In These Times

For anyone to even believe that we have the right to attack or go to war with Iran if we could afford such actions, and our military wasn't overexpanded is ridiculous. We have NO right to attack Iran, regardless of how ridiculous the regime may be, and regardless of what the US government would like us to believe regarding the Iranian governments intentions. Even the idea that we should attack Iran is ridiculous given the fact that even if Iran is attempting to create nuclear weapons (which there is no proof that they are, and obviously according to the weapons inspectors, …

Posted to Another War We Can't Afford

Wolf - Iran has not made it clear as you state. The President of Iran has made it clear that he wants nuclear weapons, but if you had any understanding of the way Iran operates, you would see that all foreign policy matters are in the hands of Ayatollah Khamenei. Instead of listening to what the nutjob president says, you can read what he says instead, and everytime the president comes out and says something ridiculous like they want to nuke Israel or wipe Israel off the map, Khamenei has come out soon after and said, "no, we aren't going to …

Posted to Another War We Can't Afford

whattheheck- I realize this wasn't directed towards me, but I'm responding anyways. "Perhaps you would rather Iran or Korea were the dominant military in the world — well, you are entitled to your opinion. History shows us that someone always fills that role." The dominant military in the world? Cmon. The US is the most powerful military in the world, we spend more on militarism than all other nations combined, and you're going to tlel me that one of those countries which isn't even close to our military stance is going to fill that role? Give me a break. Neither nation …

Posted to Another War We Can't Afford

Wolf-perhaps a definition of fascism would help you." Fascism is a political regime that is characterized by a high degree of concentration of power in the state, in one political party or in one person, accompanied by a messianic and belligerent form of nationalism, by the usurpation of legislative and judicial prerogative by the executive branch of the government, by the suppression of individual freedoms at home, by the worshipping of national symbols such as flags, and by a rise of militarism and the pursuit of military expansions abroad, often so as to avenge some perceived humiliation." Are you naive enough …

Posted to Another War We Can't Afford

Wolf- "Does anyone here really believe...(they are) building nuclear power plants to generate electricity? Their agendas are not hidden and are stated clearly. If they really want power, we should help them generate it via solar cells. . ." They're agendas aren't hidden? Give me a quote that they've said they are creating nukes. You're basically just giving the same lines as the Bush regime. You make assertions which have no facts or evidence to support them, and stand against the amounting evidence which points the opposite. War with Iran isn't about a "threat", it is about hegemony, thus the reason …

Posted to Another War We Can't Afford

Maria: I am familiar with the response that you received from your family, I too have experienced that response from family as well as friends. It was seen as just a silly belief to them at first, and then when they realized that it was something I had actually thought about, and read upon, and believed seriously, then it was that hiding my ideas so others aren't "contaminated" as you put it. America seems to be the most obedient and reliant upon authority of everywhere else, which is ironic considering the very people who found it often spoke of dissent and …

Posted to Another War We Can't Afford

Wolf- On another note to your response to the other guy. " We live our lives by the choices we make. That is freedom. Life is good." You've got to be kidding me? Do you honestly think we are even allowed to make choices? We have no serious choices to make, because we are wage slaves, and our lives are dictated by the need to make money, and little amount at it. We do not make choices, we are coerced into doing things by our need to make the wages. You said that people are irresponsible with their incomes, and mismanaging …

Posted to Another War We Can't Afford

Whattheheck- "certainly each of us is facing different personal issues. Some are born into better economic circumstances, racial biases are an issue for a substantial segment, some are better looking, more talented — intelligence and health play a major role. Many people do not make the most of their opportunities. Many want more no matter how well off they already are. Some make poor choices (Yes, we do make choices.) early in life which hamper their futures — having children they can’t afford is more lasting than buying a house beyond reason. A criminal record. Choosing a job with little demand. …

Posted to Another War We Can't Afford

Scorp- Even if the US can afford to go to another war, the result of that war will ultmately cost the public, and only benefit corporations and the already wealthy. Social programs have already been slashed, with Bush's war in Iraq, and if you really insist that w can spend more money and everything will be just fine, then why the hell is the countries infrastructure falling apart? That money that is spent on war could be spent to do things such as, oh, fix bridges, and other things that are neccessary. The money which is going to be directed towards …

Posted to Another War We Can't Afford

Wolf- You conveniently fail to address all the points which refute your claims, other than simply saying the same repetitive bullshit arguments which rely on your faith in authority and America. You think your government and your country are so great and it's time you wkae up and realize it's not. America killed millions of people in World War II, and people like you are going to say it was a noble fight cause we had to stop fascism, yet it was your fucking government which youadore so much which sat there and supported Germany (majority of American's too), your fucking …

Posted to Another War We Can't Afford

Wolf- Now, you have based everyone of your comments on the same fucking ideology which is America is great, and America is the best, and America is free. You fail to show through facts how it is, and only rely on the same arguments. America is ran by corrupt leaders, and authority figures who work for their own benefits. The system which you love is slowly becoming more and more of a disaster capitalist system. If you read what Friedman actually said, and believed in, and read what is really happening you'd realize a lot more. Everything good in this country …

Posted to Another War We Can't Afford

Whattheheck- I ask you to please please please, be realistic and actually look at the root sources of terrorism. The main reaeson for terrorism, is not because they are fundamental muslims, this is such an easy thing to say to label them, but it lacks depth, and understanding of their situation. I can't believe anyone in 2007 still doesn't get this, terrorism is caused by US actions in the Middle East; that means, US foreign policy, wars,military bombings, support for repressive regimes in the Middle East such as Saudi Arabia. Why don't you get this? Read on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, if …

