New Afghanistan policy

What about Bolivia in South America?

Indeed , what about Bolivia in South America, that notorious hotbed of islamic extremism.
While it is true that since February this year Catholicism is no longer the official state religion christianity in its various flavour remains the main flavour, overwhelmingly so.
There is religious problems though and some disagreements, apparently between the Vatican and indiginous religions, just like most of the political arguements are about indiginous issues and land/mineral rights.
Then again its not surprising Bolivia is becoming a hotbed of islamic extreemism as nearly 3% of the population isn't christian.
Then again if you take all the muslims add them to all the Jews Bhuddists Shinto and baha'i then you get the amazing figure of less than 0.2% of the population.

The leadership of both countries are very chum chum with Iran, which is one of the major sources of real FUNDING of islamic extremism.

Oh dear , it may have escaped your notice but according to the islamic extremists the people of Iran and the theocracy in Iran are dirty heretics who must be converted or slain in the name of fundamentalist goodness

[August]

Originally Posted by Tribesman

Oh dear , it may have escaped your notice but according to the islamic extremists the people of Iran and the theocracy in Iran are dirty heretics who must be converted or slain in the name of fundamentalist goodness

Reminds me of an Emo Phillips joke:

I was walking across a bridge one day, and I saw a man standing on the edge, about to jump off. So I ran over and said "Stop! don't do it!" "Why shouldn't I?" he said.
I said, "Well, there's so much to live for!"
He said, "Like what?" I said, "Well...are you religious or atheist?"
He said, "Religious."
I said, "Me too! Are you Christian or Buddhist?"
He said, "Christian."
I said, "Me too! Are you Catholic or Protestant?"
He said, "Protestant."
I said, "Me too! Are you Episcopalian or Baptist?"
He said, "Baptist!"
I said,"Wow! Me too! Are you Baptist Church of God or Baptist Church of the Lord?"
He said, "Baptist church of God!"
I said, "Me too! Are you original Baptist church of God, or are you reformed Baptist church of God?"
He said,"Reformed Baptist church of god!"
I said, "Me too! Are you reformed Baptist church of God, reformation of 1879, or reformed Baptist church of God, reformation of 1915?"
He said, "Reformed Baptist church of God, reformation of 1915!"
I said, "Die, heretic scum", and pushed him off.

[CaptainHaplo]

Argh August. I put someone on the ignore list so I don't see the "well I have to find SOME way of claiming anyone that disagrees with my view is wrong, even when my point lacks any basis in fact, because I am just contrary like that" - and then you go and quote the troll - which I do see ROFL!!!

The moral for me? If people feed trolls, you can't escape them!

The moral for me?

The moral for Haplo is that the ignore function doesn't prevent people pointing out absolute nonsense he has written when he writes it.

I mean seriously, Haplo cannot tell the difference between shia and sunni and comes out with absolute crap about a center of islamic fundamentalism existing in a country that has practicly no muslim population at all.

Though it has been educational, very educational.
The lesson being that when Haplo uses CAPS LOCK it means he is making things up.... which as a good "christian" he shouldn't do

[August]

Originally Posted by CaptainHaplo

Argh August. I put someone on the ignore list so I don't see the "well I have to find SOME way of claiming anyone that disagrees with my view is wrong, even when my point lacks any basis in fact, because I am just contrary like that" - and then you go and quote the troll - which I do see ROFL!!!

The moral for me? If people feed trolls, you can't escape them!

Sorry! I'll try not to do it again.

[onelifecrisis]

Yeah!
If you can't beat 'em, ignore 'em!
Shut out those voices of reason at all costs!
Long live ignorance and closed-mindedness!
Hurrah!

[CaptainHaplo]

OLC..... you disappoint me. While we disagree on a number of topics, you have usually proven to be rather reasonable. I went so far as to read what Tribesman had posted, and as usual it was an opinion formed at a glance, without any real research. My post differed from his fairy foo foo world, so he attempted to ridicule it without enough knowledge to be taken seriously.

When I debate a point, I am willing to post sources upon which my information is based. Why? Because - as Geetrue showed on his own - information is what allows you and I and everyone else to have INFORMED, EDUCATED views. If I am asked where my views come from on an issue, I can provide the foundations for those views. I have, over numerous "debates" with Tribesman, attempted to have him do the same. He has consistently refused to back his views with any modicum of reasonable data, instead resorting to name calling and emoticons instead. Thus, debating him is a waste of time and energy, because he refuses to present a cogent arguement that can be logically traced. Instead, he has personally, and on 2 occasions, stated that I "lie" or "make stuff up" because he cannot refute the arguement with real data. So call me closedminded for refusing to continue to feed his trollish actions if you wish.

