tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13758431.post9140546583898887159..comments2023-10-28T03:14:44.519-07:00Comments on Calhouns Can(n)ons: Mista Kurtz -- he dead . . .NewsstandGreghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04099049885765768069noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13758431.post-2257520222398628682010-06-27T12:09:36.761-07:002010-06-27T12:09:36.761-07:00From The department of “Lessons not learned”
Afgan...From The department of “Lessons not learned”<br />Afganitastic <br />On the history Channel; The true story of Charlie Wilson. based on "Charlie Wilson’s war"<br />Approx 1984.<br /><br />Mujahadin being taught to place a rock under an antitank mine. The first use of GPS in conjunction with mortars. The first use of a 50 Caliber sniper rifle;<br />Accidental discharge causes Gas station fire across from the Watergate apartments-<br />Labeled as terrorist act due to Pashtuni language operator’s manual accidentally left at the scene.<br /><br /><br />Muhadjin= "Strugglers", "freedom fighters".<br />Taliban= "Students"<br />Al Quida= "The Base"<br />(Created to channel money to The foreign islamic fighters who came into Afganistan from Pakistan.)<br /><br />word verification; unfins<br />unfinished business-<br />Winning the War and losing the PeaceAlon Perlmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00155776897189144501noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13758431.post-81827299114930141262010-06-26T06:19:40.720-07:002010-06-26T06:19:40.720-07:00Sandra, Wasn't it Rudyard Kipling who warned t...Sandra, Wasn't it Rudyard Kipling who warned the West should never "hustle the East?" More deja vu. But here's the kicker and how slopes get slippery: We went in after al Qaida. Then we killed Taliban who were next to the al Qaida. Then after we killed most of the real al Qaida, we started shooting Taliban, many of whom are truly bat-shit crazy and many of whom are just young men who want foreigners out of their country so they can get back to harvesting opium and putting sacks on their women, but most of whom aren't al Qaida. Now the Prez says our "enemy" is the Taliban and our mission now is to "defeat the Taliban."<br />That's what happens on the way to Perpetual War.Churadogshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17701649330085709021noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13758431.post-16340499460000789382010-06-25T13:22:02.978-07:002010-06-25T13:22:02.978-07:00Didn't read it, didn’t watch it.
It's all ...Didn't read it, didn’t watch it.<br />It's all in Ecclesiastes, and about 300 books written since<br />Crystal meth-McCrystal, precious. Up the Euphrates and in denial<br />Yes, more self infatuated made for TV edgy reality show material.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Heart of darkness?<br />The documentary by Sofia Coppola of her husband’s obsessive remake is called “Heart<b>s</b> of darkness”. <br />John Malkovitch did a good one. The original, “Heart of darkness” not “Apocalypse now”. Made for TV (BBC?). There were others.<br />A fantastic trilogy of cinematic art. The book is amazing. Note the date of publication, and location.<br />Conrad the Polish did well to capture the Societal madness and the differentiation from personal responsibility as we move between between the Danish (?)Family owned business owner's mercantilism and the systemic politicking and middle management exposition that takes place along the river.<br />In some respects Kurtz is the only real person. The only true producer. The only owner of an awareness, of a worked philosophy. (With the possible exception of the Major stockholder there, not talking, just knitting. (It’s in the book, I think)). Everyone else is disconnected, living in a small “what’s in it for me” concept world. The narrator; learning about the world behind as he approaches the blank space on the world map.<br />The lesson is that; <b>We were all responsible for Vietnam</b>. <br />We are even indirectly responsible for Russia’s Vietnam: Afghanistan<br />And now we are responsible for the next Four Vietnams<br />Beirut<br />Iraq 1<br />Afghanistan <br />Iraq 2<br />It is the opening of a second front Iraq, in our war against Iran, while engaging in a legitimate incursion in Afghanistan, which prevents us from having any hope of exiting the Afghanistan –Pakistan miasma. Opening second fronts is a Napoleonic sized mistake.<br /><br />We sent BP into the heart of blue darkness. Why?<br />Drilling off the California coast is much safer provided the depths are within reach of Modern depth Diver suits. This (Joseph Conrad’s) is not a story about an exotic place and a character who went mad on the fringe. <b>It is about us.</b> The grocers who sent a messenger boy to collect on a bill. Who wanted things tidily swept under the rug. Who didn’t want to come to grips with the Horror of what we had wrought and are still wronging.<br /><br />Word verifiction for today;<br />unceptinAlon Perlmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00155776897189144501noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13758431.post-49306806295280808382010-06-25T09:57:26.787-07:002010-06-25T09:57:26.787-07:00I love it that Rolling Stone, once the voice of yo...I love it that Rolling Stone, once the voice of youthful rebellion, has become the voice of the outraged elders.<br /><br />I worried about McChrystal from the time I first heard about him. This is a guy who hardly ever eats or sleeps and considers himself superior to people who do. Kind of a human crystal meth lab. <br /><br />They do tend to explode in a toxic mess.Anne R. Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02420000168356370825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13758431.post-20132163686806578722010-06-25T08:27:56.258-07:002010-06-25T08:27:56.258-07:00Actually Alexander did subdue Afghanistan - at lea...Actually Alexander did subdue Afghanistan - at least the old one which was called Bactria. Roxanne came from those hills. But who knows how long he could have held it as he died within a year or so. That's what invading that place will do to ya.Sandra Gorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10850367686567164074noreply@blogger.com