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

Silasw A procrastination in of itself from A handcart to hell (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: And they all lived happily ever after <3
A procrastination in of itself
#98701: Aug 17th 2015 at 8:42:56 AM

Morocco is also pretty good, possibly better then Kuwait. I did a big post on the whole region in the Middle East Thread, but yeah out of the monarchies the least oppressive and most democratic are Kuwait, Jordan and Morocco (if you count Morocco as part of the region).

I mean "one trigger pull per shot", not bolt-action weapons or weapons that make you reload each time.

I think the AR-15 is "one trigger pull per shot". In fact wikipedia explicitly says "a semi-automatic firearm fires only one round (bullet) each time the trigger is pulled.".

edited 17th Aug '15 8:45:20 AM by Silasw

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
Aszur A nice butterfly from Pagliacci's Since: Apr, 2014 Relationship Status: Don't hug me; I'm scared
A nice butterfly
#98702: Aug 17th 2015 at 8:43:18 AM

Though give it a few decades (assuming it doesn't violently implode) and Jordan will probably be closer to a constitutional monarchy. I think Morocco is on that slow march as well.

Problem is, political parties dun wanna wait that long. They want to be the ones who brought peace to the Middle East. They dont want it to take decades they want it now.

Hence, intervention is necessary.

It has always been the prerogative of children and half-wits to point out that the emperor has no clothes
Silasw A procrastination in of itself from A handcart to hell (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: And they all lived happily ever after <3
A procrastination in of itself
#98703: Aug 17th 2015 at 8:47:28 AM

Actually interventions tend to happen against republics or to restore monarchies, not against monarchies.

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
BlueNinja0 The Mod with the Migraine from Taking a left at Albuquerque Since: Dec, 2010 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
The Mod with the Migraine
#98704: Aug 17th 2015 at 8:48:39 AM

Bernie Sanders takes no shit about his hair. Though I expect if you ask Trump the same question it'd be "hostile journalism."

Ana Marie Cox, New York Times: Do you think it’s fair that Hillary’s hair gets a lot more scrutiny than yours does?

Bernie Sanders: O.K., Ana, I don’t mean to be rude here. I am running for president of the United States on serious issues, O.K.? Do you have serious questions?

That’s the epitome of privilege right there, not considering armed nazis a threat to your life. - Silasw
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#98705: Aug 17th 2015 at 8:51:48 AM

The thing about Trump is how desperately he pretends it's not a comb-over. Sanders has "I give no fucks" hair.

Of course, ragging on Trump's hair is mean-spirited, but he is a mean-spirited person for whom no ridicule is too much.

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#98706: Aug 17th 2015 at 8:52:40 AM

When the media worries about what Hillary’s hair looks like or what my hair looks like, that’s a real problem. We have millions of people who are struggling to keep their heads above water, who want to know what candidates can do to improve their lives, and the media will very often spend more time worrying about hair than the fact that we’re the only major country on earth that doesn’t guarantee health care to all people.

[awesome][awesome][awesome]

Seriously, he's like a real life West Wing character. That exchange actually reminded me of the scene where CJ digs into a reporter who comments on her dress when she's talking about a terrorist attack.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
Canid117 Since: Oct, 2010 Relationship Status: Hello, I love you
#98707: Aug 17th 2015 at 8:53:29 AM

"I mean "one trigger pull per shot", not bolt-action weapons or weapons that make you reload each time. "

Which is all civilian AR-15's...

"War without fire is like sausages without mustard." - Jean Juvénal des Ursins
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#98708: Aug 17th 2015 at 9:03:45 AM

[up] Because of the assault weapons ban making it illegal to sell a weapon that fires multiple shots per trigger pull.

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
Silasw A procrastination in of itself from A handcart to hell (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: And they all lived happily ever after <3
A procrastination in of itself
#98709: Aug 17th 2015 at 9:13:24 AM

[up] Nope it's the Firearm Owners Protection Act (1986) that outlaws the sale of automatic firearms to civilians (with an exception for guns manufactured before that date), not the (expired) Federal Assault Weapons Ban (1994).

edited 17th Aug '15 9:14:33 AM by Silasw

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Greenmantle V from Greater Wessex, Britannia Since: Feb, 2010 Relationship Status: Hiding
V
#98711: Aug 17th 2015 at 9:16:29 AM

[up][up] Isn't there also a Law from the 1930s on that issue?

