The United States(!) of A
The arrogance of American exceptionalism supercharged by the greed of capitalism.
Throw in the power of neoliberalism to influence policy.
Damn them Yanks and their military might and their cursed realpolitik!
Would that I had lived in a time of Hohernzollen expansionistic authoritarianistic exceptionalism. Or Hitlerist völkisch fascistic exceptionalism. Or Japanese militaristic totalitarianistic exceptionalism. Or Stalinsit communistic autocratic exceptionalism. Or why not CCP commo-fascisto exceptionalsim?
Damn those Americans. Damn them to hell!
Question - was Trump the only US president not to start a war ? Reuters Fact Check answer .
"The claim has been explored by USA Today (here) who also found Trump was not alone in not bringing the country into new wars, and Newsweek, who found he was the first since Carter not to enter U.S. troops into new conflict (here)."
So a peanut farmer and a peanut brain are the most non aggressive POSUS .
@Roker, my initial question was since Vietnam but carry on ....
As Roker strokes his false dichotomy.
GuySmiley wrote:@Roker, my initial question was since Vietnam but carry on ....
Oh stop nit picking.
GreenJam wrote:sort of related to the 'proxy wars' Andy M - I'm looking forward to digging into a book I picked up the other day. 'Surprise, Kill, Vanish - the definitive history of secret CIA assassins, armies and operators'.
cannot recall exactly how, but I remember discovering it through a random search related to following up some discussions on a swellnet thread, maybe this one? Or maybe someone here recommended it?
If like me you’ve got a pathetic attention span and your eyes glaze over after about a page of reading non-fiction, The Cartel Trilogy by Don Winslow, a multi-perspective fictional rendering of The War on Drugs, is a good pulpy read.
Starts off with US agents in Latin America, in the aftermath of the war in Vietnam - DEA, CIA and other dodgy characters. They give carte blanche to certain Cartels in countries with viable left wing parties – providing they funnel some of their profits and provide manpower to right wing parties. At the same time they are prosecuting Nixon’s war on drugs.
The main character, who we follow down the decades, embodies these contradictions and plenty more.
Don’t suppose Winslow is Hemingway or Fitzgerald (whatever that means) but he has his moments. Particularly affecting is his depiction of the brutal reality faced by ordinary Mexican people trying to live day to day in areas where the cartel rules.
Every day another piece of news shows that the current leadership in the US have NFI . The US was offered the control of Kabul but said no .
From the Washington Post .
In the void, law and order began to break down, with reports of armed gangs moving through the streets.
In a hastily arranged in-person meeting, senior U.S. military leaders in Doha — including McKenzie, the commander of U.S. Central Command — spoke with Abdul Ghani Baradar, head of the Taliban’s political wing.
“We have a problem,” Baradar said, according to the U.S. official. “We have two options to deal with it: You [the United States military] take responsibility for securing Kabul or you have to allow us to do it.”
Throughout the day, Biden had remained resolute in his decision to withdraw all American troops from Afghanistan. The collapse of the Afghan government hadn’t changed his mind.
McKenzie, aware of those orders, told Baradar that the U.S. mission was only to evacuate American citizens, Afghan allies and others at risk. The United States, he told Baradar, needed the airport to do that.
On the spot, an understanding was reached, according to two other U.S. officials: The United States could have the airport until Aug. 31. But the Taliban would control the city.
just came across how Afghanistan was "hollowed out " in that the USA's presence was all about the $'s , control , minerals etc...the Afghans never had a chance under the very corrupt system that was built for them... https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/aug/30/afghanistan-us-cor...
The corruption in the name of Democracy is just the way of the West , as can be seen with the distribution of Covid vaccines , and the commercial corruption in taking over a country !
Brutus . I read the article . The Age and the Guardian are not always ( ha ha ) correct .
The $US trillion in minerals is a guess . Even if proved what company in their right mind would go in there and do the 10+ years of work to build a project that will take another 10 years to pay back the investment .
