kapkomet

And that's been my whole premise - you have to fight a war to win... Congratulations, you people on the hard left... you got EXACTLY what you wanted.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Apr 16, 2007 -> 11:42 AM) Great so we have begun fighting this just like Vietnam. We might as well pull out, because we have already quit. Pretty much. What a great day for us.

Not to really stir the pot... but... do you really know King's history beyond the "history books"? I'll go away now.

In my opinion, after seeing some stuff (not publicly available) on Aumont, he's the real deal, and I think the Sox have little, if any shot, of getting him. I almost expect him to go top ten at this point, but draft day may tell otherwise.

QUOTE(Flash Tizzle @ Apr 13, 2007 -> 11:14 PM) Still, a first round pick? Winning a home run contest doesn't convince me of power potential. You're talking about a hitter adopting a completely different approach. Notice how the same article later mentions how scouts noticed a quick stroke? I doubt that's the swing he was using during the contest. If we had a sandwich pick or two I'd be willing to select Tolisano. Since we don't, it should be between Aumont, Robles, and Peavy. Although I doubt Aumont will be available around #25. I can tell you EXACTLY who Aumont's agent is... and no, it's not Boras. I would be shocked if Aumont fell to #25 at this stage of the game.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Apr 13, 2007 -> 10:48 PM) There is one more key point, and that is that George W. Bush thinks that things over there are doing fine. He has acted this entire time like he has thought everything is great, and all we need are patience. George W. Bush wants us 100% to stay the course, exactly as it currently is. No matter how many great plans we come up with here, no matter how many problems we identify, no matter what people think the solution is, George W. Bush will not accept them, because anything that would acknowledge even the slightest mistake or failure seems anathema to him. I disagree, but whatever. You'll always see it that way.

Now all of that I agree with as well. I can't stand it that our government is toying around with this whole mess instead of getting to real solutions. It's a mess we indeed created, now can we please get someone to fix it with new ideas? BigSqwert, I wish I were smart enough to fix it.

QUOTE(Soxy @ Apr 13, 2007 -> 08:59 PM) Well, yes, I do think Europe was different. First, after V-E day the fighting stopped. It wasn't a matter of civil war. Yes, there was some political differences (obviously resulting in the Iron Curtain), but overall there was a pretty international united front going on there. And a couple of years AFTER the war ended there still weren't bombings and heavily military action going on there. And Religion wasn't much of a factor in post-war Europe. So, um, yeah I would say it IS different and I imagine most history people would agree with me there. All true. WWII was a more "traditional" war... which is something that Bush has said lots, and that a lot of people here dismiss - that this is a war of ideals, not a "traditional" war with a "traditional enemy". All that said, I just don't think we should just say "meh, it's a sectarian (or civil) war, screw 'em, let them all kill each other and go home". More or less, that's what we're advocating with all of this. Is that ok? (By the way, for once, I'm not trying to be a smart ass. I'm asking serious questions.)

QUOTE(BigSqwert @ Apr 13, 2007 -> 08:53 PM) Great. Now I'm part of the "old guy" crowd. *sigh* That's nice... good comeback for an old guy.

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Apr 13, 2007 -> 07:55 PM) The following countries have tens or hundreds of millions of muslims, have at least partially democratic and/or capitalistic societies, and are neither cesspools of debilitating violence (Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine) nor promoters of said violence (Iran, Syria, etc.)... India Turkey Jordan Egypt U.A.E. Bahrain Kuwait Qatar Oman Bangladesh (though they have many other problems) Indonesia*** Pakistan*** *** = countries teetering on the edge There are some others too that may fall in this category, I'd need to research further. Those are the ones I know for sure. The point is... Islam doesn't conflict with democracy or capitalism directly as a religion in an absolute way. They can coexist. Some of those countries (Turkey and India for example) have large populations of multiple major religions intermingled, and make it work. It is not impossible. Thank you. So why shouldn't we try... to instill this in Iraq again? 4 years over a period of history is awful short. It took 20+ years to rebuild Europe after WWII... but I suppose that's different, right? And I'm asking a serious question.

Yea, the server definitely needs to get strapped down so it doesn't effect him.

Now this is about only the 2nd time I've seen this since I lived here... all the weather people are all freaking out, saying that this is the "perfect storm" scenario... WHOOPIE! Of course, I live about right in the middle of that bullseye. If the server dies, it got blown away.

