 'em ...
Edited by Curious Cdn, Aug 25 2017, 11:10 PM.
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C-too
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Cymru
Jan 9 2017, 01:05 PM
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/jan/09/america-dropped-26171-bombs-2016-obama-legacy
Quote:
 
While candidate Obama came to office pledging to end George W Bush’s wars, he leaves office having been at war longer than any president in US history. He is also the only president to serve two complete terms with the nation at war.

President Obama did reduce the number of US soldiers fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq, but he dramatically expanded the air wars and the use of special operations forces around the globe. In 2016, US special operators could be found in 70% of the world’s nations, 138 countries – a staggering jump of 130% since the days of the Bush administration.

Looking back at President Obama’s legacy, the Council on Foreign Relation’s Micah Zenko added up the defense department’s data on airstrikes and made a startling revelation: in 2016 alone, the Obama administration dropped at least 26,171 bombs. This means that every day last year, the US military blasted combatants or civilians overseas with 72 bombs; that’s three bombs every hour, 24 hours a day.

While most of these air attacks were in Syria and Iraq, US bombs also rained down on people in Afghanistan, Libya, Yemen, Somalia and Pakistan. That’s seven majority-Muslim countries.


Kind of puts things in perspective doesn't it?

Especially when our media is getting hysterical about the Russian 'threat'.
Nope, because firstly America hasn't bombed the Yemen and secondly it misses out so much of the history and the entanglement of politics and sectarianism in the area.

It seems that America hasn't bombed the Yemen, in which case how much more of the information posted on the OP is incorrect ?

http://www.telesurtv.net/english/analysis/Why-Saudia-Arabia-is-Bombing-Yemen-20150328-0004.html
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Oddball
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Curious Cdn
Jan 10 2017, 12:02 PM
Affa
Jan 10 2017, 11:22 AM
Curious Cdn
Jan 9 2017, 11:34 PM

I'm afraid that I've lost count. How many bombs did the Russians drop on those Syrian civilians, ISIS, the Kurds, the Ukranians, this year? It must be a hell of a high number!

It adds up!
With all these bombs, all the shelling that all sides exchange, all the bullets that have flown, it's amazing there is anyone left to kill.
I blame Obama.
Well, he certainly had a part in it - BUT - I personally go down the road of blaming a complex mixture of circumstances, known as 'the state of the human world'.
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C-too
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I wonder how many bombs the Russians dropped in the same period ?
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