World Wide Civil Unrest - World War III?

[Foxfyre]

You can be just another of the vast world of predictors predicating future premises. You could even call yourself a physicist since you are measuring scientific effects.

So, tie the two together and you are expert physicist.

Hardly. I BARELY passed Introduction to Physics and don't remember a whole lot of that,

But okay. Samson is of the school that we've gone through hard times before and we'll get through these hard times in just as good shape.

Others are of the school that the die is cast and there's nothing much we can do about it.

I am of the school that notes the history that millions upon millions have suffered and died because they though "it isn't any worse than before' or 'it never happened before' or 'it couldn't happen here.'

Here, you may need a new avatar:

Samson, I swear I love ya to pieces, but in this case. . . .

 

[Ropey]

If I predict that prices may rise to $4.00, IF oil fields "remain at risk," can I be an expert too?

I predict that if it is night, then it will look darker....Hey, I'm a Opthomological EXPERT!!!

You can be just another of the vast world of predictors predicating future premises. You could even call yourself a physicist since you are measuring scientific effects.

So, tie the two together and you are expert physicist.

I prefer the term "Guru," or "Grande Pubah"

How about "Fred"?

The original Grand Poobah!!!

 

[Foxfyre]

Just a quick update as I'm on my way to bed tonight. . . .

Lybian warplane shot down--extreme carnnage now as government fires on protesters. Obama Administration deciding whether to intervene or not.

What do you think? Do you WANT Obama to intervene?

Meanwhile:

Kuwait square blocked after protest calls From correspondents in Kuwait City From: AP March 09, 2011 4:49AM

POLICE have barricaded a main square in Kuwait's capital before planned protests for greater political freedoms that could bring another Gulf state into the surge for reforms around the Arab world.

The police cordons around Kuwait City's central Safat Square were a high-profile warning to demonstrators, but organisers used social media to point to alternative sites in attempts to keep a step ahead of the crackdown.

Although the calls for protests would mark the first in Kuwait since the stunning Arab uprisings, the oil-rich Gulf nation is no stranger to political showdowns.

Kuwait has the region's most powerful parliament and opposition MPs have waged open battles against the ruling system, including nearly bringing down the prime minister two times with no-confidence votes.

One of the protest slogans: "Leave! We Deserve Better!"

Read more: Kuwait square blocked after protest calls | News.com.au

 

[Cain]

Your best is almost certainly more than most people even attempt to give, and thank you for your service.

My hope is that people like you won't be thrown away or sacrificed or put at risk for anything that you would not choose to fight for whether or not you are in the military. And I would feel completely blessed and at peace if I could see a world that intercepted and stopped the bad guys before they could create chaos and our young men and women would never need to be put at risk in war again.

Well, to be honest, my contract says I will follow orders, and that is all I know to do at this point. I mean, if they tell me to go in and attack a nation, I will, and I only have hope it is for the right reasons. I may sound like a robot or something, but frankly, that's how I see it.

Thanks for thanking me, but I am just ready to ship out and get through Basic/Tech School and finally get to wear the Air Force ABU, that is going to be a moment in my life I'll never forget.

And if they order you to bomb Houston or Chicago ? "Just following orders sir".
Idiot.

You assume because I am going into the Air Force I will become a bomber pilot? Yea, I'm the idiot, of course.

 

[Foxfyre]

Update: Apparently the U.S.A., France, and Britain--mostly the U.S.--are now actively enforcing the recent no fly zone U.N. mandate in Lybia with rockets, bombers, and fighter planes.

Police action? On TV, it sure does look like what war looks like.

 

[rikules]

We obviously should start thinking about pulling troops back to defensible borders....

Ya just never know.....

this makes sense to me....

but i also believe that the US and our allies might actually be able to prevent WWIII

most of the strongest nations in the world (china, russia, eastern europe, europe) don't want WWIII

and most of the not3rdworldshitholes also don't want it...

if the Middle East were to erupt into total chaos and violence I believe that the more sane and rational countries would be able to contain MOST of that insanity in the ME


even if some of that violence manifested itself in the USA and Europe I don't believe we would descend into wwiii


most of us are kinda happy with the way things are

 

[Foxfyre]

I think things won't be 'the way they are' if enough crazies get hold of most of the Middle East oil production and supply though. Lybia has I think about 2% of the world's oil supply, and disruption of that little bit has caused financial ripples through the developed nations of the world. Can you imagine what it would be like if Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and other major oil producers fell into maniac hands?

