Ben Stein Nails it again.

[charrison]

This is worth the read

A simple but frightening conjecture: What if Iraq and North Korea are working together?

Let's start with the obvious. Just as American plans to invade Iraq were hitting high gear, scraping together armed forces, active and reserves, to make a powerful fighting force to take Baghdad, what should happen? North Korea springs into action against the United States and the United Nations. Pyongyang defies U.N. agreements about restricting nuclear technology, brings forbidden weapons into the DMZ, threatens nuclear attack against the U.S. and our allies in the region.

This has to affect U.S. war plans. If there is even a slightly good chance that the Communist North will attack South Korea or use nuclear weapons even in a test, the U.S. will have to split up our already too-thin forces between Iraq and faraway Korea. This drastically complicates our ability to concentrate forces against Saddam

....

 

[BrunoPuntzJones]

I read a 12 point piece by him a week or so ago about what's going wrong in the US and it was perfect. I can't think of anything by him I've ever disagreed with. I wish he were running in 04.

 

[Radiohead]

Originally posted by: BrunoPuntzJones
I read a 12 point piece by him a week or so ago about what's going wrong in the US and it was perfect. I can't think of anything by him I've ever disagreed with. I wish he were running in 04.

Do you have a link to that or anything? I'd like to read that too

 

[UglyCasanova]

I wonder how he'd do if he ran. Lord knows he's smart enough.

 

[Novgrod]

i'd like it if he'd provide a little more evidence that the military today is incapable of meeting the challenges in front of it, and that more money would fix this problem.

The current US military budget is far, far greater than any other military budget; GDP be damned. It might need to be reevaluated and more money spent on salaries, less on starwars but i'll remain unconvinced that more money would help until somebody provides numbers.

then again, that's just me.

edit: stein's twelve point article is in forbes, and i agreed with that one to a letter.

 

[Heisenberg]

It's a valid concern, but I think he underestimates the power of the US military. The current doctrine is that we are prepared to fight two wars at the same time. IIRC, during the Cold War, it was actually two and a half. Besides, if N. Korea uses nuclear weapons, that will be the end of them, as one of our subs carries enough nukes to devastate the entire country.

 

[BrunoPuntzJones]

Originally posted by: Radiohead

Originally posted by: BrunoPuntzJones
I read a 12 point piece by him a week or so ago about what's going wrong in the US and it was perfect. I can't think of anything by him I've ever disagreed with. I wish he were running in 04.

Do you have a link to that or anything? I'd like to read that too

Forbes article

 

[js1973]

I saw Colin Powell being interviewed on TV last Sunday and the question of our military's ability to deal with both potential situations was raised. It's his opinion that our forces are more than adequate should the need arise. He should know.

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: BrunoPuntzJones

Originally posted by: Radiohead

Originally posted by: BrunoPuntzJones
I read a 12 point piece by him a week or so ago about what's going wrong in the US and it was perfect. I can't think of anything by him I've ever disagreed with. I wish he were running in 04.

Do you have a link to that or anything? I'd like to read that too

Forbes article

:Q

That's scary.

 

[SherEPunjab]

Bueller?


Bueller?


Bueller?

 

[NFS4]

Wasn't he a speech writer for nixon?

 

[tcsenter]

Ben Stein, that guy cracks me up. He is a really smart guy, but does these stupid commercials! And what's more, he apparently likes to do them, too. haha!

But he does miss one point. If ever we find N. Korea engaging in the funny business he suggests, we will just lob over a few well-placed strategic nukes and that will be the end of their funny business.

 

[Evadman]

Originally posted by: js1973
I saw Colin Powell being interviewed on TV last Sunday and the question of our military's ability to deal with both potential situations was raised. It's his opinion that our forces are more than adequate should the need arise. He should know.

You expect him to say that they are not? do you expect him to say "no way in hell we could do that, let's hope it does not come to that, or we would all die."

Please.

 

[Mani]

Ahh, fearmongering at its best.

