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136 comments on A Growing Military Concern...

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ThatsItImout on November 29, 2006 - 3:38pm

I was simply dealing with the technical aspect of energy, not the larger moral/cultural/philospophical discussion of war in general. Even most Americans will agree that our latest adventure was ill thought out from the start, leaving aside the ethical issues.

War is a waste and a mistake by someone whenever and wherever they occur. It is seldom in history that a country gets to say "Dang, I'm glad we got in that war". They are best avoided if possible.

We live in interesting times. War is a waste of resources, and the one thing that most of us agree on here at TOD is that resources may be in short supply in the world for the foreseeable future. Have we reached the age in which war, like giant showy cars and houses are a luxury we simply can't afford?
If so, do we have enough sense to realize it?

Roger Conner known to you as ThatsItImout

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Sunman on November 29, 2006 - 5:45pm

I agree, this is the big question. Stupidity or not, the human race has done a very effective job in taking over most of the resources of this planet. Now, the end of that game is in sight.

So, will we continue to compete for a diminishing resources, even though competition through warfare will deplete those resources at an even faster rate? Or are we capable of learning behaviors different from what got us this far.

Don't ask me what outcome I would bet on, but we really have no choice but to try and achieve the latter.

Tony Verbalis

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MUDLOGGER on November 29, 2006 - 6:45pm

NB: RANT ALERT.

After any war, the US Tendency has always been to go isolationist.

In times past, the US has been able to afford to do just that because it was blessed with resources and a level of self sufficient primary commercial activity (lumber, metals, oil, coal, grain, fruit, livestock etc.) These commodities had its own internal markets (cloth mills, steel production, shops on main street, gun and tool makers, excellent furniture and cabinet makers etc. Oh, and some very fine small town architecture)

ps , I have a few pieces of your colonial style furniture. It is elegant, functional, and still works.

So, with all this intrinsic wealth and three thousand miles from the nearest threat on either side, The US was in a unique position to withstand the tempests of the world. It got you in pole position after the Great War and confirmed your position as the climax industrial civilisation after the Second World War.

After Iraq, the isolationist tendency will gain ground, except that this time, the US is interdependent on globalised trade; especially for raw energy.

This garden of eden , capable of ignoring the world's problems is now fatally flawed: Your offshoring-capitalists have wrecked your ability to look after yourselves. Do you know (for example) where your filter masks come from in the event of avian flu breaking out?
- Thats right, you have offshored it to SE Asia (the place where they are likely to have first call, and you can whistle for help). Same goes for plastic syringes.

You have offshored your entire strategic wealth. All in the name of globalisation, and all due to the prancing of the wealthy b(w)ankers, economists and financial managers.
(talk about the 'empty raincoat'...)

Truly, at some point in the future, you will consider shooting these creatures through both lungs with cross hatched ammo. And all because they sold you all down the river.

But by then , it will be too late. They will have made a pile and you will be outside the lifeboat.

I think I am looking at the demise of the greatest nation on earth (how many others have planted a flag on the moon?).

And all for a handfull of a rich, preppy elite who turned you all over for a percentage.

It really is time you got a grip on your nationhood and took back what they have stolen from you.

Still. Fly the flag, buy junk, send your boys and girls to fight in criminal wars and be returned physically and psychologically mutilated.

But dont forget: your doing it for men and women who wear the enamelled 'old glorys' on the lapels of their hand made suits.

Have a nice day :-)

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airdale on November 29, 2006 - 7:26pm

Reply to Mudloggers Rant Extraordinare:

Quite good actually and quite accurate in general.

Yes, it was the yuppies that did it. The yups that the boomers raised. Gave them everything. Plenty of 'timeouts' and soccer, with mom in the drivers seat of the SUV mind you and papa taking the stick over his back yet pissing it all away for a easy piece of female pleasure(I won't use the word ASS here though) but its a better fit(sexual revolution ,doncha know).

So what we have are a bunch of whining, spoiled , thumbsuckers who have been sheltered by mum from the realities of life and given the formula for destroying life.

How could it have turned out differently? They moved into the workerbee bullpens and right on into mgmt. They became the egoistic , short term goal, risk adverse assholes of corporate Amurka. They watched Clinton for the right moves and along with his sidekick Ron Brown showed how it was all done.

We inherited this mess. Now we will die with it. The ones who did it should be the ones to take the first incoming rounds and by golly I think they will, praise be to Allah , be he so merciful for finally setting the ending act up.

Yes its all over and we understand that each time we travel to Grannies house for Thanksgiving, even though the young pups threw her in a nursing home long long ago and grabbed her assets as well. Travel like I did along the interstates and watch the pitiful madness we are. The utter total absolute stupidity of Amurka and the generation who spawned such ignorant abhorrent,suckass lifestyles.

I spent four days doing this and was amazed at what I hadn't seen in a while. Its like they say here. We are dead. Not a chance in hell. We are dead Amurkans walking or better who just haven't stopped driving as yet.

Its was fun for the 'Class of '57' while it lasted. Rock and Roll, Elvis, trips to the moon, teenangels, hot rods and .........finally the exit.. for the fat lady is truly singing. Singing her fat ass off. Next the curtain falls.

airdale--locked down tight on the farm

P.S. I admit freely that both of my offspring are to blame just as much though I was not a boomer. I took the stick. Each day I fought the good fight and lost. The MSM took care of that. Divorce in the offing took the rest. Children who spit on your ideas and thoughts about how to live properly. Yes I fought and lost. Now its me, the dogs and the farm.

P.P.S. Screw you Dr. Spock and your buddy Dr. Phil. Jerks!

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“The era of procrastination, of half-measures, of soothing and baffling expedients, of delays, is coming to a close. In its place we are entering a period of consequences…”

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