>>>>>>>>>>>>>>http://www.france24.com/en/20110310-France-NTC-national-transitional-council-embassy-Libya
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>We've all seen the latest video of government forces destroying the rebels and civilians in Libya. Does anyone hear the whispers of backroom deals???? How many more countries before the U.S. does the same? Is the U.S. waiting to see the political fallout before making a decision? Is it waiting for a (behind closed doors) agreed upon international calling for the U.S. to take a stance? Is this an attempt to keep the U.S. from being a target for being the first or is the U.S. really behind on this one? Either our leadership really doesn't believe in supporting the transitional council of the rebels (yet) or it is now not willing to stick its neck out for political freedom when it may hurt its image in the Arab world. I guess the U.S. now (by appearances) only stands up for democracy and political freedom when it is politically advantageous to it. I've heard a lot of "don't do anything" as well as "we are no longer the first in supporting democracy and political freedom" comments in the news by supposed experts....both sides make "sense" but what is the right thing to do for the Libyan people and for the U.S.?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>Its worth remembering that its not as simple as get rid of Gadaffi.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>He has a lot of support and careless intervention leading to the Benghazi side getting the upper hand could create another (well armed) insurgency problem. Letting the two side slug it out and then come to a deal themselves may be the best solution. What you probably don't want is for one side to win easily.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>I'd like to see them slug it out to the last man, but barring that, where the hell are their arab 'brother' nations?
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>Since this is an internal problem which the US, NATO, any other far removed country has no business getting into, let the arab countries that spend billions of $$/euros/Yen, etc per year on arms including front line fighters go to their 'brother's' aid.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>And the problem with the Taliban in Afganistan was *not* an 'internal problem' ?
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>The Taliban were never a threat to us. This is one of the poorest and most corrupt countries on earth. They still live in tribes! We could bomb them back to the Stone Age -- not all that long a journey for them -- in about 100 hours.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>They have a rich cultural history Mike. The USA belonged to the Indians when their civilization was already old.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>ROFL! No question. The Arlington Springs woman lived during the end of the Pleistocene era and that's about 43,000 years later than the stone age technology in Aq Kupruk is dated... I don't know what civilization looked like in the Americas around 3000 BC when there were already urban areas in Afghanistan :o) I guess it depends on what you consider "civilization" :o) Were hunter-gatherers "civilized?" Probably not :o) But maybe :o)
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>I am always amused by arguments that involve what diverse sets of ancestors were doing at any point in time. Could be framed in a number of ways :
>>>>>>>Baghdad had the greatest universities in the world when Britain as yet had none - but currently few would choose Baghdad U over Oxford or Cambridge.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>No doubt the Egyptians were building pyramids when my ancestors were clobbering big furry animals with clubs - but the trajectories of the cultures took very different turns for the next 4000 years.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Recently reading something about Alexander's campaigns in Bactria and down into the Hindu Kush and what is most remarkable is that virtually no significant changes of attitudes, customs, or any evolution of thought seems to have taken place in that area in 2000 years.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Give a Jivaro a chain saw and he'll just cut your head off faster <g>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Give a group that plays buzkashi with human heads AK 47s and you have ...well, Afghanistan. <s>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>"People are the same everywhere"' - but it's hard to see that because some cultures really suck !
>>>>>>
>>>>>>http://www.channel4.com/programmes/civilization-is-the-west-history
>>>>>>
>>>>>>I was walking round the shopping centre near where I am doing some work at the moment. Plenty of pinched looking pasty faced people with dogs on strings drinking cheap lager out of cans.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>What are they for I think to myself in one of my less tolerant feeling moments
>>>>>
>>>>>I find the sight of dogs on strings drinking lager out of cans has a great deal of entertainment value <g>
>>>>:-)
>>>
>>>You will also note above that I gave a shout out to my ancestors who were hunters of big furry animals who had clubs ( with which I am sure the caused brain damage on my ancestors or from which they presumably excluded animals insufficiently furry )
>>>
>>>( by the way, I have decided to start a band, just to make use of the name "Dogs on strings drinking lager out of cans " - sounds vaguely like an Australian String Quartet doing some kind of crossover )
>>
>>There have been some good band names and that is not one of them.
>>
>>The floor is open for good band names.
>
>Well, hard to beat Butthole Surfers, Dead Kennedys, Toad the Wet Sprocket ( what the hell did that mean?) or 30 Odd Foot of Grunts.
>
>Of course the last 40 years is replete with the names of bands where the naming of the band was the most creative thing they ever did <g>
>
>"Duke Ellington Orchestra" and "Dave Brubeck Quartet" just had to rely on playing music.
Ahhhh Joe Morello is/was astounding