American Taliban soldier

[Lemonite]

Originally posted by Ormus:
If you are taking a swipe at my "religious fanaticism" argument, it was meant to be general. I lump everyone from the Taliban to Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson in that category, and they are all dangerous. I am very dismayed at the extremist Christian elements that are seeping their way into our political arenas. They may be a minority, yes, but they seem to have followers within the state and even federal legislatures. That is what worries me.

When Karl Marx stated that religion was the "opiate of the masses," he was right. In what other form can you slip in any type of extreme ideology or philosophy or wacky idea and get mass amounts of people to believe it?

Unlike Marx, I do not believe that this is cause for the global elimination of religion, because extremism and the opiate effect even inhabits atheism. The cult of Stalin's dictatorship is evidence enough of that. People just need to learn to use their brains, rather than throw it away in the name of "faith."

Of course, it has been a long time since I've been able to decipher anything you have written, so I might be way off here.

Ormus

Oh My Sweet Sweet Ormus.. Actually I was agreeing with you, then making the usual ignorant American statement that 'well christians dont do that', When i'm sure there are christian terrorists.. but they've just slipped my mind.. I's just making a funny statement... nothing against you ormus.. i do the sweeping generalizatoins and hyperbole for more time than I spend guzzling prune juice, and Boy do I love those prunes.. I mean.. Give me a Fig.. naah.. give me a papaya... naaah.. But Gosh Damn.. Give me a Prune.. and I'm Bouncing up off the wall, Carrying Grizwold's family christmas in tow

[Lemonite]

Originally posted by Danospano:
I glad to hear Doctor Gonzo exert some sense in this forum. I for one am sick and tired of the hypocrisy of the majority of Americans. I'm glad to see there are other people in our country, who can think critically enough to see how awful our government and media portray their so-called "enemies", while justifying equivalent horrors on them.
I am truly SICK of hearing about this "peace of earth". Give me a break, America!
If we really want peace of earth, like Dubya and all his cronies say they do, why are you going against your messiah, Jesus Christ's, message? Fuckin' idiots...they're all a bunch of fucking I.D.I.O.T.S.

Pardon my language.

This guy drank a little too much holy water this morning.. Probably got salmonella from the baptismal font.. Seriously though.. american citizen or not.. treason is treason the world round.. He turns his back on America.. turns his back on his citizenship by committing treason.. his 'citizenship' is only a piece of paper now...

[MSU2mike]

Bubba, you silly fool, of course Danospano can't see the Taliban for what they are. Hell, he might even think they're moral crusaders. All he knows is what his hero Mike Moore tells him, and that's that our government is the greatest evil in the world.

One wonders why they choose to live here if it's so bad.

[Anthony]

ActhungBubba, I do agree with you, ofcourse, about your opinion concerning the treacherous nature of this traitor, and I consider anybody else who opposes this view as nothing more but a do-gooder, and there is nothing worse in this world than a do-gooder.

However, I must argue with you on some points.

'Europe gave Hitler Austria; he wanted more and he took more, including Poland and France. (I suppose the U.S. committed "equivalent horrors" by bombing Berlin in reply.)'

Forgive me, but Europe's appeasement only went so far, to the point of Poland, where at this point Europe did NOT appease, they fought, and they fought a long time before the US did. I am sorry, but the US did not enter on the grounds of saving Europe, they entered the moment Pearl Harbour was attacked and not before, at this point in time, Britain and France were already well and truly fighting the Nazis, not to mention the millions of Russians who not only gave their lives, but, thanks to them, were about to defeat the German front. So, as much as the US might want to paint it as a US victory, Europe was already fighting and was on the verge of winning anyway. Appeasement is something a lame Tory government in Britain invented, but it was then Winston Churchill who stated; appeasement is feeding the crocodile in hope that it will eat you last. AS you know, Churchill was NOT an appeaser, if he had, the results would have been very VERY different. All I'm saying is, appeasement in some way or another was coming from the other side of the atlantic, considering that it had to take the bombing or Pearl Harbour to get the US involved.
Europe did appease, but only to a certain extent. We did NOT let them take Poland and France, that is why the war started.

Ofcourse, I have always been pro-war, and my views on your traitor have been stated before; he should be given a life sentence of torture and pain.

Ant.

