@SCV1forever its unfortunate that when you die you'll never be able to know you were wrong because you'll just be dead. No thoughts, just ceasing to exist. Thats the cycle of life explained biologically, man made heaven up.
@The727stpete727 ... perfect example of the mistakes man has made & continues to make...
if you believe we (mankind/earth) are some kind of accident of evolution you are walking through life blindfolded...
BUT that is your decision... your beliefs, live by it, die by it... & take your chance.
I'd rather live life immersed in the beauty, love, faith & joy of believing in an omnipotent Creator than have..... eh, well, nothing to believe in...
@SCV1forever religious people tend to look at the universe through blinders so to speak. Ignorant of the complex workings of the world that have taken unfathomable amounts of time, unable to be understood by a man of common intelligence. We have mapped the migration of humans from africa to all corners of the earth from our dna, have discovered the simple yet elegant process of natural selection, and attempted to understand the depths of the universe and the origin of time itself. I'm sorrythat
@SCV1forever you and many are thousands of years behind in your thinking. I pity the man who's been scared into believing with the incentive of eternity in hell's fires courtesy of your "merciful" creator that appears to be a moody toddler throughout the old testament, and, in certain instances, the new testament. If you'd rather not make an attempt to comprehend science, go ahead, believe in magic we all know never happened.
Educate me here please... Has evolution stopped? Is it complete! Specifically in regards to humans please...
Lets keep all other forms of life to 1 side for the time being.
Have all races of humans evolved at the same time. Why did some species evolve whilst others didn't. Why is there ZERO examples of half baked evolved creatures roaming the face of the planet!!!
"They can't even get the weather forecast correct"
That's because weather is a chaotic system, and predictions are very difficult based on the multitude of factors and the ways they can interact. Having that said, weather predictions have a significant PROBABILITY of accuracy, and certainly better than some doom-cracking preacher trying to make "predictions".
Not to speak of all the other events science can actually predicts, such as disaster warnings, trajectories of asteroids, ..
Explain human thoughts? You mean, what they consist of? If that's what you mean, that's what neuroscience is about. It's a pretty damn advanced field of science.
Thoughts, emotions, reactions, can many be measured and captured by scanners and attributed to regions of the brain.
Go read it up.
"Has evolution stopped? Is it complete! Specifically in regards to humans please..."
Well, in case of animals, it can be continuously observed with some fast-reproducing species.
Let alone bacteria (there's a reason antibiotics have to be used sparingly).
As for humans, there isn't any particular group of people that can't survive due to some trait, nor any global disaster or weather change (so far) that would only leave people with certain genetic traits, so there isn't any noticeable "evolution" going on with humans as far as I know.
"Why is there ZERO examples of half baked evolved creatures roaming the face of the planet!!!"
creature is "half-baked". Evolution is simply change over time - there is no point at which a species is somehow "half-baked" or "incomplete" until it "becomes complete".
A "transitional form" between two species would just have common traits with the previous, and the next.
All species on this planet are "similar" to each other to different degrees.
You're spewing creation bullshit at the most ludicrous cliché level of Kirk Cameron and his "crocoduck". Please go read up.
@SCV1forever If you believe religion understands the big or small picture better than science I would suggest coming out from underneath the rock your living under and read. Humans came from an extensive process of evolution through genetic mutation and natural selection. Yes, science does not have all the answers, I will gladly concede that point. That, however, is why it is called science and not the explanation of all things. Religion claims to know everything yet understands nothing.
Unfortunately I am not as young as I used to be and by your writing I gather you are in your late 40's.
In a few years time you will notice that people, especially in their occupation, say & do things that they have absolutely no evidence of... I call it LBS "Looking Busy Syndrome"
It's when people are under pressure to "produce".
This syndrome is perfectly played out in the world of Science... who will contradict!!! If they do, make something else up
@SCV1forever It is literally insane that you believe science just makes things up just to say they've done something. Do you believe the earth is flat? That the earth is the center of the universe? That there's a place called heaven above the earth and hell sits below? Do you believe that bacteria that causes disease doesn't have the ability to EVOLVE and become resistant to medicine? That man was created in all of our complexity out of nothing? Go see a neurophysiologist to explain emotion.
@SCV1forever Religion doesn't explain anything, just says god did it. Read the old testament, god is a menace. It's hysterical to read moses saying hold on guys I'm going to go talk to god but he only talks to me when I'm by myself. He then comes back with a typical, "yep, god told me to stone him to death" type of answer. Just shows you the extremely basic psychology of primitive religion. You believe morality influences meteorology or illness? Sad.
