tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11250715.post111686434905616723..comments2024-03-13T07:32:56.761-04:00Comments on Hey Jenny Slater.: Everyone ready for independent self-governance, step forward - not so fast, AfghanistanAstronaut Mike Dexterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01498197770701096363noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11250715.post-1117339032907496242005-05-28T23:57:00.000-04:002005-05-28T23:57:00.000-04:00Yeah, like that's a surprise.Yeah, like that's a surprise.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11250715.post-1117330335975288112005-05-28T21:32:00.000-04:002005-05-28T21:32:00.000-04:00Bill, you win.Bill, you win.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11250715.post-1117289718751148532005-05-28T10:15:00.000-04:002005-05-28T10:15:00.000-04:00And another thing Stevie boy, you are of the belie...And another thing Stevie boy, you are of the belief that the american soldier can't bring democracy to Afganistan in less than 30 years.... Who's side are you on there Mr. Bin Laden? I think you have alot of gaul calling those brave men and women incompetent when they are over there risking thier lives for you. Supporting the troops is more than buying a yellow ribbon! It is also not giving aid and comfort to the Talibans, Baathists and Al quida's of the world with your treacherous words and deeds!<BR/><BR/>Fucking Moron.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11250715.post-1117274706074951292005-05-28T06:05:00.000-04:002005-05-28T06:05:00.000-04:00Well come on big guy, you call me an idiot, show m...Well come on big guy, you call me an idiot, show me how stupid I am. Tell me that Canada, the Philippines, Germany, Italy, Japan and South Korea are not functioning democracies and thus our troops are still needed there else they would fall into social chaos.<BR/><BR/>Tell me how Bush and Rummy are wrong and how long we will be in Iraq.<BR/><BR/>Come on Stevie, you are quick to call names but slow to defend your own quasi intellectual bullshit. In the end all you have is bullshit though, and when someone shows you for the bullshitter that you are, you can only respond by name calling. That's about par for the course from you right wingers.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11250715.post-1117249245179773762005-05-27T23:00:00.000-04:002005-05-27T23:00:00.000-04:00I rest my case.I rest my case.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11250715.post-1117247837143800812005-05-27T22:37:00.000-04:002005-05-27T22:37:00.000-04:00Ohhhh testy when the truth rears its ugly head Ste...Ohhhh testy when the truth rears its ugly head Stevie?<BR/><BR/>All I asked were a few simple questions, can't you answer them?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11250715.post-1117243920201790492005-05-27T21:32:00.000-04:002005-05-27T21:32:00.000-04:00Don't generally do this, but can't help it. Bill,...Don't generally do this, but can't help it. Bill, YOU...ARE...A... Fucking Idiot.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11250715.post-1117196738102456392005-05-27T08:25:00.000-04:002005-05-27T08:25:00.000-04:00Kosovo? Anyone remember Kosovo? Bill and Maddy sai...Kosovo? Anyone remember Kosovo? Bill and Maddy said we would be out in a year and we're still there over ten years later.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11250715.post-1117194732137638142005-05-27T07:52:00.000-04:002005-05-27T07:52:00.000-04:00Also Stevie, what steps should we take to bring ab...Also Stevie, what steps should we take to bring about democratic rule in Kuwait? Bush and Rummy both say we can be out of Iraq in 36 months, how long do you have figured for us there? Surely you are not doubting the word of your fearless leaders?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11250715.post-1117194488675834972005-05-27T07:48:00.000-04:002005-05-27T07:48:00.000-04:00So Steve, you would allege that Canada, the Philip...So Steve, you would allege that Canada, the Philippines, Germany, Italy, Japan and South Korea are not functioning democracies? Are you saying that Cuba is closer to democratic self rule because we are there?<BR/>Are you an idiot?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11250715.post-1117156585811604742005-05-26T21:16:00.000-04:002005-05-26T21:16:00.000-04:00Now Anon, to your well thought out and insightful ...Now Anon, to your well thought out and insightful argument... Sorry... You didn't really have one did you, eh?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11250715.post-1117154963008899032005-05-26T20:49:00.000-04:002005-05-26T20:49:00.000-04:00Once we get somewhere in force, we generally don't...Once we get somewhere in force, we generally don't leave any time soon, whether we're invading, liberating or occupying (choose your own characterization). <BR/><BR/>Now in reverse order.<BR/><BR/>Kuwait - 15 years... Still there.<BR/><BR/>Korea - 50+ years... Still there.<BR/><BR/>Japan - 60+ years... Still there.<BR/><BR/>Germany - 60+ years... Still there.<BR/><BR/>Italy - 60+ years... Still there.<BR/><BR/>Philippines - Left after about 40 or 50 years.<BR/><BR/>Cuba - 100+ years... Still there.<BR/><BR/>Canada - 200+ years... Still there (shhhh. don't tell them)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11250715.post-1117154268823032522005-05-26T20:37:00.000-04:002005-05-26T20:37:00.000-04:00Anon, I wasn't going to respond to your comment, t...Anon, I wasn't going to respond to your comment, that like Bill's, does nothing to further the debate, but I'm bored, so I will. If you look back over the last 125 years or so of US history, you'll find only 2 examples of where the US deployed significant military force (for arguments sake, let's say 10k+ troops) to a country or region and left in a very short period of time (for arguments sake, let's say 30 years). Let's get those out of the way 1st.