How then, do we move backwards? How does a society, with most of the people having no clue of future events, move from being dependent on a vast and intertwined network of goods and services produced by the indigenous people of whereever, to a local resource and renewable energy based society, and do so in the timeframe available (20-30 years using the most liberal extimates, 10-20 with resonable estimates, 5-10 with worst case scenarios), all the while prices on everything increasing, world politics getting more militaristic, governments continuously reducing civil liberties, shortages of goods on the market and weather patterns resembling bad Hollywood movies?
Hmm, this is going to be interesting.
They seem to be saying, "thanks for the liberty, we'll take it from here."
And the U.S. seems to be saying, "you don't have enough liberty yet."
And they seem to be saying, "well let's set a date by which we'll be sure to have enough liberty."
And the U.S. seems to be saying, "sorry, we can't set that date until conditions on the ground are right."
And by "conditions on the ground", of course, the U.S. means "our ability to ensure that your oil is extracted and sold."
So this is what we call a Mexican standoff. Except in Mexico they are about to go into oil importation mode, so maybe that doesn't apply.
So it's an impasse. Thanks to the french for giving us that word.
And I find this fascinating, because the moment Iraq says, "you leave now" and the U.S. responds with, "no", then there is no way to view the U.S. military in Iraq other than as an occupying conqueror.
Not that there's any other way to view it now - but at that point, you won't be able to view it another way and still be considered to be sapient. _________________ Massive Human Dieoff must occur as a result of Peak Oil. Many more than half will die. It will occur everywhere, including where you live. If you fail to recognize this, then your odds of living move toward the "going to die" group.
Joined: Sep 29, 2004 Posts: 2325 Location: Pennsylvania, USA
Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2008 12:37 pm Post subject: Re: US Refuses to Give Iraq Exit Date
This is McCain's trump card. Remaining in Iraq indefinitely, that is. Iraq is a pawn in the coming election. Republicans need to argue that McCain is the best candidate because he can manage a war better or so they say. If, by the election, we are leaving Iraq, then where's the war? It reminds me of the novel 1984 and the need for constant warfare - it keeps the population scared and supporting draconian governments. _________________ "That's the problem with mercy, kid... It just ain't professional" - Fast Eddie, The Color of Money
Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2008 1:34 pm Post subject: Re: US Refuses to Give Iraq Exit Date
Can you people get off your political issues and think about exactly what is happening. If we lose, in any sense, you and all those around you will suffer. This is not about the next election. If you can't get beyond that you will continue to force attention on the wrong areas. If you want war with Iran, then you should side with the twits in Iraq, who are probably in league with their shiite masters in Iran and the Grand Ayatollah.
Even the French are worried about Iran now.
And by the way, what god said we need anybodies permission to 'stay'. All we need the for it to be in the best interest of the American People. _________________ HOLDING THE CENTER
Joined: Sep 29, 2004 Posts: 2325 Location: Pennsylvania, USA
Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2008 1:42 pm Post subject: Re: US Refuses to Give Iraq Exit Date
Lose what? We won the war after a day or so. I don't know about you, vestusfirma, but I'm on the side of the USA. We fought the war to destroy the threat of WMD in Iraq. Well, we didn't find any, so there, mission accomplished! The Middle East has always been a screwed up place. Before Europeans got there, there really weren't anything that we would call countries, just a bunch of loosely connected tribes. They still behave like a bunch of waring tribes. That's not our fault, you can lead a horse to water... _________________ "That's the problem with mercy, kid... It just ain't professional" - Fast Eddie, The Color of Money
Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2008 2:31 pm Post subject: Re: US Refuses to Give Iraq Exit Date
Somewhere between Iraq regime change 3.0, Iran regime change & China regime change, there needs to be a peakoil.com regime change. _________________ People first, then things, then dollars.
There will be enslavement & cannibalism.
Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2008 2:45 pm Post subject: Re: US Refuses to Give Iraq Exit Date
I say givem all WalMart gift cards and call it good.
cb _________________ President Bush: “There’s no question about it. Wall Street got drunk—that’s one of the reasons I asked you to turn off the TV cameras. It got drunk, and now it’s got a hangover."
Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2008 4:43 pm Post subject: Re: US Refuses to Give Iraq Exit Date
vetusfirma wrote:
Can you people get off your political issues and think about exactly what is happening. If we lose, in any sense, you and all those around you will suffer. This is not about the next election. If you can't get beyond that you will continue to force attention on the wrong areas. If you want war with Iran, then you should side with the twits in Iraq, who are probably in league with their shiite masters in Iran and the Grand Ayatollah.
