Politics

[Brent in Az]

I wrote 'US Marines'. You read 'US military.'

It's not best practice to dismiss analysis not seen before or anticipated simply because it doesn't line up with prejudicial thinking.

This analysis was not leftist whatever. It was a briefing prepared for senior government and military officials by eminent future analysts. I've noted that many of the other assessments re future developments have arrived as predicted, or earlier.

There are approximately 175,000 marines, not including any reservists
50% = 87,500 Marines
There are less then 10,000 muslims across the the 4 branches of the military
Let's say 1/3 (3300) of the Muslim s are in the marines
They have a hell of a long way to go to reach 50%.
Not going to happen

 

[Jeff505]

They dont need evidence, their cult leader decrees it, that's enough for them.

@Big_Easy Do not take this the wrong way, As a gun owner and hunter we obviously have things in common. Often politics divide people. How does your view of gun ownership, Second amendment rights and hunting reflect upon your political affiliation. This is not meant to be derisive but is an honest effort at understanding.

 

[Big_Easy]

Thanks, with all due respect, I have other things to do then research what a random guy claims on the internet.

Care to answer the second part of my post?

The US CIA over through the Democratically elected government of Iran in the 50s. Because the country had the audacity to try and nationalize their oil, and try to keep the profits for themselves versus foreign corporations… I mean really, how dare they?

Perhaps after decades of a brutal dictatorship, supported by the United States some people got fed up…thus the hostage crisis in 79. So not really Jimmy Carter’s fault.

 

[LivingTheDream]

The US CIA over through the Democratically elected government of Iran in the 50s. Because the country had the audacity to try and nationalize their oil, and try to keep the profits for themselves versus foreign corporations… I mean really, how dare they?

Perhaps after decades of a brutal dictatorship, supported by the United States some people got fed up…thus the hostage crisis in 79. So not really Jimmy Carter’s fault.

Yes totally understand that part.

The second part was, So with hindsight what is your recommendation that we should we have intervened in Afghanistan?

 

[jruby]

https://www.congress.gov/116/meeting/house/108824/documents/HHRG-116-JU00-20190129-SD020.pdf

And they were charged and convicted as any crime should be. So exactly

https://www.congress.gov/116/meeting/house/108824/documents/HHRG-116-JU00-20190129-SD020.pdf

You think you could have chosen a more biased source. I am going to accept that there is some Truth but who do you think the Heritage Foundation supports? You think maybe they might be supporting Trump and Project 2025?

These people were caught and convicted for thier actions just like someone breaking any law should. I am going to research this a bit more and see what I can find.

You did provide a source - thank you.

 

[LivingTheDream]

And they were charged and convicted as any crime should be. So exactly
You think you could have chosen a more biased source. I am going to accept that there is some Truth but who do you think the Heritage Foundation supports? You think maybe they might be supporting Trump and Project 2025?

These people were caught and convicted for thier actions just like someone breaking any law should. I am going to research this a bit more and see what I can find.

You did provide a source - thank you.

You know man, I saw congress.gov and said this will be a good source, and then saw heritage and was like well maybe not, but then saw it was arrests and thought well they cant mess that up. Let me know if they did.

 

[Big_Easy]

@Big_Easy Do not take this the wrong way, As a gun owner and hunter we obviously have things in common. Often politics divide people. How does your view of gun ownership, Second amendment rights and hunting reflect upon your political affiliation. This is not meant to be derisive but is an honest effort at understanding.

A refreshing question….The short answer is…I believe in drinking my booze, while growing my pot, while hoarding my guns, and then training to be ready if/when the government decides that my gay Neighboor's don’t deserve to have the same rights that I do, so then I have to take offense to that…And act accordingly with extreme prejudice to eliminate the threat.

I also believe that showing an ID and completing a background check for every firearm purchase and firearm component is not only common sense, but constitutionally legal. The banning of any firearms is not constitutional. The banning of bump stocks, scopes, magazines, silencers, etc very much is.
I don't recall reading the constitutional guarantee about firearm accessories.

Its also clear to me that the sport has changed since I was a kid, very much for the worse; visiting gun shows and shooting ranges with my father is nothing like what they are today. The people who I see there now, and the things they say and do are just sickening. Id like to travel back in time to the 90s when it was the Vietnam war Vet’s selling surplus Vietnam merchandise, and old mill surps for $199, and cases of Russian ammo for $99/1000.

Before the time when A.R. 15’s and they’re variants took over. Before the douche bag fan-bros and meal team six basement dwellers. Back before the second amendment absolutists. Every time I wonder why some liberal proposes banning assault weapons or some other type of firearm… I go to a local gun show here in the south, and remind myself it’s because of these stupid fucking irresponsible and sometimes racist dip-shits.

I hope that answers your question.