[Danospano]

(It appears that I have a lot of enemies in this thread. Fortunately, if we were to argue in person I'm sure we'd share more in common. Howeverm being as it is, it's very difficult to communicate by message board, and that's why I never take any of those hostile remarks too seriously.)

Let me clarify a few things:

1) I understand that the people who participated in the 9/11 attacks were extremists, who died for their cause. A cause they undoubtedly felt was more important than their measely little lives. Nor do I agree with killing innocent people in the name of a cause. No matter what they are rebeling against, taking innocent lives is against everything I believe in. I would never applaude the death of innocent bystanders.
My qualms with our retaliations lie in the "cock-sure" attitude of the American public. Instead of asking ourselves "why" we were attacked, we are asking ourselves "how" can we kill the freakin' bastards that we "think" attacked us. Of course, most Americans (and notice I said "most", and not "all") are like sheep when it comes to thinking, and would never second guess the intent or motive behind any media or government action. I, on the otherhand, like to form my own opinions. (Something that a lot of people are too brainwashed to try...no offense to any Interferencer's PERSONALY!).
"Thinking", therefore makes me unpatriotic, right? It means that I don't love my country, right? Wrong. It means I'm exercising my freedom to think critically of a government that most of the world secretly depises and or fears. (Notice I said "most" again, not "all".
Here's an example of what I'm talking about": Let's say you meet a person through your friends. Your friends are people you trust, so take their word on a lot of things, right? Right. Well let's say you friends tell you about a person who they all hate. A real jerk, a scumbag...etc. Bow whenever someone or something has a lot of enemies you begin to ask yourself questions. Questions like, "Why does everyone hate this person", or "Should I be weary of their actions", or "should I be friends with this person?"---That's what most of us would do, right?
Well, I look at America like that person all your friend hate.
At first I didn't know, anything about American foriegn policies or economic policies. I was an ignorant kid, with nothing to go on, but the opinion of others that I met throughout my life.
Then I started investigating for myself. I started reading lots of books, watching lots of documentaries, and actually started talking to foreigners at school. I learned that America is looked upon like a "big bully"...the type of guy everyone hated while in elementary school. If America (the bully) didn't get his way...somebody was going to pay. It didn't matter whether or not the bully's intentions were admirable...nobody questions him out of fear. So what happened? Everyone gave into the bully and kept their mouthes shut. But, as in all schools, someone occasionally stood up to the bully and gave him a black eye. Sort of like what the terrorits did on 9/11. They gave the big bully a black-eye, for the simple fact that he had given out more than his share of black eyes throughout his school days. ----Do you understand what I'm trying to say?

2) When I wrote about the solider in Afganistan, who turned out to be an American citizen I was exposing my hatred of America's attitude. Why is it so shocking to hear that 1 peron in a country of 250 million would want to fight for the other side. If it's true, like DoctorGonzo said, that he had no knowledge or choice about fighting America, why are we so deaf to hear it? There were a lot of Americans who were forced to fight in Vietnam. There were more than a few American settlers that wanted to kill millions of Native Americans in our country's early stages.

3) The most crucial point I'm trying to make is that if we want to live in a world of peace, why are we killing more innocent lives in the name of love and freedom? Why are we abolishing freedoms, with Congress' approval in the name of freedom?
Don't tell me it's because we're in 'war', because we're not. We lost one solider in Afganistan....ONE! Not even close to Vietname or WWII, or any real war we've taken part in!
We are a country of lost, unintentionally ignorant lemmings, who are too arrogant and too blind to see our faults.

GOD, BLESS AMERICA...cause we sure need some help...

[speedracer]

Danospano, in response to your points:

0) It's good that you have a pretty thick skin, but you shouldn't assume that that's the case with everyone.

1) I don't think that the whole idea that terrorists are the oppressed people lashing out at their oppressors applies to al-Qaeda. Religious fanaticism is, imho, a much bigger factor in their decision-making than poverty. I think it's pretty accurate to say that they want the Middle East cleansed of infidels and they want to restore Sharia Islamic law. They probably want Israel expelled from Palestine. They want the US to sever ties with Saudi Arabia so that they can install a properly "Islamic" government (one that would be even more repressive than the one currently in place).

2) John Walker hasn't exactly been begging for mercy since he was captured, you know.

3) I don't think we're killing in the name of "freedom" as much as we're killing in self-defense, and I really wish the US government would say so instead of trying to maintain these ultrapatriotic sentiments.

