U.S. Foreign Policy

[Doc]

99.5% of us never have to serve in the wars our national clown posse runs, so can sit at home, stuff Doritos in their mouths, and watch “Real Housewives of Beverly hills.” BTW, be sure to “support the troops” and place that bumper sticker on your car, we are “the greatest nation on earth” as all our presidents dutifully cheer on our national conceits. Our leaders in either party can be dumber than dirt and as corrupt as Tammany Hall, they just need to make us feel good and “safe” for our approval. They enable our isolation.

20% of American Adults have served in the military.

What do we represent as a people anymore? Aggressive wars, drone murders, Guantanamo, swaggering arrogance, rank hypocrisy, Lady Gaga? A bunch of feckless weenies in hysteria about Ebola but perfectly content to isolate Africa and let it rot so we can go back to watching football and drinking beer and feel "safe?"

The hysteria has more to do with incompetent leadership than Ebola. Travel from West Africa needs to be isolated as much as possible to protect the rest of the third world. The hypocrites are the weenies that think that quarantine is something that should never be considered for a disease that_to_date has only ever been stopped by quarantine.

The real experts like the scientist that first discovered Ebola say it has to be stopped in West Africa before it spreads. And certain no quarantine is going to be perfect but it does increase the against it spreading. Point of fact Nigeria dodged a bullet in preventing an outbreak there after one person got on a plane in West Africa and flew to Lagos. A city with massive slums and a weak medical system.

We have been warned for years and years that Ebola was one of the most serious threats to the human race. Apparently for the most part that has fallen on deaf ears in the WHO and the US government.

Ebola is not something that chances should be taken with But chances have been taken. Now 5000 people are dead.

[Heracleum Persicum]

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99.5% of us never have to serve in the wars our national clown posse runs, so can sit at home, stuff Doritos in their mouths, and watch “Real Housewives of Beverly hills.” BTW, be sure to “support the troops” and place that bumper sticker on your car, we are “the greatest nation on earth” as all our presidents dutifully cheer on our national conceits. Our leaders in either party can be dumber than dirt and as corrupt as Tammany Hall, they just need to make us feel good and “safe” for our approval. They enable our isolation.

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Seconded

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20% of American Adults have served in the military.

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1973 US changed to "All-Volunteer Force" , no draft anymore

Would be interesting to know what percentage of Americans born later than 1970, say below age 50, have served in military, am sure much less than 10% .. and .. interesting to know, from which sector of American society those volunteers are, (well off or poor, white or blacks), whether they volunteered out of financial necessity or patriotism

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[kmich]

Americans and Their Military, Drifting Apart

...First and most basic was the decision in 1973, at the end of combat operations in Vietnam, to depart from the tradition of the citizen-soldier by ending conscription and establishing a large, professional, all-volunteer force to maintain the global commitments we have assumed since World War II. In 1776, Samuel Adams warned of the dangers inherent in such an arrangement: “A standing Army, however necessary it may be at some times, is always dangerous to the Liberties of the People. Soldiers are apt to consider themselves as a Body distinct from the rest of the Citizens.”

For nearly two generations, no American has been obligated to join up, and few do. Less than 0.5 percent of the population serves in the armed forces, compared with more than 12 percent during World War II. Even fewer of the privileged and powerful shoulder arms. In 1975, 70 percent of members of Congress had some military service; today, just 20 percent do, and only a handful of their children are in uniform...

[Doc]

Americans and Their Military, Drifting Apart

...First and most basic was the decision in 1973, at the end of combat operations in Vietnam, to depart from the tradition of the citizen-soldier by ending conscription and establishing a large, professional, all-volunteer force to maintain the global commitments we have assumed since World War II. In 1776, Samuel Adams warned of the dangers inherent in such an arrangement: “A standing Army, however necessary it may be at some times, is always dangerous to the Liberties of the People. Soldiers are apt to consider themselves as a Body distinct from the rest of the Citizens.”

For nearly two generations, no American has been obligated to join up, and few do. Less than 0.5 percent of the population serves in the armed forces, compared with more than 12 percent during World War II. Even fewer of the privileged and powerful shoulder arms. In 1975, 70 percent of members of Congress had some military service; today, just 20 percent do, and only a handful of their children are in uniform...

The Draft has been in effect for about 20% of the nation's history. We did just fine without it in the 193 years we did not have it.

[kmich]

Americans and Their Military, Drifting Apart

...First and most basic was the decision in 1973, at the end of combat operations in Vietnam, to depart from the tradition of the citizen-soldier by ending conscription and establishing a large, professional, all-volunteer force to maintain the global commitments we have assumed since World War II. In 1776, Samuel Adams warned of the dangers inherent in such an arrangement: “A standing Army, however necessary it may be at some times, is always dangerous to the Liberties of the People. Soldiers are apt to consider themselves as a Body distinct from the rest of the Citizens.”

