AKC Posted August 5, 2005 Share Posted August 5, 2005 Wow, that's very mature. What are you 15? 399476[/snapback] Actually I'm 11, which would make me the the intellectual equivalent of you and BIB combined were it not for the intercalary dynamic of my delivery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickey Posted August 5, 2005 Share Posted August 5, 2005 Git 'em out and drop the Bomb....NOW 397460[/snapback] Do you know of any nuclear weapons that will stop its killing exactly in line with the Iraq border? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickey Posted August 5, 2005 Share Posted August 5, 2005 Something is necessary, EII. Unfortunately the world has become a pretty complicated place. He who wields influence, one way or the other has shifted dramatically over the last 15 years. We're about the only ones left from back then who still does. People forget, for example, that not only we and the USSR but the entire world was aligned in some form or fashion according to the cold war. When the Soviet Union collapsed, it created many voids and opportunities - and also made the world tremendously more complex. How many of our fellow PPP policy experts understand where certain middle eastern policies are effected, more or less as a compromise, with the PRC in mind? How many have a clue whatsoever as to the effects that the collapse of the USSR had on Africa? What are the geo-political significances right now of relations with both north and south Korea in 2005 as opposed to 1985? How does that affect our relationships with our European allies? Concentrating on Europe, for a moment, what was the percentage of Muslim imigrants amongst the populations in 1990 vs the percentages today? Where did they go? Where did they come from? How does this affect the internal processes of those countries? The list goes on and on. Somewhere, somehow all these questions and what ifs need to be balanced, thought about, analyzed and acted upon. Sometimes the solution sets are not very attractive - and don't play well in a media geared for sensationalism over rationality. Even sticking with national security, here on the home front, the same issues and problems are ever at play. Acceptable risk must be balanced against public perceptions and further balanced against what the nation can withstand and what it can not. Decisions are made accordingly, and there are never any made without one hell of a dog fight. then, to compound and complicate matters, the logical, practical and best courses of action almost NEVER look good in a 30 second soundbite, and could probably be torn to shreds by being misrepresented on your average "credible news magazine", whether it be on TV or in print. Then, once again you have a government in reacton mode when they should be spending their time addressing the problems. Oh, people continue to march and continue to address the problems. There are literally thousands of people who do the work as best they can no matter who is in charge, but when it comes time to the "big decisions", the leadership is too busy weighing what needs to get done vs. what will be accepted by all parties listed above to make a timely call. I'm not talking about issues that need to be addressed in a matter of moments or hours, I'm referring to the ones that once the call is made, take months or years to effect. If it takes a year to make the call, then by the time one sees the results, the situation has probably changed again. So, I understand and agree with those who are frustrated by what they view as inactions. I understand and agree with those who view things as the wrong actions. I understand and agree with those who view things as the right actions. But, when it comes to matters as serious as this, one should take pause, if not a deep breath, and think about it. And I'm not exagerating when I say the ultimate survival of our civilization and way of life (emphasis on way of life, as that is what concerns the average American or European) depends on our true understanding of things and in making the right decisions for our collective future. We have in part, created our own monster and at the same time have had monsters we never thought about show up at the door. Either way, we have to deal with the monsters. How they got there is pretty well immaterial. But, that would require all sides of the argument to learn about the other sides, and actually attempt to understand the situations at hand. Sadly, that ain't going to happen here, nor is it likely to happen anywhere. Hell, you're own Congress works against you every day. Kumbaya is never going to happen. Never has, never will. Check out the last 3,000 years of human history. Get along with who you can now, make the compromises you have to, make the enemies you need to. But, bottom line, if you want to have what you have now - this country is going to have to do some unpopular and often pretty ugly things. That's just the way it is. Sorry for the FFS plus post, but if anyone actually read this far - I just felt like saying it. 398738[/snapback] Thanks for the insight Bib. For what it is worth, I am trying to read all I can on security and terrorism from a variety of sources to try and understand what I can without turning it into a career. This will sound kind of kooky but I have attended a geek-a-thon convention involving fairly complex gaming and simulations. Please don't ask for the geeky details, it is really just for fun. One simulation is patterned after the Roman Republic. Each person represents a Senate faction vying for power hoping to eventually produce a Caesar, a Pro-Consul for Life. The constant struggle is balancing the interests of your faction with that of the Republic. If the factions spend too much time and energy fighting eachother, they don't have the resources to fend off barbarian attacks and Rome falls in which case, all the players lose as barbarians conquer the Republic. Sound familiar? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VABills Posted August 5, 2005 Share Posted August 5, 2005 Actually I'm 11, which would make me the the intellectual equivalent of you and BIB combined were it not for the intercalary dynamic of my delivery. 399553[/snapback] Not sure that is the proper use of intercalary. Try again with something that is meaningful in that context. Of course if you are trying to use a big word to impress us it usually works better if it makes sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost of BiB Posted August 5, 2005 Share Posted August 5, 2005 Not sure that is the proper use of intercalary. Try again with something that is meaningful in that context. Of course if you are trying to use a big word to impress us it usually works better if it makes sense. 399663[/snapback] DAR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crap Throwing Monkey Posted August 5, 2005 Share Posted August 5, 2005 DAR 399873[/snapback] Hey, be nice, he's Special Forces. Most likely the Very Special Forces. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckey Posted August 5, 2005 Share Posted August 5, 2005 I'll repeat it again until the dims get it. We lose about 1000 soldiers a year IN PEACETIME due to illness, accidents, etc. We are in a world war with Islamofascism. 397631[/snapback] Awe what the heck then, those would have been the exact same eleven hundred soldiers that would have died due to illness and accidents anyway.... not 1,100 more.. just the same ones. I heard that many abortions would have died that way too anyway, actually we all die sometime anyway right Wackoff?. What a wackoff. You are the ultimate GOP Lemming. Let's have a vote! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKC Posted August 5, 2005 Share Posted August 5, 2005 Thanks for the insight Bib. For what it is worth, I am trying to read all I can on security and terrorism from a variety of sources to try and understand what I can without turning it into a career. 399607[/snapback] It's surprising that you would give any merit to the windy, vacuous and ultimately ignorant post by BIB. You don't have to go far to realize that he doesn't understand a thing about history- let's take his opening premise: the world has become a pretty complicated place. He who wields influence, one way or the other has shifted dramatically over the last 15 years. We're about the only ones left from back then who still does. People forget, for example, that not only we and the USSR but the entire world was aligned in some form or fashion according to the cold war. When the Soviet Union collapsed, it created many voids and opportunities - and also made the world tremendously more complex. Sounds more like somebody skipped history class here- starting in about the 3rd Grade. So his premise, the whole foundation of his argument, is that it's only since the fall of the Soviet Union that the world has become "aligned", "complex" and rich in "voids and opportunities". That’s all real nice to say- if you completely ignore all of written history from the moment the very first common border between two sovereign nations was established. The author goes on to build his opinion around this wrongheaded and wholly innacurate massive delusion, making his opinion mertiless- you know- you can't build a house out of donut holes. His is the kind of speculation that might attract flies, but it won't attract anyone who considers the lack of historical understanding of the author. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKC Posted August 5, 2005 Share Posted August 5, 2005 Not sure that is the proper use of intercalary. Try again with something that is meaningful in that context. Of course if you are trying to use a big word to impress us it usually works better if it makes sense. 399663[/snapback] I'd consider offering you English lessons if it wasn't so painfully obvious how poorly those before me had failed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost of BiB Posted August 5, 2005 Share Posted August 5, 2005 It's surprising that you would give any merit to the windy, vacuous and ultimately ignorant post by BIB. You don't have to go far to realize that he doesn't understand a thing about history- let's take his opening premise: the world has become a pretty complicated place. He who wields influence, one way or the other has shifted dramatically over the last 15 years. We're about the only ones left from back then who still does. People forget, for example, that not only we and the USSR but the entire world was aligned in some form or fashion according to the cold war. When the Soviet Union collapsed, it created many voids and opportunities - and also made the world tremendously more complex. Sounds more like somebody skipped history class here- starting in about the 3rd Grade. So his premise, the whole foundation of his argument, is that it's only since the fall of the Soviet Union that the world has become "aligned", "complex" and rich in "voids and opportunities". That’s all real nice to say- if you completely ignore all of written history from the moment the very first common border between two sovereign nations was established. The author goes on to build his opinion around this wrongheaded and wholly innacurate massive delusion, making his opinion mertiless- you know- you can't build a house out of donut holes. His is the kind of speculation that might attract flies, but it won't attract anyone who considers the lack of historical understanding of the author. 