 

[js1973]

No, I wouldn't expect him to say that. But if he did believe as you are suggesting, I would expect he would not directly answer the question and instead respond in a vague manner that does not actually address the question.

 

[Lithium381]

Originally posted by: dparker
I wonder how he'd do if he ran. Lord knows he's smart enough.

he's got a "good" public image too.....most people know him, rather of him

 

[dethman]

Originally posted by: tcsenter
Ben Stein, that guy cracks me up. He is a really smart guy, but does these stupid commercials! And what's more, he apparently likes to do them, too. haha!

clear eyes...

 

[Soybomb]

I really can't disagree with anything that he says. On the otherhand it is always easy to point the problem and much harder to offer a viable solution. How could we remedy this? How many people would support a tax hike to better fund schools? Will the legislators allow their wasteful spending to be controlled more so that more money could be spent on education so a tax increase wouldn't be necessary? I doubt it.

How about socialized medicine? How will you ever make people stop thinking that is a wonderful idea, particularly the elderly?

We're tightening strangleholds on intellectual materials thanks to things like the DMCA as well.

Its a dark road, but how do you change course?

more of ben's writings

 

[tcsenter]

You expect him to say that they are not? do you expect him to say "no way in hell we could do that, let's hope it does not come to that, or we would all die." Please.

No, he wouldn't say that, within that frame of question, it would present the PERFECT opportunity, to say something along the lines of:

"As you know, this has been a concern of the Bush Administration and others in Congress, our ability to fight on two fronts, how well prepared we are to do that if the need should arise. If you asked me this question eight years ago [implying under the Clinton administration], I would have answered, 'No, we can't, we don't have the capability to do that.'

However, due to President Bush's strong advocacy in this area, today I can say that we have substantially improved our ability to fight effectively on two fronts. Its been a real priority now for a couple years [implying since Bush took office]. Still, there's more we could do and are doing. Congress just signed the largest increase in military spending in [x] years, and there is no doubt that spending is directly related to the issue of preparedness and capability."

He would then hint that another $100 billion or so increase in military spending might be needed to "assure" our ability to fight two large fronts simultaneously.

Gotta start thinking like a politician.

 

[GagHalfrunt]

A smart guy to be sure, but to get elected in the USA doesn't take brains. It takes a closet that's either skeleton-free or one with the skeletons so well buried that they can't get found before the election. It also take a certain kind of charisma and dynamic speaking. While Stein might be better suited to the task of leading the country than most of the Bozos that run, he's entirely unelectable. He doesn't have the right look, the right style or the right past. He's smart but dull, has a wry sense of humor that'll be over the head of the average voter, has spent too much time sex-bantering with Nancy Pimental on Win Ben Stein's money and he's tied to Nixon. He couldn't get elected treasurer of the local Rotarians. Too bad though, I'd vote for him.

 

[SherEPunjab]

Originally posted by: GagHalfrunt
A smart guy to be sure, but to get elected in the USA doesn't take brains. It takes a closet that's either skeleton-free or one with the skeletons so well buried that they can't get found before the election. It also take a certain kind of charisma and dynamic speaking. While Stein might be better suited to the task of leading the country than most of the Bozos that run, he's entirely unelectable. He doesn't have the right look, the right style or the right past. He's smart but dull, has a wry sense of humor that'll be over the head of the average voter, has spent too much time sex-bantering with Nancy Pimental on Win Ben Stein's money and he's tied to Nixon. He couldn't get elected treasurer of the local Rotarians. Too bad though, I'd vote for him.

I'd agree, but G.W. Bush is president, throws your theory right out the window...

 

[Phuz]

. He's smart but dull, has a wry sense of humor that'll be over the head of the average voter,

Maybe so, but you don't think he'd do anything about that? He'd make them like him. He'd obviously relate to them on a level they could appreciate.

 

[Vampirrella]

Just like Reagan, he's an actor... i say Ben Stein for president!

 

[Piano Man]

Although I think its unlikely, it's not impossible. They both have a common enemy, and like history has proven, that's enough of a reason for them to get together.

 

[Mrburns2007]

Loved him in Ferris Bueller.....