For nearly two generations, no American has been obligated to join up, and few do. Less than 0.5 percent of the population serves in the armed forces, compared with more than 12 percent during World War II. Even fewer of the privileged and powerful shoulder arms. In 1975, 70 percent of members of Congress had some military service; today, just 20 percent do, and only a handful of their children are in uniform...

The Draft has been in effect for about 20% of the nation's history. We did just fine without it in the 193 years we did not have it.

We were an isolated developing nation for most of our history, so obviously a draft was not required during those periods. You are avoiding the issues I have been presenting, Doc, most likely to suit your own partisan, ideological passions.

Carry on....

[Heracleum Persicum]

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How are Saudi Arabia’s beheadings different from Islamic State’s

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On Wednesday, the same day that John Baird was greeted warmly by his Saudi Arabian counterpart to discuss coordinated efforts to combat Islamic State militants (also known as ISIS or ISIL), a Saudi court judge decided to pass a death sentence against a leading opposition figure on charges of sedition and “breaking allegiance to the king.”

“We consider the Kingdom and Kuwait important allies in combating violent extremism and terrorism,” Mr. Baird said before leaving for his trip to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait on Tuesday.

..

Does Canada really see an ally in a country that has carried out twice as many beheadings over one month than the militia it now claims it wants to destroy? According to Amnesty International, 59 people have been decapitated in Saudi Arabia since January this year, and eight in the past month alone. That’s twice the number of Western hostages who have been featured in IS’s execution videos (though there have also been non-Western hostages beheaded by IS). Saudi Arabia’s track record actually makes IS look scant in comparison.

For more than a decade, Nimr Baqer Al-Nimr has been considered a revolutionary hero in the Shia Muslim world for peacefully calling for an end to corruption and discrimination against religious minorities. But in a country where political opposition and insulting the monarchy is tantamount to suicide, the reformist cleric clearly crossed all red lines.

During his sermons in 2011, Mr. Al-Nimr exposed the government’s ill-treatment of political prisoners, calling out Saudi princes and princesses by name to stop “killing our sons.”

In another sermon following Arab Spring-inspired protests the following year, he questioned the very legitimacy of the Gulf monarchies on the basis that they were inconsistent with Islamic law.

“The House of Saud and Khalifa (in Bahrain) are mere collaborators with and pawns of the British and their cohorts. It is our right, and the right of the Bahraini people, and all people everywhere, to choose our leaders and demand that rule by succession be done away with as it contradicts our religion.”

What Mr. Baird needs to grasp immediately is the horrific impact executing Mr. Al-Nimr would have in fuelling sectarian violence in the region. Carrying out the sentence also gives zero credence to Saudi Arabia’s purported claim of opposing the militant group. Saudi Arabia already shares their extremist ideological roots in Salafism with IS and their love of decapitating people who don’t agree with them - won’t the execution of a prominent Shia cleric only encourage them to continue their persecution of religious minorities?

There’s only one message Mr. Baird needs to deliver to Prince Saud Al-Faisal: Pressure Saudi Arabia to release Mr. Al-Nimr and disavow the violent and regressive ideology that lies at the heart of its state.

All sign poin to ISIS being a western baby

Not gonno work

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[Doc]

Americans and Their Military, Drifting Apart

...First and most basic was the decision in 1973, at the end of combat operations in Vietnam, to depart from the tradition of the citizen-soldier by ending conscription and establishing a large, professional, all-volunteer force to maintain the global commitments we have assumed since World War II. In 1776, Samuel Adams warned of the dangers inherent in such an arrangement: “A standing Army, however necessary it may be at some times, is always dangerous to the Liberties of the People. Soldiers are apt to consider themselves as a Body distinct from the rest of the Citizens.”

For nearly two generations, no American has been obligated to join up, and few do. Less than 0.5 percent of the population serves in the armed forces, compared with more than 12 percent during World War II. Even fewer of the privileged and powerful shoulder arms. In 1975, 70 percent of members of Congress had some military service; today, just 20 percent do, and only a handful of their children are in uniform...

The Draft has been in effect for about 20% of the nation's history. We did just fine without it in the 193 years we did not have it.

We were an isolated developing nation for most of our history, so obviously a draft was not required during those periods. You are avoiding the issues I have been presenting, Doc, most likely to suit your own partisan, ideological passions.

Carry on....

There is no reason for the draft to happen all the time. An army of volunteers works a hell of a lot better than one of forced inductees. Except of course if you want a draft to protest and an army of forced recruits to object.