@SCV1forever Perfectly balanced planet? Many places on this planet make life nearly impossible. I don't think you're able to comprehend how truly long it takes for 4 and a half billion years to pass by. Plenty of time for natural selection to change species. Just look at humans and where we were 250,000 years ago. There's no point to argue with you though, you're obviously WAY too stupid to understand science and our continual struggle to find truth. Religion will be extinct one day.
@glower125 Have you EVEN HEARD WHAT HE SAID??? SADDAM HUSEIN WAS A COMBINATION OF STALIN AND HITLER! In 21. century we cannot tolerate sick regimes such is the rule in the Middle East. If I cut your finger and I say that it is my CUSTOM, would you say: 'Oh, yeah, ok, IT'S YOUR RELIGION, YOUR CUSTOM, YOU CAN CUT MY FINGER.' You would be insane telling something like that! Abrahamic religions, especially islam, are nothing else than death cults. If you don't agree - you DIE! That's it!
@glower125 We must turn Iraq in a country similar to California - first TOTALLY FREE MIDDLE EASTERN STATE! And of course - RETURN OF SUMERIAN AS OFFICIAL LANGUAGE INSTEAD OF ARABIC!
In my opinion everything went bad in Iraq after Sargon the Great since 2400 B.C. He was the first imperialist and war monger.
Original language of Iraq is Sumerian. Iraq should make Sumerian their official language beside Kurdish, because Iraqi Arabs (Sunni and Shias) are originally Sumerians who were arabized in 7. century.
@753hill No, not with emergence of civilization. Everything went wrong in Iraq with emergence of Akkadians. Sumerian language is the original language of southern and central Iraq, and should be made official.
@753hill Well, Hebrew was revived after 1500 years, why not Sumerian? I don' understand how Iraqis can accept foreign language imported from the southern deserts. Sumerian is the original language of Iraq, at least in southern and central part.
@milekrizman The impracticality! Hebrew was in use as a religious language for milenniae after the Diaspora? And I doubt that anyone in Iraq can speak or use Sumerian now. Why don't you make some Native American sign language the official language of the US? Or Celtic the language of Britain?
@753hill Why not that also? European colonizers came to America and almost wiped out Native american culture and languages. Native american languages should have official status in every US state beside english. For example, in Texas they could teach children Wichita and Comanche language, Oklahoma is full of Indian tribes from the east and so on. In New York state they could teach Lenape language. Well, Welsh and Cornish language do have official status in Great Britain and are taught in school
@milekrizman I am particularly interested in reviving Sumerian in southern Iraq, especially among Marsh Arabs and Native american languages, especially Eastern languages, east of river Mississipi. Every Native american language should have official status in US state where the tribe resides. Mexico has, beside spanish, 62 official regional languages. Canada has that too. Why not USA?
@milekrizman AND HAVE ALL PEOPLE WHO ARE DESCENDENT OF DUTCH IS USA SPEAK DUTCH THE SAME FOR GERMANS AND ITALIAN AMERICAN WILL HAVE TO SPEAK LATIN. SAN FRANCISCO SHOULD BE ALL CHINESE AND NO MORE ENGLISH IN HAWAII BUT NATIVE HAWIAN LANGUAGES...DO YOU SEE THE ABSURDITY IN YOUR ARGUMENT.
IRAQIS ARE HAPPY WITH THEIR ARABIC AND THEY SHOULD KEEP IT JUST LIKE WE ARE HAPPY WITH THE ENGLISH IMPOSED ON US.
@glower125 NO! People who settled in USA accepted to speak english as an lingua franca in USA. It is a FACT that Europeans almost entirely exterminated indian culture and languages. What ancestry You are? Imagine Cherokee settlers in 16. century in Europe, imposing Cherokee language on Dutch, Germans, Italians... Isn't that culturocide? What I am for is that Indians should have MORE RIGHTS and represent at least 18 % of american population (Germans are first with 17 % in 2000. census).
@glower125 Germasn have 17 % of total american population. Why Indians wouldn't constitute 18 % of total population through affirmative action policy, like for blacks from early 1970's until late 2000's? There should be three senators from each state and one should represent Indians from that particular state.
@glower125 Concerning Iraqis, they were conquered many times. Arabic was IMPOSED in 7. century A.D. and it is not right. Persians didn't want Arabic in public, except in mosques, so today they have their Persian language. The same should stand for Sumerian. Sumerian has to be revived - it is a language of people who gave calendar, astronomy, algebra, wheel, WRITING!... So, Sumerian will be revived one day in Iraq, as was Hebrew in Israel in 20. century. Arabs wanted Mesopotamia - NO WAY!!!
