10-19-2009, 06:29 PM | #281 (permalink) |
Junkie
Location: Ohio
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[QUOTE=aceventura3;2718799]I am simply surprised by the tone of your answer. I appreciate the issues involving being in a position of not having "perfect" information or to not be the expert who develops the minute details to execute a strategy, but to suggest that you are not capable of deciding general priorities, goals, objects, and directives to those who are the experts seems to be a cop out. I am not a carpenter or an architect but I could get a house built. Your tone suggests that you can not. Perhaps I give people too much credit.[COLOR="DarkSlateGray"]
Making decisions on impulse or "feelings" is why Bush fucked up Iraq. He had no clear goal going in, and no exit strategy. And regarding your house building scenario, you could probably build a little make shift house having no knowledge of architecture or engineering, but it's gonna be a really shitty house that will probably stand for a week or two but will probably fall apart after a good rain storm. That's what happens when you do something complicated you have no idea how to do. That's why you hire someone who does know what they are doing.
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10-20-2009, 08:10 AM | #282 (permalink) |
Super Moderator
Location: essex ma
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so it seems that we've now devolved into a non-discussion concerning aesthetic preferences centered on the sort of details one would prefer have draped about the floating televised head of El Jeffe--whether a conservative preference for inward details which refer to the person of the Leader (which reveals something of the contempt for democracy particular to neo-fascists around the world) or another. i mean, it's not like there's anything of substance being discussed at this point. ace has shifted his monologue to this sort of question. so the only response really is that i or someone else does not share ace's aesthetic nor the conception of Power which it expresses and that's the end of that.
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10-20-2009, 08:21 AM | #283 (permalink) |
warrior bodhisattva
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Location: East-central Canada
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Woah, slow down, roachboy. I'm still trying to get my head around why having convictions for the sake of having them is perhaps the highest ideal.
I seem to keep coming to the same conclusion: it's hard to demonstrate and express one's own convictions when one's job is to manage, control, or otherwise undo the damage caused by the convictions of others.
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Knowing that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain, what's the most important thing? —Bhikkhuni Pema Chödrön Humankind cannot bear very much reality. —From "Burnt Norton," Four Quartets (1936), T. S. Eliot |
10-20-2009, 08:31 AM | #284 (permalink) |
Super Moderator
Location: essex ma
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that's an effect of the way in which conservatives prefer to stage power as a media event. it's all about inwardness dontcha know. in the same way that poverty in conservativeland is about lack of gumption or drive or any number of other inward attributes. certainly not about class position or the social distribution of opportunities or anything else. its about soul, man.
it's kinda hard not to see in this a kind of strange royalism, really: the person of the Leader is supposed to Embody the Nation and does that by Mirroring Back onto it, and presumably us, a List of Virtues. so we are as the Leader is. no matter how arbitrary that linkage might in fact be. it's all the second body of the king. you know, that old kantorowicz book. great stuff if you can find a copy and read it. except that it's not a royalist situation and conservatives have, since reagan, had a kind of penchant for this vacant manly man Leader-images that in the world govern out of a state of emergency when the chance presents itself. so that makes this aesthetic something quite different from royalism. but i don't feel like running out this obvious line of argument again. i don't see having convictions for their own sake as a rational approach to actually living in the world, but it's pretty obvious that ace doesn't either, given the way he moves around his frame for argument, if you want to call it that. so this isn't about actual human beings. it's about image, and it's about the Image of the Leader. in my humble opinion of course.
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a gramophone its corrugated trumpet silver handle spinning dog. such faithfulness it hear it make you sick. -kamau brathwaite |
10-20-2009, 08:58 AM | #285 (permalink) |
warrior bodhisattva
Super Moderator
Location: East-central Canada
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I think it all comes down to this idea of perpetual crisis that Americans seem to value in a twisted kind of way: war isn't something you use as a tool--a means to an end--war is something you manage; war (and even lesser conflicts) is an ongoing procedural reality of a nation's perceived security and even survival.
