revolations unfolding in middle east?

[cro]

been there killed a couple my self.you sound like a text book.all theory no hands on.

Agree with what Roman said regarding the Earth... The effects of extracting fossil fuels are so miniscule that they are not even worth talking about, unless of course you're a card carrying member of Greenpeace, or some other tree hugging glue sniffing organization.

As far as unrest in the Middle East, my question would be, why the f**k do you care? The goings on in that region of the world is quite literally, NONE OF OUR BUSINESS. Iraq was an illegal, undeclared 'war', just as our actions in Libya are illegal, and contrary to the rule of law in our Constitution. No fly zones, and dropping bombs are a clear act of war, even economic 'sanctions' are considered acts of war. Only CONGRESS may declare war. After WWII, we have been marching around the globe, going to war willy nilly, without REAL Congressional oversight and declaration. Our Constitution mandates a declaration of war after the 60-90 day emergency military war powers act that the President can exercise.

The reason that there is no declaration by Congress? Because the countries that we are intervening in, pose NO national security threat to the United States of America. The ONLY time, under the rule of law of the constitution, that war can be declared, is if a country or body is directly threatening the national security and sovreignty of the HOMELAND of the United States. We are not permitted to goto war for our allies, for our economic interests, for 'ensuring people have the right to vote in despotic countries', and any other such bullshit one can conjure up. The Constitution is quite clear about WHEN we can goto war, and WHO has the power to declare war, the WHEN being a national security threat to the United States HOMELAND, and the WHO being the Congress of the United States of America.

There seems to be this prevailing mindset in America, that we are bringing "freedom" to people who live under brutal dictatorships. News flash to all of the uninformed stupid motherfu**ers that believe that bullshit, there are 190 countries in the world, and roughly 50%, or 95 of those countries, live under some form of totalitarian government, where they lack the right to vote in meaningful elections, and where a despotic dictator rules with absolute authority. I don't hear any of you people beating the fu**ing war drum to go invade those countries, and send our VALUABLE American soldiers to go die in those places, to "free" the people that live there. We have killed roughly ONE MILLION civilians in Iraq, as 'collateral damage'. In addition, that country is in ruins, and the AVERAGE Iraqi there, is much less safe, and in more danger of being killed NOW, than before we invaded. This is because, as much as none of you people can realise or want to admit, Saddam Hussein provided stability between two tribal regions. The people of that country have made it quite clear, they did not ask, nor do they want a democratic government. They want a religious government, and as a sovereign nation, they are competely within their rights to have whatever type of government they want, and our OPINION matters little. However, we have adopted this policy of "spreading Democracy by force." Well, if someone could kindly point out in the constitution, where it says that we are obligated, or even authorized to do such a thing, and to intervene in other countries sovereign business, and to do so by force, then I will promptly STFU.

[wmaousley]

been there killed a couple my self.you sound like a text book.all theory no hands on.

x2, I love it when people that have probably never been out of the US try to push their theory as fact and first hand knowledge

[thegodfather]

been there killed a couple my self.you sound like a text book.all theory no hands on.

What does that mean? Because I haven't personally been to Iraq and Afghanistan, my study of foreign affairs and constitutional law is irrelevant? I don't need to participate in the 'war' in either country to have an opinion about the war, and an accurate one at that. In fact, my taxes are paying for these wars of aggression, and therefore I have every right to weigh in with my expert opinion on the situation.

I have the utmost respect for anyone who serves in the armed forces, I have always supported the soldiers, but not the politicians who send our young men and women to die in wars that do not have any effect on their fianances and which THEIR kids are not fighting in. It's very easy to send someone elses father, child, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, and so forth to die in another country. It's also very easy to pay for these wars of aggression when the cost is not being bared by the American people and by the politicians who engage and vote for these conflicts, and continue to fund them with "other peoples money." I contend, that our soldiers should not be dying in these wars which do not in any way help to enhance the national security of the United States homeland. The only conflict I agree with, and I mean INITIALLY agree with, was our invasion of Afghanistan for providing a safe haven for the groups who attacked us on September 11th. However, we had a clearly defined goal of eliminating Al-Qaeda and capturing Osama Bin Laden, we failed in that endeavor, and at that point, instead of packing up and going home, we decided to become bogged down in nation building and counterinsurgency. This is the problem that arises from UNDECLARED wars.

The reasons that these wars go on for so long is quite simple.

1. We have a professional military. There is no draft, and the effects on the general public and middle class, is very far removed from the days of the draft, when ANY able bodied man could be called up for service, and this made the public have a VERY vested interest in the conflicts we engaged in. It is ultimately why the draft was ended after 1973, after the disaster in Vietnam. Politicians figured out if they had a professional military, they eliminated much of the public accountability.

2. Taxes. Taxes are normally increased during war time. However, in our most recent war with Iraq and Afghanistan, the administration actually CUT TAXES, further removing the publics interest and physical ties to the war. If the American public does not really have to 'sacrafice' anything, they are much less likely to be opposed to our illegal wars, since they do not "effect them."

