George W. Bush a great man?

LeBrok said:

Reagan is my favorite too.

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I hope for a new Reagan in white house [emoji6].
The second Punic war is coming.

bicicleur said:

if US wouldn't have send troops to Europe during WW II , fascism and communism would still be there
so what about ISIS ?
if islamic fundamentalism isn't defeated and destroyed to the bottom no chance of democracy, for the moment we need strong dictators for stability in the Middle East

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Your are talking for ISIS like it's existing for decades. Two years is not a long period. Are you aware for how many years spread throughout Europe fascism and Nazism? You think is better Assad? Russia already is sending solders there. They are building a new military air base there. Egypt is governed for the moment by the generals, but one day even Egypt will be democratic. It's a process, up and down. Tunisia is having free elections already.

bicicleur said:

if US wouldn't have send troops to Europe during WW II , fascism and communism would still be there

Click to expand...

Seriously, where do you take that from? Without US involvement in Europe during World War II, the most likely thing that would have happened is that the iron curtain would have extended along the Channel coast, and all of Continental Europe would have fallen under communist rule. There was no chance in hell for Hitler to win against the Soviet Union, because as things were, the Soviet Union was in a destitute condition when Nazi Germany attacked in 1941, and still Hitler lost.

so what about ISIS ?
if islamic fundamentalism isn't defeated and destroyed to the bottom no chance of democracy, for the moment we need strong dictators for stability in the Middle East

Click to expand...

The Daeesh are doing a marvellous job of thoroughly denouncing radical Islam. They first and foremost, kill other Muslims. Give it a couple of decades, and the pendulum will swing in the opposite direction (Richard Dawkins type atheism, the foundation for that is already happening). In my opinion, the whole "middle easterners can't understand democracy, the best thing for the Middle East is dictatorship" routine is one of the key factors that allowed radical Islam to grow and expand in the past 60 or so years. Imagine that somebody would have said the same about the Germans in 1945?

Piro Ilir said:

Your are talking for ISIS like it's existing for decades. Two years is not a long period. Are you aware for how many years spread throughout Europe fascism and Nazism? You think is better Assad? Russia already is sending solders there. They are building a new military air base there. Egypt is governed for the moment by the generals, but one day even Egypt will be democratic. It's a process, up and down. Tunisia is having free elections already.

Click to expand...

islamic fundamentalism, al qaida, al shabab, boko haram .. is existing for decades
ISIS is the new kid on the block

Tunisia democracy won't last, it is very easy to destabilize, Tunisia depends on tourism.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_Sousse_attacks

Assad is a war criminal, but what do you think would happen if he were eliminated tomorrow?
ISIS is just waiting for that to happen.

What would you think if general Sisi were not in Egypt?
ISIS is just waiting for that to happen.

Democracy took 500 years to happen in Europe.
Do you want to wait that long?

Taranis said:

Seriously, where do you take that from? Without US involvement in Europe during World War II, the most likely thing that would have happened is that the iron curtain would have extended along the Channel coast, and all of Continental Europe would have fallen under communist rule. There was no chance in hell for Hitler to win against the Soviet Union, because as things were, the Soviet Union was in a destitute condition when Nazi Germany attacked in 1941, and still Hitler lost.

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so you would have prefered Stalin over Hitler?

it's what I told , fascism and communism would still be there

Taranis said:

Imagine that somebody would have said the same about the Germans in 1945?

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well, why not give ISIS and all fumdamentalist movements worldwide the same treatment as the Germans at WW II ?

bicicleur said:

Democracy took 500 years to happen in Europe.
Do you want to wait that long?

Click to expand...

Radical Islam as we know and loathe it today didn't take 500 years to appear. Its a development of the past century (starting out with the carving up of the Ottoman Empire by the Entente powers).

bicicleur said:

so you would have prefered Stalin over Hitler?