 

[Flipper Dude]

@Big_Easy Do not take this the wrong way, As a gun owner and hunter we obviously have things in common. Often politics divide people. How does your view of gun ownership, Second amendment rights and hunting reflect upon your political affiliation. This is not meant to be derisive but is an honest effort at understanding.

Was always curious about this. How do you guys with a progressive, left leaning political bent ever get through 10 days in a safari camp? If I ever meet a PH that wasn’t right of your average MAGA supporter, he would be the first. Must make for some really awkward campfire conversation. You guys DO go hunt Africa, right?

 

[jruby]

https://www.congress.gov/116/meeting/house/108824/documents/HHRG-116-JU00-20190129-SD020.pdf

Here are a couple of links for light reading

Analysis: Heritage Foundation's Database Undermines Claims of Recent Voter Fraud

Brennan Center findings dismantle a key resource that Trump’s “Election Integrity” Commission relies on to justify baseless claims — by President Trump and some of the panel’s members — of rampant voter fraud.

www.brennancenter.org

The Foundation Behind Project 2025 Manufactured Evidence of Voter Fraud

The Heritage Foundation has now resorted to unconscionable behavior that puts people at risk of harassment.

truthout.org

 

[jeanes]

This thread is very useful as an insight to the variety of views out there, amongst folk with at least one, solid theme of like-mindedness. I've been away for a year; there's only so much a thinking person can observe without losing hope for the world. So I'm dipping my toe, to see if views have changed, given what people have seen over the last year. Are there any folk here ready to say they wish they'd voted differently in the last US election, in either direction, or plan to next time?

p.s. We can all read. The question is 'differently'. If that's not you, please enjoy giving your keyboard some rest. Thank you.

Nope

 

[Flipper Dude]

A refreshing question….The short answer is…I believe in drinking my booze, while growing my pot, while hoarding my guns, and then training to be ready if/when the government decides that my gay Neighboor's don’t deserve to have the same rights that I do, so then I have to take offense to that…And act accordingly with extreme prejudice to eliminate the threat.

I also believe that showing an ID and completing a background check for every firearm purchase and firearm component is not only common sense, but constitutionally legal. The banning of any firearms is not constitutional. The banning of bump stocks, scopes, magazines, silencers, etc very much is.
I don't recall reading the constitutional guarantee about firearm accessories.

Its also clear to me that the sport has changed since I was a kid, very much for the worse; visiting gun shows and shooting ranges with my father is nothing like what they are today. The people who I see there now, and the things they say and do are just sickening. Id like to travel back in time to the 90s when it was the Vietnam war Vet’s selling surplus Vietnam merchandise, and old mill surps for $199, and cases of Russian ammo for $99/1000.

Before the time when A.R. 15’s and they’re variants took over. Before the douche bag fan-bros and meal team six basement dwellers. Back before the second amendment absolutists. Every time I wonder why some liberal proposes banning assault weapons or some other type of firearm… I go to a local gun show here in the south, and remind myself it’s because of these stupid fucking irresponsible and sometimes racist dip-shits.

I hope that answers your question.

I’d say that answers a lot of questions.

 

[Big_Easy]

@Big_Easy Do not take this the wrong way, As a gun owner and hunter we obviously have things in common. Often politics divide people. How does your view of gun ownership, Second amendment rights and hunting reflect upon your political affiliation. This is not meant to be derisive but is an honest effort at understanding.

A refreshing question….The short answer is…I believe in drinking my booze, while growing my pot, while hoarding my guns, and then training to be ready if/when the government decides that my gay Neighboor's don’t deserve to have the same rights that I do, so then I have to take offense to that. And act accordingly with extreme prejudice to eliminate the threat.

I also believe that showing an ID and completing a background check for every firearm purchase and firearm component is not only common sense, but constitutionally legal. The banning of any firearms is not constitutional. The banning of bump stocks, scopes, magazines, silencers, etc very much is.
I don't recall reading the constitutional guarantee about firearm accessories.

Its also clear to me that the sport has changed since I was a kid, very much for the worse; visiting gun shows and shooting ranges with my father is nothing like what they are today. The people who I see there now, and the things they say and do are just sickening. Id like to travel back in time to the 90s when it was the Vietnam war Vet’s selling surplus Vietnam merchandise, and old mill surps for $199, and cases of Russian ammo for $99/1000.

Before the time when A.R. 15’s and they’re variants took over. Before the douche bag fan-bros and meal team six basement dwellers. Back before the second amendment absolutists. Every time I wonder why some liberal proposes banning assault weapons or some other type of firearm… I go to a local gun show here in the south, and remind myself it’s because of these stupid fucking irresponsible and sometimes racist dip-shits.

I that answers your question.

 

[Big_Easy]

Yes totally understand that part.

The second part was, So with hindsight what is your recommendation that we should we have intervened in Afghanistan?

