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."

Monday, November 12, 2007

Trish said: "Think we chipped those eleven Iranian returnees?"

Robert "Bud" McFarlane's favorite recipe.

UPDATE and COMMENT:

Based on comments by Condi Rice, the reported discussions between Chancellor Merkel of Germany with President Bush and a joint statement this afternoon from the German and French leaders calling for Russia and China to help increase pressure on Iran over its disputed nuclear program, and French President Nicolas Sarkozy saying that Teheran must get "no nuclear weapon," it is clear a deal is in the works.

Sarkozy recently has led European calls for tougher sanctions against Iran over its defiance of UN Security Council demands to halt uranium enrichment, which could be used both to generate nuclear power and create the fissile core of warheads. Sarkozy said as much in the address to Congress and in reported discussions during his Washington visit.

France has suggested new European Union economic sanctions against Iran. Chancellor Angela Merkel has made clear that Germany wants to concentrate on negotiating sanctions at the UN.

Merkel said after the two countries' Cabinets held a twice-yearly meeting that there was "a very great level of agreement" on Iran. 

The US military is very reluctant to get involved with a difficult war with Iran while it is engaged in Iraq and Afghanistan. With rising oil prices, a falling dollar, a heating up of the US election process, it is evident that every effort short of war will be used to make a deal.

The continued belligerence of Vladimir Putin has probably added to the developing European view that a stronger relationship with the United States, based on diplomacy and negotiation, without taking a military option off the table, has the best chance at success.



US strike on Iran ‘not being prepared’

By Demetri Sevastopulo, Daniel Dombey and Andrew Ward in Washington
Published: November 12 2007 00:01 | Last updated: November 12 2007 00:01
Financial Times

The Pentagon is not preparing a pre-emptive attack on Iran in spite of an increase in bellicose rhetoric from Washington, according to senior officers.

Admiral William Fallon, head of Central Command, which oversees military operations in the Middle East, told the Financial Times that while dealing with Iran was a “challenge”, a strike was not “in the offing”.


“None of this is helped by the continuing stories that just keep going around and around and around that any day now there will be another war which is just not where we want to go,” he said.

“Getting Iranian behaviour to change and finding ways to get them to come to their senses and do that is the real objective. Attacking them as a means to get to that spot strikes me as being not the first choice in my book.”

Adm Fallon did not rule out the possibility of a strike at some point. But his comments served as a shot across the bows of hawks who are arguing for imminent action. They also echoed the views of the senior brass that military action is currently unnecessary, and should only be considered as an absolute last resort.

In recent months, President George W. Bush and his top officials have made a string of tough statements that have fuelled speculation that the US was preparing to strike Iran over its nuclear programme. Adm Fallon declined to comment specifically on whether the US rhetoric was feeding the speculation, but said that “generally, the bellicose comments are not particularly helpful”.

“That said we have to make sure that there is no mistake here on the part of the Iranians about our resolve in tending to business in the region,” said Adm Fallon. “There has got to be some combination of strength and willingness to engage. How to come up with the right combination of that is the real trick.”

Several senior active and retired miltary officers told the FT that the Pentagon believes striking Iran at this point would be a strategic mistake, as even a limited air strike could spark a broader conflict.

“The US might think in terms of a limited strike but military officers like to point out that the enemy has a vote,” said Jo-Anne Hart, an Iran expert at Brown University who consults for the military. Retired General Anthony Zinni, a former Centcom commander, said the US military was “stretched too thin” to fight a protracted war with Iran.

Retired Gen John Abizaid, who preceeded Adm Fallon, recently said the US should avoid a war with Iran, which would be “devastating for everybody”. He added that the US should do everything to prevent Iran getting a nuclear weapon, but said Washington could live with that outcome if it happened.

In another sign that the Pentagon is trying to reduce tensions with Iran, the US military this week released nine Iranians it had been holding in Iraq. The move came after Robert Gates, defence secretary, confirmed that Tehran had told the Iraqi government it would be willing to stop sending weapons to militias in Iraq.

