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Topic:  GM_Sniper bring Philosiphy
GM_Sniper
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  RE: GM_Sniper bring Philosiphy
January 16, 2002 4:51:29 PM    View the profile of GM_Sniper 
Aight, boy, I got your proof right here. First off: I gave several reasons why capitalsim sucks. It drives men to their ulitmate evils, as seen when we look at Christopher Columbus. He supposedly "discovered" america, but in fact all he did was enslave and butcher innocent natives to get him gold and spices. That is all he did, and all in the name of Capitalism. A great modern-day example is such favored shops like The Gap, Abercombie and Fitch, American Eagle, and Aeropastale, all major shoe companies who sport shoes not made in the US or in Great Britan, i.e. Nike, Adidas, Airwalk, to name a few. Just look at the tag on the tounge of your shoe. I'm not making much sense, though. What do all these have in common? Slave/Sweatshop labor. Nike has a 10-year-old boy in Siam pumping out shoes that are sold for up to and including $300 dollars here in the states. This boy has little to no saftey precautions inplimented on the machines he's working on, and hardly earns enough to support his family. You're telling me this is good? When some men are given an incentive, they will put all else aside to get it. That is what's wrong with capitalism...profit over people. I'll address the others later. gtg for now.
 
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JMac
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  RE: GM_Sniper bring Philosiphy
January 17, 2002 11:14:17 AM    View the profile of JMac 
The actions of a few evil men do not mean the whole thing is wrong.  Let's adress Chis Columbus first off.  He hardly enslaved the people.  He did not get gold or spices.  What he did was establish a colony.  I would hardly say that he enriched himself at the expense of the natives.  He actually died penniless.  The land was found, and people always think the grass is greener on the other side, so they went.  Most were good people, a few were real scumbags.  The good people worked top build this country to what it is today, the scum just kinda hung around. Some of the good people enriched themselves and their families, some of the scum enriched themselves off of others sweat.  The same is true everywhere.  If crime didn't pay, there would be no criminals, but that doesn't mean that good doesn't pay either.  Nowadays there are a lot of good people in America, there are a lot of evil men in America.  So what!  There are a lot of good men in Russia, there are a lot of evil men in Russia.  There are a lot of good men in South Africa, there are a lot of evil men in South Africa.  Capitalism does not make men evil, there have always been evil men, there always been evil men.  It isn't the system.  Let's take a look at Communism, shall we.  It is the Antithesis of capitalism.  So, by your feelings towards capitalism, all people should be good as there is no lure of money to lead them astray.  That did not happen!  Thousands were killed by the so called "champions of the working class"!  People act just as evil in a communist society as they do in a capitalist society.  Worse even, because there was no protection of criminals or a system of checks and balances, so the leaders could do what they like.  .  The system doesn't cause people to become evil! Now that we have established that, let's move on to America.  Yes, there is evil in America.  There is far more good then evil, however.  In America 97% of the people have jobs that give them enough money to support their families.  All people are treated equally.  Those that are unable to find work are supported until the time that they can.  Our children can read because the government gives free education to all citizens.  We have a system of checks to make sure that a dictatorship doesn't form.  Even criminals are treated decently.  We help people around the world, giving aid in cases of disaster.  Yes there are evil men in America, just as there are evil men elsewhere, and yes some have gained some power, but there are also many good people too.  Let us move on to George W. Bush, Dick Chaney, and John Ashcroft.  What have they done wrong?!?  I believe them to be some of the greatest leaders this country has ever had.  Please give some "reasons" as to why you feel they are so evil. Moving right along, let us move into the war on Terrorism and Afganistan.  We have not been killing innocent civilians here!  We were attacking the Taliban, a regime of men (not capitalists mind you) that were dedicated to opressing the people and forcing their fanatacism upon them.  We have been doing everything possible to protect the lives of innocent people.  Alquada( I don't know if that is how it is spelled, nor do I care), does nothing but hurt innocent people.  Their training alone proves it.  They are not trained as soldiers to fight for what they believe in.  They are trained to run into hotels, kill most of the people, and take the rest hostage.  They are trained to drive down a city street and waste half a dozen civilians before taking off to escape justice.  They are trained to set off car bombs in people's cars.  How can you possibly say that what we are doing is nothing more then a charade put on by the people in power to make the uninformed masses think that they care and are making up for the deaths of September 11.  Those men sent  jet liners filled with innocent people into the sides of building filled with innocents in order to gain attention to their beleif that all Americans were infidels and must die.  So how can you say that all we are doing is massacaring innocent people, when we are going after the guilty and actually have been saving the lives of the innocent people from the hands of the Taliban and Alquada?
 
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[army] Fishman
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Bear
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  RE: GM_Sniper bring Philosiphy
January 17, 2002 12:35:58 AM    View the profile of Bear 
I haven't commented on this topic for a while, but I will now.. Its really quite easy to say why innocent people are being killed. When you bomb something, people tend to get in the way. You can't deny the facts; Its been shown on camera. A British journalist was in Kabul when it was being bombed, and in the middle of his live TV report (he had just finished speaking, but the camera was still running), the building RIGHT next to him was obliterated by a bomb fired from a millitary jet. US Intelligence showed that the only millitary jets flying over Kabul at that time were American, so it was either an American bomb or US Intelligence doesn't have a clue. If that journalist had been just a few inches closer to the house, a flying piece of rock could have gone straight through his face and killed him. Was a missile/bomb aimed at him? No. But it doesn't ELIMINATE THE RISK. Fiction: The Pentagon can assure as that innocent civilians will not be killed. Fact: Civilians are going to get in the way, when there are weapons being used. Oh, and about your "emigration to America" ideal. Christopher Colombus was far more patriotic than any American can be. He was a Spaniard, willing to risk his life for his country and his king and queen. He set off on a journey to find China; He found a new land. He DID exploit the locals, by buying their land for meagre sums of money. However, JMac is right - He did not find gold or spices. What he did do was find a new land, for new conquistadors (Hernan Cortes, another Spaniard, for example) and explorers to exploit and ravage for their own good. Did they succeed? Take a look in any history book. You should see that after the discovery of the New World, the Spanish Empire became the largest the world had ever seen - so yes, Columbus died penniless - But the country he had done it for became the richest, largest and most powerful in the world.
 
