Our Dear Friends

[Hermit]

Afghanistan was not about liberating people from an opressive Taliban regime

You don't say!

By the way, did you ever get around to wondering why all those quote marks loiter around the word 'liberate'?

[Hermit]

Seraph's post is pointing out that the "liberal youth factions" are joining up with the fundamentalists in oppressing women. What we're seeing is a fundamentalist victory in progress.

Perhaps what they are doing is recognising that Egypt is not quite ready for naked Egyptian girls on the internet, and rushing to demonstrate that they are not absurdly out of touch with the Zeitgeist...

That's pretty much my take on it too, Jim. Egypt's liberals are liberals, but only in the way Australia's Labor Party is left wing. That is to say it's all relative.

Speaking of things being relative*, that Egyptian "girl" may be young enough to be your granddaughter, but she is a woman nevertheless.

*Trying my best here not to be punny.

[Schneibster]

What infuriates me, though, is that more often than not "liberation" is a noble sounding label to disguise actions motivated by cynical Realpolitik. Why have we not "liberated" Pakistan? Or Somalia the way we have "liberated" Afghanistan and Iraq?

Afghanistan harbored criminals who killed thousands of people in our largest city and defied us to make them give them up after they did. We walked in with hobnailed boots. Pakistan hasn't (publicly) done anything like that (though as you know, I believe they were complicit in 9/11). No matter how bad their culture is, we have no right to fuck with them simply because of it. That was what we did wrong in Iraq and it's cost us a lot, I think.

[Gawd]

What infuriates me, though, is that more often than not "liberation" is a noble sounding label to disguise actions motivated by cynical Realpolitik. Why have we not "liberated" Pakistan? Or Somalia the way we have "liberated" Afghanistan and Iraq?

Afghanistan harbored criminals who killed thousands of people in our largest city and defied us to make them give them up after they did. We walked in with hobnailed boots. Pakistan hasn't (publicly) done anything like that (though as you know, I believe they were complicit in 9/11). No matter how bad their culture is, we have no right to fuck with them simply because of it. That was what we did wrong in Iraq and it's cost us a lot, I think.

They are not criminals, they are soldiers that targetted the Pentagon, CIA, and the WTC that financed the terrorist activities of the USA.

[Jason]

What infuriates me, though, is that more often than not "liberation" is a noble sounding label to disguise actions motivated by cynical Realpolitik. Why have we not "liberated" Pakistan? Or Somalia the way we have "liberated" Afghanistan and Iraq?

Afghanistan harbored criminals who killed thousands of people in our largest city and defied us to make them give them up after they did. We walked in with hobnailed boots. Pakistan hasn't (publicly) done anything like that (though as you know, I believe they were complicit in 9/11). No matter how bad their culture is, we have no right to fuck with them simply because of it. That was what we did wrong in Iraq and it's cost us a lot, I think.

One peoples hero is another peoples criminal. They were soldiers fighting a global empire the only way they could - frontal assault was not an option. Terrorism is a military tool and often the only one available to relatively weak people.

As for Afghanistan, it has been invaded by The USA, the USSR, and GB and always it returns to its old ways when the oppressors have gone. It is not a 'winnable' war. The USA will pull out (love the sexual euphemism) of Afghanistan sooner or later, but Iraq will continue to have intensive oversight for the future I think.

[Schneibster]

What infuriates me, though, is that more often than not "liberation" is a noble sounding label to disguise actions motivated by cynical Realpolitik. Why have we not "liberated" Pakistan? Or Somalia the way we have "liberated" Afghanistan and Iraq?

Afghanistan harbored criminals who killed thousands of people in our largest city and defied us to make them give them up after they did. We walked in with hobnailed boots. Pakistan hasn't (publicly) done anything like that (though as you know, I believe they were complicit in 9/11). No matter how bad their culture is, we have no right to fuck with them simply because of it. That was what we did wrong in Iraq and it's cost us a lot, I think.

They are not criminals,

Lie.

