Politics As Usual

[Atticus Grinch]

Originally posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)
b) must keep selective service apprised of your contact info until you turn 26.

Uh oh. I'm pretty sure I didn't do this. And I'm not entirely confident my mom would have forwarded an induction notice --- she's passive aggressive like that. Did we fight any wars between, say, 1993 and 1998 that I might not have heard about?

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
My god. Didn't I post a speech by Gorby where he said the arms race help kill the USSR?

Yes, and I answered. No one disagrees that the arms race was one of the USSR's problems. The arms race actually started before January, 1981.

And "before Reagan?" So you think Carter sitting and watching the USSR do what it wanted helped? I get it. Carter being a complete apologist, let the USSR think it could invade Afghanistan w/o consequence. Carter made the USSR forget the Afghans might raise an issue. So Carter deserves the credit for the negative fallout of the Afghan war.

Carter held us back from the 1980 Olympics and started the program to aid the mujahedin. So I'm not sure why you're talking trash about Carter. Carter's biggest problem was the taking of hostages in Tehran, not anything the Soviets did.

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by Atticus Grinch
Uh oh. I'm pretty sure I didn't do this. And I'm not entirely confident my mom would have forwarded an induction notice --- she's passive aggressive like that. Did we fight any wars between, say, 1993 and 1998 that I might not have heard about?

Well, the joke's on her, because the federal loans that you became ineligible for as a result are now being assessed against your mom. That, and she's gotta clean up her own underwear that she ruined when she got your induction notice.

[SlaveNoMore]

I guess this story isn't worth a Yahoo headline:

"Special forces free Iraq hostages

"Three Italians kidnapped in Iraq almost two months ago have been rescued in a mission by military special forces. A Polish man abducted a week ago was also released. All four men are said to be in good health.

The Italians were captured on 12 April with a compatriot, Fabrizio Quattrocchi - whose killing was videotaped by his captors. "

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally posted by SlaveNoMore
I guess this story isn't worth a Yahoo headline:

"Special forces free Iraq hostages

"Three Italians kidnapped in Iraq almost two months ago have been rescued in a mission by military special forces. A Polish man abducted a week ago was also released. All four men are said to be in good health.

The Italians were captured on 12 April with a compatriot, Fabrizio Quattrocchi - whose killing was videotaped by his captors. "

FWIW, I heard this on NPR this morning.

[Atticus Grinch]

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
You might have a great time. It won't be that different than posting here for you! On the other hand, ultimately you'll be helping the military kill people. On the other hand, I think intelligence service has some really cool ribbons.

That's a lot of hands.

From what I've read about Islam, I think I might volunteer for the submarine service should there be a draft in the war on Islamic radicalism. Let's just say the logistics of mounting an attack on a sub with $200 of explosives in the middle of the Indian Ocean are prohibitive. Also, I would be a pretty good Maturin to Bilmore's Aubrey.

[Not Me]

Originally posted by notcasesensitive
right, but what did he ever do for the airlines?

Fire the air traffic controllers?

[Say_hello_for_me]

Originally posted by SlaveNoMore
I guess this story isn't worth a Yahoo headline:

"Special forces free Iraq hostages

"Three Italians kidnapped in Iraq almost two months ago have been rescued in a mission by military special forces. A Polish man abducted a week ago was also released. All four men are said to be in good health.

The Italians were captured on 12 April with a compatriot, Fabrizio Quattrocchi - whose killing was videotaped by his captors. "

While right now its not on the front page, I think I saw it there before today. This is a cut and paste from Yahoo's "Top Stories" section when you click on one of the links for Iraq stories and obtain all the recent Iraq stories in chronological order:


- U.S. Wants 'Most' Iraq Debt Forgiven - Reuters via Yahoo! News (Jun 8, 2004)
- "Delighted" Bush sees unanimous UN vote on Iraq - AFP via Yahoo! News (Jun 8, 2004)
- UK expects unanimous support for Iraq resolution - Financial Times via Yahoo! News (Jun 8, 2004)
- Iraqi militias agree to disband - at Boston Globe (Jun 8, 2004)
- Bush Predicts Unanimous Vote on U.N. Plan - AP via Yahoo! News (Jun 8, 2004)
- Iraqi Militias to Disband, Join Official Forces - at The Los Angeles Times (reg. req'd) (Jun 8, 2004)
- U.S.-Led Forces Rescue Italians, Pole Held in Iraq - Reuters via Yahoo! News (Jun 8, 2004)
- Britain investigating 75 complaints against troops in Iraq - AFP via Yahoo! News (Jun 8, 2004)
- Support grows for new Iraq draft - at BBC (Jun 8, 2004)
- U.N. Set for Unanimous Vote on Iraq Resolution - Reuters via Yahoo! News (Jun 8, 2004)
- Iraq Hostages Freed in Military Operation - AP via Yahoo! News (Jun 8, 2004)
- Germany, France Promise Support on Iraq - AP via Yahoo! News (Jun 8, 2004)
- Britain and US 'refuse to give ground over troop veto' - at The Independent (UK) (Jun 8, 2004)
- Iraq Claims Full Control of Oil Sector - AP via Yahoo! News (Jun 8, 2004)
- Four Hostages Reported Free in Iraq - AP via Yahoo! News (Jun 8, 2004)
- Sadr Army Holds Fire but Stays On at Two Holy Sites - at The Los Angeles Times (reg. req'd) (Jun 8, 2004)
- Car bombs kill 13 in Mosul, Baqubah - at CNN (Jun 8, 2004)
- Italy: Hostages freed in Iraq - at CNN (Jun 8, 2004)

[SlaveNoMore]

Tyrone Slothrop
FWIW, I heard this on NPR this morning.

