Yes, there's nothing stopping an afghan rock farmer from attaining our level of wealth.JohnG@lt wrote:
So what is stopping him from attaining our level of wealth? Nothing. They have natural resources, they have cheap labor, they could be taking the path that China has taken. Why haven't they?
John, I think you're missing what we're saying here.JohnG@lt wrote:
Newp. It has to come from the people themselves. Wealth creation can not be dictated from on high. This is where the Soviets failed and where Chavez is currently failing rather spectacularly.Turquoise wrote:
Judging by another post above, that's not what he's suggesting. I believe he's referring to their own governments doing that, although we can always motivate these governments to do more of this by putting pressure on them.JohnG@lt wrote:
Why is that my problem? Why should I, as Reciprocity seems to want, be on the hook to pay for their TVs and cars and satellite radios?
Against whom exactly?Harmor wrote:
Perhaps all these stupid rules of engagement will be turned on their head and we'll actually start fighting a real war.
Last edited by Dilbert_X (2010-06-25 00:21:25)
Mostly true. The few times they've tried a relatively stand-up fight, they've had the snot beat out of them.Dilbert_X wrote:
AQ are in Pakistan, the Taliban don't fight 'real' wars and therefore can't be beaten at them.
Please name one good role model that we have in our government.Turquoise wrote:
John, I think you're missing what we're saying here.JohnG@lt wrote:
Newp. It has to come from the people themselves. Wealth creation can not be dictated from on high. This is where the Soviets failed and where Chavez is currently failing rather spectacularly.Turquoise wrote:
Judging by another post above, that's not what he's suggesting. I believe he's referring to their own governments doing that, although we can always motivate these governments to do more of this by putting pressure on them.
Afghanistan is run by corrupt people, and the average person there is uneducated and very poor. China would be like that if they didn't have practical leaders and had a less practical culture.
Yes, individuals have to strive to make their own wealth, but they also need good role models at the top of their societies and cultural values that lend themselves well to synergy.
Afghanistan has neither.
Sad if you can't, I can name a couple in ours.JohnG@lt wrote:
Please name one good role model that we have in our government.Turquoise wrote:
John, I think you're missing what we're saying here.JohnG@lt wrote:
Newp. It has to come from the people themselves. Wealth creation can not be dictated from on high. This is where the Soviets failed and where Chavez is currently failing rather spectacularly.
Afghanistan is run by corrupt people, and the average person there is uneducated and very poor. China would be like that if they didn't have practical leaders and had a less practical culture.
Yes, individuals have to strive to make their own wealth, but they also need good role models at the top of their societies and cultural values that lend themselves well to synergy.
Afghanistan has neither.
American politicians are all dirty, sleazy and corrupt. Ron Paul is about the only one that is even remotely honest.Spark wrote:
Sad if you can't, I can name a couple in ours.JohnG@lt wrote:
Please name one good role model that we have in our government.Turquoise wrote:
John, I think you're missing what we're saying here.
Afghanistan is run by corrupt people, and the average person there is uneducated and very poor. China would be like that if they didn't have practical leaders and had a less practical culture.
Yes, individuals have to strive to make their own wealth, but they also need good role models at the top of their societies and cultural values that lend themselves well to synergy.
Afghanistan has neither.
After the Russians left there was a vacuum which sucked in the muslims.Mekstizzle wrote:
Afghanistan only became what it is now known for after it was converted to Islam, before that it used to be Hindu/Buddhist/Zoroastrian. It had a decent history. Most of that has now been erased by the Muslims. Everyone knows of the giant Buddhist statues (that existed whilst most of Europe was like how Afghanistan is now today) that were blown up by the Taliban in 2001 or some shit.
Bet all these bastards are regretting that decision to bow to their Muslim conquerors and adopt their silly customs, well they would if they could think for themselves.
John McCainJohnG@lt wrote:
Please name one good role model that we have in our government.Turquoise wrote:
John, I think you're missing what we're saying here.JohnG@lt wrote:
Newp. It has to come from the people themselves. Wealth creation can not be dictated from on high. This is where the Soviets failed and where Chavez is currently failing rather spectacularly.
Afghanistan is run by corrupt people, and the average person there is uneducated and very poor. China would be like that if they didn't have practical leaders and had a less practical culture.
Yes, individuals have to strive to make their own wealth, but they also need good role models at the top of their societies and cultural values that lend themselves well to synergy.
Afghanistan has neither.
My local government consists of a Mayor (and city council) that defied two popular votes installing term limits and ran (successfully) for a third term anyway, has run roughshod over civil rights and who has increased the nanny state legislation tremendously.Trotskygrad wrote:
John McCainJohnG@lt wrote:
Please name one good role model that we have in our government.Turquoise wrote:
John, I think you're missing what we're saying here.