<BR/><BR/>Vietnam - We ran out (not a judgement statement, just a fact). Probably a good thing for us. Debatable for the folks left behind.<BR/><BR/>Germany and WWI. Huge mistake. Were back there 20 odd years later cleaning up.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11250715.post-1117147062582022182005-05-26T18:37:00.000-04:002005-05-26T18:37:00.000-04:00Anyone else want to make up an estimated length of...Anyone else want to make up an estimated length of military stays in foreign countries off the top of their head with no basis in either fact or experience? Hard to fathom reasoning like that, eh?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11250715.post-1117117674289948202005-05-26T10:27:00.000-04:002005-05-26T10:27:00.000-04:00Anyone else with as well thought out and insightfu...Anyone else with as well thought out and insightful arguments as Bill? Hard to top, eh?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11250715.post-1117107985627915542005-05-26T07:46:00.000-04:002005-05-26T07:46:00.000-04:00Steve is of the belief that we will be there 30 ye...Steve is of the belief that we will be there 30 years because that is how long Halliburton needs our troops to secure the gas pipeline they are building.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11250715.post-1116953210699097472005-05-24T12:46:00.000-04:002005-05-24T12:46:00.000-04:00Megs, It depends on whether he gets political mile...Megs, It depends on whether he gets political mileage at home from looking like he has a backbone versus looking like a political puppy who got smacked by his master and losing political capital. Obviously his call.<BR/><BR/>acg, No argument expect it's not a theory. It is what it is. Right or wrong. Our government, both Republicans and Democrats, believe what we are doing in Afghanistan in the right thing and we'll keep on doing it until we don't have to anymore.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11250715.post-1116944282682153222005-05-24T10:18:00.000-04:002005-05-24T10:18:00.000-04:00Steve, you seem to be working under the impression...Steve, you seem to be working under the impression that it's okay for Country A to hang around in and run Country B if it's in Country A's best interest, and it's my impression that it's not okay. There are plenty of countries out there that would be better off with us in charge, and we'd be better off if we were in charge of them, but we're not going to go in and take over because it's just not our place. A sovereign nation is a sovereign nation is a sovereign nation. I can think of a couple of countries that would probably feel safer if <I>they</I> were running <I>our</I> country instead of the current administration, but they don't, because a) we'd blow them up, and b) it wouldn't be right.<BR/><BR/>You want to talk about a country that would be less of a threat if we were in charge, let's look at Saudi Arabia. When I see Bush marching US troops into Riyadh, then we'll talk more about your theory.ACGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08911195407453653241noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11250715.post-1116934231918327032005-05-24T07:30:00.000-04:002005-05-24T07:30:00.000-04:00And your point is?And your point is?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11250715.post-1116909660102877172005-05-24T00:41:00.000-04:002005-05-24T00:41:00.000-04:00To say that Karzai was dumb to have even asked the...To say that Karzai was dumb to have even asked the question completely ignores the fact that the man does, in fact, have a responsibility to his people to act as their representative. His people want their country back. Whether they are right or wrong, Karzai's first obligation is to the people he serves, and second to Bush. Karzai knew the answer he'd get, I'm guessing; he's no dummy. But he had a duty to ask the question, and good on him for doing it.<BR/><BR/>And maybe sowing a few seeds now isn't a bad idea...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11250715.post-1116879660515323262005-05-23T16:21:00.000-04:002005-05-23T16:21:00.000-04:00A functioning democracy, that can maintain order, ...A functioning democracy, that can maintain order, in Afghanistan is generations away. We'll be there for 30 years by my estimate. That's a place in need of some serious modernization and education and that won't happen very fast. I think that Karzai was dumb to have even asked the question. He should have realized that the US Military is in Afghanistan at this point more for our own national security interests than as a protector/tool of his government. We are not there for them, that's a side benefit to the elected government. We are there for ourselves and would not leave if he asked us to.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11250715.post-1116879153210539752005-05-23T16:12:00.000-04:002005-05-23T16:12:00.000-04:00One person's opinion. We invaded Afghanistan to k...One person's opinion. We invaded Afghanistan to kill terrorists and to topple the Taliban who were supporters of terrorists. Bringing democracy there was an after-thought. Afghanistan has no history of strong centrealized government. Today it is still largely a tribal society. The central government there only exists because we prop it up. My guess is that the centralized government that does exist is still made up of essentially tribal folks who aren't fans of each other. "Consulting" with that lot over military operations would probably be more dangerous for our troops because where that information may land is questionable.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com