Ever thought about......

[Droshki]

Can't find it on Netflix.

Yea, I dunno, I think I read that in the comments on the youtube site, like I said, I'm not a subscriber. I bought my copy from Amazon. Its definitely a movie you can watch more than once.

 

[Clay]

Mohamad started his war in 600AD.... There has always been the struggle between darkness and the light... Money and politics are just the driving factor for our people, the other side is still driven by the same religious insanity and inherent need to cleanse the world of all non-believers...... It has been and always will be FUBAR.....

 

[moron1]

Throughout our history we have had business dealings all over the world with all types of players. As a result we have developed assets all over the world.(We also have pissed a lot of the the worlds non-american players off through shady business practices and vice versa) Anyway, our people who do business worldwide have plenty of money. They use some of that money to hire lobbyists. The lobbyist job is to get politicians to do favors for the players they work for. Most politicians will do favors for money.(That is how some are worth 100 million dollars on a 175,000 dollar a year salary) Lets say for example the players assets that are in a foreign country are in jeopardy. They are an American company which makes their assets our nations assets. The military is responsible for protecting our nations assets so they may be sent in to return business to normal. Sometimes the other (foreign) players will not cooperate. What I fear worse is that they (foreign players) may have their own lobbyist influencing our political system. And to me that would just be un-american. It is a complicated world with complicated problems. There are too many variables in just about every situation and I don't think anyone knows what exactly is going on anymore. The truth is hard to find and comes in many versions. "Don't worry,Be Happy"!

 

[Droshki]

Your congress is bought and paid for by special interest groups. There is an extremely close correlation between the campaign contributions they receive, and the legislation they pass. Its been this way for a long time, and its not going to change. They don't have the slightest bit of interest in what the average citizen wants or needs, and with a 11% approval rate and an over 90% re-election rate, why should they? There are only two ways this is ever going to change, and I don't see the American public implementing either one.

I know its quite popular to blame the state of the country on the current occupant of the white house, but the truth of the matter is that he can only sign legislation that has previously been approved by BOTH houses of congress. I know, much weeping and wailing about executive action and so forth, but thats in the margins. The budget problems are a perfect example. Everyone blames the president, but congress sets the tax rates and laws, and congress sets the spending levels and appropriations. If there is a shortfall between these two numbers, thats of congress's creation. Does the president eventually sign these things? Sure. But he doesn't get there on his own.


The same is true of trying to blame everything on Islam/Muhammed. This is just the latest bogeyman. We desperately needed something to replace the evil red threat of communism when the soviet union collapsed, and this is perfect-- an enemy that can never be defeated in a never-ending war. *profit*!. We've been at war long before this became fashionable. Think Droshki is out of his mind? I offer you:

Timeline of United States military operations
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_United_States_military_operations


And now that this has become such a wonderful trillion dollar for-profit industry, the train is going to only pick up speed.

 

[Seanpcola]

No one that's been on this planet more than 30 years disagrees with your assessment Droshski. I agree 100%. That's why I pretty much despise all politicians. I'm a registered Republican and I hate Republicans (politicians)more than I do Democrats. At least with dems you know where their heads are at. Republicans talk a big game, then get elected and become just another one of the good Ole boy network. And yes, I know this has been going on virtually since the beginning.

It would take at least a century to undo the damage. I'm all for campaign finance reforms, term limits, do away with lobbying and close monitoring and auditing of every politicians financial situation. Oh, and no one is immune from any law ESPECIALLY the lawmakers.

Not gonna happen, those in power ain't going to mess up their sweet deal.

 

[Kanaloa]

No one that's been on this planet more than 30 years disagrees with your assessment Droshski. I agree 100%. That's why I pretty much despise all politicians. I'm a registered Republican and I hate Republicans (politicians)more than I do Democrats. At least with dems you know where their heads are at. Republicans talk a big game, then get elected and become just another one of the good Ole boy network. And yes, I know this has been going on virtually since the beginning.

It would take at least a century to undo the damage. I'm all for campaign finance reforms, term limits, do away with lobbying and close monitoring and auditing of every politicians financial situation. Oh, and no one is immune from any law ESPECIALLY the lawmakers.

Not gonna happen, those in power ain't going to mess up their sweet deal.

Major reform is the only way, but that's not going to happen, as you state. The people can't even control the salary and crazy retirement pay and benefits for congress.

 

[Droshki]

Major reform is the only way, but that's not going to happen, as you state. The people can't even control the salary and crazy retirement pay and benefits for congress.

And with all the other money flowing into congressman's pockets from various sources, "salary and crazy retirement pay" is only "beer money" to them.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/why-is-congress-a-millionaires-club/

Once in office, members of Congress enjoy access to connections and information they can use to increase their wealth, in ways that are unparalleled in the private sector. And once politicians leave office, their connections allow them to profit even further.

 

[Droshki]

I'm a registered Republican and I hate Republicans (politicians)more than I do Democrats. At least with dems you know where their heads are at. Republicans talk a big game, then get elected and become just another one of the good Ole boy network. And yes, I know this has been going on virtually since the beginning.

I know sometimes on here I have been mistaken for the second coming of Che Guevara, but I'm actually registered as an Independent. This means generally that I don't get to vote in primaries and such since the *parties* are private clubs, but it helps me sleep at night.

 

[Seanpcola]

No, I don't think you are (Che). The mistake many people make is labeling people as Conservative, liberal, right, left. There is no black and white, just a whole lot of gray. I'm pretty Conservative in my beliefs as to how people should conduct themselves but I also don't think of myself as qualified to judge others. I am "almost" Libertarian I guess. I despise abortion and the gay marriage fight but I also think we as a country have bigger fish to fry at this point.