I know you will say a Chinese company but even they are not that dumb . They do think long term but it would be much easier to invade Australia .
You say this -
"The corruption in the name of Democracy is just the way of the West , as can be seen with the distribution of Covid vaccines , and the commercial corruption in taking over a country !"
And then you say the Chinese are pulling the strings of the Taliban . You might like to know that China is Not a Democracy .
No two democracies have EVER gone to war against each other . Even you must think that is good .
Churchill said democracy was a poor form of government , Then said it is far better that ALL the other types that have been tried .
The $1 trillion in perhaps minerals ( chromite is not that hard to find ) might as well be on the Moon .
Hutchy 19 wrote:Brutus . I read the article . The Age and the Guardian are not always ( ha ha ) correct .
The $US trillion in minerals is a guess . Even if proved what company in their right mind would go in there and do the 10+ years of work to build a project that will take another 10 years to pay back the investment .
I know you will say a Chinese company but even they are not that dumb . They do think long term but it would be much easier to invade Australia .
You say this -
"The corruption in the name of Democracy is just the way of the West , as can be seen with the distribution of Covid vaccines , and the commercial corruption in taking over a country !"
And then you say the Chinese are pulling the strings of the Taliban . You might like to know that China is Not a Democracy .
No two democracies have EVER gone to war against each other . Even you must think that is good .
Churchill said democracy was a poor form of government , Then said it is far better that ALL the other types that have been tried .
The $1 trillion in perhaps minerals ( chromite is not that hard to find ) might as well be on the Moon .
Hutchy , please do not answer my posts , as I do not read yours ...we had an agreement...!!
Bullshit Brutus - We had no agreement . I have asked you to post it numerous times and you have not done this . You have either imagined it or are lying . As I have said if you post it and I am wrong I will humbly apologise !!!!!!!!!
I offered you and etarip an agreement in the last few days which you did NOT accept . The offer is now withdrawn ! I can't rely on you .
Hutchy you sounded like Dirty Harry just then.
Actually, maybe you're more of a righteous dude than everybody gives you credit for.
Hutchy 19 wrote:Bullshit Brutus - We had no agreement . I have asked you to post it numerous times and you have not done this . You have either imagined it or are lying . As I have said if you post it and I am wrong I will humbly apologise !!!!!!!!!
I offered you and etarip an agreement in the last few days which you did NOT accept . The offer is now withdrawn ! I can't rely on you .
Hutchy, you don't want to rely on me so your offer is now withdrawn ......perfect !
So lets try again....Please do not comment on my posts and I won't comment on yours.....as way of explanation.......you are being a bit of a pest here on SN......I get the feeling you are locked up home alone and no-one to talk to......hope everything works out for you but please respect my wishes!
Sorry Brutus . As I said we never had an agreement and we still do not .
The best I can suggest is that you do not read my posts . That way you will not know that I am replying to yours .
I do not want to seem as though I am being unfair .
Brutus , when you show me that we had a deal , as you have repeatedly claimed . I will give you a grovelling apology and will Never respond to ANY of your posts in the future .
Come on hutch. Brutus is being extremely respectful. A little back would be fair.
Just saw your post , I would advise you to stay out of it BD . You are not welcome ! This is between Brutus and me .
After thinking about it I will say the following . Brutus , I respect what you do . You are without doubt an artist . I am not aware of what you have endured in your life .
I am willing to not comment on your posts that do not cause personal offence . Will try and let as many comments go through the keeper eg your displeasure with Capitalism . Below is a comment of yours that I will respond to always .
"not even close , this is a really toxic subject ....but to say kids were taken off their parents because they has abusive parents is just not true ....there was a planned genocide of culture , in trying to make black kids white......I have way too many first hand stories of the abuse that occurred , the results of separation from culture and family , the abuse on the missions etc......as Indo says " he stays away from the stolen generation issue as it's complex."
When shown evidence that multiple court cases decided that genocide did NOT happen you abused the judiciary and a WA magistrate . Accusing past Australians of genocide causes me offence .
If you are able to be this Brutus " Brutus is being extremely respectful " I do not think I will have to respond to your posts .
Pfft stay out of nothing. You continually post shit about me to which I can't b bothered responding to because its obvious there's something going on with u. So suck it up you cry baby. Get a new hobby orher than personal attacks on strangers on a surf forum.
Righto, behind the bike shed after school.
BD . Your comment below .
"Another one for you @hutchy19.
This is one for you and anyone reading this to consider and try stepping out of our 'white Australian mentality' and understand there is another culture that has existed, that thrived, and that owns this land. They were here before us, and they're still here! Fundamentally, the whole point of me starting this thread."
What would you say if I replaced White with Black and said the same ?
I wish you did what you say .
"You continually post shit about me to which I can't b bothered responding "
I WILL try and do what I said above . That does not apply to you .
I'm either super thick and don't understand that post....or i don't understand it.
FFS hutchy . I really don't want to,, but ,,, I have to say this...
Ease the fuck up mate. It's getting a bit tiring scrolling through your never ending borish remarks on everything from A to Z .
I always enjoy a different perspective on things , and often yours Hutchy,, but this incendiary vitriol you display towards anyone you deem as an antagonist is beyond belief , not to mention the carpet bombing of threads ..
You can articulate yourself fairly intelligently , and it seems a shame to see you spoil it with these silly defensive tit for tat games.
Take the day off. Breathe , get some sun.
.
Stuff like Blackhawks? You *could* bomb the shit out of them (and most likely kill a bunch of non-combatants) or you could just not sell them the parts to maintain them and have them grounded within months… they’re not Hiluxes.
There’s a smart way to do it.
And then there’s the other way.
This is boring AF, but it there’s plenty of detail on the maintenance schedules and costs of sustaining a Blackhawk fleet.
https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;db=CHAMB...
not sure if this has been posted before but here it is again...maybe
In from a mate in the US,
this list cannot be true what a bunch of idiots
Here is a more complete list of US-supplied and left behind equipment list now controlled by Taliban:
-2,000 Armoured Vehicles Including Humvees and MRAP’s
-75,989 Total Vehicles: FMTV, M35, Ford Rangers, Ford F350, Ford Vans, Toyota Pickups, Armored Security Vehicles etc
-45 UH-60 Blackhawk Helicopters
-50 MD530G Scout Attack Choppers
-ScanEagle Military Drones
-30 Military Version Cessna’s
-4 C-130’s
-29 Brazilian made A-29 Super Tucano Ground Attack Aircraft
=208+ Aircraft Total!!
-At least 600,000+ Small arms M16, M249 SAWs, M24 Sniper Systems, 50 Calibre, 1,394 M203 Grenade Launchers, M134 Mini Gun, 20mm Gatling Guns and Ammunition
-61,000 M203 Rounds
-20,040 Grenades
-Howitzers
-Mortars +1,000’s of Rounds
-162,000 pieces of Encrypted Military Communications Gear
-16,000+ Night Vision Goggles
-Newest Technology Night Vision Scopes
-Thermal Scopes and Thermal Mono Googles
-10,000 2.75 inch Air to Ground Rockets
-Reconnaissance Equipment (ISR)
-Laser Aiming Units
-Explosives Ordnance C-4, Semtex, Detonators, Shaped Charges, Thermite, Incendiaries, AP/API/APIT
-2,520 Bombs
-Administration Encrypted Cell Phones and Laptops ALL operational
-Pallets with Millions of Dollars in US Currency
-Millions of Rounds of Ammunition including but not limited to 20,150,600 rounds of 7.62mm, 9,000,000 rounds of 50.caliber
-Large Stockpile of Plate Carriers and Body Armor
-US Military HIIDE, for Handheld Interagency Identity Detection Equipment Biometrics
-Lots of Heavy Equipment Including Bull Dozers, Backhoes, Dump Trucks, Excavators
So they can afford to leave all the military shit, they can afford to bomb the shit out of all of it, but ask for universal healthcare at home and the political class lose their shit.
