April 07, 2014
— Ace Maybe some small amount of good news.
Maybe. Things have a tendency to find their way to new awfulnesses.
Afghan voters turned out in large numbers Saturday for historic presidential and provincial elections, undeterred by the threat of violence by the Taliban and poor weather.A heavy security presence in the capital, Kabul, and across the country ensured that the vote went largely smoothly, although some attacks were reported.
...
Afghan lawmaker Shukria Barakzai, at a polling station in Kabul, told CNN she felt proud and happy because "today is the day ... when the people of Afghanistan can go and vote freely."
She said the turnout was a slap in the face for the Taliban and terrorists who have sought to obstruct the elections.
"See, wonderful people are coming to practice democracy," she said. "We are not afraid of the threats. As much as they kill us, we get more stronger. As much as they killed our children, our journalists and innocent women, we say no, we will go and vote because we are fed up. We want to see real change, we want to enjoy our democracy."
Karzai had backed a candidate named Rassoul. Karzai had gone so far as to ask his own brother to back out of the race, to clear a path for Rassoul.
It will take weeks to count the votes (and rule on all the allegations of fraud), but a sampling from 100 key polling places seems to indicate the public has had enough of the Karzai regime.
Former World Bank executive Ashraf Ghani and opposition leader Abdullah Abdullah appeared to be the two front-runners in Afghanistan's presidential election, sidelining a candidate viewed as President Hamid Karzai's favorite, according to partial results tallied by news organizations and one candidate.A victory for Mr. Abdullah or Mr. Ghani could significantly reduce the influence of Mr. Karzai, who has ruled Afghanistan since the 2001 U.S. invasion. Both candidates say they will sign the bilateral security agreement, which is needed to maintain American aid and a limited U.S. military presence in Afghanistan once the international coalition's current mandate expires in December. Mr. Karzai has infuriated Washington by refusing to complete the deal.
...
The Wall Street Journal tallied partial election results from visits to roughly 100 polling stations, out of more than 20,000 nationwide, in the capital Kabul and the cities of Mazar-e-Sharif in the north, Kandahar in the south, and Gardez and Jalalabad in the east. At nearly all these stations, Messrs. Ghani and Abdullah were the clear leaders, according to counts posted by local poll supervisors. Mr. Karzai's former foreign minister, Zalmai Rassoul, trailed far behind.
Based on very little information at all, I'm pulling for Abdullah:
Both Mr. Ghani and Mr. Abdullah ran against Mr. Karzai in the 2009 election. Mr. Abdullah, 54, a former aide to anti-Taliban Tajik commander Ahmad Shah Massoud, came in second at the time with 30.6%.
Massoud, you might remember, was the Northern Alliance commander who was assassinated by bomb just before 9/11, on September 9, 2001. It was theorized back then that this was a prepatory move by the Taliban, knowing that the US attack which would surely follow would probably involve first making common cause with the Northern Alliance.
I don't know if those speculations have held up, or if the Taliban's assassination was just coincidental in time.
Apparently Abdullah has a shot at winning because he's partly Pashtun (Pashtuns are the largest ethnic group) and speaks Pashto better than Rassoul-- who despite being Pashtun himself, grew up in a Persian-speaking area.
Oh, both Abdullah and Ghani have former (?) warlords for running mates.
I guess that's just Afghanistan.
Posted by: Ace at
10:07 AM
| Comments (212)
Post contains 655 words, total size 4 kb.
Posted by: nnptcrgad at April 07, 2014 10:10 AM (hYoPm)
O_O
Posted by: HR at April 07, 2014 10:10 AM (ZKzrr)
Posted by: The Dude at April 07, 2014 10:11 AM (bStrg)
Posted by: jewells45 at April 07, 2014 10:11 AM (l/N7H)
Massoud would have made for an excellent ruler of North Afghanistan, but I don't know if he could ever have really won over the Pashtuns in the rest of the country.
Posted by: Amichel at April 07, 2014 10:11 AM (aO1W9)
"See, wonderful people are coming to practice democracy," she said behind a burqa. "We are not afraid of the threats.
FIFM
Posted by: Bigby's Kung Fu Grip at April 07, 2014 10:12 AM (3ZtZW)
Both candidates say they will sign the bilateral security agreement, which is needed to maintain American aid and a limited U.S. military presence in Afghanistan once the international coalition's current mandate expires in December. Mr. Karzai has infuriated Washington by refusing to complete the deal.
heh. Creating FSAs wherever we go. People love the govt cheese worldwide.
Posted by: Guy Mohawk at April 07, 2014 10:12 AM (hUf/y)
Posted by: Synova at April 07, 2014 10:13 AM (JzVXW)
Posted by: spypeach at April 07, 2014 10:13 AM (10H0T)
Posted by: Jebbie, the Web-Footed Bush™ [/i] [/s] [/u] at April 07, 2014 10:13 AM (HsTG8)
Posted by: Bevel Lemelisk at April 07, 2014 10:13 AM (QMRMM)
Posted by: RWC at April 07, 2014 10:14 AM (fWAjv)
Posted by: jwest at April 07, 2014 10:14 AM (u2a4R)
Posted by: Stupid liberal at April 07, 2014 10:15 AM (10H0T)
Yeah, that was Karzai and look how that worked out.
