Slow PB day
 

how so?

Slow PB day
 

Maybe.

Or that it has strengthened Iran by replacing an enemy with an ally.

Or that it has pretty much destroyed US military credibility worldwide. If Bush or Rummy said that we were going to make a preemptive strike at, say, Togo, and it would be over in a few weeks, would you believe it?

Or that it has pissed away so much of our goodwill with governments and populations of countries that are important to fighting the real enemy (y'know, the one Bush tried to link to Iraq).

Everyone is talking about Hezbollah's victory in fighting Israel to a standstill. Haven't al-Qaeda in Iraq and the Mahdi Army done the same thing to the much more powerful US?

Slow PB day
 

No troops.

No ability to form a coalition.

Of course, there is always the option of nuking Tehran and Qum, but somehow I don't think that one is on the table.

How's This For Profiling?
 

She got in there by squirting astringent in the stewardesses eyes.

Why do you need cleanser on a plane? Forget about the security, it should be a simple contract issue. The airline is agreeing to fly you somewhere contingent on you agreeing not to bring cleanser et al on the plane. If you do, its a breach and what I would I like to see is a remedy whereby they can kick your arse off the plane in midflight. A little ejection tube. That would solve the problem right quick.

Slow PB day
 

I wouldn't call Iraq an ally yet. It's a long haul, and for at least the next 2.5 years, Bush has agreed to secure Iraq. I think it will take longer, but if we stay the course, Iraq will come out a shining light of democracy in the ME.


Our allies are feckless. Fuck em. I vote we go it alone or maybe with Great Britian (give that they created a lot of the mess that underlies these conflicts).

Hezbollah didn't fight Israel to a standstill. Teh anti-semitic Israel haters in Weurope and the UN called a timeout. A standstill was Iran-Iraq in the 80s. Hezbollah just proved to be more than a 1 week pushover. SAme with Iraq. If we wanted to "win" we could. It just depends on what the definition of win is.

Slow PB day
 

no. they cannot stop the US from going where it wants and doing what it wants.

All we'd want to do is go into Iran, blow the nuke shit up and then leave. we could do that easily.

Slow PB day
 

Yes - I would believe it. Whether or not we could sustain an occupationn is another story. Both Gulf war I and II showed that are conventional capabilities are light years above anyone elses and we can conquer any country in no time at all. The only issue is how well can we deal with insusrgencies during an occupation.

Slow PB day
 

Don't need troops if the goal is to stop or hinder the nuclear program.

Slow PB day
 

Except for pacifying and stabilizing the country.

And ending the insurgency.

And preventing foreign fighters from coming in.

And winning.


As I said - that's an option, but not one that I expect will be used, or even seriously considered.

Slow PB day
 

Yes, but that was never the goal in Iraq. Six week occupation, remember? Just long enough to clean up all the candy wrappers and dead flowers.

Slow PB day
 

And no will to do it.

Slow PB day
 

You can fantasize all you want about nuking Iran but it's something that even the Bush Admin has not discussed (ask Spanky).

And the fact that this is our only military option is part of the damage that the Iraq adventure has caused.

If you mean targetted surgical strikes at the installations, the fact that we don't know where they are could be a hindrance. But maybe Curveball can tell us.

How's This For Profiling?
 

Why do I talk to you?

No one is saying she needed it on the plane. Nor is anyone saying that security did anything wrong (well, except her mother). But that doesn't make this a terrorist incident.

But how would blinding the stewardess get her into the cockpit?

How's This For Profiling?
 

Adder, there's an old expression.

Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste if time and it annoys the pig,

Slow PB day
 

How do you what (surely) classified intelligence says about where they are?