With bin Laden dead, who will be the next baddie?

[Kulindahr]

Um....do you need permission to express that opinion? Okay, on behalf of the British people, I give you permission to be snide and horrible about the worthless, unelected spongers that style themselves as our heads of state.

Except your premise is wrong: they don't style themselves as anything; they have no choice. The people's elected representatives have decreed that this one family be captive to the whole, performing a function they didn't choose, not allowed to quit.

Though I do think it would be fun if Kate decided she wanted to be a doctor and work as one, and told them to stuff all the queen-type activities.

OTOH, if you're going to have heads of state doing deeply important things like reading children's books out loud to school kids or receiving clubs of people who grow flowers in the official garden, better to have a queen to do it.

Domestic political opponents should never be characterised as the enemy.

It's time we switched from regarding humans as the enemy and adopted a real one: someone with charisma should spin the tale to make our new enemy dependence on foreign oil.

 

[kallipolis]

It's only after that that Kallipolis uses "we," meaning all of us affected by this bubbling cauldron of U.S.-manufactured bullshit, Greece included, which is part of NATO, also at war, by the way, as is Canada with boots on the ground in Afghanistan. It may be news to you, but the U.S. isn't alone in its stupid, useless war.

I can confirm that the Greek Armed Forces maintain a small logistics, and technical force in Afghanistan, and also participate in the current Libya NATO action. A Greek air force station on the island of Crete is kept very busy with American, and British aircraft using its facilities.

 

[kallipolis]

It's time we switched from regarding humans as the enemy and adopted a real one: someone with charisma should spin the tale to make our new enemy dependence on foreign oil.

Fortunately for the future welfare of this planet, and its human population progress is being made to wean us off dependence on oil. Electric propelled cars, and increasing investments in alternative energy sources bodes well for our future.

 

[Kulindahr]

Fortunately for the future welfare of this planet, and its human population progress is being made to wean us off dependence on oil. Electric propelled cars, and increasing investments in alternative energy sources bodes well for our future.

That's barely tangential to my point.

 

[kallipolis]

That's barely tangential to my point.

I appreciate that I have chosen to dwell on what I regard as the more important factor, rather than enter into polemics on those troublesome, and trouble creating countries that supply oil to The West.

I am an optimist and much prefer to always view the bottle half full.

 

[JB3]

I'm not overly keen on countries with genocidal tendancies having nukes. Which is why I think the israelis should give theirs up. And compared to who the next "baddie" is, the next country that America gets a hardon for destroying, they'll never be as much of a threat to general stability or just quite that much of a pain in the hole as the israelis are.

Iran is doing a mighty fine job of working to destabilize the region. What they're doing is far more insidious and dangerous than anything Israel could ever do. (And Israel seems to want the middle east to descend into full-scale war, so that says a lot about what Iran is doing)

 

[EastMed]

Kallipolis
It's a comfort to see the theodicy of Leibniz still having some traction.
I share some of it myself!

 

[JB3]

I disagree wholeheartedly.

And? The reason why politics in all nations is in such a poor state is because of people with your attitude. Your opponent is never the enemy.

 

[kallipolis]

Kallipolis
It's a comfort to see the theodicy of Leibniz still having some traction.
I share some of it myself!

I have understood that you are well read.

 

[kallipolis]

Iran is doing a mighty fine job of working to destabilize the region. What they're doing is far more insidious and dangerous than anything Israel could ever do. (And Israel seems to want the middle east to descend into full-scale war, so that says a lot about what Iran is doing)

Our Glaswegian friend writes some potent truth when reminding us that Iranian society is very highly developed, and the Iranian people well educated. For the most part Iranians are also very pro-Western in their sentiments, and have a regard for the better aspects of Western living.

I interview very many Iranian illegal refugees flowing into, and through Greece en route to other destinations. Most of the refugees are very young males who are Muslim, and are non Islamic in their approach to living their life. They are also very enthusiastic in wanting to fit into the society that they aim to settle.

We should distinguish between those currently controlling the political, and military apparatus in Iran and the general population who represent another, much more appealing reflection of the Iranian people towards The West.

The majority of Iranians were not born at the time of the Islamic Revolution (1979) and represent a powder keg that will eventually bring down the Islamic Republic of Iran.

I may also add that Iranian clerics, and other Iranian politicians are as divided as they are in any other country. Further we should not judge, and condemn all Iranian clerics as anti Western, and stuck in the time frame of the sixth century. There are very many progressive, and pro Western clerics who currently are isolated from the political power base.

Patience, and a willingness to support the Iranian progressives, in a subtle fashion will much more rewarding for both the Iranian people, and The West than any thought of military confrontation.

 

[EwanSF]

And? The reason why politics in all nations is in such a poor state is because of people with your attitude. Your opponent is never the enemy.

Mainstream politicians in this country all, to a person, support the current system we opperate under, ie. extravagant wealth for the tiny minority, meager pittence for most of us. You seriously expect me to look on someone whose politics support the status quo as anything other than an enemy? Their policies catapult thousands of people in this country into an early grave every year, due to poverty. As I've mentioned before, there are areas of this city where the avarage life expectancy is only 53. You move a few miles up the road to the more affluent west end and it jumps to the late 70's. You expect me not to be fucking livid about that? You expect me to look on the people whose lip-service to ending all the poverty and social deprivation and horrible shit that happens up and down this country, but never do anything about it, ever, and instead concentrate on helping "the city" and ensuring that we're "competative" as a country, as anything other than scum?

