A thread not about religion

[Blue_In_AK]

Last night I watched an excellent show on Discovery Times channel about the US's presence in Afghanistan. The reporter was embedded with a group of national guardsmen as they were going around the countryside looking for hidden arms caches. A lot of things really troubled me about it, on a lot of levels, which I won't go into, but what I'd like people's thoughts on is this: Part of the Americans' mission apparently was to train and arm an Afghani militia to stand up to the Taliban (presumably if/when America leaves). It all sounds very lofty, "protecting freedom" and all that. But I got to thinking -- when has it EVER (with the possible exception of World War II) benefited the US to arm one side in a foreign dispute against another? Time and time again this comes back to bite us in the ass. Didn't we arm Osama against the Russians? Didn't we aid Saddam against Iran? Sometimes we even arm both sides at once! Did it make any of these people love us any more or do what we wanted them to? NO. It's just so foolish. Perpetual endless war.

The other deeply disturbing show I watched last night was about war correspondents. But that's another story.

Anyway -- thoughts on America arming the world.

[chlamor]

1. Kick

Based on title alone.

Content is of course quite important. hope this story gets some wind in its sails.

[Blue_In_AK]

2. Thank you.

[babylonsister]

3. Indeed, this has come back to bite us in the ass.

That's what's so worrisome about selling these jets to Afghanistan. Now we're pissing off the Indians, and the situation is so volatile there, when might they turn on our supposed 'good intentions'? Or us on them, ultimately fighting against our supposed 'good intentions'?

[chlamor]

4. Re-Kick Based on Title

Hopefully this will push a Falwellschiavoreligion topic off the board. Is this bad form? If so my bad. Let me know.

[BigMcLargehuge]

5. unless along with arming them

we significantly increase their quality of life a-la Japan and Germany following WW2. Otherwise, when we arm them and leave their economy/infrastructure in the shitter we are setting ourselves up for an ass bite.

[Az]

6. Your going to hate me for this

Its not just an issue of arming a militia to keep the peace. Its a militia put together to thwart a religious group. Religious groups such as the Taliban thrive in conditions of oppression. Such attention turns them into martyrs. Guns won't thwart the Taliban. Education will.

[Blue_In_AK]

8. How ironic...

I post a thread about the US arming people around the world, and it STILL comes back to religion. The horror, the horror!! No, I don't hate you, AZ. It's a good point, though, and I agree 100%.

[QC]

7. Are we still allowed to post threads that aren't about religion?

I don't think so. ;-)