Precedent

[--Pete]

Hi,

As many here know, I have little patience. However, I suspected that at least some of the problem was language (and I admire you for your command of English and willingness to discuss hard topics in a language in which you have to struggle. I know the feeling ;) )

But yes, you now understand me perfectly.

I too cry with the Korean farmer. As I do with all the ones suffering for the mistakes their ancestors made, and which many continue to repeat. However, the correct action is dictated by logic, not emotions. It may be *guided* by emotion. Emotion may be the best way of telling us where we, as a world, need to go. But logic must be used in getting there. To try to force a result is usually to fail. To set up the conditions where a result is inevitable will usually succeed. And to do that, we need leaders and nations and populations that agree on what the "right thing" is, want to do it, and are willing to sacrifice a little of themselves for it. I see few leaders, no nations and scarce populations that fill those requirements.

--Pete

[Naddybear]

Pete-

I don't understand what you mean by "logic" and "right." Do you mean to suggest that logic can yield an objectively correct course of action in international relations?

[--Pete]

Hi,

When you say "course of action", are you talking about goals or means to achieve those goals?

If you mean goals, then no, logic cannot generate the goals.

If you mean means to achieve the goals, then logic is fundamental. An understanding of what motivates people, an understanding of what can and cannot be done comes from rational and not emotional thought.

--Pete

[Occhidiangela]

In the 1940's 1950's, a certain segment of Korea, in the North mostly, chose to believe the lie that came with Marxism/Communism. They got enough folks to follow them that they came into power, and then it went the way of most Marxist movements, it got stuck in the dictatorship of the proletariat, or rather, the small elite who had taken power. Stalin's template worked, I suppose, in North Korea.

That choice the folks on the bottom of the social pile are certainly regretful over, but when one asks,

Chto Delat? , as Ulyanov/Lenin did (sorry if I spelt that incorrectly, the phrase means rougly 'what is to be done')

They run into some very difficult, and narrow, courses of action given the totalitarian nature of their institutions. It is almost a remake of a feudal set up in Europe, with some obvious variations in practice, since the serfs were bound to the land, and the People in such a Communist system are bound to the state: they are, in effect, the chattel or property of The State.

[Griselda]

Lurkers are now welcome to talk about Dick Cheney and Tricky Dick Nixon all day long. :P

Just, uh, be responsible with it or something. :lol:

[WarBlade]

Righto.

Cheney's a dickhead. :P

[Scorzonera]

With some nice Halliburton ties... :P

[Occhidiangela]

When he was our Secretary of Defense, he started, in 1989, a major drawdown of US military spending. His thrust was to gut the waste, force armaments companies into better compliance with acquisition law, and he killed the A-12 program because the contractor was making claims of performance that were blatantly false. (And sadly, a few high ranking military officials were playing along, so he fired their arses as well.) He even fought the Tilt Rotor technonlogy now present in the V-22 as being "gold plating."

Yet for all that, he was respected by many for his leadership and for his efforts to bring what many thought as a defense acquisition process that had run amok under Presiden Reagan under control.

Having never met the man in person either, I am curious as to how you can make such a characterization. I have seen the direct benefits of his ability to operate at the policy making level, and to be frank with you, he did pretty darned well in a tough job.

[WarBlade]

Hmm now that I start pondering the question I come to realize I had an image of Rumsfeld in my head when I posted that. I suppose I stand corrected then. :o

It was Rumsfeld who had me glaring angrily at the screen early this week. :angry:

[Griselda]

[Occhidiangela]

I suppose that any number of folks find the current Sec Def a bit tough to empathize with.

:)

[Occhidiangela]

Afghanistan
Albania
Australia
Azerbaijan
Bulgaria
Colombia
Czech Republic
Denmark
El Salvador
Eritrea
Estonia
Ethiopia
Georgia
Hungary
Iceland
Italy
Japan
Korea
Latvia
Lithuania
Macedonia
Netherlands
Nicaragua
Philippines
Poland
Romania
Slovakia
Spain
Turkey
United Kingdom
Uzbekistan.

In addition, 15 nations do not want to be named . . .nations like Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Saudia Arabia. . .

Interesting about the silent partners.

And I suspect that each is contributing according to a variety of national interest issues.

The Turks have to look long term, as you know that the Belgians, French, and Germans are busting their balls over their bid to join the EU. (this is a VERY old story) So, is it really any surprise that Turkey felt it had to deny our request to put the 4th Infantry Division in through their Southeastern border . . .