Posted by: EC at April 07, 2014 10:16 AM (GQ8sn)
Posted by: RWC at April 07, 2014 10:16 AM (fWAjv)
Posted by: Costanza Defense at April 07, 2014 10:16 AM (ZPrif)
Posted by: Dr Spank at April 07, 2014 10:17 AM (P1WNR)
I'm fine with humanitarian aid being sent to countries in need after a disaster, like "pissing off the US enough to be attacked" but not staying there and fixing it. And not government aid, either.
Posted by: Christopher Taylor at April 07, 2014 10:17 AM (zfY+H)
The vote to control fifty miles around Kabul.
A couple of years ago Petraeus (I think) released a pretty detailed survey of the amount of Afghanistan the NATO forces controlled. It was approximately the exact footprint of NATO installations.
Posted by: Frumious Bandersnatch at April 07, 2014 10:17 AM (JtwS4)
>>>Both candidates say they will sign the bilateral security agreement, which is needed to maintain American aid and a limited U.S. military presence in Afghanistan once the international coalition's current mandate expires in December. Mr. Karzai has infuriated Washington by refusing to complete the deal.
Anybody wanna check infowars' take on the elections?
/sarc
Posted by: Bigby's Kung Fu Grip at April 07, 2014 10:17 AM (3ZtZW)
Posted by: Angel with a sword at April 07, 2014 10:18 AM (hpgw1)
Posted by: Vizzy at April 07, 2014 10:18 AM (H0lcY)
Posted by: bonhomme[/i][/b][/s][/i][/b][/s] at April 07, 2014 10:19 AM (qKrH5)
Posted by: Frumious Bandersnatch at April 07, 2014 10:19 AM (JtwS4)
Posted by: prescient11 at April 07, 2014 10:19 AM (tVTLU)
Posted by: Y-not at April 07, 2014 10:20 AM (zDsvJ)
Posted by: RWC at April 07, 2014 10:20 AM (fWAjv)
Posted by: jwest at April 07, 2014 10:20 AM (u2a4R)
Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars™ [/i] [/s] [/u] at April 07, 2014 10:20 AM (HsTG8)
>>>How soon before we have warlords here in the US?
Already do, in some respects. Anybody who can threaten organised violent action to achieve a goal. Maybe Sharpton qualifies...?
Posted by: Bigby's Kung Fu Grip at April 07, 2014 10:20 AM (3ZtZW)
Posted by: bonhomme[/i][/b][/s][/i][/b][/s] at April 07, 2014 10:20 AM (qKrH5)
Posted by: Lincolntf at April 07, 2014 10:21 AM (ZshNr)
Posted by: Costanza Defense at April 07, 2014 10:21 AM (ZPrif)
That way you invade me and build me new airports, stadiums, shopping malls, etc..
Posted by: RWC at April 07, 2014 02:20 PM (fWAjv)
Basically the plot of the movie The Mouse That Roared.
Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing at April 07, 2014 10:21 AM (zF6Iw)
Posted by: El Gobernador Jeb Bush at April 07, 2014 10:21 AM (8ZskC)
Posted by: bonhomme[/i][/b][/s][/i][/b][/s] at April 07, 2014 10:22 AM (qKrH5)
She's famous for being famous, because someone in her family was famous first.
Posted by: HR at April 07, 2014 10:22 AM (ZKzrr)
Posted by: Cicero (@cicero) at April 07, 2014 10:22 AM (8ZskC)
And book, yeah I was just thinking that.
Posted by: Christopher Taylor at April 07, 2014 10:23 AM (zfY+H)
Posted by: Uncledave at April 07, 2014 10:23 AM (lpGwN)
Failure at an extremely high cost financially, and in the lost and shattered lives of many of our nation's best.
I still have that marker down.
Because I actually DO believe it's possible to "nation-build", to turn backward shitholes into modern nations. It's been done. I just don't think it is possible to do so in places like Afghanistan without forcibly extirpating (or at least forcibly driving back into remote shadowed corners) the Islamic religion.
Whereas Bush and his brain trust declared that "Islam is a religion of peace!" from the get-go. Politically-correct, culturally-sensitive, _Star Trek_ Prime Directive bullcrap.
Inherently flawed premises will destroy any plan no matter how detailed said plan may be, no matter how expensive said plan is, and no matter how many lives are wasted attemping to implement it.
Posted by: torquewrench at April 07, 2014 10:23 AM (noWW6)
Posted by: Costanza Defense at April 07, 2014 10:24 AM (ZPrif)
Posted by: rickb223 at April 07, 2014 10:24 AM (xorT2)
Posted by: Lincolntf at April 07, 2014 10:24 AM (ZshNr)
>>>I'm talking about an old style, off with their heads kick ass dictator who knows how to rule.
Yeah that was Saddam and look how that turned out
Posted by: Bigby's Kung Fu Grip at April 07, 2014 10:25 AM (3ZtZW)
Posted by: Vashta Nerada at April 07, 2014 10:25 AM (eGmvn)
Posted by: polynikes at April 07, 2014 10:25 AM (m2CN7)
Costanza,
Yeah, not really concerned re Africa's population.