Yes, I know some civilians are being killed because they have the misfortune to live in proximity to some targets, but I think the US is doing a reasonable job of minimizing civilian casualties.

[U2Bama]

Danny Bonaduce said he should be shot for treason.

[Achtung Bubba]

My reply, in chronological order.

Klodomir:

Sorry to upset your sensibilities, but I'm an American first, moderator second. I believe it's accurate to say that Danospano called the majority of Americans hypocrits; he found himself unable to call those that attacked my country its legitimate enemies; he implied that the United States and Al Queda were morally equivalent; and he suggested that the United States' military actions were obviously and utterly contrary to Christianity.

Oh, and he called us "all a bunch of fucking I.D.I.O.T.S" (though Lord knows what that acronym "I.D.I.O.T." means).

Sorry, but when my country's so vehmently attacked verbally, I will respond in kind.


Anthony:

My point was that appeasement (which did stop with the invasion of Poland - sorry if I implied otherwise) went NOWHERE. It didn't work, thus, the Polish invasion and the blitz against France.

As minor points... I think U.S. probably should have entered the war sooner; I'm just glad Pearl Harbor woke us up.

By Pearl Harbor, France wasn't fighting - it was conquered, with the exception of the Free French resistance.

And by Pearl Harbor, Europe wasn't on the edge of victory. In December 1941, German forces were a mere FIVE MILES from the Kremlin. There was no western front, and North Africa was nearly overrun with the Axis powers. It took both the Allied campaign in the desert and Sicily AND the landing at Normandy to draw enough German troops from the eastern front to give the Russians the opportunity to so quickly advance.


Finally, Danospano:

I'm glad to see you don't take too seriously the "hostile remarks", but I hope you can appreciate how infuriating your original comments truly were:

"I for one am sick and tired of the hypocrisy of the majority of Americans. I'm glad to see there are other people in our country, who can think critically enough to see how awful our government and media portray their so-called "enemies", while justifying equivalent horrors on them.

"Fuckin' idiots...they're all a bunch of fucking I.D.I.O.T.S."

In response to your clarifications:

You're mad that we're so "cock-sure" about our actions? That we're sure we're in the right in retaliating? Sorry, but there's very little wrong in being supremely confident in your actions when you honestly believe they're right.

I think that we should re-evaluate our foreign policy, particularly when forced to choose between propping up a convenient dictatorship or working to help establish legitimate democracies worldwide.

(Funny how we're "isolationists" when we do nothing but "imperialists" when we act, even when we act in the best interest of the people.)

But it isn't an "either/or" situation; we can evaluate our actions while we respond militarily.

If it *is* the case that we must choose between "why we were attacked" or "how we respond", I say, we should focus on bombing these thugs - our enemies - off the face of the planet.

And, again, I'm sick of your comments that these thugs are our "so-called" enemies that we "think" attacked us. If we weren't sure we were attacking the right guys, I don't think we would attack with such force. Further, the entire free world (and a few Communist countries) are also inclined to believe that we're attacking the right guys. We must also remember that revealing all our evidence that implicate Al Queda may jeopardize our sources (and, hence, national security). And beyond all that, if we are committed to wiping out those groups that seek to destroy us, all we NEED to know is whether Al Queda is such a threat; whether they planned the specific attacks of 9/11 is really not that relevant.

So you didn't mean any of us when you referred to the majority of Americans as "sheep"? We forum members are somehow better than most Americans and immune from the affliction that affects "most Americans"?

Frankly, I still find that notion elitist and offensive. The Founding Fathers thought the American people were smart enough and independent enough to elect its own representatives, possess firearms, choose their own forms of worship, and engage in political speech. William F. Buckley has stated he would have more faith in a government run by the first 100 people in the phone book than 100 Ivy League scholars. And I believe that the American people are far smarter than you give us credit for.

Thinking critically about of the government doesn't mean you hate the country. But making the U.S. government and the Taliban morally equivalent makes me wonder.

And while we're on the subject of "most of the world", I'd like to remind you that many of the countries that hate us (look at the U.N. voting record) are run by dictators and criminals, and most people who hate Americans are misinformed through a press that is far more propagandistic and controlled than ours (with the notable exceptions of American and European scholars who are still under the delusion that Karl Marx had a good idea).

