The problem with Washington and wars

[Gene DeMambro]

You might think it's BS, Bill. But anything that brings positive repute on to the United States and a United States leader is a good thing.

Gene

[Jason Rees]

Positive repute? Everyone knows it's a load of crap. How much positive repute can you get for a hollow reward?

The Nobel is garbage. Gadafi, Carter, Obama...

It's not helping with our allies, and our enemies are laughing their arses off.

[Bill Glasheen]

You might think it's BS, Bill. But anything that brings positive repute on to the United States and a United States leader is a good thing.

Gene

Obama was nominated for the prize on February 1. That was ten (10) days in office! What had he done? His only accomplishment (and the REAL reason) was that he wasn't George W Bush. Oh, and it's worth mentioning that during the campaign (October 2008 in Richmond, VA), he announced that he wanted to send three (3) divisions into Afghanistan to straighten things out. Apparently Bush wasn't kicking booty enough where we needed to.

And now he waffles. Whoa, what a surprise! (Not)

It was a not-so-transparent attempt on the part of 5 leftist Norwegian politicians to influence American foreign policy. I don't see that as a good thing. It politicizes and cheapened the prize. That doesn't bring positive repute on anyone.

The idiots could have at least waited a year.

- Bill

[Bill Glasheen]

Pakistan is doing something about it, though.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/1 ... index.html

Doing something about it? Here's the real story. (And this is consistent with literally hundreds of posts by Indians and Pakistanis in reaction to WSJ articles on the subject in the last few weeks.)

The Punjabis are of particular concern; they hail from groups once nurtured by Pakistan to fight India, and U.S. officials allege some still have informal links to Pakistan's intelligence services, an allegation Pakistan denies. Analysts say the Taliban could use the Punjabis to launch revenge attacks in the country's cities.

Punjabi militants are said by officials to have played a major role in the bloody two-week stretch that preceded the offensive and illustrated the militants' potential to destabilize nuclear-armed Pakistan. The Punjabis took the lead in two of the most audacious attacks: an assault last weekend on the country's well-guarded military headquarters and a three-pronged attack on security targets Thursday in the eastern city of Lahore.

***

U.S. officials were cautiously optimistic as the offensive got under way this weekend. They fear any further deterioration of the security situation in Pakistan could undermine U.S. and allied efforts to overcome the Taliban in neighboring Afghanistan, where violence is spiking and American soldiers are dying in record numbers.

Yet they are also mindful of Pakistan's limits. Its sizable army is designed to fight tank battles and artillery duels against rival India, not a counterinsurgency campaign in the mountains. In addition, Islamabad prepared for the offensive by renewing peace deals with a handful of other Taliban factions, most of which are focused on battling U.S. and allied forces in Afghanistan. That means the Waziristan campaign is unlikely to have any immediate effect on the battle for Afghanistan.

- WSJ

And this is one of many comments on the article from Indians who know the hell south of their border.

Inspite of all the media fanfare this campaign is not going to yield any conclusive result one way or other. It is all smoke and mirrors as usual. And there is that Kerry-Lugar moolah waiting for even some token compliance. Obama is being played for all he is worth.

We aren't fighting terrorism in the region; we are unwittingly the root cause of it.

Let the divine comedy begin!



- Bill

[Bill Glasheen]

What can I say? Country sponsors terrorism and trains terrorists. Country teaches terrorists how to engage in suicide/homicide bombing. Bombers bite the hands that feed them. Oh my... how could they *do* such a thing to these nice people?

Can you say karma?

- Bill

By CHIP CUMMINS

A suicide bomber in Iran's restive southeast on Sunday killed at least 42 people, including five senior Revolutionary Guard Corps officers, and injured as many as two dozen others, according to state media.



Gen. Nour Ali Shoushtari, shown here in 2008,
was killed in a suicide attack in the Iranian city
of Pisheen, near the border with Pakistan.

The attack was the latest in a handful of terrorist attacks to rock the province of Sistan-Baluchistan, along the border of Pakistan, where attacks by Sunni insurgents have targeted Shiites and Iran's Shiite-dominated government. Sunday's attack came as the regime struggles to keep a lid on protests and opposition activities following contested presidential elections in June.

- WSJ

[Gene DeMambro]

Please enlighten us, Jason, when Gadafi won any Nobel Prize.

Carter should have been awarded a prize with Sadat and Begin in 1978, but was omitted from the nomination.

Gene

[Jason Rees]

Meant Mandela. :p

Carter was never deserving of any award. But please, by all means, enlighten us to the the man's 'worthy' deeds. Oh, wait. It's not awarded for deeds. It's potential, right?

Or maybe just speeches.

[Gene DeMambro]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carter_Center

Read for yourself, Jason.

Gene

[Jason Rees]

Sure takes an awful lot to throw money at problems when you have it, doesn't it?