3. News coverage. 40 years ago, one had very few options (as far as TV channels and other forms of media). They either read print media, or chose from very few TV stations. Now, it is possible for Americans to choose to watch "Jersey Shore" all hours of the day, without ever having to hear about the wars in other countries, and the number of soldiers we have dying there.

Believe me, I support the soldiers. However, with that being said, anyone who is serving in any of our military branches does so on their own accord. They are professional, paid soldiers, who recieve benefits, and a salary, etc. I, infact, had been accepted to OCS, had my packet reviewed and went through MEPS, but ultimately decided not to sign on the dotted line, my life took me in a different direction. It's still something I consider from time to time. However, I went through that process, knowing that I was choosing a career, and I was not fighting for my countries freedom for a pittance. My salary would have been around $3,500 per month, on top of free medical/dental/vision, and free housing, etc, as an O-1. This is a far cry from the menial amounts that used to be paid to our soldiers who were conscripted into the military during WWI and WWII.


We are in fact, feeding into the Jihadists plan. It is very hard for them to attack us in the homeland of the United States. They have a very hard time securing funding, getting VISA's, and their access to weapons is extremely limited. Yes, they have been able to pull off a few attacks, but they pale in comparison to the damage they're able to do with hundreds of thousands of our troops in THEIR homeland, exposed, not knowing the area. They have home field advantage, they don't wear uniforms, they hit and run, they remotely detonate IEDs.

It's actually ironic, that our presence actually HELPS their recruitment efforts. Every time we accidentally kill a civlian, shoot up the wrong house after an IED blast, shoot an Iraqi reporter with a long lens camera from an Apache, killing twenty people in the streets, have a Hellfire launched into a building killing one or two insurgents, and 15 civilians, mistaking a shovel for a rifle, killing a farmer, and any number of incidences of collateral damge, we cause something called "BLOWBACK." This is a term coined by our own CIA, and they warn of the blowback principle in codifying the recruitment efforts of Jihadists. We kill innocent civilians, and those civilians have fathers, sons, brothers, cousins, all of which dont give two fu*ks whether they can vote in an election (they want an Islamic government), dont care that we're here to bring them freedom, all they know, is that the Americans are responsible for their loved ones death. We create a potential Jihadist EVERY SINGLE TIME WE KILL A CIVILIAN.

The latest news from Rolling Stone, about the 5th Stryker Brigades "Kill Team," which was staging scenarios so they could intentionally kill civilians, and then plant 'drop' weapons on them in order to make them look like legitimate engagements, only further codifies the cause of the Jihadists. In addition, we are not ONLY fighting Al-Qaeda jihadists, we are also fighting the general insurgency. These people are not Al-Qaeda fighters, in fact, less than 10% of the insurgents killed in Iraq are members of Al-Qaeda, the majority of insurgents, are simply Iraqi people who want us OUT OF THEIR COUNTRY.

Let me ask you, what would you do, if say, China, decided to occupy the United States, and down the street had a large Chinese military base. These soldiers, frequently drove down your streets with tanks, walked through YOUR neighborhood, searched your house without a warrant, indiscriminately confiscated your weapons, and at times, killed some of your friends and family members by accident or intentional, but either way were not held responsible for doing so. Would you sit back, and say, "Ok, well these Chinese guys are really here to help my people?". I highly doubt it, I think that you would take up arms against these people, and if they had an overwhelming force, you would fight them with any means you had at your disposal, i.e.- planting roadside remotely detonated bombs to inflict casulaties on your enemy(occupiers) and get some get back for your dead friends or relatives. It really is, THAT SIMPLE.

This is the reason we should not be meddling in the affairs of foreign sovereign nations. I'd much rather have our soldiers, securing our fluid border with Mexico, where people can enter our country unmolested and without any checks. The number of criminals, terrorists, and other unsavory people who could be entering our country through our border with Mexico, that is a real and palpable danger.

[auslifta]

What does that mean? Because I haven't personally been to Iraq and Afghanistan, my study of foreign affairs and constitutional law is irrelevant? I don't need to participate in the 'war' in either country to have an opinion about the war, and an accurate one at that. In fact, my taxes are paying for these wars of aggression, and therefore I have every right to weigh in with my expert opinion on the situation.

I have the utmost respect for anyone who serves in the armed forces, I have always supported the soldiers, but not the politicians who send our young men and women to die in wars that do not have any effect on their fianances and which THEIR kids are not fighting in. It's very easy to send someone elses father, child, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, and so forth to die in another country. It's also very easy to pay for these wars of aggression when the cost is not being bared by the American people and by the politicians who engage and vote for these conflicts, and continue to fund them with "other peoples money." I contend, that our soldiers should not be dying in these wars which do not in any way help to enhance the national security of the United States homeland. The only conflict I agree with, and I mean INITIALLY agree with, was our invasion of Afghanistan for providing a safe haven for the groups who attacked us on September 11th. However, we had a clearly defined goal of eliminating Al-Qaeda and capturing Osama Bin Laden, we failed in that endeavor, and at that point, instead of packing up and going home, we decided to become bogged down in nation building and counterinsurgency. This is the problem that arises from UNDECLARED wars.

