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Edited by Mrph1 on Nov 30th 2023 at 11:03:59 AM

MarqFJA The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer from Deserts of the Middle East (Before Recorded History) Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer
#54576: May 14th 2013 at 2:28:54 AM

The funny thing is that they seem to completely gloss over the facts that 1) neither Cuba nor North Korea have any significant oil fields (and much of the Libyan war's publicized battles were fought around the oil-industry facilities and/or ports), and 2) if this was all it took to declare war on either Cuba or North Korea, then one would wonder why the US waited until 20 years after the end of the Cold War to do it rather than just get it over with when post-USSR Russia was at its weakest (i.e. 1990s).

Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus.
DeviantBraeburn Wandering Jew from Dysfunctional California Since: Aug, 2012
Wandering Jew
#54577: May 14th 2013 at 2:41:35 AM

Dick Cheney Blasts Obama’s Benghazi Response On Hannity: ‘We Were Always Locked And Loaded On 9/11

edited 14th May '13 2:43:59 AM by DeviantBraeburn

Everything is Possible. But some things are more Probable than others. JEBAGEDDON 2016
GlennMagusHarvey Since: Jan, 2001
#54578: May 14th 2013 at 3:18:31 AM

As for the Puritans, their heirs are the Bostonites. Ever heard of "Boston values"? Yeaaah, they're pretty laid-back.

It was discovered, after some amount of experimentation trial and error, that sitting around not having a good time while making sure no one else was having a good time either was not particularly effective.

TheHandle United Earth from Stockholm Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
United Earth
#54579: May 14th 2013 at 3:32:52 AM

Well yeah but talk about a snap back.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
MarqFJA The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer from Deserts of the Middle East (Before Recorded History) Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#54581: May 14th 2013 at 8:44:36 AM

What is this, the 1980s? Yes, I know spying still happens but it feels so cliché these days.

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
Karkadinn Karkadinn from New Orleans, Louisiana Since: Jul, 2009
Karkadinn
#54582: May 14th 2013 at 9:15:58 AM

Honestly, Russia's malware criminal industry poses a lot more of a threat to the US than the government does these days. Cooperating with their government on finding ways to shut down all those malware business enterprises - which are just sickeningly profitable atm - would be a lot more useful.

And is it just me, or does the CIA in general have this tendency to create more problems than it solves? Or perhaps that's simply the impression I get from only hearing about them when they screw up.

Furthermore, I think Guantanamo must be destroyed.
SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#54583: May 14th 2013 at 9:27:41 AM

In other news, the Immigration Bill and the new Farm Bill are up for discussion in the Senate comittees.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
MarqFJA The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer from Deserts of the Middle East (Before Recorded History) Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer
#54584: May 14th 2013 at 9:37:38 AM

[up][up] My impression is that they're stuck in the Cold War mentality despite the clear fact that the conditions of said period are longer in effect, and thus tactics and strategies that were applicable there might be very ill-advised in the subsequent period.

Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus.
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#54585: May 14th 2013 at 9:42:35 AM

There are many in Russia who long for the Cold War state of affairs, probably in large part because it gives them a convenient scapegoat for and/or distraction from their massive internal problems. "Things were simpler when the U.S. was our mortal enemy. We had absolute power because the People trusted us to protect them, and we served the People."

I suppose, in an ironic way, it's comparable to what Krugman says about "weaponized Keynesianism" — it's the observation that the best way to get a country politically unified is to declare war on something.

edited 14th May '13 9:45:09 AM by Fighteer

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
MarqFJA The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer from Deserts of the Middle East (Before Recorded History) Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer
#54586: May 14th 2013 at 9:45:11 AM

My apologies, I should've specified that I responding to the bit about the CIA causing problems than ones that they solve.

Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus.
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#54587: May 14th 2013 at 9:46:55 AM

Oh. Well, countries still spy on each other, even in this day and age. It's expected. There are protocols about it, though, like not getting openly caught, and/or using the fact of catching someone else's spy as a political exercise. The more it's noised about, the more you know the person raising the stink is trying to invoke nationalism.

The CIA is charged with collecting intelligence; that means that it's going to operate electronic surveillance, human assets, and a variety of other things to suss out potential enemies, terrorist threats, etc. Russia is a major concern right now precisely because of all that nationalist fervor; it's not surprising that we'd be looking for intel on its political and/or military intentions.

edited 14th May '13 9:48:16 AM by Fighteer

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
MarqFJA The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer from Deserts of the Middle East (Before Recorded History) Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer
#54588: May 14th 2013 at 9:52:30 AM

Yeah, but getting caught red-handed just before/after the Secretary of State has left the country in the wake of finally getting said country's government's agreement to a critical issue to not just US policy, but to that of several other countries as well... Really, I thought they were smarter than to take such risks at the worst possible times.

Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus.
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#54589: May 14th 2013 at 9:54:44 AM

There's a suspicious element of timing to it. Perhaps this person was already under investigation or known to be a spy and was arrested at this point in time to stir up anti-U.S. sentiment. Perhaps the charges are drummed up. Perhaps the CIA dun goofed.

edited 14th May '13 9:56:47 AM by Fighteer

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
CaptainKatsura Decoy from    Poland    Since: Jul, 2011
Decoy
#54591: May 14th 2013 at 10:40:37 AM

Funny thing, moderates of our major right wing opposition party (of whom many got kicked out by radicals) called the latter Taliban Wing as well XD

My President is Funny Valentine.
TheHandle United Earth from Stockholm Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
United Earth
#54592: May 14th 2013 at 11:34:23 AM

Issa? That's Arabic for Jesus, is he a... Okay, his grandparents were Lebanese. Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch. "And Saint Attila raised the Hand Grenade up on high, saying: O Lord, bless this Thy hand grenade, that with it Thou mayest blow Thine enemies to tiny bits, in Thy mercy."

edited 14th May '13 11:35:31 AM by TheHandle

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
Greenmantle V from Greater Wessex, Britannia Since: Feb, 2010 Relationship Status: Hiding
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#54595: May 14th 2013 at 12:44:21 PM

Republicans would be only too happy if they could tie up Obama's entire second term with "scandal investigations".

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#54596: May 14th 2013 at 12:44:26 PM

Amazing how everybody is working on guesses now.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
DeviantBraeburn Wandering Jew from Dysfunctional California Since: Aug, 2012
Wandering Jew
#54597: May 14th 2013 at 1:00:07 PM

Nancy Pelosi: Boehner would be 'weakest speaker' if a woman

Everything is Possible. But some things are more Probable than others. JEBAGEDDON 2016
Midgetsnowman Since: Jan, 2010
#54598: May 14th 2013 at 1:16:39 PM

M Cconnell: and dagnabbit, if theres isnt anything under that surface, we'll invent one.

SmytheOrdo Wide Eyed Wonderman from In The Mountains Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
Wide Eyed Wonderman
#54599: May 14th 2013 at 1:35:34 PM

[1]

George W. Bush convicted of war crimes

David Bowie 1947-2016
MrLthebetrayer Since: Apr, 2012
#54600: May 14th 2013 at 1:39:24 PM

[up]Well,erm, don't we have to give bush over then? Because then we would be hypocrites. Oh wait, we already are. Its a good start, showing that the UN is not scared of the Us.

A pretty fun guy to be around.

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