That is why general unrest in so much of the Middle East is more than just a curiosity.

 

[Foxfyre]

And this today from Israel almost certainly because most of the media and world attention is focused on Lybia today. . . .

Mar 19, 3:31 PM EDT
Hamas fires dozens of mortars at Israel
By IAN DEITCH
Associated Press

JERUSALEM (AP) -- Palestinian militants in Gaza fired more than 50 mortar shells into Israel on Saturday, the heaviest barrage in two years, Israeli officials said, raising the prospect of a new Mideast flareup.

Also Saturday, Hamas police beat reporters and news photographers covering a rally in Gaza City, drawing a stiff condemnation from the reporters' association.

Israel invaded Gaza two years ago to put a stop to daily rocket barrages by Gaza militants, and Saturday's exchange showed how the conflict could quickly spiral out of control. Gaza's Hamas rulers are thought to be trying to avoid another Israeli invasion, after the last one caused widespread damage, killed more than 1,400 and left the territory under blockade, but Hamas claimed responsibility for some of the mortar rounds.

A Hamas official was killed and four civilians were wounded when Israel hit back with tank fire and air strikes, said Gaza Health Ministry spokesman Adham Abu Salmia.

Israeli police spokesman Tamir Avtabi said Gaza militants fired 54 mortar shells at Israeli border communities within 15 minutes. He said two Israeli civilians were lightly wounded by shrapnel, and residents were advised to stay at home or in bomb shelters.

Hayim Yellin, head of the Eshkol region where the mortars exploded, said they were the same type as those intercepted last week on a cargo ship loaded with weapons Israel said were sent by Iran to Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip. . . .
News from The Associated Press

 

[Samson]

And this today from Israel almost certainly because most of the media and world attention is focused on Lybia today. . . .]

 

[Foxfyre]

And this today from Israel almost certainly because most of the media and world attention is focused on Lybia today. . . .]

That's pretty much what the guy who paid just under $2,000 to fill up his 18-wheeler at the truck stop said this morning.

 

[Samson]

And this today from Israel almost certainly because most of the media and world attention is focused on Lybia today. . . .]

That's pretty much what the guy who paid just under $2,000 to fill up his 18-wheeler at the truck stop said this morning.

18 wheelers don't have 20 gallon tanks.

 

[Foxfyre]

Just to keep updating to track the news getting crowded off the front pages by more compelling stuff just now:

In Syria:

BEIRUT -- Syrian police sealed off a southern city Saturday after security forces killed at least five protesters there in the first sign that the Arab world's pro-democracy push is seeping into one of the region's most repressive places.

Residents of Daraa were being allowed to leave but not enter the city on Saturday, said prominent Syrian rights activist Mazen Darwish. The quick cordon seemed aimed at choking off any spread of unrest after Friday's clashes and emotional funeral processions for the dead on Saturday.

President Bashar Assad, who has boasted that his country is immune to the cries for change that have already toppled leaders in Egypt and Tunisia, sent a delegation to the southern city to offer his condolences to families of the victims, according to a Syrian official.

Serious disturbances in Syria would be a major expansion of the region's unrest. Syria, a predominantly Sunni country ruled by minority Alawites, has a history of brutally crushing dissent.

Security forces launched a harsh crackdown on Friday's demonstrations calling for political freedoms. Protests took place in at least five cities, including the capital, Damascus. But only in Daraa did they turn deadly.

Syrian Forces Seal Off City After Clashes Kill 5

And I was reading earlier today that Senegal intercepted a planned protest and probable attempted coup and arrested some folks this weekend. I don't remember where I saw it though. If I can find it will post a link in the morning.

 

[Foxfyre]

Bumping thread back to active.....back shortly with an interesting question.

 

[Foxfyre]

Following the news for the last couple of weeks, the situation in Egypt and Jordan remains tense, unrest in Syria is almost on a par with Lybia, other small demonstrations and protests continue in Morocco, Senegal, Yemen, Kuwait, and elsewhere and there is still uncertain stability in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, and other 'unsettled' nations. Rocket attacks on Israel have resumed from Gaza.