@753hill In my honest opinion there would be 2 official languages of Iraq - Sumerian and Kurdish. Sumerian in southern and central part, Kurdish in the north. There are scientists who know the language. US and Iraqi government should make more teachers of Sumerian and send them to Iraq to teach Iraqis Sumerian.
9-11 happened because of the US State(which Hitchens worships) occupying the Arabian Peninsula and funding Israel. That is what Osama Bin Laden said in 2001-October, 1998, AND 1996! The attack on the African Embassy was on the ANNIVERSARY of the US State occupying the Arabian Peninsula!!!
And either way the US State has no legitimacy committing larceny to pay for any US massacre anyway.
9-11 happened because of the US State(which Hitchens worships) occupying the Arabian Peninsula and funding Israel. That is what Osama Bin Laden said in 2001-October, 1998, AND 1996! The attack on the African Embassy was on the ANNIVERSARY of the US State occupying the Arabian Peninsula!!!
And either way the US State has no legitimacy committing larceny to pay for any US massacre anyway.
9-11 happened because of the US State(which Hitchens worships) occupying the Arabian Peninsula and funding Israel. That is what Osama Bin Laden said in 2001-October, 1998, AND 1996! The attack on the African Embassy was on the ANNIVERSARY of the US State occupying the Arabian Peninsula!!!
And either way the US State has no legitimacy committing larceny to pay for any US massacre anyway.
Wow, that introduction is one of the best blow jobs ive ever seen! For real tho, Hitchens is a fucking idiot, ive NEVER heard him say a single fucking thing original to him. EVERY FUCKING TIME he starts to talk i think "oh shit this story again?" Hes a fucking idiot and he needs to fucking say something original for once in his god damn life.
@MrSomeone24 I think youd just like to see my ass you faggot fuck. Stop drooling it aint guna happen. But if he was guna debate me ied likely hang him by his balls, you could get you cock sucking joys that way instead so i guess you win either way.
@griptick : What the fuck are you talking about? Did you even graduate from 9th grade English, you ignorant fucking homophobe? Tell you what, why don't you go jerk off to your ICP records you ignorant, half-wit, shit-for-brains welfare-sucking cumstain. Then pick up a book, and after you're done reading it, try to challenge me again and I'll show you again how mentally challenged you are.
@griptick You don't think his criticisms of Mother Teresa, Henry Kissinger, Bill Clinton and the rest were original? Nobody had even tought about that before. Ditto his essay on North Korea, no body else had even been there. Of course he repeats his arguments on religion - that's because they're damn good arguments.
@juikm He repeats his arguments on religion also because he is frequently asked and I can't really recall that any of them have rebuffed during his debates. If you watch enough of his clips he can sound a bit repetitive, but one has to realize that he's speaking to different crowds in each one.
@juikm I find those responses especially ironic considering that religious folk have been singing the same tune sense pre-historic times. "We don't know. It must be god. Derp."
@griptick Your criticism of Hitchens is incredibly banal and trite in its lack of originality. Go read some his books pre-9/11 before you make any comments.
"Hitchens is a fucking idiot, ive NEVER heard him say a single fucking thing original to him. EVERY FUCKING TIME he starts to talk i think "oh shit this story again?" Hes a fucking idiot and he needs to fucking say something original for once in his god damn life. "
yeh he needs to say things like... fuck fuckity fuck fuck fuck
to save a few thousand soldiers, whether they be ours or not. especially when our enemy was not exactly a threat and they were at the end of their rope
yes history and facts point towards the emperor losing support and the japanese government surrendering perhaps even with a couple days of the bombings.. but regardless. losing soldiers in a conventional battleground is acceptable. this wasnt guerilla war. it doesnt mean loss of life is a good thing. but by our own moral code, especially at that time, a soldier and the army he fought for was to suppose to engage with a code of honor and war ethics.you dont kill thousands of women and children...
What Mr Hitchens fails to mention is that Saddam was trained and funded by the CIA to sieze power in Iraq and assassinate the leader of the country. This is because he idolizes the power of the US and seeks to ally himself to it as blindly and unthinkingly as any other idolator. I saw the program when it was shown on the BBC. It is chilling to see a group dominated so completely by an individual who can only be called evil but who was employed in the service of those Mr Hitchens extols.
@colourmegone Hitchens actually finds the CIA irreparably corrupt or, at best, incompetent. He has an article and an interview talking about the CIA and how it should be dissolved. I'm reading his memoir right now, and Hitchens has a whole chapter dedicated to the topic of Iraq where he at various times condemns the US's incompetence in dealing with Saddam or comdemns many of the US's corrupt leaders. I won't argue your points on the CIA, but IMO I think you have Hitch all wrong.