[kandrathe]

A friend sent me this link so that I would be able to meet simulations of them. B)


The Unofficial Official Simulator

[--Pete]

Hi,

The secret is out. Since no one with natural intelligence will have anything to do with American politics any more, the parties have resorted to other means. Our politicians are all limited production robots with state of the art artificial intelligence. Which, as any gamer can tell you, isn't all that hot ;)

The political machine is now run by machines ;) Can the Matrix be far off?

--Pete

[Occhidiangela]

I gambled on a chance, sort of along the monkey Shakespeare model, to an answer to:

'Who is John Gault?'

The answer, as usual for that question, was disappointing. :)

[WarBlade]

Afghanistan
Albania
Australia
Azerbaijan
Bulgaria
Colombia
Czech Republic
Denmark
El Salvador
Eritrea
Estonia
Ethiopia
Georgia
Hungary
Iceland
Italy
Japan
Korea
Latvia
Lithuania
Macedonia
Netherlands
Nicaragua
Philippines
Poland
Romania
Slovakia
Spain
Turkey
United Kingdom
Uzbekistan.

In addition, 15 nations do not want to be named . . .nations like Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Saudia Arabia. . .

Interesting about the silent partners.

And I suspect that each is contributing according to a variety of national interest issues.

I love this "coalition of the willing" stuff.

United Kingdom Australia and Denmark offering military support. A few other countries offering bases and most others offering . . . moral support? :D

You can see it now, can't you. A bit of goodwill ventured and then a few discreet inquiries about the subsequent financial and defence gains. <_<

[Rhydderch Hael]

Ugh. Frankly, that bot psychotherapist was more fun that this yokel...

My mental responses to the response will be in the form of (parenthesised italics)...

Your question was:

Is it still legal for the King of Belgium to snort powdered walnuts during Christmas?

Answer:

It is a tough one, there's no question. People are doing that all over town. They do it at the State Department. They do it in my office. I do it. (huzzah!) Sometimes I understate for emphasis. (which means...what...you do it more than you say here?) We live in a dangerous and untidy world, this is not an easy time for the world. Goodness. (yep. walnuts in the noggin', ain't no better way to chase the worries away) I shouldn't say I don't think so, although that's what I think. What I should say is that I haven't thought about that carefully. I should do some research and see if I think it might be in need of an update. But I doubt that I'll do it.

Determining something as to its inevitability when your interest is to try to have it not be inevitable is a difficult thing to do. There are known unknowns. That is to say there are things that we now know we don't know.

I've always, I think, characterized it as a relationship that is multi-faceted and is evolving. And that's not inaccurate from a grammatical standpoint, or from a semantic standpoint. There are people being killed in the region. (though I must note, the link between snorting walnuts and unprovoked squirrel attacks on humans have yet to be fully comprehended) Well, one has to be hopeful. Certainly if you're not attentive and not trying to help the situation it's likely it could get worse. If you are attentive and trying to help it it is not necessarily clear that you'll be able to solve it.

It is something that is of deep concern to all of us in the United States and across the globe. I guess anything's possible. I can't validate it.

[Nicodemus Phaulkon]

I got the exact same reply from Rumsfeld when I questioned him on the possibility of Iraq using coked-up woodpeckers to defeat the US 7th Cavalry Armored column...

Coincidence? I think not. :blink:

[AtomicKitKat]

Your question was:

Can you kick your own ass?
Answer:

You don't know what you don't know. There are a variety of ways for that to be achieved and certainly it is not for me to make any announcements. How it'll shake out, I don't know. Any loss of life hurts. There are thing we know that we know. I've been hearing about cat's paws and deputy sheriffs and all kinds of code words getting heaved up here. We do know a variety of specific things, but of course, to discuss them publicly would be unhelpful.
There are clearly risks to acting in any instance. But there are also risks to not acting. That is a serious responsibility that the government has. It's not an easy thing to do. It is a difficult thing to do. On the other hand, it's a good sign. I hate to fuss at folks, I really dont. All of us in this business read intelligence information. And we read it daily and we think about it and it becomes, in our minds, essentially what exists. And that's wrong. It is not what exists.

[Dani]

Not a group one would usually wish to build any kind of alliance upon. ;)
Fhwell, wnen even US newspapers snipe at it as being "Coalition of the willing to be bribed", I don't think there's much to be added.
Note the exclusion of the one genuinely willing nation - Israel. :P (though with 3+ billion USD of bribes per year...)