QUOTE(Soxy @ Apr 13, 2007 -> 06:41 PM) Well, Christianity and capitalism don't go together either. Heck, none of the Big 5 Religions go with capitalism. That's very true - capitalism leads to 'coveting', and that's against the rules as far back as the 10 commandments. That's a whole 'nother interesting discussion. QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Apr 13, 2007 -> 07:13 PM) Well for one thing they are pretty tolerant of different people and ideas... Then they are infidels, according to the idealism we're fighting (supposedly). So - why isn't Dubai getting the crap bombed out of it, if they are like the "EVIL" Westerners?

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Apr 13, 2007 -> 06:36 PM) They seem to just fine in Dubai FWIW. Yea, that's true... but why? Why is Dubai so different then the rest of the Middle East?

QUOTE(Soxy @ Apr 13, 2007 -> 06:05 PM) But we have been trying. I think that's what is so frustrating about it--reading news reports everyday about kids my age and younger that have given their lives TRYING. We toppled Saddam's regime what, 3.5 years ago (probably more) and we've been trying to get things in order since then. It seems like just aren't calming down over there. I read Nuke's blog about finding that huge IED factory and it's just like, my god we just can't keep up with it. It's not for lack of trying, it's just (I think) futile to think we can end this sectarian violence. I mean there was just that announcement about Turkey's crackdown on the Kurds. It's mind-boggling. And I know we're there for Israel and Iran and Syria and all the rest of them. But, it's just so frustrating. I don't understand what kind of victory we think we're going to get over there. This is a difficult one... because I don't think the ideals of Islam and "capitalism"/"democracy" really coincide. Am I wrong about that? And, if they don't coincide, then you all are right, and we really are wasting our time.

QUOTE(Soxy @ Apr 13, 2007 -> 04:36 PM) I guess I just look at the way Israel is, Iran's probable involvement in Iraq, and the general climate in the area and I can't help but think if we wait that out we'll probably be there another 1000 years--especially after the recent parliament bombing. I don't think we can just leave now, but I really don't see us ever winning or even breaking even on this. And that might be true - but shouldn't we at least try? A key point to all of this is, as well, we are there for Isreal, and Iran, and many other reasons as well... that is never talked about.

All of these "UN" (and yes, technically I know it's different, but really it's not) are cesspools of corruption and beaurocracy.

QUOTE(BigSqwert @ Apr 13, 2007 -> 03:38 PM) We are seen as occupiers. Adding more troops will not help eradicate sectarian violence. Brute force alone is not the solution, as we have seen for the last few years. Really? That's not what a lot of guys say that are over there. I do agree that "brute force" won't work, but you have to do more then you are... because otherwise we're just sitting on our butt letting the bad stuff happen.

They've got to rid the sectarian violence enough to not leave a power vacuum when we leave. Right now, they're not taking action because they don't want to "offend" (that is probably a really bad choice of words, but for lack of another word at the moment, that's what I'm using) or to not get the right people... They have to use more force, show they are serious about ridding the troublemakers, and then ensure that the Iraqi's keep the peace after the areas have been cleaned out. Another real problem is that the Shia vs. Sunni thing has gone on for 1,500 years, so there may not be an answer - but you certainly have to try, and just not "leave" right now. Oh, by the way, the "war czar" is insanely ignorant.

By "getting off the pot", I don't mean getting out. I mean, finish the job and THEN get the hell out of there. They need to stop politicizing the whole damn thing and give these guys the means and directions to clean things up and then leave - so hopefully at that point there's not the vacuum that exists now should they leave.

QUOTE(NUKE @ Apr 11, 2007 -> 06:59 PM) I could go on a 20 minute rant about what I think of the way this war is being run but I would get in SOOOOO much trouble. I guess it took me coming back over here again here and now to see just how......well yeah, you see where Im coming from. Suffice it to say that we could be doing sooooooo much with what we have here but our priorities are laughably out of whack. And it's because the "American People", er I mean the American POLITICIANS (yes, both parties) don't have the balls to "get 'er done" and get ya'll back home. Everything has to be all "PC" so that we don't "offend" anyone. IT'S A WAR, start acting like it. I know, I know, it's easy for me to say this behind my keyboard not getting shot at. But, you either have to poop or get off the pot sometime, because the tact taken right now is not working.

This has turned into another cesspool. It's all Bush's fault, anyway.

He's about as straight of a shooter as you'll find on the ® side of things if he gets in.

QUOTE(Texsox @ Apr 12, 2007 -> 09:42 PM) I prefer correct You politically correct bastard.

QUOTE(Texsox @ Apr 12, 2007 -> 09:20 PM) fixed it. Indeed. And you're right.