Part 2. He says in another interview (again slightly paraphrased) "I enjoy driving them (the religious) from the field and listening to the lamentations of their women." This attitude made him brilliant in debate, his attack on Rabbi Kushner over circumcision was excellent but, in my opinion at least, not someone I would want to trust. I could also mention his educating his children in a faith school, his smoking despite his avowed adherence to science and so on.
@alvein7 Part 1 @alvein7 My main objections to Mr Hitchens are his support for war as a method solving political problems and his attitude in general. Watch 'The Four Horsemen' pt 1 where Mr Hitchens says that Muslims who support terrorism should be anihilated and look at Dr Dawkins and the others faces. When Dr Dawkins says he hopes religion will disappear Mr Hitchens replies (I'm paraphrasing) "I don't want that, I want them to get weaker so it's easier to trounce them".
@colourmegone Again...misleading. All he says is that in some circumstances, there are just reasons to go to war. And he's forthright with how he speaks, at least he has the courage of his convictions, which are in turn well informed!
@colourmegone He educates his children (or child) in an Amish school because it happens to be the best school. He IS against faith schools on principal..but why should his child suffer because of an unfortunate system.
As for his smoking, he always knew it was a risk..we all take risks in our life, that doesnt mean we dont have 'faith' in science, your arguments are infantile at best!
@comanchio1976 He could easily have procured an excellent education for his child by hiring private tutors, but I'm sure there are many other options available. In fact Mr Hitchens's daughter attends a Quaker school, which entails religious instruction. Doesn't sit well with his "Old men telling lies to children" statement, does it? If you chose to take a foolish risk that's your business, but when you set an example for others it's my right to criticise you for it.
@comanchio1976 The program in Quaker schools is fairly standard as regards requiring to religious education, so I don't have to know "EXACTLY" what goes on to make a judgement.
"he took a risk and he's paying the price" He chose to indulge in vices which he had been warned about repeatedly. He watched his father die from the same disease with the same causes, he knew it ran in his family. So he's either a complete fool or foolishly arrogant. And his family is "paying the price" as well.
@colourmegone well spoken..Hitchens blinds himself with his own considerable wit, which over time has curlded an been spolied by the erosion of sanity due to blind faith. yet with other subjects he seems able to be unbiased and and very clear thinking. he is a self made contradiction. gl to him in his fight against cancer. wish him the best of luck..and barring recovery hope that he can see the light of truth before he reaches his end. peave unto him
@comanchio1976 Then why is he now a US citizen? Why does he support the war in Iraq? I greatly admire Mr Hitchens's attack on religion and his skills in debate but there are many questionable facets of his personality and his beliefs, for example the arrogance that led him drink and smoke to excess even though he knew he was genetically vulnerable to esophageal cancer. He may criticise US blunders but I believe he worships its power, that's why he lives there and pays his taxes there.
@colourmegone He is a U.S.citizen because he happens to believe in the ideals of the constitution, and was sick of living under a monarchy..among other reasons.
Also, I'm sure he realises that the best way to change something is to influence it from within.
As for the drinking and smoking...it was a gamble that he took with his eyes wide open to it. We all take risks in our lives, or we'd never leave our front doors.
He's now paying the price, and isnt 1 bit self-pitying on the issue!
Who is this idiot. Its all about Anglo Saxon Supremecy, trying to steal the worlds resources, trying to stop the progress of other countries. Bulshitting to the world of so called threats coming from thousands of miles away. Who the hell gave US and UK authority over the world. They robbed the world, killed millions, and now thing they set the moral standards. Its a load of bullocks, all about power and money.
Theres nothing wrong with iran, problem is with US and UK.
@scarface2088 Thats true, except that there are also plenty of things wrong with Iran, and Hitchens is quite intelligent. The Western world is hypocritical and harmful. Very harmful. Hitchens doesn't acknowledge that enough. But, most in Western society are completely ignorant to these hypocrisies and ALSO have strong morality towards human rights.
If we were to fix ourselves, somehow, then we would actually be capable and worthy of spreading morality elsewhere, which is equally necessary. IF.
@scarface2088 lets no forget who fired first A-bomb. we are capable as much eveil as the Nazis...we did it twice. the honor of war? fighting for a cause? god and country? guess that honor meant nothing when we killed hundeds of thousands of japanese innocents, horrifically. guess our cowardice of losing more soldiers to a cause gave us the right to that mass murder? i think not. we shall reap what we sow, and empire collapses under its own considerable hypocrisy and will to power and greed.
