Originally posted by vistesdHere are a few examples of what I consider to be worthy of being MY enemies.
You know, Mike, I truly respect both your honesty and humor. Often, I agree with you. Even when I don’t—at least initially—your posts challenge my thinking. And that is no BS.
I have a small disagreement here, though. I don’t need my enemies dead—I just need them removed from the category of enemy. Surety is always a question there, I realize. (It s ...[text shortened]... thinking “out loud.” Probably not too clearly either. Back to my Israel/Palestine research...
Imperial Japan In Mid 1930's - Reason: Invasion of China and killing of millions of non-combatants.
Nazi Germany - Reason: Obvious.
USSR - Reason: I don't like religion. Especially those who kill innocent farmers for their land.
Viet Cong - Reason: I don't like religion. Especially those who are incompetent and corrupt and kill their own people for fun.
Pol Pot - Reason: Gee. Let me think about it.
Saddam Hussein - Reason: He murdered his way into power, started three wars and had a nasty habit of killing innocent people.
In general I would consider an "Enemy" to be any individual or group that INTENTIONALLY TARGETS AND KILLS innocent people. I hold that a nation has the obligation of furthering Liberty, Freedom and Human Rights against any person or government that INTENTIONALLY KILLS INNOCENT PEOPLE. I can accept any killing of innocent people in the lawful execution of a war IF SAID WARS GOAL IS THE PROMOTION OF DEMOCRATIC RULE upon our sad little planet.
And don't tell me that the US is killing innocent's in the current war. I am aware of that and am saddened by it. Just not enough to make me want to let the bad guys win. They MUST be defeated or I take it as a very personal affront to everything decent that every brave soldier has died fighting for for three hundred years of our history as a nation.
You are probably much more reasonable than I. I tend to be extremely linear when I determine who is a bully and who isn't. It is a long private story from my childhood; but I can no more ignore this part of my nature than I can fly by flapping my arms.
So instead, I just accept it, temper it with as much reason as I can generate and try not to lie to myself. I hate bullies. I would kill them all if I could. That isn't rational or nice or pc, but it is what has become of me. A "Bully" willfully kills innocent people.
Enjoyed your post and espcially appreciate that you do think about these things. It is painful to say the least.
Mike
Originally posted by StarValleyWyI'm probably too "reasonable" at times--can lead to paralysis of analysis. I try to work at that. You help.
Here are a few examples of what I consider to be worthy of being MY enemies.
Imperial Japan In Mid 1930's - Reason: Invasion of China and killing of millions of non-combatants.
Nazi Germany - Reason: Obvious.
USSR - Reason: I don't like religion. Especially those who kill innocent farmers for their land.
Viet Cong - Reason: I don't like reli ...[text shortened]... reciate that you do think about these things. It is painful to say the least.
Mike
forget me not
She forewarned me, my lovely bride...
Her white dress.. now splattered with red..
Arrogance betrayed the sign..
My damn pride!!
That day.. my heart turned to stale bread..
Her last breath united with mine..
Oh my dear how I wish I've abide..
Hand in hand we should have fled..
By the Northern Sea, now alone like you Tyne..!
Heavy with sorrow in miles I hide
Ran away and left you for dead..
Darling one, I never forgot your shine..
For you I've toiled, for you I've plied..
Death now I no longer dread..
Through the darkness I've found the line..
And kept my promise my love, I never lied..
From West of Damascus, all the way to the Med..
In the Holy Lands, am building you a shrine..
I still dream of that night you were by my side..
Your final whisper.. cold while you bled;
"Forget me not, for I am your Palestine."
