31-08-2016, 05:36 PM
202
Re: France is right to ban the Burkini
Originally Posted by Julie1962
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We will both get bashed for saying it but you are so right pummy so very right.
No need to use silly emotive words like 'bash' Julie unless you are still reading the Beano.
We are mature adults here so must expect in a discussion forum to have ones opinions challenged without preemptive accusations of 'bashing.'
31-08-2016, 05:50 PM
204
Re: France is right to ban the Burkini
Originally Posted by Pumicestone
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No worries, Morty. I'll jump in where angels fear to tread.A few pages back, I cited a list of historically recent Western actions in the Middle East which have killed or wounded millions of Muslims - mostly civilians.
Somewhat strangely, you countered that, as a percentage of their GDP, military spending is high in nations like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman etc.
"And yet you (me) award the West the accolade of worst warmonger?"
(1) If a nation has a GDP of $2.50 and spends 50 cents on weaponry, so what - if another nation has a GDP of umpteen trillion but spends a lower percentage ?
Particularly if the small guy stays pretty-much in his own back yard but the Big Guy seeks to dominate everywhere.
(2) Newsflash - the high-"spenders" that you mention are all militarily propped-up allies of the Grand Ole USA.
So to imply that they are less 'warmongering' based on spending, is just a tad disingenuous.
You haven't yet realised have you that the Military Account books for any power fail to tell the whole story.
One could say that the US Defence budget is not all spent in the Middle East ... they have an arctic cold eye monitoring Mr Putin you know .. not to mention recent sabre rattling with the Chinese over the South China Sea.
This is all part and parcel of the 'world policeman' that the rest of us have come to expect (and occasionally dread).
Therefore, I still maintain that your claim that the West has killed more Muslims than Muslims have killed Westerners is plucking invisible figures out of thin air.
Whilst .. Middle Eastern countries do tend to confine their military excursions to their own countries, or making life difficult or terminally short for their neighbours. If you ever catch Assad lobbing bombs in Europe or Australia ..let me know. In other words .. there is a concentration of military might in the Middle East, killing each other. Killing other Muslims.
Add to which .. I don't believe Al-Qaeda or Isis or any of the other 30 odd recognised terrorists groups actually lodge official accounts so we can compare how much they spend .. but we do know who they target. What do a few hundred suicide vests cost? ... Especially when your fervid radical just grabs a machete. A low budget war then but very effective.
Another thing you said ...
Newsflash - the high-"spenders" that you mention are all militarily propped-up allies of the Grand Ole USA.
Hmm .. I've a sneaking suspicion you've got that the wrong way around. You're not a fan of the US are you.
True .. the US did arm the FSA and consequently have helped arm ISIS ... but I think you'll find the puppet-master is not the US ... they are the puppets and tying themselves in knots over who they are backing.
Hence they helped their Kurdish allies (good guys) fight Isis in Syria ... whilst providing air power support to Erdogan on his recent incursion into Syria to bomb and kill ... the same Kurds (now bad guys). I'd be a bit peeved if I was a Kurd.
It's like that dance ... you put your left foot in, your left foot out ... and shake it all about.
Sounds daft but the sobering thought is that back in 2004 (I think?) .. Al-Qaeda's then leader, Osama Bin Laden, stated his objective was to bleed and bankrupt the US with the war against terrorism.
Dwelling on that .. one hardly knows whether to hope the US spend more on war or not....or just hope the Middle Eastern countries do it for themselves and go bankrupt instead.
I blame oil myself .. they wouldn't be able to wage eternal war nearly so well if they were dependent on exporting camels.
31-08-2016, 05:57 PM
205
Re: France is right to ban the Burkini
Originally Posted by Julie1962
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We will both get bashed for saying it but you are so right pummy so very right.
He woffles on and on .. and looking at the damn length of my recent posts he's got me doing it now too. Arrrggghhh! Soon I shall need therapy.
You got it!
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