Post #32,325
3/15/02 11:07:50 AM
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One more question for ya
Why do conservative blowhards whine so much?
(dons asbestos suit and strolls away whistling the "who me?" song)
With this much manure around, there must be a pony somewhere.
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Post #32,327
3/15/02 11:11:44 AM
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Ahh...I C
So none of the issues raised in that article have any merit.
Its just whining.
Ok.
You were born...and so you're free...so Happy Birthday! Laurie Anderson
[link|mailto:bepatient@aol.com|BePatient]
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Post #32,330
3/15/02 11:33:20 AM
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LIghten up
Lot's of points raised there are worth discussing. Lot's are whining. Sorry if my little joke inferred it was *all* whining. I'll go thru it in detail and try to post something intelligent.
With this much manure around, there must be a pony somewhere.
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Post #32,333
3/15/02 12:16:44 PM
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Chill dood...
...I wasn't being overly dramatic or anything.
You nudged...I nudged back. I didn't want to make any liberal jokes around here...lest I get the message board equivalent of a beheading ;-)
No biggy.
You were born...and so you're free...so Happy Birthday! Laurie Anderson
[link|mailto:bepatient@aol.com|BePatient]
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Post #32,340
3/15/02 12:44:02 PM
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Frosty it is.
I've been staying out of these idealogical flamefests for the most part lately. Rarely do I see anything I couldn't predict from knowledge of the posters involved. By that token, I fear I am entirely predictable also and that is not comforting. I think I need to play devil's advocate for a while just to stretch the mental muscles.
[turns up the A/C] :-]
With this much manure around, there must be a pony somewhere.
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Post #32,338
3/15/02 12:37:15 PM
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Actually, it *is* whining.
That doesn't make any of the points invalid. But I would much prefer it had the columnist discussed some alternatives. We're a superpower. We've got lots of alternatives to putting up with this sort of crap. He could've mentioned that.
The difference between whining and criticism is whether you have an alternative in mind.
[link|http://www.angelfire.com/ca3/marlowe/index.html|http://www.angelfir...e/index.html]
Truth is that which is the case. Accept no substitutes.
If competence is considered "hubris" then may I and my country always be as "arrogant" as we can possibly manage.
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Post #32,375
3/15/02 3:33:38 PM
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Lots of alternatives?
Explain them to me. We've tried sanctions. We've tried diplomacy. We sorta run out of options, other than just going in and killing them. Which we are currently doing.
I actually don't see where we had any other options. We had run out of alternatives. Playing nice didn't work. Playing mean didn't work. Cutting off, or adding to, aid didn't work.
I still like Jerry Pournelle's idea. Wherever there were documented pictures of people celebrating at the collapse of the World Trade Center, send the Marines and bulldozers in. Give the residents 30 minutes to evacuate. Bulldoze the area to the ground, salt the earth, and build a monument to our victims visible from space.
Where each demon is slain, more hate is raised, yet hate unchecked also multiplies. - L. E. Modesitt
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Post #32,383
3/15/02 4:00:50 PM
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And the obvious conclusion to that.
Where ever they see US citizens celebrating about us 'dozing their cities, send in another terrorist with a bomb.
Personally, I'd rather see an end rather than a continuation.
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Post #32,395
3/15/02 5:04:38 PM
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Incinerating them in their caves is a good start.
Other things we can do:
1. Deport/detain potential terrorists who are in our country, and don't let any more in. We're a free country, but we needn't be a promiscuous one.
2. Take over any non-democratic country that doesn't play ball with us on this terror thing. First time, install a local proxy regime, or turn it all over to a more cooperative neighbor. Next time, march in and take over ourselves. (Interim Afghan government, take notice.) The UN may get in a snit, but they don't much matter.
2a. That won't work with China, because they're too powerful. Maybe a containment policy plus economic sanctions for them. Another cold war? Sure. This time we'll have the benefit of experience.
3. Ostracise any democratic country that doesn't play ball with us on terror. No entry visas for their citizens. Any ships coming in from such countries will be subject to rigorous, even onerous, inspection, before any cargo is unloaded. If their feelings are hurt, make it clear that we don't care.
4. Start a permanent military and intelligence alliance of free nations against terrorism. Great Britain, Japan, Australia and Canada are presumably in. We should invite the Philippines, Germany, Italy and South Korea as well. And to be diplomatic, I'll bend the definition of "free nation" to include both Russia and Mexico, and invite them in. We might also let France in, but only if they ask real nice, and take back all the stupid things they've been saying. Note that this option magnifies the effectiveness of the other options. Allies aren't mandatory, but they're nice to have.
[link|http://www.angelfire.com/ca3/marlowe/index.html|http://www.angelfir...e/index.html]
Truth is that which is the case. Accept no substitutes.
If competence is considered "hubris" then may I and my country always be as "arrogant" as we can possibly manage.
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Post #32,438
3/16/02 10:33:36 AM
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Holy cow, that's a good start! <g>
Where each demon is slain, more hate is raised, yet hate unchecked also multiplies. - L. E. Modesitt
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Post #32,380
3/15/02 3:47:19 PM
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No...
..it was a column...designed to provoke thought on alot of different aspects of the current situation.
Thought it would generate some conversation here.
Maybe if it was a Salon article it would have been better.
You were born...and so you're free...so Happy Birthday! Laurie Anderson
[link|mailto:bepatient@aol.com|BePatient]
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