1244: Read All About It

[Junkenstein]

I know i'm wrong and i should say no, but i'd 100% say yes. It's not being nice or what but i'm one of those guys who cannot refuse if others ask for help.

[Illuminati]

On the War:

-Initially, 9/11 brought us into the Middle East through Afghanistan as we searched for Osama Bin Laden.

-Bush used this opportunity to declare that Iraq had Weapons of Mass Destruction, which turned out to be false.

-We subsequently toppled Saddam Hussein's government under the pretense of spreading freedom.

-We also targeted Al-Queda, which supported Terrorism and was implicated in the region's radical fundamentalism.

-Anarchy emerged between Shiite and Sunni Muslims due to the absence of a central government.

-Ever since, we've been on a rebuilding mission to establish peace and order in the region.


Btw, regarding Chemda's reference to "4 days or get out"- That was the Gulf War (Operation Desert Storm), when Iraqi Troops attempted to invade Kuwait.

[DWarrior]

I think Micah was confusing the Iraq war with the "war" on terrorism. It was a big thing in the 9/11 insurance lawsuit that eventually ruled the bombings weren't acts of war and so the owner got to collect insurance.

The reason we're probably not holding a huge parade is the war was never in our proximity. World Wars, Civil Wars, etc all meant that the losing side would basically get shafted, and so the civilians on the winning side rejoiced because they won't be getting fucked over. This wasn't really the case with the Iraq war, so not much to celebrate publicly. Also, the "war" part (toppling Saddam's regime) finished pretty quickly, all this time it's been reconstruction and fending off insurgents. Also, Americans are obviously skeptical because it's been promised for so long.

As far as "were we at war," not technically. The Congress didn't make an official declaration of war. Neither were the Vietnam War nor the Civil War.

I think the reason the US has troops in Germany is not for occupation, but because part of the deal was that Germany isn't allowed to have a standing army, so it has other countries defending it. The US has stationed troops in different countries, not necessarily because of occupation.

[Blitzgal]

Yeah we're still in Japan, too.

My dad was stationed in Germany during Vietnam. Came home knowing a good deal of German and not seeing any combat, for which I am grateful.

[Dean from Australia]

I would like to take exception to something Keith said within the first 15 minutes of this episode, when they were discussing (in passing) nurses.

Mate, I am a Nurse of 15 years standing and I just want to say that I can detect Herpes on the lips of a person who has been sucking cock or licking pussy from 100 yards away. I - as a nurse - know everything.

[EnochFrance]

Originally Posted by DWarrior

As far as "were we at war," not technically. The Congress didn't make an official declaration of war. Neither were the Vietnam War nor the Civil War.

Man, the government has actually got you to buy the story that only they can tell you WHAT A WAR IS? Do you realise how ridiculous that whole idea is. "It isn't a war unless Congress declares a war.". Ok, so what SHOULD we call this thing where we send our army overseas to attack and occupy a foreign country, and in which we deploy our navy and air force to bombard their territory?

Don't answer that--instead take whatevee logic you were going to apply to your argument and apply it to anything else. Global warming? 'Actually, there is no global warming unless Congress declares the globe warmer.' An economic crisis? 'Actually, Congress never passed a resolution that there was a crisis.' September? 'Actually, Congress still hasn't declared that August is over yet.'. Maybe some things, especially the extremely obvious thhings, we can call on our own without congressional help.

[madisonyrskull]

I would have taken steamy shit in the circle of nagitvity.
Ok,mabey not.Unless i was drunk,which i probably would be.

[Blitzgal]

Originally Posted by EnochFrance

Man, the government has actually got you to buy the story that only they can tell you WHAT A WAR IS?

No, but the US Constitution says that a declaration of war is made via our Congress, and the Hague Convention noted that official notification of war must be made.

The problem that people have with the War on Terror is that instead of being a war against a specific country or group it's a war against an idea, so it has the added bonus of allowing us to just keep perpetuating the damned thing. Obviously there will be no end to "terror" as a philosophy.

[DWarrior]

Originally Posted by EnochFrance

Man, the government has actually got you to buy the story that only they can tell you WHAT A WAR IS? Do you realise how ridiculous that whole idea is. "It isn't a war unless Congress declares a war.". Ok, so what SHOULD we call this thing where we send our army overseas to attack and occupy a foreign country, and in which we deploy our navy and air force to bombard their territory?

Don't answer that--instead take whatevee logic you were going to apply to your argument and apply it to anything else. Global warming? 'Actually, there is no global warming unless Congress declares the globe warmer.' An economic crisis? 'Actually, Congress never passed a resolution that there was a crisis.' September? 'Actually, Congress still hasn't declared that August is over yet.'. Maybe some things, especially the extremely obvious thhings, we can call on our own without congressional help.

First off, lick my nuts.

Second, "War" is a national action, so yes I think the government (which runs the nation) has a say in what we should consider the war to be. That said, you can still differentiate between a formal war and a large-scale conflict that is a war even though it's not formally a war.

[Lanfear]

Originally Posted by DWarrior

...
I think the reason the US has troops in Germany is not for occupation, but because part of the deal was that Germany isn't allowed to have a standing army, so it has other countries defending it. The US has stationed troops in different countries, not necessarily because of occupation.

We do have a standing Army and have had it since 1955 but yes initially after WWII we weren't allowed to and I could imagine also didn't want to have one.

I think the US still has troops here because you still like to keep a close personal eye on Russia from the side that Palin isn't guarding