War is peace

[Morrigoon]

I didn't imply they weren't educated. What I'm getting at is really that if their countries weren't in that bad a shape, they wouldn't have reason for resentment to grow.

As far as education, I heard an interesting point from someone at a Mensa gathering that I (of course) had no idea about. Apparently (and feel free to confirm or refute this claim) the mere act of learning another language is enough to make the educated middle easterner become "isolated" and "different" from his peers. The reasoning behind this is that apparently the language (I assume he meant arabic?) has no past tense. Everything that ever happened in the past happened "now" in a sense, in the way it's spoken in the language. (This would also explain why they're mad at *us* for Crusades that happened centuries ago). So when someone learns other languages, they have to learn to separate the past from the present in their minds, which makes them different from others in the culture, identity wise. This isolation can cause unhappiness and identity crises for the educated. So they take up a cause.

Anyway, I don't know if it's true or not, but if it IS true, then it's a fascinating insight into the culture. And as I said before... that little language quirk (if it exists) explains why they act like the crusades happened just yesterday.

[Ghoulish Delight]

A quick google search shows that, if your Mensa acquaintance was inded talking about Arabic, they were mistaken.

[Morrigoon]

Nephy: my bad, I realize you were only talking about what Bush is saying... but understand that what he's saying is part of the bigger picture. He's claiming to be defending freedom on one hand, while taking away our freedoms with the other.

[Nephythys]

Originally Posted by Morrigoon

Nephy: my bad, I realize you were only talking about what Bush is saying... but understand that what he's saying is part of the bigger picture. He's claiming to be defending freedom on one hand, while taking away our freedoms with the other.

What am I less free to do?

[Morrigoon]

Hmm... where to even BEGIN with this one...

For example, you are not free to go from DL's picnic area to the bathroom a mere 20 feet away without subjecting yourself and packages to a search. (I know that's not based in stuff done by the gov't, but it IS a reduction in freedom)

You are not free to go from your car to an airplane without removing your shoes.

You are not free to do your nails on an airplane as that equipment (tweezers, for crying out loud!) will be taken away from you.

You are not free to hand-carry your expensive golf clubs on the plane, but must instead subject them to all the rough treatment of such checked baggage. (there was a time when you could bring up to 3 clubs hand-carried, but I'm almost positive you can't even do that anymore)

You are not allowed to carry anything with you that MIGHT POSSIBLY be used as a weapon, regardless of your actual intent for the object.

These are small freedoms, but they're freedoms.

You do not have full freedom of speech in public places (for example, the freedom to crack a joke), if such speech might be misconstrued as a threat

Boy scouts are not free to carry their penknives, as they had previously been free to do (this technically is more due to zero-tolerance policies on school violence, but it does equate to a loss of freedoms)

[scaeagles]

When dealing with someone who is reasonable and wants a peaceful coexistance, this is a great strategy, Pan. When dealing with Islamofascist terrorists, there can be no peaceful coexistance, because they are not interested in one. They are interested in their brand of Islam being imposed on everyone, and until this is accomplished, there is no other option for them than to continue in terrorist activities.

They will not be satisfied until the State of Isreal and everyone of Jewish decent is dead. They are not interested in negotiations for occupied territories.

When dealing with someone who is reasonable, one can be reasonable. When dealing with someone who has no interest in any sort of compromise and has the death of the Jews and of western culture as their uncompromising goal, there is no way to deal with them other than by eliminating them first.

[Nephythys]

Ok- here is understanding-
They have said they want peace- but only peace under the law of Islam
Islamic law considers us infidels unless we are Muslim- and if we do not convert we are to be killed rather than tolerated.

Do you plan to convert for them?

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by Nephythys

Ok- here is understanding-
They have said they want peace- but only peace under the law of Islam
Islamic law considers us infidels unless we are Muslim- and if we do not convert we are to be killed rather than tolerated.

Do you plan to convert for them?

And that has to do with Iraq, a secularly ruled Middle Eastern country because...

[Nephythys]

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

And that has to do with Iraq, a secularly ruled Middle Eastern country because...

Iraq was not the only topic, and by no means the only place we are at war. Outside the bubble of Iraq is a much bigger issue. Radical Islam who would put many people you love up against the wall first because they are the worst of the infidels.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by Nephythys

Iraq was not the only topic, and by no means the only place we are at war. Outside the bubble of Iraq is a much bigger issue. Radical Islam who would put many people you love up against the wall first because they are the worst of the infidels.

But, as PTM just highlighted, the war in Iraq now runs completely contrary to your supposed goal of eliminating Islamic rule. It's taken a huge step backwards and has created a haven for terrorists and introduced MORE Islamic rule to the region than there was before. And yet, it was justified using the terrorism excuse. How? Well, we're back to the original point. War is peace. Once the American public latched onto that concept, justifying war was easy. And building of the same concept, that we must fight for peace, the administration actually enacted policies to covertly incite terrorism to give them an excuse to counter attack (look, murder plans in handy Power Point format!). This preemptive stuff is total crap. It runs counter to everything that we're supposedly protecting. The ends do not justify the means.