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I never talked about what I prefer, I talked about what would likely have happened. I said what would have happened without US involvement in World War II. Truth be told, I'm tired of the clientele of commenters that Fox News digs up with a high level of regularity that proudly claim on screen "if it wasn't for us (the US), you (Europe) would be all speaking German". History is not simple, nor is it ever black-and-white.

it's what I told , fascism and communism would still be there

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No. There are two primary reasons why Hitler was defeated: the preserverance of the British and the strategic depth and massive resources of the Soviet Union, both factors which Hitler immensely underestimated. The UK could have surrendered after the fiasco at Dunkirk, but they didn't. The US does not deserve much credit for defeating Hitler in World War II. They were not a game changer with that, and I am sure that fascism would not be around without the US involvement. They deserve, however, credit for the iron curtain running as far east as it did historically (as I described).

(my apologies for taking this off-topic)

bicicleur said:

if US wouldn't have send troops to Europe during WW II , fascism and communism would still be there
so what about ISIS ?
if islamic fundamentalism isn't defeated and destroyed to the bottom no chance of democracy, for the moment we need strong dictators for stability in the Middle East

Click to expand...

I'm for EU boots on the ground to finish Daesh. Even though I know it will create political vacuum and perhaps new ethnic conflicts.

Even though I don't think too much of IQ which tests classroom intelligence or similated or lab constructs of the real world, like Alfred (?) Binet created IQ tests for French soldiers. Look at how well the French military has performed. The Maginot Line? Ha, ha.

Well anyway with my rant about IQ tests out of the way here is a ranking of US presidents on IQ.

http://us-presidents.insidegov.com/stories/5392/least-intelligent-presidents

http://us-presidents.insidegov.com/stories/5392/least-intelligent-presidents#12-George-W-Bush

oriental said:

Even though I don't think too much of IQ which tests classroom intelligence or similated or lab constructs of the real world, like Alfred (?) Binet created IQ tests for French soldiers. Look at how well the French military has performed. The Maginot Line? Ha, ha.

Well any with my rant about IQ tests out of the way here is a ranking of US presidents on IQ.

http://us-presidents.insidegov.com/stories/5392/least-intelligent-presidents

http://us-presidents.insidegov.com/stories/5392/least-intelligent-presidents#12-George-W-Bush

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This is supposed to be a forum where people discuss scientific or otherwise "vetted" evidence of some sort. The people who put this on the web are political ideologues who have no freaking clue what the IQ of various Presidents might have been because there are, to my knowledge, no such records that we can access.

Grades in college are some evidence, although if somebody spends most of his time in college partying, that will affect grades. On the other side of the spectrum, there are over achievers who get very good grades without being very intelligent.

Along this vein, John Kerry, whom Democrats lauded as an intellect compared to George W Bush, got worse grades at Harvard than Bush did at Yale.

If I were going to guess, Jimmy Carter, who was a nuclear engineer, may have had a higher IQ than many of our Presidents. He was, in my opinion, one of the worst presidents we ever had. Truman was a haberdasher, and did a pretty good job.

So long as someone has a base IQ of about 120-130 (rough guess), other factors are more important, in my opinion, like the ability to communicate and inspire and persuade, a calm temperament, the ability to handle stress, and leadership skills. Of course, sound opinions on economics and world affairs are also important.

Angela said:

So long as someone has a base IQ of about 120-130 (rough guess), other factors are more important, in my opinion, like the ability to communicate and inspire and persuade, a calm temperament, the ability to handle stress, and leadership skills. Of course, sound opinions on economics and world affairs are also important.

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I agree, Angela.

This website is a respectable website showing how governments spend our money. They are not political hacks. If you have issue with their estimates you could go to them change them. I am sure there are qualified psychologists doing the estimates. Don't forget GWB caused this Great Recession in 2007.

Inside Government helps you stay informed and up to date with the main issues of the day, providing a platform for discussion, debate, and vital information sharing.

Inside Government presents a series of interactive, information led and exclusive forums and events. These focus on a range of government policy fields, and are designed for people working in the public, private and third sectors. Each event provides attendees with a unique opportunity to discuss pertinent topics with a panel of speakers, policy experts, and fellow delegates.Inside Government has unrivalled access to a wide range of expert speakers. These include politicians, policy-makers, sector experts and practitioners, and all possess extensive knowledge and experience in their respective fields.Inside Government is a division of GovNet Communications, and plays a vital role in expansion of the portfolio of services that GovNet offers.