Mexican birthrate in 1970s was 7 per woman. Now it's under replacement rate. Fertility trends are highly flexible. More "civilized" country becomes, more birthrate plunges.
America is one of few first world countries that bucks the trend.
Posted by: prescient11 at April 07, 2014 10:25 AM (tVTLU)
Posted by: prescient11 at April 07, 2014 02:19 PM (tVTLU)
Pashtuns are known for pederasty, if I'm not mistaken.
Posted by: Insomniac at April 07, 2014 10:26 AM (DrWcr)
Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars™ [/i] [/s] [/u] at April 07, 2014 10:26 AM (HsTG8)
Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing at April 07, 2014 10:26 AM (zF6Iw)
Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars™ [/i] [/s] [/u] at April 07, 2014 10:27 AM (HsTG8)
Posted by: AllenG (DedicatedTenther) Ah, F It. at April 07, 2014 10:27 AM (PYAXX)
Posted by: Ricardo Kill at April 07, 2014 10:27 AM (gOoFi)
Posted by: bonhomme[/i][/b][/s][/i][/b][/s] at April 07, 2014 10:27 AM (qKrH5)
I will give John Kerry credit for one great line. "How do you ask a man to be the last one to die for a mistake?" Killing all the Al Qaeda and getting the Taliban out of power took about six weeks, and handful of special forces, and a shitton of bribes.
What lasting accomplishment will there be from the blood of thousands of U.S. soldiers after that?
Posted by: Frumious Bandersnatch at April 07, 2014 10:28 AM (JtwS4)
Posted by: Zombie Peaches at April 07, 2014 10:28 AM (Aif/5)
Posted by: Costanza Defense at April 07, 2014 10:28 AM (ZPrif)
Posted by: jwest at April 07, 2014 10:28 AM (u2a4R)
Posted by: Frumious Bandersnatch at April 07, 2014 02:28 PM (JtwS4)
Preventing another 9/11?
Posted by: polynikes at April 07, 2014 10:29 AM (m2CN7)
Posted by: L. Ron Hubbard at April 07, 2014 10:30 AM (8ZskC)
Posted by: M. Jagger at April 07, 2014 10:30 AM (vFh9Q)
What lasting accomplishment will there be from the blood of thousands of U.S. soldiers after that?
Posted by: Frumious Bandersnatch at April 07, 2014 02:28 PM (JtwS4)
Preventing another 9/11?
*After* the first round of vermin clearing. We retained the capability to destroy terror training camps. Are we going to leave behind a stable civil society that will discourage mischief?
Posted by: Frumious Bandersnatch at April 07, 2014 10:31 AM (JtwS4)
What lasting accomplishment will there be from the blood of thousands of U.S. soldiers after that?
Posted by: Frumious Bandersnatch at April 07, 2014 02:28 PM (JtwS4)
---
Preventing another 9/11?
Posted by: polynikes
------
I doubt it.
Posted by: Vashta Nerada at April 07, 2014 10:31 AM (eGmvn)
Posted by: bonhomme[/i][/b][/s][/i][/b][/s] at April 07, 2014 10:31 AM (qKrH5)
http://goo.gl/gAeo7D
Posted by: M. Jagger at April 07, 2014 02:30 PM (vFh9Q)
Put more ass on that lass!
Posted by: EC at April 07, 2014 10:33 AM (GQ8sn)
Posted by: Soothie is no gentleman but at April 07, 2014 10:33 AM (jldxi)
They don't officially sanction buttfucking and marrying three dudes and a goat????
Those intolerant bastards. Bomb them now.
Posted by: prescient11 at April 07, 2014 10:34 AM (tVTLU)
>>>We worked with Saddam for a number of years, just as we did with Shah of Iran.
Not at all equivalent, those two
Posted by: Bigby's Kung Fu Grip at April 07, 2014 10:34 AM (3ZtZW)
Posted by: Chris_Balsz at April 07, 2014 10:34 AM (5xmd7)
Posted by: Citizen X at April 07, 2014 10:35 AM (7ObY1)
Posted by: Afghanistan at April 07, 2014 10:35 AM (gOoFi)
It moved...
Posted by: HR at April 07, 2014 10:35 AM (ZKzrr)
Posted by: naturalfake at April 07, 2014 10:37 AM (0cMkb)
Preventing another 9/11?
Posted by: polynikes
About that...
Posted by: The 7 July 2005 London bombings
Posted by: Laurie David's Cervix at April 07, 2014 10:37 AM (kdS6q)
Posted by: Bigby's Kung Fu Grip at April 07, 2014 10:37 AM (3ZtZW)
Possibly, but that's essentially the same trick the Obama-heads use when they claim that without Obama, the economy would be eleventy times worse than it is.
Posted by: bonhomme at April 07, 2014 02:31 PM (qKrH5)
Trick? If we would have left after six weeks, the Taliban and their guest terrorist camps would have been up and running the country again. We would never have been able to have the intelligence we have now in Pakistan. We have used Afghanistan and Iraq as a possible staging area for Iran keeping them in check. I'm saying none of those soldiers died in vain.
Posted by: polynikes at April 07, 2014 10:38 AM (m2CN7)
Posted by: jwest at April 07, 2014 10:38 AM (u2a4R)
http://goo.gl/gAeo7D
Posted by: M. Jagger at April 07, 2014 02:30 PM (vFh9Q)
Dayum.