Keep Rolling On
JackOLantern1337 Shameful Display from The Most Miserable Province in the Russian Empir Since: Aug, 2014 Relationship Status: 700 wives and 300 concubines
Shameful Display
#98712: Aug 17th 2015 at 9:20:16 AM

[up][up][up][up][up][up][up] I really want to like this guy, but for fuck's sake why doesn't he at least give a vague hint of what his foreign policy will be. I get that he prefers economic issues, but for Christ's sake, just give us some dam hints!! Until further notice,due to his liberal leanings and the fact that all his new welfare/aid programs would require barrels of cash, I will assume he will turn us into Canada in all ways, including the decaying navy. I will of course reverse this paranoia of mine as soon as he gives a dam speech, pamphlet, or anything to clarify his positions, until then all we have to go on is his past record.

edited 17th Aug '15 9:20:39 AM by JackOLantern1337

I Bring Doom,and a bit of gloom, but mostly gloom.
Silasw A procrastination in of itself from A handcart to hell (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: And they all lived happily ever after <3
A procrastination in of itself
#98713: Aug 17th 2015 at 9:22:46 AM

[up]X3 Thing conversations tarted because you said "if what you want is to go hunting for moose, you don't need an assault rifle.". You don't need a machine gun, but you might well need an assault rife (keep in mind that assault rife is a catagory that relies pretty much purely on cosmetic features), as things like a flash suppressor and a folding stock (two of the things that when added make a rife an assault weapon) could be handy.

[up][up] The one from the '30s covered the trade and transfer of a bunch of weapons, including licensing and such. However it doesn't ban any weapons.

[up] Canada's navy has been bought to its current state by the right wing goverment there.

edited 17th Aug '15 9:28:15 AM by Silasw

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
LeGarcon Blowout soon fellow Stalker from Skadovsk Since: Aug, 2013 Relationship Status: Gay for Big Boss
Blowout soon fellow Stalker
#98714: Aug 17th 2015 at 9:26:16 AM

Yeah right now Canada is dealing with one of furthest right and nastiest governments they've ever head. It's no stretch to say they are directly responsible for most of their woes at the moment.

And frankly domestic policy is infinitely more important than our foreign one.

ISIS is never going to truly hurt us, Russia is never going to even try to hurt us, and China can't.

Our problems on the inside with economics can and will destroy us if we don't do something about it immediately.

Oh really when?
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#98715: Aug 17th 2015 at 9:27:41 AM

Indeed. If needed, we could bring our military back home and use it exclusively to defend our borders and trade routes; the world would get along just fine. But if we keep fucking ourselves over domestically, there won't be a nation to advance the international interests of.

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
JackOLantern1337 Shameful Display from The Most Miserable Province in the Russian Empir Since: Aug, 2014 Relationship Status: 700 wives and 300 concubines
Shameful Display
#98716: Aug 17th 2015 at 9:29:04 AM

[up][up][up] Oh right, sorry. If I were to speculate on his foreign policy stances, if not his spending or willingness to use force if he views it as necessary, President Sanders would probably make a fresh attempt at making peace between the Israeli's and Palestinians, like every other President before him, speed up rapprochement with Cuba, and probably be "tougher on China." He would also probably not be sympathetic to the Gulf States, which though I think it would be detrimental to our interests, it would be fucking awesome to have someone finally tell those arrogant feudal theocratic despots what just about everyone in the country thinks of them.

[up][up] I'm not saying he shouldn't prioritize economic and domestic concerns, I'm just saying he should just say something about his foreign policy, if only do belay irrational fears.

edited 17th Aug '15 9:30:51 AM by JackOLantern1337

I Bring Doom,and a bit of gloom, but mostly gloom.
Silasw A procrastination in of itself from A handcart to hell (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: And they all lived happily ever after <3
A procrastination in of itself
#98717: Aug 17th 2015 at 9:34:01 AM

we could bring our military back home and use it exclusively to defend our borders and trade routes; the world would get along just fine.

That's not actually certain. Security is still needed in Former Yugoslavia, South Korea still has the risk of North Korea invading, China is bullying a lot of the countries in East Asia and is kept in check in part by the US presence there, Taiwan relies on the possibility of US help to deter a Chinese invasion, NATO falling apart could cause trouble in Eastern Europe. That's before you get into the peacekeepers in other places and the situations in both the Gulf and the Horn of Africa (which however could be considered trade routes for the US).

