Politics: J'accuse!

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by ltl/fb
Why are you being a deliberately twisting and misinterpreting jackass?

Why is it surprising me?

I can somehow take this sort of constructive criticism better coming from a cat avatar, than if you used the puppet you mentioned earlier- don't ever change dearest.

[ltl/fb]

Originally posted by bilmore

I still think the vast majority did, and are.

Did what and are what? What is with you people and the not making sense? Did you intend to quote more of TLDE's post? In the part you quoted, he's contrasting two groups under the GOP's tent: (a) those that think that the level of hatred across all Middle Eastern Islamic countries is so incredibly high that sodomizing and peeing on their people is not going to make a discernable difference, and (b) those who expected the Iraqis to become immediate partners with the US/UK/Aussie/Japanese liberators.

You people and your non-sequitors. You are worse than clients.

[The Larry Davis Experience]

Originally posted by bilmore
I still think the vast majority did, and are.

So does that mean the other "their hatred cannot be quenched" folks were wrong on that score, in your mind? Or are the Iraqis unique among the haters, because of SH's cruelty or some other factor?

[ltl/fb]

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
I can somehow take this sort of constructive criticism better coming from a cat avatar, than if you used the puppet you mentioned earlier- don't ever change dearest.

Is it mainly women you patronize by not answering the substantive questions? Have you seen the L&O or SVU or whatever where the "surrendered wife" set her husband up to go to jail for a hell of a long time? You may think your wife stands behind you 100% like a little woman should, but you should be scared. Very scared.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by The Larry Davis Experience
So does that mean the other "their hatred cannot be quenched" folks were wrong on that score, in your mind? Or are the Iraqis unique among the haters, because of SH's cruelty or some other factor?

since b told you what I meant, I'll answer this. He feels the opposite. he thinks most Iraquis are glad we did what we did (not the prison part of course)

[Say_hello_for_me]

Originally posted by ltl/fb
Only the people who wanted to romanticize the contractors called them mercenaries. But that's not the point, obviously. Yeah, I bet that "contractor" means the same thing here, or maybe even more than I thought the contractors were doing. I thought they were acting as guards; here, it seems that the US is subcontracting out intelligence interrogations to private companies.

I am curious to find out more about this contractor who committed homicide, and what might happen to him or her.

Comments on this? Anyone? Are there limits on what functions should be contracted out? Who is responsible for stuff that happens when it's contracted out? If they are independent contractors, not employees, then is the CIA going to say that they can't dictate how the contractors carry out their assignments?

I find this potentially a little scary.

Nobody ever believes me when I tell them to do this, but google "DynCorp" or search for it on a news/media database. There are entire large companies (15,000 employees) that are set up essentially as fronts for the military/industrial complex in this country to perform active and passive operational work.

Hello

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by ltl/fb
Is it mainly women you patronize by not answering the substantive questions? Have you seen the L&O or SVU or whatever where the "surrendered wife" set her husband up to go to jail for a hell of a long time? You may think your wife stands behind you 100% like a little woman should, but you should be scared. Very scared.

I believe everyone on this board will agree that I am equally non-responsive to all.

[ltl/fb]

Originally posted by Say_hello_for_me
Nobody ever believes me when I tell them to do this, but google "DynCorp" or search for it on a news/media database. There are entire large companies (15,000 employees) that are set up essentially as fronts for the military/industrial complex in this country to perform active and passive operational work.

Hello

Blah blah. So, should there be limits? Are there limits? What rules are they subject to? Who is ultimately responsible?

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by ltl/fb
Blah blah. So, should there be limits? Are there limits? What rules are they subject to? Who is ultimately responsible?

if a CIA contractor is resident in Afghanistan, does he have to pay taxes in the States and Afghanistan?

[The Larry Davis Experience]

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
Well, you're probably right. But do you think the Jews took down the WTC?

edit: my point was we don't have too much clue about how people view things over there. It is likely the whole prisoner thing isn't viewed favorably, perhaps its viewed worse than we'd see it if it had been US troops, but you don't know how they view it, and your looking at it through your prism.

Of course I am. It's the only prism I have. But there's got to be a middle ground between "I know exactly what Muslims think about all this" and "we just have no idea if this would inflame them or not." Killing or torturing Muslims can be expected to inflame other Muslims, no matter how many stupid statements their clerics and leaders put out there beforehand.

btw, my post to you was Bush's so-called racist quote with the prisoner mistreatment substituted for democracy. As I read back now I realize that that is probably only clear to me. I don't reject your point as strongly as that sounded. I will now go to the trying-too-hard-to-be-clever penalty box, and feel shame.

[Iniquity]

Originally posted by bilmore
I still think the vast majority did, and are.

I think we have all learned that most countries' political systems are imperfect, in that an aggressive and vocal minority can sometimes seize power legitimately even if more voters support the other side.

[ltl/fb]

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
if a CIA contractor is resident in Afghanistan, does he have to pay taxes in the States and Afghanistan?

Is there a tax treaty? Is his income US-source? Did you give TLDE a mostly serious response because you are presuming that the "Larry Davis" part makes him/her a male?

[Iniquity]

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
if a CIA contractor is resident in Afghanistan, does he have to pay taxes in the States and Afghanistan?

The plus side is that he gets his allotment of opium just like a local.

[Iniquity]

Originally posted by The Larry Davis Experience
btw, my post to you was Bush's so-called racist quote with the prisoner mistreatment substituted for democracy. As I read back now I realize that that is probably only clear to me.

I realized that on the second or third reading, but still couldn't figure out what it meant. I guess we know where you stand on reading difficulty relative to Hank and George Will. FWIW, I blame you for this, not the president.

[The Larry Davis Experience]

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
since b told you what I meant, I'll answer this. He feels the opposite. he thinks most Iraquis are glad we did what we did (not the prison part of course)

My question was whether bil's views on the Iraqi cooperation mean that he thinks the "there's just too much hate over there" crowd is wrong. Your answer is: he thinks the Iraqis cooperated. This is one weird game of penguin cop/mexican cop you guys have got going here.