Posted by: Insomniac at April 07, 2014 10:38 AM (DrWcr)
Posted by: Frumious Bandersnatch at April 07, 2014 10:38 AM (JtwS4)
There was an interview in _Macleans_ with a Canadian military doctor who came home from the 'Stan with suicidal PTSD. He still is glad he went, he defends the Western role there, but this one story really illustrates the unbridgeable cultural divide.
"Q: Tell me about the man who came asking for a shovel."
"A: He showed up at a forward operating base with a woman in a pickup truck The guard bent over and saw that she wasnÂ’t dead. The medic said we can fix her up. But the guy said, no, sheÂ’s dead. WeÂ’re going to bury her. And they left without the shovel. It was only when we got back that we understood that she had probably been lapidated [ritually stoned] and they were going to bury her. The medic who told me the story thought it was the funniest thing, that they were going to bury her alive. And I thought, oh my God, this country is really screwing us up."
So my own assessment is pretty simple: if anyone thinks they can "nation-build" while amicably partnering with locals like the guy driving the pickup truck? That's sheer lunatic politically correct fantasyland.
Anyway, if anyone wants the full interview, it's here:
http://preview.tinyurl.com/kb9zde7
Posted by: torquewrench at April 07, 2014 10:38 AM (noWW6)
Posted by: Romeo13 at April 07, 2014 10:39 AM (84gbM)
Posted by: Citizen X at April 07, 2014 10:39 AM (7ObY1)
Posted by: WalrusRex at April 07, 2014 10:39 AM (WvLIA)
Posted by: M. Jagger at April 07, 2014 10:39 AM (vFh9Q)
Posted by: Afghanistan at April 07, 2014 10:40 AM (gOoFi)
I'm in a quandry about Afghanistan. I want to say leave and never look back. But I'm afraid of the total vacuum that leaves in the entire ME region.
I just don't know.
Posted by: Soona at April 07, 2014 10:41 AM (GedtH)
So... I never heard of Peaches Geldof. Until now. Which doesn't do her a whole lot of good, I suppose.
What I'm wondering though, is the funeral. Do you think they'll play that song? I mean, she died today... right?
Posted by: BurtTC at April 07, 2014 10:42 AM (TOk1P)
Posted by: OneEyedJack at April 07, 2014 10:42 AM (agLwc)
Posted by: bonhomme[/i][/b][/s][/i][/b][/s] at April 07, 2014 10:42 AM (qKrH5)
Holy shit, and here I thought we have had Iranian-backed militias and proxies running completely amuck all over the Middle East the entire time, creating massive havoc.
While Iran continues to forge resolutely forward not only with a nuclear weapons program, but also dual-capable satellite boosters capable of serving as quite nice improvised intercontinental ballistic missiles.
But they're safely "in check" despite all this. Whew! What a relief!
Posted by: torquewrench at April 07, 2014 10:43 AM (noWW6)
Posted by: Romeo13 at April 07, 2014 10:43 AM (84gbM)
Posted by: Soona at April 07, 2014 02:41 PM (GedtH)
Takes a wise man to say I don't know. What's ironic is you're from Oklahoma.
Posted by: polynikes at April 07, 2014 10:44 AM (m2CN7)
We would never have been able to have the intelligence we have now in Pakistan.
Intelligence in Pakistan? The place that sheltered Bin Laden and imprisoned the local who tipped us off? Where we can't transport our ex-Afg gear overland to ports? That Pakistan?
Posted by: Frumious Bandersnatch at April 07, 2014 10:44 AM (JtwS4)
This is how I knew GWB was fucking on the way wrong track.
He kept talking about democracy democracy democracy.
Yeah, we want to rely on the majority rule of a bunch of illiterate goat fuckers and their slave wives to come up with a government that works.
It's a REPUBLIC mother fuckers. A democracy is the poison that slowly results in the RINO progressive dreams.
Yes, the blood of our sons is worth some goat fucker having separation of powers and a bicameral legislation. What a great fucking mission.
No, the mission should have been to kill and dismantle islamic radical goat fuckers all over the globe. Fuck nation building. Fuck democracy. Kill them all.
And if the country goes to shit again after the first time we killed a shit ton of them, then we go back in and kill some more until they get the fucking idea. I give a flying fuck about the purple thumbs of goat fucking islamic radical pieces of shit.
Not worth our money. Not worth our blood. Humanitarian relief, whatever, I'm for that. I'm not worth putting our people on the ground to prop up a government and society for goat fuckers.
Posted by: prescient11 at April 07, 2014 10:45 AM (tVTLU)
Posted by: Citizen X at April 07, 2014 10:45 AM (7ObY1)
Posted by: Ricardo Kill at April 07, 2014 10:45 AM (gOoFi)
Posted by: M. Jagger at April 07, 2014 10:45 AM (vFh9Q)
Posted by: jwest at April 07, 2014 10:46 AM (u2a4R)
Recently returned from Afghanistan, my son Jacob saw a lot of ugly things in that place. He was especially upset by the way women and children (and even animals such as dogs) are treated by the Afghan culture as a whole. He and I talked about it a few days ago and he wondered aloud if it was worth it, especially since some of his buddies were wounded, another killed during his deployment.
