The US Election, Part XI

[licketysplit]

I rather like quote #2. Words to live by.

[Zoraptor]

Most of those quotes seem reasonable, in a military context. I don't really expect a deeply introspective examination of man's inhumanity to man and exhortations to take up mung bean farming in an anarchist commune from the military; I expect gung-ho bombast and self embiggening mixed with some trash talking. I'm completely unfamiliar with Mattis otherwise though, and with most of Trump's appointments. Doesn't seem to be much point finding anything out about potential appointments since the 'likely' picks of the media don't seem to have been very accurate so far.

 

Individual pagination of the quotes on the other hand, I'd like to unleash the "world's most respected and feared fighting force" on that click harvesting technique. Metaphorically of course, no need to bloody your kukris lads.

Edited November 18, 2016 by Zoraptor

[Malcador]

Always think it better to have a non military person be the civilian leadership. Though most think otherwise.

 

I guess it is good if you have some overly pushy type like Rummy

[Zoraptor]

Trump would still be the military's leader, and he is a civilian. In theory the idea of having a civilian as Minister of Defence/ Secretary of Defense is great, in practice though it's more questionable.

 

Depends on the people involved of course, but I'd find it difficult to believe that if, for example, Rumsfeld and Powell's cabinet positions were reversed there would have been half as much trouble in Iraq post invasion. I couldn't see Powell disbanding the Iraqi military and putting 100,000s of resentful, unemployed, unpaid but trained fighters on the streets or most of the other Rumsfeld/ Brenner stuff ups. Same with Brenner as well, his predecessor Garner was military and made practical rather than doctrinaire decisions during his brief time in charge, Brenner otoh was pure Rummy stooge doctrine and was a disaster. The danger is of course that a military secdef is biased either towards the military as a whole or towards their specific branch. But that's also a danger for a civilian secdef as well- in either case it's about picking the right guy/ gal whatever their background.

[ShadySands]

Rummy was in the military too, Navy I think

 

The problem was his morals/values or lack thereof depending on your point of view

[Leferd]

Per 10 U.S. Code § 113:

 

(a) There is a Secretary of Defense, who is the head of the Department of Defense, appointed from civilian life by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. A person may not be appointed as Secretary of Defense within seven years after relief from active duty as a commissioned officer of a regular component of an armed force.

 

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/10/113

 

An important tenet of our military is the explicit civilian oversight of the armed forces.

[ShadySands]

He'd need a waiver, no doubt, as he's only 3 years removed

 

I doubt he'd even be picked as he was one of the choices of the NeverTrump crowd to run against the Donald. But as a Marine the prospect of Mad Dog as SecDef is just glorious

[Guard Dog]

He'd need a waiver, no doubt, as he's only 3 years removed

 

I doubt he'd even be picked as he was one of the choices of the NeverTrump crowd to run against the Donald. But as a Marine the prospect of Mad Dog as SecDef is just glorious

Did you know that guy? Well, you were S1 right? That is about the only job a NCO gets to meet a general.

[Volourn]

http://slatestarcodex.com/2016/11/16/you-are-still-crying-wolf/

 

For the people who are still on the silly 'only racists support Trump' bandwagon. Also, note, it is written by a dumbass anti Trumper but numbers don't lie. (stats do though lol).

[ShadySands]

I wish I met him or actually maybe I don't just in case the man couldn't live up to the legend

 

I wasn't in any S or G shops, just a generic communications company that mostly acted as a holding company to fill other units, floats, PRCs, working parties, etc. Captains and the occasional Major were the highest ranks I ever had any real interaction with.

 

Besides S-1 is admin types

[Guard Dog]

I wish I met him or actually maybe I don't just in case the man couldn't live up to the legend

 

I wasn't in any S or G shops, just a generic communications company that mostly acted as a holding company to fill other units, floats, PRCs, working parties, etc. Captains and the occasional Major were the highest ranks I ever had any real interaction with.

 

Besides S-1 is admin types

I stand corrected sir. I don't know how but i got it my head you were an admin pogue.

[ShadySands]

[Malcador]

I wish I met him or actually maybe I don't just in case the man couldn't live up to the legend

 

I wasn't in any S or G shops, just a generic communications company that mostly acted as a holding company to fill other units, floats, PRCs, working parties, etc. Captains and the occasional Major were the highest ranks I ever had any real interaction with.

 

Besides S-1 is admin types

Why is he a legend? He seems decent from his Wikipedia article, but just curious

[HoonDing]

"Is it really that bad, it sounds terrible ? That needs to be addressed, what is Le penn going to do in the outcome she does win?"

 

It's simply. She's gonna make France great again.