It’s a lot of stuff simba. That’s the amount of stuff that has been supplied to the Afghans over the past 20 years. Mostly trucked in, overland, via Pakistan. Most of that stuff is, in military terms, expendable. Biometrics equipment sounds bad, but the collection equipment is worthless without the database. Encrypted communications sounds bad, but is worthless without updated software.
Now assuming that you want to get it all out, and some of is being supposedly still being used by your partners, how do you a. Pull it all together and b. Get it all out?
I’m pretty sure there would have been a prioritised list of ‘stuff’ to get out. The rapid collapse of the Afghan military and the backroom deals being done by Afghan politicians and powerbrokers accelerated the pace the US needed to leave.
What it highlights to me is that the US (and their allies - including us) built a shitty facsimile of themselves and a western operational model rather than a military that was optimised for fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan. Equipment is eye-catching, but it’s useless if it’s incompatible with the operational system. But billions of dollars were spent to prop up a useless government. That the US sold out by dealing directly with the Taliban. There the failures that are bigger scandals.
Spot on udo. Whole system was corrupted from the start. Afghan institutions lacked the protections, provisions and maturity to adequately employ this technology.
[quote=Hutchy 1 Just saw your post , I would advise you to stay out of it BD . You are not welcome ! This is between Brutus and me .
After thinking about it I will say the following . Brutus , I respect what you do . You are without doubt an artist . I am not aware of what you have endured in your life .
Hutchy last post to you....there is nothing between "us"...I find a lot of by what you say as disrespectful , so I choose to ignore you , as I am yet to see any real contribution from you , you are trying to troll me ,,,,as you are new to forums , you seem lost and don't really know how to communicate with people .
Hopefully you will learn ...so the best for me is to just ignore you !
Brutus - not meaning to troll you . I will not comment on your posts as I have said . Always hoping to learn .
Tubeshooter said "FFS hutchy . I really don't want to,, but ,,, I have to say this...
Ease the fuck up mate. It's getting a bit tiring scrolling through your never ending borish remarks on everything from A to Z .
I always enjoy a different perspective on things , and often yours Hutchy,, but this incendiary vitriol you display towards anyone you deem as an antagonist is beyond belief , not to mention the carpet bombing of threads ..
You can articulate yourself fairly intelligently , and it seems a shame to see you spoil it with these silly defensive tit for tat games."
I've been watching this from afar, and you are spot on. I don't think this Hutchy gronk has ever interacted with people on a message board, and has come in like a bull in a china shop with constant shit takes and a combative attitude. It's no wonder that most people I know won't come near this message board while fuckwits like Hutchy faff it up with shit. Fucken sad cunt he is. You listening Hutchy. Fuck. Right. Off.
"no wonder that most people I know won't come near this message board while fuckwits like Hutchy faff it up with shit. "
I am reading . Yes new to social media . Only been here a few weeks so I don't think I am the reason that the people you know don't like this site . Who is it that faff the shit then ?
I have received a LOT more abuse than dished out . Admit my combative nature is not suited to this
forum . I will learn but will not FO , your abuse Hic does not bother me . A few weeks on this site and I am used to it .
Hutchy- Why don’t you try and disarm things a bit and tell us a bit about your surfing life. Regale us with a good memory. Surfing is the common ground, cobber.
Blowin wrote:Hutchy- Why don’t you try and disarm things a bit and tell us a bit about your surfing life. Regale us with a good memory. Surfing is the common ground, cobber.
I think we'd all be interested in that blowin', well sorta.
Interesting that ol' Hutchy 19 (great name for a bot by the way) turned up here on July 22 in the Basque story and has been a supply of consistent quasi intellectual dribble since arrival. And for the life of me I can't understand how someone can so comprehensively put spaces between ALL punctuation, highlight words with capitals, and yet have spelling and grammatical errors often. But let me guess, he's 'new to social media'.
