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Edited by Mrph1 on Nov 30th 2023 at 11:03:59 AM
Most of Snowden's data is now out of date anyway.
Wars between the great powers (and anyone under their umbrella of direct protection) ended (hopefully) with the advent of nuclear weapons. The threat of total destruction did more for world peace than any set of ideals. That and the globalized economy.
Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.Yea, he needs to read up on brinkmanship. Putin plays hard for sure, but he's not stupid. Russia, and for that matter, any other country has no real chance in a conventional war against the US by itself, let alone all of Nato. Especially since montenegro is set to join soon.
I'm baaaaaaackPutin isn't going to wage war with NATO, he's have to be crazier then Stalin to do that, and nobody is crazier then Stalin.
As for the US-China balance of power, it's becoming more equally specifically in the East Asia region, but that's it, the US is still ahead in the region and miles ahead of everyone globally.
As for Russia being more aggressive, it isn't, it's deliberately destabilising the non-NATO parts of the former USSR if they try and move away from Russia's orbit, it's been doing that since the USSR broke up, it's nothing new.
Russia hasn't gained power, look at a map, we effectively conquered the entire Warsaw Pact, we're pretty far ahead.
“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ CyranDone to them by whom? Who wrote those laws and voted them into effect? Who oversaw their execution? Who judged whether they were being transgressed?
Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.The recent buzz over the Netflix series Making a Murderer (go check out my thread on it
, by the way) has sparked calls for Steven Avery to get a presidential pardon:
http://time.com/4165678/making-a-murderer-petition/?xid=time_socialflow_facebook
What does everyone think? Is he innocent? And would he even get a pardon in Scott Walker's Wisconsin? (I find a presidential pardon unlikely due to his past violent history; this isn't like the case of Jeff Mizanskey who got life for weed.)
edited 3rd Jan '16 7:33:36 PM by 773202luna
(Vox) 2015: The Year Congress Started Working Again.
Making Obama look bad is no longer a priority for Congress, as the Congressional establishment isn't really on good terms with (nor cares for) any of the deep 2016 Republican bench. As such, they're more concerned about getting policy done.
If you're on welfare, it's always because you're temporarily down on your luck and trying your hardest despite unfair circumstances. If someone else is on welfare, it's because they're lazy.
Make a culture that prides itself on independence and then fail to foster an environment for independence to result in success, and you get dependent people in proud, angry denial.
Furthermore, I think Guantanamo must be destroyed.

Well Russia's certainly willing to invade and annex parts of Ukraine. So it's not that implausible.
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