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-1 votes

Why does the US still maintain so many military facilities in Western Europe?

As other said, early interception of ICBM is one of the goals, but these intercepting systems require very limited maintenance and they do not require such a large deployment of troops. What require a ...
EarlGrey's user avatar
  • 115
2 votes

Does and did the US give specific reasons for its military presence in the Persian Gulf?

Kind of a broad question. The "does" part is easier to answer, if by presence you mean just the naval one: August 1, 2023 Thousands of Marines backed by advanced U.S. fighter jets and ...
Fizz's user avatar
  • 145k
2 votes

Why was the USS Vincennes in the Persian Gulf in 1988?

This answers the following question directly: I just wanted to know what was the mission of USS Vincennes at the Gulf at that time. Why the USS Vincennes was in the Persian gulf in 1988? In short, ...
blobbymcblobby's user avatar
0 votes

Why was the USS Vincennes in the Persian Gulf in 1988?

That shouldnt be too hard to figure out. The Tanker Wars The Tanker War was a protracted series of armed skirmishes between Iran and Iraq against merchant vessels in the Persian Gulf and Strait of ...
Italian Philosophers 4 Monica's user avatar
0 votes

How common is it for US state political parties to ban association with Nazis?

In the US, political parties don't usually have many rules because it is impossible to actually enforce any political party rules, and impossible to kick someone out of the party. For example, there ...
theresawalrus's user avatar
0 votes

How common is it for US state political parties to ban association with Nazis?

Political Parties in the United States are, unlike many other party organizations in the world, are not government entities but private organizations and are not subject to the freedom of association ...
hszmv's user avatar
  • 16.1k
3 votes
Accepted

Why does the US still maintain so many military facilities in Western Europe?

Logistics aside, the key concept to take into account is US security, economics and political influence benefits from having significant allies in Europe and globally (and, to some extent, ...
Italian Philosophers 4 Monica's user avatar
3 votes

Why does the US still maintain so many military facilities in Western Europe?

I agree with all the points @Machavity and @ohwilleke make, they're the most important/significant. Throwing another point onto the pile I'll mention economics. A military base, both in the US and ...
Xcaro Tenes's user avatar
2 votes

In Ranked-choice voting, are exhausted ballots removed from the total vote count for subsequent rounds?

The full text of the measure can be found on Ballotpedia There are two cases. 1. Elections with a single winner (Section 4 Subsection 2) (A) If an active candidate has a majority of votes in a round, ...
xyldke's user avatar
  • 1,553
20 votes

Why does the US still maintain so many military facilities in Western Europe?

@Machavity rightly notes that logistics are one reason. As another example of that, wounded U.S. soldiers in the Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Balkans were frequently transported to U.S. military bases ...
ohwilleke's user avatar
  • 73.6k
36 votes

Why does the US still maintain so many military facilities in Western Europe?

There's an important word you're missing: logistics. The US has to project its power. To do that, you need to be able to move not just troops, but equipment and supplies. But you don't just move those ...
Machavity's user avatar
  • 46k
13 votes

What are some roadblocks preventing a free trade agreement between the EU and the US?

There were a lot of stumbling blocks and hurdles with TTIP, but here are two major ones: In 2016, the United States elected a President who ran on a platform of Isolationism and Protectionism, and had ...
Jörg W Mittag's user avatar
-1 votes

Why are there so many pro-Palestinian protestors in the United States?

There many pro-Palestinian protestors in the United States because the protestors are mostly younger compared to average population, and younger age is positively associated with pro-Palestinian ...
Timur Shtatland's user avatar
-1 votes

Preventing fraud by a candidate

I just wanted to post an update to the George Santos situation, as he has been expelled from Congress as of today, Dec 1, 2023. He survived an attempt* earlier this year to expel him when it was just ...
computercarguy's user avatar
2 votes

Why are there so many pro-Palestinian protestors in the United States?

Because Hamas is playing Western morals like a fiddle (Note: References to Hamas refer to the organization whose members gleefully tortured and murdered over a thousand Israelis on October 7, and not ...
YouDontSay's user avatar
11 votes

Why are there so many pro-Palestinian protestors in the United States?

Many people feel that the actions of their government are not aligned with their views, and want that to change In principle, a democratically elected government is meant to represent the views of the ...
llama's user avatar
  • 1,466
21 votes

What are some roadblocks preventing a free trade agreement between the EU and the US?

Part of the answer was public sentiment. A few currents of public opinion converged here: The European political left is traditionally anti-American, and much of the moderate populace is America-...
Peter - Reinstate Monica's user avatar
6 votes

Why are there so many pro-Palestinian protestors in the United States?

It is true that Israel recently began war actions against Hamas in the Gaza strip, but it is also true that this war was initiated by hostile actions from that group against Israel. Israel's response ...
phoog's user avatar
  • 17.4k
11 votes

Why are there so many pro-Palestinian protestors in the United States?

