Cikomyr

Reply to Does This Qualify the U.S. as a Welfare State Now? in Politics JoeUser Forums

[quote]That is false logic. A lime green house is no less green than an Olive Drab House. They ware both green. You are asking us to see who is MORE welfare, not who IS welfare.[/quote] I like your analogy, because as the same than color, there are shades where you cannot really say if the color is green or yellow. Or geen or blue. It has been my observation that people on this board are more likely to call Turquoise "green", as it fits their political interest to do so. I am

Reply to Does This Qualify the U.S. as a Welfare State Now? in Politics JoeUser Forums

First compare your numbers to Spain's, Greece's, Canada's, UK's, France's, Sweden's. Only then will you see if your country is a Welfare state. You might be more accentuated toward Welfare now than you were before, but you might still have a long way to go. (might = I don't actually know the numbers, so I am not sure)

Reply to STRATFOR: Germany After the EU and the Russian Scenario in Politics JoeUser Forums

[quote]He looks at the last 150 years as being the total history of Europe, forgetting that Europe has a much longer history than even the USA (apparently) or Canada.[/quote] Well, the reason he limits his analysis of Europe's history and internal political workout is because of a fundamental event that occured exactly 150 years ago that forever changed Europe's balance of power: the unification of Germany. You end up with the most populous continental european country (except Russia,

Reply to STRATFOR: Germany After the EU and the Russian Scenario in Politics JoeUser Forums

I would really be wondering how the U.K. would react to this kind of situation. Effectively, they'd be worse off than the U.S. in a German/France/Russia coalition, but then again, they were probably the most Euro-sceptic nation and the one pushing against it's existence. They'd probably be the link between the U.S. and Poland. At least, if Turkey really starts asserting it's regional muscle, they would also occupy Russia in the Caucase region. What do you think, people?

STRATFOR: Germany After the EU and the Russian Scenario in Politics JoeUser Forums

By George Friedman Discussions about Europe currently are focused on the Greek financial crisis and its potential effect on the future of the European Union. Discussions these days involving military matters and Europe appear insignificant and even anachronistic. Certainly, we would agree that the future of the European Union towers over all other considerations at the moment, but we would argue that scenarios for the future of the European Union exist in which milita

Reply to What a U.S.-Iran Entente Would Look Like in Politics JoeUser Forums

[quote]That is the basis for diplomacy. However, Iran has not shown that rationality. Amadenijad's screeds against Israel? How does that server their self interest?[/quote] Screed against Israel is a way to gain some sympathy among their arab neighbours, maybe trying to drive some sort of wedge between the U.S. and the Arabic states. Not to forget it plays the same kind of scarecrow than the U.S> No to forget another thing: the Iranian president isn't the one pulling the mo

Reply to What a U.S.-Iran Entente Would Look Like in Politics JoeUser Forums

[quote]but what has Iran done to earn our trust?[/quote] You can trust them to act in their own interest. Ultimately, that's all you need.

Reply to What a U.S.-Iran Entente Would Look Like in Politics JoeUser Forums

[quote]If their fear is real (in that they really do fear us, and are not using us), then anything we do will be seen as a deception.[/quote] Maybe. But if they feel they have the big end of the stick (like they would is the current situation) AND feel you'd have to rely on them, that might actually transcend that fear. After all, you'd effectively be giving them some of the local cards and telling them to solve the U.S.'s current strategic weakness in return. They win influen

Reply to What a U.S.-Iran Entente Would Look Like in Politics JoeUser Forums

[quote]So the stumbling block to any kind of normalized relations is not the US, but Iran. Just as it is with the other nations mentioned (as with others). They prop the US up as an external threat to make sure the people are united against a common enemy. It works. Often for real reasons, but in today's world, purely for political power.[/quote] On the other hand, the clerical elite is (justifiably?) paranoid about having the U.S. doing its best to oust them out of power. Having the

Reply to What a U.S.-Iran Entente Would Look Like in Politics JoeUser Forums

[quote](but that is normal for me, right? [/quote] Might. Might not. Depends on how you feel about me/us accepting you coming down with something on a regular basis :-D

Reply to What a U.S.-Iran Entente Would Look Like in Politics JoeUser Forums

So.. I think the question on the table is: 1) Do you think such deal might be possible? 2) Do you think such deal might be in the interest of the U.S.'s security?

What a U.S.-Iran Entente Would Look Like in Politics JoeUser Forums

A T STRATFOR WE TRY TO KEEP TRACK OF minute details related to global events. At the same time though, we do not allow ourselves to get bogged down in the proverbial weeds or trees. Instead we focus on the forest as a whole and what the forest will lo

Reply to "free" as in "Free People's Democratic Republic of ..." in Politics JoeUser Forums

[quote]Whoa! Cikomyr just slammed illegal immigrants in the US without knowing it! Way to go[/quote] Well.. technically, not "illegal immigrants". More like "Social benefit thieves" [quote]Where in the system is there any incentive for increasing 'capacity'? You do understand that capacity=taxes, right?[/quote] That's the main problem. I ain't saying that we have no problem. Just that it isn't the 3rd-world rate healthcare you politically-conveniently depict it to be.<

Reply to NYC Bomber is just another attack from AQ. in Politics JoeUser Forums

[quote]Stupid is as stupid does. And this administration is as stupid as they come.[/quote] You know who you remember me of? Liberals during the Bush year. Seriously. The people in charge of your Intel are intelligent people. And they will take the intelligent decisions. They've always had, and always will. There is little margin of available decisions anyway. You don't climb to the top spot as a dummy.