CPD Certified

All Inside Government events are CPD certified. CPD (Continuing Professional Development) certification represents commitment to lifelong learning and refers to the process of tracking and documenting skills, knowledge and experience that an individual gains both formally and personally beyond their initial training. It is becoming increasing important for employers and institutions from all disciplines to demonstrate and provide evidence that they have in place a structured approach to staff development and learning with clear career objectives. Inside Government offers employers an opportunity to broaden and deepen their knowledge and keep up to date on a wide range of subjects and issues. Visit www.cpduk.co.uk to find out more about The CPD Certification Service

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This is the 'Inside government' in the UK.

http://www.insidegovernment.co.uk/about-us

[h=2]IG Team[/h]Ken ArmstrongKen Armstrong is a writer for Stage, Radio and (soon) Film but that’s only by night – by day he runs his small architectural-services practice with his working-partner Anthony Reape. Ken has been a keen observer of American matters from across the water for practically all of his 45 years, both from his home in Ireland – where he is now settled – and from all the other places where he has spent time throughout his life. He is on-board to provide an occasional ‘outside-looking-in view’ on Amercian Governmental matters. Expect equal measures of ignorance and honesty in his contributions._____________________________Mike Cavin_____________________________Josh GillespieJoshua Gillespie, a graduate of Purdue University, has been involved in politics for some time working in Washington, D.C. and in Indiana. He now resides in the Indianapolis area where he is President of Gillespie Total Strategies, LLC and is married with two children. You can read more of Josh’s bio at www.gillespietotalstrategies.com._____________________________Jeff Hagen_____________________________Zee HarrisonI am a black woman born in the UK yet consider myself an ‘internationalist’ – someone who doesn’t feel restricted nor emboldened by borders or affiliations of any kind.I have worked in various countries in different positions: management, creative arts, policy making and worked on a self-employed basis within my own businesses. I am an intrepid traveler who is fascinated by social and cultural customs and norms.I may be the only contributor here who does not believe in any form of the supernatural, i.e. no belief in any god or gods, witches, goblins, heaven, hell, afterlife, ghosts, and so on. Makes for some interesting conversations, at least! I write about such things on my blog: black woman thinks.Inside Government is a wonderful idea which is sorely needed – it is addressing the fundamental information gaps within the US populace: how government functions and why. Although my background is not based in the US political arena I aim to approach things as an outsider – a position I have much experience of!My contributions here will be monthly and no doubt asking more questions than answering them. I will also use comparisons, where relevant, with the British system of government and how things might be improved.Just for balance here, I would not describe myself as a conservative, nor am I pro either major political party. Governments should serve the people and not vice versa. If people are encouraged to remain ignorant then it is difficult for them to challenge decisions which may be harmful to their rights, their liberty and their freedoms._____________________________David LambWhen not posting on Killer Buffalo or attending high school, David writes for Grind Mode Magazine and The Political Inquirer. David endorsed and campaigned for Former Alaskan Senator Mike Gravel until his 2008 presidential bid ended in defeat. He did not endorse another presidential candidate._____________________________Matt M.I am a 45 year old single male born in Fort Worth, Texas and currently living in the suburbs north of Dallas, Texas. I come from a large, very close-knit family, most of whom still live in north Texas but range as far as California and Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Together, we represent a typical cross section of Americana in our careers, beliefs and diversity. Personally, I have a background in management, both within a large publicly traded corporation and in small, family owned businesses.My immediate family is, and has always been, conservative and I am no exception, although I have never considered myself a hard-line party member. I believe in supporting the candidate whose beliefs, morals, family values and plans for the future of our country most closely reflect my own, despite his or her party affiliation. The fact that I have always voted Republican is a reflection, in my opinion, of the direction the Democratic party has taken over the last thirty to forty years as much as it is a reflection of my views aligning with those of Republican candidates.However, this site is not about party affiliations or personal agendas. It’s sole purpose is to become a resource for those who would like to become more involved in the voting process, the political process in general and who would like to be more knowledgeable in how our government works. After all, if we hope to affect real change in the way our system of government works we must all educate ourselves in the laws and system of government that we expect our politicians to uphold when we elect them to public office. Knowledge is power, and the more we educate ourselves the more powerful we become.It is in this spirit that I, like my fellow bloggers assembled in this impressive group, will report on a factual, rather than personal, basis the rules and laws that make up our system of government and how they might affect our lives in terms of current events. It is my hope that when events occur in our government that threaten to affect change in our lives, whether in a positive or negative manner, this site will provide the means of understanding those changes and what they might mean to each of us. After all, if we are well-informed then we are well-equipped._____________________________Bob O.I am 44 years young, married with 6 children (2 are hers, 2 are mine, and 2 are ours), and a very staunch conservative. My father was in the U.S. Army for 23 years starting his career off in Viet Nam. After he retired from the Army, I served in the U.S. Air Force for 6 years as an Airborne Hebrew Cryptologic Linguist flying around on the RC-135 Rivet Joint Reconnaissance platform. My primary responsibility was the Middle-East and Israeli Tactical Air. Having this background, I am also very pro-military and have a unique perspective regarding the Middle-East.After leaving the Air Force I worked in various positions related to health care in various organizations: I was a claims processor and supervisor for a large national health insurer; a billing manager for a large national clinical laboratory; a litigation consultant for a large international accounting firm; and a health care consultant specializing in qui tam lawsuits and compliance for a large national consulting firm.I currently work for a large multi-state physician group practice and am in my second year of working on a Ph.D. in Public Health specializing in Epidemiology. What I hope to bring to this blog is my experience, knowledge, and research abilities in order to provide a non-partisan look at our government for those who are seeking answers. While I may lean conservative, I am a firm believer in our Constitution and Bill of Rights and will look to answer any inquiries or provide answers based on a strict interpretation of the Constitution without personal opinion._____________________________Matthew S. Urdan- See more at: http://www.insidegov.org/?page_id=3#sthash.eoa5vIlH.dpuf