Some good explanations have already been given. I want to add to them, so this answer is meant to complement, not replace, the existing answers: Western values at this point in time have are strongly ...
Tom's user avatar
  • 5,332
31 votes
Accepted

What are some roadblocks preventing a free trade agreement between the EU and the US?

First you can see the lengthly TTIP negotiations as proof that the US and the EU were definitely trying to get a free trade agreement. Here are a few points that made getting a free trade agreement ...
quarague's user avatar
  • 7,037
-7 votes

Why are there so many pro-Palestinian protestors in the United States?

Short answer: because the sloganeering has worked. The supporters of anti-Zionism (which I will define as opposition to the existence of the state of Israel) have managed to capture the public ...
wrod's user avatar
  • 7,942
54 votes
Accepted

Why are there so many pro-Palestinian protestors in the United States?

[edit] Pro-Palestinian support has increased everywhere in the world, not only in the US. There might be many factors at play, some country-specific and some not. Among these, a few general long-term ...
Erwan's user avatar
  • 16.2k
15 votes

Why are there so many pro-Palestinian protestors in the United States?

Question: Why are there so many pro-Palestinian protestors in the United States? There are pro-Palestinian demonstrators around the world in many countries. Pro-Palestinian Demonstrators Flood ...
JMS's user avatar
  • 1,047
2 votes
Accepted

Does the Florida grand jury's report support its assertion of "malevolence" when it comes to the illegal immigration industry?

Context for the quoted language provides a bit more insight. It says: The Order empaneling our jury instructs us to focus on those who arrive illegally to our country and thence to our state, those ...
ohwilleke's user avatar
  • 73.6k
10 votes
Accepted

How would electoral votes be cast if the winning presidential candidate was a write-in?

The National Association of Secretaries of State publishes a summary of state laws regarding presidential elections. As one may expect, the laws vary by state. The write-in candidate must file and ...
Rick Smith's user avatar
  • 34.4k
2 votes

On what grounds do the USA-affiliated forces and citizens reside in Syria if Syrian government objects?

It is authorized by Public Law 107-40, the Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) that authorized the war in Afghanistan after 9-11. This essentially declares war on ISIS, and there is an ISIS ...
ohwilleke's user avatar
  • 73.6k
0 votes

Why does the Voice of America refer to "militants" and not "terrorists" when talking about armed Palestinian groups, apparently with no backlash?

I'm writing this as an answer because it is too much to fit in a comment. I realize that an answer has been accepted, and am not trying to contradict it. The U.S. government has designated Hamas (...
Ellie Kesselman's user avatar
1 vote

What role does the U.S. play in mediating the conflict between Hamas and Israel?

The United States has been working diligently and consistently from the start of the terrorist attack of Hamas on October 7, 2023 until present to mediate the conflict between Hamas and Israel. You ...
Timur Shtatland's user avatar
2 votes

How common is it for celebrities, influencers etc. to endorse politicians in exchange for money in the US?

Openly trading an endorsement for money is not very likely. This is likely done secretly - in which case there is no public evidence available, beyond some well-publicized scandals (like Xerox affair ...
Roger V.'s user avatar
  • 12.1k
6 votes
Accepted

What role does the U.S. play in mediating the conflict between Hamas and Israel?

"Mediator" may or may not fully describe the US role here because they also have some skin in the game in the form of some US citizens that were/are held hostage by Hamas and one of which (a ...
Fizz's user avatar
  • 145k
4 votes

What role does the U.S. play in mediating the conflict between Hamas and Israel?

Qatar has close military relationsip with the U.S. https://qa.usembassy.gov/us-qatar-relations-a-model-for-global-partnership/#:~:text=Our%20security%20partnership%20has%20been,Qatar's%20security%20is%...
AkiZukiLenn's user avatar
2 votes

What would be the pros/cons of having weighted voting in the House of Representatives?

Frame challenge: You don't want to put a weight on members votes but instead should remove the rules placing membership at 435 members. The fact that it is set at that means that it is impossible to ...
Joe W's user avatar
  • 15.4k
0 votes

What evidence of US involvement in the terrorist attack in Istanbul was provided by Turkey?

Question: What evidence of US involvement in the terrorist attack in Istanbul was provided by Turkey? Short Answer None, the quotes were not about the US instigating the Ankara bombings but from ...
JMS's user avatar
  • 1,047
12 votes
Accepted

Why does the Voice of America refer to "militants" and not "terrorists" when talking about armed Palestinian groups, apparently with no backlash?

The answer to the second part of the question "why is it apparently not getting the same level of flak as the BBC?" is not fully answered without acknowledging the vastly different roles the ...
Will's user avatar
  • 670
0 votes

What aspects of voting in the USA are left to the states and what are controlled by the federal government?