Ever notice that nations that are the most free and democratic (the U.K., Canada, Australia, even Israel) hate us the least? If the free flow of ideas is what leads to a general hatred of this country, the ones with the most free press should hate us the most. And yet, it's countries like Cuba and Iraq that really hate us.

But, as in all schools, someone occasionally stood up to the bully and gave him a black eye. Sort of like what the terrorits did on 9/11. They gave the big bully a black-eye, for the simple fact that he had given out more than his share of black eyes throughout his school days. ----Do you understand what I'm trying to say?

Um... you're saying that the U.S. is the Big Bad Guy that got what it deserved.

But, oh yeah, you "love your country."

I'm sure.

Actually, it's not suprising that a country with pockets of self-loathing (certain areas of academia, for instance) would create people like Michael Moore, like you, and even like the dumb fuck that went to Afghanistan. What suprises is me is how some people are so fervently defending him.

Seriously, you suggest in the same paragraph that a) our country is so bad (Vietnam, our dealings with Native Americans) that he was almost justified in deserting us and b) he was somehow brainwashed when it clearly appears that he hated this country long before he left it.

As per your final comments...

We're not "killing more innocents" for the sake of peace; we are killing murderous thugs for the sake of peace. There has never been a war where there were no civilian casualties, and you're insane or niave to demand that even a just cause must require us to kill with impossible precision. I suppose we must also rebuild whatever structures we demolish, repave the roads our tanks damage, put a fresh coat of paint on the local houses, and sing the local kids a lullaby to help them sleep.

(And we're still sending aid, in case you forgot.)

We're not abolishing freedoms; we're more strictly enforcing laws already on the books and doing such reasonable acts as adjusting the wire-tapping laws in an age of cellular phones in cases of possible terrorism. I mean, hell, if the government is abolishing freedoms now, shouldn't you be crying at the top of your lungs against the exoribitant tax system? Or are you merely rehashing the liberal mantra against Bush and Ashcroft in an attempt to appear thoughtful?

We are indeed in a war, despite our low number of casualties. We should consider ourselves blessed with such a proficient military, and we shouldn't judge a war by our losses alone, but also by the losses we are inflicting.

To paraphrase Patton, we shouldn't die for our country; we should let those other sons of bitches die for theirs - especially if they're so willing to die for the cause and meet the awaiting virgins.

(They wanna die. We wanna kill them. When is the last time the desires of two separate groups have been so well matched?)

Finally, we are NOT "are a country of lost, unintentionally ignorant lemmings, who are too arrogant and too blind to see our faults."

Our innovations in technology, in the arts, and in thought demonstrate that we are among the most thoughtful people on Earth. Our unmatched giving, to each other and to other nations, show that we are among the most humane on Earth. And if the American people are "blind", the rest of the world is blind, deaf, and locked in a box.

And all this is not because we're Americans, because - ultimately - all Americans are descendents of immigrants. It's because of our unparalleled political, economic, and religious freedom.

(We don't have to knock ourselves down a few notches to even the playing field. All must do is spread democracy, capitalism, and religious pluralism to all those who thirst for freedom.)

No, we're not ignorant, arrogant lemmings. We're just a people who adamantly and nearly unanimously disagree with you and your kind, and do so because we have EVERY REASON to. Sorry if that upsets you so much.

[Klodomir]

So now they have caught an Australian too?
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/ap/2001...l_qaida_1.html

[Klodomir]

Originally posted by Achtung Bubba:
Sorry to upset your sensibilities, but I'm an American first, moderator second

Great. Too bad that your aggressive behaviour makes your otherwise intelligent and well-founded posts (even when we disagree) seem immature and ignorant. I'm glad you are not in charge of anything important.

[80sU2isBest]

Originally posted by Klodomir:
[Great. Too bad that your aggressive behaviour makes your otherwise intelligent and well-founded posts (even when we disagree) seem immature and ignorant. I'm glad you are not in charge of anything important.

Klodomir, Danospano insulted Americans first. Why are you on Acthung Bubba's case for defending America?

[Klodomir]

I'm just sick of the personal attacks, I guess. I don't even agree with Danospano, and his post wasn't too kindly worded either, but I read nothing but "they" in there, not "you".

And I'm tired of not being able to "free my mind" in here.

[Klodomir]

Oh yeah, and there's the mod thing too. I guess I expect more of them.