Fuck competative, I'd rather my city didn't have the apalling crime rate that it did, that people had jobs and didn't drop dead at 50. I'd rather the elected representatives of the people actually represnted the interests of the people, as opposed to the theiving scum that every decade or two, crash the economy due to their vile avarice.

 

[kallipolis]

Mainstream politicians in this country all, to a person, support the current system we opperate under, ie. extravagant wealth for the tiny minority, meager pittence for most of us. You seriously expect me to look on someone whose politics support the status quo as anything other than an enemy? Their policies catapult thousands of people in this country into an early grave every year, due to poverty. As I've mentioned before, there are areas of this city where the avarage life expectancy is only 53. You move a few miles up the road to the more affluent west end and it jumps to the late 70's. You expect me not to be fucking livid about that? You expect me to look on the people whose lip-service to ending all the poverty and social deprivation and horrible shit that happens up and down this country, but never do anything about it, ever, and instead concentrate on helping "the city" and ensuring that we're "competative" as a country, as anything other than scum?

Fuck competative, I'd rather my city didn't have the apalling crime rate that it did, that people had jobs and didn't drop dead at 50. I'd rather the elected representatives of the people actually represnted the interests of the people, as opposed to the theiving scum that every decade or two, crash the economy due to their vile avarice.

As a very young man I passed some four enjoyable months living in Glasgow while pursuing research studies. I stayed at a bed, and breakfast in Pollockshields. My experience taught me that the typical Glaswegian is warm hearted, generous and very friendly to strangers. I also enjoyed a pint of heavy, and a wee half. There is no competition for Glasgow's fish, and chip suppers.

The Scottish people have a terrible reputation for unhealthy eating habits, chain smoking, alcoholic abuse and an unenviable hyper high crime rate. Premature death statistics are appalling.

There are other parts of the UK where poverty also is very apparent, and yet the statistics do not emulate the Scottish examples.

Have you an explanation for this disparity?

 

[EwanSF]

Diet accounts for some, as does drink. Most people in the more poverty-stricken areas smoke as well. When you grow up in an area where there's no jobs and no hope, it's pretty easy to become trapped there, saddled to some addiction or another, pretty much resigned to living out a meaningless existance, on the dole, spiraling further into alcoholism/drugs etc. Nearly happened to me. I decided when I was 20 that I was better than that though and did everything I could to get the fuck out of there, even moved to England for a while. Not everyone gets to that epiphany momment though.

 

[kallipolis]

^Thanks............

 

[archive]

Iran is doing a mighty fine job of working to destabilize the region. What they're doing is far more insidious and dangerous than anything Israel could ever do. (And Israel seems to want the middle east to descend into full-scale war, so that says a lot about what Iran is doing)

sometimes i believe that only a few believe that iran is not this monster hiding under the bed.....but for me personally (ironic as it is) the promotion of democracy is going to destabilize the region....well maybe i shouldst say destabilize....more so change the landscape of the area is you will...just look at egypt....opening the border...configuring a deal for hamas and the pa...and now trying to reach out to iran...i think this is a whole powder keg waiting to happen....and we are going to end up with egg on our face for our hypocritical policies...

 

[Kulindahr]

I appreciate that I have chosen to dwell on what I regard as the more important factor, rather than enter into polemics on those troublesome, and trouble creating countries that supply oil to The West.

I am an optimist and much prefer to always view the bottle half full.

Since the two courses are at present at least parallel -- okay.

 

[Kulindahr]

Iran is doing a mighty fine job of working to destabilize the region. What they're doing is far more insidious and dangerous than anything Israel could ever do. (And Israel seems to want the middle east to descend into full-scale war, so that says a lot about what Iran is doing)

Israel actually just wants to be left alone.

It's just that if they're not, they really don't care about much at all, and are quite enthusiastic about taking everyone else down with them -- though if they can avoid that by blowing up other peoples' toys from time to time, they'll take the less violent route.

I knew an intelligence officer who'd worked with Israelis. He said they were all very peaceful, live and let live types -- until it came to the possibility of the destruction of their country, at which point they were almost gleeful about the prospect of two hundred cities in enemy countries vanishing in nuclear fire as Israel's last action as a nation.

He opined that the reason the US needs to stand by Israel is that if we don't, and someone (it was Saddam, then) takes it into his head to actually lead a war of extermination, there wouldn't be a Mideast left to have peace in -- unless lots of melted craters and fallout count as "peace".

 

[EwanSF]

Yeah, I'd more sympathetic to the irsraeli desire to be left alone if they'd stop building settlements. They fucking bulldoze peoples homes and drop white phospherous on their children and then gawp in amazment as to why the entire arab world hate them. It beggers belief.

 

[EwanSF]

Aye, that's another thing. There are an awful lot of folk that I've talked to online who weren't israeli, who weren't even Jewish, yet they were absolutely adament that I was being anti-semitic because I was criticising israel. Seams to be a go to response for a lot of people.

 

[JB3]

Yeah, I'd more sympathetic to the irsraeli desire to be left alone if they'd stop building settlements. They fucking bulldoze peoples homes and drop white phospherous on their children and then gawp in amazment as to why the entire arab world hate them. It beggers belief.

Your understanding of the situation is very shallow if you think that the Arab world hates them for those reasons. You also neglect to mention that those very same arab countries that you seem to paint as 'innocent' shell Israeli cities without a second thought.