Afghanistan is run by corrupt people, and the average person there is uneducated and very poor. China would be like that if they didn't have practical leaders and had a less practical culture.
Yes, individuals have to strive to make their own wealth, but they also need good role models at the top of their societies and cultural values that lend themselves well to synergy.
Afghanistan has neither.
But no, seriously, I know a lot of people in my LOCAL government that are good role models.
JohnG@lt wrote:
Please name one good role model that we have in our government.
SenorToenails wrote:
http://www.skunkpost.com/user/BruceCorr … mg_741.jpgJohnG@lt wrote:
Please name one good role model that we have in our government.
/hides from the flames
sux for you.JohnG@lt wrote:
My local government consists of a Mayor (and city council) that defied two popular votes installing term limits and ran (successfully) for a third term anyway, has run roughshod over civil rights and who has increased the nanny state legislation tremendously.Trotskygrad wrote:
John McCainJohnG@lt wrote:
Please name one good role model that we have in our government.
But no, seriously, I know a lot of people in my LOCAL government that are good role models.
Touche... but our cultural values are still sound... well, for now at least....JohnG@lt wrote:
Please name one good role model that we have in our government.Turquoise wrote:
John, I think you're missing what we're saying here.JohnG@lt wrote:
Newp. It has to come from the people themselves. Wealth creation can not be dictated from on high. This is where the Soviets failed and where Chavez is currently failing rather spectacularly.
Afghanistan is run by corrupt people, and the average person there is uneducated and very poor. China would be like that if they didn't have practical leaders and had a less practical culture.
Yes, individuals have to strive to make their own wealth, but they also need good role models at the top of their societies and cultural values that lend themselves well to synergy.
Afghanistan has neither.
Um... I think he's referring to this...Dilbert_X wrote:
After the Russians left there was a vacuum which sucked in the muslims.Mekstizzle wrote:
Afghanistan only became what it is now known for after it was converted to Islam, before that it used to be Hindu/Buddhist/Zoroastrian. It had a decent history. Most of that has now been erased by the Muslims. Everyone knows of the giant Buddhist statues (that existed whilst most of Europe was like how Afghanistan is now today) that were blown up by the Taliban in 2001 or some shit.
Bet all these bastards are regretting that decision to bow to their Muslim conquerors and adopt their silly customs, well they would if they could think for themselves.
The point being, their own national leadership is filthy rich and they live in squalor, yet their people turn their anger to the West for their condition.Reciprocity wrote:
I'm not saying "we" give them anything.FEOS wrote:
Perhaps they should talk to their own national leadership about that "giving" part?Reciprocity wrote:
The only way to change peoples thoughts, in this case, nutty muslim thoughts, is to make them less poor. When you wipe your ass with your left hand, waging jihad and blowing yourself up is a fairly appealing prospect. Give them TP and a little air conditioning and all the sudden Bin Laden isn't such a magnetic figure.
Wow, who'd have thought it?War in Afghanistan to be tougher and longer than expected, says CIA chief
Holy shit, with analysis this good how could we go wrong?THE war in Afghanistan will be tougher and longer than expected despite a string of successes against al-Qa'ida, the chief of the CIA has warned.
After a week in which US President Barack Obama sacked his top Afghan war commander and troop deaths soared to a new high since the 2001 invasion, US spy chief Leon Panetta conceded there were “serious problems”.
“We're dealing with a tribal society. We're dealing with a country that has problems with governance, problems with corruption, problems with narcotics trafficking, problems with a Taliban insurgency,” Mr Panetta told ABC in the US.
No, really?“I think the Taliban obviously is engaged in greater violence right now. They're doing more on IEDs (improvised explosive devices). They're going after our troops. There's no question about that.
Doesn't seem like a lot of progress in almost ten years.“We are making progress. It's harder, it's slower than I think anyone anticipated.”
But Mr Panetta, installed by Obama last year to head the CIA, stressed the President had made it clear that going after al-Qa'ida was the “fundamental purpose” of the military mission in Afghanistan.
He was eager to point to the good news in the al-Qa'ida leadership now apparently in a weaker state than ever before, with as few as 50 members of the terror group left in Afghanistan while US forces worked hard to “flush out” Osama bin Laden.
“We've got to disrupt and dismantle al-Qa'ida and their militant allies so they never attack this country again,” Mr Panetta said.
“I think at most, we're looking at maybe 50 to 100 (al-Qa'ida members), maybe less” in Afghanistan, he said, while admitting most were in Pakistan's lawless tribal areas that lie along the border with Afghanistan.