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JMac
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  RE: GM_Sniper bring Philosiphy
January 19, 2002 9:41:58 AM    View the profile of JMac 
I agree completely. I did not say that  civilians would not be hurt by us.  What I did say was  that  we were doing everything possible to avoid innocent deaths.  The lives lost in our strikes will be far less then the lives that would be lost to the    terrorists had we not stepped in.
 
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[army] Fishman
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GM_Sniper
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  RE: GM_Sniper bring Philosiphy
January 21, 2002 9:08:55 PM    View the profile of GM_Sniper 
Uhm...JMac, exactly what have you established? All I've read is some Conservative overcompensation up until now. Christopher Columbus cut the hands off of all natives who didn't bring him gold dust. If you think that's a good thing, you need help. Why do you think that Elizabeth brought him back to Spain in shackles? Was it because he stole a loaf of bread? No, because he stole the livelyhood from the natives. I thought everyone past the third grade knew that. This is what I love about all the super patriots: they blame EVERYTHING on Terrorism, Minorities and Communism. I don't give a rat's ass if we're "doing our best" to save civilian lives. We obviously must NOT be if 500,000 innocents have died because of our attempt to kill a concept. Spilling more innocent blood is not the solution, not by a long shot. I agree with you that the Taliban and terrorism is bad. I loathe hate. It's the worst thing in this universe. I'm afraid though, much opposed to Bush's ignorance, you will never EVER see an end to Terrorism. EVER. This "War" is only a short-term solution for a long-term problem. I don't know yet what we should be doing in lieu of killing. Something other than killing would be good. Riel will field the Communist bit. He and I share views on that.
 
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Raziel
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  RE: GM_Sniper bring Philosiphy
January 22, 2002 10:06:20 AM    View the profile of Raziel 
hmm interesting ideas sniper. erm Jmac, wtf you talking about good people setting up your great country? the religious nuts who we hated got sent out to colonise america, and many of the people are still that way. The British, french and spannish people basically bought/massicred Jmac if you think that your county helps other 3rd world countries... the main problem that stops LEDC's from develpoping is debt. America is the county mostly responsibke for that. They lend the county millions to make a damn for etc. they then spend the next 30 years taking money back from that county at a high interest rate so that the county can barely keep enough money to keep that damn running. Hardly helping. The other problem is that the men in that country can't find work. For example the american company Nike. an incredibly rich company, if you would look at your trainers you will see that they are not made in america. They are made in 3rd world countries. They local population is put to work in factories and paid incredibly low wages. Nike etc even make the factories compete to make them lower their prices...how do the factories do this? they pay there workers less. Companies like this are encouraged by capatilism, making money for themselves and giving two flying ****s to anyone else. Greed. So basically alot of 3rd world countries are kept down by debt and the companies keeping the population on low wages. It's not entirely america...even my own country britain is probably the 2nd biggest problem. 3/4 of the world views us with envy and hatred. It's no wonder we are the recipients of terrorist attacks...we need to change how we act towards the lesser countries. if you think any of the above statements are false you are wrong. we rarely help other countries...aid packages dont even help they often make things worse. if you think the fact that americans get paid well makes them a good country you are wrong. in Britain and america greed is the ruling emotion atm. however i do have nothing against the strikes on afganistan, there was little choice.
 
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Bear
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  RE: GM_Sniper bring Philosiphy
January 22, 2002 12:19:13 AM    View the profile of Bear 
Exactly, Raziel. JMac, you appear to have some very strange thoughts on economic types. Let me make it simple. Imagine you own two cows. In a capitalist country, like the USA, you would fence the two cows in a field, leave them to over-graze the grass, milk them twenty five times a day and act surprised when they both die a week later. In a fundementalist-facist country, such as Middle Eastern countries (take Iran, for example), the government would take your cows, and sell you the milk, regularly. In a communist country, such as China, they would BUY one of your cows, and sell you the milk. You would be free to keep the other cow and do as you like with it. Ten years after this.. In the USA, you'd be on the streets as your cows are dead and you have no income. In Iran, you'd be under-nourished because you drank nothing but milk, but you would be alive (albeit just). In China, you'd have a steady supply of milk, and would have been able to sell the excess on the free market, and bought a bull. You would breed the bull and cow, to produce a new cow. You would then have two cows, a bull, and a steady supply of milk. You would slaughter a cow for meat, and breed the other, and then it would start over.. When its put in terms of cows and milk, Communism suddenly seems like a VERY good idea..
 
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Kiption
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  RE: GM_Sniper bring Philosiphy
January 22, 2002 1:43:04 PM    View the profile of Kiption 
It's just too bad the world isn't run on cows and milk :-) and you forget one thing. I can kill all of you, and take all your cows, and have plenty of hamburgers and milk for myself.  Doesn't mean it's a good idea.
[This message has been edited by Kiption (edited January 22, 2002 1:43:30 PM)]
Raziel
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  RE: GM_Sniper bring Philosiphy
January 22, 2002 3:23:20 PM    View the profile of Raziel 
the ideals of communism are perfect, however human nature makes it impossible
 