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http://www.insidegov.org/?page_id=

I'll repeat...you can't "estimate" IQ. An educational psychologist can't watch you give a speech or even look at your grades and come up with a number. SAT scores might get you closer, but even they aren't reliable, assuming you could get access to someone's SAT scores, and if such testing was even available when they were alive, because so much of the test is "learned".

So, this listing is totally unreliable. The only way to get a reliable "IQ" score is for a certified educational psychologist to sit down with someone for hours giving tests of digit recall, audio processing, visual processing etc. Barring that, a written IQ test given by such a psychologist would do. Those tests are very recent. Even for recent presidents, IF they were given, which most likely they were not (the only time a school might request permission to do so would be either to put a child into "gifted" programs, 150 or above, or because they suspect a major learning disability) they are privileged and the results would not be released. If some investigative reporter had ever gotten a look at them, it would have been front page news, as it was when they got the transcripts for both Kerry and Bush.

I agree that an estimate is really an educated guess. But with GWB it is a very good guess. His removal of Saddam Hussein which set the ball rolling for 'regime change' got us this refugees problem and the whole of Eupedia is front and center about illegal migrants. Can you not see the connection about who the dolt is who started this?

oriental said:

I agree that an estimate is really an educated guess. But with GWB it is a very guess. His removal of Saddam Hussein which set the ball rolling for 'regime change' got us this refugees problem and the whole of Eupedia is front and center about illegal migrants. Can you not see the connection about who the dolt is who started this?

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He just accelerated the process. Dictators don't last forever. A recent case of Syria or Egypt are indicators of the imminent changes. The outcome turned different in Egypt than in Syria. However it is not the end of the hoopla. More to come from Near East.

bicicleur said:

islamic fundamentalism, al qaida, al shabab, boko haram .. is existing for decades
ISIS is the new kid on the block

Tunisia democracy won't last, it is very easy to destabilize, Tunisia depends on tourism.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_Sousse_attacks

Assad is a war criminal, but what do you think would happen if he were eliminated tomorrow?
ISIS is just waiting for that to happen.

