All Hank, all the time.

[SlaveNoMore]

Anyone care to presage what the "awful" event is going to be?

[Penske_Account]

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
you shouldn't fear ppnyc's fate. no one has ever mentioned you as being attractive, plus everyone knows you are chubby and the "running fast" posts are some form of odd denial. you have nothing to fear.

Phew. I have nice hair. Someone told me that just earlier today. A bigtime NYC powerboy in fact. Well...

[Penske_Account]

Originally posted by SlaveNoMore
Anyone care to presage what the "awful" event is going to be?

Someone at the presidential palace forgets to re-fill the stone and pebble container in the executive bathroom and Ahmadenijad ends up gettings shit on his hand when he wipes.

[Adder]

Originally posted by Spanky
I think it is safe to say that he is just an idiot.

Yes, that is what I said.

[Sidd Finch]

Originally posted by sgtclub
I did. I was saying 5-10 years on this board. Search it if you don't believe me.

That's all well and good, but so what?

We've been discussing US military credibility. Credibility means, in essence, that what you say is true, you will do what you say, you will accomplish what you say you will accomplish.

US military credibility is not judged by what anonymous posters thought -- or even what the Admin may have thought privately. It is judged by what US leaders claimed would happen versus what actually happened. And the staggering gulf between the two has damaged our credibility, to the point where neither Iran nor North Korea feel particularly threatened with consequences for building up their nuclear programs.

And US capability is judged the same way. When Cheney says the insurgency is in its last throes, and it gets stronger and stronger over the next year or so -- with no end in sight -- that looks like a victory to these people, and the aura of victory increases their support. Just like Hezbollah looks powerful because Israel mistakenly asserted that it would accomplish much more than it did.

Moreover, I think that what the Admin thought privately was consistent with what they said publicly -- they were drinking their own whiskey, as we say. The planning for the aftermath of Saddam's downfall reflected anything but a leadership that expected a 5-10 year war. You may have predicted that, but you weren't involved in the planning and no one who was had, or acted on, similar foresight.

[Sidd Finch]

Originally posted by SlaveNoMore
Anyone care to presage what the "awful" event is going to be?

huh?

[Adder]

Originally posted by Penske_Account
I get the sense that there is more support in Iran for a more open westernized system. It seems as if there may be more opportunity to win the hearts and minds there with iPods and big macs.

Which has to make you wonder if Iran today isn't a far more attractive target the "Bush doctrine" of preemption. It actually has a nuclear program, it actually sponsors international terrorism (although not al queda as far as I know), it is an equally repressive region, and it has been asserting its strength in the region.

Unfortunately, Bush squandered all of his diplomatic and political capital on the neo-con wet dream in Iraq.

[Adder]

Originally posted by Penske_Account
During the shah's last 15-20 years Iran sent a lot of kids to the US to get educated. Those people went back and are part of a middle class that is amenable to some western liberalization.

Most of those people live in the U.S. now. Until Slave sends them back, anyway.

[Penske_Account]

Originally posted by Sidd Finch
huh?

August 22

If that is a pay site (I pay for at least another part of it, so I can't tell), google:

"Bernard Lewis" and "august 22"

[Adder]

Originally posted by SlaveNoMore
Anyone care to presage what the "awful" event is going to be?

Your favorite watering hole will run out of scotch.

[Penske_Account]

Originally posted by Adder
Which has to make you wonder if Iran today isn't a far more attractive target the "Bush doctrine" of preemption. It actually has a nuclear program, it actually sponsors international terrorism (although not al queda as far as I know), it is an equally repressive region, and it has been asserting its strength in the region.

Unfortunately, Bush squandered all of his diplomatic and political capital on the neo-con wet dream in Iraq.

He spent some of it, he didn't squander all of it. He is still the CinC. If he launches a preemptive strike what's going to happen? Impeachment? Ha ha ha.

[Penske_Account]

Originally posted by Adder
Most of those people live in the U.S. now. Until Slave sends them back, anyway.

The iranian dissidents I know tell me a sizable portion of those people stll live in Iran.

[sebastian_dangerfield]

Originally posted by SlaveNoMore
Anyone care to presage what the "awful" event is going to be?

Shifter's going to bang ppnyc after lunch?

[Shape Shifter]

Originally posted by sebastian_dangerfield
Shifter's going to bang ppnyc after lunch?

No thanks. Too swarthy. And the soul patch really should go.

[Penske_Account]

Originally posted by Shape Shifter
No thanks. Too swarthy. And the soul patch really should go.

You think? [sigh] I don't know, I have been considering it. How do i keep maintain my neohippie cred in seattle?