Speaking to the FT before the release, Adm Fallon said there had “certainly been a downturn” in roadside bomb attacks on US forces, but that the “jury is still out” on whether Iran had reduced its support for militias in Iraq.

“We need to see them do something along the lines of ‘we are serious about having a dialogue’ and then maybe we can do something,” he added.


71 comments:

  1. Retired Gen John Abizaid, who preceeded Adm Fallon, recently said the US should avoid a war with Iran, which would be “devastating for everybody”. He added that the US should do everything to prevent Iran getting a nuclear weapon, but said Washington could live with that outcome if it happened.

    Oh yeah!? We'll see what Bushitler and Darth Cheney have to say about that.

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  2. Abazaid was a tactical and strategic Genius when he was in charge in Baghdad, he'll figure something out.

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  3. Prediction is very hard, especially about the future.
    - Yogi Berra

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  4. Talking to North Korea got them to agree to dismantle their nuke program by the end of this year. Maybe we should talk to Iran instead of rattling our sabers. Ya think?

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  5. Let's forget this zionazi and neocon war talk...

    the iranians (pakis, hamas, arabians, hezbollah too) just want to be respected and treated as humans!

    I have decided to comply, I have burned my Mis-written torah's, I have destroy all maps of america & israel...

    I am now starting to memorized the saintly verses of the quran.

    I am now knocking the pavement with my head 5 times a day, instead of knockin' my boots with the misses....

    I have come to understand that my attempt to be an individual, a jew, an American is worthless....

    I really need to just submit to Allah and his greatest prophet Mohammed....







    Fuck that....

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  6. One wonders, would Admiral Fallon fall on his sword and resign if Mr Bush ordered an unprovoked series of attacks on Iran?

    Would he maintain the courage of his convictions?

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  7. desert rat

    I am sure you will not have one tear after iran nukes tel aviv....

    I am sure you will find nothing in america outside our borders worthy of protecting...

    when and if israel is destroyed by islamic nutjobs i assure you our border means nothing...



    mr rat...

    learn about 1783....

    learn about the USA becoming the USA and her amazing attachment and bonds with the country of Israel and the True people of zion...

    It seems like you really dont get it....

    but that is typical....


    not to worry, mr rat, you have not let me down, you are infact the reason (not in a bad way) that i do not believe in anyone to save my ass but me....

    so, if my cousins nuke the arab world to survive, I will understand, if the world hates israel, guess what? i dont give a rat's ass.. (no pun intended)

    Ya see mr rat, we "jooos" know all to well about fair weather friends, and truthfully? after whatever millions of my cousins have be raped, burned, gassed, dissected, blown apart, beheaded, starved, dismembered by BOTH the Europeans and the Arabs/Persians we have learned...

    thus we coined the term NEVER AGAIN.


    So whatever Israel's faults and mistakes, she is fighting not to have another GENOCIDE on their asses...

    Iran is at the center of this....

    Iran also has been waging war on America.

    Ignore it at your own foolish peril.

    Thank goodness you are not in charge.



    but in the end, it doesnt matter about what you or I believe. Mr Rat, you are an American, as I and both of us live a great place, these United States of Amerca

    the point is that Iran is not willing to let us have our differences, they want us equally dead....

    go earl?, go late? we are going, question is, do we allow iran more ammo before we shoot?

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  8. Well wi"o", if the Iranians nuke Israel, we'll respond and the threat to US will will be gone.

    The Soviets, with their 40,000 warheads pointed at US, were a greater threat, but we never had to bomb them to beat them. No need for US to go to war with Iran, because they may develop one or two warheads, in the next decade.

    From a historical perspective, I'd not advise anyone to depend to heavily upon US, for we are fair weather friends. As Professor Lewis contends.
    It's a reality of history.
    Ask Mr Diem.

    Genocides have been with the world and the middle east since Genghis Khan marched to Baghdad.

