Naval Exchange in Hormuz "Like a knife fight in a phone booth"

Savage Heathen: Define authoritarian regimes please.

That's not strictly the topic, though.

So long as neoconservative fuckwits control the US Military, we're unfit to intervene in a paper bag, let alone a nation as large as Iran.

...and almost nobody else has got the ability to intervene in a paper bag, to continue the anaology.*

God damnit Flyboy, would you quit fucking saying that? I feel like you're implying that the people in charge in uniform are neocon "fuckwits" and it's getting obnoxious to have you say it ad nauseum. We're controlled by the administration in charge, please specify politicians when you make comments like those.

There's a cultural problem in the States, in that officials both elected and appointed are judged as having "the leadership necessary to make tough calls on the military" when they act like neoconservative fuckwits and funnel taxpayer dollars to Lockheed Martin. Large portions of the electorate and the establishment still need to wake up to the fact that those chicken hawks are bad for the military and bad for the country.

Heathen: No, for the same reason I say no to Major Tom: cost effectiveness. It's gotta come from the people on the ground. Not from us.

edited 17th Jan '12 8:43:30 AM by RadicalTaoist

@Barkey,

I am always referring to politicians, primarily, when I say that.

"Worthless neoconservative fuckwit politicians" doesn't roll off the tongue quite as well, though.

how about Fuckwit Neocon politicians? Worthless is implied.

"people in charge in uniform are neocon "fuckwits""

If by people in charge in uniform you mean high ranking soldiers, well, a few (very few) of them hold the same beliefs, to the same level that a few (very few) of any group in society holds that viewpoint, but most of the time, when I here the word 'neocon', it's in reference to what can only be described as a cabal of politicians in the US government, not soldiers.

I prefer worthless neoconservative fuckwits. Nothing quite gets across how terrible a concept neoconservatism is like that.

Although I think I'd argue that elements of the upper levels of actual military command are, if not necessarily neoconservative/pro-interventionist, then at least overly reactionary and prone to recommending force to a situation that may not require it, or not require it to the extent they ask for.

Granted, they are generals and admirals and they are from the Cold War period merely by virtue of their time in the military, but still, it's irritating. The politicians at least have the excuse of being ignorant assholes, but I do expect the military commanders to know better and to step up and say "hey, this shit is retarded, stop it right now."

edited 17th Jan '12 7:54:12 PM by Flyboy

Although some of the military is totally in key with the neocons, they hardly represent all the military, or even all the military leadership. Neocon power has centered mainly on corporatists and the previously mentioned group of politicians, not the military.

Indeed, sometimes the defence and intelligence forces directly contradict the neoconservatives, like how they advised against intervention as an act that would increase terrorism.

edited 17th Jan '12 8:38:22 PM by stripesthezebra

Oh, certainly. The vast majority of the problem is from the civilian half of government, and the military-industrial complex itself.

Intervention should be a case-by-case basis.

Iran should be left alone. Let them fall on their own sword. They will soon enough.

And only intervene there if a Civil War develops, ONLY intervene if one faction turns into Qaddafi.

Since "Nothing happened" rarely makes news as a headline, I figured I'd post an update - nothing happened. Iran declined to fire on the US military (and supposedly backed down their rhetoric before we were in range, as well).

Ron bloody Paul says that Iran is reacting to a build up of American Forces in the region.

I think this is about the second time I've seen O'Reilly win against someone they're challenging.

The first was about Iraq, against (IIRC) Jon Stewart (of all people.)

It's kind of nice to know that even the crazy assholes are right every once in a blue moon (and probably by accident, but still.)