Good god man, give yourself a break already.

Turn off the NPR - turn on The Bone

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by Atticus Grinch
That's a lot of hands.

From what I've read about Islam, I think I might volunteer for the submarine service should there be a draft in the war on Islamic radicalism. Let's just say the logistics of mounting an attack on a sub with $200 of explosives in the middle of the Indian Ocean are prohibitive. Also, I would be a pretty good Maturin to Bilmore's Aubrey.

I'm 6' 11" so I'm not eligible for submarine service.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by Atticus Grinch
Uh oh. I'm pretty sure I didn't do this. And I'm not entirely confident my mom would have forwarded an induction notice --- she's passive aggressive like that. Did we fight any wars between, say, 1993 and 1998 that I might not have heard about?

Foo. Forget what I said about don't worry. Combine this with your minor in Islamic studies, and you may be recieving a personal demonstration of how the Bill of rights has been eroded. Maybe, once you're released, you can summarize for us.
As an aside, you might want to get an absentee ballot in; play it safe and all.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Medium Lobster posts words of wisdom for us all:

• Ronald Reagan: In Memorium
  
  On Saturday afternoon, Ronald Wilson Reagan ascended bodily into heaven. Long may he be remembered, for single-handedly destroying the Soviet Union as it was poised to conquer the free world; for rising up in the form of a winged dragon and breathing the pestilence of AIDS forth upon the American continent; for his courage in providing arms to the people of Iraq, Iran, and Central America to defend themselves against the dark threats lurking in Iraq, Iran, and Central America; for his stunning tax reforms, which made jewel-bedecked sultans of the poorest paupers in the land; for his recklessly and disastrously bringing the world to the brink of global nuclear annihilation while following the dark whims of Biblical prophecy and astrological portents; and most of all, for coming to represent all our preconceptions of what America should and shouldn't be.
  
  Was Ronald Reagan the best president? No, nor was he the worst. But the important thing is that now, long after his passing, he can be idealized, transformed and transfigured by time and ideology into a symbol of everything we desire or loathe in America, so that Ronald Reagan the man is utterly erased and replaced with Ronald Reagan the Icon, a convenient projection of our most feverish motivations in animatronic Hall-of-Presidents form.
  
  When we keep our leaders larger than life, they become larger than our ability to rationally discuss them. We apply wondrous sobriquets, classifying the giants of the Oval Office with Catholic precision, making saints and Mysteries of men. Who can question the fighting spirit of the Happy Warrior, or the resilience of the Comeback Kid? The very invocation of their names becomes a sacrament or blasphemy, and as long as we keep their memories blown wildly out of proportion, we'll never have to confront them.
  
  And how much more comfortable that is for us. The danger of Reagan the man, after all, is that we might learn from him. The man was real - a flesh and blood president whose triumphs and failings might lead us to question our own preconceptions. Reagan the Icon exists only in our mind, a creature of our prejudices and ideologies - a figure from unhistory who threatens to teach us nothing.

[bilmore]

Originally posted by Atticus Grinch
Also, I would be a pretty good Maturin to Bilmore's Aubrey.

I'm actually more the cello type.

[Sexual Harassment Panda]

From Juan Cole,

Why Did the Chicken cross the Road?

Coalition Provisional Authority:

The fact that the Iraqi chicken crossed the road affirmatively demonstrates that decision-making authority has been transferred to the chicken well in advance of the scheduled June 30th transition of power. From now on the chicken is responsible for its own decisions.

Halliburton:

We were asked to help the chicken cross the road. Given the inherent risk of road crossing and the rarity of chickens, this operation will only cost the US government $326,004.

Muqtada al-Sadr:

The chicken was a tool of the evil Coalition and will be killed.

US Army Military Police:

We were directed to prepare the chicken to cross the road. As part of these preparations, individual soldiers ran over the chicken repeatedly and then plucked the chicken. We deeply regret the occurrence of any chicken rights violations.

Peshmerga:

The chicken crossed the road, and will continue to cross the road, to show its independence and to transport the weapons it needs to defend itself. However, in future, to avoid problems, the chicken will be called a duck, and will wear a plastic bill.

1st Cav:

The chicken was not authorized to cross the road without displaying two forms of picture identification. Thus, the chicken was appropriately
detained and searched in accordance with current SOP's. We apologize for any embarrassment to the chicken. As a result of this unfortunate incident, the command has instituted a gender sensitivity training program and all future chicken searches will be conducted by female soldiers.

Al Jazeera:

The chicken was forced to cross the road multiple times at gunpoint by a large group of occupation soldiers, according to eye-witnesses. The chicken was then fired upon intentionally, in yet another example of the abuse of innocent Iraqi chickens.

Blackwater:

We cannot confirm any involvement in the chicken-road-crossing incident.

Translators:

Chicken he cross street because bad she tangle regulation. Future chicken table against my request.

U.S. Marine Corps:

The chicken is dead

[Say_hello_for_me]

Originally posted by Say_hello_for_me
Iraq Stuff

More interesting still, is the story out of Belgium and Italy today. 15 in Belgium. After being warned, the Belgians said they reached the conclusion of active preparations by the group in a matter of weeks.

Meantime, and this is public... NATO is holding exercises this week in Poland on "how-to" evacuate the populations of major cities. Supposedly, everybody and their brother is there watching. The guise is how to evacuate in the face of ethnic cleansing. Any guesses as to the reasoning stated in the next breath?

Then there is the cigarette and terrorism story in the WaPo or NYT today; apparently, illegal cigarette sales are now making almost as much money as illegal narcotics directly for terrorists.

Plus the story cited by Slave... how did they find these guys? Should be an interesting read.

Hello