tvashtarkatena

Nothing catches your eye quite like the word 'stripper'. I think newspapers discovered this a long time ago.

To a certain degree, but most civil wars involve one ethnic, religious, or tribal group trying to grab power and resources from another and/or settle old scores. Most of the dire scarcity that results from such conflicts are man made. That's why a careful foreign policy is so important. If you're going to get involved in other nations, you'd best be aware of the buried or surfaced fault lines that come with the deal.

We should not be allowed to operate heavy equipment, however.

You've gotta fight...for your right...to paaaaarrrrtayyy!

Whatever threat we are to the world's security, and I believe we are significant in that department, pales in comparison to the environmental threat we pose to the climate.

Don't turn your back on love.

It's a conspiracy of conspiracy theorists.

Fuckin' A. Let's roll...or waffle.

Ergot Eggos. Now that's an interesting sandwich.

Errgo: That quality of a fuck up that will not allow them to admit that they’ve fucked up.

They are particularly good with spiced pork. Ergo, you make sandwiches with them?

Have a waffle.

Just leggo of it, will ya?

He's being coached by JayB. He meant "ergo".

Agreed, but Bush ran on one thing, got elected, then did something completely different. Now that re-election...I'm too stupid to figure that one out.

Yes, but did you get the joke about the joke within the... ...oh, fuck it. I can't spell worth a damn.

I think you might have nailed the reason for our failure in Iraq. Bush simply misspelled a coma. My 20/20 hindsight tells me this was intended to be a joke within a joke.

It's not in our interest to have 30 years of foreign policy backfire miserably. Our interests in the Middle East may have been clearly understood by the administrations involved, but Americans should be asking ourselves by now this question: Why are we so fucking bad, and getting worse, at using foreign policy to move our interests forward? The problem, in my view, is a fundamental flaw in our thinking. Unilateral hegemony is a loser, and always will be. Every nation that has tried it has failed at great cost. And as for our alliance with Stalin, that is a unique and thus bad example. Hitler was on the other side of that equation. There hasn't been world threat that even approaches the scope of Hitler's aggression since. We would do much better foriegn policy wise if we chose allies based on our interests AND values, particularly a respect for basic human rights. That is a more long term strategy, but one that would more successfully spread democracy than what we have been practicing. And a democratic world is definitely in our best interest.

I think you might have nailed the reason for our failure in Iraq. Bush simply misspelled a coma.

No, smart people in charge fuck up to, just more spectacularly. I'd say the American ego, naivete, and sense of world entitlement came into play more than stupidity in these fiascos.

It's akin to the need for awe, love, and beauty. I like my awe, love, and beauty straight up, no chaser. And comfort? I get it where I can.

Our main reason for helping Saddam gain power and keep him there by supplying him with so much aid, military and otherwise, was to counter a powerful Iran. When Saddam went to war with Iran, the US sanctioned and encouraged it. Eight years and a million dead later, the two nations were still stalemated. That ended our 'influence by proxy nation' policy, which began with the installment of the Shah. We had been 'screwed' by both Iran and Iraq at that point. A more direct US influence in the region was 'needed'. Hence, Gulf war I and II, brought to us by Bush I and II. The result, predictably, has been an out and out foreign policy, security, and humanitarian disaster. Ironically, now we're being screwed a second time by both Iran and Iraq, and our influence in the region is, shall we say, tenuous.

Is anyone even speculating at this point that the Bush family may not be complete and utter pricks?

As does starting happy hour before noon.

This should be your signature.