@runelord37 I agree that the a-bomb could well be viewed as an immoral act, especially now that we have more info' that Japan was making overtures of peace through the Russians. But a comparison with the sheer calculated brutality of the Nazis and the U.S. is beyond ludicrous!
@comanchio1976 no its not absurd. read the actual first hand account of what happened at hiroshima and nagasaki. i would never say that in terms of premeditation we are anywhere close to nazis. however the road to hell is paved with good intentions. the american psyche has been forced to defend this egregious act over the decades, because its to accept that we killed hundereds of thousands of innocents in an unspeakable manner. period. even if they wouldnt have surrendered...thats my point
@runelord37 Aah, I now see more fully the point that you were making, and completely agree. Apologies for my hasty criticism, looks like we see things from a more similar perspective than I first realised.
this axis of evil was first used by President Bush... along with a whole bunch of other fervent names used in war: operation enduring freedom, operation iraqi freedom. But lets think of it this way: more civilians were killed by the iraqi invasion in the past 8 years, than under 20+ years of saddam's leadership. I am not defending saddam hussein, he was a tyrannical, selfish ruler who needed to be removed. But a foreign govt getting invading it was not the way to do it
@dihsar111 it would've been a lot worse without the US invasion. Iran,Saudi Arabia and Syria would've intervened and it would've ended up like Rwanda.
Christopher is wrong about the Night of the Long Knives. He didn't gain, but rather consolidated his extant power by assassinating Ernst Rohm and destroying the Sturmabteilung leadership, but the Enabling Act of March 23, 1933 after the Reichstag fire is when he took power.
I concede that Saddam was one of the modern world's most malicious dictators. But I also think he nis not to be likened to the worst of the dictators huamnity has seen. He killed approx. 400,000 ppl in his 30 years in power. Pol Pot killed 3 million ppl ina few years.
Always appreciate a free view of Hitchens and his exquisite tutelage! What is disturbing is that people consistently engage in quasi-conversation, disputation, derrogation and, generally, illiterate bombast in the "comment" section. How macabre!
As for "propaganda" - I find it a loathesome, repellant and altogether disgusting habit.
@kmcc2576 I could go into why I believe this but if the people watching this truly believe Saddam, Iran and North Korea to be the axis of evil then there is no point.
Clearly the western mainstream has a significant stranglehold on your beliefs.
No one ever mentions that Saddam was funded by the US against Iran in the 80's, no one ever mentions that the US funded Al Qaeda, no one ever mentions that Clinton helped North Korea with their nuclear program.
When you are going to lecture us mortals on the finer points of foreign policy, try to base your arguments less on deliberate red herrings and non-sequiturs, and a little more on actual data and concrete facts? K?
Just because Saddam was supported by the US before doesn't mean he is ALWAYS supported by the US, and most importantly it doesn't mean his crimes should be IGNORED.
Forget that part, or were you too busy up your own asshole?
Research for yourself, instead of listening to this puppet and maybe you might find out a thing or two about foreign policy and how the West's only foreign policy is financial control (and in turn complete control) of the planet... Wake up and smell the manure, you're lying in it, along with the rest of the West (including myself).
But continue spitting western mainstream garbage instead and throw Ad hominem attacks at me, works wonders.
No country has the right to invade another. Period.
Propaganda doesn't work on me sweetheart, so nice try.
If you are going to allege that the USA wants to dominate the world, you are going to have to offer some facts and figures.
You're off to a start, albeit a boring and bad one, but a cliche is oftentimes the foundation of a crafty lie, as you've just demonstrated.
Also, read a philosophy book. An ad hominem is when I use an insult in place of an argument, except I didn't, I addressed one of your primary concerns. Which you've ignored.
@F33bs Propaganda? If you can't see that the US and Europe are running an empire on your own then there is nothing I can do for you.
Philosophy? Too bad it's logic, not philosophy.
"Forget that part, or were you too busy up your own asshole?" - Ad hominem - an attack on ones character.
Propaganda is what the government and mainstream media has put into you head. Discern the facts for yourself, stop reading peer-reviewed articles, start questioning things properly.
Logic goes hand in hand with philosophy, and every university course on logic is part of the college of philosophy.
Again you don't know what an ad hominem is, as you've demonstrated by ignoring the crushing blow to your fragile worldview I dealt just before adding an obligatory joke at your expense.
You can't keep ducking this any longer in my opinion. Address my point or just get the hell out. I've got no time for some whiny little bitch. (Uh oh, I did it again!)
Propaganda is language and argument intended to deceive, and blur the lines of fact and fiction.
Saying the US and the EU is trying to dominate the world is quite literally an example of obvious, unabashed propaganda. Especially since you have absolutely no evidence to back up the claim.