    The Gypsies do not get the press that the Jews got, post WWII, but suffered greater proportional losses to their population , than the Jews.

    The Soviets killed millions of Ukranians, starved them to death, but there is no Ukranian Holocaust industry to keep it in the news.

    No credit today, for the losses in past centuries. The "joos" got their pay off from the Allies. They got to be crusaders for their own private sectarian State.

    Nothing is further from US principles than that. A religiously based State.
    That we would support one, or many, as we do a failure of our alligence to liberty and freedom.

    The Israeli discriminating by both ethnicity and religion, in Israel. Not a freedom agenda.

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  9. Because wi"o" if the Jews can maintain a "Right of Return" based on 3,000 year old property title claims, the Arabs are due equal treatment, base on title claims from 1948.

    The Israel refuse to accept that.
    Because if they did, it'd be the end.

    So equality of rights cannot be allowed, or their State could not be sustained.

    A tyrany of a religious minority.

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  10. I have to believe that George Bush has a tremendous stake in a peaceful resolution with Iran. It is based on the calendar. Any military action will not be a start and an end. There would be many follow-up actions and strikes and counter strikes between the US and Iranian agents around the world.

    President Bush would be in a terrible position of starting a fight that he would not be around to finish. It would be LBJ redux. On the other hand, a successful deal with Iran, sanctioned by the EU and the UN, would be a redemption for some of the unpopular and less successful parts of his presidency. Redemption and legacy are powerful words to many a past and present leader.

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  11. Saw Mr Bolton on CNN. he said that there'd be no negotiated agreement with Iran that would cause the Iranians to stop their march to nuclear energy independence.

    Ms Rice, US Sec of State, said just today that the Senate Resolution recently passed was not an Authorization for USe of Force.

    WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Sunday she does not believe a Senate resolution authorizes President Bush to take military action against Iran.

    "There is nothing in this particular resolution that would suggest that from our point of view. And, clearly, the president has also made very clear that he's on a diplomatic path where Iran comes into focus," Rice said.

    The Senate in late September voted 76-22 in favor of a resolution urging the State Department to designate Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization.
    ...
    Obviously, it can be the case that he will never take his options off the table, but this particular resolution has nothing to do with that from our point of view," Rice said. "This resolution is saying that there needs to be strong measures taken against Iran, which we have definitely done."

    "And if the Iranians suspend their enrichment and reprocessing, I'm prepared to meet my counterpart anyplace, anytime, anywhere," she added. "So the question isn't why will we not talk to Tehran. The question is, why will Tehran not talk to us?"


    The answer to which is clear, the Iranians will not suspend uranium enrichment, which is their right under the Non=Proliferation Treaty they signed. They have few reasons to talk to US about what we want the Iranians to do.

    Mr Bolton did not seem enthusiastic about the possibilities of stopping the Iranians, even with a military strike. US efforts now being to little, to late.

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  12. Bolton says as much about the ME, North Korea, and etc and is disgusted that Condi is now in charge.
    Might as well bring back Albright.

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  13. In other news, Senator Kyl (R< AZ) writes to Ms Rice, concerning India and it's relationship with Iran.

    India's willingness to keep doing business with Ahmadinejad's government is jeopardizing U.S. congressional approval of the nuclear accord negotiated by President George W. Bush and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

    Democrats and Republicans who backed the arrangement a year ago are expressing dismay over India's pursuit of a natural-gas pipeline, military-training program and other projects with Iran that they say undermine efforts to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear bomb.

    ``The potential support that existed at one time I'm not sure remains,'' says Senator Jon Kyl, an Arizona Republican who supported the U.S.-India accord last year. Kyl co-signed a letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in September, complaining about India's dealings with Iran.

    Those apprehensions, on top of political resistance in India, threaten Bush's quest to deepen ties with the world's most populous democracy. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce estimates the India deal might bring $100 billion in nuclear-technology business to companies such as General Electric Co.


    While our number one ally in the War on Terror, Pakistan, is reportedly ready to sign an agreement on the "Peace pipeline" with Iran, tomorrow.