Reply to Wheter she'll want it or not, Ukraine is back in Russia's fold in Politics JoeUser Forums

[quote] But the one weakness the Russians have is they do not see beyond the end game.[/quote] On the opposite. They know have their eye set into Afghanistan, making sure you get overly entangled there and spend a lot of money while they yank back the leash at the central asia countries like they did recently with Somethingistan. And they will keep playing with Iran to keep you busy. And they will probably do their best to seduce and "appease" Germany/France so the EU

Reply to We Americans are so "lucky" in Politics JoeUser Forums

[quote]Well, yes the lack of people does explain it partially, but then that is due to the fact that not a lot of people want to move there (unlike the US). [/quote] You probably meant "WANTED" to move there. We were part of the British Empire, we did not had any big incentive to ask people to come over the way the USA did. Also, it was easier to get lost once in the USA compared to Canada. We were part of the whole, you weren't. You were your own whole. And w

Reply to We Americans are so "lucky" in Politics JoeUser Forums

You have a geographical feature that supports large population, very easy internal transportation in the form of the Missouri/Mississipi rivers, allowing for cheap internal food supply and trade, where European powers have to rely on their road networks. You have weak neighbours, and haven't had the need to spend a lot of money on your land army for most of your history, and have been able to focus on Air and Naval power. You got no border to heavily guard like Russia, and you don't have to k

Reply to NYC Bomber is just another attack from AQ. in Politics JoeUser Forums

[quote]Do you mean wait to see who is in the whole gang, while maybe his bomb does go off in the mean time? We have ways of making one talk, only problem is some vocal people love to protect and coddle those that would do us harm for some strange reason[/quote] Don't be stupid. No one in the Intel business actually believes this. You watch him until you manage to catch intel about his sources, and eventually try to arrest him or neutralise him without causing an intel breach that woul

Reply to Wheter she'll want it or not, Ukraine is back in Russia's fold in Politics JoeUser Forums

[quote]Move along, nothing to see folks.[/quote] What do you mean, "nothing to see"? The endgame has been precipitated in the past months. It ain't "nothing to see" in my book. And your country is betting a lot by bolstering Poland's military. That also is part of your interest.

Reply to "free" as in "Free People's Democratic Republic of ..." in Politics JoeUser Forums

[quote]And what of countries such as canada? there you have strict rationing. Where the richest go to private clinics and pay an arm and a leg, and the middle class and the poor simply do not receive the care they need.[/quote] That ain't true at all. 2 weeks ago, I went to the hospital 'cause I had a weird jaw pain and inflammation. Got seen within 1h30 of waiting after all the hospital registration process was done. The doc told me because of jaw-clenching. Did not had to pa

Reply to Level of Ignorance on the Left is Astonishing in Politics JoeUser Forums

[quote]This school has other issues. They seem to have forgotten that school is a place to learn and not just a place to go hang out while their parents are at work. [/quote] Actually, I'd be curious to see if there is much violence problem between the hispanics and the white kids, a.k.a. gang-related. If that is the case, wearing American flags at a mexican-centric festivity might have sparked more trouble than it was worth. But I ain't making up excuses there. As sai

Reply to NYC Bomber is just another attack from AQ. in Politics JoeUser Forums

[quote]We are still getting good data from them. You need to understand that interrogation does not involve torture. [/quote] I agree with many of your posts, except for that part. Water-boarding is torture in my book. I don't have a problem with interrogation. I don't have a problem with interrogation under durness. I don't have a problem with psychological harassment that doesn't degrade your country in the end (dog-rape is out). [quote]This Imam has been the one to give the

Reply to Wheter she'll want it or not, Ukraine is back in Russia's fold in Politics JoeUser Forums

http://www.stratfor.com/geopolitical_diary/20100505_russias_push_take_naftogaz_and_ukraine Russia's Push to Take Naftogaz -- and Ukraine May 6, 2010 | 1106 GMT <div id="text-

Reply to Level of Ignorance on the Left is Astonishing in Politics JoeUser Forums

[quote]If we don't make amended they might stop sending illegals to such a mean place like the US.[/quote] Yes. Because the illegal alien crossing the border is the responsibility of the legally immigrated citizen of mexican ethnicity?

Reply to Level of Ignorance on the Left is Astonishing in Politics JoeUser Forums

[quote]France is July 14. I do not know july 24 and July 1 is Canada and many others (although there is controversy since that is a grant day, not a day of declaration).[/quote] 24th of JUNE! not July! St-Jean-Baptiste, the French-Canadian (and Quebec's) national holiday! ;) [quote]Chill dude! Did you not see the smiley face[/quote] I did, but I still won't allow you to steer away from reasonable objectivity, Guy! You are better than that! :D