If I believed in Karma: BP, Iran, the CIA.

[diamondsoul]

Originally Posted by piece-itpete

You know, in that part of the world they had a cheerful habit of cutting off heads long before we had anything to do with them.

While I agree that we have done a lot of damage, their hateful ways belong to them, not us.

Pete

PS: BP in America was formerly Standard Oil.

Not sure but I think I might prefer the sword to gas, hanging, or electrocution.

When Canada was doing it last hangings, many moons ago I might add, there was a few fellows that had to be rehung because of the hangman's miscalculation to do with weight and drop.

Tribalism and the brutality it spawns is one of the banes of the Middle East for sure. 'Honor' killings and a corrupt judiciary make sure only the wealthy get any sort of justice. Changing this established way of living is near impossible through force though, it only hardens attitudes and widens divides.

For instance: thing is that it is far past time when how funds are used to 'educate' and 'democratize' 'backward nations is examined rationally. I have a feeling that if the 100's of billions of dollars which have been used to destroy the infrastructure and culture of Iraq had been instead used to actually create better infrastructure, health care, and education etc. that our results would be a bit more positive.

Cheers

Lar

[d-ray657]

Originally Posted by diamondsoul

Not sure but I think I might prefer the sword to gas, hanging, or electrocution.

When Canada was doing it last hangings, many moons ago I might add, there was a few fellows that had to be rehung because of the hangman's miscalculation to do with weight and drop.

Tribalism and the brutality it spawns is one of the banes of the Middle East for sure. 'Honor' killings and a corrupt judiciary make sure only the wealthy get any sort of justice. Changing this established way of living is near impossible through force though, it only hardens attitudes and widens divides.

For instance: thing is that it is far past time when how funds are used to 'educate' and 'democratize' 'backward nations is examined rationally. I have a feeling that if the 100's of billions of dollars which have been used to destroy the infrastructure and culture of Iraq had been instead used to actually create better infrastructure, health care, and education etc. that our results would be a bit more positive.

Cheers

Lar

But it's not macho to build infrastructure and provide health care - even here. Those things are allegedly going to cause us to face a tax increase, while spending on bombs and munitions and Haliburton had nothing to do with the creation of the deficit. Fact is, our politicians would rather spend money on bombs than roads, clinics and schools.

Regards,

D-Ray

[diamondsoul]

Originally Posted by d-ray657

But it's not macho to build infrastructure and provide health care - even here. Those things are allegedly going to cause us to face a tax increase, while spending on bombs and munitions and Haliburton had nothing to do with the creation of the deficit. Fact is, our politicians would rather spend money on bombs than roads, clinics and schools.

Regards,

D-Ray

Exactly!

Not only not macho but not politically expedient. Unfortunately we the people don't find out what the true motivations were until a generation or more later.

Cheers

Lar

[Combwork]

Originally Posted by diamondsoul

For instance: thing is that it is far past time when how funds are used to 'educate' and 'democratize' 'backward nations is examined rationally. I have a feeling that if the 100's of billions of dollars which have been used to destroy the infrastructure and culture of Iraq had been instead used to actually create better infrastructure, health care, and education etc. that our results would be a bit more positive.

Cheers

Lar

The problem is that unless we took the 18th century British way of doing things and colonised the place, any funding for schools and a better political system would have to have been done through the Iraqi government. I wonder how much of the money would have reached the civilian population.

One thing in Sadam's favor was under his rule Iraq was at least in part a secular society. Unless you were caught trying to rock the boat you could live pretty much how you liked.

Now look how it's improved, with women treated as equal's and tolerance of all faiths.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by Combwork

The problem is that unless we took the 18th century British way of doing things and colonised the place, any funding for schools and a better political system would have to have been done through the Iraqi government. I wonder how much of the money would have reached the civilian population.

One thing in Sadam's favor was under his rule Iraq was at least in part a secular society. Unless you were caught trying to rock the boat you could live pretty much how you liked.

Now look how it's improved, with women treated as equal's and tolerance of all faiths.

I suppose that the Koran, at least in some circles, is not a living document.

Chas

[Boreas]

Originally Posted by Combwork

Now look how it's improved, with women treated as equal's and tolerance of all faiths.

Huh?

John

[Combwork]

Originally Posted by Boreas

Huh?

John

It was a failed attempt at irony, not one of my strong points.

[diamondsoul]

Originally Posted by Combwork

It was a failed attempt at irony, not one of my strong points.

Not to worry. Irony is hard to pull off without face to face.

Cheers

Lar

[piece-itpete]

Originally Posted by diamondsoul

Not to worry. Irony is hard to pull off without face to face.

Cheers

Lar

Straight lines too

Pete

[merrylander]

Originally Posted by Combwork

It was a failed attempt at irony, not one of my strong points.

Based on your posts I knew it was irony.