Random Politics & Religion #00

If we hadn't used them in the way we did, someone else would have used them in a manner that is unpredictable. It's pretty hard to imagine a better track record than "one and done".

Cue the Fallout 3 Fatman gun !

Half Life 3 confirmed

Obama's hair is very gray...Half Life 3 confirmed !

If it's even real, it would be Half Life 2, episode 3. They left it at a cliffhanger. Need to finish the story. It's been what, 10 years now?

If it's even real, it would be Half Life 2, episode 3. They left it at a cliffhanger. Need to finish the story. It's been what, 10 years now?

It's just apart of evolution.

One typo, totally changes your meaning!

Both kinda work.

Revolution into evolution.

Well, it's not hard to imagine at all. "Never used because never needed."

That said, that's also an unrealistic and idealist situation.

Which is sort of the issue, isn't it? I can't imagine -- knowing what we know in the 21st century -- anyone wanting to use the *** things at all.

But surely there are whackos out there with nothing to lose by doing so who would love to get their hands on them.

So the questions concerning Iran are multi-factoral. Do they have ill intent? Are they easily swayed by, infested by, or victimized by a country or group that has ill intent? Do we have the right to tell them they can't develop something we already have?

Look, the bottom line is that no, I don't want them having them. But that's based on my feelings. Which you and others repeatedly decry. I don't trust us with them, let alone anyone else, so the fewer countries that have them the better.

From a selfish point of view and wanting to keep living, I resist this thought.

But I mean, once I'm gone? By all means.

I don't get how you don't see the avoidance of millions more casualties (let alone American casualties) involved in a mainland japan invasion as a upside to our usage of them.

India & Pakistan are the real nuclear threat. all this talk about Iran is silly.

What if China starts imposing sanctions on us to get us to do something would you expect us to just give in?

Sanctions only work if you have the economic power to do so.

Why else do you think Russia laughed at the US for their "sanctions"?

It's a hypothetical.

If the cries of ‘Je suis Charlie’ were sincere, the western world would be convulsed with worry and anger about the Wallström affair. It has all the ingredients for a clash-of-civilisations confrontation.

A few weeks ago Margot Wallström, the Swedish foreign minister, denounced the subjugation of women in Saudi Arabia. As the theocratic kingdom prevents women from travelling, conducting official business or marrying without the permission of male guardians, and as girls can be forced into child marriages where they are effectively raped by old men, she was telling no more than the truth. Wallström went on to condemn the Saudi courts for ordering that Raif Badawi receive ten years in prison and 1,000 lashes for setting up a website that championed secularism and free speech. These were ‘mediaeval methods’, she said, and a ‘cruel attempt to silence modern forms of expression’. And once again, who can argue with that?

The backlash followed the pattern set by Rushdie, the Danish cartoons and Hebdo. Saudi Arabia withdrew its ambassador and stopped issuing visas to Swedish businessmen. The United Arab Emirates joined it. The Organisation of Islamic Co-operation, which represents 56 Muslim-majority states, accused Sweden of failing to respect the world’s ‘rich and varied ethical standards’ — standards so rich and varied, apparently, they include the flogging of bloggers and encouragement of paedophiles. Meanwhile, the Gulf Co-operation Council condemned her ‘unaccept-able interference in the internal affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’, and I wouldn’t bet against anti-Swedish riots following soon.

*sniffs*

*sniffs*

Not to detract too much from the valid points it brings up, but it still smells like fear mongering.

Swedish Foreign Minister speaks out against Saudis



So tired of "cultural and religious beliefs" being used as an excuse to belittle, marginalize, degrade, and brutalize people around the world. We're lucky it's so mild in the U.S., but no level is acceptable.

The whole thing comes down to wanting stability for monetary reasons. We don't want to piss off the ME because the countries we stand to annoy are at least stable and cooperative. They can beat their women and engage in all manner of medieval standards so long as they keep the spice flowing.

Seeing what the standard is in other ME nations, the inhumane treatment of persons is a small price to pay for stability. Considering you've got jihadis looking to turn the whole region into 700AD.