The real problem here is international law, which does not address acts of war committed by non-state actors out of uniform. Or more precisely, it does, but leaves them deliberately in a state of legal limbo, with captors left free to deal with them as they wish. If the international legal community does not like the latter, it is time they did the hard work of defining precisely how a nation deals with an act of war carried out under these circumstances.
Monday, November 23, 2009
The meaning of the 9-11 trials, by STRATFOR
The only work on the 9-11 trials you need to read is "Deciphering the Mohammed Trial" by George Friedman, 16 Nov 2009:
Saturday, November 21, 2009
So why the hell am I a Republican?
Good question. Short answer: because it is a brick in the face to all those simpering little bitches (especially the guys) who insist that, as a bien pensant Good Bisexual, I should be a Democrat and a (little "s") socialist. I could call myself a Libertarian, but that doesn't carry the weight of calling myself a Republican. That offends them. (Hmm, this may be why I haven't had a date in ages. Also, I am not a libertarian, no matter how you capitalize it: I am a classical liberal.)
Long answer: look at the history of political parties in America: we see Jefferson's pro-slavery Republican Party split into the National Republicans and the Democratic Republicans. The latter became the Democratic-Republicans, then the Democrats (c. 1824) we know today. On the other side, the Federalist/Whig/Free Soil/Know Nothing (American) parties all imploded before the modern, anti-slavery Republican Party was formed in 1854. Its very name, and calling it the Grand Old Party, was a deliberate bit of spin doctoring to steal Jefferson's thunder from the Democrats; doubly ironic in that it was the ideological descendant of Jefferson's hated enemy, the Federalist Party.
The Democrats were pro-slavery, pro-French Revolution, pro-Jim Crow, pro-New Deal, pro-union (especially the racist ones, yum!), pro-détente, pro-Socialist, pro-Communism, pro-political correctness... I mean, my God, is there anything bad they have not championed?
Implementing racial segregation in the U.S. military? Democrats! The bankrupt, irreformable entitlements of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid? Democrats! Employer-based healthcare (and its discrimination against gay couples and polygamists)? Democrats! Withholding tax? Democrats! George Wallace and poll taxes? Democrats!
The only freedom the Democrats offer, supposedly, is sex, and who runs the anti-porn and anti-sex campaigns today? Neo-Marxist feminism: by volume (much of it hot air), 70% of the feminism you see on the internet: are they whining about the patriarchy? Class? Race? Male privilege? False consciousness? Are they debating which women are not truly feminist? That's because they're neo-Marxist, who are always debating whose Marxism is purer! I used to think I hated feminism until I realized how the neo-Marxists permeated it; now, I am pro-feminist, but still violently anti-Marxist.
The gender theorists (when you see the dread word Theory, you're reading a neo-Marxist) who are desperately trying to de-privilege heterosexuality from its natural perch as the majority position, and the one that allows the continuation of the mankind? Neo-Marxists!
And they are all in the Democratic Party! They are trying to make common cause with Iran (who stone and hang homosexuals) and plea for understanding for the Taliban (who drop walls on gays) by building some kind of moral cloaking device between Islamist terrorists (a small proportion of Muslims who are trying by intimidation to rule the larger populations) and their own superficial beliefs. But in the Left's deeper beliefs, that we are all victims of Capitalism (a Marxist word), of Patriarchy (again), of False Consciousness (again); that our common values are traps designed by these hidden, privileged powers (Structuralism) (again); well, on that deeper level, their identfication with the religious paranoia ("Capitalism is a plot of the evil Jooooooooos!") of the Islamists is perfect and matched.
Why am I a Republican? Because they stand against all that! Because I am willing to stand as an enemy to those people. I am proud of it; these enemies reflect well on me. Because Mike Huckabee will never show up on my doorstep with a torch-bearing mob, while the Democrats prepare to seize control over 18% of the U.S. economy and my body. Because gay marriage is overrated and virtually unnecessary but for the Democrats' meddling! Because the Chinese and the Russians are running North Korea and Iran, and they need to be opposed. Because in the modern world of supersonic flight, our mighty ocean moats are nothing but puddles so our bases overseas reflect the military idea of "defense in depth." So I support them!
Does the Republican party require an ideological enema? You betcha. Do they need a kick in the ass? Oh, yes. Is the party superstructure corrupt? Yes. But the base... the base is worth saving. The base is worth destroying the Party and reconstituting it along better lines.
And that is why I am a Republican.
Long answer: look at the history of political parties in America: we see Jefferson's pro-slavery Republican Party split into the National Republicans and the Democratic Republicans. The latter became the Democratic-Republicans, then the Democrats (c. 1824) we know today. On the other side, the Federalist/Whig/Free Soil/Know Nothing (American) parties all imploded before the modern, anti-slavery Republican Party was formed in 1854. Its very name, and calling it the Grand Old Party, was a deliberate bit of spin doctoring to steal Jefferson's thunder from the Democrats; doubly ironic in that it was the ideological descendant of Jefferson's hated enemy, the Federalist Party.
The Democrats were pro-slavery, pro-French Revolution, pro-Jim Crow, pro-New Deal, pro-union (especially the racist ones, yum!), pro-détente, pro-Socialist, pro-Communism, pro-political correctness... I mean, my God, is there anything bad they have not championed?
Implementing racial segregation in the U.S. military? Democrats! The bankrupt, irreformable entitlements of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid? Democrats! Employer-based healthcare (and its discrimination against gay couples and polygamists)? Democrats! Withholding tax? Democrats! George Wallace and poll taxes? Democrats!
The only freedom the Democrats offer, supposedly, is sex, and who runs the anti-porn and anti-sex campaigns today? Neo-Marxist feminism: by volume (much of it hot air), 70% of the feminism you see on the internet: are they whining about the patriarchy? Class? Race? Male privilege? False consciousness? Are they debating which women are not truly feminist? That's because they're neo-Marxist, who are always debating whose Marxism is purer! I used to think I hated feminism until I realized how the neo-Marxists permeated it; now, I am pro-feminist, but still violently anti-Marxist.
The gender theorists (when you see the dread word Theory, you're reading a neo-Marxist) who are desperately trying to de-privilege heterosexuality from its natural perch as the majority position, and the one that allows the continuation of the mankind? Neo-Marxists!
And they are all in the Democratic Party! They are trying to make common cause with Iran (who stone and hang homosexuals) and plea for understanding for the Taliban (who drop walls on gays) by building some kind of moral cloaking device between Islamist terrorists (a small proportion of Muslims who are trying by intimidation to rule the larger populations) and their own superficial beliefs. But in the Left's deeper beliefs, that we are all victims of Capitalism (a Marxist word), of Patriarchy (again), of False Consciousness (again); that our common values are traps designed by these hidden, privileged powers (Structuralism) (again); well, on that deeper level, their identfication with the religious paranoia ("Capitalism is a plot of the evil Jooooooooos!") of the Islamists is perfect and matched.
Why am I a Republican? Because they stand against all that! Because I am willing to stand as an enemy to those people. I am proud of it; these enemies reflect well on me. Because Mike Huckabee will never show up on my doorstep with a torch-bearing mob, while the Democrats prepare to seize control over 18% of the U.S. economy and my body. Because gay marriage is overrated and virtually unnecessary but for the Democrats' meddling! Because the Chinese and the Russians are running North Korea and Iran, and they need to be opposed. Because in the modern world of supersonic flight, our mighty ocean moats are nothing but puddles so our bases overseas reflect the military idea of "defense in depth." So I support them!
Does the Republican party require an ideological enema? You betcha. Do they need a kick in the ass? Oh, yes. Is the party superstructure corrupt? Yes. But the base... the base is worth saving. The base is worth destroying the Party and reconstituting it along better lines.
And that is why I am a Republican.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Iowahawk smacks down ACORN and the NEA
How can the Federal Art Instruction Institute help me?
