This motherfucker killed Americans. He is a designated terrorist. He has a $10mm bounty on his head but trump is now his buddy. I guess Syria is getting the next trump golf course/resort.

Or maybe trump plans to turn him in for the $10mm?

"The U.S. government has designated al-Sharaa, who is also known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, a terrorist and has a $10 million bounty on him.
A U.S. official said the meeting with al-Sharaa was "good and productive."

Trump met Syria's Ahmed al-Sharaa, who once pledged allegiance to al Qaeda and swept to power at the head of a group that Washington has called a terrorist organisation, before a summit between the United States and Gulf Arab countries.


https://www.reuters.com/world/...ng-qatar-2025-05-14/

A man who has asked “What was in it for them?” has already told you that all he cares about is ‘what’s in it for him’.

He’s also said “All my life, I’ve been greedy, greedy, greedy!” Did anyone ever really think that would magically stop when he attained the most powerful position on earth?

Some folks should look up the definition of ‘megalomania’ - because that’s what you’re dealing with.

So, are they going to put in the natural gas pipeline already?

The bounty was dropped under Biden.
Should we have kept killing Italians after they switched to the allies?

quote:

Originally posted by theback40:
The bounty was dropped under Biden.
Should we have kept killing Italians after they switched to the allies?

Uh, oh!!!!

Another inconvenient fact for our leftie wusses!

Italians are like arabs! They always switch sides to the winners

quote:

Originally posted by theback40:
The bounty was dropped under Biden.
Should we have kept killing Italians after they switched to the allies?

My bad. I'm sure he has experienced a change of heart about the United States. Especially since trump became POTUS. I wonder why. Maybe you and JTEX and can explain why he is our buddy now.

quote:

Originally posted by TomP:
So, are they going to put in the natural gas pipeline already?

when the middle east masters are telling you what you do: you obey ...

Very western thinking Mike.
This is SOP for arab, middle east behavior.
Why did Biden drop the bounty if he was still the enemy?

quote:

Originally posted by theback40:
Very western thinking Mike.
This is SOP for arab, middle east behavior.
Why did Biden drop the bounty if he was still the enemy?

Trying to pull Syria into the fold?

Did Biden meet with the guy? Call him "a young attractive tough guy" with "a very strong past?" That's what trump said.

You might be OK with it. I'm not.

quote:

Originally posted by Mike Mitchell:

quote:

Originally posted by theback40:
Very western thinking Mike.
This is SOP for arab, middle east behavior.
Why did Biden drop the bounty if he was still the enemy?

Trying to pull Syria into the fold?

Did Biden meet with the guy? Call him "a young attractive tough guy" with "a very strong past?" That's what trump said.

You might be OK with it. I'm not.

There are very good people on both sides, eh?

You didnt answer Mike.
Italy was one of the original axis. Why did we trust them when they switched sides?
Because it made sense. We have finite resources. Looking over our shoulder once in awhile takes a good deal less, than a full time guard.
Trump will blather about anything. You take it all to heart, I ignore it.
This is not the grudge against the 6th grader who took your lunch when you were 8.
If you have proof there is more going on, I'm willing to listen. That you dont like trumps words, is not proof.

quote:

Originally posted by theback40:
You didnt answer Mike.
Italy was one of the original axis. Why did we trust them when they switched sides?
Because it made sense. We have finite resources. Looking over our shoulder once in awhile takes a good deal less, than a full time guard.
Trump will blather about anything. You take it all to heart, I ignore it.
This is not the grudge against the 6th grader who took your lunch when you were 8.
If you have proof there is more going on, I'm willing to listen. That you dont like trumps words, is not proof.

What does Italy in WW2 have to do with the discussion? Trusted them how? We entrusted the Italians with nothing of any importance or significance.

And, you can be the guy that thinks that what the President of the United States does and says doesn't mean anything if you like. I'm not that guy. He's embracing a terrorist, a supporter of HAMAS, a person directly responsible for killing Americans. Good for you if think that's a good idea. I disagree.

We entrusted Italy when they turned and said they would fight Germany. That is nothing significant?
If a country can be trusted once who changed, why would we not do it again?
I'm not as emotional as you Mike. Yes, I see it as a good thing with Syria. This is about the country of Syria, not one man.

If the new leadership of Syria is willing to denounce terrorism and all the human rights abuses characterized by Assad I’m willing to give them a chance.

Reagan’s trust but verify.

I have issues with an ex terrorist but if he reforms, we can do business with him. It’s not like I’m going to have him living in my basement or something.

Once you accept that Trump thinks flattery and blather are a big part of business and government, and you don’t think anything he goes on about has much connection with facts or reality, even in his own mind, then you can be less upset about everything.

We haven’t had a president that I wholeheartedly supported since Reagan… and then I was too young and hadn’t developed my sarcastic distrust of all politicians.

I don’t get as worked up about Trump because they all lie all the time. In another 3 years we will have a different liar in charge.

quote:

Originally posted by theback40:
We entrusted Italy when they turned and said they would fight Germany. That is nothing significant?
If a country can be trusted once who changed, why would we not do it again?
I'm not as emotional as you Mike. Yes, I see it as a good thing with Syria. This is about the country of Syria, not one man.

Again, you may think it's a good idea to embrace a jihadist dictator who was the head of Al Queda in Syria for many years. I don't.

If Osama Bin Laden was alive, would we support trump buddying up with him too?

And, by the way....the Italians were worthless in WW2....before, during and after their alliance with Germany and the rest of the Axis powers.

quote:

Originally posted by Mike Mitchell:
And, by the way....the Italians were worthless in WW2....before, during and after their alliance with Germany and the rest of the Axis powers.