I told him I thought it was worth it. If we've accomplished little else, we've given the Afghans the opportunity of a choice, the first choice they've had in millenia, if ever: to be free or not. Whether or not they choose rightly is entirely up to them.
As an aside, Karzai is/has been a disgrace by any cultural or historical measure. Whatever progress the people of Afghanistan make, it will have been in spite of and not because of him and his corrupt family. Afghanistan needed a Washington or a Lincoln. Instead, they got...what they got, which wasn't much.
Posted by: troyriser at April 07, 2014 10:46 AM (O66NZ)
Posted by: artisanal 'ette at April 07, 2014 10:46 AM (IXrOn)
Posted by: Todd Bridges, first to go bad, last to go down at April 07, 2014 10:47 AM (3yfGn)
Posted by: Romeo13 at April 07, 2014 10:47 AM (84gbM)
They're not alone.
Good for them.
If someone other than Karzai's successor gets elected I sincerely hope he'll tell the Tali's to go screw their goats some more before proceeding to slaughter the stone age primitives by the wagonload.
A girl can dream, yeah?
Posted by: MWR, Proud Tea(rrorist) Party Bossy Assault Hobbit (or Beth for short) [/u][/i][/s][/b] at April 07, 2014 10:48 AM (4df7R)
Posted by: LIV at April 07, 2014 10:49 AM (gOoFi)
Posted by: Frumious Bandersnatch at April 07, 2014 02:44 PM (JtwS4)
Why is it all or nothing with so many here at aos? About everything.
Posted by: polynikes at April 07, 2014 10:49 AM (m2CN7)
<i>"It was theorized back then that this was a prepatory move by the Taliban, knowing that the US attack which would surely follow would probably involve first making common cause with the Northern Alliance."</i>
According to Steve Coll, in "Ghost Wars," the hit was done by AQ as a present to the Taliban, a sort of "thanks for letting us use your territory" deal. The Talibs tried forever to get Massoud, and only UBL was able to make that happen.
Posted by: Sobek at April 07, 2014 10:49 AM (sWgE+)
I'm not even sure we have separation of powers and bicamerality any longer, save at a pretend Potemkin-village level.
Posted by: torquewrench at April 07, 2014 10:49 AM (noWW6)
That does NOT mean "we invaded your country and flattened it, so we'll pay to fix it up."
People never seem to grok that.
Posted by: Christopher Taylor at April 07, 2014 10:49 AM (zfY+H)
Posted by: Citizen X at April 07, 2014 10:49 AM (7ObY1)
Why is it all or nothing with so many here at aos? About everything.
It's not all or nothing. I'm unaware of the intelligence value we've received from Pakistan. Would love to learn.
Posted by: Frumious Bandersnatch at April 07, 2014 10:50 AM (JtwS4)
Posted by: willow at April 07, 2014 10:51 AM (nqBYe)
Posted by: LoneStarHeeb at April 07, 2014 10:51 AM (BZAd3)
117 -
Are stone age primitives people from the stone age who were more primitive than normal stone agers?
Posted by: BurtTC at April 07, 2014 10:52 AM (TOk1P)
The JEF spoon feeding them. Not kidding.
Posted by: artisanal 'ette at April 07, 2014 02:46 PM (IXrOn)
People like this cartoonist are Obama-fellating cultists.
Posted by: Insomniac at April 07, 2014 10:52 AM (DrWcr)
Posted by: artisanal 'ette at April 07, 2014 10:52 AM (IXrOn)
Whatever we accomplished in Afghanistan has now been destroyed by the present administration, and our guys have got to come home. Its way past time, but I suspect Obama is reserving that for about August this year to announce. Which is why I think the GOP should be out in front of it calling for the soldiers to come home now, shouting about the high casualty rate and failure of the Obama Afghanistan policy loud and often.
Posted by: Christopher Taylor at April 07, 2014 10:53 AM (zfY+H)
Posted by: Bevel Lemelisk at April 07, 2014 10:53 AM (bnAKg)
Posted by: willow at April 07, 2014 02:51 PM (nqBYe)
If you have not seen the Kite Runner, it is a very good movie that shows a different way of life before the Taliban became involved.
Posted by: polynikes at April 07, 2014 10:53 AM (m2CN7)
Posted by: Fred Flintstone at April 07, 2014 10:54 AM (7ObY1)
You have to Enact, and STICK TO, a Bill of Rights... including Freedoms of Speech, Property, Equal Rights for women, Freedom of RELIGION...
Otherwise.... no US Government Aid...
Posted by: Romeo13 at April 07, 2014 02:47 PM (84gbM)
--------------------------------------------
It's not going to happen then. The muzzie faith is the antithesis to all of that. And that country is made up of muzzies.
I'm glad they get to vote for their preferred muzzie, but he's still a muzzie.
Posted by: Soona at April 07, 2014 10:55 AM (GedtH)
Posted by: willow at April 07, 2014 10:56 AM (nqBYe)
125 -
It's been analyzed to death, and since it's been, there's not much point talking about it anymore. The Wahabbists have ascended in the Muslim world. Where they are in control, all the good that came before them is lost.
