COLLECTIVE MADNESS


“Soft despotism is a term coined by Alexis de Tocqueville describing the state into which a country overrun by "a network of small complicated rules" might degrade. Soft despotism is different from despotism (also called 'hard despotism') in the sense that it is not obvious to the people."

Tuesday, September 12, 2006

Peace in Our Time

The picture tells the story:











The BBC headline reads:
Iran offers Iraq 'full support'
Iran-Iraq relations have improved since Saddam Hussein's overthrow
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has offered Iraq full support in stabilising the security situation in the country.

He made the remarks in Tehran after talks with the Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki.
Speaking to reporters after their meeting, Mr Ahmadinejad said "Iraq's security is Iran's security".
Mr Maliki is making his first official visit to Iran since he took office in May.
"Iran supports the Iraqi government that has been created by the Iraqi people's votes, and strengthening a united and independent Iraq is in the interest of all the region", Mr Ahmadinejad said.
Mr Maliki said his discussions with Mr Ahmadinejad had been positive. "Even in security issues there is no barrier in the way of co-operation."


Along with Russian and Chinese opposition to strong sanctions against Iran, it appears that all parties are backing away from the edge of the precipice.

We'll report on the peace celebrations at Eleven.

36 comments:

  1. I'd quoted the statements of brotherhood the two had for each other and their countries, earlier.

    Mr Maliki, would not denounce HB while in the US, now he claims brotherhoood with Abracadabra. It is a bit tougher neighborhood than Mrs Hughes is used to, Ms Rice as well.

    But not to worry, they will be throwing flowers and drinking sweet mint tea, as we leave.

    allen.
    With regards your idea that once the US takes a place we stay, well that is kind of old school.
    The Army is leaving Germany, goin' to KS. Same is true of Korea, though I doubt that KS is the final destination of the 2nd Inf.
    Panama has been abandoned. Lebanon under R. Reagan. Somolia was abandoned to the Warlords and then the Mohammedans. We rolled through France, and kept going, North Africa and Sicily as well. We marched to Mexico City and left. Vera Cruz, twice I think.
    After the banana wars did not leave a military presence behind, no we used connectivity there. The Phillipines and Subic Bay spring to mind as a place where, when asked, we left.

    When the US public is tires of a place, we roll out, like Saigon.

    Now maybe there will be an extended US presence in Iraq, but only time will tell. The historical precendents are not all that solid.

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  2. Those cascading centrifuges keep on spinnin', the uranium still keeps enrichin'

    Mr Bush's threat to towards the Iranians from '02 more pointed and direct than the one last night.

    Does not look like Abracadabra lost much sleep over it, regardless.

    Peace with Brotherhood, all part of the "Plan", or is with the Brotherhood that we need to seek Peace.
    Peace in Diversity and Brotherhood, now that's the ticket.
    Mrs Hughes must bee a Seer.

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  3. DR..
    Not to currry favor but you're gett'in righter and righer,mean'n correcter and correcter all the time.
    I recon I'm still not old enough to learn..good words and straight forward..I think the "Duke" would be proud of ya.

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  4. Ya know I think the article that changed my thinking the most on a pre or post strike was the battlewagons com'in back on line. I could never figure how the Hill could spend 40 what billion on an F-22 but not anything on keeping those magnificent ships afloat and upgraded with all the tech stuff aand weaponry....When they pull into the neighborhood everybody notices ..they make a statement all by themselves.
    Why for example couldn't they be used for RPV platforms for recon and kill. etc etc.

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  5. i hope for iran and iraq to hug each other, but dont be surprised if the sunnis, kurds and others pop out and want their own areas as well than the great super shia-ville they want to create.

    free kurdistan now...

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  6. It ain't (and never could be) Virginia, but it ain't gonna be Saddam with Nukes.

    And, it ain't gonna be sitting next to "Iran with Nukes," either.

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  7. Guys, a "Democratic" Iraq "Might" influence Iran, more than Iran influences Iraq.

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  8. Two posts in a row the Iraq the Model brothers are "NOT" talking about deteriorating Security.

    Guys, when people are talking about "Politics" the Security is Better.

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  9. tufus,
    I used to advocate that the Iraqi could influence Iran. Then the Iranians began, through proxies, to destabilize Iraq. We did not match them, insurgency for insurgency, when I thought we should have.
    Until and unless the security situation in Iraq really improves, the positive influence will be marginal, at best.
    But I still believe Jefferson and Madison could trump Mohammedan, if our government really promoted their writings and ideas.

    habu, I think I've stayed on message all the time you've been around, the one of us that is finally seeing the light, is you. IMO.