Now you accuse me of "shutting out the voice of reason" and remaining in "ignorance".

The issues I raised are simple "what if" scenarios based on what is currently known of data around the world. On the issue of Bolivia, I do realize that less than one tenth of one percent of its citizenry is currently Muslim (that we know of). However, I brought them up not on some "reach" - but because of a Director of National Intelligence (DNI) report released on May 12, 2009 - which specifically ties some of the Muslim religious leadership to people and areas in which extremism is known to be sourced. In addition, some of these leaders also have advocated or supported violence by Muslims in places like the Palestinian Territories, as well as reaching out to grow Islam in their areas. Are they rampant extremist hideouts? No - not today. But with the economic ties Bolivia and Iran have, as well as the religious leadership ties to those who foster such extremists, it is highly possible that Bolivia may become a hot spot in the future. So I asked a hypothetical question based upon a distinct outcome of reasonable plausability.

Realize this isn't some "BUSH" report - but a report put together by the DNI under President Obama. They felt it necessary to put forth effort to do the research, and it shows there is a concern. Its also worth noting I only see the publicly released document, just as you or anyone else can. If you know anything about intel work, there is ALOT more data that is not available to the general public, so the mere existence of the report indicates that those in the know are keeping an eye out.

If you want to see it yourself, just click: www.fas.org/irp/dni/osc/bolivia.pdf

I don't claim its an immediate danger. I simply ask the question - what if. Some folks at the DNI are looking at that same question. But I am, according to you, out to "ignore" a voice of knowledge. Well, I suspect that the DNI probably knows more about it than you, me or Tribesman - and they are asking questions.

You also assert that "if you can't beat em, ignore em". First of all, its not a contest. If folks want to choose not to do research, not to learn, and instead stay in their own little world thinking that what they are told is perfectly correct, then I won't waste my time. I don't need to "beat" Tribesman, nor do I care to. Facts beat Tribesman. They just happen to be on my side most of the time. Not my fault. But you can go his route and mock others, or you can return to the person I have so far seen - one willing to defend his views, as well as look at the views of others when well presented, and use that process to either rethink your view, or refine your own position.

But until Tribesman can present rational, sourced arguements of his own, instead of posturing, speaking without a willingness to provide his sources of data, and when failing to make headway - resorting to personal attacks instead of reponsible and respectful debate, he will remain ignored by me. Sorry if that bugs you, but I choose not to waste my energy on trying to help him grow.

[nikimcbee]

I'm more curious how to win there? Obama policy aside, what would it take to win there? There's no infastructure to attack, they're already in the stone age, I'm not paying them off not to attack anybody?

Totally isolate them? If that is there islamic utopia they want, let them have it. Maybe we could arm eveybody overthere and let all those petty warlords have at each other.

I'm frankly sick of that whole region

[onelifecrisis]

<deleted>

No comment.

[geetrue]

I think we should let the troops stay in Afgahistan come July 2011 and let Obama go home to Hawaii early ...

Plus we would save a lot of money with 30k troops costing 3 billion a year to over a trillion a year for Obama.

I went so far as to read what Tribesman had posted, and as usual it was an opinion formed at a glance, without any real research.

Research? wow 1000 muslims, a Palestinian who thinks armed struggle in Palestine is legitimate, a bloke who knows someone who may be a terrorist suspect, a saudi magazine that said they should work with human rights groups and a article that says muslims may be converting.
Yeah you really hit a nail there with Bolivia.
You should have gone with Argentina if you wanted credibility , at least then you would be talking of a population that is a step above miniscule and you could actually find some real examples of extremism.

so he attempted to ridicule it without enough knowledge to be taken seriously.

Can you possibly contend that any of what I wrote in relation to your post is not based on fact and knowledge of the facts?
If you want I can further rip into your nonsense about the Balkans as your writing on that region in that post is also so full of holes its pretty ridiculous

Oh and.....

They felt it necessary to put forth effort to do the research, and it shows there is a concern. Its also worth noting I only see the publicly released document, just as you or anyone else can

wow the agency that covers everything in the public domain worldwide found some stuff in the public domain.