Even the French are worried about Iran now.
And by the way, what god said we need anybodies permission to 'stay'. All we need the for it to be in the best interest of the American People.
Oh, so wonderful. It's like a giant pumpkin, and me sitting here with a humongous mallet.
Look, I respect that you acknowledge being the bad guy. There's something to be said for knowing who you are.
I love the way you ended with "American People" in quotes.
Is that because you feel pride at being one of the people, or because the people are typically so disturbingly fat that you couldn't stuff a lower case A and P at the beginning of the words? _________________ Massive Human Dieoff must occur as a result of Peak Oil. Many more than half will die. It will occur everywhere, including where you live. If you fail to recognize this, then your odds of living move toward the "going to die" group.
Joined: Jun 13, 2007 Posts: 3251 Location: Minniesotuh
Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2008 4:53 pm Post subject: Re: US Refuses to Give Iraq Exit Date
Cashmere wrote:
I love the way you ended with "American People" in quotes. Is that because you feel pride at being one of the people, or because the people are typically so disturbingly fat that you couldn't stuff a lower case A and P at the beginning of the words?
Cash, American People is not in quotes.
Everybody Please remember: The idea is to discuss, and support or refute Ideas, not people. Thank you! _________________ "RRrrruuuunnnn!!!" ~Apocalypto
Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 10:23 am Post subject: Re: US Refuses to Give Iraq Exit Date
Exit date?
Why do they want to leave? They are just getting started setting up office there?
War stinks. But we are in a new era of human life.
We will see much more turmoil in the near future than just the few killings that have come our of our current war effort.
We will be at war over crude until the last buckets have been sucked from the earth...so get used to it.
As we would leave the Middle East...China or Russia would step in.
See: link
Joined: Dec 07, 2005 Posts: 1626 Location: Australia
Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 8:24 pm Post subject: Re: US Refuses to Give Iraq Exit Date
Quote:
US general sees Iraq forces stood up by mid-2009
combat troops will be almost fully formed by the middle of 2009, according to the senior U.S. Army officer who led the training of Iraqi security forces.
But Iraqi troops will still need some U.S. support, Lt. Gen. James Dubik told Reuters in an e-mail.
Quote:
Earlier on Wednesday, Dubik was asked by the committee chairman when Iraqi security forces would be able to take over security from U.S. forces. He responded that Iraq's ground troops "will mostly be done by the middle of next year."
Wonder if they just can't afford going on any longer or if the troops are needed elsewhere. _________________ Lets take a ride, and run with the dogs tonight
In suburbia
You cant hide, run with the dogs tonight
In suburbia
- Pet Shop Boys
Joined: Jun 13, 2007 Posts: 3251 Location: Minniesotuh
Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 9:00 pm Post subject: Re: US Refuses to Give Iraq Exit Date
RedStateGreen wrote:
This is rich. Of course they won't give an exit date. They never planned on leaving.
How true, how true.
Reality Check: MN U.S. Senate Race Air Wars Begin Pat Kessler Reporting
(WCCO) Despite soaring oil revenues, Iraq is not paying to rebuild the country, and Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Al Franken says the U.S. should stop paying for reconstruction.
"We're building 810 schools; 4,800 water and sewage projects; 1,047 roads and bridges," said Franken in his TV ad. "No, not in America. In Iraq."
All of this is TRUE. Since 2003, the U.S. paid $46 billion for reconstruction projects after the invasion. In 2003 and 2004, it paid about 60 percent of reconstruction costs and 50 percent last year. …
WCCO
U.S. Building Base on Top of Iraq Oil Platform
"KHAWR AL AMAYA OIL TERMINAL, Iraq -- The U.S. Navy is building a military installation atop this petroleum-export platform as the U.S. establishes a more lasting military mission in the oil-rich north Persian Gulf," the Wall Street Journal reports. …
link _________________ "RRrrruuuunnnn!!!" ~Apocalypto
Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 11:27 pm Post subject: Re: US Refuses to Give Iraq Exit Date
Ferretlover wrote:
"We're building 810 schools; 4,800 water and sewage projects; 1,047 roads and bridges," said Franken in his TV ad. "No, not in America. In Iraq."
And I can assure you not a single Iraqi shows a shred of gratitude for anything constructive we do there. _________________ Peak oil is sort of like a mental Everlasting Gobstopper, except it tastes like ass and you can't get it out of your mouth.
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