Grandstanding

[Michael Tee]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N28267189.htm

Hilarious.  The Democrat is "outraged" at the waste and theft.  Ha ha ha, WTF did she think has been going on there for almost a decade now?

Does anybody want to take bets on how long it will take before every cent of that "cut" will be restored?

The more I watch stuff like that, the more apparent it becomes what a sham the entire "democratic process" really has become in the U.S.A. (and probably in Canada as well, but that's another story.)  The real rulers of the country have decided that Afghanistan will be invaded and occupied until a reliable and secure puppet government is  in place and America has all the Afghan bases it requires.  In the meantime, temper tantrums of the "elected representatives" will come and go, always good for a headline or two, but never standing in the way of the objectives of the ruling class.

[Kramer]

while the bitch is at it why not do it across the board for every government program from welfare to medicare, unemployment to stimulus, grants to loans, and everything in between.

[sirs]

Where's a good dictator when you need one??  Right Tee?

[Plane]

[.............and America has all the Afghan bases it requires. 

Why would we need any?

[Michael Tee]

<<Why would we need any [Afghan bases]?>>

We've been through this before, plane.  Ami even brought out a map, IIRC. 

Because it's in a strategic position vis-a-vis Pakistan, the Persian Gulf, India, the "Stans," Russia.  Where there seem to be a lot of natural resources.

[BT]

Where there seem to be a lot of natural resources.

Canada would be a quarter of the commute.

[Plane]

We didn't need those resorces before 2000?

Afganistan is on the backside of anything that matters , the main thing it has to attract our attention is a dangerous enemy.

[Michael Tee]

<<We didn't need those resorces before 2000?>>

Sure ya did, but you didn't have the excuse.  Furthermore, and probably more importantly, for most of the time,  you had to worry about what the U.S.S.R. would do.

<<Afganistan is on the backside of anything that matters . . . >>

That might be your opinion, but I think most of us can read maps and draw the obvious conclusions from them.

<<the main thing it has to attract our attention is a dangerous enemy.>>

Latest estimates I saw were that at most there were a couple hundred al Qaeda left in Afghanistan.  If a couple hundred men are a "dangerous enemy" to a nation of 300 million with the world's most powerful military, you are in much worse shape than even I could ever imagine.

[Amianthus]

We've been through this before, plane.  Ami even brought out a map, IIRC. 

I'm pretty sure I only "brought out a map" to show that Poland is actually between Iran and western Europe for a missile's "great circle" direct firing line. The previous excuse from the left for our actions in Afghanistan were about a pipeline that apparently we want to control - that does not exist and apparently will never exist. I don't see why a map would be needed for that.

[Xavier_Onassis]

Bases in Afghanistan puts the US near both Iran and Pakistan, both of which are seen as threats to US interests. There is always going to be interest in any source of oil, for which US companies are in competition with China and India, and there is oil in the "stans".

[Plane]

We've been through this before, plane.  Ami even brought out a map, IIRC. 

I'm pretty sure I only "brought out a map" to show that Poland is actually between Iran and western Europe for a missile's "great circle" direct firing line. The previous excuse from the left for our actions in Afghanistan were about a pipeline that apparently we want to control - that does not exist and apparently will never exist. I don't see why a map would be needed for that.

I remember that Map!

Very appropriate to the discussion we were having , made the concept simple to explain.

Alas the frailty of memory!

[Plane]

<<the main thing it has to attract our attention is a dangerous enemy.>>

Latest estimates I saw were that at most there were a couple hundred al Qaeda left in Afghanistan.  If a couple hundred men are a "dangerous enemy" to a nation of 300 million with the world's most powerful military, you are in much worse shape than even I could ever imagine.

Untill there are none, we will be very interested in them.

I have been told that each one of those we kill spawns like a hydra.
Are you certain that there only a few left?

Furthermore, and probably more importantly, for most of the time,  you had to worry about what the U.S.S.R. would do.

True , when we were merely financeing the slaughter of thousands of their citizens we didn't need to worry about Soviet reaction, aftar all these were merely individual persons , a plentyfull commodity to a socialist state.

[Michael Tee]

<<Alas the frailty of memory!>>

Somebody (maybe CU4 then) posted a map showing the strategic importance of Afghanistan.  Geography makes it strategic to pipeline planners (there was serious planning at the time going on for a gas pipeline through Afghanistan) as well as for maintaining bases within striking distance of a variety of potential targets.  The British and Russians spent a lot of blood and treasure trying to nail down Afghanistan for themselves and it wasn't being done for the scenery or the climate!

[Plane]

<<Alas the frailty of memory!>>

Somebody (maybe CU4 then) posted a map showing the strategic importance of Afghanistan.  Geography makes it strategic to pipeline planners (there was serious planning at the time going on for a gas pipeline through Afghanistan) as well as for maintaining bases within striking distance of a variety of potential targets.  The British and Russians spent a lot of blood and treasure trying to nail down Afghanistan for themselves and it wasn't being done for the scenery or the climate!

A pipeline that followed the Kyber would bring fuel to Packistan , India and the Indian ocean ports.

Existing pipelines to the north can carry fuel to Europe.

To sell the fuel is the point , why knock through the extra mountains ?

Perhaps they would have to make nice with Russians to tie into their pipeline system , nobody likes to do that , even when it is profitable.

[Xavier_Onassis]

I have been told that each one of those we kill spawns like a hydra.
If this were true, there would be a hundred thousand of them by now. They'd be in every mall, shopping for turbans.

Are you certain that there only a few left?
Who knows? Who knows how many there were to start with?