are your referenced "history experts who disagree" of the Time/Life, Parade magazine, or Reader's Digest variety?

While one would, in being intellectually honest, concede there are differences of opinion about why nuclear weapons were ultimately used on Japanese civilian populations, the underlying timeline, the state of Japan as a viable opponent and the likelihood of an agreed cessation of hostilities absent use of those devices isn't really up for much debate among serious academics. The myth that they were necessary to "save American lives" and "the only act that would have ended the war" is in large part a lie. That you believe it is unsurprising.

By that logic why didn't/don't we drop atomic bombs on every perceived adversary or "enemy" . . . it will ALWAYS save American lives won't it? A conservative estimate says 96 billion a year to maintain an aresenal of over 9700 devices--seems like real tax dollar inefficiecy if you ask me. We should have just lobbed a couple each at the Afghans and the Iraqis and wouldn't they have just prostrated themselves like the compliant Japanese? Good bang for the buck and lives saved. Why burn all that gas and equipment and American manpower to achieve the desired end when we have such a terrifyingly cost effective weapon in the arsenal just lying around?

Some of my fellow countrymen are as dumb as a sack of hammers. Wanting so badly to believe in the ultimate benevolence and goodness of "our dear leaders" to the point of delusion. Truly scary. I have as much hope for America as I do for Israel. So long as the knuckledraggers live amongst us and their factually inaccurate narratives are propogandized and perpetuated we don't have much of a chance to change anything.

War is almost always a racket motivated by the desires of the few for power, control, markets, resources, and land. They're rarely about anything as lofty as freedom, liberty, democracy, preventing genocide (with a couple of exceptions) . . . but you could never understand that because you're one of the "citizen believers" Goebbels had pegged.

Most people will never comprehend the sublimity of the gift of existence until we learn to stop killing it, paving it, and turning it into plastic.

I'm the farthest thing from a Zionist and your head is so far up your ass it just might physically contact your hat. Refer to the mass extermination of Jews in Europe during Hitler's regime in whatever terms you choose but to deny it happened is delusional.

Like I said--seek medical help immediately because you're losing it.

reading doesn't necessarily imply learning or wisdom. Depends on what you read and your ability to critically assess it in terms of logical coherence/validity and moral consistency. Conservatives might engage in reading but when it's Coulter's books or editorials from propogandist ideologues in print or radio I'm sure our disagreements are both factual and ideological.

I've met many financially successful conservatives I haven't met very many smart ones. I've certainly never equated financial wealth with intellect and moral virtue but every conservative I've ever met sure does.

I could waste great parts of my day educating you on this subject providing links to books and peer reviewed materials by "real historians" and you still couldn't cognitively accept or begin to understand that the stated narrative is largely a factually false one.

You can only "understand" or perceive the facts when they are consistent with your corrupted morality i.e. "theoretically" suffering more American casualties justifies vaporizing not one but two cities (men, women, children included), firebombing cities is just, war has a place, war is inevitable (or at least inevitable if others conduct themselves not to our liking or heaven forbid want the right to self-determination or to choose a different political and economic reality from ours), . . . if America's political and economic "organization" is so right and true and morally superior why must it be spread at the point of the gun? Shouldn't its superiority be as undeniable as it is self-evident over time?

Tell me ehillesum, because I'm truly curious . . . what is the fair retributive death ratio for an American life in your mind . . . 50/1, 100/1, 5000/1, 10,000/1?

money, fear, lack of clarity of understanding of the economic and military potential of communism and Stalin (and I AM NOT DEFENDING STALIN), projection/perpetuation of the both the reality/illusion of military power, poor thinking from civilian and military underlings pressuring Truman, Truman's own moral shortcomings, domestic political forces . . . you certainly can't suggest that at the time they were dropped the allied force weren't categorically winning and that Japan, Germany, and Italy weren't economically and militarily defeated nations?

he doesn't recognize that the Presidency is subservient to the intelligence services and the military. The President can't open the books.

Can't really agree unless you're arguing America is a de facto military/intelligence dictatorship. If that's what you're arguing I'd say take a shot at proving it. Otherwise the President can insist that "the book be opened" and any of his executive branch subordinates who refuse should be asked to tender a resignation within the hour. It's really that simple.

President Obama, if he really is a change agent, which I'm seriously starting to doubt, needs to take issues directly to the people and sell them. And as part of the sale tell them to put pressure on specific intransigent representatives and senators to do the peoples business and side with the President or be prepared to be voted out next time around. We know the pols only have one political calculus, well two maybe, electoral self-preservation and influence peddling that permits chosen donors to feast at the government trough.

God knows the legislature has no backbone whatsoever, so President Obama needs to start throwing some bows under the boards or he's gonna get worked for the next eight.