Well, Reagan already intervened in Afghanistan? He should continued to have done so, I always recommend people watch the movie Charlie Wilson’s war. We were doing good there for a while, and then we fucked up the game. The Reagan administration got bored, they got tired of spending money on a covert war, something like 100,000s of Afghanis came home to a country that was destroyed. They didn’t know that the United States of America helped push the Commies out.

Rather than using some reconstruction spending, a.k.a. “soft power” we left them to their own devices. That combined with radicalization from some in Pakistan ultimately led to the rise of the modern day Taliban. Which famously allowed Osama bin Laden to rent out their country for terrorist purposes. Which ultimately led to the September 11 attacks. It’s all connected. We are constantly paying for the sins of the past. Just like with the Iran war now, still paying for the CIA‘s fuck ups back in the 1950s.

One of the main reasons I drive an electric car, not only am I insulated from oil shocks, but I don’t have to give my money to some piece of shit oil company, or support past CIA fuck ups.

Edit: oil security is a national security concern. If we use less of it, even say a 10% reduction, would result in us being able to leverage it much more easily as a weapon against our enemies.

 

[steve white]

Was always curious about this. How do you guys with a progressive, left leaning political bent ever get through 10 days in a safari camp? If I ever meet a PH that wasn’t right of your average MAGA supporter, he would be the first. Must make for some really awkward campfire conversation. You guys DO go hunt Africa, right?

you got that right! Bartle Bull was in camp when they were filming "In the blood" and his liberalism poisoned everything and annoyed the other hunters.
Growing your own pot might put a spin on things, too, lol.

 

[Big_Easy]

Was always curious about this. How do you guys with a progressive, left leaning political bent ever get through 10 days in a safari camp? If I ever meet a PH that wasn’t right of your average MAGA supporter, he would be the first. Must make for some really awkward campfire conversation. You guys DO go hunt Africa, right?

Haven't had the time or money to go to Africa yet. Soon though.

 

[Hunt anything]

@Big_Easy , you say you grow your own pot so I assume you also use it. So how do you get around the question about illegal drug use on the background check?
I believe they still ask this but I may be mistaken, it’s been years since I’ve bought a new gun.
Just looked it up , yep they still do.

 

[K-man]

Must make for some really awkward campfire conversation.

I've been in camp with a couple of people who were perpetually unhappy.
I've always said, "three things ruin a hunting camp. 1-political discussions, 2-tape measures 3- excessive alcohol. "
Most P.H.s can't afford to pick and choose clients based on politics.

 

[BlueFlyer]

Edit: oil security is a national security concern. If we use less of it, even say a 10% reduction, would result in us being able to leverage it much more easily as a weapon against our enemies.

Why do you think China is so focused on converting their vehicle fleet to electric? Plus their uptake of renewables outpaces all western economies.

 

[MauserM03Blog]

Re read the first part of my response..

The US military does not track religious affiliation by service branch…

So the only metric available is the total military… which at a maximum has 7000 Muslims out of 1.32 million members…

If you want to play silly games, assume all 7000 are in the USMC.. there are roughly 172,000 Marines on active duty and another 34,000 in the reserve…

You’re still nowhere close…

Your “formal analysis” remains horseshit…

If you’re unaware, I have spent the last 35+ years directly working with the DoD in a variety of capacities… I work with Marines and other service members daily and have for most of the last 3+ decades.. numerous senior officers to include Marine General Officers have worked both with and for me… there are a handful of retired General Officers on my payroll right now..

Anyone that read your “formal analysis” 20 years ago would have called bullshit on it then too..

Research shows that the Muslim population in the US will reach about 6.2m by 2030.. the US population is expected to be about 349m in 2030…

So Muslims will be less than 2% of the US population…

Consider that the USMC closely resembles the demographics of the US…

Then let’s continue to play silly games and assume the USMC gets impacted at 300% the rate of Muslims compared to the total US population because Muslims just really love being Marines…

You’re still looking at less than 6% of the USMC being Muslim..

And again, that’s if you’re a dumbass committed to playing silly games..

The analysis certainly was eye-opening and unexpected. I and others receiving it didn't dismiss it out of hand though. Let's reconvene in 30 years.

 

[skydiver386]

The US CIA over through the Democratically elected government of Iran in the 50s. Because the country had the audacity to try and nationalize their oil, and try to keep the profits for themselves versus foreign corporations… I mean really, how dare they?

Perhaps after decades of a brutal dictatorship, supported by the United States some people got fed up…thus the hostage crisis in 79. So not really Jimmy Carter’s fault.

False. I know most leftists believe that the U.S. is responsible for what happened when Mossadegh was removed, but this DEBUNKS the 1953 CIA "Coup" story. Remember, this story of a CIA backed 'COUP' was floated by the Iranian Tudah Party, which was a Communist Party started by the USSR who occupied Iran during WWII.

Here's another video busting the "Operation Ajax" myth.