Originally posted by nomindI think you misunderstood my quote, I am not claiming that either side is perfect. I was actually referring to the attacks on children housed in the British Consul buildings by Palestinian rioters. You rightly pointed out that the Palestinians have had more casualties than Israel, but I would not call the Palestinians the "innocent" side, bombing buses, training children as young as two in military tactics, and throwing stones at Israelis, doesn't sound very innocent to me. On the question of the media, I would say that they have a bias to the Palestinian side if anything (at least the BBC) which is quite evident from the slant they put on every story and the scant coverage of the many instances of violence initiated by the Palestinians.
the jail incident is just one incident in a continuous string of retalliatory violence back and forth. it makes no more sense to say that the jail incident is the norm than it does to say that israeli soldiers killing palestinian children in the streets is the norm. i seem to hear about many more innocent palestinians getting killed through israeli air str ...[text shortened]... sed to liken the japanese to insects in ww2 and pretend we were rooting out an infestation.
I am aware that the jail incident is not a pattern, but it is the most current example and it is relevant, it also bears a lot of semblance to many cases of violence in the region.
Originally posted by RedmikeYou've been listening to too much BBC and even more to your own hatred of Israel. Before accusing me of ignorance of Middle Eastern politics, you should acquire at least the basic knowledge yourself.
Or, alternatively:
The israeli's make accusations against a leading Palestinian politician. They asked the Palestinians to hand hinm over. The Palestinians ask for some evidence (the norm when dealing with an extradition request). The israelis provide none, but instead surround the president's headquarters with tanks and shoot his staff.
As a compromis ...[text shortened]... t their man'.
Your knowledge of midle east poitics is on a par with your irish geography.
Originally posted by princeoforangei agree that bbc has a somewhat pro-palestinian bias, though no mainstream american media that i've seen does. it is also hard to gauge exactly what the statistics mean in such a situation, as the difference between civilian and combatant is very blurry. nonetheless, israel's extra-judicial killings, airstrikes on refuge camps, demolitions of the houses of family members of militants, and isolation and confinement of the palestinians should be seen as a state inflicting this treatment on a specific racial group within that state. is all of this in retalliation for suicide bombers, or are suicide bombers retaliating for all of the above? imagine living in a stiuation where everyone you know has family or friends that have been killed by the israeli military.
I think you misunderstood my quote, I am not claiming that either side is perfect. I was actually referring to the attacks on children housed in the British Consul buildings by Palestinian rioters. You rightly pointed out that the Palestinians have had more casualties than Israel, but I would not call the Palestinians the "innocent" side, bombing bu ...[text shortened]... and it is relevant, it also bears a lot of semblance to many cases of violence in the region.
Originally posted by princeoforangeYou know, the BBC does have a rather decent timeline of the historical events in the conflict. From the questionable formation of Israel to the beginning of the Intifada 40 years later.
You've been listening to too much BBC and even more to your own hatred of Israel. Before accusing me of ignorance of Middle Eastern politics, you should acquire at least the basic knowledge yourself.
I don't see american new agencies giving us both sides of the story as frequently as the BBC. While every news channel will have some bias either way, BBC is the better choice.
At least they try...
Originally posted by princeoforangeWhat would you, oh wise master of all (as demonstrated by your knowledagble posts), recommend as an alternative to the puny BBC?
You've been listening to too much BBC and even more to your own hatred of Israel. Before accusing me of ignorance of Middle Eastern politics, you should acquire at least the basic knowledge yourself.
Originally posted by RedmikeUnfortunately there is no real alternative here in Britain (ITV news and Sky news aren't up to much) but I think that there aught to be a serious broadcasting corporation to rival the BBC and most importantly one that does not have quite such a left wing bias.
What would you, oh wise master of all (as demonstrated by your knowledagble posts), recommend as an alternative to the puny BBC?
Originally posted by princeoforangePleeease.....
Unfortunately there is no real alternative here in Britain (ITV news and Sky news aren't up to much) but I think that there aught to be a serious broadcasting corporation to rival the BBC and most importantly one that does not have quite such a left wing bias.
Why is that everyone on the far right thinks the BBC is a left wing organisation and everyone the left thinks the opposite.
Doesn't that tell you something?