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ounumen wrote:Its great the US is responding more wasted tax dollars. I feel so warm and fuzzy over it.

I'm not sure how I'm supposed to read this sentence.

@ounumen
So trying to save the lives of fellow human beings is a 'waste of tax dollars', when the US clearly has the manpower and resources available to offer assistance?


My, aren't YOU a charming specimen...

ounumen wrote:Its great the US is responding more wasted tax dollars. I feel so warm and fuzzy over it.

ounumen wrote:Its great the US is responding more wasted tax dollars. I feel so warm and fuzzy over it.

............

Wow. Just Wow.

Yeah, I meant they shouldn't be in the thick of the fight. They are the reserve, the ones gone to when we run out of man power in the other branches.

Weekend warrior pay is $350 if you rank up there above the level of private. Going in you get like $250 for 2 days of work. Not much when I could make that at Walmart stocking shelves and be a lot safer. Sure pay is higher when you are on foreign soil but this is the type of stuff (earthquake relief) that they should be doing first and foremost. They do earn their weekend warrior pay. It's not as if you can live on $400/month.

Mn 34th "Red Bull" division was over in Iraq for 22 months. That was a longer tour of duty than a most of the men and women in the other branches had to face (Marine TOD was 12 months, Navy and Air Force were 6 I believe).

ounumen wrote:Its great the US is responding more wasted tax dollars. I feel so warm and fuzzy over it.

I suspect you're not looking for a long stay on these forums.


Meanwhile, I was listening to the reports about this last night, and they were talking about 3 or 4 thousand dead. Now the figure is up to 100,000... which is shocking to say the least.

sebster wrote:

ounumen wrote:Its great the US is responding more wasted tax dollars. I feel so warm and fuzzy over it.

I suspect you're not looking for a long stay on these forums.


Meanwhile, I was listening to the reports about this last night, and they were talking about 3 or 4 thousand dead. Now the figure is up to 100,000... which is shocking to say the least.

He/she has the right to their opinion. If it's offensive I think it's a matter of a thicker skin. The comment does not violate any forum rules so it's not as if a warning or a ban would be justifiable.

I actually approve of us being big brother to Haiti more than I approve of us trying to be big brother to Iraq or Afghan. I know it's political and security reasons for being in Afghan and Iraq but it'd still rather we weren't throwing lives away needlessly (especially of our reserve branches......eg NG).

Fateweaver wrote:He/she has the right to their opinion. If it's offensive I think it's a matter of a thicker skin. The comment does not violate any forum rules so it's not as if a warning or a ban would be justifiable.

Of course they do. But people with low post counts who come into threads and make ridiculous statements almost always flame out very quickly.

I actually approve of us being big brother to Haiti more than I approve of us trying to be big brother to Iraq or Afghan. I know it's political and security reasons for being in Afghan and Iraq but it'd still rather we weren't throwing lives away needlessly (especially of our reserve branches......eg NG).

There's also the difference between overthrowing a government by force and lending short term humanitarian aid in the wake of a natural disaster. The former is complicated and very contraversial, the latter not so much.

I know why we are over there but I just don't see the need for the reserve branches (NG) to be in Afghan. We have enough of the other branches. If we don't well than we just keep our nose out until we do.

I would approve of the NG going to Haiti more than I approve of them going to Afghan. Minnesota 34th "Red Bulls" are going to Afghan in September. That makes the 3rd TOD in 3 different countries for a lot of these guys in the past 6 years or so (Bosnia, Iraq and now Afghan).

Just an aside, there's a National Guard unit called the red bulls? That's hilarious!

warpcrafter wrote:Just an aside, there's a National Guard unit called the red bulls? That's hilarious!

Are they airborne... do they indeed have wings?

The symbol is a red steer skull imposed on a Mexican water flask. It was to acknowledge the harsh training conditions at Camp Cody, New Mexico in 1917 where the Red Bulls were preparing to go to Europe.

So, slightly before the time of the energy drink.

http://www.minnesotanationalguard.org/units/unit_template.php?unit=punrr (linky to the 34th website if anyone cares).

sebster wrote:

warpcrafter wrote:Just an aside, there's a National Guard unit called the red bulls? That's hilarious!

Are they airborne... do they indeed have wings?

Sigged.

Our US Air Force Special Forces are currently operating Haiti's airfield near Port-au-Prince, working to direct all the support planes coming through.

Those dudes sure are versatile huh?

I don't see the problem with helping a neighbor out with support and aid. Even in tough economic times we have much more than many other countries.

The only positives that are apparent to me in this disaster is that it shows that the world, no matter at what odds (The US, China, and Russia are all contributing peacekeepers, supplies, relief, and heavy equipment), still will come together to help support a tragic occurrence. Haiti might be able to come up from the ashes so to speak with some support behind them. And of course, this earthquake centered on land. If had been out in the ocean, the damage could have been considerably worse, not to mention more widespread.

Last I heard they are estimating more like 500k dead, or thats what the haidi president was saying. thats like 3x more than hiroshima...


Automatically Appended Next Post:
And to agree with the trolling a bit, I also don't like to see our tax dollars spent anywhere but here. but, there are times where it's necessary and this is one of them

Wanting to play devils advocate for FW and the new guy i have to say, im all for helping out people in need, especially in a terrible tragedy like this, but the guy is entitled to his own opinion, he wasnt flaming anyone.

Oh and although im all for helping out finacially, im getting pissed off with the typical anti-almost everything crowd.

Many countries have sent aid, especially the USA/UK but as expected, the anti-war liberal hand wringing chislers are crowing..

"We would be helping more if Haiti had oil" whine whine whine

Well, you did just send 100 million dollars. Whats that if not help?!

Frankly, I've been finding it funny reading the Twitter feeds today. Most are statements of things like how to send aid, where to donate, what agencies are trustworthy, things like that.

And then you get this gem.

Denouncers denounce Rush 4 denouncing O's Haiti reaction. http://bit.ly/56RJLE | Exit Q: how much of O's own $cash$ did O 'sacrifice'/send?

2 minutes ago from web

I was unaware there was a contest going on for how much you donate?


Automatically Appended Next Post:
And here's a new gem!

Obama rushes American aid 2 Haiti, but dithers while Iran burns?

1 minute ago from web

All I hope is that we get the meds they need there along with some genrators and a whole heap of brita filters or something.

My church gave one of the Haitian churches some money for emergency supplies and a generator in case something like the torrential rains they had ever happened again. I just hope its getting put to use.

Bush rushes American aid 2 Indonesia, but dithers while Iran burns?

This isn't the time for petty political potshots. Like other disasters helping comes first, then you worry about the other stuff later. If you see a person drowning you don't stop to tell people how much you disagree with someones politics, you pull them out of the water and than tell them.

Ahtman wrote:

Bush rushes American aid 2 Indonesia, but dithers while Iran burns?

This isn't the time for petty political potshots. Like other disasters helping comes first, then you worry about the other stuff later. If you see a person drowning you don't stop to tell people how much you disagree with someones politics, you pull them out of the water and than tell them.

It's also worth noting that Iran is not on fire.

Ahtman wrote:

Bush rushes American aid 2 Indonesia, but dithers while Iran burns?

This isn't the time for petty political potshots. Like other disasters helping comes first, then you worry about the other stuff later. If you see a person drowning you don't stop to tell people how much you disagree with someones politics, you pull them out of the water and than tell them.

I think it's funny that you say it's not the time for petty political potshots and change Obama to Bush

ShumaGorath wrote:
It's also worth noting that Iran is not on fire.

Well, not as much of it.

Kanluwen wrote:I think it's funny that you say it's not the time for petty political potshots and change Obama to Bush

He was demonstrating how utterly moronic the statement was given that Bush did exactly the same thing after the Tsunami.

Tyyr, stop ruining threads with logic damnit!

It's a bad habit of mine.

34th Red Bulls have been around longer than any of you (well, I'm sure Frazz was a senior citizen in 1917).

On another note I'm glad to see 100M being spent on Haiti. It's means it's not 100M being spent on 1000's of dead beat moms and dads too lazy to get off the couch, turn off the TV and get a job.

This 100M is at least being used for something good.

No don't worry, we'll still spend that 100 million too. This is the Federal Government after all.

Or we could send the deadbeat moms and dads to Haiti to work in the rescue effort AND earn their welfare money!

IT'S WIN/WIN!

But WIN/WIN cancels out and gives 1!!!!

I like that idea.

Don't insure the lazy bastards either. They get hurt and die, oh well. It means they wouldn't come back to the US and suck off system some more.