399972[/snapback] I bet you have a great singing voice. No, you idiot..try reading, better yet, try understanding what you read. That was given as one example out of many. I know you spent probably an hour on line to find the big word, but it didn't work. To make it simple for your DAR ADD comprehension ability, that was one situation given as an example amongst the many to illustrate the complications. I could have given 50 more examples from the Soviet perspective alone. Everyone besides you, even Buckey, figured that out. You didn't bother to read yesterday, either. If you had, and thought, we wouldn't be having the conversation. Damn, never knew NJ Sue ventured over here so much. Sheesh. Go jump off a wall with your rope and yell "Hooah", and leave what needs to be done to folks a little bit better informed and much more even minded than you appear to be. Try not to land on your head, again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reuben Gant Posted August 5, 2005 Share Posted August 5, 2005 So his premise, the whole foundation of his argument, is that it's only since the fall of the Soviet Union that the world has become "aligned", "complex" and rich in "voids and opportunities". That’s all real nice to say- if you completely ignore all of written history from the moment the very first common border between two sovereign nations was established. 399972[/snapback] So your argument is the antithesis of this, that with the fall of the USSR and the end of the cold war, that the world is less complicated? And that the vacuum created by the demise of the soviet union has not created a shift from the bipolar power structure to ones that are decentralized and rapidly evolving? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckey Posted August 5, 2005 Share Posted August 5, 2005 I bet you have a great singing voice. No, you idiot..try reading, better yet, try understanding what you read. That was given as one example out of many. I know you spent probably an hour on line to find the big word, but it didn't work. To make it simple for your DAR ADD comprehension ability, that was one situation given as an example amongst the many to illustrate the complications. I could have given 50 more examples from the Soviet perspective alone. Everyone besides you, even Buckey, figured that out. You didn't bother to read yesterday, either. If you had, and thought, we wouldn't be having the conversation. Damn, never knew NJ Sue ventured over here so much. Sheesh. Go jump off a wall with your rope and yell "Hooah", and leave what needs to be done to folks a little bit better informed and much more even minded than you appear to be. Try not to land on your head, again. 400001[/snapback] Talk about reading comprehension! geeze. but hey, AKA IS 11 so go easy on him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost of BiB Posted August 5, 2005 Share Posted August 5, 2005 So your argument is the antithesis of this, that with the fall of the USSR and the end of the cold war, that the world is less complicated? And that the vacuum created by the demise of the soviet union has not created a shift from the bipolar power structure to ones that are decentralized and rapidly evolving? 400028[/snapback] Don't confuse him. He still hasn't shaken off the stars from the last time he landed on his head. Since he was once in the Army, he is now a strategic expert. He read an article in the Washington Post. Enough for me. I'm humbled. Really sorry that I retired out of the Army, after working Plans and Ops for so many years and was foolish enough to get back into it, at the national policy level. My bad, I'm sorry. We need new blood that simply wants to nuke everyone, because they read an article they agreed with. I understand nothing. AKC knows all. I'll pass on his wisdom to the NSC. I'm sure they will be so impressed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKC Posted August 5, 2005 Share Posted August 5, 2005 So your argument is the antithesis of this, that with the fall of the USSR and the end of the cold war, that the world is less complicated? And that the vacuum created by the demise of the soviet union has not created a shift from the bipolar power structure to ones that are decentralized and rapidly evolving? 