We know how G. W. Bush marked a turning point in foreign policy with this regard, and now we have Obama handling the fallout of that. If anything, Obama has shown his convictions in that he believes it would be folly to carry on how his predecessor did. He's just not nearly as overt about it. The impact of not doing something isn't nearly as visible as doing something. And when you have Obama doing such things that can be deemed as "staying the course" a la Bush, it's perceived as business as usual--a third term. But what new Bushlike initiatives has Obama unleashed on the world?
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Knowing that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain, what's the most important thing? —Bhikkhuni Pema Chödrön Humankind cannot bear very much reality. —From "Burnt Norton," Four Quartets (1936), T. S. Eliot |
10-20-2009, 09:19 AM | #286 (permalink) |
Super Moderator
Location: essex ma
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yeah--things get all christian/heideggery from there if you want to pull on the thread a bit: war, state of emergency become originary in a sense, a kind of groundless vortex from which the People shine forth and all that. so it's a way of "accounting for" history while at the same time evacuating the actual history part (you know, things that are done by actual people in particular contexts using particular frameworks that have implications which could, in principle, be altered)...
kinda the idea that only a god creates, so nations have always been there and war becomes a blood ritual of renewal--but because this is america, its largely mediated by television, so happens in the Big Elsewhere. because everyplace is the Big Elsewhere. except the living rooms where people watch the world happen inside a rectangle. you know.
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a gramophone its corrugated trumpet silver handle spinning dog. such faithfulness it hear it make you sick. -kamau brathwaite |
10-20-2009, 04:00 PM | #287 (permalink) | ||||||
Junkie
Location: Ventura County
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Some profanity is o.k., just not the type that offends you?
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"Democracy is two wolves and a sheep voting on lunch." "It is useless for the sheep to pass resolutions on vegetarianism while the wolf is of a different opinion." "If you live among wolves you have to act like one." "A lady screams at the mouse but smiles at the wolf. A gentleman is a wolf who sends flowers." Last edited by aceventura3; 10-20-2009 at 04:03 PM.. |
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10-20-2009, 04:38 PM | #288 (permalink) | |||
Her Jay
Location: Ontario for now....
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Maybe read this, I know it's Wiki, but it may give you some insight Canada and the Iraq War - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Quote:
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Absence makes the heart grow fonder Last edited by silent_jay; 10-20-2009 at 04:41 PM.. |
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10-20-2009, 04:46 PM | #290 (permalink) |
... a sort of licensed troubleshooter.
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How many civilian deaths per year were there before the invasion vs. during and since? How was infrastructure in Iraq before the invasion vs. during and in the following 6 years? What was the state of radical (violent) islamic influence in Iraq before the invasion vs. after? By what measure do you find that Iraq was equal before and after the invasion?
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10-20-2009, 06:12 PM | #292 (permalink) | ||
warrior bodhisattva
Super Moderator
Location: East-central Canada
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Maybe Obama's convictions aren't obvious to you; to say he has no convictions is a serious charge. And sometimes you must undo, where the mess is so terrible that doing something else would only make matters worse. If you're on the wrong path, you don't keep trotting down it; sometimes you have to backtrack. Quote:
Canadians tend to have a knack for wanting to fix things and make them better, and so that's what we do. Afghanistan is a bit of a different story, but it's a good place to look to see the difference between how we view one situation versus the other.
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Knowing that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain, what's the most important thing? —Bhikkhuni Pema Chödrön Humankind cannot bear very much reality. —From "Burnt Norton," Four Quartets (1936), T. S. Eliot Last edited by Baraka_Guru; 10-20-2009 at 06:16 PM.. |
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10-21-2009, 04:31 AM | #293 (permalink) |
Junkie
Location: Ohio
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[/COLOR] Bush did not "fuck up" Iraq, once the dust settles let the Iraqi people address that issue. From the point of view of the "war on terror", we are still at war, and it is "our" war. Bush declared mission accomplished on may 2, 2003. We are still at war in Iraq. What do you think he was referring to when he declared victory? Having gone in under false pretenses, having no clear mission or goal and no exit strategy in what way would you put this in the "win" column for the U.S.?