    Pakistan is where Mr Bush's legacy will be written.

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  14. What's sad is the momentum that had developed at the time of the Revolution in Lebanon, but since Fecklessness became the new way forward, things all around that were going forward started reversing.
    The Cowboy was found to be an Empty Suit.

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  15. Really kind of sad, that the US is seemingly as impotent as we claim Osama to be, in Paikistan.

    Ms Bhutto arrested, again, today.

    She is the threat to the General President's tenure, as far as he is concerned. So he can release terrorists in POW exchanges, without a qualm.

    Another poke in the US's eye, with a sharp stick. Think we'd have gotten more, for $10 Billion USD.

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  16. Comes from never defining the mission goals in objective terms.

    I always thought that was because Mr Bush did not want to be judged upon results.

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  17. Bolton says the NoKor Nuke deal was no better than Clintons that failed.
    They are not dismantling some essential element in the deal, just stopped using it, ready to restart as they did before.
    AFTER we pay them off.

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  18. That's par for the course. As time runs short, the walking wounded ducks want some "success" on their records. Even if it's a mirage.

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  19. Whether the duck's name is Bill or George. It doesn't really matter.

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  20. It does to many on the "right" (Rufus thinks socialized medicine is fine???).
    To them if Clinton does it, it's an outrage.
    If W does:
    What's the big problem?

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  21. Did you see that windfarm thing I posted that told about Romney being old bud's with Teddy, 'Rat?

    Sad thing is, he's rolling up too many early victories, to believe the polls.
    Too bad NY and Calif don't come FIRST this year!

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  22. All it took to bring out all the Rinos, Hillary voters, and W true believers was for Tiger to mention it!!!

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  23. Guys, I Retired out of the insurance biz. I don't want "Socilized" Medicine, BUT we Do need to do a little work on making insurance coverage "Sane," and available.

    I like Mitt's deal in Massachusetts. At least, as a "starting point."

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  24. You like Hillarycare then, rufus.
    That's what it is the Mitt instituted in Mass.
    You're a liberal, bordering on Democrat. At least in the policies you endorse.

    Calling it sanity does not make it Constitutional, nor right, nor sane.

    What Article and Section do we reference in the Constitution, for Universal Health Care, provided by the Government?

    Betcha it's right there next to abortion "rights".

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  25. rufus wants "big daddy" to cover his costs.

    Bringing sanity to the system.
    It'll run just like the other government programs.
    Border Security and the TSA are prime examples.

    The Federals will borrow the money from the Chinese and the Sauds, to pay for rufus's meds, leaving the children to pay, later.

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  26. Thanks, whit, for getting the clarification on "RINO" from Tiger. I wanted to become a regular commentator on his blog, and I was doing so for a few weeks, but something happened to Tiger and he started posting a lot of anti-Catholic stuff. I had to quit posting at Observanda.

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  27. I'd settle for simply not being Poisoned

    We Coast-to-Coasters have been onto this for years, you folks will catch up:)

    Tiger may have gotten loaded up with barium.

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  28. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  29. Rufus: Guys, I Retired out of the insurance biz. I don't want "Socilized" Medicine, BUT we Do need to do a little work on making insurance coverage "Sane," and available.

    You can start on Jan 20, 2009. You put every child born on or after 12:00PM on that day into an HMO. If mom refuses to pick one before she leaves the maternity ward, the government picks one for her. Initial funding assistance from the government is provided from the estimated savings the government realizes from the fact that mom won't be using the emergency room as the primary source of health care for her baby. No one born before that date has to be tainted with "socialized medicine". In 18 years, the first of these Red Diaper Babies will enter the workforce. They will be expected to pick up the tab for their own insurance, while mom and pop and grandpa and grandma continue to rough it Ayn Rand style, "every man for himself" until they retire and get Medicare.

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  30. New polling out of Nevada

    That's what all those bright lights do to people.