400028[/snapback] Reality is hardly an argument- the world is and has been a complicated place throughout history with meandering power centers and alliances. To somehow try and make the recent past some "high mark" moment in this natural and historically recorded tide shows an absolute lack of understanding world history. Does the author have any idea who the Ottomans were and the impact of their Muslim control of much of the modern world, including all of the Arab nations until early in the 20th Century- does he acknowledge the effect of their collapse on the balance of the world or does he show no signs of intelligent life by stating ignorantly that today, and only today are there dynamics which make our approach to solutions impossible to structure based upon other actions in history to quell movements like the radical Islamist movement of current times. One need not go back too far, as I've outlined in no timid way in my previous posts, that what was required of the last major movement put on us by the Nazis was to face it down with force. Once again and has happened thoughout history, the movement eventually required that the whimps stand aside while the courageous took over. I'm good with the whimps who haven't figured this one out yet to stand aside- I'm merely asking that this current whimp movement shut the %$#@ up so that the recruitment for the Islamists is made more difficult and our most courageous can get it over with in the most expedient manner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost of BiB Posted August 5, 2005 Share Posted August 5, 2005 Reality is hardly an argument- the world is and has been a complicated place throughout history with meandering power centers and alliances. To somehow try and make the recent past some "high mark" moment in this natural and historically recorded tide shows an absolute lack of understanding world history. Does the author have any idea who the Ottomans were and the impact of their Muslim control of much of the modern world, including all of the Arab nations unitl early in the 20th Century- does he acknowledge the effect of their collapse on the balance of the world or does he show no signs of intelligent life by stating ignorantly that today, and only today are there dynamics which make our approach to solutions impossible to structure based upon other actions in history to quell movements like the radical Islamist movement of current times. One need not go back too far, as I've outlined in no timid way in my previous posts, that what was required of the last major movement put on us by the Nazis was to face it down with force. Once again and has happened thoughout history, the movement eventually required that the whimps stand aside while the courageous took over. I'm good with the whimps who haven't figured this one out yet to stand aside- I'm merely asking that this current whimp movement shut the %$#@ up so that the recruitment for the Islamists is made more difficult and our most courageous can get it over with in the most expedient manner. 400049[/snapback] You are an idiot. Thank God you are not in charge of anything past the garbage truck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKC Posted August 5, 2005 Share Posted August 5, 2005 You are an idiot. Thank God you are not in charge of anything past the garbage truck. 400053[/snapback] Be careful or I won't let you sleep in there any longer ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost of BiB Posted August 5, 2005 Share Posted August 5, 2005 Be careful or I won't let you sleep in there any longer ;-) 400056[/snapback] I'm going to watch the scrimmage now. Sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckey Posted August 5, 2005 Share Posted August 5, 2005 I'm going to watch the scrimmage now. Sorry. 400063[/snapback] Yes!! me too. Got my wings on the Oklahoma Joe smokin with Pecan and Peach, with my own hot sauce... no room for this garbage now... we got DA BUFFALO BILLS! Too bad we gotta endure this Marino garbage beforehand.... *sigh* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reuben Gant Posted August 5, 2005 Share Posted August 5, 2005 Reality is hardly an argument- the world is and has been a complicated place throughout history with meandering power centers and alliances. To somehow try and make the recent past some "high mark" moment in this natural and historically recorded tide shows an absolute lack of understanding world history. Does the author have any idea who the Ottomans were and the impact of their Muslim control of much of the modern world, including all of the Arab nations until early in the 20th Century- does he acknowledge the effect of their collapse on the balance of the world or does he show no signs of intelligent life by stating ignorantly that today, and only today are there dynamics which make our approach to solutions impossible to structure based upon other actions in history to quell movements like the radical Islamist movement of current times. One need not go back too far, as I've outlined in no timid way in my previous posts, that what was required of the last major movement put on us by the Nazis was to face it down with force. Once again and has happened thoughout history, the movement eventually required that the whimps stand aside while the courageous took over. I'm good with the whimps who haven't figured this one out yet to stand aside- I'm merely asking that this current whimp movement shut the %$#@ up so that the recruitment for the Islamists is made more difficult and our most courageous can get it over with in the most expedient manner. 400049[/snapback] This is a gross mischaracterization of what BiB wrote. Scrimmage Time!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKC Posted August 5, 2005 Share Posted August 5, 2005 I'm going to watch the scrimmage now. Sorry. 400063[/snapback] Translation: "My methylphenidate is wearing down and I need another pop just to maintain myself at a remedial level". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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