why hate socialism?

Originally Posted by Skybird

you know how the games is played - where there is no demons, there is no justification to demand a rise in defense spendings!

what europe needs, is not so much a rise in defense budgets, but a massive restructuring, reorientation and closer supra-national cooperation, and I say: by exclusion of the US. not becausue of some blind anti-Amerricanism, but becasue european and american views of what NATO should be are very different, and because european forces cannot gain the strength and independance from America, what America always demands!, if always relying on american military power. Also, here in europe eurppean interests are different from American interests in europe, both interests only share some things. The problem is that america may want a stronger military in europe, but wants it to be available globally for american policy. It does not want truly independant eurpean forces - of what use would this be for america, if it is not available to america? It would more be a rival, like economically europe already is (f.e. do you think Boeing is happy that Airbus exists?) That's why they pressed so hard to get US-dominated NATO structures into every effort there has ever been for NATO-independant european military structures, it sometimes led to interventions on highest political level. It's not about sharing resources, and greater efficiency. It is about control and influence. In some way, Europe should serve as america's legion etrangere. especially in Afghanistan it was obvious, when they pressed and finally succeeded in NATO officially accepting a military mandate for operations in that country. If you remember, originally NATO had no interest and no role in Afghanistan, it was a purely American war, american and eurppean missions were tried to kept separate. Which probably was a folly in itself, nevertheless. Not before america shifted troops to the war of choice in Iraq and things in Afghanistan detoriated as a consequence of that, NATO was pressed to embark on the mission.

Nothing to add to that, sums it up pretty nicely.

Originally Posted by tomcat

That's interesting, isn't your deity your socalled "intellect" and don't you parade it around without pause? Proud and self-righteous? You should leave off hitting on people's religon.

Intellect hardly is a deity. If at all, intellect is more real then the world surrounding you, as it is your intellect making sense of the world. Without intellect, the concept of a deity would never have been invented in the first place. Or the lack thereoff, whatever you decide fits you better.

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by tomcat

That's interesting, isn't your deity your socalled "intellect" and don't you parade it around without pause? Proud and self-righteous? You should leave off hitting on people's religon.

Hm, thought I heared something. Must have been the wind...

[Letum]

Originally Posted by tomcat

That's interesting, isn't your deity your socalled "intellect" and don't you parade it around without pause? Proud and self-righteous? You should leave off hitting on people's religon.

He's not 'hitting on' your religion. He is just saying that you should keep it to your
self and those that hold similar beliefs and not try to impose it on others.
As for SB's deity of beliefs, so far I know he holds various beliefs, but, naturally, he
keeps them to him self.
However unhumble he may or may not be in his stance on more worldly topics, that
is a very different set of issues from spiritual side of life.

[castorp345]

Originally Posted by tomcat

Perhaprs, but even without intellect, a deity could still exist.

that's true.

the great Flying Spaghetti Monster is definitely watching-out over us all with His Noodly Appendage, even those kooky red states!

[caspofungin]

i don't know about mankind, but this thread hass certainly devolved.

[Digital_Trucker]

Originally Posted by caspofungin

i don't know about mankind, but this thread hass certainly devolved.

Amen

[Letum]

Originally Posted by caspofungin

i don't know about mankind, but this thread hass certainly devolved.

How so?

It doesn't seam in that much of a bad state.
There have certainly been worse in GT!