All Hank, all the time.

[Spanky]

Originally posted by taxwonk
I've said it before, and I'll say it again. The more I look at problems like Israel, Iraq, Rwanda, Darfur, etc., the more I find myself thinking that Imperialism, for all the problems it created, may be the only solution.

It will totally screw up the balance of the board if you go from being one of the most liberal members to its most conservative. Take back what you said.

Originally posted by Adder
I was all set to mock you for attempting to take that load of crap on point by point, but, by pure accident, happened to read this last part, which ruined all my fun.

It was very considerate of him to put it at the end instead of in the middle of that post, which is a part of the internet I will never read.

Originally posted by Spanky
It will totally screw up the balance of the board if you go from being one of the most liberal members to its most conservative. Take back what you said.

I thought everyone would be excited by the fact that Wonk finally dropped the mask of compassion to reveal the slavering fascist that you just know all of us elitist, condescending, uber-PC liberals have lurking inside. Way to go, Wonk.

[Spanky]

Originally posted by Adder
I was all set to mock you for attempting to take that load of crap on point by point, but, by pure accident, happened to read this last part, which ruined all my fun.

You should read the rest of it. Everyone will disagree (probably violently) with at least one of my opinions. Should be fun.

[Gattigap]

Originally posted by Sidd Finch
Not working for the Israeli military, I don't have a "plan." Nor do I think that this is solely an Israeli concern. Do you?

Not solely, no. I do think that Hezbollah in particular is special to Israel, though. They're camped out across the border, have dug more warrens than a pack of rabbits, and like tossing missles into Northern Israel.

That's unacceptable, of course, and Israel needs to do something, and I don't pretend to know what the optimal solution is. I do see, though, that the slogging is much tougher than Israel anticipated, and I suspect that another long term war and occuption, while maybe necessary here, is not at all what Israel had in mind.

Similar deal with Iraq. Declaring that organizations must be "destroyed" led us to the shit that we're in now in Iraq, and it leads us to the rationale where we have to invade and indefinitely occupy every potential terrorist threat on the planet.

[Spanky]

Originally posted by ironweed
I thought everyone would be excited by the fact that Wonk finally dropped the mask of compassion to reveal the slavering fascist that you just know all of us elitist, condescending, uber-PC liberals have lurking inside. Way to go, Wonk.

I just finished "Fever Pitch" by Nick Hornby. Less loaned me his copy. Did you read it? Did you like it?

[Sidd Finch]

Originally posted by Gattigap
Not solely, no. I do think that Hezbollah in particular is special to Israel, though. They're camped out across the border, have dug more warrens than a pack of rabbits, and like tossing missles into Northern Israel.

That's unacceptable, of course, and Israel needs to do something, and I don't pretend to know what the optimal solution is. I do see, though, that the slogging is much tougher than Israel anticipated, and I suspect that another long term war and occuption, while maybe necessary here, is not at all what Israel had in mind.

Similar deal with Iraq. Declaring that organizations must be "destroyed" led us to the shit that we're in now in Iraq, and it leads us to the rationale where we have to invade and indefinitely occupy every potential terrorist threat on the planet.

What organization were we trying to destroy in Iraq?


Hezbollah as a military entity must be destroyed. Should Israel do this through a house-to-house war? No. The cost would be too high. And I don't think destroying Hezbollah as a military entity means killing every last soldier or blowing up every last tunnel (not that I wouldn't applaud that occurrence.)

But I do not see this as solely an Israeli problem or obligation. Security council resolution and all that.

Hamas is a terror organization. Hezbollah is an army. There is a very important difference.

Originally posted by Spanky
I just finished "Fever Pitch" by Nick Hornby. Less loaned me his copy. Did you read it? Did you like it?

It's very good. I read it when I knew almost nothing about the game and it was still a great story. Don't be put off by the stupid hollywood movie they tried to make out of it (the Red Sox for fuck's sake). I highly recommend it.

ETA: duh. You read it already.

[Gattigap]

Originally posted by Sidd Finch
What organization were we trying to destroy in Iraq?

The Terrorist Menace. Duh.

Hezbollah as a military entity must be destroyed. Should Israel do this through a house-to-house war? No. The cost would be too high. And I don't think destroying Hezbollah as a military entity means killing every last soldier or blowing up every last tunnel (not that I wouldn't applaud that occurrence.)

Here, you and I agree. But I think that Hezbollah appears to be very well entrenched, willing to fight hard, drawing sympathy from the Arab governments that initially condemned their actions, and uninterested in diplomatic solutions where they lay down their arms like Sinn Fein. I'm not seeing that kind of intermediate solution at the moment.

But I do not see this as solely an Israeli problem or obligation. Security council resolution and all that.

Nor do I.

[taxwonk]

Originally posted by Sidd Finch
Genocide by white people is better?

Not genocide. Restoring order. Just like what Israel is doing in Lebanon, but on a global scale. The idea is to stop the terror and the genocide. Then spend the time and the resources to build infrastructure, institutions, establish markets.

If we're really going to stop the genocide and the terrorism, then we have to be prepared to go all the way. Applying band-aids to those wounds we find it politically expedient to treat is like trying to stop the heroin trade one street dealer at a time.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by Gattigap
Here, you and I agree. But I think that Hezbollah appears to be very well entrenched, willing to fight hard, drawing sympathy from the Arab governments that initially condemned their actions, and uninterested in diplomatic solutions where they lay down their arms like Sinn Fein. I'm not seeing that kind of intermediate solution at the moment.

I'm sorry, you believe Northern Ireland achieved an "imediate solution?"

[Gattigap]

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
I'm sorry, you believe Northern Ireland achieved an "imediate solution?"

No, which is why I said they achieved an "intermediate" solution.

You know, somewhere in between nuking Belfast, and surrendering the entire island.

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
I'm sorry, you believe Northern Ireland achieved an "imediate solution?"

Whenever I get down on myself for not being able to read, or spell, you almost immediately make me feel better. I know it's not really appropriate for a Friday, but thanks.

[taxwonk]

Originally posted by Spanky
It will totally screw up the balance of the board if you go from being one of the most liberal members to its most conservative. Take back what you said.

I'm actually being the ultimate liberal. We need a government so big it runs the whole world, because the people everywhere are too venial and stupid and bloodthirsty to run themselves.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by ironweed
Whenever I get down on myself for not being able to read, or spell, you almost immediately make me feel better. I know it's not really appropriate for a Friday, but thanks.

You know my ancestors, the Italians, had their home in Ireland and the UK, before you lot took it. You fuckers are living on my birth right, and mucking it all up growing potatos instead of spaghetti plants or grape vines.