The point to all of this is that so many people walk around thinking it's us (right) against them (left). The reality is its the people against the politicians. They just love to keep us divided with race, religion and social issues. The population is 100% guilty of being distracted by bright shiny objects while the leadership (term used loosely ) goes on about business.

 

[Droshki]

The point to all of this is that so many people walk around thinking it's us (right) against them (left). The reality is its the people against the politicians. They just love to keep us divided with race, religion and social issues. The population is 100% guilty of being distracted by bright shiny objects while the leadership (term used loosely ) goes on about business.

Word.

 

[Crazydoc68]

Also, question to the OP, have you ever noticed how our rights have been stripped away time after time under the guise of being "protected" from terrorism. And then if you question the government now, you are labeled a domestic terrorist.

Just think Brandon, you as a soldier are higher on the terrorist watch list than most Islamist's here in the U.S.

Think about that for a minute.

 

[Crazydoc68]

I would say "2 to 3 times as much salary" is an understatement. I've got buddies that contracted to the Stans for aircraft and helicopter work and they are making serious bank.

Yeah it's crazy, I'm a medic in the army. My buddy who got out of the army and went to work for triple canopy(contractor in Iraq) made 650.00 a day over there. Yes I said 650.00 a day. That works out to 217,000 dollars a year. That's including the mandatory 30 days leave. Last deployment I made just over 40k as an E5. So how is that cheaper than using the military for jobs over there?

 

[Kanaloa]

Also, question to the OP, have you ever noticed how our rights have been stripped away time after time under the guise of being "protected" from terrorism. And then if you question the government now, you are labeled a domestic terrorist.

Just think Brandon, you as a soldier are higher on the terrorist watch list than most Islamist's here in the U.S.

Think about that for a minute.

Interesting point...in addition, the govt even has your DNA on file due to your service.

 

[Seanpcola]

My brother in law was an air traffic controller in the Air Force for his entire career. Retired on a Friday, hung up his uniform and went back into the same room the following Monday morning in civilian clothes, doing the exact same job for more than double the income.

 

[Telum Pisces]

Yeah it's crazy, I'm a medic in the army. My buddy who got out of the army and went to work for triple canopy(contractor in Iraq) made 650.00 a day over there. Yes I said 650.00 a day. That works out to 217,000 dollars a year. That's including the mandatory 30 days leave. Last deployment I made just over 40k as an E5. So how is that cheaper than using the military for jobs over there?

Once that contract is over, he done getting paid etc... I bet he's not getting all the benefits for the rest of his life either. There's a lot more in the military pay than just your salary. Not knocking the soldiers and what they do. But most don't realize what their true "pay" is! Those contractors probably are not getting free medical and child care etc... There is a ton of income that the military get that is not considered "income."

I am a GS-12 civilian. I had captain in the air force tell me that he wished that he could make my pay when he got out. I quickly added up his "total compensation" yearly and he was shocked. He made 20K per year more than me. He had no idea!

 

[Fletch]

The point to all of this is that so many people walk around thinking it's us (right) against them (left). The reality is its the people against the politicians. They just love to keep us divided with race, religion and social issues. The population is 100% guilty of being distracted by bright shiny objects while the leadership (term used loosely ) goes on about business.

Yes sir it's a slick sleight of hand. Just keep looking over here while we rob the nation's wealth blind for generations to come. 90% of them should be in jail.

 

[Fletch]

On the original question of why we have we been over there so long? One word: Neocons. I can really get going on the subject but lets just say I think they are gutless pussies, whom wouldn't last two seconds on a patrol in Iraq or Afghanistan without shitting their pants, with a lot of blood on their hands and I wouldn't piss on a neocon if they were on fire.

Here's an interesting and in-depth read on the subject:

https://consortiumnews.com/2015/01/17/neocons-the-anti-realists/

 

[RackinRay]

And what ever happened to the idea of "To the victor goes the Spoils". We rocked during Desert Storm/Desert Shield and yet we did not get to take over the land, instead we stay fix the damage and teach the people better ways to take care of themselves against others. Essentially teaching them how to fight us, Better???

There is another hidden cost induced by the profiteers of war. It seems we NEVER leave a country we beat in a war, at least not since the Spanish American War.

After WWI, we kept American military presence in parts of Europe. Post WWII that military presence in Europe increased, and we added bases in Japan, Okinawa, Guam, and increased our military presence in the Hawaiian and Philippine island chains.

After the Korean War, we are still in South Korea after 6 decades of training them and equipping them. From what I have read and heard, the ROK military, especially their elite units, are well regarded for their skill and high level of training. They have a standing force of around 495,000 troops and likely tactical nuclear weapons. We keep many bases in the country, and one in the downtown heart of modern Seoul; the third largest city in the world at over 25 million people.

Further, since the land the Army base in the middle of Seoul is on is now so valuable, we are developing a SMALL CITY sized base outside the city so we can turn that downtown land back to the government there!!! WTF, spoils to the victor?? Nope, just a bill on the taxpayers forever; or at least over a hundred years in some cases!

 

[IronBeard]

We have gone from a sovereign nation, to an ally, to a global partner. We are now so connected/committed to the global community that we can't do anything on our own. This is why we continually send out highly trained people with the will to win, and then watch the government throttle them back to the point of just about being victims; we can fight, but we can't win in a manner that might offend anyone of our global partners. Put your foil hat on and Google Bilderberg :biggrin1: