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 AustonT wrote:

 Jihadin wrote:

See this is why I signed up for the army. To shoot goat screwing insurgents, AQ, and the Taliban

Fixed

now I want to know what it really said. Major Tom doesn't dive into this cess pool unless he really HAS to.

Has to or just vaguely kind of wants to. It's random.


As to the OP, I wouldn't exactly consider Pakistan an ally. It's a fractured failed state with a lot of nukes, extremists everywhere, an intensely violent spy and security agency, and an utterly ineffectual and hiding government. It also has a hell of a lot of people. Pakistan is a terrifying powder keg.

Jihadin I think your estimate is a little generous...

2013, 2014 (we pull out), 2015

Have to take in the winters. Its cold up in those mountains. They're not kidding when they say fighting season starts in the summer 2015 the insurgents (few local afghans to) will more likely crush Karzi

There's also talk right now that Karzi will just step out, or that his government will become a puppet for the Taliban or something similar. Lots of stuff might happen, but Karzi and the current regime definitely aren't going to stick around and continue controlling the country once the US leaves.

 Jihadin wrote:

Jihadin I think your estimate is a little generous...

2013, 2014 (we pull out), 2015

Have to take in the winters. Its cold up in those mountains. They're not kidding when they say fighting season starts in the summer 2015 the insurgents (few local afghans to) will more likely crush Karzi

Ahhh I thought you meant three years from the pull out.

 CT GAMER wrote:
Given the motivator (religion) I have little faith...

Am I allowed to find this particular choice of phrasing to be particularly amusing?

I have a very hard time classifying Pakistan as a "US Ally".

Pakistan is a US 'ally' in the same way that McDonald's is 'food'.

 Albatross wrote:
Pakistan is a US 'ally' in the same way that McDonald's is 'food'.

That's a good one.

What about Pakistan is out ally in the same way that... a... er... Joe Pasquale is a comedi...

Ok feth it yours is just better all round.

 Albatross wrote:
Pakistan is a US 'ally' in the same way that McDonald's is 'food'.

Indeed.

Hell, it was so bad we had to kill OBL without permission, cause Pakistan would have given him warning and let him run away otherwise...

 AduroT wrote:

 CT GAMER wrote:
Given the motivator (religion) I have little faith...

Am I allowed to find this particular choice of phrasing to be particularly amusing?

Permission granted.

 Ouze wrote:
I have a very hard time classifying Pakistan as a "US Ally".

Well, the Pakistani government is a US ally, though in many ways by necessity rather than desire. However, the military and the ISI are not nearly so sympathetic.

Why do we give this country aid again?

Last month, an angry crowd seized a man accused of blasphemy, and who was also said to be mentally unstable, from a police station and burnt him to death in the Bahawalpur area of Punjab province.

Last year, Shahbaz Bhatti, the minister for minority affairs, was killed after calling for the repeal of the blasphemy law.

His death came just two months after the murder of Punjab Governor Salman Taseer, who also spoke out about the issue.

Religion of peace folks, completely suitable for a modern world.

Whoever called Pakistan a powder keg is bang on. Things have been going from bad to worse in that part of the world.
On the bright side, the Indians are pretty on-the-ball, and the Pakistanis really don't have many friends.

Religion, it's a hell of a drug!

Medium of Death wrote:Why do we give this country aid again?

Last month, an angry crowd seized a man accused of blasphemy, and who was also said to be mentally unstable, from a police station and burnt him to death in the Bahawalpur area of Punjab province.

Last year, Shahbaz Bhatti, the minister for minority affairs, was killed after calling for the repeal of the blasphemy law.

His death came just two months after the murder of Punjab Governor Salman Taseer, who also spoke out about the issue.

Religion of peace folks, completely suitable for a modern world.

It is completely suitable for a modern world... just so long as you don't take everything literally. In that respect, the Qu'ran is no different than the Bible. Remember that there are insane people that plant bombs in hospitals because they think that is the Christian thing to do; and I'm pretty sure that the Bible isn't so big on woman's lib, either.

 KalashnikovMarine wrote:


Short version: The young girl who is reported by activist groups and christian community leaders in Islamabad to have the congenital disease Down's Syndrome

Absolutely sick. This poor girl has enough to deal with suffering from DS in Pakistan. To want to kill her when she has the mental capacity of a 3-year-old...

 Medium of Death wrote:
Why do we give this country aid again?

So you can have some degree of sway over their international policies, which are the only things important to the UK.

 dogma wrote:

 Medium of Death wrote:
Why do we give this country aid again?

So you can have some degree of sway over their international policies, which are the only things important to the UK.

Also so they have enough money to buy weapons, Rolls Royces and Bentleys from us.

Why do we give this country aid again?

So we can use Karachi to Spinbuldok to where ever in Afghanistan logistical line.

 A Town Called Malus wrote:

 dogma wrote:

 Medium of Death wrote:
Why do we give this country aid again?

So you can have some degree of sway over their international policies, which are the only things important to the UK.

Also so they have enough money to buy weapons, Rolls Royces and Bentleys from us.

Like a global economic stimulus package.

 Medium of Death wrote:

His death came just two months after the murder of Punjab Governor Salman Taseer, who also spoke out about the issue.

Religion of peace folks, completely suitable for a modern world.

Salman Taseer was also a Muslim.

Well, they cheat at cricket, so clearly they are beyond redemption.