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  31. When it comes to Mr Romney, we must ask ourselves ...
    What is the most liberal Statein the Union?
    Which State did Mr McGovern carry?

    Why Massachusetts, of course.

    So, to be elected Governor, there, how "conservative" could a fellow be?

    The Governor introduces socialized medicine, which comes in $150 million over budget in it's first year of operation.

    A true blue Republican, Mr Romney.
    Or is that blue blooded Republican ...
    Who can tell the difference?

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  32. Well, Ms T, that scenario does not cover the 20 million illegals that constitute half of our 40 million "uninsured".

    Of the balance of the uninsured, many are young folk that do not need health insurance, based upon their own cost benefit analysis.

    This entire debate, in the end, is to force those young adults into paying into the system, to support the dying. The majority of any person's health care expense, coming in the last months of life.

    A substantial portion of your "Red diaper babies" would not insure themselves upon reaching their majority. They do not now, because there is no benefit, when compared to the costs.

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  33. Insurance is, at the fundamental level, a socailist institution - spreading the risk amongst the population as a whole; some pay too much while others make out nicely. The only real difference is whether it is mandated by the gov...like auto insurance...then there is the single payer notion...shades of grey really.

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  34. Desert Rat: Well, Ms T, that scenario does not cover the 20 million illegals that constitute half of our 40 million "uninsured".

    Unless illegals go drop their babies in the wilderness like zebras, they have them in hospitals. You change the law to give them a choice: If they do not document their baby insurance-wise, they cannot document their baby as a US citizen, because ALL citizens born after 1/20/09 are to be insured.

    A substantial portion of your "Red diaper babies" would not insure themselves upon reaching their majority. They do not now, because there is no benefit, when compared to the costs.

    That's the point of my plan. You don't have the ability to opt out. The only ones who aren't covered are the folks who were born before the cutoff date who choose to remain out.

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  35. Ron Paul's money Juggernaut continues apace.

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  36. True enough, ash. But driving is not mandated, nor is comprehensive coverage. Only liability is, to cover those damages done to others.

    But when the Federals do not control the border and 14% of the drivers in AZ are unlicense and uninsured, the costs to the law abiding are disproportionately high.

    So how can anyone claim that the Federals will well manage the Health Care System, when they cannot even manage building 2400 miles of fence, in six years?

    The conceptual idea is oxy-moronic, to suggest that the Federals could do a better job at Health Care than they do a border security.

    Their failure at border security accounts for half of the uninsured and the overwhelming of the emergency Rooms, the bankrupting of private hospitals, here.

    The Federals are in great part the cause of the large numbers of unisured, at least half of them.

    While the solution advanced, giving the Federals more authority over more of the society is not competent when judged by government's past or current performance.

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  37. I wonder if Ron Paul has really thought this Iranian Threat through to the end. He seems to think we are damned if we do, but we may be equally damned if we don't.

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  38. Those babies born in the US, they are not illegals, Ms T. Amongst the 20 million illegalsthat are uninsured are many children. Children not born in the US.

    They are not covered in your program, or are they?

    So how does the Government force people to buy health insurance, to not allow them to "opt out".

    When people "Just say no".

    You propose jail time for those that do not participate?

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  39. The Feds are unable to control the border, to that I agree - it is thus uncontrolled. As with the uninsured drivers we gotta cope with the fallout of that reality. You get smucked by an uninsured who pays to fix your car? Your mangled body? Nobody? Why your insurance of course.

    Mandate everyone be insured, medically, like all those who drive must be insured; then debate who pays, who profits (if anyone), from such insurance.

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  40. The Afghan Fallujah?

    Nor are the problems with treachery all on the British side. The ABC Blotter says:

    Dramatic new video shows how American soldiers in Afghanistan are being set up for deadly ambushes after trying to make peace with village elders in Taliban-controlled areas.

    The effort to win the "hearts and minds" of village elders in the Korengal Valley of Kunar Province in Afghanistan has proved to be a dangerous one for U.S. troops, with elders often suspected of tipping Taliban fighters to the soldiers' schedule and whereabouts.

