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

AmbarSonofDeshar Since: Jan, 2010
#118751: Apr 10th 2016 at 1:25:00 PM

RE: Quebec

There's an ugly strain of racism and religious bigotry in the separatist movement there. For too many people in the separatist movement it seems to be about having the "right" to force anyone who moves to the province to speak French and attend Catholic services.

Kayeka (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#118753: Apr 10th 2016 at 2:06:43 PM

[up]Okay, the article of "Trump on short list for Nobel Prize" was actually really funny.

pwiegle Cape Malleum Majorem from Nowhere Special Since: Sep, 2015 Relationship Status: Singularity
Cape Malleum Majorem
#118754: Apr 10th 2016 at 2:37:23 PM

...healing the schism between Shiite and Sunni Muslims... by uniting them in their hatred of America?

This Space Intentionally Left Blank.
TheHandle United Earth from Stockholm Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
United Earth
#118755: Apr 10th 2016 at 2:37:28 PM

The bit that I didn't buy was the US military not going after the terrorists' families. The CIA at least has been doing that rather systematically, what with all the drone bombings of weddings and such. I know they hold themselves to different standards from even the Special Forces, but still, I was under the impression that "hadjis" received nothing but contempt from US troops.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
JackOLantern1337 Shameful Display from The Most Miserable Province in the Russian Empir Since: Aug, 2014 Relationship Status: 700 wives and 300 concubines
Shameful Display
#118756: Apr 10th 2016 at 3:35:03 PM

They'll kill a terrorist's family if they are in the way of killing a terrorist themselves and not care, they view terrorist sympathizers as the same thing as terrorists, a view that is widely held. But killing a family, especially children, for no purposes other than revenge is very much frowned upon. Mind you that doesn't mean our brave boys aren't above that, apparently a sergeant suggested killing baby Noor because her uncle was detained under suspicion of collaborating with Jihadists, thankfully the LT on scene disagreed.

Edit: The problem with a "progressive" society like ours is that most left-wingers view Military service with suspicion at best. Therefore the inception is dominated by those on the right. Well that and being shot at dons't lend itself well to cultural sensitivity.

edited 10th Apr '16 3:37:41 PM 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
#118757: Apr 10th 2016 at 4:12:58 PM

Even the CIA doesn't target civilians deliberately, it just doesn't care when they get in the way. From a military perspective it's not just morally abhorrent, it's also a waste of time and effort.

Yeah the peace prize one made me laugh, personally I'd have also liked a "European NATO members are meeting to consider if the US should face suspension from the military organisation following its withdrawal from the Geneva Convention".

[up] I don't buy that about the left and the military, Handle isn't American and comes from a part of the world full of conspiracy theories about how the US military are secret ally all baby killers. Hell even over here the military is respected, at least the troops are.

edited 10th Apr '16 4:17:28 PM 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
Falrinn Since: Dec, 2014
#118758: Apr 10th 2016 at 4:23:42 PM

[up][up]

Yeah, I would say there is a pretty big difference between collateral damage or the rare unauthorized revenge killing (that may result in a court martial), and having an explicit on-the-books policy of killing the family members of people who have wronged us.

The former is simply the reality of warfare, not something to be proud of, but on a certain level much an inevitability if you are engaging in any sort of warfare anywhere near a population center.

The latter is, at best, a major step towards becoming a real-life example of He who fights monsters.

edited 10th Apr '16 4:23:56 PM by Falrinn

JackOLantern1337 Shameful Display from The Most Miserable Province in the Russian Empir Since: Aug, 2014 Relationship Status: 700 wives and 300 concubines
Shameful Display
#118759: Apr 10th 2016 at 4:36:31 PM

[up][up] Sorry I meant the Military as an institution.and their compatibility with it. To be fair it's not like the military is open to many differences, especially in the lower ranks especially, hell they have a phase of training called "indoctrination."

The Taliban tried to Kill John Kerry Those mother fuckers.

edited 10th Apr '16 4:39:13 PM by JackOLantern1337

I Bring Doom,and a bit of gloom, but mostly gloom.
Krieger22 Causing freakouts over sourcing since 2018 from Malaysia Since: Mar, 2014 Relationship Status: I'm in love with my car
Causing freakouts over sourcing since 2018
#118760: Apr 10th 2016 at 4:52:26 PM

[up]Are you really surprised at that story? A good crack at Mr. Foreigner is a good crack at Mr. Foreigner...

I have disagreed with her a lot, but comparing her to republicans and propagandists of dictatorships is really low. - An idiot
Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#118761: Apr 10th 2016 at 4:57:21 PM

Yeah, if the US armed forces were really as bad as people think they are/Trump wants them to be, you'd have a My Lai or a Haditha massacre every other week. Big difference between collateral damage and sporadic incidents and having the military act like the damn Einsatzgruppen as a matter of policy.

edited 10th Apr '16 4:58:19 PM by Rationalinsanity

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
JackOLantern1337 Shameful Display from The Most Miserable Province in the Russian Empir Since: Aug, 2014 Relationship Status: 700 wives and 300 concubines
Shameful Display
#118762: Apr 10th 2016 at 5:11:17 PM

[up][up] Still. We are supposed to be negotiating with these guys. We can hardly do that when they take pot shots at our chief diplomat. Mind you I suppose they could say that about us, but then their terrorists so I don't care what they think.

