Re: Arab World Stunned by Baghdad's Fall

From: Spudboy100@aol.com
Date: Mon Apr 14 2003 - 23:56:06 MDT

  • Next message: Lee Daniel Crocker: "Re: The first hero of the war"

    Brendan stated:
    <<Yes, they are.  The Savama are the same organization as the SAVAK,
    who the CIA trained in the 50's and 60's.  The CIA toppled Mossadegh in
    1953 and put the first Shah in power, in spite (and because) of the fact
    that Mossadegh's popular support in Iran was almost ironclad.  When he
    tried to nationalize oil production, we just wouldn't put up with it.
    Homeboy had to go. >>

    There are other examples of US stupidity, yes indeed. Interference in
    Guatemala in the 1920's and the Philipines, Chile in the early 70's. But let
    me use the Wattenburg method: compared to who and compared to when? Are other
    powers on this planet so benevolent? France, the former Soviet Union, and the
    current Mother Russia? My understanding is that neither Mossadegh nor
    Allende's hands were clean of Soviet taint, that is to say; they were
    popularly elected, but they were players. They waltzed with Ivan and got
    screwed over by us, or US. That is the problem with being a player in this
    rough game. The stakes were high during the cold war, and it was no safe bet
    who would win. We used the tactics of our nemesis, and "won" that way
    sometimes.

    <<The US doesn't tolerate democracy or stability in strategically critical
    areas of the world.  We prefer to install violent, dictatorial madmen
    who (we believe) we can control, thus keeping our hands nominally free
    of the blood of the populace.>>

    I believe that we like making money and trading with other countries and like
    stability in strategically critical areas of the world, because we like to
    make lots of money and travel. Because we liked stability so much, and are
    lazy, that we ignored the Al Qeida's and ignored the offenses of the Wahabbis
    & Co. and lost 3000 people in one morning.

    <<But, as we approach the "Singularity" (still not clear on what that is,
    exactly, or what form people on the list expect it to take), the density
    of information is getting such that people with a clear head can't be
    fooled into thinking that this isn't what's going on anymore.>>

    The Singularity, as I understand it, is when technology becomes powerful and
    complex enough to become self-aware, and have "internal conversations with
    itself" and become asymptotic in intelligence. Most on this list believe it
    will approach amazing and overwhelming transcendence, and maybe exterminate
    people
    (like in T¹ T² and now T³) or in an act of magnanimity, help us out with
    our problems that are part of the "human condition." I am not sure if its
    happening or not, but my take on things is, the future ain't the future
    unless most of the architecture we dwell in, starts looking like something
    from 40's and 50's sci-fi mags and comic books.

    <<Welcome to the conclusion of empire...>>

    Sorry Bush ain't no Darth Sidious, and although Chirac looks like Yoda, he
    acts like Jabba.



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