    The video to be broadcast tonight on ABC News' "World News With Charles Gibson" and "Nightline" was shot by "Vanity Fair" contributing editor Sebastian Junger and photographer Tim Hetherington embedded with the 2nd Platoon, Battle (B) company of the 173rd Airborne on a joint assignment for ABC News and "Vanity Fair" magazine.
    ---
    Iran was a Problem in Iraq, Pakistan will look like a WMD for Afghanistan.
    BIG TIME sanctuary, this time.

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  41. GWB himself is more responsible for the tidal wave of illegals than the rest of the Govt combined.
    Very rotten fishead.
    A law-abiding POTUS following 9-11 would have produced a far different outcome, just as Duncan Hunters fence would be getting built if W wasn't a World Class Liar and Outlaw on the illegal immigration issue.

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  42. That is a lot jibberish, bob.

    In regards his "Reasons"

    The Sauds will not be "intimidated" by the Iranians, they'll just bring in the Wahabbist nukes from Pakistan to balance the equation. Just as the Egptians are firing up their own program, with US acquiescence.

    There will not be a move to Arab/ Israeli "peace" regardless of Iran having a nuke or not. Unless, of course the Israeli abandon the Golan and the West Bank, as well as Jerusalem, which ain't happenin'

    High oil prices will remain, whether or not Iran obtains the "BOMB". rufus assures US of that, it's caused by a rising demand curve against diminishing supply.

    Intoxicated Islamists, they'd have to Shia, not Sunni. Or our new Iraqi Sunni allies would not be volunteering to assist US in our coming war with Iran.

    The Iranians would not have enough of the weapons for "super extremists" to "give away". Not for years and years, at best.

    Possession of nuclear weapons did not save the Soviets from regieme change, they had 40,000 of them. To claim that the Iranians would be "safe" from internal pressure, with two or three is foolishness.

    If the Syrians want to stay in the Iranian shere, instead of the Saudi, that's a challenge for the Sauds.

    The author believes the Sauds are impotent, they're not.

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  43. Try 2 -
    Did you see that windfarm thing I posted that told about Romney being old bud's with Teddy, 'Rat?

    ReplyDelete
  44. We're gonna need more doctors. We still don't have a medical school in Idaho.

    ReplyDelete
  45. And the brits:

    Gordon Brown's Guildhall speech shows that Britain's foreign policy remains somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic.


    On this occasion, the British prime minister gave a touch on the tiller to take the British ship of state a bit closer to the American shore.

    He was worried perhaps that mixed signals he and his ministers have been putting out indicated a cooling off after the heat of the Blair-Bush relationship.




    He is also mindful that the French under Nicolas Sarkozy have suddenly rediscovered their taste for America. Britain might be feeling a little left out, but then it has always been the case that the prodigal son gets the warmest welcome.

    "It is no secret that I am a lifelong admirer of America," Mr Brown declared with a metaphoric bow toward the White House. "I have no truck with anti-Americanism in Britain or elsewhere in Europe and I believe that our ties with America - founded on values we share - constitute our most important bilateral relationship."

    Mr Brown is no Tony Blair. Tony Blair often wanted to be out ahead of US policy. Gordon Brown simply does not want to be left too far behind.


    Iran sanctions proposed

    He showed his loyalty over Iran, announcing that he favours a new round of sanctions both by the UN and the EU, this time against Iran's oil and gas and financial sector, if it refuses to suspend uranium enrichment.

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  46. DR: Those babies born in the US, they are not illegals, Ms T. Amongst the 20 million illegals that are uninsured are many children. Children not born in the US.

    If a child is born before 1/20/09 they're on their own. If a child is born in a shed, and not a US hospital, they're on their own. But if a child is born in a US hospital, they get signed up for Tere-care or they don't get a birth certificate and illegals have no "anchor baby" paperwork to file to get their jackpot. One purpose for this is to get the illegals to come in out of the dark and get into the system.