I Bring Doom,and a bit of gloom, but mostly gloom.
desdendelle Hooded Crow from Land of Milk and Honey (Sergeant) Relationship Status: Hiding
Hooded Crow
#118763: Apr 10th 2016 at 5:53:53 PM

[up] Are you surprised? It's the Taliban, after all. They're not like the PA, who mostly keep to incitement, lawfare and the like. They're actual terrorists.

On empty crossroads, seek the eclipse -- for when Sol and Lua align, the lost shall find their way home.
Clarste One Winged Egret Since: Jun, 2009 Relationship Status: Non-Canon
One Winged Egret
#118764: Apr 10th 2016 at 6:04:38 PM

My impression of the Left's view on the military is that it's mostly impressionable young adults being given stupid/immoral orders. So the troops themselves are sympathized with (although maybe not agreed with), but the military overall is still viewed with suspicion. That's why progressives try to prove their support for the military with things like improved veterans' health benefits while still disapproving of anything they do.

To make a totally unhelpful analogy, it's the difference between The Patriarchy and men. One is an abstract cultural system that We Should Be Against, the other is just an arbitrary assortment of people living within that system.

edited 10th Apr '16 6:06:26 PM by Clarste

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
#118765: Apr 10th 2016 at 6:43:10 PM

We can hardly do that when they take pot shots at our chief diplomat

Why can't you? As long as they're not shooting your diplomats when they're going to negotiate with them.

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
Protagonist506 from Oregon Since: Dec, 2013 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
#118766: Apr 10th 2016 at 7:02:53 PM

Negotiating with terrorists isn't a great idea since terrorists tend to move goalposts around even when you give them exactly what they want.

Leviticus 19:34
Demonic_Braeburn Yankee Doodle Dandy from Defective California Since: Jan, 2016
Yankee Doodle Dandy
#118767: Apr 10th 2016 at 7:14:29 PM

Obama stood by his previous statement that Clinton did not endanger national security, but also recognizing a “carelessness” in the decision to use the private e-mail server.

Snowden responds.

edited 10th Apr '16 7:16:21 PM by Demonic_Braeburn

Any group who acts like morons ironically will eventually find itself swamped by morons who think themselves to be in good company.
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
#118768: Apr 10th 2016 at 7:39:37 PM

[up][up] And national governments don't move goalposts? Plus terrorists can only move the goalpsots so far before they loose the support of the part of their base that wants peace (that actually applies to any warring party), you might think that such elements don't exist but they do, people generally want war over, they want certain things more then that but if those things are offered and their leaders refuse anyway then they're gonna be pissed.

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
TheHandle United Earth from Stockholm Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
United Earth
#118769: Apr 10th 2016 at 11:37:33 PM

[up][up][up]Obviously they've read The Art of the Deal.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
PotatoesRock Since: Oct, 2012
#118770: Apr 11th 2016 at 3:22:04 AM

GOP Plutocrat Donors move to the sidelines, unhappy with the evolution of the race, when they created the fracturing of the race to begin with, instead of consolidating around their own specific guy.

(Balloon Juice) Two notes:

A) The RNC is comically underfunded in its warchest for Senate races in Florida, Ohio, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, due to the current fiasco. Kasich and Cruz have little incentive to help fundraise for the Senate nominees and Trump has no major fundraising network to use.

B) An anonymous group of conservative billionaires wish to draft General James "Mad Dog" Mattis as a third party candidate to deny Hillary and Trump the 270 Electoral votes to become president.

(ATL Redline) "I’m With Her... I Guess": A Defense of Hillary Clinton: She's a lousy as shit candidate and basically shows she sucks at campaigning and PR optics, but she's very policy oriented, and that might get things at least done on some level

Eschaton Since: Jul, 2010
#118771: Apr 11th 2016 at 3:58:30 AM

Bernie’s support comes from educated white males, young white women, Ta-Nehisi Coates, and the Screen Actors Guild. That’s not a political revolution, that’s the check out line at Whole Foods.
Hey now, I have never shopped at Whole Foods.

Krieger22 Causing freakouts over sourcing since 2018 from Malaysia Since: Mar, 2014 Relationship Status: I'm in love with my car
Causing freakouts over sourcing since 2018
#118772: Apr 11th 2016 at 4:11:06 AM

General PUA cesspool Return of Kings is urging redpillers to take up arms in the event Donald Trump is elected and assassinated.

I'm not too big on their odds of surviving a more formidable counter than "panicking civilian", but that's still a lot of potential damage.

I have disagreed with her a lot, but comparing her to republicans and propagandists of dictatorships is really low. - An idiot
3of4 Just a harmless giant from a foreign land. from Five Seconds in the Future. Since: Jan, 2010 Relationship Status: GAR for Archer
Just a harmless giant from a foreign land.
#118773: Apr 11th 2016 at 4:18:15 AM

....for a moment I thought the Redpillers called to assassinate Drumpf...

"You can reply to this Message!"
TheHandle United Earth from Stockholm Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
United Earth
#118774: Apr 11th 2016 at 5:02:21 AM

To make a totally unhelpful analogy, it's the difference between The Patriarchy and men. One is an abstract cultural system that We Should Be Against, the other is just an arbitrary assortment of people living within that system.

The Man has become The Patriarchy, as that which is keeping us down. In other words, The Guy, who runs everything, who makes you suffer, and whom you must defeat, is your father.

edited 11th Apr '16 5:04:40 AM by TheHandle

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
Xopher001 Since: Jul, 2012
#118775: Apr 11th 2016 at 5:11:05 AM

You know what I've seen surprisingly few people discuss? Bernie Sanders' thoughts on GM Os. It's one of the only things I don't agre with him about


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