Coincidence? Copy cat behavior? Or is there any validity to rumors we are reading around the edges of involvement of the Muslim Brotherhood and al Qaeda who may or may not involve some of the same people?

Today High Gravity on Libo's 'bombing' thread raised this question which I though was a really good one and I can't answer it. Can any of you?

Ghaddafi came to the table, renounced terrorism, gave up his WMD's, helped us track Al Qaeda in his country, gave reparations to the victims from Lockerbie and re-established diplomatic relations with the West. What happened to make us throw him under the bus for a bunch of Al Qaeda allied rebels?

It wasn't all that long ago that Gadhafi and President Obama met as heads of state. . . .

(also courtesy of HG's research):

 

[High_Gravity]

Following the news for the last couple of weeks, the situation in Egypt and Jordan remains tense, other small demonstrations and protests continue in Morocco, Senegal, Yemen, Kuwait, and elsewhere and there is still uncertain stability in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, and other 'unsettled' nations. Rocket attacks on Israel have resumed from Gaza.

Coincidence? Copy cat behavior? Or is there any validity to rumors we are reading around the edges of involvement of the Muslim Brotherhood and al Qaeda who may or may not involve some of the same people?

Today High Gravity on Libo's 'bombing' thread raised this question which I though was a really good one and I can't answer it. Can any of you?

Ghaddafi came to the table, renounced terrorism, gave up his WMD's, helped us track Al Qaeda in his country, gave reparations to the victims from Lockerbie and re-established diplomatic relations with the West. What happened to make us throw him under the bus for a bunch of Al Qaeda allied rebels?

It wasn't all that long ago that Gadhafi and President Obama met as heads of state. . . .

(also courtesy of HG's research):

The Bush Administration put in years of work to get the Libyans to come to the table and renounce their WMD program, so we could re-establish diplomatic relations with them and get a crack at those juicy multi billion dollar oil contracts.

So my thing is this, whats changed? why are we so quick to throw our hat in the ring with a bunch of ragtag Al Qaeda allied rebels? Ghaddafi did everything we asked him to do, and we still raped him.

 

[Ropey]

This has been on the US agenda for a long time. Ghaddafi was an irritant to the US for a long time. One must not slip up when one is so, eh?

So was Iraq. So 'is' Iran.

There's others on that list as well.

 

[SFC Ollie]

Seems as though Washington just doesn't have a clue what they are doing.....

But then, we knew that.....

 

[Foxfyre]

Seems as though Washington just doesn't have a clue what they are doing.....

But then, we knew that.....

But don't you think it curious? Obama's world apology tour included almost all the main Muslim heads of state with assurance that we wanted peace, good will, justice, clean living etc. etc. etc. or whatever sounded good at the time. He essentially begged their forgiveness for our arrogance, our improper meddling and lack of appreciation for their culture, etc. etc. etc.

So what is it now with supporting the rebels in Egypt? And militarily supporting the rebels in Lybia? And so far stony silence of the wholesale slaughter going on in Syria, but I suspect that will change if it starts generating a lot of media coverage.

What's going on?

 

[SFC Ollie]

 

[Foxfyre]

In 2002:

(CNSNews.com) – President Barack Obama, as an Illinois state senator in 2002, said that using military force to topple a murderous dictator amounted to a “dumb war” and should be opposed.

The “dumb war” Obama was criticizing was the planned invasion of Iraq and the murderous dictator was its leader, Saddam Hussein. Obama, speaking at an anti-war rally in Chicago on Oct. 2, 2002 said that while Saddam was a brutal tyrant, that was not enough to justify using military force to remove him from power.

March 2011:

In his March 28, 2011 speech justifying his decision to attack the government of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, Obama cited Gadhafi’s record of brutality, saying that allowing Gadhafi to continue his brutality was not an option.

Obama in 2002: Toppling Brutal Dictator a

Now I know people change their perspective over time and this was a time of nine years with the President now experiencing the realities of the presidency rather than speculating and opining from a detached and partisan driven point of view. So I can see how he might have genuinely felt one way in 2002 but have a changed perspective in 2011.

He would be more reassuring however if he would articulate the process and reasons for a change of heart instead of reversing his reasons without explanation and pretending that was sufficient.