What is the greatest crisis the United States has ever had to endure?

[Artevelde]

Why Carters presidency?

What events happened during the Carter era that would overshadow 9-11?

The complete decline of America's standing in the world. Stagflation and misery at home.

A few highlights:

-) Iranian Islamic revolution and hostage crisis
-) Soviet invasion of Afghanistan
-) Nicaraguan revolution and spread of insurgency in Central-America

These events had temporary impact on our lives. Carter was a dud as a president, but the damage was just temporary.

9-11 permanently changed our lives, led to two wars, ten thousand dead and a reshaping of our global mission

I disagree strongly. The Islamic Revolution in Iran had a much more profound and lasting impact on the US and the world as a whole.

Without the Islamic Revolution in Iran and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan there probably would never have been a 9/11.

 

[High_Gravity]

The complete decline of America's standing in the world. Stagflation and misery at home.

A few highlights:

-) Iranian Islamic revolution and hostage crisis
-) Soviet invasion of Afghanistan
-) Nicaraguan revolution and spread of insurgency in Central-America

These events had temporary impact on our lives. Carter was a dud as a president, but the damage was just temporary.

9-11 permanently changed our lives, led to two wars, ten thousand dead and a reshaping of our global mission

I disagree strongly. The Islamic Revolution in Iran had a much more profound and lasting impact on the US and the world as a whole.

Without the Islamic Revolution in Iran and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan there probably would never have been a 9/11.

Very good points.

 

[High_Gravity]

Its not even close.

The Civil War was hands down the greatest threat to the Republic.

The revolutionary war doesn't really count because until the war was finally over there really was no Republic.

Bullshit. Even if the south won the Republic would have remained. It just wouldn't have been as big, geographically.

I can't believe none of you idiots have enough perspective to fathom what would have happened if the Soviet Union unleashed their nuclear arsenal upon us and that the ensuing horror would have been a million times worse than all that other shit combined.

Wow, just fucking WOW.

People who never lived through that have no idea what it was like.

 

[rightwinger]

The complete decline of America's standing in the world. Stagflation and misery at home.

A few highlights:

-) Iranian Islamic revolution and hostage crisis
-) Soviet invasion of Afghanistan
-) Nicaraguan revolution and spread of insurgency in Central-America

These events had temporary impact on our lives. Carter was a dud as a president, but the damage was just temporary.

9-11 permanently changed our lives, led to two wars, ten thousand dead and a reshaping of our global mission

I disagree strongly. The Islamic Revolution in Iran had a much more profound and lasting impact on the US and the world as a whole.

Without the Islamic Revolution in Iran and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan there probably would never have been a 9/11.

It might be true

But as President, what actions do you think Carter should have taken to prevent the revolution in Iran and would it have prevented the Islamic Revolution? How could he have stopped the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan?

Osama bin Laden and most of the 9-11 attackers were Saudis. Would stopping the revolution in Iran have prevented the rise of Islamic fundamentalism in Saudi Arabia?

 

[High_Gravity]

These events had temporary impact on our lives. Carter was a dud as a president, but the damage was just temporary.

9-11 permanently changed our lives, led to two wars, ten thousand dead and a reshaping of our global mission

I disagree strongly. The Islamic Revolution in Iran had a much more profound and lasting impact on the US and the world as a whole.

Without the Islamic Revolution in Iran and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan there probably would never have been a 9/11.

It might be true

But as President, what actions do you think Carter should have taken to prevent the revolution in Iran and would it have prevented the Islamic Revolution? How could he have stopped the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan?

Osama bin Laden and most of the 9-11 attackers were Saudis. Would stopping the revolution in Iran have prevented the rise of Islamic fundamentalism in Saudi Arabia?

I don't think we could have really done much to stop the Iranian Revolution or the Soviets taking Afghanistan, but we really should not have helped the Afghans and Mujahids against the Soviets. We should have let the Russians keep Afghanistan.

 

[Artevelde]

These events had temporary impact on our lives. Carter was a dud as a president, but the damage was just temporary.

9-11 permanently changed our lives, led to two wars, ten thousand dead and a reshaping of our global mission

I disagree strongly. The Islamic Revolution in Iran had a much more profound and lasting impact on the US and the world as a whole.

Without the Islamic Revolution in Iran and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan there probably would never have been a 9/11.