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JMac
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  RE: GM_Sniper bring Philosiphy
January 22, 2002 6:18:20 PM    View the profile of JMac 
I agree totally!  Communism looks great in theory, but in reality it does not work!  Just look at Russia.  Thousands of their people were killed under communist rule.  Many more starved to death.  Now that the system collapsed under its own weight, they are in serious economic trouble.  China was an example of how communism works, but the only reason that China’s government is healthy is because the Communist government uses a partial free market to finance itself.  The people are limited to Communism and as a result are generally poor.  But does capitalism work any better?  Yes!  The USA, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, all of which are flourishing under capitalism in ways that I previously described. Nike and Christopher Columbus are being used as examples of why communism is evil.  Christopher Columbus did something great in opening the land.  He did it for selfish reasons, but its effects are the same because the monarchy soon felt that he was exceeding his authority and thus put him away.  They did not do it because of his mistreatment of the natives.  They didn’t really care.  I don’t see what that has to do with capitalism as Columbus wasn’t a capitalist, but oh well. Moving on to Nike.  They exploit people in third world countries why?  Could it be because the USA has laws protecting its people, while most third world leaders are extremely susceptible to bribes?  Could the fact that the United States is founded on the principle that it is not right for a government to interfere with another government’s affairs unless their citizens are threatened?  Might the fact that due to international; law we can’t arrest them unless they have been charged in that country or committed crimes against us?  It is not our system that allows them to due this, it is other systems.  The acts of a few men do not mean that the whole system is corrupt.  It is the limits that are imposed on what evil men do that makes the difference. I was not addressing government loans when I mentioned the help that the United States gives.  The government’s job is to help its people, so it looks after its own interests, and anyway, they can’t use the money that they loan to other countries for those countries because that would be interfering with another country’s soveirnty.  I was talking about the good done by private citizens, which has been a great amount. Now then, the cow metaphor.  I agree with the fundamentalist/fascist part of it.  The rest I think is wrong.  In a capitalist society, two things may happen.  A farmer that learns what he is doing will raise the cow well, sell the extra milk, and use the money to buy more cows, thus increasing his investment of the two cows.  Or, a farmer that does not know what he is doing and is unwilling to learn will likely kill his cows through his ignorance and wind up working as a farmhand at the ranch of the smarter farmer.  In a Communist society, there is no free market.  That is a capitalist principle.  In a communist society there is no personal ownership either.  What would happen is the government would seize ownership of the cow, make you raise it, and then take any milk that they felt you didn’t need.  My final part is for Sniper.  In what part of what I said did I blame the world's problems on Communists, terrorists, or minorities, which I surely did as a “Super Patriot”?
 
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[army] Fishman
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"I know life isn't fair, but why can't it ever be unfair in my favor?."
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Spartacus
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  RE: GM_Sniper bring Philosiphy
January 22, 2002 7:15:45 PM    View the profile of Spartacus 
[ . . . ]
[This message has been edited by Spartacus (edited January 22, 2002 8:06:42 PM)]
LoneWolf
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  RE: GM_Sniper bring Philosiphy
January 22, 2002 7:44:19 PM    View the profile of LoneWolf 
This is sickening how can u compare such things to your lives now. be gratefull for what you have if u want to change the world then do it. I just pray you do it with the best and goodest intentions.
 
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GM_Sniper
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  RE: GM_Sniper bring Philosiphy
January 22, 2002 8:15:48 PM    View the profile of GM_Sniper 
/me clears his throat: JMac: The lives lost in our strikes will be far less then the lives that would be lost to the    terrorists had we not stepped in. It seems that everything is being taken "In light of recent events." I still can't believe that there are non-victims still reeling over this. JMac: We were attacking the Taliban, a regime of men (not capitalists mind you) that were dedicated to opressing the people and forcing their fanatacism upon them. JMac: Let's take a look at Communism, shall we.  It is the Antithesis of capitalism. Just made a little logic chain, there...blaming Terrorism on Communists? Just a little question: After September 11th, did you go out an buy American flags? Christopher Columbus: Columbus was THE original capitalist. He did NOTHING good for ANYONE. If you're such a happy capitalist, you should scorn him for being penniless. The actions of men may not make the whole thing wrong, but it can defeat some of its worth. GODDAMNIT, JMac, it doesn't matter weather third world countries are succeptable to bribes, it's the fact that it's WRONG. That forcing 10-year-old kids in Indonesia to work for chump change so that their family can live just below the poverty line and the kid will be forced to work long hours and could die any moment making your Nike shoes.
 
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JMac
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  RE: GM_Sniper bring Philosiphy
January 23, 2002 8:13:04 AM    View the profile of JMac 
Yes, the Taliban is an opressive government, and that further justifies what we are doing, but the thing is, it was not our primary target, thus I did not concentrate on it.  Of course we felt they were in the wrong, but that did not justify milatary force against them.  We were previously trying to get them to change through other means.  If we were to use our military as a battering ram to try to right the wrongs of the world, two things would happen. A.  Our military would be stretched so thin that it would be powerless to defend against a strike. B.  And most importantly of all, we would become what we most want to destroy.  If we feel we are justified in doing something like that, we would be no better then hitler or Stalin, who also tried to force their beliefs on the people.  That is not what we are doing.  We are going after terrorist networks, the networks designed solely to kill the innocent.  The Taliban refused to turn over that network, and in doing so, threatened the lives of our people.  That is why we are going in, and that is why I have been focusing on that. And no, I did not go out and buy American flags following Sept. 11.  I already had plenty.  i have always been a conservative patriot, and have always expressed these views.  Just because many Americans did not care until a plane smashed into the building does not mean everyone is like that. As for Columbus and Nike, I NEVER SAID I APPROVED OF THEM!!!  I DESPISE SCUM THAT ABUSE PEOPLE LIKE THAT!  Capitalism does not mean making money at any cost, it means there is a free market and allows businesses to function as they please within the law.  It means there is free trade, and few if any government controlls on supply and demand.  I brought up how other countries are easily bribed to show that the system does not enchorage it, rather, the evil people must work in places that do not have our system.  There are evil people in every system.  Mao Zedong slaughtered hundreds of peaceful protestors.  Stalin and Hitler did the same.  Their leutenants raped and stole from the people freely.  Yes, there are evil men, but there is evil everywhere.  The checks of power that we have shelter the bad along with the good.  I am blaming neither Communists nor terrorists for the worlds problems, I am blaming them for the problems they caused.  Communism sheltered men like Stalin as it impoverished the people.  i blame it for that.  Terrorists kill innocents dailly, I blame them for that.  i do no blame them for things that are not their fault. 
 