The reasons that these wars go on for so long is quite simple.

1. We have a professional military. There is no draft, and the effects on the general public and middle class, is very far removed from the days of the draft, when ANY able bodied man could be called up for service, and this made the public have a VERY vested interest in the conflicts we engaged in. It is ultimately why the draft was ended after 1973, after the disaster in Vietnam. Politicians figured out if they had a professional military, they eliminated much of the public accountability.

2. Taxes. Taxes are normally increased during war time. However, in our most recent war with Iraq and Afghanistan, the administration actually CUT TAXES, further removing the publics interest and physical ties to the war. If the American public does not really have to 'sacrafice' anything, they are much less likely to be opposed to our illegal wars, since they do not "effect them."

3. News coverage. 40 years ago, one had very few options (as far as TV channels and other forms of media). They either read print media, or chose from very few TV stations. Now, it is possible for Americans to choose to watch "Jersey Shore" all hours of the day, without ever having to hear about the wars in other countries, and the number of soldiers we have dying there.

Believe me, I support the soldiers. However, with that being said, anyone who is serving in any of our military branches does so on their own accord. They are professional, paid soldiers, who recieve benefits, and a salary, etc. I, infact, had been accepted to OCS, had my packet reviewed and went through MEPS, but ultimately decided not to sign on the dotted line, my life took me in a different direction. It's still something I consider from time to time. However, I went through that process, knowing that I was choosing a career, and I was not fighting for my countries freedom for a pittance. My salary would have been around $3,500 per month, on top of free medical/dental/vision, and free housing, etc, as an O-1. This is a far cry from the menial amounts that used to be paid to our soldiers who were conscripted into the military during WWI and WWII.


We are in fact, feeding into the Jihadists plan. It is very hard for them to attack us in the homeland of the United States. They have a very hard time securing funding, getting VISA's, and their access to weapons is extremely limited. Yes, they have been able to pull off a few attacks, but they pale in comparison to the damage they're able to do with hundreds of thousands of our troops in THEIR homeland, exposed, not knowing the area. They have home field advantage, they don't wear uniforms, they hit and run, they remotely detonate IEDs.

It's actually ironic, that our presence actually HELPS their recruitment efforts. Every time we accidentally kill a civlian, shoot up the wrong house after an IED blast, shoot an Iraqi reporter with a long lens camera from an Apache, killing twenty people in the streets, have a Hellfire launched into a building killing one or two insurgents, and 15 civilians, mistaking a shovel for a rifle, killing a farmer, and any number of incidences of collateral damge, we cause something called "BLOWBACK." This is a term coined by our own CIA, and they warn of the blowback principle in codifying the recruitment efforts of Jihadists. We kill innocent civilians, and those civilians have fathers, sons, brothers, cousins, all of which dont give two fu*ks whether they can vote in an election (they want an Islamic government), dont care that we're here to bring them freedom, all they know, is that the Americans are responsible for their loved ones death. We create a potential Jihadist EVERY SINGLE TIME WE KILL A CIVILIAN.

The latest news from Rolling Stone, about the 5th Stryker Brigades "Kill Team," which was staging scenarios so they could intentionally kill civilians, and then plant 'drop' weapons on them in order to make them look like legitimate engagements, only further codifies the cause of the Jihadists. In addition, we are not ONLY fighting Al-Qaeda jihadists, we are also fighting the general insurgency. These people are not Al-Qaeda fighters, in fact, less than 10% of the insurgents killed in Iraq are members of Al-Qaeda, the majority of insurgents, are simply Iraqi people who want us OUT OF THEIR COUNTRY.

Let me ask you, what would you do, if say, China, decided to occupy the United States, and down the street had a large Chinese military base. These soldiers, frequently drove down your streets with tanks, walked through YOUR neighborhood, searched your house without a warrant, indiscriminately confiscated your weapons, and at times, killed some of your friends and family members by accident or intentional, but either way were not held responsible for doing so. Would you sit back, and say, "Ok, well these Chinese guys are really here to help my people?". I highly doubt it, I think that you would take up arms against these people, and if they had an overwhelming force, you would fight them with any means you had at your disposal, i.e.- planting roadside remotely detonated bombs to inflict casulaties on your enemy(occupiers) and get some get back for your dead friends or relatives. It really is, THAT SIMPLE.

This is the reason we should not be meddling in the affairs of foreign sovereign nations. I'd much rather have our soldiers, securing our fluid border with Mexico, where people can enter our country unmolested and without any checks. The number of criminals, terrorists, and other unsavory people who could be entering our country through our border with Mexico, that is a real and palpable danger.

Mate, your post's in this thread are outstanding, have a star