Good News In Afghanistan?

[Elessar]

Stepping up yes, but they haven't stopped attacking, so why were recent attacks the cause of the negotiations to fail. Of course we know the answer.

But just exactly who is the WE?

You and that mouse in your pocket?

[Kathianne]

But just exactly who is the WE?

You and that mouse in your pocket?

When the President speaks, when the military acts, it IS the people of the United States. Every bit as much as every embassy, ship, etc. are pieces of this country.

[Gunny]

I think we're saying the same thing. Pretty sure you remember my feelings about the Kurds, a group we truly screwed over. Why doesn't the US ever back those that 'might' be good people?

It isn't that we just "don't back them". It's that we screw them over. Iraq 91 -- assurances to the shia and sunni we would support a coup. Left them high and dry so when they finally did take over after we carried out 2 wars on their country, we're hardly on the "friends" list.

Same with the kurds. We protected them from Saddam and used them at whatever capability level they were worth -- mostly intel -- and we protected them from the Turks and their genocidal notions. We used them against ISIS but now we are leaving their fate up to Erdogan? Bet we got a lot of friends left there.

I'd say the only "real" "allies" we have are those that have no choice. It's take a chance on us or nothing. In a sense, you can't really blame some of the people that hate us. We moved into Iran and propped up its puppet in exchange for cut-rate oil. Bailed on Nam and pretty much N Korea back when it could have been saved and a unified Korea established. Then there was Noriega who was our friend before we killed him.

Sure, we won the Gulf War. They appealed to our "sensibilities". We got paid in gold and cut-rate oil to kick Saddam's ass out of Kuwait. And we'd been Saddam's benefactor during the Iran-Iraq War. No honor among thieves.

While still insulting, it's hard to blame those that want nothing to do with us.

[STTAB]

It isn't that we just "don't back them". It's that we screw them over. Iraq 91 -- assurances to the shia and sunni we would support a coup. Left them high and dry so when they finally did take over after we carried out 2 wars on their country, we're hardly on the "friends" list.

Same with the kurds. We protected them from Saddam and used them at whatever capability level they were worth -- mostly intel -- and we protected them from the Turks and their genocidal notions. We used them against ISIS but now we are leaving their fate up to Erdogan? Bet we got a lot of friends left there.

I'd say the only "real" "allies" we have are those that have no choice. It's take a chance on us or nothing. In a sense, you can't really blame some of the people that hate us. We moved into Iran and propped up its puppet in exchange for cut-rate oil. Bailed on Nam and pretty much N Korea back when it could have been saved and a unified Korea established. Then there was Noriega who was our friend before we killed him.

Sure, we won the Gulf War. They appealed to our "sensibilities". We got paid in gold and cut-rate oil to kick Saddam's ass out of Kuwait. And we'd been Saddam's benefactor during the Iran-Iraq War. No honor among thieves.

While still insulting, it's hard to blame those that want nothing to do with us.

On the other hand , other countries do the same to us. How many countries have we provided arms to for them to fight off an enemy only to have them eventually use those weapons against us?

Of course we could solve that by not arming every rebel group that puts their hands out, but still.

[Gunny]

On the other hand , other countries do the same to us. How many countries have we provided arms to for them to fight off an enemy only to have them eventually use those weapons against us?

Of course we could solve that by not arming every rebel group that puts their hands out, but still.

You are referring to anyone like S Vietnam that promises they are a democracy and against communism?

Or Saddam Hussein? He's killing Iranians and we hate them so start shipping that "dual-use" equipment

Or supplying the USSR against Hitler?

Yeah. We excel at THAT.

[Elessar]

A-10s in Afghanistan



Iraq - Desert Storm:

[STTAB]

You are referring to anyone like S Vietnam that promises they are a democracy and against communism?

Or Saddam Hussein? He's killing Iranians and we hate them so start shipping that "dual-use" equipment

Or supplying the USSR against Hitler?

Yeah. We excel at THAT.

Once again proving what I have been saying for a long time. We are the DUMBEST country on Earth. People in Kenya who can barely read are "Ha look at those stupid Americans, they give money to people who openly say "we hate America" Stupid Americans"

[Kathianne]

Once again proving what I have been saying for a long time. We are the DUMBEST country on Earth. People in Kenya who can barely read are "Ha look at those stupid Americans, they give money to people who openly say "we hate America" Stupid Americans"

"Here, have some money and we'll negotiate, please don't hurt us! Yeah, we got bad stuff that could hurt you like nothing, nothing ever seen before. I won't do that, cause I don't want to hurt anyone."

[STTAB]

"Here, have some money and we'll negotiate, please don't hurt us! Yeah, we got bad stuff that could hurt you like nothing, nothing ever seen before. I won't do that, cause I don't want to hurt anyone."

Who has Trump given money to? The answer is no one. which makes me wonder, what the fuck is the government doing with all that money that Congress is like "here this money is for the country of ______________" and Trump is "nah brah , we good we aint giving them nothing?" LOL

[Kathianne]

Who has Trump given money to? The answer is no one. which makes me wonder, what the fuck is the government doing with all that money that Congress is like "here this money is for the country of ______________" and Trump is "nah brah , we good we aint giving them nothing?" LOL

He's building the wall?

[STTAB]

He's building the wall?

He is, but that's not coming out of money allocated as foreign aid. Where is all the foreign aid money that Trump just refused to give out ? That's a real question. Was the money ever there, and now the State Department is just sitting on it, or was it just another case of Congress allocated money , but didn't actually disperse it, or what? I've looked , but can't find the answer.

[Kathianne]

He is, but that's not coming out of money allocated as foreign aid. Where is all the foreign aid money that Trump just refused to give out ? That's a real question. Was the money ever there, and now the State Department is just sitting on it, or was it just another case of Congress allocated money , but didn't actually disperse it, or what? I've looked , but can't find the answer.

Funny, I really don't care about this. Give it, don't? Makes no difference. It's funny money anyways.

[STTAB]

Funny, I really don't care about this. Give it, don't? Makes no difference. It's funny money anyways.

You should care. A billion here, a billion there, and suddenly we're talking about real money.

I bet the government could cut 20% off their budget if they just absolutely insisted that every agency account for every single penny. And I know from experience that they do not.

[Kathianne]

You should care. A billion here, a billion there, and suddenly we're talking about real money.

I bet the government could cut 20% off their budget if they just absolutely insisted that every agency account for every single penny. And I know from experience that they do not.

I'll start caring when others do. No one is bitching about the money that's moved from one place to another. This is no different.

[STTAB]

I'll start caring when others do. No one is bitching about the money that's moved from one place to another. This is no different.

I'm bitching. I want to know. Did Congress actually give the State Department that money and so it's just sitting there where eventually it will be stolen or lost, or was this just another situation where Congress basically said "yeah we're gonna spend this money on this" but then actually never gave the agency any money?

Which actually brings me to another pet peeve. I hate the way Congress can play word games like that. Allocate the money and then never actually give it to the agency and be like "oh we allocated the money, not sure why it didn't get done" because people don't understand the word games Congress plays, but that's another topic entirely.