tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12796551.post7583562910196525424..comments2024-03-26T05:18:53.709-04:00Comments on Pen and Sword: Thugs of FortuneJeff Huberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14146644937683409726noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12796551.post-72666720661275732112009-09-02T22:47:00.485-04:002009-09-02T22:47:00.485-04:00"A singular absurdity of the 21st century is ..."A singular absurdity of the 21st century is that the nation that spends more on defense than the rest of the world combined needs to hire mercenaries to fight wars against enemies who have no defense budget at all." <br /><br />well i never thought of it that way before. along with others here i laud this enlightening comment. unfortunately, it enlightens me to what i already know - thanks in no small part to this blog - that the neocon establishment is a bunch of incompetent shills and murderers, and is quite alive.peteynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12796551.post-15698684667548091142009-08-29T17:43:46.341-04:002009-08-29T17:43:46.341-04:00Have you read Jeremy Scahill's book, Blackwate...Have you read Jeremy Scahill's book, Blackwater? He showed up here when they wanted to open up shop in Potrero, & I got my copy signed. The Potrero shop didn't go so well, but they have happily accepted contract money for training sailors in Otay Mesa. Yeah, in a Navy town they are training sailors.<br /> <br />Nothin' to see here, move along.<br /><br />*sigh*nunyahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08833886980442919570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12796551.post-64079260998587831802009-08-27T13:15:12.615-04:002009-08-27T13:15:12.615-04:00Hero:
http://adgitadiaries.blog-city.comHero:<br />http://adgitadiaries.blog-city.commandthttp://adgitadiaries.blog-city.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12796551.post-32862220446352336652009-08-27T07:38:51.733-04:002009-08-27T07:38:51.733-04:00I would like someone in our congress to take up th...I would like someone in our congress to take up the question in your first sentence. Why ARE we paying non-military outfits to do this? Don't we spend enough on the military already?<br /><br />As for the moral and legal aspects of this, I've given up even hoping that someone would address those issues. The only thing anyone in our government cares about is money. Can they at least ask THAT question?gypsy howellnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12796551.post-55631272782354056172009-08-26T18:13:11.481-04:002009-08-26T18:13:11.481-04:00What stops mercenaries who enjoy such freedom to k...What stops mercenaries who enjoy such freedom to kill or plunder without restraint of law or treaty, from exercising their power over their elected masters, and their constituents, who are at least nominally more constrained then them?<br /><br />I suppose the answer is that the "elected masters" of such mercenaries are, evidently, not as constrained as law would "suggest."Empire and Rebellionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06395672126760848375noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12796551.post-45473409949512670382009-08-26T14:05:27.003-04:002009-08-26T14:05:27.003-04:00The Taliban have denied reponsibility for the mass...The Taliban have denied reponsibility for the massive bomb in Kandahar yesterday - either one truck or five cars, depending on whom you talk to - that killed 40+ people and injured dozens and dozens more. The thing is, if they had actually done it, they wouldn't deny responsibility.<br /><br />So who did? The silence is deafening. Who benefits from something like this except those who want to make the case of staying in Afghanistan forever?<br /><br />And now we hear that the <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/only-two-weeks-training-for-cia-interrogators-1777216.html" rel="nofollow">CIA gave a massive 2 weeks of training</a> to interrogators after September 11th before letting them loose. Someone made the case that it takes longer to learn how to drive a truck.<br /><br />They keep using the excuse that "everything changed", but I thought protocols like the Geneva conventions were devised when heads were cool so that people would have a guideline to follow when things go chaotic. It's similar to training for emergency medical procedures in which you automatically to do the right thing in horrible circumstances.<br /><br />I think I feel a major bout of depression coming on.Filostratohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04469903260877069258noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12796551.post-62986627807253657472009-08-26T11:43:36.868-04:002009-08-26T11:43:36.868-04:00The word "hate" usually isn't in my ...The word "hate" usually isn't in my vocabulary. <br /><br />Mostly, I think "hate" is a wasted emotion. <br /><br />I much prefer "don't get angry - get even." <br /><br />But, I gotta tell you Commander, I really do HATE what Bush/Cheney has done to my country.<br /><br />We tried the "get even" by voting them out of office.<br /><br />So, why do we still have the hateful policies they put into place?<br /><br />One reason could be, we still have the same people in place. <br /><br />Not change I voted for... and not change I believe in.Elderladyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02268520056042293783noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12796551.post-69382192361051652882009-08-26T10:54:02.701-04:002009-08-26T10:54:02.701-04:00Sir, your first sentence says it all. Well done.Sir, your first sentence says it all. Well done.IntelVetnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12796551.post-68073890842999441272009-08-26T08:25:38.854-04:002009-08-26T08:25:38.854-04:00I like your blog and writings, I particularly want...I like your blog and writings, I particularly wanted to actually see the accompanying photo but it was so small I could barely make it out. Is it possible to have a larger one when a person clicks on the picture to view in greater detail? Just wondering. Thanks for your efforts to bring some sanity to our life in the United States of crazy.knowdoubthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11647184346948896676noreply@blogger.com