    So how does the Government force people to buy health insurance, to not allow them to "opt out". When people "Just say no". You propose jail time for those that do not participate?

    How does the government force people to buy Federal Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) insurance, also known as S.S.? That's what I thought.

    ReplyDelete
  47. By the way, the US Supreme Court may take that gun case on appeal from D.C. If they do, Lord only knows what they will come up with.

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  48. We are already fueling a Regional arms race. That is the chosen US policy.

    Tens of billions in weapons to the Sauds, Israeli and Gulf State arabs.

    Balance of power, balance the terror.

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  49. Now's the time to buy guns out of the want ads for cash, bury them in the back yard. D.C. Gun Case

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  50. 2164th wrote:

    "He is also mindful that the French under Nicolas Sarkozy have suddenly rediscovered their taste for America."

    Unless Sarkozy is talking about the value of the US greenback then he is spouting stuff like "war", and that is not war alongside the USA but against.

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  51. They do not, Ms T.

    There are millions of US residents that do not participate in those programs. Millions upon millions of them.

    Some illegally in the country, but many not.

    The "Gray Economy".

    That you are a Government employee, DoD of some sort puts you amongst the law abiding, but believe me, in the real world there are many, many people that do not particpate in SS.

    I have a friend who is a millionaire, just in the value of his house, who has never particpated with the Tax Man.

    Compliance is for the weak, he says.

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  52. When I tried to trade him to the IRS, to alleviate some tax troubles of my own, they had zero interest in him or his non-compliance.

    He never paid, it'd be hard for them to make a case, where as me, I was legit as the days were hot.
    An easy mark for the IRS.
    Not a hassle they did not want to hear about, let alone trade for.

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  53. 3
    Did you see that windfarm thing I posted that told about Romney being old bud's with Teddy, 'Rat?

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  54. Folk will just opt out of the System.

    I see it more and more, as it is.

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  55. Forget Rat.I looked at it 3 times.

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  56. Sure enough, doug.
    All in the same Club.

    They're all Boners, back there.

    Good for enough you, but not them, that's the Standard

    Playing us for saps, which most are. Like rufus, thinking he's a "conservative" while expousing socialist remedies for non-existent problems.

    More taxes, always the solution, now wanting unfunded mandates for individuals.

    Opting out, that's the plan.
    Here or here

    Already off-shoring some art production, the big pipe makes lots of things possible.

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  57. Never paid? Never filed? Hard to make that case? jeez, sounds open and shut to me. What are they looking for, a confession? Where'd you get the money, they might ask, for starters.

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  58. When Ann Romney described her father in law on that Audio, a lightbulb went off:
    For some reason I never thought of him coming from the Mega-Rich, but even tho American Motors was not the biggest kid on the block, he still did run it for a while, and that ain't peanuts.
    So, I re-evaluated some of those magnificent self-made man stories.
    Heard all that wrt to W, have had the lie stuck in my face ever since.
    Lounging in the Hamptons w/the Kennedys, while Rudy really DID work his way up.
    Really tired of self-made little rich boys.

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  59. The State finally got on his case, bob.

    He was selling cars, curb stoning from his Paradise Valley mansion, charging sales tax and not turning it in to the State.

    The State audited the Dealer he was using to hang his wholesale license. Came up a cropper. Then the Feds took an interest, but not when a civilian tried to exchange him for about $15,000, they couldn't have cared less. I had a reasonable file on him, too.

    But even then, it's just pay the past three years, with penalties for those. No legal case, no jail time. Nothing on the 30 years prior.

    I figured he'd be cashin' out and headed south, but no. That's not the case, at all. Figures around $100,000 to come even. Peanut dough after all the years of nonpayment.

    Crime does pay.

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  60. Well, he won't be allowed in the honest man's heaven, that's for sure. He'll have to use his wits in hell, trying to out swindle the other swindlers.

    There's nothing better than an honest man.

    And if he's reincarnated, he may come back a coyote, or a magpie.