But carry on. I know I'm in the minority here.

[80sU2isBest]

Originally posted by Klodomir:
I'm just sick of the personal attacks, I guess. I don't even agree with Danospano, and his post wasn't too kindly worded either, but I read nothing but "they" in there, not "you".
And I'm tired of not being able to "free my mind" in here.

You're allowed to "free your mind" in here. That's what you're doing right now. But when I don't agree with what people say when they're "freeing their mind", it is my right to "free my mind".
Also, in this case, the "they" IS a "YOU". When Dano Spano, talking about Americans, said "F***ing Idiots", that was in essence a "you are a F***ing Idiot" to Achtung, since he is an American, and to me, since I am an American, and to all Americans.

[Klodomir]

Maybe I misunderstood something. I read "Dubya and his cronies", not Americans. Besides, I was under the impression that Danospano himself is an American, so if that is correct, it can't be an insult to all Americans.

And 80s... I know you were insulted too, but you don't respond in such a manner, which is something I respect.

Finally, I really do not feel that I'm able to "free my mind" here, at least not about the current state of the world. I wouldn't want to be labelled a terrorist.

[80sU2isBest]

Originally posted by Klodomir:
Finally, I really do not feel that I'm able to "free my mind" here, at least not about the current state of the world. I wouldn't want to be labelled a terrorist.

Well, as long as you don't threaten to blow us up or something, I won't label you a terrorist. However, some people around here are known for being America haters, and I will label them as such.

But I'll always argue with things I vehemently disagree with, so don't take that personally.

[Anthony]

AchtungBubba;

'By Pearl Harbor, France wasn't fighting - it was conquered, with the exception of the Free French resistance.'

It was one pretty considerable resistance, I can assure you. It didn't just 'give up' as you make it sound.

'And by Pearl Harbor, Europe wasn't on the edge of victory. In December 1941, German forces were a mere FIVE MILES from the Kremlin. There was no western front, and North Africa was nearly overrun with the Axis powers. It took both the Allied campaign in the desert and Sicily AND the landing at Normandy to draw enough German troops from the eastern front to give the Russians the opportunity to so quickly advance.

Er, no. I don't know where you read your history, but BY Pearl Harbour, despite the Germans being FIVE MILES from the Kremlin, you forgot to mention that at this point General Zukov fights back with his forces and, thanks to the BIGGEST loss of life in the Second World War at the sacrifice of the Russians, the Germans were pushed back.

Hitler was not pertrubed by this at all, it was his overconfidance and his concentration on Greece that led to his failure of the Russian coquest. Now, at THIS point the US enters, Russia had already fought and had done most of the dirty work. I never said that we were on the edge of victory at all. On the contrary, BRITAIN, who had been fighting from the very beginning before the US chose to intervene, was more or less burnt out and, had it not been for the Russian effort, would have had to negotiate with the Nazis soon afterwards.
If Russia had fallen, that would have been more or less the end.

Ant.

[Danospano]

Originally posted by 80sU2isBest:

You're allowed to "free your mind" in here. That's what you're doing right now. But when I don't agree with what people say when they're "freeing their mind", it is my right to "free my mind".
Also, in this case, the "they" IS a "YOU". When Dano Spano, talking about Americans, said "F***ing Idiots", that was in essence a "you are a F***ing Idiot" to Achtung, since he is an American, and to me, since I am an American, and to all Americans.

Yeah, you got it...I'm was calling ALL American's "F***ing idiots". Why is everyone so sensitive in here. Oops, I said "everyone"...I guess I'm going to get accosted by Melon and DoctorGonzo now, huh?

I'd also like to address whoever said I'm not a good American. Whoever it was that said this, I want you to know that I support the ideals of "America", just not the leadership. Too many things don't really connect and make much sense. Maybe I'm wrong, but until I'm proven wrong, I'm going to keep on questioning authority. That's the way I am.

[Klodomir]

Originally posted by 80sU2isBest:
But I'll always argue with things I vehemently disagree with, so don't take that personally.

I don't. I may disagree with you a lot, but I'm glad you're around. And that's the last nice thing I've said about you this week!

[Hans Moleman]

Originally posted by U2Bama:
Danny Bonaduce said he should be shot for treason.

And we all know how beloved Danny Bonaduce is.

~melon

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"Oh no...my brains."