Meet your new thread, same as the old thread.

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
Paki

Racist fuck.

Originally posted by Atticus Grinch
Of course it's compelling. But any assertion of judicial power is necessarily a power-grab by the intelligensia over the popular will, which is a good thing in Pakistan, but hits a little too close to home every time I read the 9th Circuit advance sheets.

Leaving aside whether the 9th Circuit constitutes anyone's idea of an intelligentsia, I would have thought all the FDR-haters around here would be a little more vocal about the disgraceful way Musharraf is trying to get around the constitution by packing the courts. But not a peep.

The Pakistani people want democracy - now that everything is going so well in Iraq and Afghanistan shouldn't we be sending in the Marines to make their dreams come true?

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
People who believe if you kill non-believers you get 60 virgins are about to get a nuclear bomb, so that may color some people's feeling.

Have you studied Paki constitutional law? Are there any differences between it and our's WRT powers of the several branches? What law school did you go to?

There are two things I find particularly interesting about the Pakistani constitution. One is that it does indeed reflect a separation of powers concept - something quite rare in this world. The courts play a remarkably similar role to our own. The other is that it includes a concept of "Emergency Powers" (and, of course, we have such a concept, too, but it is unwritten and rarely invoked - cf. Lincoln's suspension of habeas corpus and declaration of martial law - and seems to limit but not supercede judicial authority). Musharif is invoking his own constitutional power, and the question here really is when is it appropriate to declare an emergency - in this case, it is pretty clear that the threat he is protecting himself from is not the Islamic militants, but rather the judicial system's review of his own electoral shenanigans.

But, tell me, what is the neo-conservative position on Iraq and bringing Democracy to the Middle East these days? Seems like events in Turkey, Pakistan and Afghanistan belie a bit of the theory that got us in this mess.

[Not Bob]

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
People who believe if you kill non-believers you get 60 virgins are about to get a nuclear bomb, so that may color some people's feeling.

Interesting. The place weed was discussing has those same people (well, different denominations, but close enough for the PB), and they already have a nuke or three.

And that one guy is living there, too, probably. What was his name again?

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

Originally posted by sebastian_dangerfield
Translation: Hillary will keep us in the war, but I'll be able to stand it more because she'll explain why a lot better. Oh, and I like her.

Having discernable goals and understanding what can be achieved by military force and what requires political involvement goes a long way.

I am not yet sure I like her, but it doesn't matter. She would be vastly more competant than the current administration, and that matters.

[SlaveNoMore]

ironweed
The Pakistani people want democracy - now that everything is going so well in Iraq and Afghanistan shouldn't we be sending in the Marines to make their dreams come true?

No, they want to use "democracy" to impose sharia, which isnt exactly the same thing - and the most important thing the neo-cons either didnt figure out or ignored.

[SlaveNoMore]

Greedy,Greedy,Greedy
The other is that it includes a concept of "Emergency Powers" (and, of course, we have such a concept, too, but it is unwritten and rarely invoked - cf. Lincoln's suspension of habeas corpus and declaration of martial law - and seems to limit but not supercede judicial authority).

Rarely invoked?

Acording to the Kossacks, its been invoked on a daily basis since 9/12/01.

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

Originally posted by SlaveNoMore
No, they want to use "democracy" to impose sharia, which isnt exactly the same thing - and the most important thing the neo-cons either didnt figure out or ignored.

The Sharia crowd in Pakistan is more focused in the tribal areas; they really want sufficient autonomy so they can impose it there.

If Musharif hands them Lahore and Karachi by splitting the military and the democratic elements, it's a bonus.

Originally posted by SlaveNoMore
No, they want to use "democracy" to impose sharia, which isnt exactly the same thing - and the most important thing the neo-cons either didnt figure out or ignored.

If a political party announces that, if its representatives are elected, it will impose harsh punishments for certain crimes and undertake various policy measures designed to promote a specific religion, and they are elected in a free and fair election, and they impose those punishments and undertake those measures, am I not living in a democracy?

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

Originally posted by SlaveNoMore
Rarely invoked?

Acording to the Kossacks, its been invoked on a daily basis since 9/12/01.

Good to see you agreeing with the Kossacks.

And pointing out that my own left-wing views don't fit into your stereotype of the lefties.

[Gattigap]

Originally posted by ironweed
If a political party announces that, if its representatives are elected, it will impose harsh punishments for certain crimes and undertake various policy measures designed to promote a specific religion, and they are elected in a free and fair election, and they impose those punishments and undertake those measures, am I not living in a democracy?

You would be living in an illiberal democracy. Oddly enough, when Slave hungers for "democracy," he longs for a liberal democracy. The terminology may be painful to consider, but there you are.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by ironweed
Racist fuck.

i just can't spell long words

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by Not Bob
Interesting. The place weed was discussing has those same people (well, different denominations, but close enough for the PB), and they already have a nuke or three.

And that one guy is living there, too, probably. What was his name again?

water.

hint- "those same people" don't control the bomb right now.

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
i just can't spell long words

As long as I can call you an I-tal, you can call me a Paki.

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
water.

hint- "those same people" don't control the bomb right now.

I shudder to think what might happen if control over Pakistan's nuclear arsenal were to fall out of the hands of reliable secular humanists like A.Q. Khan.