POG Politics Thread - Page 211 - Puzzles and Other Games Forum

So, both Canada and the US are pulling out of Afghanistan in summer 2011? Why not gtfo now, we've had plenty of time to train their army to handle any internal defence matters that might arise, as opposed to the issues that are currently being caused by foreign armies on their soil.

From my friends that were there, most Afghanis were happy that the Taliban was removed; that war ended almost 8 years ago. Now they see the western armies as occupying forces (not surprisingly), which is actually increasing Taliban numbers

12-01-2009 , 10:59 PM

#5252

Luckbox Inc

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Quote:

Originally Posted by atakdog

I am a communist, as has been established in my well, but won't be surprised if I have to vote republican next time around. My god, does our president lack a spine.

Quote:

Originally Posted by amplify

snakes don't lack a spine, they merely use it to conform to the terrain

Atakdog's statement most definitely misses the mark.

I think Amp actually misses it too a little but I'm not sure.

But saying that Obama lacks a spine implies that he would like to be doing things differently but cannot.

12-01-2009 , 11:03 PM

#5253

amplify

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Luckbox Inc

I think Amp actually misses it too a little but I'm not sure.

that **** was poetry, dog!

12-01-2009 , 11:04 PM

#5254

Neil S

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Quote:

Originally Posted by amplify

They figured out a way to announce they will send more troops and pull them all out at the same time. Staggeringly brilliant.

You mind if I put this on Twitter, amp?

12-01-2009 , 11:07 PM

#5255

Neil S

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Dang it this was a misclick. I thoguht I was clicking on the community thread.

Don't expect me in here regularly :-)

12-01-2009 , 11:08 PM

#5256

amplify

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my epigrams are your epigrams

12-01-2009 , 11:08 PM

#5257

Luckbox Inc

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I was coming in here just to comment on your presence.

You know this isn't the actual politics forum?

12-01-2009 , 11:11 PM

#5258

Neil S

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Luckbox Inc

I was coming in here just to comment on your presence.

You know this isn't the actual politics forum?

I do. I just prefer to keep it lighter when I'm here. Same reason I also don't go to the Legislation forum and argue against the PPA.

12-01-2009 , 11:12 PM

#5259

clowntable

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Dunno if it was mentioned in here already but hillarious that the peace guru loves them land mines.

12-01-2009 , 11:14 PM

#5260

Neil S

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Quote:

Originally Posted by clowntable

Dunno if it was mentioned in here already but hillarious that the peace guru loves them land mines.

Well mines *are* defensive weapons, not offensive.

12-01-2009 , 11:15 PM

#5261

Zurvan

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Yeah, if you've gotta put soldiers at risk in a war zone, you should protect them as well as possible - that means mining their base

12-01-2009 , 11:15 PM

#5262

clowntable

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Depends on where you put them. During the Kosovo war mines were used to put minefileds around villages to basically make the inhabitants decide between starving to death or wandering through a mine field. I'd say that's pretty offensive.
I'm pretty sure the US army doesn't give a **** about how they are used as long as they help accomplish the mission. And since the missions are set by lunatics/morons...well you get my point

Mines also tend to stay were they were put after the invading forces leave (and they never give a **** about removing them)

12-01-2009 , 11:16 PM

#5263

Zurvan

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er, around their base, not in their base

12-01-2009 , 11:16 PM

#5264

Neil S

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Zurvan

Yeah, if you've gotta put soldiers at risk in a war zone, you should protect them as well as possible - that means mining their base

Heh. True, but they're also good for making it harder to invade in the first place. Which is why they're used heavily on the Korean border.

12-01-2009 , 11:23 PM

#5265

Zurvan

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Mines aren't actually all that effective in situations like they have in Korea, becaues they can be largely eliminated by a massive artillery barrage.

They're more effective in a fluid defense situation where the enemy doesn't have time to find the minefields and site their artillery on them, or where they don't have the technology to do it (such as Afghanistan and Iraq)

12-01-2009 , 11:24 PM

#5266

amplify

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Quote:

Originally Posted by clowntable

Dunno if it was mentioned in here already but hillarious that the peace guru loves them land mines.

maybe they are filled with flowers and rainbows

12-01-2009 , 11:26 PM

#5267

Neil S

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Zurvan

Well, when you're having to blast the border to oblivion, you can't be running your own troops there, nor can you be blasting Seoul. Still a win.

12-01-2009 , 11:44 PM

#5268

Zurvan

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Any good invasion starts with a big artillery barrage on the front lines anyway. Having to take out mines really doesn't make a difference

12-01-2009 , 11:46 PM

#5269

clowntable

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No such thing as a good invasion in my worldview :P

12-01-2009 , 11:57 PM

#5270

Neil S

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Quote:

Originally Posted by clowntable

No such thing as a good invasion in my worldview :P

Well there was Norm... oh.

12-02-2009 , 12:01 AM

#5271

clowntable

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil S

Well there was Norm... oh.

12-02-2009 , 01:01 AM

#5272

atakdog

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Luckbox Inc

I think he would like not to be fighting an idiotic, purposeless, probably unwinnable war, but feels he can't because it will make him look weak. So he comes up with an anemic response that's enough to make it look like he's trying, but not enough to have even the slightest chance of winning. Then he throws a bone to his liberal base by promising a pullout by a certain date, notwithstanding that putting a firm date on it is magnificently stupid.

I could be wrong - he may have no principles at all, other than a desire to be reelected. As he is a politician there's good evidence for that position.

12-02-2009 , 02:02 AM

#5273

amplify

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Quote:

Originally Posted by atakdog

I think he would like not to be fighting an idiotic, purposeless, probably unwinnable war...

I'm going to take a flying guess that this is exactly what dusting would say is incorrect. That Obama absolutely wants to be fighting an idiotic unwinnable war, because it is profitable for so many corporations, because being at war gives great leverage to push otherwise noxious domestic agendas, and because if the US isn't at war Americans might forget they are supposed to be in terror.

And since it's dusting, probably to cover up the moon landing hoax or something.

12-02-2009 , 03:03 AM

#5274

Neil S

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I think Obama never wanted to fight this war. Afghanistan for the Democrats has been a bluff, letting them sound hawkish without actually being hawkish. Victory in Iraq surprised them, and now they were left in power and having to fulfill their promises.

But Obama knows America doesn't elect or re-elect doves, he has no choice. Plus if he gets lucky and gets UBL's head on a platter he knows his re-election is assured short of sustained double-digit unemployment.