What would you think if general Sisi were not in Egypt?
ISIS is just waiting for that to happen.

Democracy took 500 years to happen in Europe.
Do you want to wait that long?

Click to expand...

I think is no need to wait 500 years. With the right help and the right support from USA, we will have there the democracy.
Al Qaeda, was an organization, otherwise is ISIS. It would be good for the freedom if Assad go away. Today Egypt is better than was during Mubarak. If these dictators will be pro Americans, sooner or later we will have there the democracy. Greece embraced the democracy only afterward 1974 . Either Turkey had many coups, but now they are making elections. First we need in middle east some democratic reforms. Step by step we are gonna built there the democracy. The main problem there is Russia. ISIS is a joke. The real problem are the Russians, Hezbollah and Iran. Russia already is sending troops there. Hezbollah is already there. Is going to be a big mess. All Qaeda can't defeat the NATO. Isis can't defeat the NATO. But the Russian- Chinese alliance yes. The problem is that Obama talks and Putin moves .
The inhabitants of middle east are like the other people of the world. Everyone deserve the democracy and freedom. This is up and down process. Look on Japan today. What it was in the past, and what is already today.

Taranis said:

Seriously, where do you take that from? Without US involvement in Europe during World War II, the most likely thing that would have happened is that the iron curtain would have extended along the Channel coast, and all of Continental Europe would have fallen under communist rule. There was no chance in hell for Hitler to win against the Soviet Union, because as things were, the Soviet Union was in a destitute condition when Nazi Germany attacked in 1941, and still Hitler lost.





The Daeesh are doing a marvellous job of thoroughly denouncing radical Islam. They first and foremost, kill other Muslims. Give it a couple of decades, and the pendulum will swing in the opposite direction (Richard Dawkins type atheism, the foundation for that is already happening). In my opinion, the whole "middle easterners can't understand democracy, the best thing for the Middle East is dictatorship" routine is one of the key factors that allowed radical Islam to grow and expand in the past 60 or so years. Imagine that somebody would have said the same about the Germans in 1945?

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You think that middle eastern people are different by the rest of the world. You mean their DNA has a problem? Do you ever heard about Babylon?

Do you know that the German industry was superior against the industry of Soviet union. The Russian war industry was supported by the American British industry. Germans already were fighting in Africa against Britain and USA. The German defeat by the Russians is rather a legend.

bicicleur said:

so you would have prefered Stalin over Hitler?

it's what I told , fascism and communism would still be there

Click to expand...

Both were destroyed by USA. But we need the second Punic war [emoji6]

bicicleur said:

well, why not give ISIS and all fumdamentalist movements worldwide the same treatment as the Germans at WW II ?

Click to expand...

You already have a caliphate. Iran.

Taranis said:

Radical Islam as we know and loathe it today didn't take 500 years to appear. Its a development of the past century (starting out with the carving up of the Ottoman Empire by the Entente powers).




I never talked about what I prefer, I talked about what would likely have happened. I said what would have happened without US involvement in World War II. Truth be told, I'm tired of the clientele of commenters that Fox News digs up with a high level of regularity that proudly claim on screen "if it wasn't for us (the US), you (Europe) would be all speaking German". History is not simple, nor is it ever black-and-white.





No. There are two primary reasons why Hitler was defeated: the preserverance of the British and the strategic depth and massive resources of the Soviet Union, both factors which Hitler immensely underestimated. The UK could have surrendered after the fiasco at Dunkirk, but they didn't. The US does not deserve much credit for defeating Hitler in World War II. They were not a game changer with that, and I am sure that fascism would not be around without the US involvement. They deserve, however, credit for the iron curtain running as far east as it did historically (as I described).

(my apologies for taking this off-topic)

Click to expand...

Churchill purpose was not stopping till they get to Moscow, but Roosevelt disagreed with him unfortunately.