2012-03-14, 10:17 | Link #20142 | |
Megane girl fan
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Diagonally parked in a parallel universe.
Age: 55
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Endless "I didn't expect that" Soul
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2012-03-14, 10:30 | Link #20145 | |
temporary safeguard
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Germany
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They are simply not paying their taxes. Multimillion € businesses reported joke numbers like 500€ business volume and zero income per year and got through with it for a long time. That's why the state is out of money. |
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2012-03-14, 11:29 | Link #20146 | |
Love Yourself
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Northeast USA
Age: 38
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The problem is something that aohige touched on: that there's almost a double standard, a certain intellectual blindness when it comes to us and everyone else. Americans reject sharia law because it seems backwards and evil to us; we assume that because we feel that way, then everyone else must see it as such, too. Similarly, because we like our way of life, we assume that it's the best fit for everyone, and that everyone would appreciate it. Yet the reality is that for many people, it represents a social order and a way of life. Perhaps to those people, the American way of living seems strange and even harmful. And troop occupations - that should surprise no one. Again, imagine if it were happening in your own home country. Pick a country that you're wary of, but that we're not at war with; popular choices in the United States will probably be either Russia or China. Imagine if they set up military bases, and occasionally busted down doors to capture or kill political dissidents. Even if they weren't screwing up and occasionally massacring innocent people or causing other destruction, I'm pretty sure that people would be miffed about those actions. It undermines your own community's autonomy and creates a source of danger. The people who thought that everything American would be immediately accepted and welcomed either believed that fairy tales were historical accounts or they were just so self-centric that it didn't occur to them that not everyone wants to live as they do. Given that we recently had some Americans booing the "golden rule" (treat others how you want to be treated), I'm guessing we have a case of the latter growing. Kindergarten teachers, take note: you have a critical lesson to instill in your students!
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2012-03-14, 12:46 | Link #20147 | |
Pretentious moe scholar
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Age: 37
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And I really do think that a lot of people confuse tribal-level dislike of the Taliban for actually liking the US - I keep hearing that many of the the US's allies in Afghnistan were also allies of the Soviets at one time.
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2012-03-14, 13:17 | Link #20148 |
books-eater youkai
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Betweem wisdom and insanity
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U.S. dangles secret data for Russia missile shield approval
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/...82D03A20120314 Maybe not such bad idea...
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2012-03-14, 13:20 | Link #20149 | |
Pilot in Training
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Earth
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It is ironic though. The West's allies from 1979-1989 turned into the enemies of the West, while the 'collaborators' of Soviets often aid the ISAF now. Plus, Afghanistan is just a land that does not like to be dominated. Many empires have tried, such as Russian, USSR, British, Ottoman, Persian, and all have failed. Only the Mongolians seemed to have any success there, and that was because they depopulated the hell out of it. |
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2012-03-14, 15:55 | Link #20150 | |
Gamilas Falls
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Republic of California
Age: 46
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It doesn't have to be the correct data either. As the only way to test that would be to either steal secrets to confirm it, or shot one down using that data. Though handing out secrets like that could be classes as treason. The problem is that this is Russia we are talking about. You know, the guys we designed the anti-missile shield to fight. The ones that might let that data get into Iranian hands (for a price of course), and thus nuetralize the entire reason for handing over the data to the Russians inthe first place. Except. If the Russians go for it, there will be based close to them in Romania and Poland. And the data could be wrong or a different missile used instead after the bases are established. Which means that if the system works and the data is incorrect....the Russian's First Strike ability with nuclear weapons is gone (well diminished at least), while the US's ability to First Strike is viable and potentially able to counter the returning missiles....ending with Mutually Assured Destruction being cancelled. US wins by default of Russian missiles not being able to reach their targets (or fewer of them being able to reach their targets).
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2012-03-14, 17:28 | Link #20152 | |
Love Yourself
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Northeast USA
Age: 38
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Probably true.
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2012-03-14, 18:13 | Link #20153 | |
Pretentious moe scholar
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Age: 37
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I'm pretty much going to have to take a break from this board for a couple weeks due to an assignment (I have difficulty moderating my participation even when I'm busy, so I pretty much do need to go cold turkey). but for those who find this topic interesting, I recommend the books of journalist Eric Margolis. War at the Top of the World is mainly concerned with the potential for conflict between nuclear armed nations in Central asia but talks a lot about Afghanistan and Pakistan (both of which the author visited frequently in the 80s), while the more recent American Raj traces how the US has gone from loved to disliked by many in the muslim world since WWII. I especially like the latter because it shows how the various conflicts in the muslim world fit into the "big picture" of how the US is perceived there. Just be prepared that while his main case is solid, you may want to disregard a few of the more speculative bits and that the author actually traveled with the mujaheddin in Afghanistan during the 80s and hence is more sympathetic to them than many people are probably comfortable with. (Edit: Google Book's sample of War at the Top of the World includes some of the parts about Afghanistan.)
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Last edited by 0utf0xZer0; 2012-03-14 at 18:26. |
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2012-03-14, 18:47 | Link #20155 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: London, England
Age: 37
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Too true but Afghanistan gains its notoriety because it has gone against empires and has consistently won. In fact they say Afghanistan is the graveyard of empires having seen off the British, USSR and if history is anything to go by the US.
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2012-03-14, 18:52 | Link #20156 | |
Not Enough Sleep
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: R'lyeh
Age: 48
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The Mongols did win...by killing 90% of the population.
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2012-03-14, 18:58 | Link #20157 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: London, England
Age: 37
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Well, I didn't say the record was 100% but still to take on so many superpowers and win so often is something. Plus in most wars killing nearly the entire population is not a viable strategy and most importantly I doubt the US would kill 90% of the Afghan population so they have history going against them.
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2012-03-14, 21:17 | Link #20158 | |
Juanita/Kiteless
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: New England
Age: 40
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Other religions do endorse violence, too. The major religions of the east are very good with this, some only endorsing violence only over things like capital punishment, or teaching that one should only use violent force as a last resort if it is for the purpose of protecting others who are innocent. Judaism, Christianity (mostly the Old Testament), and Islam are particularly bad with this. I have read a few excerpts from the Koran that explicitly endorse vengeange, though, and many Muslim nations still uphold instructions from the Koran that are very 'old-world' (such as executing a woman who committed adultery).
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2012-03-14, 23:36 | Link #20159 | ||
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2007
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Well, let me just say that there is certain arrogance and sense of entitlement that I strongly disagree of. What about ways of living if you can't afford it? Does the logic that "I am accustomed to live in leisure and luxury so I must be payed more" make any sense at all? In such global economy, nobody is exempt from the basic rules: that if you can't stay competitive, you go bankrupt. Simple as that. Quote:
Add China to that list.
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current affairs, discussion, international |
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