Unlike traditional art schools, the Federal Art Instruction Institute doesn't waste your time on boring Post-Modernist theory, messy bodily fluids, or painful self mutilation. With our easy-to-learn program you will quickly learn how to channel your natural artistic ability and suburban self-loathing at state enemies who, when you think about it, are a lot like your parents.
Don't wait, join the Federal Art Instruction Institute today!
Unlike traditional art schools, the Federal Art Instruction Institute doesn't waste your time on boring Post-Modernist theory, messy bodily fluids, or painful self mutilation. With our easy-to-learn program you will quickly learn how to channel your natural artistic ability and suburban self-loathing at state enemies who, when you think about it, are a lot like your parents.
Don't wait, join the Federal Art Instruction Institute today!
Sunday, June 21, 2009
David Brin: Loyal Democratic Ant
Not unexpected, but...
I simply adore the worshipful singularity of the comments here; thank God you abjure the Kool-Aid lest your brains collapse into a hive mind.
Health care in the U.S. is a terrible mélange of New Deal dinosaurs that hide-bound Democrats refuse to kill and replace. They are determined to make it worse no matter what.
Being the land of filial piety, Japan has the world's worst social security net. Aflac, the supplemental insurance, is huge in Japan for a reason.
Canada is a nightmare. The UK is even worse. And don't cherry pick stories on how some cousin got a booboo stitched. The waiting lists are statistical evidence of rationing.
George Bush created an entire private, no "public-option" Medicare D. Surprise, surprise: it's more popular than expected and cheaper than anyone thought possible.
PAY NO ATTENTION TO THAT! ONLY GOVERNMENT CAN SAVE YOU!
1. Outlaw employer-provided health insurance. It is insane. They insure neither my car nor apartment, it is ridiculous. Outlaw it and push the money they spent on health care to the individuals.
2. Create $2000 in matching funds for every person/dependent, and make it tax-deductible for the first $6000 or so.
Insurance pools risks for broken arms, cancer and heart attacks. Paying for runny noses is a check-splitting plan. The popularity of the latter is driving up our costs all across the board. Outlaw employer health care and poof! they disappear.
Now you may return to your regularly scheduled moonbattery. Perhaps some Holy Net Neutrality? "For he that charges by bandwidth, let him be blessed. But for he who charges for latency, let him be taken out and stoned to death." Yeah, it's in the Bible somewhere, Leviticus, I think.
I simply adore the worshipful singularity of the comments here; thank God you abjure the Kool-Aid lest your brains collapse into a hive mind.
Health care in the U.S. is a terrible mélange of New Deal dinosaurs that hide-bound Democrats refuse to kill and replace. They are determined to make it worse no matter what.
Being the land of filial piety, Japan has the world's worst social security net. Aflac, the supplemental insurance, is huge in Japan for a reason.
Canada is a nightmare. The UK is even worse. And don't cherry pick stories on how some cousin got a booboo stitched. The waiting lists are statistical evidence of rationing.
George Bush created an entire private, no "public-option" Medicare D. Surprise, surprise: it's more popular than expected and cheaper than anyone thought possible.
PAY NO ATTENTION TO THAT! ONLY GOVERNMENT CAN SAVE YOU!
1. Outlaw employer-provided health insurance. It is insane. They insure neither my car nor apartment, it is ridiculous. Outlaw it and push the money they spent on health care to the individuals.
2. Create $2000 in matching funds for every person/dependent, and make it tax-deductible for the first $6000 or so.
Insurance pools risks for broken arms, cancer and heart attacks. Paying for runny noses is a check-splitting plan. The popularity of the latter is driving up our costs all across the board. Outlaw employer health care and poof! they disappear.
Now you may return to your regularly scheduled moonbattery. Perhaps some Holy Net Neutrality? "For he that charges by bandwidth, let him be blessed. But for he who charges for latency, let him be taken out and stoned to death." Yeah, it's in the Bible somewhere, Leviticus, I think.
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