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David Robison's avatar

Not sure it’s as courageous as it looks when you take into account all the circumstances. https://thehill.com/policy/technology/5133777-elon-musk-threatens-republican-senators/

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Adam's avatar

That’s an interesting perspective. However, my take is that her resistance to labeling Snowden a ‘traitor’ has more to do with staying on Donald Trump’s good side than any deep integrity. Trump once called Snowden a traitor and said he should be executed, but by 2020 he was contemplating whether to pardon him. Snowden fits Trump’s narrative about the deep state and the perfidy of the intelligence community, not to mention that defecting to Russia is not necessarily a sin in Trump’s book. I think Tulsi figures she gets points with Donald by sticking to her guns.

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Sarkawt Shamsulddin's avatar

It's a great piece and a fair observation of Gabbard's position. I do admire her integrity and character.

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Brian's avatar

So her blatant and utter refusal to disclose what occured and what was discussed when she met with Assad doesn't bother you? I assumed that, based on your your writings here on Substack, you had some background in USG and/or military policy that might lead you to question what the hell she was actually doing in Syria in 2017, six years after brutal civil war without any seeming resolution had erupted.

TBH, while I do not know exactly what her politics or policy positions are (probably because,like most political nominees, she goes to great lenghts to obfuscate her real beliefs), I don't believe that "courageous" is the term I would use to describe her LOL.

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Gene Frenkle's avatar

Remember that Trump’s first NSA was McMaster followed by Bolton. And we know McMaster bullied Trump into escalating Afghanistan when his gut told him to get out. Maybe Gabbard believed Trump was going to get bullied into more wars…and she wanted to find the truth herself?? McMaster and Bolton are Dumb and Dumber that had no business being in the Trump administration…and Trump very clearly is correcting the mistakes of his first term. So it took Trump over 3 years to surrender to the Taliban when he finally grew a pair of ball and stood up against the Military Industrial Complex!

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Brian's avatar

Interesting point about Gabbard potentially being on a sort of independent "fact finding" visit when she went to Syria - I had not thought of that. Although, if that's the case, then why not just say that during her hearing? It's certainly a reasonable enough explanation.

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Gene Frenkle's avatar

Because Trump was president and maybe she doubted his judgment?? Trump ran against Bush Republicans and then foolishly surrounded himself with Bush Republicans as president. Rodentstain believed Comey over Trump and appointed Mueller!?! WTF????

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