Now that is just stupid. So stupid that it sticks out even on a thread like this.

The official government fable of 9-11 does not pass the laugh test, but that was not the reason invading Afghanistan was a horrible mistake. The mistake was that we would not honor the government of Afghanistan's request for some evidence that bin Laden was the guilty party. Why would we not do that? Why demonize the Taliban and then demand they turn over a national hero without even offering a shred of evidence for them to use as justification to their people. Seems like a set up to take them out to me.

Since you claim to be so fact-filled, when were the plans to take Afghanistan made? Date please. Does that date seem a little odd to you?

It's good to see that you have real arguments and not just mockery.

When you bring something to the table that deserves anything more, you'll likely be one of the first to know. :)

Translation: his world view is different from mine so he is a poopy-head.

Just great; now the 3rd grade has shown up.

...and I finally got to the arguments about whether or to spend tax dollars on vaccine resarch. An argument against using tax dollars for public health initiatives?

I'm one of those who received both small pox and polio vaccines.

For a minute, I (almost) thought maybe I had been transported to a red-state blog, but I'm pretty sure Pedinska doesn't frequent them... besides, who has the time for that?

Don't care, they'll be grateful that we are gone and not dropping bombs on their houses anymore. Wouldn't you be? Did you not see the video RMP linked yesterday?

Your post that began with this might almost be true if we were talking about Iraq. It's way off for Afghanistan. That's the difference between having a one size fits all rejoinder to every situation and having studied one.

So stupid that it sticks out even on a thread like this.

Think again.

you,

Translation: his world view is different from mine so he is a poopy-head.

Just great; now the 3rd grade has shown up.

-- heru-ur

to be self-referential, heru-ur.

You mean people who have studied the matter for decades and disagree with you?

Okay, have at it. Start with Mohammed Daud. Show your studies.

One experience I had in the Middle East was when it was decided that we would educate some recent university graduates in data processing. The task fell upon me. It was an impossible undertaking. Arabs, prior to the discovery of oil were Bedouins roaming the desert and their aptitude for math or logical reasoning was almost non-existent. Perhaps I was a poor instructor, but the effort failed hugely.

Are you sure about all this? I mean, I don't want to belittle your experience, or state the obvious, but Arabs have computer science, and medicine and they even have their own phone companies. Or did I miss the joke?

It is always good to read another chapter of Obama Voter Falls off the Bandwagon.

It was probably because I was a poor instructor. There were a lot of difficulties! At the time, which was in the early eighties, IBM had an aptitude test and I think a 50 was considered passing. Not one of the twenty university graduates got higher than 20 as I recall.

I worked shoulder to shoulder with their "best and the brightest" on a daily basis, and I'm sorry to say I was disappointed with their math skill levels.

At the time research and development and job opportunities requiring math skills, or for that matter any jobs requiring analytical skills, were almost non-existent. At least as far as I was aware.

Of course there was ARAMCO but again it was dominated by ex-pats.

Way to not watch the video.

Translation: his world view is different from mine so he is a poopy-head.

Nah. You're in the same boat actually. What it comes down to is that you guys subscribe to a fictional and over-simplified worldview that you cling to much in the same way that a hardcore religious fanatic subscribes to their own. You simply aren't open to discussion of anything that doesn't subscribe to your preconceived beliefs, and just resort to paragraphs of emtpy garbage that largely comes down to name calling. I've debated with people here on issues where intelligent discourse could be had because they were open minded and have respect for others. But, when dealing with close minded narcissists that have made it abundantly clear that, not only do they not care to have a discussion of anything that may jar their belief system, but don't even have enough knowledge about what's occurring in the world to do so if they desired, mockery is more than warranted. I've never called you or anyone here a "poopy-head." But, yes, I certainly know you're stupid. :)

It's a principle and I will not bend on it, not even when you throw all your facts at me.

Bend? How could you bend? You don't do anything. You've never done anything. Principle is easy in World of Warcraft, and its easy when your dad supports you and live in your childhood bedroom. Principle? I'd get better conversation from a donkey's ass about that particular characteristic.

I was relating an experience I had 40 years ago.

The world has changed enormously since then, especially data processing wise.

I didn't mean to offend you.

http://rethinkafghanistan.com/?utm_source=rgemail#video

you can start at 2:30.

So you're saying that those people in that video, those people in Afghanistan, are not relevant to Afghanistan? Maybe they should move to Iraq so that you can perceive what they say as "relevant"?

That's interesting, they most not be relevant because they don't conform to your do-gooder humanitarian narrative, but the ghosts in that video are a direct result of US Foreign Policy. Do you deny that?

Besides, they perceive their condition as being a result of our policy, and blame us, and you'll never be able to show them your precious facts or convince them otherwise.

We need to just leave, and start closing down bases and cutting off the foreign aid, while we have a choice in the matter. You might not have noticed but the US isn't doing so hot right now, someday we might have the luxury of choice.