Posted to Another War We Can't Afford

Wth- "You are skipping several centuries of bloody history in your belief that our (U.S.) being “in the Middle East” is the cause of radical Muslim terrorism. " No, you are making the mistake of once again listneing to the propagand on this subject. This terrorism that we are seeing today is not the same terrorism that Christians, a nd Muslims, committed in the Crusades. And if you want to use that comparison, then Christians are all like Pat Robertson, out to kill muslims. The Iraq war increased the amount of Jihadi recruits Al Qaeda and other organizations got, why do …

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Whattheheck- "You are making the same shorthand comparisons as those who equate opposition to illegal immigrants and immigrants in general." It's a discriminatory nature no matter what, which ignores the peoples situations, something which I will condemn. “All Christians”as if I were talking of ALL Muslims. I am not." You speak of Muslims as if you are speaking for them all, maybe you should be more explicit, and not speak so generally if you don't want to be understood in that way. I'm tyring to show you that just because there are radical muslim clerics out there that are speaking of …

Posted to Another War We Can't Afford

wth- War is not inevitable, and it has not always been, it is not a part of human nature. Archaelogical evidence and Anthropological evidence shows this actually. The human species lived tens of thousands of years without war, as well as without hierarchical societies, war first started emerging around 8,000 years ago with the start of agriculturist societies as well as private property. The people worked together at one time, and they were at peace with one another. Therefor, your idea that it is a part of man, is false. The wars your country is waging are based off of imperialism, …

Posted to Another War We Can't Afford

Scorp- Don't blindly attack others when you aren't aware of the factual situations which have started those wars which you feel that the US was defending itself by getting involved in. The wars had much more to them then your simple history books teach you, and I would encourage you to do your own research to find the answers. All the wars which you mention are a result of US intervention and meddling in other nations, a result of US imperialism. Your right-wing ideology of defending the government fails to recognize the truth. The United States was involved in World War …

Posted to Another War We Can't Afford

Whattheheck- "All beings are unique � but many are uniquely selfish, greedy, sadistic and a whole list of other disgusting and dangerous characteristics may apply." The reason for those characteristics are not a part of human nature though, they exist because those behaviors have been nurtured and developeed. However, as you side with authority, and the minority which oppressively rules over mankind, you ultimately side with those who choose to go about such behaviors, as it is the government that you follow which can be characterized with such behaviors. "As 9/11 the 1993 attack on WTC and attacks in other countries …

Posted to Another War We Can't Afford

Whattheheck- Another valuable site on anarchist thought is at http://dwardmac.pitzer.edu/Anarchist_Archives/index.html I also encourage you to read Howard Zinn's "A Peoples history of the United States", for a real understanding of American history, one that you seem unfamiliar with.

Posted to Another War We Can't Afford

Scorp- Good news about the war on terror? Surely you live in another world. This war on terror is on its way to becoming or has already become the second most expensive war in history. It has cost more than the Vietnam war and the Korean war, coming it at a cost of over 750 billion, not including the war in Somalia, nor including our support for nations such as Israel for their role in the so-called war on terrorism, surpassing the cost of both wars. I'm not aware of the cost of the Civil War, but I'm sure the so-called …

Posted to Another War We Can't Afford

Posted to Another War We Can't Afford

scorp- Those were some of the goals which were defined for Iraq, as far as the democracy thing, it was defined as a goal following the fact that we had not found Weapons of Mass Destruction, and the public was told before the invasion that this was not about "country building", yes, they contradicted their own words at many times, but individuals within the regime such as Cheney, clearly siad that. However, you are choosing to pick "goals" for Iraq, which exist solely as propaganda, because democracy and an ultimately free market society (which they want) are incompatable with each other. …

Posted to Another War We Can't Afford

I honestly wonder when people are going to stop supporting the democrats, and realize that no matter who they vote for, a vote isn't going to represent, democracy, freedom, equality, or any serious change. To believe that voting for Obama, or any other clown, democrat, republican, or otherwise, is going to seriuosly produce any real difference in this government is flat out stupid. Has no one realized that there is little difference between any of the administrations, democrat or republican? All the liberals and progressives believed that voting in the democrats was going to produce a serious change on this war, …

Posted to Obama's in the Eye of the Beholder

Francist frank- I do have an organized thought about US politics. My "real difference" is not what you consider to be "real difference" obviously. You might vote democrat because they promise a better healthcare system, or because they are promising to bring about "real change", they are going to hold corporats accountable, or some other nonsense that they preach, but its obvious that they won't. Both parties are now bought off by corporations, and both parties will represent corporate interests, so while they talk tough now, once they are elected, any difference they make which is actually reflective upon their care …

Posted to Obama's in the Eye of the Beholder

Wolf- Note that I said "real difference". There of course will be some differences with every candidate. If Gore was elected, we may not have gone to Iraq, but who knows where else we would be, they all have agendas, and Gore would have gone to war with someone else as well, the only difference is, is that Bush is so extreme and stupid in his vision (much like your ideas about Iran actually) that he doesn't really care about what the result of the actions he takes are, nor does he put any thought into how to not create chaos. …

Posted to Obama's in the Eye of the Beholder