[quote]lixy wrote:
And in case you didn’t notice, Democrats and Republicans (the front-runners at least) are two faces of the same coin when it comes to foreign policy. The Dems might not be as inflammatory, but they’re not any better.[/quote]
See, JeffR? What did I tell you?
[quote]lixy wrote:
jawara wrote:
First you said the Iraqi’s resent me because I(or we) voted for Bush.
That was a joke. Hence the subsequent “seriously”.
Also considering the previous Saddam controlled media AND the lack of internet service in this country I really don’t think the average Iraqi knows much about race and voting patterns in the U.S. So your litte “case in point” comment doesn’t hold any weight.
When your government uses your tax-money to bomb and invade other countries, complacency is considered by some as complicity. I’m not saying that is what those Iraqis had in mind, but not voting is just as bad as voting for establishment candidates. And in case you didn’t notice, Democrats and Republicans (the front-runners at least) are two faces of the same coin when it comes to foreign policy. The Dems might not be as inflammatory, but they’re not any better.[/quote]
So are saying that Clintons and Bush’s foreign policy’s are the same?
[quote]jawara wrote:
Ok this is my second tour in Iraq.Last time we didnt interact with the people very much. [/quote]
Besides the casual shoot-on-sight, you mean?
Sorry, I had to take a crack at that one. ducks
[quote]rainjack wrote:
Thanks for your service, jawara.
If you, or anyone in your unit needs anything - please PM me. [/quote]
Thanks brutha man. I’m good, we just 7 tuff boxes of cookies today.
[quote]lixy wrote:
jawara wrote:
Ok this is my second tour in Iraq.Last time we didnt interact with the people very much.
Besides the casual shoot-on-sight, you mean?
Sorry, I had to take a crack at that one. ducks[/quote]
No, it was mostly driving around looking for bad guys and roadside bombs. We found 18. 3 of those 18 blew up before we found them, luckily no one got hurt. Getting blow up really isnt funny and I dont think your comment was funny either.
[quote]jawara wrote:
So are saying that Clintons and Bush’s foreign policy’s are the same?[/quote]
In essence, sure!
Bush, Clinton, Obama, McCain and the others agree on the basics. Arming and supporting dictators, unconditional support of Israel and the US’ prerogative to launch preemptive strikes on other countries whenever they feel weapons’ stock rooms are getting crowded.
They may quibble over whether the oppressive Turkish government should be given 1 or 10 billion dollars, whether to use nukes or more “conventional” weapons to strike Tehran and how many bases you should keep in Iraq, but at the end of day, they all see American interventionism and meddling in internal affairs of every country as a God’s given right.
So, yes. As far as the rest of the world is concerned, they’re all the same.
The locals I deal with are very shady businessmen. I’ve given the Nepalese contractor a blanket and a pillow, new–PX purchase, but tried to do legit biz with the Iraqi national businessmen with no success and have had to unfuck the work they do. Their work ethic is shit. The Filipinos and Nepalese and Indians have tons more class.
[quote]jawara wrote:
Malevolence wrote:
I don’t think it is that remarkable really. I meet people all the time in the States that want something for nothing, and are ungrateful when(or if) they get it. I am sure everyone in this thread knows someone that incessantly asks for things or otherwise feels entitled to something just for showing up.
With the extremeness of the situation, you can hardly blame many Iraqi children(Some of whom probably don’t even remember a time when US troops WEREN’T stationed everywhere) for expecting the troops to give give give.
After all, they didn’t ask for our help, and they did not ask for the carnage that has entered their lives. If anything, they ARE entitled to ask and keep asking with no particular motivation or obligation to say please, let alone thank you.
Regardless, I wouldn’t be too pissed at them for it.
They may not have asked for it but they seem to want us to stay. As far as I know when the Iraqi government wants us to go then we go. I even asked one of the terps about this and he said “I think my people need more time”. If the Iraqis are entitled to ask for stuff does that mean that I get to ask for stuff from white americans that have more than me? After all we were brought to America as slaves and all. You know what, I think Biotest OWES me a 2 year supply of Alpha Male, Rez-V, Superfood, and Surge. And when I get it I’m not gonna say think you either.
[/quote]
The difference is the extremeness of the situation. How old are these kids usually? if they are 12-15 then most of them probably don’t even remember a time when American Troops weren’t stationed everywhere and providing services for them. They have grown up with it, have come to expect it, and feel entitled to get it. No one said it was ‘right’, that’s just what is most probably happening.
Also, There are black americans that think they are entitled to more than they have just for being black. There are white americans that feel this way too. It happens to all people, given the right circumstances. Although it might be difficult for you to relate to because you personally weren’t raised this way, which is why I wouldn’t get too pissed at the kids for doing this.
Also, another thing to think about. How many kids DON’T do this? is it really every kid that does it in every town you goto? or is it just a majority? do you ever reach out to the kids that don’t mob you guys asking for stuff? Or consider that they might not participate because they think it is rude.
By the way, thank you for your service.
[quote]jawara wrote:
lixy wrote:
jawara wrote:
Ok this is my second tour in Iraq.Last time we didnt interact with the people very much.
