Random Thoughts (Political Edition)

The government of Kyrgyzstan has been overthrown by a "peoples movement" ... again.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8608440.stm

AiR said:
I wouldnt shoot first and ask questions later. If attacked, you shoot back. Thus keeping the moral high ground.
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So I see a man pointing a gun at me. I let him take aim and shoot me in the head. Now I'm dead; but I've got the moral high ground. Haha! That really showed him! :p
 
My first reaction to the release of the "Collateral Murder" video was disappointment. So, WikiLeaks teases us about releasing something big, that they were threatened by CIA, and that's all? A video showing soldiers killing civilians while occupying their country? Not exactly sensational, that.

Finally, I saw the video. And I must say the title is very fitting. From what I saw at one time it looked like perhaps someone could hold a long weapon, but that's vague. In any case, the firing was fairly extensive, and the attack on the van and the people med-evacing the wounded was totally uncalled for. I know soldiers are cynics, but their comments during the incident show how insensitive these guys were. It's like listening to video game players, and that's seriously wrong.
 
tigger said:
The government of Kyrgyzstan has been overthrown by a "peoples movement" ... again.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8608440.stm
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It looks insane. There's a series of photos on the New York Times opening page. http://www.nytimes.com/ Thoughts:

(1) I thought that the police were using insane amounts of force for "protesters":

kyrgystancham-custom13.jpg


(2) Until I saw what the "protesters" were carrying:

kyrgystancham-custom14.jpg


(3) In Kyrgyzstan, people sure dress dapper for a car burning!

kyrgystancham-custom18.jpg
 
AiR said:
I wouldnt shoot first and ask questions later. If attacked, you shoot back. Thus keeping the moral high ground.
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Taking the time to ask questions like "why are you pointing that RPG at me" or "why do you all have rifles in an area where my friends are being shot at" usually results in you or people you're supposed to be protecting dying. But hey, you've got the moral high ground, right?
 
Mitlov said:
It looks insane.
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Things got out of hand really fast. Over a hundred dead in the capitol (depends on who is giving the estimate, I suppose), a few times that injured and things are just heating up. It doesn't sound like many high-ranking politicians have even stuck around. I've only read a little on the Tulip Revolution of '05, but this sounds like the exact same movement, the same eruption of popular discontent, all over again.

DanRoM said:
I know soldiers are cynics, but their comments during the incident show how insensitive these guys were. It's like listening to video game players, and that's seriously wrong.
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You've got to consider that this is what this guy does for a living (at least for a year at a time, every few years). He looks through that scope and shoots people. I've got several friends who went to Afghanistan and to Iraq; all of them have been in combat and none of them are nearly cynical enough to do a job like that. It takes someone especially cold, even as far as soldiers go, to do a job like that.

SpitfireMK461 said:
^ If you're gonna do something, you might as well be classy about it.
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:lmao: My grandpa used to say basically the same thing and that older guy is dressed almost like he always was. Fuck, I'm going to email that to my mom and ask her if her dad had any cousins in Kyrgyzstan.
 
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Mitlov said:
It looks insane. There's a series of photos on the New York Times opening page. http://www.nytimes.com/ Thoughts:

(1) I thought that the police were using insane amounts of force for "protesters":

kyrgystancham-custom13.jpg


(2) Until I saw what the "protesters" were carrying:

kyrgystancham-custom14.jpg


(3) In Kyrgyzstan, people sure dress dapper for a car burning!

kyrgystancham-custom18.jpg
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That last picture has inappropriately funny caption written all over it.
 
Hmhh LAW rocket launcher and a riot shield don't think I have ever seen that combo before.


Oh and not to change focus but if I don't post this now I will forget about it. Just heard it on the way home on NPR.


http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2010/04/fox_news_gives_obama_mushroom.html

Fox News Gives Obama Mushroom Cloud Treatment

8:36 pm

April 7, 2010


By Frank James

Warnings of nuclear mushroom clouds haven't really been much in vogue since before the start of the Iraq War in 2003.

Back then, senior members of the Bush Administration used the imagery to warn of what could happen to the U.S. or its allies if Saddam Hussein weren't dealt with.

Of course, one of the most famous uses of the apocalyptic imagery was used not by conservatives but Democratic President Lyndon B. Johnson in his 1964 presidential campaign, the famously controversial "Daisy" TV ad that was widely considered so over-the-top it was only shown once.

Wednesday brought a jolting reminder of those prior nuclear alarms, however, in the form of a Fox News Channel segment. .

As NPR's David Folkenflik reported for the network's newscast:

DAVID: Megyn Kelly is a rising star at Fox News. She's a former attorney turned news anchor. Here's how, earlier today, she promoted her network's coverage of President Obama's trip to Prague to sign a new pact with Russia to reduce nuclear weapons.

FOX/KELLY: Now critics are asking: Will the new deal leave the U.S. defenseless until it's too late. Coming up next hour. (sound of bomb going off.)

DAVID: And yes, that's right, - her words were followed by archival footage of what appeared to be an atomic mushroom cloud.

