And We Defend These People?

[ArcadiaGP]

Army rejects appeal from soldier discharged after confronting accused Afghan rapist | Fox News

Army plans to kick out decorated Green Beret for beating up "ally" Afghan child rapist

 

[IndyDave1776]

Former executive turned Vice-President hands over ridiculously expensive no-bid contracts to his former company? That's a bad movie plot.

Yes, and a shame that it isn't limited to being found in a bad movie.

 

[IndyDave1776]

As far as I am concerned, the only thing the man did wrong was beating him rather than shooting him.

Army rejects appeal from soldier discharged after confronting accused Afghan rapist | Fox News

Army plans to kick out decorated Green Beret for beating up "ally" Afghan child rapist

 

[Blackhawk2001]

Former executive turned Vice-President hands over ridiculously expensive no-bid contracts to his former company? That's a bad movie plot.

Oh, you mean like Chief Executive appoints major campaign donor to Healthcare Advisory Board; subsequently major donor's corporation gets huge contract to administer ObamaCare? Or major donors get government funds for their "renewable energy" startups; subsequently go bankrupt but end up with more money than they started with?

 

[jamil]

Former executive turned Vice-President hands over ridiculously expensive no-bid contracts to his former company? That's a bad movie plot.

Oh, you mean like Chief Executive appoints major campaign donor to Healthcare Advisory Board; subsequently major donor's corporation gets huge contract to administer ObamaCare? Or major donors get government funds for their "renewable energy" startups; subsequently go bankrupt but end up with more money than they started with?

Shows what kind of government we actually have. The biggest effective difference between the two parties seems to be which industry rules the White House. Right now, it's insurance companies and the "green" industry. Last administration it was the defense and fossil energy industries.

 

[MisterChester]

Shows what kind of government we actually have. The biggest effective difference between the two parties seems to be which industry rules the White House. Right now, it's insurance companies and the "green" industry. Last administration it was the defense and fossil energy industries.

Yep. The next one will either be ruled by the real estate industry or Internet server producers!

 

[Blackhawk2001]

Shows what kind of government we actually have. The biggest effective difference between the two parties seems to be which industry rules the White House. Right now, it's insurance companies and the "green" industry. Last administration it was the defense and fossil energy industries.

You do realize that those two industries that you mentioned are pretty much indispensable in a war - in which we were engaged from 2002 until - oh, yes, the present?

 

[jamil]

You do realize that those two industries that you mentioned are pretty much indispensable in a war - in which we were engaged from 2002 until - oh, yes, the present?

So in wartime those industries should rule Washington?

 

[Jludo]

You do realize that those two industries that you mentioned are pretty much indispensable in a war - in which we were engaged from 2002 until - oh, yes, the present?

Those industries are the reason for the war, not reluctant indispensable participants.

 

[Blackhawk2001]

Those industries are the reason for the war, not reluctant indispensable participants.

That's certainly an opinion. Not necessarily based on fact, but an opinion, nonetheless.

 

[oldpink]

That's certainly an opinion. Not necessarily based on fact, but an opinion, nonetheless.

Of all the opinions in the world, Jludo's is one of them.

 

[GIJEW]

Army rejects appeal from soldier discharged after confronting accused Afghan rapist | Fox News

Army plans to kick out decorated Green Beret for beating up "ally" Afghan child rapist

WTF is the matter with the brass that they can't keep their eye on the ball? Do they really think that "winning hearts and minds" can work as long as the afghan troops we helped put in place, kidnap and rape the locals kids and we look the other way--just as long as we give them stuff like generators? Some different people need to be court-martialed!

 

[IndyDave1776]

WTF is the matter with the brass that they can't keep their eye on the ball? Do they really think that "winning hearts and minds" can work as long as the afghan troops we helped put in place, kidnap and rape the locals kids and we look the other way--just as long as we give them stuff like generators? Some different people need to be court-martialed!

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to GIJEW again.

.

 

[AA&E]

Crucifixion? If it was good enough for Jesus Christ... of wait.. never mind

Smart ass comments aside, yeah that is pretty damn barbaric and has no place in a civilized world.

 

[AA&E]

The oil is insignificant where the US is concerned. The amounts we get from the middle east are minuscule. Most of their oil goes other places. We get the majority of our foreign oil from Mexico and Canada. The oil we're protecting in the ME is other peoples oil. He's refusing to accept the fact that republicans are just as deep in bed with the Saudi's as any democrat.

You understand the influence of market availability? Just because WE don't get our oil from them doesn't mean it wouldn't impact the global market. If all of a sudden the people that buy middle eastern oil were forced to buy oil somewhere else, the available oil immediately becomes a higher demand commodity and because of that the price skyrockets.

 

[Jludo]

That's certainly an opinion. Not necessarily based on fact, but an opinion, nonetheless.

After you rule out al Qaeda, WMDs or the liberation of an oppressed people's not a lot of reason to go to war remain. War is a racket, it always has been.

 

[1775usmarine]

After you rule out al Qaeda, WMDs or the liberation of an oppressed people's not a lot of reason to go to war remain. War is a racket, it always has been.

How do you expect to fight a war if it weren't for companies making the things we need and use that save our lives and kill the enemy in an efficient and speedy way.

 

[mrjarrell]

How do you expect to fight a war if it weren't for companies making the things we need and use that save our lives and kill the enemy in an efficient and speedy way.

So, what did Halliburton make that we needed for the war effort? Hmm?

 

[Blackhawk2001]

.

Got 'im.

 

[Blackhawk2001]

After you rule out al Qaeda, WMDs or the liberation of an oppressed people's not a lot of reason to go to war remain. War is a racket, it always has been.

Since our stated reasons for going to war were all of those you mentioned, why would you want to "rule them out?" Your assertion that "(w)ar is a racket, it always has been" is no more true than if you meant to say that we didn't go to war against al Qaeda, or that there weren't WMDs in Iraq, or that our aim wasn't to free an oppressed people.

You may have some evidence other than your opinion that recent wars have been fomented for the benefit of the arms industry, but I'm pretty sure the Russians and British didn't see it that way in WWII. Going further back, the Civil War wasn't fought to benefit the armaments industries - I'm pretty sure the Confederacy would have agreed with me here. And going further back, wars were generally fought for territory, treasure, or societal expansion - NOT to benefit the arms merchants of the day. Frankly, though, I think you've succumbed to a convenient fiction fomented by anti-capitalists with a specific axe to grind.