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[army] Fishman
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"I know life isn't fair, but why can't it ever be unfair in my favor?."
"Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves, for they shall never cease to be amused."
Tall, dark, handsome, and all around stud.
Bear
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  RE: GM_Sniper bring Philosiphy
January 23, 2002 12:37:01 AM    View the profile of Bear 
JMac.. You say in your response to my cow metaphor that if a farmer learns to cope under capitalism, his farm/ranch will thrive, and he will have plenty to eat, drink, and plenty of money. If a farmer does not learn to cope under capitalism, they starve and are poor. If you are so sure that someone can LEARN to survive under capitalism, whats stopping people LEARNING to live under communism? You seem to be saying that people in a capitalist society learn to live better than those in a communist. My point is this. It is not up to people like you to decide which form of society is better. It is up to unbiased and neutral people. Unfortuently, there are none. Think of it like this: If you lived in a capitalist country, and your cow lived in a tiny field, hardly getting fed, because of the stupidity of yourself (the farmer) what woud it say (if it could talk)? I don't think it would be very happy.. If you lived in a communist country, and were a successful farmer, with a happy cow in a big field, getting regularly fed, what would your cow say? It would be pretty happy, for a cow, I expect. There are good sides and bad sides to everything. Capitalism- Some people thrive and prosper, while some are oppressed by the government (and don't even think about giving me your "America doesn't oppress anyone!" rubbish, because the facts are there. Look at the statistics for people executed in the USA from a lower class of family, for example. And there are thousands more.), and do the opposite. Communism- Some people learn to live with the system, and to get along with it, by farming/manufactuing to their best potential (a "Commune Brigade" in China during Mao's time was so successful it received special benefits in the form of more medical/education supplies, more equipment, etc. They did their best, and rose out of the "communist slump".) while some are oppressed, and do the opposite.. Fundamentalism (i.e. Afghanistan)- Some people learn to get the best deal out of it, such as joining the Army, or becoming a cash-crop (eg. opium) farmer, while some are oppressed and do the opposite.. Anyway, now that we've all completely demolished JMacs arguement for capitalism, lets go back to something else. What are we fighting for in Afghanistan? An end to world terrorism? Democracy? Justice? I'll address them one at a time.. An End To World Terrorism In Tianemen Square (I noticed a reference to that somewhere), in China, hundreds of people were murdered. Why? They were campaigning for more political freedom. They were trying to BRING DOWN THE GOVERNMENT. To the Chinese, they were terrorists. So they killed them. To the US, they weren't. Osama Bin Laden masterminds a plot to kill thousands of people in America. He carried it out; It worked. The US wants to kill him as a terrorist. He was a spiritual leader for many people in the Arab World, and they do not treat him as a terrorist. No matter how you look at it, somebody is always a terrorist to somebody else. Terrorism is not going to end. Period. Violence is a last resort. Many other methods have been taken by right-wing extremists, without results. September the 11th was their last resort. I sure hope it worked. If it did, we might see the US getting off their butts and trying to help the rest of the world. (Before you say anything about Europe doing nothing, I'll make a counter-argument. The EU (European Union) was formed after ww2 to rebuild the countries affected by war. It now consists of 15 countries, and, united together (which they are not, but theoretically can be for military, economic and political purposes) forms the strongest alliance in the world (in terms of millitary strength, economic power and political power). It has rebuilt Europe VERY successfully (3 of the top 5 largest economy in the world places are now held by Germany, the UK and France, in that order, after the USA and Japan), and has been a major influence in helping third world countries. It has even *shock* WIPED SMALL AMOUNTS OF DEBTS! Not enough to make a major differance, but still far more than the USA has done. Needless to say, the EU is doing far more than the US, we've rebuilt our continent after our "heroic rescue from the brave Americans", and we don't need you any more, so goodbye. Oh, and by the way, please get your nuclear weapons out of our country..) Democracy I am 15 years old. I am my countrys future. I could become the leader, one day. I could even become the President of the EU (see above). In two and a half years time, I will have the chance to vote for a corrupt politician who will try to make the country a tiny bit better just so he can be elected in the next election, in which he will promise to do a better job. Do I care? No, not really. I intend to go to University when I am 18, and the next election will not be until I am 19, and I intend to study abroad. I will have the chance to vote by post. Will I? Erm.. no thanks. I do not want to be oppressed by my government (or even foreigners ie. the USA) for my views and feelings. If I am, then I will do everything in my power to halt the oppression. If that includes terrorism.. then its something I may consider. Basically, I am my countrys future. And I really couldn't care less about democracy. I feel that the old feudal-parliament system was a far better way (in which the King held 50% power and an elected government held 50%), but thats just my opinion. Get rid of democracy? No, thanks.. keep the option to vote, but don't make such a big deal out of it. I don't intend to take a part in the political process of the UK (being a first-past-the-post system, it is ridiculous already), so I don't care about democracy. You tell me to go and fight in a distant country in the name of democracy, and I'll laugh at you Justice This is the one I agree with. Once this criteria has been met: 1) Giving full human rights to the POW's (or whatever you want to say they are) in Cuba, as dictated by the Geneva Convention. 2) Giving everyone in the country (i.e. USA) the right to have the same lawyer, no matter what their colour, religion, gender etc is. That means a millionaire gets the same as a shoe-cleaner. 3) Bringing to justice people who have evaded the system because of their own power. Such as? Margaret Thatcher, for her arms deals with Iraq; George Bush (the first one) for the same; Nixon for his paperwork fixing (or whatever it was); etc; etc; etc. Thats my rant.
 