Yes the US could roll back from some places safely and the world would be fine, but the US withdrawing fully and going isolationist is not a good idea. Us in the rest of the world tend to go really fucking crazy when the US goes isolationist.

[up] Sanders has given some info on his foreign policy, it pretty much seems to boil down to sticking with what Obama is doing.

edited 17th Aug '15 9:36:54 AM by Silasw

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
Aszur A nice butterfly from Pagliacci's Since: Apr, 2014 Relationship Status: Don't hug me; I'm scared
A nice butterfly
#98718: Aug 17th 2015 at 9:34:15 AM

The persecution victim syndrome of the United States politics never ceases to surprise me. Seriously, whom do you fear so much that it is the rest of the world who fears you?

It has always been the prerogative of children and half-wits to point out that the emperor has no clothes
JackOLantern1337 Shameful Display from The Most Miserable Province in the Russian Empir Since: Aug, 2014 Relationship Status: 700 wives and 300 concubines
Shameful Display
#98719: Aug 17th 2015 at 9:37:56 AM

[up] Until recently it was Communists, for a while it was Muslim terrorists, now it's Russia and China.

I Bring Doom,and a bit of gloom, but mostly gloom.
LeGarcon Blowout soon fellow Stalker from Skadovsk Since: Aug, 2013 Relationship Status: Gay for Big Boss
Blowout soon fellow Stalker
#98720: Aug 17th 2015 at 9:41:36 AM

Which is playing right into Russia's hands and assuming China wants to bother us and not our friends.

We need to fear more internal threats. Oath Keepers, our economic destruction, all this racial strife.

edited 17th Aug '15 9:42:29 AM by LeGarcon

Oh really when?
Zendervai Since: Oct, 2009
#98721: Aug 17th 2015 at 9:42:17 AM

That always confused me too. Apparently America is simultaneously the greatest country in the world, one which will never fall, but it is also constantly teetering on the brink of absolute destruction by anyone who looks at it funny.

FFShinra Since: Jan, 2001
#98722: Aug 17th 2015 at 9:43:03 AM

@Medinoc - It's egalitarian compared to the govt and the tribes. It doesn't care about either or ones economic status. Thats the point.

On the subject of domestic and foreign policies: The people might care more about domestic, but its in the foreign policy realm where the office of the president has more power and thus is more likely to be affected by the occupant's views and interests.

And speaking as an unaffiliated voter, it will be foreign policy that determines who gets my vote, knowing the above.

EDIT- Nor should one pretend foreign policy isn't actually important, even if its not immediately grasped by the average voter.

And if Bernie is going to continue Obama policies and offers no caveats or corrections to it, then he ain't getting my vote.

edited 17th Aug '15 9:47:04 AM by FFShinra

Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#98723: Aug 17th 2015 at 9:46:08 AM

I'm not sure that the Republicans' foreign policy positions (especially Trump's, if he wins the primary) have anything positive to offer even if you support a more interventionist stance. Their ideas amount to little more than, "Wage indiscriminate war against anything that even looks like it might be a threat and let God sort out the mess afterwards."

Or you could go with the Bush version and, "Spend unlimited amounts of borrowed money to wage war overseas to enrich our pet defense contractors and utterly ignore economics at home."

edited 17th Aug '15 9:49:15 AM by Fighteer

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
JackOLantern1337 Shameful Display from The Most Miserable Province in the Russian Empir Since: Aug, 2014 Relationship Status: 700 wives and 300 concubines
Shameful Display
#98724: Aug 17th 2015 at 9:46:42 AM

[up][up] What foreign policy would you like to see a President use?

edited 17th Aug '15 9:46:51 AM by JackOLantern1337

I Bring Doom,and a bit of gloom, but mostly gloom.
LeGarcon Blowout soon fellow Stalker from Skadovsk Since: Aug, 2013 Relationship Status: Gay for Big Boss
Blowout soon fellow Stalker
#98725: Aug 17th 2015 at 9:47:14 AM

Yeah, if you really want China to win then you support Trump.

His idea of hositility towards Japan will basically destroy any possibility of American presence in the Pacific. Meaning China, Russia, North Korea and assorted other nasties get free reign there.

Oh really when?

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