The other answer already quoted the relevant passage in the Constitution which tells us that in principle, federal congressional elections could be regulated almost entirely by the federal government ...
wonderbear's user avatar
  • 1,865
6 votes

How common is it for celebrities, influencers etc. to endorse politicians in exchange for money in the US?

Is this a common practice in the US, for politicians to buy endorsements from celebrities or other influential people with outright cash? No. This is vanishingly rare in modern U.S. politics. It ...
ohwilleke's user avatar
  • 73.6k
0 votes

What evidence of US involvement in the terrorist attack in Istanbul was provided by Turkey?

About the same as for this: Turkey appears to have a double standard when it comes to terrorism. On 21 August [2015], Turkey accused BBC of supporting terrorists after airing a report on why Kurdish ...
Fizz's user avatar
  • 145k
54 votes

Why does the Voice of America refer to "militants" and not "terrorists" when talking about armed Palestinian groups, apparently with no backlash?

In realpolitik, dictionary meanings are unimportant. The label "terrorist" is more often applied to a most-disliked enemy, rather than to one who use terror tactics the most. The key enemy ...
Therac - Peace for Palestine's user avatar
-4 votes

Why does the Voice of America refer to "militants" and not "terrorists" when talking about armed Palestinian groups, apparently with no backlash?

The term is appropriately used because they don't know if it is a terrorist organisation. The modern usage of a militant is someone: favouring confrontational or violent methods in support of a ...
sfxedit's user avatar
  • 6,749
20 votes

Why does the Voice of America refer to "militants" and not "terrorists" when talking about armed Palestinian groups, apparently with no backlash?

I think the odd one here is actually the BBC (or actually the UK government) and not VOA. Both the US and the UK have very high standards of freedom of expression and freedom of the press. Both the ...
quarague's user avatar
  • 7,037
4 votes

Why does the Voice of America refer to "militants" and not "terrorists" when talking about armed Palestinian groups, apparently with no backlash?

This is not an exhaustive search I've done, but VoA appears to "forget" to mention that Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade is a designated terrorist organization in some other stories that mention the ...
Fizz's user avatar
  • 145k
11 votes

Why does the Voice of America refer to "militants" and not "terrorists" when talking about armed Palestinian groups, apparently with no backlash?

Maybe VOA refers to the group as militant because, technically speaking, the militant affiliate has not been itself designated by the US State Department as terrorist as of now. Only the Al Aqsa ...
Timur Shtatland's user avatar
2 votes

Has the US said anything about the apparent Israeli proposal to encourage Gaza civilians to relocate to al-Mawasi?

To partially answer my own Q, the NYT quotes: “We have made clear to them, as we have made clear publicly, that we think they should not commence with further activities in the south until they have ...
Fizz's user avatar
  • 145k
10 votes

What happens to Chinese illegal migrants to the US that the US wants to deport but China won't accept?

The answer largely does not concern China and Chinese nationals in particular. Cuba for example notably refuses to accept deportees. Cambodia refused to accept US deportees until 2002. And then there ...
xngtng's user avatar
  • 1,280
4 votes
Accepted

Is the United States the first country to restrict the purchase of home and land of individuals from a certain country country-wide or not?

Just two examples: Denmark: Foreign citizen require case-by-case approval. Poland: Foreign citizens need case-by-case approval. National security is explicitly mentioned as one consideration.
o.m.'s user avatar
  • 106k
2 votes

Is it common or uncommon for someone to get the State Department’s Superior Honor Award three times?

I have not found a full list of recipients but I have found some more people who got the Superior Honor Award multiple times: Julie Stufft has received is 7 times. Gabriel Escobar 6 times. David ...
xyldke's user avatar
  • 1,553
6 votes
Accepted

Does the definition of Antisemitism used by the FBI differ in any way from the one used by the State Department?

From what I can tell, they do not have a specific definition. Compilation and release of the report is based on the Hate Crime Statistics Act. The text of the act itself is short. It just says to ...
tim's user avatar
  • 36k
3 votes
Accepted

What is the meaning of "acting" for position like South Asia director in the NSC? Do non-acting appointments for that have to confirmed by the Senate?

This position does not appear in the Plum Book for 2020, nor do other comparable NSC regional directors. This implies that it is a civil service appointment with permanent positions filled via a merit ...
ohwilleke's user avatar
  • 73.6k
7 votes
Accepted

How is this continuing resolution different from what got McCarthy vacated?

What has changed is the will of the right wing of the Republican party to force what amounts to a vote of confidence in their new speaker. In September, the calculation was that by ousting McCarthy, ...
James K's user avatar
  • 115k
3 votes

Do Christian denominations in US have similar attitudes towards immigration?

As someone who has been part of congregations from many different denominations, it's mostly a matter of folk religion. If a congregation's members primarily come from a people group which is anti-...
Hamas are war criminals's user avatar

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