Posted by: BurtTC at April 07, 2014 10:56 AM (TOk1P)
Posted by: MUMmeR at April 07, 2014 10:56 AM (Aif/5)
We don't even get those things here.
Posted by: HR at April 07, 2014 10:56 AM (ZKzrr)
Torquewrench:
Change goat fucker to buttfucker, and put it in America, and I completely agree.
folks, we had a full scale revolution for being wronged by a government in much smaller ways in the late 1700s.
I wonder how long the tree continues to grow without some blood in the roots.
Posted by: prescient11 at April 07, 2014 10:57 AM (tVTLU)
Posted by: artisanal 'ette at April 07, 2014 10:57 AM (IXrOn)
That shithead Clinton! Sending our service members in to deliver humanitarian aid to the utterly worthless and ungrateful Somalis. To "fix" Somalia. What an utterly brain-dead misuse of our military. What a pointless waste of lives.
Oh. Wait. That wasn't Clinton. That was Poppy Bush.
::: Emily Litella voice :::
Never mind.
Posted by: torquewrench at April 07, 2014 10:57 AM (noWW6)
Posted by: willow at April 07, 2014 10:57 AM (nqBYe)
Posted by: Romeo13 at April 07, 2014 10:57 AM (84gbM)
So the left wants to affirm their own prejudices. Knock me over with a shibboleth.
Posted by: fluffy at April 07, 2014 10:58 AM (Ua6T/)
Holder: We Want to Explore Gun Tracking Bracelets
DOJ requesting $2 million for ‘Gun Safety Technology’ grants
freebeacon headliner
“By making them either through finger print identification, the gun talks to a bracelet or something that you might wear, how guns can be used only by the person who is lawfully in possession of the weapon.”
“It’s those kinds of things that I think we want to try to explore ...
Posted by: artisanal 'ette at April 07, 2014 02:52 PM (IXrOn)
More incrementalist anti-2d Amendment bullshit, designed to price people out of gun ownership.
Posted by: Insomniac at April 07, 2014 10:58 AM (DrWcr)
Posted by: Lincolntf at April 07, 2014 11:00 AM (ZshNr)
Posted by: Romeo13 at April 07, 2014 11:00 AM (84gbM)
Posted by: RWC at April 07, 2014 11:00 AM (fWAjv)
Posted by: artisanal 'ette at April 07, 2014 11:00 AM (IXrOn)
Posted by: torquewrench at April 07, 2014 02:57 PM (noWW6)
Hey Bush hater, Clinton was first , Bush just followed up.
Posted by: polynikes at April 07, 2014 11:00 AM (m2CN7)
Posted by: LoneStarHeeb at April 07, 2014 11:00 AM (BZAd3)
Posted by: the Truth, the whole Truth, and nothing but the Truth at April 07, 2014 11:00 AM (6jKOp)
Torquewrench:
Ah yes, pappy Bush, this fucking guy is the one who started up the process of disarming our MILITARY on fucking MILITARY BASES.
These are the types of leadership we need. This fucking guy couldn't even get reelected after serving Reagan's third term.
Posted by: prescient11 at April 07, 2014 11:00 AM (tVTLU)
When a State HERE just found something like 32,000 people who had voted in both their State, and another State, last election.
Note... that is larger than the difference in some of the recent elections...
Posted by: Romeo13 at April 07, 2014 03:00 PM (84gbM)
That was NC.
The "other" state has not been mentioned in any news story I have seen, and I've been looking.
Posted by: EC at April 07, 2014 11:01 AM (GQ8sn)
The Wahabbists have ascended in the Muslim world.
One of the references I love for perspective on modern Islamism and its ancient values is Lawrence's "Seven Pillars of Wisdom". He mentions Wahabism once, as a fringe "heretic cult".
Posted by: Frumious Bandersnatch at April 07, 2014 11:01 AM (JtwS4)
...which I said, in plain English, about 7 words after you stopped quoting. Your point?
Posted by: Christopher Taylor at April 07, 2014 11:01 AM (zfY+H)
Posted by: artisanal 'ette at April 07, 2014 11:01 AM (IXrOn)
I have tried to find that and read it several times but its no where in town for me to check out. Maybe I can find it online to read. The quotes I've read have been wonderful.
Posted by: Christopher Taylor at April 07, 2014 11:02 AM (zfY+H)
Posted by: artisanal 'ette at April 07, 2014 11:03 AM (IXrOn)
Posted by: LoneStarHeeb at April 07, 2014 11:03 AM (BZAd3)
Gosh, in the '70s. Right around the time that the Saudis nationalized ARAMCO and jacked the price of oil through the roof, got incredibly rich, and started using that flood of money to underwrite Islamic agitation everywhere they could find.
Let's note also that while the UK were some of the most successful imperialists in history, they managed that with an iron fist inside the velvet glove. Including using measures on the locals that the pearl-clutching, fainting-couch class would _never_ countenance today.
Churchill wrote in the 1920s about what he called the "excellent moral effect" of using airplanes to dispense mustard gas over the encampments of troublesome Iraqi tribes.
Posted by: torquewrench at April 07, 2014 11:03 AM (noWW6)
Posted by: willow at April 07, 2014 11:04 AM (nqBYe)
Posted by: Romeo13 at April 07, 2014 11:04 AM (84gbM)
Posted by: rickb223 at April 07, 2014 11:05 AM (xorT2)
Posted by: Romeo13 at April 07, 2014 03:04 PM (84gbM)
Yup.