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GM_Sniper
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  RE: GM_Sniper bring Philosiphy
January 23, 2002 10:53:39 PM    View the profile of GM_Sniper 
Some of that I agree with Bear, thank you for tearing down JMac so gracefully. I'd just like to say this: Since September 11th, the only business of the American people has been revenge, overcompensation, and shame. Revenge for those who feel that we should go out and butcher the "Terrah," as Bush so quaintly puts it, overcompensation and shame, for those buying American flags and sticking them in the classrooms and on the houses in a mad rush to show their patriotism for a country they never knew they were in. I know where I live. Which of these categories do I fall into? None. I fall into a fourth...disgust. I have been overall disgusted by the American stance towards the events of September 11th. War, hatred, racism, conservatism, I'm just pissed off by the whole thing. Gun-toting low-lives ready to take their shotguns and go to Afghanistan. It just seems like total crap. I feel now, more than ever, a pacifist. I will never take a human life, and I will work only to save those that I see in danger. You know, everyone's tried to set me up in different situations with the Death Penalty, it's really kinda weird. They tell me that if my parents were killed, that I'd want the killer killed. Well that makes no sense. Do we rape the rapeist, torture the torturer? Why should we kill a killer? I hate the death penalty with all my heart. We need to abolish it. Even criminals have rights. Human Rights.
 
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Raziel
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  RE: GM_Sniper bring Philosiphy
January 26, 2002 5:09:11 PM    View the profile of Raziel 
Jmac your government puts down other countries by putting them in 3rd world debt...all of the things good about your country stated above seem very selfish indeed. we could quite easily cure world hunger...but the american government doesn't seem to interested so they'll just give out loans and make money out of the LEDC's instead...yeah great
 
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Ramon Stonefish
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  RE: GM_Sniper bring Philosiphy
January 26, 2002 6:19:09 PM    View the profile of Ramon Stonefish 
FYI: The foot and mile system is known (at least here) as the Imperial system (why? not sure, but I do know that the mile was originally measured as 1000 double paces - 2000 paces - of a Roman legionnaire, so I guess it's from the Roman Empire).
 
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Ramon Stonefish

"How can we say we are protectors when we are more feared than that which we defend against?!" --Lucien, the First Fallen.
"May the sinless tester of souls hold his hawk's perch over me" -- a kenning, author unknown.
Argon Viper
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  RE: GM_Sniper bring Philosiphy
January 30, 2002 11:26:11 PM    View the profile of Argon Viper 
Okay, I just came back to this after a while away and caught up on all the arguments.  To JMac, I'd like to say that you argued hard against massive odds, but I can't say that you won.  To everyone else(who seemed to be all lined up against JMac), I'd like to say that I agreed with nearly every statement you made.  Now, I'd like to make a couple of my own, drawn from my experiences since my last post. First off, this "War on Terror" cr@p is getting out of hand.  Bush has cut taxes enough to send us into a deficit, and now he wants us to beef up the military?  Do the words "we-are-in-a-f*cking-recession" mean anything to him?  He's also talking about going after Iraq, North Korea, and Iran.  Who does he think he's kidding?  There's no way in hell the US public is going to support troops going anywhere(they might get killed(What are we paying them for again?)) that has as much armament as those nations.  Let me just say that the "War on Terror" will eventually join the "War on Drugs". Second, all this over-patriotism.  I'd like to relate a story first. A week or two ago, in my English class, the teacher handed out an article about militarization in America(and how it's gone too far) as an example of a pursuasive essay.  I started up a debate with some class members, intending to have a free flow of ideas, see what they thought.  I found that they were divided into two camps: those who agreed with it, and therefore had nothing more to offer, and those who disagreed.  When I tried to debate with those who disagreed, I found their arguments to be weak at best and shot them down repeatedly.  I know that this isn't just my opinion because they ran out of arguments and just settled for calling me "Anti-American". The fact that I disagree with a militant version of the US makes me Anti-American?  When did that happen?  Is this a nation anyone wants to live in? Third, I saw the economic system debate.  Let me get back to where it started at.  The US has been raping and pillaging the Middle East since WW2 ended.  Heck, their royal families are standing by and praising us as we do!!  Unlike what JMac says about us paying handsomely for the oil we get, most of that money ends up in the back pocket of some royal cousin(gee, I wonder how that could happen...  ).  The people don't see any of that money.  Then, we let the royal families set up state news things blasting us for causing all these outrages.  What would any self-respecting human being do!?!?!  They can't decalare war, because we'd refuse to recognize them as a nation and they can't get over here in military force besides.  Peaceful protests have been tried, and failed.  Nothing else works.  Think about it, are you stupid enough to take on the most advanced military in the world with a ragtag army that you can't even move to the right battlefield? Fourth, back to pacifism.  Yes, I know, I've been blasting all this stuff for the last three topics, so I'll explain myself.  The "War on Terrorism".  Think about the first word there and you'll realize why I blast it.  Second, I blasted militarism.  Third, some may think I'm condoning the violence of the terrorists.  I'm not.  Nothing in the world makes violence right, but there are reasons people do it.  What I am doing is laying the pure, crystal clear reasons in front of you.  Also, I can say this.  If my country needs me to fight for it, I will refuse, even if it means jail time, there can be no end to violence except more violence.  Or, as Ghandi said, "An eye for an eye and we're all blind".  I hope that puts my opinions there in perspective. Fifth, religion.  Most of you have ignored this as a cause of world conflict.  Needless to say, over the past two mellinea, religion has been the largest source of conflict.  Let me name a few of those.  Pakistan vs India.  The Crusades.  The Holocaust.  All of these were caused by religion, and there are millions more that I neglected to mention.  The saddest part is that all of these were caused by religions that say they are peaceful!  There is no peaceful religion on the planet, this is just another way to divide yourself from others.  Division causes conflict, it's just human nature(no, I'm not saying we should be clones, I'm saying we should get along despite differences.).  This argument can(and has, at least at my school) be used toward patriotism as well.  Is it any wonder I'm and anti-patriotic Athiest? Sixth(and last for tonight), Osama bin Laden.  I restate my point that he is the product of an intensely anti-American system(that we support for cryin' out loud!!).  I use this point again becuase it still hasn't been disproven.  Also, another story. In the Chemistry class I'm Teacher's Aide for, they had to do a "Mole project" where they sow together a mole(the animal), put 602 beans in it(avagadro's number) and dress it up to look like something.  Imagine my surprise when one girl brings in a mole with a target, a beard, and a turban calling it "Osamole bin Laden".  This is someone who is an ultra-Christian(still trying to convert me after three years...), and claims to be pro-life!! Now, needless to say, I was pretty disgusted by this and let her know my feelings on the matter quite clearly(not that she cares, I'm just "the Athiest").  This is the type of person Bush is trying to create, someone who believes what he says without questioning it, without analyzing it, without thinking on it.  Once again, is this a nation you want to live in? Anyways, I'm out of time for tonight(school tomorrow  ), so I'll leave you with this.  Enjoy 
 