But your argument about how the US installed Saddam = liberation of Iraq is wrong, may not be propaganda, but it's extremely deceitful, and certainly a non-sequitur and a horrible piece of logic.
Me? Oh no, I didn't do a thing to help the Iraqi people, unfortunately. That was all done by the US military and the Coalition countries that agreed to help rebuild and secularize a devastated country.
If you put as much effort into researching history as you did being a boorish flippant clown, you probably wouldn't be in this situation would you?
I suggest you take this as a 'teaching moment', and come back prepared in the future.
Yes sir. Thank you for doing your part in making sure that anyone that questions American overseas operations is put firmly in their place. I commend your efforts.
Keep it coming, my friend, you only serve to illustrate my point and make conspiracy theorists look like the pitiful losers they all are.
What's funny is I used to 'think' exactly like you, down to the dot and letter, until I actually did my research, examined my own arguments and found them to be objectively wrong.
If you are happy with being a mouthpiece for the far-right wing of the spectrum, have at it. I for one won't let myself be a propaganda tool.
This comment has received too many negative votesshow
Hitchens is wrong about comparing Saddam with Hitler. Hitler was elected to power and was loved by his people. Hitler didn't want "the night of the long knifes", but was forced to. He cried when he got the reports of the treason of Röhm and other SA-leaders The were planning a coup. I guess Hitchens didn't read the investigations and the writings of the people involved.
I know people that lived in NS-Germany. They weren't afraid, but happy. They supported Hitler and were proud.
You are right my friend. The idiots who are giving you a thumbs down forget very much that their precious presidents BUSH SR., JR. and Clinton helped finance the third reich.
Well the US govt, left and right, are Zionists, as are the Australian left and right, British left and right, etc. etc. etc. It's just another word that has been misconstrued. Zionism = Colonialism. It is disgusting that Israeli zionists in the upper echelon try and hide behind the jewish religion as an excuse for imperial conquest.
Haha, Hitchens doesn't look well at the best of times, I wondered why he looked worse than usual as he approached the podium. Doesn't hold back his argumentative brilliance though.
No they aren't. They're an apartheid state, the constitutional premise being that it is exclusively a nation for one ethnic and religious group to the exclusion of others, including the native inhabitants of the land on which it was founded in 1948. They also happen to have undeclared nuclear weapons, which makes them a potential threat to world peace.
They weren't the "native" inhabitants of the land; Israel isn't threatening countries with nuclear arms in order to invade them; and if you think Israel's enemies are tolerant of ethnic and religious differences you are insane. Israel couldn't exist if they allowed everyone to move in and vote them out of power. A group is a group because you can exclude others.
They are indeed the native inhabitants. As far as native inhabitants go, they have a far greater claim to the land of Palestine than the European migrants who colonised it and called it their own, as they have continuously lived there for thousands and thousands of years. There is a well documented and continuous archaeological history. Secondly, I said nothing of Israel's "enemies", as I think that is a very poor measure of Israel's actions and policies.
Third, you have no right to claim Israel can't "allow everyone in". These people already live on the land that became Israel, and the land annexed and illegally occupied by Israel, and have done so for countless generations. What Israel is doing is pushing them OUT. Fourth, it is entirely possible indeed for Jews and Arabs to share a state, but that is not what the Israelis want, hence their policy of ethnic cleansing.
You threw the phrase "ethnic cleansing" around a little too easily there. The europeans don't have claim to the land but the Jews were there well before there was such a thing as the Palestinian people.
And your claim that the Jews, generally, don't want peace is massively contradicted by all the agreements they keep signing before they're attacked by Hezbollah or Arafat. Who gave away land in the Gaza strip? the jews. What happened? they were attacked from it.
There is absolutely no evidence to suggest the Jews were in Palestine before the Palestinians. Jews inhabited only certain parts of the land, non-Jews the rest. Ethnic cleansing is a perfectly accurate term to describe Israeli state policy. Apartheid and ethnic cleansing. The court system in Israel accomodates the eviction of Palestinians in East Jerusalem, the bulldozing of their homes, and the building of Jewish settlements to change the demographic make up of the city. That's ethnic cleansing
Hezbollah is a militant Lebanese political party, not Palestinian. Arafat supported an armed intifada against a hostile Israel for the right to self-determination of his people; it is admirable. He then signed a peace treaty in the 90s and ended the PLO's armed movement, and won a Nobel Peace Prize alongside Israeli PM Yitzhak Rabin, who was subsequently assassinated by a Jewish extremist, thus derailing the peace movement.