The local news station has it buried on their online website. You have to dig to look for it.
Posted by: EC at April 07, 2014 11:05 AM (GQ8sn)
Posted by: Christopher Taylor at April 07, 2014 11:05 AM (zfY+H)
Posted by: artisanal 'ette at April 07, 2014 11:06 AM (IXrOn)
Posted by: RWC at April 07, 2014 11:07 AM (fWAjv)
Posted by: rickb223 at April 07, 2014 03:05 PM (xorT2)
That too. They were also talking about putting GPS and RFID in them, which would make it a lot easier to target gun owners, now, wouldn't it?
Posted by: Insomniac at April 07, 2014 11:07 AM (DrWcr)
Posted by: willow at April 07, 2014 02:57 PM (nqBYe)
I thought it was. Of course made from the book of the same name.
Posted by: polynikes at April 07, 2014 11:07 AM (m2CN7)
Posted by: Romeo13 at April 07, 2014 02:57 PM (84gbM)
----------------------------------------------
I think if we'd accept the fact that most people in the ME aren't going to change their ways, we'd be much better off. If we stay, I'm hoping that it's just for the fact of having a presence their to ward off any large-scale attack on the US......and to keep Iran somewhat in check.
It's never going to be a perfect set-up as the situation stands now. If we get a prez and a congress that could put nukes back on the table and have the guts to actually use them, then we might be able to bring everyone back.
Until then, my gut tells me we should stay. My mind says otherwise.
Posted by: Soona at April 07, 2014 11:07 AM (GedtH)
Shar--iii---aa, Won't you come out to-nite
Come, come, come out to-niii-iiite
Posted by: Afghan Do-Wop at April 07, 2014 11:07 AM (OZmbA)
MSNBCÂ’s Supposed Savior Now Leaving It Up to Viewers to Tell Him What Stories to Cover
PJ Tatler: http://tinyurl.com/nw3pouj
...Farrow said, “Welcome back to the program everybody. Now it is your chance to tell us which under-reported story you want us to cover next. You can send your nominations on twitter and Facebook using the hash tag #RFDunder and I’m hearing from the control room right now, what we’re getting. We have chatter about the polio-like virus spreading in California. Some requests for Venezuela updates, and some interest in congressional hearings on sunscreen. All right. Because Kurt Vonnegut did not say, always wear sunscreen. Keep quoting. We’re going to be right back.”...
I wonder if anyone on Ronan's staff noticed that "#RFDunder" reads, if you're reading it quickly, as "#RF Dunder." It's oddly fitting, really.
Posted by: MWR, Proud Tea(rrorist) Party Bossy Assault Hobbit (or Beth for short) [/u][/i][/s][/b] at April 07, 2014 11:08 AM (4df7R)
Posted by: Frank Underwood at April 07, 2014 11:08 AM (e8kgV)
Posted by: Christopher Taylor at April 07, 2014 11:08 AM (zfY+H)
Posted by: rickb223 at April 07, 2014 11:08 AM (xorT2)
Posted by: rickl at April 07, 2014 11:08 AM (zoehZ)
I saw a picture yesterday of a voting area in Afghanistan. Every one in the very long line held up their ID for the photo.
But I am suppossed to believe that a person in the US is too poor, uneducated, and disadvantaged to be able to obtain a legal ID. Curiously enough, this same individual collects other government benefits that require ID but strangely can't produce one for voting.
Posted by: Cheri at April 07, 2014 11:08 AM (G+Wff)
If you look back through history you can see that the colonies that the English set up are still the most free, stable, and profitable countries in their region. Ones set up by other nations... not so much. For all their faults, the English did have a good empire, and they did try to run it well instead of only use the resources and people for their riches.
I saw a talk by Niall Ferguson several years ago in which he was pushing the notion that America is and empire and should just deal with it. His point was that the British Empire was a system, the foreign service officers, bureaucrats, engineers came from a whole culture that practiced successful empire. Left a lot of good behind.
Posted by: Frumious Bandersnatch at April 07, 2014 11:08 AM (JtwS4)
Posted by: LoneStarHeeb at April 07, 2014 11:09 AM (BZAd3)
Posted by: Romeo13 at April 07, 2014 11:09 AM (84gbM)
Posted by: Romeo13 at April 07, 2014 03:09 PM (84gbM)
I hear that.
Posted by: troyriser at April 07, 2014 11:11 AM (O66NZ)
Problem is, America is not an empire, much as the Left accuses us of Imperialism.
Maybe we _should_ do a little empire building, if we're going to be accused of it constantly
Posted by: Sphynx at April 07, 2014 11:11 AM (OZmbA)
Damn, you're hep. I thought that was a sad joke there, for a moment.
The cruise leaves from Miami today. Several of them are still alive. Thanks.