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Argon Viper
"History is on the move, those who cannot keep up will watch from a distance, and those who get in our way will not watch at all" - Grand Admiral Thrawn
"He who knows his enemy, needs not fear confrontation" - Sun Tzu, "The Art of War"
"Insanity is not a mental condition, it's a way of life" - Argon Viper
"Those who run from death, win little.  Those who simply live their lives, win much" - Argon Viper
JMac
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  RE: GM_Sniper bring Philosiphy
February 1, 2002 1:25:37 PM    View the profile of JMac 
Ok, I decided to come back into the debate.  Bear, how ecactly did you demolize any of my arguments?  All you said was basically different systems work for different people.  I agree that different people prefer different systems, but there is a problem with what you said.  I never said that a person that can't cope with capitalism dies in the street.  For from it, there is no coping in capitalism because the economy is basically uncontrolled.  Rather, I said that people that aren't as bold or bright can work for those that are and still amke a decent living.  That is fairly easy to do.  The difference with communism is that the thing you are trying to overcome is human nature.  it can't be done on a mass population scale.  Just look at the facts.  People in capitalist countries have a higher standard of living then those that live in communist ones.  Furthermore, no one is oppressed in America.  Yes, more people that grow up in slums go to prison then those that live in the suburbs.  That is not due to oppression, that is due to environment.  People in slums grow up around crime and are more desensitized by it then those that live in suburbs!  It is a simple fact! Now then, onto third world countries.  We did not cause third world countries to become impoverished.  We loaned them money.  If a bank loans a man money to buy a house, and the man wastes the money, the bank still needs to be repayed.  We can not spend the money we loan them.  That would be interfering.  And the good that is done is not being done by the US gov, I never said it was.  The role of a government is to help its own people.  Helping others should, (and usually does), fall to the hands of individual people and groups, of which there are many American's. Terrorism:  The people in the Red Square, were not terrorists, they were dissidents.  Terrorists use deadly force on innocent people to make them scared enough to give them what they want.  Dissidents go after the government.  That is the difference.  The people in the Red Square were peacefull protestors that were wiped out because of the views they espoused.  The Taliban is being hunted down for the slaughter of innocent civillians.  Big difference there.  The deaths caused by our attck will be far less then the innocents that would be lost to suicidal fanatics,( they were on the cusp of making nukes.  Wonder what they would do with those.) The USA:  Why is it that everyone is upset about how Bush's tax cuts are eliminating the surplus?  How is that a government that is supposed to take just enough to cover the needs of the people in protection and services?  And how do you figure that giving us our own money back is causeing the recession?  The economy always moves in cycles of surplus and recession.  There is no stopping it.  As a matter of fact, Bush is limiting it.  As for your story, Raz, I agree totally that they were wrong.  Dissenting views are what this country is all about.  Nothing un-American about that.  I just wish I was in on that debate about "over-militarization On your arguements on the terrorists, Raz.  There is nothing wrong with guerella warfare when faced with a superior foe.  The evil comes into play whejn rather then attacking the enemy, you attack the innocent in an attempt to scare the enemy!  That is all I have time to time.  Till next time!!!
 
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[army] Fishman
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Bear
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  RE: GM_Sniper bring Philosiphy
February 1, 2002 5:37:12 PM    View the profile of Bear 
*cough* *splutter* *cough* I am so deeply insulted, I can hardly breathe.. ON THE VERGE OF MAKING NUKES?! www.angelfire.com/fl/UselessFacts/atombomb.html I advise you go there.. once you've read that, YOU are on the verge of making nukes. Quick, better have you arrested and shot as a suspected terrorist.. Also, the USA has about 6000 nuclear warheads (well, they did at about the time of the cold war, and it has gone down since then), which could kill every person on this planet.. about 250 times. Just think what would happen if the USA had a President who likes to declare war on other nuclear power groups (i.e. terrorists) and drop bombs on things.. oh! wait! They already do! 250 times. That fact alone shows that we must bring down the nuclear powers in the world. If terrorism will do that.. I support it.   Thats pretty much my feelings in a nutshell. I disagree with killing innocent people, but I disagree even more with weapons which can kill innocent people 250 times. Ask yourself this.. What is the 2nd most cowardly thing in the world? Flying a plane full of people into a building full of people. What is the most cowardly thing in the world? Dropping a massivly powerful bomb on a city without warning, killing hundreds of thousands of innocent people.. ----------------------- AAMB/LCM Bear/VEHC/VE ------------ RET/LCM Bear/mSSD Atrus/VEN/VE (=A=) (=SA=) (=FOCE=) (=JCPA=) [BRC] [BRC] [NDM] [LSM] ------------ TRP/1PFC Grizzly/3SQD/1PLT/1COMP/1BAT/1REG/Lorn IV/VEA 
[This message has been edited by Bear (edited February 1, 2002 5:40:11 PM)]
JMac
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  RE: GM_Sniper bring Philosiphy
February 2, 2002 6:34:59 PM    View the profile of JMac 
Why are you so insulted?  Anyway, I know that it is easy to figure out how to make nukes.  The hard part is the construction and equipment, which they almost had enough.  That is what I was saying.  As to the US's nukes, they are for defense.  What happens is we will not fire them for fear of others shooting back, that is why the world hasn't ended yet.  Most other nations of the world are the same, (though India and Pakistan are making me nervous).  The problem is when people that aren't afraid to die get a hold of them.  They would not hesitate to launch, because they are not afraid to die, and they don't care who suffers!!!
 