It might be true

But as President, what actions do you think Carter should have taken to prevent the revolution in Iran and would it have prevented the Islamic Revolution? How could he have stopped the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan?

Osama bin Laden and most of the 9-11 attackers were Saudis. Would stopping the revolution in Iran have prevented the rise of Islamic fundamentalism in Saudi Arabia?

While I think Carter shouldn't have been so quick to dump the Shah, I doubt that anything the US could have done could have prevented a revolution in Iran. Once the revolution happened, Carter, through his weak policies, strengthened the most radical Islamist elements. He should never have accepted the taking of hostages and should have responded to this with a clear and unequivocal ultimatum of war. That way he would not only have prevented a dramatic decline in the US standing in the world, but would also have strengthened the hand of the moderates in Iran (who still held the presidency and many key posts at this point).

As for Afghanistan, again Carter could not have prevented the Soviet invasion, but he could have prevented further Soviet escalation by threatening them with the wholesale ditching of detente (including SALT II) instead of silly things like boycotting the Olympics.

 

[manifold]

Its not even close.

The Civil War was hands down the greatest threat to the Republic.

The revolutionary war doesn't really count because until the war was finally over there really was no Republic.

Bullshit. Even if the south won the Republic would have remained. It just wouldn't have been as big, geographically.

I can't believe none of you idiots have enough perspective to fathom what would have happened if the Soviet Union unleashed their nuclear arsenal upon us and that the ensuing horror would have been a million times worse than all that other shit combined.

Wow, just fucking WOW.

The Civil War DID happen resulting in 600,000 American deaths

The Soviet Nuclear attack MIGHT have happened....but didn't

Did you read the question?

 

[rightwinger]

I disagree strongly. The Islamic Revolution in Iran had a much more profound and lasting impact on the US and the world as a whole.

Without the Islamic Revolution in Iran and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan there probably would never have been a 9/11.

It might be true

But as President, what actions do you think Carter should have taken to prevent the revolution in Iran and would it have prevented the Islamic Revolution? How could he have stopped the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan?

Osama bin Laden and most of the 9-11 attackers were Saudis. Would stopping the revolution in Iran have prevented the rise of Islamic fundamentalism in Saudi Arabia?

While I think Carter shouldn't have been so quick to dump the Shah, I doubt that anything the US could have done could have prevented a revolution in Iran. Once the revolution happened, Carter, through his weak policies, strengthened the most radical Islamist elements. He should never have accepted the taking of hostages and should have responded to this with a clear and unequivocal ultimatum of war. That way he would not only have prevented a dramatic decline in the US standing in the world, but would also have strengthened the hand of the moderates in Iran (who still held the presidency and many key posts at this point).

As for Afghanistan, again Carter could not have prevented the Soviet invasion, but he could have prevented further Soviet escalation by threatening them with the wholesale ditching of detente (including SALT II) instead of silly things like boycotting the Olympics.

Don't you think a US invasion of Iran would have resulted in an increase in anti-US feeling in the Arab world?

 

[manifold]

Its not even close.

The Civil War was hands down the greatest threat to the Republic.

The revolutionary war doesn't really count because until the war was finally over there really was no Republic.

Bullshit. Even if the south won the Republic would have remained. It just wouldn't have been as big, geographically.

I can't believe none of you idiots have enough perspective to fathom what would have happened if the Soviet Union unleashed their nuclear arsenal upon us and that the ensuing horror would have been a million times worse than all that other shit combined.

Wow, just fucking WOW.

People who never lived through that have no idea what it was like.

I didn't live through it.

I still say that as far as crises go, nothing else in our history compares. The fact that nuclear war was avoided doesn't lessen the severity of the crisis. I think many people have either mis-interpretted the question or they don't really know what the definition of a 'crisis' is.

Here is the applicable definition (from Merriam Webster)
an unstable or crucial time or state of affairs in which a decisive change is impending; especially : one with the distinct possibility of a highly undesirable outcome

 

[Artevelde]

It might be true

But as President, what actions do you think Carter should have taken to prevent the revolution in Iran and would it have prevented the Islamic Revolution? How could he have stopped the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan?

Osama bin Laden and most of the 9-11 attackers were Saudis. Would stopping the revolution in Iran have prevented the rise of Islamic fundamentalism in Saudi Arabia?