[kmich]

The Draft has been in effect for about 20% of the nation's history. We did just fine without it in the 193 years we did not have it.

We were an isolated developing nation for most of our history, so obviously a draft was not required during those periods. You are avoiding the issues I have been presenting, Doc, most likely to suit your own partisan, ideological passions.

Carry on....

There is no reason for the draft to happen all the time. An army of volunteers works a hell of a lot better than one of forced inductees. Except of course if you want a draft to protest and an army of forced recruits to object.

Tell that to the over 11,000,00 draftees or 61.2% of American service personnel In World War II. I guess they weren't worth much, were they?

Whatever, I am not talking about "protest," I am talking about assuming responsibilities as citizens of a Republic, which, of course is about the value of citizenship, not about the passions of armchair warriors and partisan gadflies. I served as a Naval Officer during Vietnam. What did you do, Doc?

[Endovelico]

There is no reason for the draft to happen all the time. An army of volunteers works a hell of a lot better than one of forced inductees. Except of course if you want a draft to protest and an army of forced recruits to object.

A professional army is great if you are thinking of a war of aggression. But if you are thinking about defending your country against foreign invasion a draftee army is a lot sounder. I just read today that Norway, which has a conscript army, has passed a law making military service compulsory for both men and women. That's the way to go if you are a peace loving people who will only fight to defend people and country.

[Doc]

The Draft has been in effect for about 20% of the nation's history. We did just fine without it in the 193 years we did not have it.

We were an isolated developing nation for most of our history, so obviously a draft was not required during those periods. You are avoiding the issues I have been presenting, Doc, most likely to suit your own partisan, ideological passions.

Carry on....

There is no reason for the draft to happen all the time. An army of volunteers works a hell of a lot better than one of forced inductees. Except of course if you want a draft to protest and an army of forced recruits to object.

Tell that to the over 11,000,00 draftees or 61.2% of American service personnel In World War II. I guess they weren't worth much, were they?

Whatever, I am not talking about "protest," I am talking about assuming responsibilities as citizens of a Republic, which, of course is about the value of citizenship, not about the passions of armchair warriors and partisan gadflies. I served as a Naval Officer during Vietnam. What did you do, Doc?

That is not what I said in any way shape or form. TYVM.

[Doc]

There is no reason for the draft to happen all the time. An army of volunteers works a hell of a lot better than one of forced inductees. Except of course if you want a draft to protest and an army of forced recruits to object.

A professional army is great if you are thinking of a war of aggression. But if you are thinking about defending your country against foreign invasion a draftee army is a lot sounder. I just read today that Norway, which has a conscript army, has passed a law making military service compulsory for both men and women. That's the way to go if you are a peace loving people who will only fight to defend people and country.

IYHO. The US army is a small fraction of what it was when there was a draft. As I recall mostly because you Europeans were up to defending yourselves against the Soviet Union.

[kmich]

The Draft has been in effect for about 20% of the nation's history. We did just fine without it in the 193 years we did not have it.

We were an isolated developing nation for most of our history, so obviously a draft was not required during those periods. You are avoiding the issues I have been presenting, Doc, most likely to suit your own partisan, ideological passions.

Carry on....

There is no reason for the draft to happen all the time. An army of volunteers works a hell of a lot better than one of forced inductees. Except of course if you want a draft to protest and an army of forced recruits to object.

Tell that to the over 11,000,00 draftees or 61.2% of American service personnel In World War II. I guess they weren't worth much, were they?

Whatever, I am not talking about "protest," I am talking about assuming responsibilities as citizens of a Republic, which, of course is about the value of citizenship, not about the passions of armchair warriors and partisan gadflies. I served as a Naval Officer during Vietnam. What did you do, Doc?

That is not what I said in any way shape or form. TYVM.

Really? So what exactly were you saying?

An army of volunteers works a hell of a lot better than one of forced inductees

So why would I not assume that you believe that a majority of service personnel in WWII, who were inductees, did not work out as well as our current crop of professionals?

Except of course if you want a draft to protest and an army of forced recruits to object.

I get it, now. You want to paint me as one of those “anti-war” protestors in the Vietnam era. I served during that era in spite of the endless garbage I took for being in NROTC in college during that period, so what the hell are you talking about?

[Simple Minded]

What is the problem you are exactly trying to solve, SM?

I'm trying to help out Endo. If the problem is Europe's leaders, and if a majority of European voters feel that they have been America's bitch, then I have handed him or a like minded candidate a winning campaign theme. If he is wrong, about either the leaders or the populace, then my advice is worthless.