 Albatross wrote:
Well, they cheat at cricket, so clearly they are beyond redemption.

Indeed.

 LordofHats wrote:

 CT GAMER wrote:
Don't we all.


Sort of ironic that we want other countries to stop basing everything in religion while at the same time we are trying to do it ourselves hand over fist...

Heaven forbid we consider that a stable secular government has relatively little in comparison to a quasi-theocracy.

Every quasi-theocracy has to start someplace.

That is the danger of giving an inch: slippery slope and all that.

You'd think this would be one instance where people could agree and not troll flagrantly.

As a side note, I wish I knew more about cricket.

KalashnikovMarine wrote:A further point, do we blame the religion or the culture here? I know plenty of Muslims who would be disgusted by these acts of mob brutality and oppression but it seems religion is clearly their motivation. Blasphemy laws are an obvious and brutal restriction of free speech in a state ruled by dominant religion in the area, but is there some feasible argument to not offend these people that I'm not seeing? You know beyond "don't piss them off or you're going to be killed"?

Exactly my thoughts, they are allowed to come to Christian countries, preach and even set up their churches (mosques i think, correct me if im wrong). While our priests (a priest who is a friend of mine) told me that when he went to some muslim country he was not allowed to go there as a priest, was followed around the place and was getting weird looks from some people. I dont think were that bad, its not medieval times when the Inquisition was on a rampage burning heretics and non believers (and xeno filth ) i guess they havent moved past this stage yet like we did. in most places.

Also why were people checking her trash bag? something dosent sound right here.

 Daemonhammer wrote:

KalashnikovMarine wrote:A further point, do we blame the religion or the culture here? I know plenty of Muslims who would be disgusted by these acts of mob brutality and oppression but it seems religion is clearly their motivation. Blasphemy laws are an obvious and brutal restriction of free speech in a state ruled by dominant religion in the area, but is there some feasible argument to not offend these people that I'm not seeing? You know beyond "don't piss them off or you're going to be killed"?

Exactly my thoughts, they are allowed to come to Christian countries, preach and even set up their churches (mosques i think, correct me if im wrong). While our priests (a priest who is a friend of mine) told me that when he went to some muslim country he was not allowed to go there as a priest, was followed around the place and was getting weird looks from some people. I dont think were that bad, its not medieval times when the Inquisition was on a rampage burning heretics and non believers (and xeno filth ) i guess they havent moved past this stage yet like we did. in most places.

Also why were people checking her trash bag? something dosent sound right here.

That's the rub innit? When you think about it Islam still pretty much acts like it's the middle ages

 KalashnikovMarine wrote:

 Daemonhammer wrote:

KalashnikovMarine wrote:A further point, do we blame the religion or the culture here? I know plenty of Muslims who would be disgusted by these acts of mob brutality and oppression but it seems religion is clearly their motivation. Blasphemy laws are an obvious and brutal restriction of free speech in a state ruled by dominant religion in the area, but is there some feasible argument to not offend these people that I'm not seeing? You know beyond "don't piss them off or you're going to be killed"?

Exactly my thoughts, they are allowed to come to Christian countries, preach and even set up their churches (mosques i think, correct me if im wrong). While our priests (a priest who is a friend of mine) told me that when he went to some muslim country he was not allowed to go there as a priest, was followed around the place and was getting weird looks from some people. I dont think were that bad, its not medieval times when the Inquisition was on a rampage burning heretics and non believers (and xeno filth ) i guess they havent moved past this stage yet like we did. in most places.

Also why were people checking her trash bag? something dosent sound right here.

That's the rub innit? When you think about it Islam still pretty much acts like it's the middle ages

Yeah, because neither of you hinted at that mode of thinking at all.

 dogma wrote:

 KalashnikovMarine wrote:

 Daemonhammer wrote:

KalashnikovMarine wrote:A further point, do we blame the religion or the culture here? I know plenty of Muslims who would be disgusted by these acts of mob brutality and oppression but it seems religion is clearly their motivation. Blasphemy laws are an obvious and brutal restriction of free speech in a state ruled by dominant religion in the area, but is there some feasible argument to not offend these people that I'm not seeing? You know beyond "don't piss them off or you're going to be killed"?

Exactly my thoughts, they are allowed to come to Christian countries, preach and even set up their churches (mosques i think, correct me if im wrong). While our priests (a priest who is a friend of mine) told me that when he went to some muslim country he was not allowed to go there as a priest, was followed around the place and was getting weird looks from some people. I dont think were that bad, its not medieval times when the Inquisition was on a rampage burning heretics and non believers (and xeno filth ) i guess they havent moved past this stage yet like we did. in most places.

Also why were people checking her trash bag? something dosent sound right here.

That's the rub innit? When you think about it Islam still pretty much acts like it's the middle ages

Yeah, because neither of you hinted at that mode of thinking at all.

Nor are they familiar with Islamic history apparently

 CT GAMER wrote:

 LordofHats wrote:

 CT GAMER wrote:
Don't we all.


Sort of ironic that we want other countries to stop basing everything in religion while at the same time we are trying to do it ourselves hand over fist...

Heaven forbid we consider that a stable secular government has relatively little in comparison to a quasi-theocracy.

Every quasi-theocracy has to start someplace.

That is the danger of giving an inch: slippery slope and all that.

Yes. Let's be intolerant of religious people because they might become intolerant of us in turn. Both brilliant and fresh!