    But buddy has said that it does take a while to grasp my "style".

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  10. Ya don't gotta call me "tufus."

    At least you say, "Asshole."

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  11. anyway, i agree with him, whatever the hell he's calling himself these days.

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  12. dumb jokes aside, trish, it's the alphabet. It's not even spanich or french or even rus or mandarin for chrissake. it's snail trails from right to left. we the people can't josh back n forth about madison & jefferson in that squiggly stuff.

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  13. Chafee wins! It's a GOP senate in November. watch tradesports--this'll swing it to "only an exogenous event" odds.
    Celebrate--and then sob, it's Chafee.

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  14. Heck, Buddy, I wuz pullin for Laffey. I figgered if it got to 50/50 Chaffee would pull a Jeffords, anyway.

    Whaddya mean, I'm a "Conservative?" Attila the Hun was a "Conservative; I'm so far to his right they don't even have a word for it.

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  15. When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
    (translation: "Allah Akbar!")

    We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
    (translation: "Allah Akbar!")

    That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.
    (translation: "Allah Akbar!")

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  16. Anyway, the chances of the Demo's have been greatly overblown. The best bet in town is still Republican House at Tradesports.

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  17. rufus/tufus, the reasoning is sympathetic, as in, this means the other 4 or 5 that the Dems thought would roll "anti-incumbent", are now far less likely to.

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  18. yep, Dick Morris said tonite that both houses have just in the last few days swung back to likely holds by GOP.

    Me, i do not love the GOP, but the Dems are off the scale bad news.

    Off the scale, out the door, down the sidewalk, off the bridge, down the river, into the sea, sunk to the depths, off-the-scale bad-news.

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  19. The Dems would have had to take out Five sitting Senators, and beat the Republican for the Open seat in Tennessee.

    In 94' the Republicans only took out Two sitting Senators.

    As for the House, it's possible to hit an inside straight, but would you want to call all of your money off trying to do it?

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  20. The pollsters and networks want to advance the meme of a "horserace," but the Repubs are winning the Generic ballot 54-40 in their Republican districts. This is exactly where they were at in 04'.

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  21. Buddy, let's face it; All politicians are scum. Some scum just jee haw a little closer to your thinking than the others.

    Hastings? Conyers? Dingell? Murtha? Pelosi?

    What can I say?

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  22. G'nite All. G'nite P'Tater, wherever you are.

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  23. desert rat,

    re: old school

    You need to check out the USAF presence in Germany.

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  24. If the GOP holds strong, the enemy is going to suffer a long look at a long calendar.

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  25. What, allen, we keep Rhine mein?

    Diego Garcia as well?

    Not quite the same as the 3rd Armor Division at the Fulda Gap, as far as an occuppation goes.

    Will we maintain a global footprint, sure. Do we leave when asked or we decide we should, you betcha. Especially when asked.

    The Brothers, they'll be asking, soon enough.

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  26. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  27. trish, alas, you're right. Even if Jefferson came back as president today, all he could do is make speeches, to about as much effect as any other leader flailing to refresh the Founding Principles in the dull and rapacious brain of Leviathan.

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  28. Rat, if ever we're gone, i mean really gone, the wailing and gnashing of teeth will be cosmic.

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  29. Habu said:

    "Gerry added a nice compliment to Whit and 2164 for keeping the doors open while he also came in with a great recipe."

    Probably ought to mention; I'm not a "he."

    It's an easy mistake. "Gerry" - my birth certificate name - could be either. (Maybe why I get all that Viagra spam, ya think?) But I'm not here anonymously, so didn't think about confusing folks.

    But no biggie. I'm not around a lot, but enjoy it when I do get here. Nice bar. Good veggies.

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  30. desert rat,

    re: Rhein-Main

    We are out of Rhein-Main, with operations shifted to Ramstein.

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  31. Just goes to show, allen, old rats sometimes find it hard to keep apace of current deployments and basings.

    thanks for the info, I never even transited Ramstein.

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  32. desert rat,

    The USA is downsizing in the EU in a big, big way. But, the USAF and USN are expanding their operations. Not to give the wrong impression, neither the Air Force nor the Navy numerically will fill the lost Army slots; however, a great deal of money is being spent to enlarge their bases and operations capacity.

    Given the potential for Islamic revolt in the EU, especially in neighboring France, my impression is that the Germans are glad to have an ongoing American presence. If the Muslims harbor the misconception of German pacifism in the face of a systemic physical threat to German sovereignty, they have miscalculated. If any one country will act to revive European military power, it will be Germany. Whether the US will be pleased, long-term, is another matter entirely.

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