Rio wins right to host the 2016 Olympics

[targus]

I totally disagree with this attitude. We are the United States and we don't run away like a bunch of cowards.

Then why wouldn't you want to see us stay in Iraq and Afghanistan?

 

[KenH]

Then why wouldn't you want to see us stay in Iraq and Afghanistan?

There is no vital U.S. interest in doing so. And I have no interest in promoting neocon foreign policy that is not in the best interest of the United States. I want to see the neocon's agenda defeated at every turn.

 

[targus]

There is no vital U.S. interest in doing so. And I have no interest in promoting neocon foreign policy that is not in the best interest of the United States. I want to see the neocon's agenda defeated at every turn.

But you do see a vital interest in not encouraging terrorist attacks on our country do you not?

Or is that also a part of the neocon agenda?

 

[KenH]

I see no reason to become isolationist and withdraw from interacting with the rest of the world and acting like a bunch of scaredy-cats.

 

[targus]

I see no reason to become isolationist and withdraw from interacting with the rest of the world and acting like a bunch of scaredy-cats.

Not hosting the olympics is hardly isolationist.

Walk alone down a lot of inner city alleys at night do you?

 

[KenH]

I really don't think the Olympics can be held in a small city with very little crime.

 

[targus]

I really don't think the Olympics can be held in a small city with very little crime.

Not what I meant.

I am asking if you take unnecessary risks such as walking down inner city alleys alone at night.

If not - why not?

 

[KenH]

I live in a town of about 20,000 and county of around 45,000. I take up tickets at the yearly county fair. Twice during this decade the last night of the fair has ended early in near riot conditions(one of the times the police even used mace) and I definitely feared for my safety both times. One does not have to live in a big city to experience danger.

 

[targus]

I live in a town of about 20,000 and county of around 45,000. I take up tickets at the yearly county fair. Twice during this decade the last night of the fair has ended early in near riot conditions(one of the times the police even used mace) and I definitely feared for my safety both times. One does not have to live in a big city to experience danger.

Ok - you do not seem to understanding my question.

Do you take unnecessary risks?

Is someone a coward because they choose not to take an unnecessary risk?

Given the current state of the world - in regards to terrorist attacks - for the US to host the olympics seems to me to be an unnecessary risk.

For that reason I am happy to see that Rio is hosting the olympics.

It seems to me that Rio will be seen as a less attractive terrorist target than a US city would have been.

 

[KenH]

Okay, so you think the risks outweigh the benefits of hosting the games in the United States - I assume you would think this regardless of the city involved.

I think that the benefits in jobs and prestige outweigh the risks.

We'll just have to agree to disagree about this and see if we still disagree the next time a U.S. city makes a bid.

 

[targus]

Okay, so you think the risks outweigh the benefits of hosting the games in the United States - I assume you would think this regardless of the city involved.

I think that the benefits in jobs and prestige outweigh the risks.

We'll just have to agree to disagree about this and see if we still disagree the next time a U.S. city makes a bid.

Or I could ask your opinion on this again - whether jobs and prestige outweights risks - when we have another successful terrorist attack on US soil that results in a large scale loss of human life.

 

[KenH]

I guess I am more of an optimist than you are about preventing another successful terrorist attack on U.S. soil that would result in large scale loss of human life.

Good discussion. Thanks.

 

[targus]

I guess I am more of an optimist than you are.

Good discussion. Thanks.

I would describe myself as more of a pragmatic optimist that hedges his bets by looking for the downside going in.

And yes, it was a good discussion.