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[army] Fishman
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"I know life isn't fair, but why can't it ever be unfair in my favor?."
"Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves, for they shall never cease to be amused."
Tall, dark, handsome, and all around stud.
Argon Viper
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  RE: GM_Sniper bring Philosiphy
February 2, 2002 9:37:46 PM    View the profile of Argon Viper 
LOLOLOL!!!!!!!  Great site!!!  Laughed my @$$ off!!!  Also, JMac, if you'd like to give me $200,000 I'll get you a fully working nuclear device with a two year warranty.  The Russians say that they can miss about 11 lb of their weapons grade plutonium a month and not know it due to crappy measurement systems.  At that point, the rest of the stuff is stuff you can get at a hardware store(just replace the TNT with the fertilizer McVeigh used...).  Enjoy the snow  As to nukes and terrorism, the US is the largest terrorist nation in the world, the entire Cold War was terrorist, with each nation terrorizing the other into compliance with nukes.  So, if you don't like terrorism, I suggest you move to...  Uhhh...  lesse...  I think Switzerland could be considered the least terroristic of all nations.  The United States of America is the most terroristic nation in the world, we attack everyone who disagrees with us, we assassinate leaders who disagree with us(or at least, we try.  Ask Castro).  Our point of view is the same as bin Ladens, either you agree with us or you're evil.  Can anyone honestly refute that last statement?  And, I feel safer with a nut like bin Laden around than a sociopathic nation around with its finger on the trigger to enough nukes to fry the world 250 times over(about 500 times if all other nuke nations launch too). Lesse, more rants... Oh yeah, US foreign policy.  If you think the US is the world's greatest promoter of democracy(the real term is Republic because we elect people to vote for us, but we'll ignore that fact for now)?  Think again.  Nearly every nation in the middle east is ruled by some form of monarchy or military dictatorship, and we support over 75% of them!!!  Now, say you live in one of those nations.  You're horribly opressed and dirt poor(the fact that you don't pay taxes means nothing because you don't have anything to pay taxes with).  Every day you watch the state-run media telling you how wonderful the monarch is and how evil the US is for taking all the oil and money.  Now, this won't work crap on the first generation, but what about the second?  Or the third?  We're seeing the culmination of over 50 years of US foreign policy here!  Here's a generalized meeting between an Arab leader and a US ambassador.  They start calmly, discussing 'matters of great import' to both nations.  The US ambassador suggests the Arab guy ease up a bit on the human rights issue.  The Arab subtly 'reminds' the US guy that easing up would allow fundamentalists to take power, and they wouldn't be so 'cooperative'.  The US guy appologizes and backs off.  Now, the problem with that argument is that the reason the fundamentalists would be less cooperative(and the reason they would gain power in the first place) is that the state run media has been demonizing the US for 50 years!!!  We need to get them to stop that, wait a generation, and then get the fundamentalists to start up a democracy!!!  Screw the oil, Russia and the US together could cover that for the amount of time it would take a military force to go into the Arab world and replace the d*mn monarchies with democracies.  Considering the example of Afghanistan, that would take about 10 seconds, so why don't we do it?  The reason is simple, we don't give a f*ck.  That's right, forget all the BS the gov is throwing at us about this fight being about human rights, womens rights, helping the innocent, and all that stuff they're telling us.  This fight is going on for one simple reason, people want to see things blow up and people die.  Heck, I can prove that too.  When the Taliban took control in...  '94 was it?...  did we do anything?  Did we do anything when they shot up the Buddhas?  Did we do anything when they started taking away women's rights?  How about human rights?  No.  Think it over. I hope you enjoyed listening to yet another rant   
 
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Argon Viper
"History is on the move, those who cannot keep up will watch from a distance, and those who get in our way will not watch at all" - Grand Admiral Thrawn
"He who knows his enemy, needs not fear confrontation" - Sun Tzu, "The Art of War"
"Insanity is not a mental condition, it's a way of life" - Argon Viper
"Those who run from death, win little.  Those who simply live their lives, win much" - Argon Viper
GM_Sniper
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  RE: GM_Sniper bring Philosiphy
February 4, 2002 6:17:00 PM    View the profile of GM_Sniper 
WHOO HOO! HELLS YEAH! Very well done, my man! I loved that thing about the buddhist statues. It seems that only when someone pisses America off that America starts giving a shit. Apparently because America got attacked by terrorists, the whole world should give a hand, but when Poland, England, Russia, France, Finland and numerous other countries were attacked and some taken over totally, America sat idly by, waiting for something that would make the Americans give a crap. Argon is totally right. America is the biggest organized terrorist group in the world at this point. Going to other countries and forcing them to hand over terrorists, and then attacking them when they can't, killing innocents and walking all over human rights is not righteous. Let me clarify my position. I am against killing of any kind. I am against any death of any sort from any human being(s). I do not endorse what terrorists do, nor what they have done in the past. I also don't agree with what the US has been doing, only caring when it's their ass on the line. The overzealous nationalism and bloodlust that has coursed through this nation like a snake's venom has poisoned the people, and is seeping into the schools. In order to maintain a strong objective view of the world, and allow people to make their own judgements on issues requires removing at least some of the propaganda pumped into the news, and people. This is my stance. HUMAN RIGHTS AND PACIFISM ARE THE TWO MAJOR GOALS THAT MUST BE KEPT IN MIND DURING OUR BUTCHERING OF THE AFGHANI CIVILIANS. POWER TO THE PEOPLE. SPEAK YOUR VOICE.
 
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GM_Sniper
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  RE: GM_Sniper bring Philosiphy
February 4, 2002 6:20:19 PM    View the profile of GM_Sniper 
That whole Russia France etc. thing was related to WWII, in case you didn't pick it up from my obscure refrences and lack of justification. sorry!
 