What do we represent as a people anymore? Aggressive wars, drone murders, Guantanamo, swaggering arrogance, rank hypocrisy, Lady Gaga? A bunch of feckless weenies in hysteria about Ebola but perfectly content to isolate Africa and let it rot so we can go back to watching football and drinking beer and feel "safe?"

Who are the "we" to whom you refer? If it is Americans, my observation is that in a population of 330+ million, you can find any data point that displays any behavior one desires to observe.

With that large a population, I would say we represent the Western Hemisphere, the Northern Hemisphere, or the people of Earth fairly accurately.

Would not less military intervention, ie: more isolationism, reduce "Aggressive wars, drone murders, Guantanamo, swaggering arrogance, rank hypocrisy, Lady Gaga?" with the possible exception of Lady Gaga?

[Typhoon]

A friend of mine was in the ROTC during the Vietnam War.

Apparently, ROTC was compulsory at his university.

He objected to the VW and did not want to serve.

One time they were playing war games and his team was tasked to "stop a tank".

So he had his team dig a hole, a big hole, and then camouflage it.

The tank came roaring down the path, hit the pit, toppled in and over, bending the turret gun.

He ended up being discharged from the ROTC as being "unsuitable to be an officer".

[Ironically, as he is one of the most rational, cool-headed, and smartest individuals I have met in my life.]

Mission accomplished.

[Doc]

The Draft has been in effect for about 20% of the nation's history. We did just fine without it in the 193 years we did not have it.

We were an isolated developing nation for most of our history, so obviously a draft was not required during those periods. You are avoiding the issues I have been presenting, Doc, most likely to suit your own partisan, ideological passions.

Carry on....

There is no reason for the draft to happen all the time. An army of volunteers works a hell of a lot better than one of forced inductees. Except of course if you want a draft to protest and an army of forced recruits to object.

Tell that to the over 11,000,00 draftees or 61.2% of American service personnel In World War II. I guess they weren't worth much, were they?

Whatever, I am not talking about "protest," I am talking about assuming responsibilities as citizens of a Republic, which, of course is about the value of citizenship, not about the passions of armchair warriors and partisan gadflies. I served as a Naval Officer during Vietnam. What did you do, Doc?

That is not what I said in any way shape or form. TYVM.

Really? So what exactly were you saying?

That the need for a draft is rare.

An army of volunteers works a hell of a lot better than one of forced inductees

So why would I not assume that you believe that a majority of service personnel in WWII, who were inductees, did not work out as well as our current crop of professionals? [/quote]

Our current army is far better trained. Expensive training at that. People wanting to be in a professional army by choice tend to stay. Hence the training is not lost to the military. That is a big deal.

Except of course if you want a draft to protest and an army of forced recruits to object.

I get it, now. You want to paint me as one of those “anti-war” protestors in the Vietnam era. I served during that era in spite of the endless garbage I took for being in NROTC in college during that period, so what the hell are you talking about?

No I was not painting you as a Vietnam war protester. That never even occurred to me. I was painting you as a modern left winger. Given your argument that you are for forcing people to join the military instead of volunteering which ,is a well know left wing "Anti-war" thing, what else am I supposed to assume?

[Heracleum Persicum]

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NYT : U.S. Airdrops Weapons and Supplies to Kurds in Kobani

WASHINGTON — Escalating its assistance to Kurdish fighters battling the Islamic State in the Syrian town of Kobani, American military aircraft on Sunday dropped ammunition, small arms and medical supplies to resupply the combatants, officials said.

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.. in a sign of the symbolic significance of the town to both sides, three United States C-130 transport planes for the first time dropped 27 bundles of supplies provided by Iraqi Kurdish authorities to help the Syrian Kurds continue to resist the militant attempts to seize it, American officials said late Sunday.

The aircraft flew without fighter escort, faced no hostile ground fire, and left the airdrop zone safely, American officials said.

“There was an urgent need to resupply,” a senior Obama administration official said in a hastily organized conference call Sunday night. “This was the quickest way to get the job done.”

Bravo our beloved America, Bravo, force will be with you


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[Heracleum Persicum]

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http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/ausland/nah ... y/13569971

Press TV journalist Serena Shim - killed by Turkish inteligence.jpg (156.53 KiB) Viewed 1914 times

Serena Shim was American citizen

On Friday, Shim, an American citizen of Lebanese origin, told Press TV that the Turkish intelligence agency had accused her of spying probably due to some of the stories she had covered about Turkey’s stance on the ISIL terrorists in Kobani and its surroundings, adding that she feared being arrested.

Emadi called the “car accident” version of Shim’s death an “infantile argument” by Turkey. “We are not going to buy that,” he noted.