Besides the casual shoot-on-sight, you mean?
Sorry, I had to take a crack at that one. ducks
No, it was mostly driving around looking for bad guys and roadside bombs. We found 18. 3 of those 18 blew up before we found them, luckily no one got hurt. Getting blow up really isnt funny and I dont think your comment was funny either.[/quote]
No one thinks she’s funny - except her fellow terrorists, and those who sympathize with them.
[quote]jawara wrote:
lixy wrote:
jawara wrote:
Ok this is my second tour in Iraq.Last time we didnt interact with the people very much.
Besides the casual shoot-on-sight, you mean?
Sorry, I had to take a crack at that one. ducks
No, it was mostly driving around looking for bad guys and roadside bombs. We found 18. 3 of those 18 blew up before we found them, luckily no one got hurt. Getting blow up really isnt funny and I dont think your comment was funny either.[/quote]
Well, of course it isn’t funny. It wasn’t supposed to be. It was insensitive to say the least. I apologized for writing it.
I know that you’re not responsible for the assholes that happen to share your uniform, and I know that you had no say whatever in the decision to invade Iraq. You try to do the best you can at your level, and that’s all anyone can really ask of you.
There was a “sorry” directed to you right after the jab I took at the American invasion of Iraq. And again, I apologize.
[quote]lixy wrote:
So, yes. As far as the rest of the world is concerned, they’re all the same.[/quote]
Then why bitch about people who voted for Bush? Your so Anti-American you do not make any sense.
[quote]Gkhan wrote:
lixy wrote:
So, yes. As far as the rest of the world is concerned, they’re all the same.
Then why bitch about people who voted for Bush? [/quote]
Because the fscker deceived the American public into thinking that Iraq represented a threat to them, bombed and invaded the country killing countless innocents. Surely a vote for him is basically condoning those acts.
You do not know. Maybe a vote for Bush would guarantee for some that gays would not desecrate the act of marriage. Maybe a vote for Bush would say that Kerry was a douche.
You say that all politicians are the same, do you think the war in Iraq would suddenly be over had Kerry been elected?
If all politicians are the same, what does it matter who we voted for or why?
[quote]jawara wrote:
Swarm wrote:
jawara wrote:
Waling up to someone and trying to stick your hand in someones pocket is RUDE as all hell. If one of my kids ever did that I would BEAT DAY AZZZZ!!!
Well, if I was in their shoes I’d give it a shot. I mean, based on the probable preconditioning with soldiers that came before you, they don’t have anything to lose by being forward about it and something to gain.
What do you mean by probable preconditioning?[/quote]
Preconditioning as in getting stuff/help/whatever from soldiers before you, and then projecting that past treatment onto you as an expectation.
[quote]Gkhan wrote:
You do not know. Maybe a vote for Bush would guarantee for some that gays would not desecrate the act of marriage. [/quote]
I know that. And I have absolutely no respect for the people who would vote for a war criminal because he also happens to be on their side on something so benign as homosexual rights.
We’re talking piles of dead babies here.
Nope. I am certain, however, that Nader would have brought back the soldiers to their respective families, and publically apologized for the madness to the whole world. Which would be a severe blow to every extremist group that operate in my country.
In the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t. As long as it is possible for most people can eat themselves to death, there will be demand for real change. Just the alternation of two pre-selected candidates, who will tell you that a vote for anyone else is a waste. But you have no control over any of that anyway.
What does matter is who you vote for. If one candidate is calling for more military spending, you should automatically know that it will be used for aggression. The US needs more bombs and military bases around the world like it needs cancer. Worry more about innocent human lives being taken in your name and and your dime, and less about why you have or haven’t got labels on your fish oil and squat rack.
[quote]Chushin wrote:
You have NO responsibility for what crazed Muslims do worldwide, [/quote]
Why should I feel responsible?
Should I feel responsible for the actions of every Moroccan? Every Libertarian-Socialist? Every fan of Voltaire? Everyone at my school? Everyone of the same sex as me? Everyone who owns the same shirt?
What kind of sick logic is that?
I do what I can to educate people. I wouldn’t want to see a full-blown sanguine revolution, but I’m afraid it’s the only way out for it. And even assuming some group manages to organize, what weapons are they to use? Butter knives? No thanks. That would be a suicide mission. And while I have no problem being a martyr, I would need some assurance that I won’t be throwing my life away for absolutely nothing.
Being a pacifist doesn’t help either.
But, as far as I know, my “oppressive country” oppresses its own. Obviously, if they didn’t rise up, it is because they aren’t oppressed enough.
[quote]yet you feel self-righteous in histrionically lecturing Americans about “piles of dead babies” and “innocent human lives.”
[/quote]
Yes. You don’t see me bitching about Americans killing Americans. I complain when you motherflippers go half-way across the world to bomb the shit out of countries, then proceed to invade them.
[quote]lixy wrote:
I complain when you motherflippers go half-way across the world to bomb the shit out of countries, then proceed to invade them.[/quote]
I resent that. I have never flipped my mother.