[licketysplit]

"Is it really that bad, it sounds terrible ? That needs to be addressed, what is Le penn going to do in the outcome she does win?"

 

It's simply. She's gonna make France great again.

 

I fervently hope the right in Europe steamrolls over the sycophants that have no respect for their individual culture. Each country there is a treasure, not something to be sacrificed in the name of multiculturalism.  

[Zoraptor]

Rummy was in the military too, Navy I think

 

3 years in the 50s. Learn something new every day.

 

In any case while it may not have been clear my view is that having a non ideologue in the post is more important than any other factor. I don't think we've had an ex armed forces Minister of Defence as long as I can remember, albeit our military is way smaller even on a per capita basis. Then again, we also had a just retired when appointed general as theoretically the most important man in the country until recently.

 

A person may not be appointed as Secretary of Defense within seven years after relief from active duty as a commissioned officer of a regular component of an armed force.

 

Two new things.

 

[am I going to have to edit every post due to dropped keystrkes? Sure looks like it]

Edited November 19, 2016 by Zoraptor

[Elerond]

 

"Is it really that bad, it sounds terrible ? That needs to be addressed, what is Le penn going to do in the outcome she does win?"

 

It's simply. She's gonna make France great again.

 

I fervently hope the right in Europe steamrolls over the sycophants that have no respect for their individual culture. Each country there is a treasure, not something to be sacrificed in the name of multiculturalism.  

 

 

The right you are speaking about don't respect countries individual cultures either. They seem to be more into inventing new cultures that don't seem to be based on any existing culture. In other words they want to destroy European cultural heritage even more than biggest supporters of multiculturalism, just so that they can get in power.

[Barothmuk]

I fervently hope the right in Europe steamrolls over the sycophants that have no respect for their individual culture.

Each country there is a treasure, not something to be sacrificed in the name of multiculturalism.

I'm still waiting for a right-winger to provide a defense of cultural diversity beyond repeating "muh culture" or "muh heritage" over and over. Edited November 19, 2016 by Barothmuk

[imaenoon]

http://slatestarcodex.com/2016/11/16/you-are-still-crying-wolf/

 

For the people who are still on the silly 'only racists support Trump' bandwagon. Also, note, it is written by a dumbass anti Trumper but numbers don't lie. (stats do though lol).

That's an excellent article, but I would suggest that it's not just white people who are inured to the racist charge. Everyone is. I also told a group of people before the election, in September I think, "The smartest thing [Trump] did ... was to go to Black neighborhoods and ask, "what do you have to lose?

 

Moreover, I'm no fan of Assange, but the Clinton organization (which is larger than her campaign) was clearly exploiting black voters. Whether you might argue the ends justify the means, an idea that it antithetical to a Republic, or simply saying it's just politics as usual, They were primarily talking about how to use Gardner's death to their advantage.

 

I actually agree with the article. However, I would suggest that there is evidence that Donald Trump is sexist but, as I've been lurking here some time I know you have rightfully pointed out, he's a nasty bit of work about everybody. I don't even think that says it all since he's putatively quite nice to people in person unless he feels wronged. I would suppose that niceness would not be exemplified by grabbing some people by their genitalia.

 

There's no real evidence Donald Trump is racist. Perhaps one could make the argument that he's bigoted against illegal aliens or perhaps even Hispanics. I would count that as ethnic rather than racial since we typically count so called race as skill color in our country and plenty of people counted as Hispanic are pretty much white.

 

Some people say these issues aren't important and only the economy matters. In elections that come down to less than 1% in some states, these issues become magnified. They build into other issues. Economic issues aren't isolated from security and social issues. They move fluidly around one another.

 

EDIT: Preening is unbecoming. I did it, regret it, and excised it.

Edited November 19, 2016 by imaenoon

[Malcador]

 

"Is it really that bad, it sounds terrible ? That needs to be addressed, what is Le penn going to do in the outcome she does win?"

 

It's simply. She's gonna make France great again.

 

I fervently hope the right in Europe steamrolls over the sycophants that have no respect for their individual culture. Each country there is a treasure, not something to be sacrificed in the name of multiculturalism.

 

Hrm, just out of curiosity, what would that sacrifice look like ? Heh, guess we are lucky here in Canada, can't really see much of a culture to put at risk Edited November 19, 2016 by Malcador

[licketysplit]

 

 

"Is it really that bad, it sounds terrible ? That needs to be addressed, what is Le penn going to do in the outcome she does win?"

 

It's simply. She's gonna make France great again.

 

I fervently hope the right in Europe steamrolls over the sycophants that have no respect for their individual culture. Each country there is a treasure, not something to be sacrificed in the name of multiculturalism.