Gave away land in the Gaza strip? The Gaza strip was not Israeli territory, it was occupied land which contravened international law. Israel finally submitted to it's return to Palestinian hands, but as Hamas won the local elections, Israel enacted a blockade, thus suffocating the territory and depriving its inhabitants of electricity, water, provisions and medicine and aid. This led to a new conflict which ended with Israel bombing the shit out of Gaza and killing thousands of civilians.
Their continued policy of settlement building and apartheid in the West Bank will only lead to more conflict. Netanyahu is the PM of Israel, and is notoriously hawkish. He has refused to submit to US and international pressure to freeze settlement building in the occupied territory. Mahmoud Abbas, the President of the PLO and an ally of the US, has threatened to resign if Israel does not co-operate and continue the peace plan they have commited themselves to. Israel is unco-operative.
@darwinkilledgod yeah yeah yeah... that old line would be a little bit easier to swallow if Israel wasn't constantly expanding its territory... you should also keep in mind that there's a fairly large progressive minority in israel which stands against expanding the borders and building new settlements, thereby inviting more retaliation and precluding any real chance of lasting peace.
Because they are a democratic nation that has not only tries through tooth and nail to wage peace agreements and concessions with terrorists,but that has provided humanitarian aid for palestinians,has negotiated peace stellments, and that has within its own borders 2 million arab muslims who live better than any other muslim in islamic nations,who have full Israeli citizenship that allows them not to serve the mandatory 3 year army service(that ANY israeli is forced to)
George Galloway Made hitchen look like a cunt in new york
musspuss 3 months ago
@musspuss how, because audience members on the left like to boo all the time?
Kuato19 3 months ago
@musspuss george galloway is a cunt, bitch
TheAndyChandy 3 weeks ago
did he really get bit by a spider or is it a joke?
SteveDutchy 3 months ago
@jantiification I think that it is included in Saddam's Killing Fields (the BBC documentary).
FreakingLies 3 months ago
Thumbs up for the Skip Introduction button.
supermark420 4 months ago 2
Wow, this is at Cubberley? That's where my dad went to high school. Damn, I wish I could have been there to see Hitchens live!
QueenieQue 6 months ago
Hitchens starts at 2:17
aaKonda 7 months ago 25
@aaKonda thx
fjollornaz 1 month ago
Hitchens begins at 2:15
aaKonda 7 months ago
Woman fixing the desk if you keep repeating 0:02
roadkill1001 8 months ago
Unfortunately for Mr Hitchens he shall soon find out that his/our creator is very real.
May Our almighty God have mercy on his soul.
SCV1forever 8 months ago
@SCV1forever Your almighty God blah blah can suck my ...
0achilles 8 months ago
@0achilles Horse...no. Duck? no. Damnit, give me a clue to the final word!
roadkill1001 8 months ago
@SCV1forever its unfortunate that when you die you'll never be able to know you were wrong because you'll just be dead. No thoughts, just ceasing to exist. Thats the cycle of life explained biologically, man made heaven up.
The727stpete727 7 months ago
@The727stpete727 ... perfect example of the mistakes man has made & continues to make...
if you believe we (mankind/earth) are some kind of accident of evolution you are walking through life blindfolded...
BUT that is your decision... your beliefs, live by it, die by it... & take your chance.
I'd rather live life immersed in the beauty, love, faith & joy of believing in an omnipotent Creator than have..... eh, well, nothing to believe in...
Are you pining your hopes & dreams on mankind!!!
SCV1forever 7 months ago
@SCV1forever religious people tend to look at the universe through blinders so to speak. Ignorant of the complex workings of the world that have taken unfathomable amounts of time, unable to be understood by a man of common intelligence. We have mapped the migration of humans from africa to all corners of the earth from our dna, have discovered the simple yet elegant process of natural selection, and attempted to understand the depths of the universe and the origin of time itself. I'm sorrythat
The727stpete727 7 months ago
@SCV1forever you and many are thousands of years behind in your thinking. I pity the man who's been scared into believing with the incentive of eternity in hell's fires courtesy of your "merciful" creator that appears to be a moody toddler throughout the old testament, and, in certain instances, the new testament. If you'd rather not make an attempt to comprehend science, go ahead, believe in magic we all know never happened.
The727stpete727 7 months ago
@The727stpete727 @The727stpete727 Evolution eh!!!
Educate me here please... Has evolution stopped? Is it complete! Specifically in regards to humans please...
Lets keep all other forms of life to 1 side for the time being.
Have all races of humans evolved at the same time. Why did some species evolve whilst others didn't. Why is there ZERO examples of half baked evolved creatures roaming the face of the planet!!!