IF you want to get a true picture of where Hutchy has come from, just check out his maiden interactions on this thread.
https://www.swellnet.com/news/surfpolitik/2021/07/22/basque-wavegarden-p...
Thanks Westofthelake .
I would also encourage everyone to have a look at this thread . It shows clearly the abuse I received from the get go .
People saying be nice and them calling me a c..t and telling me to F..k Off . That's why others do not want to view Swellnet and why there are no women on the site .
Sorry I posted this on the wrong thread .
Do you take marks off for that as well Westy ?
I will give it a go .
When we were 15 , three of us ( still best friends) camped at New Brighton near the soccer field in the May holidays , The year before we did the same and made a tent from clear plastic and masting tape . The first night we had 10 inches of rain .
So we decided to be prepared and asked the scout troop in Mullum to borrow one of theirs . It was big ( 8 by 4 meters ) and had a fly . We had real beds and all the other luxuries .
Of course it did not rain . Perfect weather for the whole week . It might have been a La Nina as we had perfect 4-6 ft waves the whole week and off shores all day . Unreal !
We did the same the next year expecting the same . Of course the weather and surf was crappy the whole week .
Are the Taliban sponsored by Toyota and the the US MIC?
Yeah westy, your 10.33 point about the “newby”, I was also onto that bullshit from the start and now he’s all sooking about getting it back. Karma is such a bitch.
Smiley - wrong again . You do make a habit of doing it don't you . Very happy to wear whatever comes my way . It is people like you and Westy that complain when it comes back .
You guys love to dish it out but can't take it . Weak as ....
Maybe is was my view on Climate Change that pissed you ( and so many others ) off ?
On the climate change blog I have already pointed out that the survey that came up with 97% of scientists agreeing with man made climate change was deeply flawed . Even Stu admitted it was controversial ( my word ) . I do believe the climate changes ( who doesn't ) and that temps are rising .
Just don't believe that plant food ( CO2 @ 400 p/m ) is the cause .
Nah, as the joke goes if it smells like it, looks like it and feels like it there is a good chance it’s dog shit and your post across multiple forums is doggie do of the highest order ...
"Even Stu admitted it was controversial".
no he didn't.
Bozo - you forgot to include that I said that " controversial " was my word .
I have cut and copied Stu's words with a section from Forbes re Cook's paper . All in order .
Re the Cook paper that 97% of scientists say man is causing global warming .
"It's been bounced back and forth extensively ." Stu
Forbes article .
"Where did most of the 97 percent come from, then? Cook had created a category called “explicit endorsement without quantification”—that is, papers in which the author, by Cook’s admission, did not say whether 1 percent or 50 percent or 100 percent of the warming was caused by man. He had also created a category called “implicit endorsement,” for papers that imply (but don’t say) that there is some man-made global warming and don’t quantify it. In other words, he created two categories that he labelled as endorsing a view that they most certainly didn’t.
The 97 percent claim is a deliberate misrepresentation designed to intimidate the public—and numerous scientists whose papers were classified by Cook protested:
“Cook survey included 10 of my 122 eligible papers. 5/10 were rated incorrectly. 4/5 were rated as endorse rather than neutral.”
"Maybe so. In fact I mentioned it'd been batted back and forth for a long while and people have cherry picked various parts of the argument ..." Stu.
haha. ok
WTF?
Asked about a surf story to bond you to the tribe and we get an insipid tale about the time you went to band camp? You don’t happen to have a surf tale from an event which occurred this millennium do you?
Nah….forget it.
Pool egg.
Of course it did not rain . Perfect weather for the whole week . It might have been a La Nina as we had perfect 4-6 ft waves the whole week and off shores all day . Unreal !"
I mentioned 3 separate weeks where we surfed .
Blowin , Westy and Bozo .
You all have let my " shitty " views seep way to far into your heads . I am not worried that I have caused you all to have " shit for brains " as I know that you had them before I came along .
I want Groundswell to tell another story.
The last one he told made a whole aircraft carrier of sailors blush.
Septic Tanks are going to Septic Tank