[Bill Glasheen]

Aw give him a bone, Jason. Carter was a perfectly rotten president. But he means well, and has done a lot of good with the Carter Center. He deserves the Peace Prize for that alone.

He just needs to stay out of politics. These days it seems he can't help but embarrass himself every time he opens his mouth. That pattern of behavior has been around for decades. Such an odd bird...

- Bill

[Jason Rees]

He started the Carter center, sure. But how has he been involved in it?

And I agree completely on Carter's foot-in-mouth disease.

[IJ]

The nearly complete Guinea worm eradication will be major health milestone. I would love to have my name associated with such a feat. It's like inventing an important vaccine.

As for that playboy quote--wacky references to supernatural beliefs in children of deity-impregnated virgins aside--isn't that a pretty decent summary of recommended Christian attitudes toward desire? Apologize if you lust, do the right thing, don't judge others? I mean, the man may not be a great public speaker, but a lot of what all of us say sounds stupid on paper. When I'm President of Earth and I need to give interviews, I'll insist on rights to edit on paper what comes out of my mouth.

[Jason Rees]

Ian. Your religious bigotry aside, the judgement of others you refer to is judging others as you would judge yourself.

If I donate a good chunk of cash (relatively speaking) to cancer research, and someone uses that money to find a cure for it, does that mean I get (or even deserve) the Nobel? Of course not.

So why did Carter get it?

[Bill Glasheen]

The nearly complete Guinea worm eradication will be major health milestone. I would love to have my name associated with such a feat. It's like inventing an important vaccine.

If it's accomplished (and they're well on their way), it would be the first ever eradication of a parasite. The guinea worm has been the scourge of man for thousands of years - if not longer.

As for that playboy quote--wacky references to supernatural beliefs in children of deity-impregnated virgins aside

I have to agree with Jason here, IJ. Don't go there.

--isn't that a pretty decent summary of recommended Christian attitudes toward desire? Apologize if you lust, do the right thing, don't judge others?

Yes to the philosophy of cast not the first stone.

However...

This is a bit over the top, Ian. How should I characterize it... Too much information? Liberal guilt? Look... I grew up in the Catholic Church and know a thing or two about guilt. If you don't lust, then you don't have nads (or ovaries). It isn't about what you want; it's about how you act on those desires. Carter's a bit screwed up on that. And the press of course had a field day with it. The LIBERAL press no less...

It didn't stop him from getting elected. People hated Nixon that much, and Ford was the scapegoat. Of course once they elected the guy, it didn't work out so well...

This isn't the only foot-in-mouth gaffe, Ian. Carter has a penchant for pulling the race card whenever he disagrees with someone. He made Reagan famous during the debates when Ronnie shot back with his "There you go again!" line. More recently, he implied that disagreeing with Obama meant you were racist. Sorry... Call me what you want. I disagree with ideas and actions I don't like - irrespective of the person who says/does them and what I am accused of.

Anyhow... Good for Carter and his Center. He deserves kudos.

- Bill

[AAAhmed46]

Why would Christians want to establish sharia law?

Non sequitur.

I doubt the christian feelings would be so strong if the states didn't support governments that oppress them.

It's a lot more complicated than that, Adam.

US aid is being diverted to the ISI, which is fomenting terrorism outside the border of Pakistan. And now the terrorists they grew are coming home to roost - hoping to overthrow their own government.

They're also emboldened to attack the minority Christians. As I understand it from reading the India/Pakistani chatter, muslims in the region are using this money to train their own mujahadin warriors, and they are wreaking havoc everywhere.

I don't blame the Punjab Christians for being angry. But I wouldn't just blame the US. Still... throwing money unconditionally at a Pakistani government because you think they will help you in Afghanistan hasn't quite worked out as they hoped. Instead of quenching the training of muslim warriors, it has thrown gasoline on the flame.

Good luck, Obama. Sadly I see him about as effective as a deer in the headlamps right now. This very well may blow up in the face of the Nobel Peace Prize winner. And it will serve those silly Norwegians right.

- Bill

The government is learning just as America did that it's not smart pouring kerosene on a fundamentalist fire to further thier own ends. Israel has learned this as well with Hamas


Though we should keep in mind that 90% of what were discussing is RURAL pakistan, not urban. Cities where most of the population is has a different attitude and approach culturally and politically.

.................................................................................

On Iran, it would be unfair to say that Iran fermented sunni terrorism. They certainly did it in Iraq with shiites
(which drove many people into the hands of Zarqawi according to Alexander. He doesn't actually talk about Iran like this, but talks in depth of the 'cause and effect' between shiites and sunni's reacting.)

Many of binny's crew don't shiite's as even muslim. Why would Ahmedinijad(i spelled it wrong, but atleast i can say it) try to help people who despite him? He's nutty, but he's shiites not sunni.