“We believe that the Turkish government has to be held accountable before the international community. It has to find out exactly what happened.”

The news media director went on to say that Shim was an American national who died “under very suspicious circumstances” inside Turkey. “We are waiting to see whether the US government is reacting or asking Ankara for clarification.”

Turkey assassinated Press TV reporter



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Pfui, Ibrahim, Pfui


By now, pretty much clear, ISIS & Turkey together

Looks to me things could end up with "Partition" of Turkey .. Kurdistan, here we come


.

[Endovelico]

Is it so hard to understand that defending and protecting our community is a common responsibility, and that the risks to one's life which are associated with serving in the military is not something you may trade for money?

"We need to protect ourselves, but I do not want to risk being maimed or killed doing it, because I think my life is more important than the welfare of the community. So I prefer to pay you to die in my place while defending me, my business and my family..."

What sort of commitment do you expect from someone who thinks like that? He surely will be the first to side with the enemy, if he is successful in overrunning your country.

On the other hand, a professional army serves a regime or a government - those who pay them - not the people. A professional army will never rise against tyranny do defend people's rights, freedom and democracy. At best they will look the other way... But in a capitalist society money replaces any duty feelings towards the community. Money buys everything: protection at home and abroad, justice, health, education. My rights are only as big as my bank account...

[Endovelico]

I'm trying to help out Endo. If the problem is Europe's leaders, and if a majority of European voters feel that they have been America's bitch, then I have handed him or a like minded candidate a winning campaign theme. If he is wrong, about either the leaders or the populace, then my advice is worthless.

We may not have come that far yet, but when the issue becomes either more taxes to pay for professional soldiers, or bringing back the draft, I guess the draft will suddenly become more attractive...

[noddy]

Is it so hard to understand that defending and protecting our community is a common responsibility, and that the risks to one's life which are associated with serving in the military is not something you may trade for money?

"We need to protect ourselves, but I do not want to risk being maimed or killed doing it, because I think my life is more important than the welfare of the community. So I prefer to pay you to die in my place while defending me, my business and my family..."

What sort of commitment do you expect from someone who thinks like that? He surely will be the first to side with the enemy, if he is successful in overrunning your country.

On the other hand, a professional army serves a regime or a government - those who pay them - not the people. A professional army will never rise against tyranny do defend people's rights, freedom and democracy. At best they will look the other way... But in a capitalist society money replaces any duty feelings towards the community. Money buys everything: protection at home and abroad, justice, health, education. My rights are only as big as my bank account...

endo, have you ever heard of the police ?

modern westerners outsourced that lavender ages ago man, its called being civillised.

deary me !

[Endovelico]

modern westerners outsourced that lavender ages ago man, its called being civillised.

In my book it's not being civilized, it's being cowardly... Outsourcing the risks of defending the community?... Dear me!...Whoever does that does not deserve being a member of that community and should not be protected by it.

[Heracleum Persicum]

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U-Turn by Turkey :

Turkey opens border to Kobane for Turkish Kurd joining the fight against ISIS


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[Doc]

modern westerners outsourced that lavender ages ago man, its called being civillised.

In my book it's not being civilized, it's being cowardly... Outsourcing the risks of defending the community?... Dear me!...Whoever does that does not deserve being a member of that community and should not be protected by it.

You mean like Europe outsourced its defense since WWII? Should it not be mandatory for EU nations to provide a minimal military budget as a term of membership in the community?

[Endovelico]

modern westerners outsourced that lavender ages ago man, its called being civillised.

In my book it's not being civilized, it's being cowardly... Outsourcing the risks of defending the community?... Dear me!...Whoever does that does not deserve being a member of that community and should not be protected by it.

You mean like Europe outsourced its defense since WWII? Should it not be mandatory for EU nations to provide a minimal military budget as a term of membership in the community?

Of course Europe should provide its own defense and pay for it. But the international community is very different from any national community: you can't be expelled from it...

[Doc]

modern westerners outsourced that lavender ages ago man, its called being civillised.

In my book it's not being civilized, it's being cowardly... Outsourcing the risks of defending the community?... Dear me!...Whoever does that does not deserve being a member of that community and should not be protected by it.

You mean like Europe outsourced its defense since WWII? Should it not be mandatory for EU nations to provide a minimal military budget as a term of membership in the community?

Of course Europe should provide its own defense and pay for it. But the international community is very different from any national community: you can't be expelled from it...

Expelled from the international community or the national community? I believe (depending on the nation) you can be expelled from either. In fact while I am not sure this was official but it seems like the UK was talking about revoking citizenship of jihadists that have gone to the ME to fight with ISIS