While I think Carter shouldn't have been so quick to dump the Shah, I doubt that anything the US could have done could have prevented a revolution in Iran. Once the revolution happened, Carter, through his weak policies, strengthened the most radical Islamist elements. He should never have accepted the taking of hostages and should have responded to this with a clear and unequivocal ultimatum of war. That way he would not only have prevented a dramatic decline in the US standing in the world, but would also have strengthened the hand of the moderates in Iran (who still held the presidency and many key posts at this point).

As for Afghanistan, again Carter could not have prevented the Soviet invasion, but he could have prevented further Soviet escalation by threatening them with the wholesale ditching of detente (including SALT II) instead of silly things like boycotting the Olympics.

Don't you think a US invasion of Iran would have resulted in an increase in anti-US feeling in the Arab world?

First of all: Iran is not an Arabic country but rather the sworn enemy of most of the Arab world (and vice versa).

Second, I'm not suggesting a full scale invasion of Iran (US military wasn't ready for that at the time, partly thanks to Carter) but rather a clear ultimatum to the Iranian regime that unless the hostages were released forthwith Carter would take this as what it was (an act of war under international law) and ask Congress for a declaration of war against Iran. Following that the US could have bombed Iran and seized all ships going to and from Iran thereby destroying its economy in a heartbeat and also fatally wounding the very new and shaky regime. The regime would undoubtedly have accepted a deal to save itself.

Obviously it is easier to see all this with hindsight. But still Carter miserably failed to live up to his job at this point. and it had disastrous long-term consequences.

 

[rightwinger]

Bullshit. Even if the south won the Republic would have remained. It just wouldn't have been as big, geographically.

I can't believe none of you idiots have enough perspective to fathom what would have happened IF the Soviet Union unleashed their nuclear arsenal upon us and that the ensuing horror would have been a million times worse than all that other shit combined.

Wow, just fucking WOW.

The Civil War DID happen resulting in 600,000 American deaths

The Soviet Nuclear attack MIGHT have happened....but didn't

Did you read the question?

Did you?

 

[manifold]

The Civil War DID happen resulting in 600,000 American deaths

The Soviet Nuclear attack MIGHT have happened....but didn't

Did you read the question?

Did you?

I did.

So I guess the difference is that I understand the meaning of the word crisis.

c'est la vie

 

[manifold]

@ earning a neg for being right.

 

[Artevelde]

Did you read the question?

Did you?

I did.

So I guess the difference is that I understand the meaning of the word crisis.

c'est la vie

I think you understand nothing. Least of all what an international crisis is.

 

[manifold]

Did you?

I did.

So I guess the difference is that I understand the meaning of the word crisis.

c'est la vie

I think you understand nothing. Least of all what an international crisis is.

yeah, because being on the brink of nuclear annihilation is certainly not a crisis dipshit.

 

[L.K.Eder]

@ earning a neg for being right.

it looks like you are on the way to a tantrum.

cuba crisis was defused.

the crisis leading to the civil war was obviously not.

 

[manifold]

@ earning a neg for being right.

it looks like you are on the way to a tantrum.

cuba crisis was defused.

the crisis leading to the civil war was obviously not.

the civil war doesn't even fit the definition of a crisis.

But you realize that now, so I look forward to more backpedaling.

 

[Artevelde]

I did.

So I guess the difference is that I understand the meaning of the word crisis.

c'est la vie

I think you understand nothing. Least of all what an international crisis is.

yeah, because being on the brink of nuclear annihilation is certainly not a crisis dipshit.

Do you have any idea how many of these "crisis" moments there were during the Cold War? You simply don't have a clue about what you're talking. Stop embarrassing yourself.

 

[Artevelde]

@ earning a neg for being right.

it looks like you are on the way to a tantrum.

cuba crisis was defused.

the crisis leading to the civil war was obviously not.

the civil war doesn't even fit the definition of a crisis.

But you realize that now, so I look forward to more backpedaling.

Do you know the expression "When you're in a hole, stop digging"?

 

[manifold]

I think you understand nothing. Least of all what an international crisis is.

yeah, because being on the brink of nuclear annihilation is certainly not a crisis dipshit.

Do you have any idea how many of these "crisis" moments there were during the Cold War? You simply don't have a clue about what you're talking. Stop embarrassing yourself.

awww, somebody is all butthurt because he's wrong again.