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  61. Guy is 49 years old, never paid into the System. When I tried to get him into some legit deals, to cover his ass, make him at least look legit, he'd just laugh.

    Said it was better to be under the radar. His technique, transpose his SS numbers.

    Worked for him for thirty years, would have kept on workin' but for the Dealer not goin' out of business, as per norm.

    Seems that if they run three years, close and open again with a new name. It expunges the past operations when they close the corporation. This time they were up for five years and made into the States audit schedule.

    Complacency got 'em.

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  62. But the moral of the story, is that there are more scammers than him out there in the world.

    The higher the cost of legitimacy becomes, the fewer people that will even try to be legit

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  63. Why do many Americans go to church, when most Europeans don't?

    from "Christianity's Dangerous Idea"

    "It is not unfair to suggest that the Protestant vision of the church unleashes a Darwinian process of competition and survival in which maladapted churches are gradually eliminated and what survives is better suited to the needs and opportunities of the day. Using an essentially economic model, Laurence Iannaccone and Rodney Stark argue that the European state churches have created a religious monopoly, leading to a radical restriction of religious options for its people. In marked contrast, the US offers an open market of religious options, with none either sanctioned or restricted by the state. Commitment to organized religion is higher in countries such as the US because religious pluralism encourages market responsiveness to the religious consumer. In Europe, they argue, the institutional churches have seen little purpose in identifying and meeting the needs of their parishioners.

    If they are right, Protestantism flourishes in the US on account of open competition, which forces churches to take the needs and aspirations of their members seriously. In contrast, the privileged position of state churches in Europe has often led to the entrenchment of outdated approaches and attitudes, and above all a neglect of the religious consumer by leaders who are often wedded to the convenient certainties of the past. In America, competition encourages religious entrepreneurship and vitality. As Steve Bruce points out, 'Free market capitalism explains why Americans are rich, free market religion explains why Americans are church -going.' "

    Sweden has a state Lutheran Church. Sweden has an empty state Lutheran Church.
    xxxxxxxxx]]
    Rat, Ralph Waldo Emerson said there is a balance to all things. If the taxes get too high, people will refuse to pay, he thought. Looking at parts of Europe, not to mention here, I am not sure he was right.

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  64. My wife is all ticked off. The city of Lewiston has a proposal to build a memorial to a kid who died of cancer. Why this particular kid is special I am not sure, but he seems to have hit a cord. Anyways in addition, a big waterfall is planned which is to cost $5000/ month to run, out of taxpayers money. My wife doesn't want to feel like a grinch, but wouldn't the money be better used to fund research into the disease that killed him? etc...many other reasons.

    That's what gets me about taxes. So damned much is just wasted.

    They also have this cockeyed idea of engraving the names of local youth who die before making age 18. She says, engrave the names of those that make 18, and graduate from high school, a more sensible proposal in my view.

    grnite

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  65. Rat, just so you'll get some sleep tonight:) In The Anals of Excess

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  66. They may not refuse to pay, bob. But they refuse to produce.

    JFK and Ronald Reagan both proved that, with supply side tax decreases.

    In both cases economic activity took off when the cost benefit of doing more became evident.

    When the income from activity does not meet cost benefit analysis criteria, people stop taking risks. They stop working that extra bit, for no extra reward.

    They don't do that extra project, don't add that extra capacity. They go on vacation, work 30 hour weeks, go home to momma and a pint.

    Socialist religion does not seem to work, either.
    God and Government don't mix, well.

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  67. Medved says the Dems in 12 states already are pushing for mandatory paid sick leave for all.
    ...to bring Hillary voters to the polls in greater numbers.
    (Didn't mention that was the GOP plan for one or two of the last elections w/gay marriage or some such that I forgot)
    Had an example of a thriving small business in Ohio of 80 people that is already paying a large percentage in benefits, and this would amount to a government mandated IMMEDIATE outlay of additional expense that could well tip the company into failure.
    Nice goin, guys:
    More points of light, for those the elites decide to pander to, at least.

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