 

Hrm, just out of curiosity, what would that sacrifice look like ? Heh, guess we are lucky here in Canada, can't really see much of a culture to put at risk

 

You're right, there isn't much culture in Canada. Just look at your PM. There is in Europe though. 

[imaenoon]

 

 

 

"Is it really that bad, it sounds terrible ? That needs to be addressed, what is Le penn going to do in the outcome she does win?"

 

It's simply. She's gonna make France great again.

 

I fervently hope the right in Europe steamrolls over the sycophants that have no respect for their individual culture. Each country there is a treasure, not something to be sacrificed in the name of multiculturalism.

 

Hrm, just out of curiosity, what would that sacrifice look like ? Heh, guess we are lucky here in Canada, can't really see much of a culture to put at risk

 

You're right, there isn't much culture in Canada. Just look at your PM. There is in Europe though.

 

Ouch That was a true zinger. Hopefully isn't the prelude to the night of the long knives or anything.

[BruceVC]

 

"Is it really that bad, it sounds terrible ? That needs to be addressed, what is Le penn going to do in the outcome she does win?"

 

It's simply. She's gonna make France great again.

 

I fervently hope the right in Europe steamrolls over the sycophants that have no respect for their individual culture. Each country there is a treasure, not something to be sacrificed in the name of multiculturalism.  

 

There wont be a cultural revival if the EU dissolves but there will be negative impact to the global economy and a hugely negative impact to each EU country's economy. It will be a disastrous outcome for the EU

 

So rather hope for a stronger and more united EU, dont worry about individual culture because you currently have this in the EU. What you dont have in the EU is this so called "sovereignty " around certain laws but that doesn't mean you don't have individual culture 

[Namutree]

 

I fervently hope the right in Europe steamrolls over the sycophants that have no respect for their individual culture.

Each country there is a treasure, not something to be sacrificed in the name of multiculturalism.

I'm still waiting for a right-winger to provide a defense of cultural diversity beyond repeating "muh culture" or "muh heritage" over and over.

 

They can be kind of neat to observe. When I first heard of, "Guanxi"; it entertained me for a bit. So there's one reason.

[Meshugger]

 

I fervently hope the right in Europe steamrolls over the sycophants that have no respect for their individual culture.

Each country there is a treasure, not something to be sacrificed in the name of multiculturalism.

I'm still waiting for a right-winger to provide a defense of cultural diversity beyond repeating "muh culture" or "muh heritage" over and over.

 

 

Well, if you dismiss the very things that are important to them a priori without providing a value system that they should compare to, then there's not much debate to be had, is there?But hey, lets give it try, shall we? First take a look at the following two videos:

 

 

These are from a Finnish and Swedish perspective, so keep that in mind, as there's different cultural expressions for other groups of people. But what you see in the images invoked, the music played and the scenes acted are the results of these cultures. It is something that everyone from within that culture instinctively can relate to on a base level, and as the man tells in the second video: This world, this 'paradise' has now been created by me and i wish to give my children the same opportunity. It is bound to the land and nature and i wish for those who come after me to explore it and cherish it. It is what defines their existence. It is not only manifested in art, but also in how we behave in ourselves and to others; and to lose such a connection even has a word for it in Welsh: "Hiraeth".

 

Of course one can easily dismiss such thoughts as sentimental hogwash, products of the 19th century romantic movements or spooks. No, it runs more deeper and it is more profound than that, as such agitators forget that such groups of people, their cultures and heritages, wouldn't even exist to begin with if there weren't people ready to kill and to die by it. It is not a pure abstract conjured by the intellect as people didn't scream "my culture!" and "my heritage!" when picked up that axe, they picked it up to defend their very existence.

 

Such ideal of 'paradise' leaves room for other people to join and to help maintaining it and even making it better, without doubt as humans are not static in their condition. However, if the intelligent man declares that such things are just concepts that you can deconstruct, change and rework as if they are just organizational or procedual issues and to dump different groups of people together to optimize an economic model or to satisfy the whims of a social idea, then a pushback is not only expected, but it is an organic reaction in itself. Thankfully we have killed each other so much in the 20th century that we have learned, at least for now, to solve those issues peacefully in a democratic process. 

 

Where does that leave new worlds as the Americas you might wonder? They are still building their 'paradises' as mythology is still being created. It is an experiment worth watching where it goes, as the demographics are changing rapidly. 

 

Now, i have too much of a hangover to go any further on the subject and i probably forgot a few things and took different ideas for granted, but i hope i at least gave you some perspective.

 

* i use the word 'paradise' not as euphemism of the garden of eden, but rather the world of what is called home that gives you a center, with all its good and bad included.