y'all are bugnuts

[213374U]

Of course, this is also the dynamic that has led to the U.S. and other Western powers (and, before 1991, Eastern powers, too) propping up many dicatorial regimes in the region over the last century. We find a clan leader who we think we can live with, and who is opposed to the factions that we want opposed (which up until 1979 was communism, and after that muslim extremism), and we help that guy secure and maintain control of the country. (I'd love to say that we've figured out a better way to do things, but then I look at Hamid Karzai.)

 

Looks good on paper. But then, Iraq, Libya, Egypt. So probably that was the MO until '91, but hardly anymore. I have my own ideas (well, not really mine, I'm not that smart) regarding why, but I'd quite like to hear your opinion. What's the master plan behind this radical policy shift whose result is, invariably, political instability and, consequently, economic decline or outright collapse?

Edited September 24, 2012 by 213374U

[Gorth]

You mean besides the obvious strategic interest of denying your enemy the territory? You need somewhere to fight your proxy wars and use as stepping stones to expand your sphere of influence

 

Might not have been what you had in mind though. The cold war did cause a lot of money and effort being spent on strategic (and often obscure) goals.

 

[213374U]

You mean besides the obvious strategic interest of denying your enemy the territory? You need somewhere to fight your proxy wars and use as stepping stones to expand your sphere of influence

Yeah but under the old thinking, this was already accomplished by keeping "our bastards" in power. They could be used to fight proxy wars, and they expanded "our" influence, while keeping local undesirables in check and enforcing stability. Their human rights records weren't so good, but that's realpolitik for you.

 

With the new approach, you have formerly stable countries thrown into chaos, potentially or overtly hostile elements filling the power vacuum and, for all intents and purposes, diminished influence both regionally and globally.

 

What's the idea?

[obyknven]

Looks like U.S. Government want this death.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"It began shortly after I arrived," he said. "There was pressure to reduce the number of security people there."

Over the six months leading up to the attack on Stevens, Wood says the security situation in Libya deteriorated. There were 13 threats or attacks in Tripoli and Benghazi. Wood says Stevens and his staff made the case for tightened security in emails and diplomatic cables. But one by one lost three State Department security teams, their only airplane and, eventually, Woods' squad too.

"There was certainly no disconnect in our transfer of information to them," Woods said. "They were getting the information from the situation on the ground, and we sent it up through State Department cable, and I sent it up to the military side on the DoD side, so there was awareness of what the situation in Libya was about."

Woods said he and his team became aware that they would not be allowed to stay through cables and draft cables coming back and forth. The State Department was telling the people in Libya not to continue to ask for help.

"The requests were being modified to say, 'Don't even ask for DoD support,'" he said.

 

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-57528335/security-dwindled-before-deadly-libyan-consulate-attack/

[Azdeus]

Apparently the land of the free only gives you the right to happiness... aslong as you don't play videogames;

http://www.colleensworld.com/

 

How is it that a smear campaign like that allowed?

[Hurlshort]

Apparently the land of the free only gives you the right to happiness... aslong as you don't play videogames;

http://www.colleensworld.com/

 

How is it that a smear campaign like that allowed?

 

Because it is the land of the free?

 

Seriously, her problem isn't really the gaming, it's the long trail of weird comments she has. But I still doubt this is swaying any voters that weren't already voting against her.

[Malcador]

US Politics is funny from the outside, we could use some characters here - well other than our dumb white meshback mayor. What weird comments has she made ?

[Hurlshort]

US Politics is funny from the outside, we could use some characters here - well other than our dumb white meshback mayor. What weird comments has she made ?

 

Just follow that colleensworld link. She talks a lot about slacking off at work online, that is a bigger condemnation than gaming.

[GuybrushWilco]

It isn't really a smear campaign technically, unless they are saying false things about her. They are not making things up, they are only insinuating that these truths have bad implications, so it's a matter of perspective. Obviously, the vast majority of people are not going to be swayed by whether she plays WoW or not.