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"Your life is Yours alone...Rise up and live it" |
10-21-2009, 04:46 AM | #294 (permalink) | ||
Location: Washington DC
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"The perfect is the enemy of the good." ~ Voltaire Last edited by dc_dux; 10-21-2009 at 04:57 AM.. |
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10-21-2009, 07:50 AM | #295 (permalink) | |||||||
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Location: Ventura County
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Iraq was not Bush's war it is our war. Congress authorized the war and now it has spanned two different administrations and we are still there.
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And sometimes you must undo, where the mess is so terrible that doing something else would only make matters worse. If you're on the wrong path, you don't keep trotting down it; sometimes you have to backtrack. Quote:
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First, if it is a F-up, I see it as a US issue not a Bush issue. Second, I say let the Iraqi people write the history on the impact the war had on their country. I would not want a war fought in my backyard, but before I concluded it was a F-up, I would want to see how everything ended up. ---------- Post added at 03:50 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:49 PM ---------- After sleeping on this, I apologize. I should not have expressed my thought in that manner.
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"Democracy is two wolves and a sheep voting on lunch." "It is useless for the sheep to pass resolutions on vegetarianism while the wolf is of a different opinion." "If you live among wolves you have to act like one." "A lady screams at the mouse but smiles at the wolf. A gentleman is a wolf who sends flowers." |
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10-21-2009, 09:57 AM | #296 (permalink) | ||||
Her Jay
Location: Ontario for now....
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10-21-2009, 11:51 AM | #297 (permalink) | ||||
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Location: Ventura County
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Congress had the opportunity to say no, not yes. Congress had the opportunity to give a conditional yes, not a "blank check". Congress had the opportunity to re-visit the yes and make it no. Congress had the opportunity to set conditions. Congress had the opportunity to not fund the invasion. Congress had the opportunity to set conditions for the continued funding. Congress had the opportunity to impeach. The American people had an opportunity to not re-elect Bush. The American people had multiple opportunities to vote for people who would end the war. The new administration had an opportunity to end the war or set a time frame for its end. A Congress with a super majority and a President of the same party had an opportunity to do whatever they want. And, you call it Bush's war??????????? Quote:
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This train: If in principle a nation takes a stance that war is not a solution, preemptive or not, why engage in war? What was the "thing" that made making war in Afghanistan o.k., (the Afghan people were not involved in 9/11, nor was 9/11 an attack against Canada)? Then what is the "thing" that made making war in Afghanistan o.k. but making preemptive war in Iran wrong? If preemptive war in Iran is wrong, what is the "thing" that make any involvement in that war o.k.? If preemptive war is wrong why not take issue with the nation involved in initiating the preemptive war? Why pretend to be neutral? given these questions and others, what influence did Bush have and why? Quote:
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"Democracy is two wolves and a sheep voting on lunch." "It is useless for the sheep to pass resolutions on vegetarianism while the wolf is of a different opinion." "If you live among wolves you have to act like one." "A lady screams at the mouse but smiles at the wolf. A gentleman is a wolf who sends flowers." |
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10-21-2009, 12:31 PM | #299 (permalink) |
Junkie
Location: Ventura County
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I complement you. On most people what you do is probably pretty effective. Just so that you know, we both know what your approach is - I call you on it. We both know the true sophistry is in the argument that it is "Bush's war". In our form of government, and in fact any form of government, no one man can be solely responsible for war. If you want to make a case to defend that position, give us your best shot. Or, simply respond with a short one liner that adds no value.
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"Democracy is two wolves and a sheep voting on lunch." "It is useless for the sheep to pass resolutions on vegetarianism while the wolf is of a different opinion." "If you live among wolves you have to act like one." "A lady screams at the mouse but smiles at the wolf. A gentleman is a wolf who sends flowers." |
10-21-2009, 12:34 PM | #300 (permalink) |
Super Moderator
Location: essex ma
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uh ace. you could i suppose refer to iraq as the project for a new american century's war. but it was in fact the bush administration that fabricated the case for it, that launched it, that pursued the "wolfowitz strategy" on and on and on.
as a political label, calling iraq bush's war is pretty accurate. i read your "arguments" above and kind nothing of interest in them, so i'm leaving it at that.