[Schneibster]

What infuriates me, though, is that more often than not "liberation" is a noble sounding label to disguise actions motivated by cynical Realpolitik. Why have we not "liberated" Pakistan? Or Somalia the way we have "liberated" Afghanistan and Iraq?

Afghanistan harbored criminals who killed thousands of people in our largest city and defied us to make them give them up after they did. We walked in with hobnailed boots. Pakistan hasn't (publicly) done anything like that (though as you know, I believe they were complicit in 9/11). No matter how bad their culture is, we have no right to fuck with them simply because of it. That was what we did wrong in Iraq and it's cost us a lot, I think.

One peoples hero is another peoples criminal.

Welcome to the nineteenth century.

[Jason]

What infuriates me, though, is that more often than not "liberation" is a noble sounding label to disguise actions motivated by cynical Realpolitik. Why have we not "liberated" Pakistan? Or Somalia the way we have "liberated" Afghanistan and Iraq?

Afghanistan harbored criminals who killed thousands of people in our largest city and defied us to make them give them up after they did. We walked in with hobnailed boots. Pakistan hasn't (publicly) done anything like that (though as you know, I believe they were complicit in 9/11). No matter how bad their culture is, we have no right to fuck with them simply because of it. That was what we did wrong in Iraq and it's cost us a lot, I think.

One peoples hero is another peoples criminal.

Welcome to the nineteenth century.

Welcome, to the real world.

Your beloved USA uses terrorism on a regular basis and has for at least some almost 70 years or so. Where do you get all self-righteous from?

[Gawd]

What infuriates me, though, is that more often than not "liberation" is a noble sounding label to disguise actions motivated by cynical Realpolitik. Why have we not "liberated" Pakistan? Or Somalia the way we have "liberated" Afghanistan and Iraq?

Afghanistan harbored criminals who killed thousands of people in our largest city and defied us to make them give them up after they did. We walked in with hobnailed boots. Pakistan hasn't (publicly) done anything like that (though as you know, I believe they were complicit in 9/11). No matter how bad their culture is, we have no right to fuck with them simply because of it. That was what we did wrong in Iraq and it's cost us a lot, I think.

One peoples hero is another peoples criminal.

Welcome to the nineteenth century.

Welcome, to the real world.

Your beloved USA uses terrorism on a regular basis and has for at least some almost 70 years or so. Where do you get all self-righteous from?

He's an American.

[Schneibster]

What infuriates me, though, is that more often than not "liberation" is a noble sounding label to disguise actions motivated by cynical Realpolitik. Why have we not "liberated" Pakistan? Or Somalia the way we have "liberated" Afghanistan and Iraq?

Afghanistan harbored criminals who killed thousands of people in our largest city and defied us to make them give them up after they did. We walked in with hobnailed boots. Pakistan hasn't (publicly) done anything like that (though as you know, I believe they were complicit in 9/11). No matter how bad their culture is, we have no right to fuck with them simply because of it. That was what we did wrong in Iraq and it's cost us a lot, I think.

One peoples hero is another peoples criminal.

Welcome to the nineteenth century.

Welcome, to the real world

of the nineteenth century.

[Schneibster]

Your beloved USA

ETA: Your propaganda is as bad as the Libertardians'.

If you wanted to know what I think instead of just being a dick, you should have asked me instead of ASSuming.

[Jason]

Your beloved USA

ETA: Your propaganda is as bad as the Libertardians'.

If you wanted to know what I think instead of just being a dick, you should have asked me instead of ASSuming.

I already know how you think. No need to bother with the details of 'what'.

[Schneibster]

Your beloved USA

ETA: Your propaganda is as bad as the Libertardians'.

If you wanted to know what I think instead of just being a dick, you should have asked me instead of ASSuming.

I already know how you think. No need to bother with the details of 'what'.

Stereotyping is a typical racist activity.

[Jason]

Your beloved USA

ETA: Your propaganda is as bad as the Libertardians'.

If you wanted to know what I think instead of just being a dick, you should have asked me instead of ASSuming.

I already know how you think. No need to bother with the details of 'what'.

Stereotyping is a typical racist activity.

[Schneibster]

Pitiful.