Posted by: Stringer Davis at April 07, 2014 11:11 AM (xq1UY)
Posted by: Fred Flintstone at April 07, 2014 11:12 AM (7ObY1)
Posted by: HR at April 07, 2014 11:12 AM (ZKzrr)
Posted by: LoneStarHeeb at April 07, 2014 11:12 AM (BZAd3)
Posted by: Citizen X at April 07, 2014 11:13 AM (7ObY1)
Maybe we _should_ do a little empire building, if we're going to be accused of it constantly
Posted by: Sphynx at April 07, 2014 03:11 PM (OZmbA)
I say we should invade France. It's been done, I know, but a little more French humiliation would make me feel better about the whole Imperialism project.
Posted by: troyriser at April 07, 2014 11:13 AM (O66NZ)
Posted by: RWC at April 07, 2014 11:14 AM (fWAjv)
Yeah, the USA is no empire. People keep saying we are, without any logical justification. Having global influence does not equal empire. Empires have vassal states and colonies, not just power.
Posted by: Christopher Taylor at April 07, 2014 11:14 AM (zfY+H)
Posted by: Frumious Bandersnatch at April 07, 2014 03:08 PM (JtwS4)
-----------------------------------
Don't forget the French or the Dutch.
The US is the only nation in history where a world-dominate power didn't try to build a physical empire.
Posted by: Soona at April 07, 2014 11:15 AM (GedtH)
The ex-informant has been one of Obama’s most unwavering backers, a cheerleader who has nightly bludgeoned the president’s Republican opponents in televised broadsides. For his part, Obama has sought the man’s counsel, embraced him publicly, and saluted his “commitment to fight injustice and inequality.” The president has even commented favorably on his friend’s svelte figure, the physical manifestation of a rehabilitation effort that coincided with Obama’s ascension to the White House. This radical makeover has brought the man wealth, a daily TV show, bespoke suits, a luxury Upper West Side apartment, and a spot on best seller lists.
Most importantly, he has the ear of the President of the United States, an equally remarkable and perplexing achievement for the former FBI asset known as “CI-7,” the Rev. Al Sharpton.
Posted by: Frank Scalise at April 07, 2014 11:16 AM (e8kgV)
Having a "whole culture that practiced successful empire" required a culture that was proud of itself, thought it was better than other cultures, and was willing to use force to get rid of practices of those other cultures of which it disapproved.
I refer you to the statement by Gen. Charles Napier in India when his British imperial administration made illegal the hideous practice of _sati_, and there were protests. That it was "customary".
"You say that it is your custom to burn widows. Very well. We also have a custom: when men burn a woman alive, we tie a rope around their necks and we hang them. Build your funeral pyre; beside it my carpenters will build a gallows. You may follow your custom. And we will follow ours."
I would aver that a successful imperial culture must have the spine to do and say such things. And since weak, distracted, politically correct, culturally sensitive modern America, which can't even agree on whether its own culture is any good, does NOT have that spine, modern America has no business trying to engage in imperial adventures abroad.
Even imperial adventures with the very best of humanitarian intent. They just won't work out well.
Posted by: torquewrench at April 07, 2014 11:16 AM (noWW6)
>>>By making them either through finger print identification, the gun talks to a bracelet or something that you might wear, how guns can be used only by the person who is lawfully in possession of the weapon.”
Bwahaha any decent armorer can bypass that. Its like Mencius Moldbug's idea of remotely disarming platoons in case of insurrection, just plain idiocy
Posted by: Bigby's Kung Fu Grip at April 07, 2014 11:19 AM (3ZtZW)
Who here is volunteering to "take up the white man's burden"?
Empires are a lot of bloody work, they are. Often not that satisfying.
Posted by: Stringer Davis at April 07, 2014 11:21 AM (xq1UY)
Or, for that matter, waging war. We identified that was the problem with our failure in Viet Nam. We corrected it for a while. But the anti-war crowd and the incessant media hand wringing revived it after a couple years in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Posted by: Sphynx at April 07, 2014 11:21 AM (OZmbA)
They would be nothing but targets.
Putting troops there, just to have troops there... with no real mission except a Political one of being seen???
Sorry.... I would not want my Son put in that position.
Posted by: Romeo13 at April 07, 2014 03:09 PM (84gbM)
--------------------------------------------------
Of course 10k is too small and the ROE's are stupid. When I say a presence I mean at least a division and the air power to back that up. Plus, if the indiginous peoples decide to act up, it's Katy-bar-the-door. Blow the fuckers up. It could be done easily if anyone in DC had any balls.
Like I said. I'm really split on this.
Posted by: Soona at April 07, 2014 11:23 AM (GedtH)
Posted by: Sphynx at April 07, 2014 03:21 PM (OZmbA)
-----------------------------------------------------
The MFM. They should burn.
Posted by: Soona at April 07, 2014 11:28 AM (GedtH)
Posted by: LoneStarHeeb at April 07, 2014 11:35 AM (BZAd3)
Posted by: Chris_Balsz at April 07, 2014 11:50 AM (5xmd7)
Posted by: Avi at April 07, 2014 11:50 AM (w7chy)
Where's the useless UN and their US fans on this latter outrage??!!
Posted by: eureka! at April 07, 2014 11:54 AM (p4EeG)
Posted by: adolfo_velasquez at April 07, 2014 01:42 PM (VRc/p)
Posted by: Misanthropic Humanitarian at April 07, 2014 01:53 PM (HVff2)
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Posted by: Frumious Bandersnatch at April 07, 2014 10:09 AM (JtwS4)