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Argon Viper
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  RE: GM_Sniper bring Philosiphy
February 4, 2002 6:38:31 PM    View the profile of Argon Viper 
Nice, glad I could inspire a rant    Oh yeah, just out of curiosity, is anyone besides JMac arguing the other side of this?  If not, I'm suggesting we back off for a second to give him a chance.  Anyways, back to the rants  Just out of curiosity, I'd like to know how much of its budget the US spends on weaponry next to... say...  Great Britain.  Great Britain is dealing with numerous peacekeeping assignments overseas(not being as hated as the US) and is dealing with the troubles.  The US on the other hand... is bombing the living sh*t out of some defenseless third world nation...  If these different proportions do not match the spending, I hope that someone can put two and two together.  Thank you.
 
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Argon Viper
"History is on the move, those who cannot keep up will watch from a distance, and those who get in our way will not watch at all" - Grand Admiral Thrawn
"He who knows his enemy, needs not fear confrontation" - Sun Tzu, "The Art of War"
"Insanity is not a mental condition, it's a way of life" - Argon Viper
"Those who run from death, win little.  Those who simply live their lives, win much" - Argon Viper
Bear
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  RE: GM_Sniper bring Philosiphy
February 5, 2002 6:46:42 AM    View the profile of Bear 
The UK and the US spend their defence money differantly. The UK puts more emphasis on SHORT-RANGE nuclear weapons (in particular the Trident project), and practically none into long range nuclear weapons. The UK also spends more on a professional, small force of regular troops. Virtually every British Army Regiment has a history and something it is famous for. They are also highly trained (the British infantry is far better trained than the US infantry). However, the US spends a lot of its money on long-range nuclear weapons (i.e. missiles) and specialist units, such as Marines, Rangers, Airborne, etc.. They also spend a ridiculous amount of money on the Navy (I believe there are about 20 US Aircraft Carriers in service? Compared to 2 (and one out of service) in the British Navy) and Air Force. If World War 3 came about, then yes, the USA would be able to cope admirably. I would be surprised if they would lose, because of their nuclear weapons and MASSIVE amounts of conventional forces. However, in a "War against terrorism", you don't need dozens of aircraft carriers, hundreds of missiles and thousands upon thousands of troops. I heard that Bush just added $46 billion to the US Defence budget? How much of that do you expect will go on Intelligence, Reconaissance etc (which would help in a war against terrorism), and how much would go into building another fleet of US Warships? Explain to me how a dozen battleships can hunt down ONE man.. The UK, on the other hand, has infantry which can move in quickly, and stay there, to keep peace. Some of the Paratroopers (they're British) were in Kabul months ago. If the Taleban (or Al Quada) make a surprise attack/uprising against Kabul, what good will hundreds of B-52 bombers do? Sure, they could flatten the city in a couple of minutes, but would kill hundreds of US and other Allied troops in the process. And imagine the fiasco.. The UK does have far more peacekeeping missions than the US, yes.. In Northern Ireland (I would just like to point out that Northern Ireland is a PART of the UK, and is NOT a "colony") for example; Bosnia as well; Kosovo; Falklands (although that is a colony, but a force has to remain because there was a war there); etc. George Bush's ethic on war is "We shall do the fighting; Let our allies do the peacekeeping." Thats just the kind of thing that inspires and breeds terrorism.
 
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Argon Viper
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  RE: GM_Sniper bring Philosiphy
February 5, 2002 8:20:23 PM    View the profile of Argon Viper 
Heh, right again.  The US has always prepared for conventional warfare, not realizing that the days of the gentleman general are over. "War is a game of savages, the gentleman who joines in better have a d*mned big ante" - Argon Viper However, I see another problem. Donal Rumsfeld(our glorious seceratary of defense) is going around saying that, because they don't wear uniforms, the Taliban soldiers are not a real army. This is, in reality, a concerted effort to sidestep the Geneva Accords about POWs. My advice is, if you cannot follow a deal when the going gets tough, don't bother following it. The US signed the Geneva Accords, and, no matter how much Bush wishes they hadn't, they must live with the POW rules. In fact, Rusfeld, in attempting to discredit the Taliban, actually discredits the original colonials who established the US. They didn't wear uniforms either, does that mean that they should not have succeeded?
 
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Argon Viper
"History is on the move, those who cannot keep up will watch from a distance, and those who get in our way will not watch at all" - Grand Admiral Thrawn
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  RE: GM_Sniper bring Philosiphy
February 6, 2002 6:27:50 AM    View the profile of Bear 
Good point, but.. The Geneva Convention says nothing about uniforms relating to "real" soldiers. A real soldier does not have to wear a uniform to be protected under the Geneva Convention. What they DO have to wear are identification tags somewhere on their body. This can be in the form of a uniform (anyone seen The Great Escape? At the end, when the American Captain is captured on the border, and he holds up his rank badge to show he's a "real" soldier?) or in the form of ID disks round your neck. However, back to Argon.. in the poorest country in the world, which has faced years of drought, would YOU keep your ID Disk, or would you sell it (a piece of steel is probably very valuable in Afghanistan) to feed your family? The problem with the Geneva Convention is that it was made during the time of the "gentleman" wars (i.e. World War 1, the Boer War, etc), and only really applied when a handful of countries ruled the world (Britain, Russia, Germany and France, among a couple of others). It doesn't really apply now, when we're having "Wars against terrorism".. which is why people like Rumsfeld and Bush can avoid it. Also, to back Argon up again on his last point.. in the American constitution, it states that all Americans should have the right to own a gun, to protect themselves? Well, when us British people invade (which we shall do in 2005, because we still hold a grudge after you forced us out of our greatest colony ever.. at least, thats what YOU think, so you own guns. To be honest, we really couldn't care less.), unless all the American civilians shooting at us are wearing ID tags, full millitary uniform, a rank, and are nicely organised into Regiments, Divisions and Brigades, then we shall take no prisoners. And if we can't see our faces in your shiny shoes.. well, we shall take no prisoners. You savvy?
 
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Raziel
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  RE: GM_Sniper bring Philosiphy
February 6, 2002 6:42:47 AM    View the profile of Raziel 
LOL!
 
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