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a gramophone its corrugated trumpet silver handle spinning dog. such faithfulness it hear it make you sick. -kamau brathwaite |
10-21-2009, 12:51 PM | #301 (permalink) | |
Junkie
Location: Ventura County
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You win. As "a political label" we could call it Bush's war. But as a military label we could call it "Operation Iraqi Freedom", since one of the consequences of the war is Iraqi freedom from Sadaam's tyrannical rule. Or it could be called by al Queada: Operation,"Establish an Islamic authority or amirate, then develop it and support it until it achieves the level of a caliphate- over as much territory as you can to spread its power in Iraq, i.e., in Sunni areas, is in order to fill the void stemming from the departure of the Americans, immediately upon their exit and before un-Islamic forces attempt to fill this void, whether those whom the Americans will leave behind them, or those among the un-Islamic forces who will try to jump at taking power." Iraq Is a Strategic Battleground in the War Against Terrorism Or, I could call it: On that note, have a good evening.
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"Democracy is two wolves and a sheep voting on lunch." "It is useless for the sheep to pass resolutions on vegetarianism while the wolf is of a different opinion." "If you live among wolves you have to act like one." "A lady screams at the mouse but smiles at the wolf. A gentleman is a wolf who sends flowers." |
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10-21-2009, 01:12 PM | #302 (permalink) |
Super Moderator
Location: essex ma
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well, ace, i suppose were i to go about generating adequate consent for it, i could call the war in iraq "my aunt daisy's hat" really.
what you're trying to do is first argue that iraq was a legitimate aspect of the war on "terror"--that is false. finding conservative sources that use the same line of argument doesn't demonstrate anything. second, you want to diffuse responsibility for the war away from the bush administration. to manage this feat, you resort to all kinds of rhetorical tricks and frankly i can't figure out who you think you're talking to with them. the key to successful use of rhetoric is knowing the audience. third, you seem to want to make something Important out of the fact that the war has dragged on past the end of the bush people's regime. where the interest in this lay, i have no idea. the other move is to attempt to make the war into some Collective Undertaking carried out in the name of some imaginary Us. on this point, you seem to be doing little more than stating the inverse of a couple of the previous arguments. you can't seem to deal with the facts concerning the war in iraq, which have been known for quite some time, so you're dancing around in some strange exercise which i assume carries with it some combination of creative and political and maybe psychological gratification. all this in the context of a thread the premise of which is patently false and was from its inception. way to go.
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a gramophone its corrugated trumpet silver handle spinning dog. such faithfulness it hear it make you sick. -kamau brathwaite |
10-21-2009, 01:14 PM | #303 (permalink) | |
Junkie
Location: Ohio
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10-21-2009, 04:02 PM | #304 (permalink) | |
Getting it.
Super Moderator
Location: Lion City
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Could congress have no? I not sure they would have. The political climate in Washington at the time was quite different and you can bet that Bush and Co. spent a lot of political capital to make the war happen. Your version of events makes me dizzy with the amount of spin that is required to even begin to understand them.
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10-22-2009, 06:50 AM | #305 (permalink) |
Who You Crappin?
Location: Everywhere and Nowhere
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Pentagon used psychological operation on US public, documents show | Raw Story
It's a long read, but it shows that not only did Bush and Co. lie to the American Public about Iraq, but that they used the Pentagon's propaganda machine (normally reserved for foreign countries) on the US citizens in order to sell the war. |
10-22-2009, 07:58 AM | #306 (permalink) | |||||||||
Junkie
Location: Ventura County
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Actually, I think "we" need to take responsibility, including Bush. I think it is dishonest for people to claim they were "talked" into war, or they were "lied to", that is a cop out in my opinion. Quote:
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I think a better question for you to ask is - how did so much power end up in the hands of a man you don't even think legitimately got elected? Not to mention the fact that you think he is an idiot, or do you think he is some kind of evil genius?
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"Democracy is two wolves and a sheep voting on lunch." "It is useless for the sheep to pass resolutions on vegetarianism while the wolf is of a different opinion." "If you live among wolves you have to act like one." "A lady screams at the mouse but smiles at the wolf. A gentleman is a wolf who sends flowers." Last edited by aceventura3; 10-22-2009 at 08:04 AM.. |
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