Fox News has long made a point of saying the conservative tone of its commentary shows does not set the agenda for its news coverage. But liberal critics and some journalistic observers say the channel's conservatism shows in coverage tilted against President Obama. This episode is likely to provide more fodder.

Kelly and network officials were not available for comment.
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Come on seriously???

I mean I guess just the obviously biased and factually incorrect lead in isn't enough for Fox anymore.

Yes because this treaty is going to get rid of all our nukes. Pro-Tip it is not.

series of articles on the new START treaty here...

http://thecable.foreignpolicy.com/p...blicans_support_the_new_us_russia_nuke_treaty

http://thecable.foreignpolicy.com/p...issile_defense_workaround_for_new_nuke_treaty


Also its not like we won't still have the largest and most powerful conventional military in the world and the only country with stealth capabilities and real aircraft carriers.
 
Also its not like we won't still have the largest and most powerful conventional military in the world and the only country with stealth capabilities and real aircraft carriers.
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Nuclear weapons and conventional weapons are two totally different things. One can wipe a city out in an instant, the other can not. We should really be investing in our current arsenal, modernize all current warheads and delivery platforms, fully fund modern replacements for current devices, ensure that all required knowledge is retained, lift ban on above ground testing, etc. Look, as a student of history I can tell you that when the detonation of the first nuclear weapon occurred there was a split in history. There was the time before and the time after. The time before was filled with wars between the most powerful countries on the planet. These wars were common and generally occurred because one side believed that they could live with the risks. There were so common in fact that many have been forgotten. Once nuclear weapons made their appearance this type of activity stopped. No wars between the great powers as had occurred many times in the past. Sure there were proxy actions and the like but nothing like the gigantic wars of the past. Getting rid of nuclear weapons, neglecting our current stockpile, and reducing the number of warheads is a mistake.
 
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Wait I am sorry did you say remove the above ground testing ban? Holy fuck you did. I can't even remember the last time anyone ever advocated that. You don't even understand half thr things you write do you?
 
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British_Rover said:
Wait I am sorry did you say remove the above ground testing ban? Holy fuck you did. I can't even remember the last time anyone ever advocated that. You don't even understand half thr things you right do you?
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Computer simulation can only get you so far. To design new warheads actual testing is required. To ensure that current stockpiles are viable testing is required.
 
2Billion said:
He'd look so badass if it wasn't for the fanny pack.
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Pretty good chance that fanny pack has extra clips for the sidearm he is carrying in his right jacket pocket.

Fanny packs are a great place to conceal handguns too. The secret service
has something called thr FAG(fast action gun) bag that looks kind of like a fanny pack.

Galcomainview.jpg
 
Both Russia and the United States have bases in Kyrgyzstan. Hopefully neither is attacked. The U.S. base is essential to operations in Afghanistan and the Russians would use an attack on their base as an excuse to invade. They are still pissed that Kyrgyzstan did not kick the U.S. out even after they promised Kyrgyzstan billions to do so. (The U.S. came to a deal to remain at the base for a price of $60 million).
 
Dogbert said:
Taking the time to ask questions like "why are you pointing that RPG at me" or "why do you all have rifles in an area where my friends are being shot at" usually results in you or people you're supposed to be protecting dying. But hey, you've got the moral high ground, right?
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It's Iraq. In 2007. Everyone has a rifle. And as you can clearly see, your people shoots at people even when they don't have any, like the case with the van. But who cares, it's just a few arabs anyway, right?

tigger said:
So I see a man pointing a gun at me. I let him take aim and shoot me in the head. Now I'm dead; but I've got the moral high ground. Haha! That really showed him! :p
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Don't be silly, self defense is one thing, shooting people at random is another.

Moving on, from my moral vantage point I've spotted a bit of news.
Central Court Gives American to 8 Years Hard Labor
Pyongyang, April 7 (KCNA)
-- A trial of Aijalon Mahli Gomes, male U.S. citizen, was held at a court of justice of the Central Court of the DPRK on Tuesday.

An examination was made of the hostile act committed against the Korean nation and the trespassing on the border of the DPRK against which an indictment was brought in and his guilt was confirmed according to the relevant articles of the criminal code of the DPRK at the trial. On this basis, the court sentenced him to eight years of hard labor and a fine of 70 million won.

The accused admitted all the facts which had been put under accusation.

The presence of representatives of the Swedish embassy here to witness the trial was allowed as an exception at the request of the Swedish side protecting the U.S. interests.
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Someone call Clinton. Altough there's not much he can do this time, as this fella just waltzed in on his own. As they say,

10rl75u.jpg
 
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Not only are we going to Ysyk-Ata, Kurmanbek Bakiyev, we're going to Tokmok and Sokuluk and Panfilov and Kemin and Chuy, and we're going to Tong and Tup and Issyk Kul ... And we're going to Toguz-Toro and Suzak and Jumgal and Naryn, and then we're going to Bishkek, to take back the White House! Yeah!!!
 
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