Well, they DID manage to execute Mussolini…

quote:

Originally posted by crbutler:

quote:

Originally posted by Mike Mitchell:
And, by the way....the Italians were worthless in WW2....before, during and after their alliance with Germany and the rest of the Axis powers.

Well, they DID manage to execute Mussolini…

Not the army. Partisans.

You do not have a military bone in your body Mike, why we see things differently on this front. Thats OK, it just is.
I think of the Mau Mau bush war. Some of the very best fighters, were turned Kikuyu who led their own Mau Mau raids before joining the kenyan forces.
I see a place for someone who turned, you cannot.
Doc,
I think the flowery talks are suppose to begin like,
"May your goats always drop twins, and you wives beards never be more luxurious than your own"

quote:

Originally posted by Mike Mitchell:

quote:

Originally posted by theback40:
We entrusted Italy when they turned and said they would fight Germany. That is nothing significant?
If a country can be trusted once who changed, why would we not do it again?
I'm not as emotional as you Mike. Yes, I see it as a good thing with Syria. This is about the country of Syria, not one man.

Again, you may think it's a good idea to embrace a jihadist dictator who was the head of Al Queda in Syria for many years. I don't.

If Osama Bin Laden was alive, would we support trump buddying up with him too?

Just consider it arab spring 2.0. You where fine with 1.0 under Obama.

quote:

Originally posted by theback40:
You didnt answer Mike.
Italy was one of the original axis. Why did we trust them when they switched sides?
Because it made sense. We have finite resources. Looking over our shoulder once in awhile takes a good deal less, than a full time guard.
Trump will blather about anything. You take it all to heart, I ignore it.
This is not the grudge against the 6th grader who took your lunch when you were 8.
If you have proof there is more going on, I'm willing to listen. That you dont like trumps words, is not proof.

Because the Italian people largely rejected the Fascist regime that was being propped up by Germany by the time we got there.

Syria has not rejected this regime. That being said, your point on President Biden removing the bounty is solid. One can only make peace w enemies. However, I do not know. I see the benefits to trying to reconcile this new regime to IS influence. This is especially true since the last was a Russian puppet. The U.S. can only make this new regime more hostile, unstable, and ultimately dangerous to US goals and ideals by ignoring them.

It is worth the attempt to mold this new regime into something workable.

quote:

Originally posted by LHeym500:

quote:

Originally posted by theback40:
You didnt answer Mike.
Italy was one of the original axis. Why did we trust them when they switched sides?
Because it made sense. We have finite resources. Looking over our shoulder once in awhile takes a good deal less, than a full time guard.
Trump will blather about anything. You take it all to heart, I ignore it.
This is not the grudge against the 6th grader who took your lunch when you were 8.
If you have proof there is more going on, I'm willing to listen. That you dont like trumps words, is not proof.

Because the Italian people largely rejected the Fascist regime that was being propped up by Germany by the time we got there.

Syria has not rejected this regime. That being said, your point on President Biden removing the bounty is solid. One can only make peace w enemies. However, I do not know. I see the benefits to trying to reconcile this new regime to IS influence. This is especially true since the last was a Russian puppet. The U.S. can only make this new regime more hostile, unstable, and ultimately dangerous to US goals and ideals by ignoring them.

It is worth the attempt to mold this new regime into something workable.

No! You can kill enemies!

But the sleepy, creepy Joe admin decided he was a good guy and dropped the bounty.....sooo......he has to be a good guy right??!?

Yawn, yeah we killed all the Italians and all the Germans.

Franz Halder, the Chief of the General Staff of the Army High Command comes to mind immediately. We protected him.

Halder issued the Commissar Order and the Barbarossa Decree two orders that saw subordinate men incarcerated over like Manstein. Now, Churchill did intervene on behalf of Manstein.

I’ve been reading Churchill’s commentary and history of WWII lately.

No one “trusted” the Italians.

They simply thought it was useful to accommodate the King and Marshal Badoglio to harm Hitler.

Stalin was somewhat upset that he thought it was making a separate peace and not unconditional. Churchill and Roosevelt felt they were demanding unconditional surrender, but freely giving some concessions after getting Italy out of the war.

Italy’s fascist rump government had Italian support…but was in effect Mussolini’s being a puppet under Nazi assistance… and there were folks who continued to support him despite that; but the surrender of Italy also had support of a majority of Italy’s fascist party- they were the ones who removed Mussolini from power.

The surrendering Italian government was mostly fascist, but I suppose you could call it royalist as well.
The Italian fascist based/royalist if you must government did remove and arrest Mussolini and then Hitler had Skorzeny rescue him and subsequently the new fascist government under Mussolini was formed under German auspices.

The Italians didn’t denounce Fascism at the time of surrender… they denounced Mussolini.

Italians have always been like arabs.....sit back and side with the winners.....

Good pizza and pasta....but basically worthless.....arabs don't even make good pasta...

quote:

Originally posted by JTEX:
Italians have always been like arabs.....sit back and side with the winners.....

Good pizza and pasta....but basically worthless.....arabs don't even make good pasta...

Did you ever try slicing them a little thinner?

Realpolitik...the gas pipeline is back on the table. Where's the money? Follow the money.

quote:

Originally posted by JTEX:
Italians have always been like arabs.....sit back and side with the winners.....

Good pizza and pasta....but basically worthless.....arabs don't even make good pasta...

Hmm, seems like Italy was the epicenter of some empire that conquered the world a while back? Let me think....

Didnt the Romans/Italy invent the day spa, with their heated pools?