SCV1forever 7 months ago
@The727stpete727 You note "We have mapped the migration of humans from africa to all corners of the earth"
How did man come to be?
Are you telling me single cell amoebas, through time have become the intelligent human race we are today!!!
Again, to quote your own words...
"I pity the man who's been scared into believing"
people are scared of the truth, it's now easier to say at parties
"I don't believe in Creation"
You preach/boast of science as if they it's the oracle of life.
SCV1forever 7 months ago
@The727stpete727 Science knows zero of the big picture. Truth is, science knows almost zero of the small picture either...
They can't even get the weather forecast correct or harness energy...
Ask ANY scientist/medical EXPERT to explain human thoughts... END OF...
You actually touched on, you could say plagiarised, a religious belief.
The One, True, Apostolic Church teaches that the wonders of the World are too great for us to ever comprehend.
SCV1forever 7 months ago
@SCV1forever
"They can't even get the weather forecast correct"
That's because weather is a chaotic system, and predictions are very difficult based on the multitude of factors and the ways they can interact. Having that said, weather predictions have a significant PROBABILITY of accuracy, and certainly better than some doom-cracking preacher trying to make "predictions".
Not to speak of all the other events science can actually predicts, such as disaster warnings, trajectories of asteroids, ..
twooffour 6 months ago
@SCV1forever
Explain human thoughts? You mean, what they consist of? If that's what you mean, that's what neuroscience is about. It's a pretty damn advanced field of science.
Thoughts, emotions, reactions, can many be measured and captured by scanners and attributed to regions of the brain.
Go read it up.
"Has evolution stopped? Is it complete! Specifically in regards to humans please..."
Well, in case of animals, it can be continuously observed with some fast-reproducing species.
twooffour 6 months ago
@SCV1forever
Let alone bacteria (there's a reason antibiotics have to be used sparingly).
As for humans, there isn't any particular group of people that can't survive due to some trait, nor any global disaster or weather change (so far) that would only leave people with certain genetic traits, so there isn't any noticeable "evolution" going on with humans as far as I know.
"Why is there ZERO examples of half baked evolved creatures roaming the face of the planet!!!"
Because... EVERY
twooffour 6 months ago
@SCV1forever
creature is "half-baked". Evolution is simply change over time - there is no point at which a species is somehow "half-baked" or "incomplete" until it "becomes complete".
A "transitional form" between two species would just have common traits with the previous, and the next.
All species on this planet are "similar" to each other to different degrees.
You're spewing creation bullshit at the most ludicrous cliché level of Kirk Cameron and his "crocoduck". Please go read up.
twooffour 6 months ago
@The727stpete727 Sciences problem is that it has learned to read & write recently and is now pronouncing the complexities of the universe.
PLEASE, DO NOT MAKE THE ASSUMPTION THAT I AM AS NAIVE AS YOU ARE.
SCV1forever 7 months ago
@SCV1forever If you believe religion understands the big or small picture better than science I would suggest coming out from underneath the rock your living under and read. Humans came from an extensive process of evolution through genetic mutation and natural selection. Yes, science does not have all the answers, I will gladly concede that point. That, however, is why it is called science and not the explanation of all things. Religion claims to know everything yet understands nothing.
The727stpete727 7 months ago
@The727stpete727 you are sadly deluded.
Unfortunately I am not as young as I used to be and by your writing I gather you are in your late 40's.
In a few years time you will notice that people, especially in their occupation, say & do things that they have absolutely no evidence of... I call it LBS "Looking Busy Syndrome"
It's when people are under pressure to "produce".
This syndrome is perfectly played out in the world of Science... who will contradict!!! If they do, make something else up
SCV1forever 7 months ago
@SCV1forever It is literally insane that you believe science just makes things up just to say they've done something. Do you believe the earth is flat? That the earth is the center of the universe? That there's a place called heaven above the earth and hell sits below? Do you believe that bacteria that causes disease doesn't have the ability to EVOLVE and become resistant to medicine? That man was created in all of our complexity out of nothing? Go see a neurophysiologist to explain emotion.
The727stpete727 7 months ago 2
@The727stpete727
The other occupation is Social Work...
You say Religion understands nothing!!!
You have eluded on my earlier post. Ask science to explain emotions or thoughts.
Ironically, this avoidance gives your argument an element of credit...
Science makes things up & finds no need for an explanation OR reason.
Do not walk around this perfectly balanced planet and believe that our existance is an accident or a fluke.
Even in your final denial, remember YOUR forgiving God LOVES you.
SCV1forever 7 months ago
@SCV1forever Religion doesn't explain anything, just says god did it. Read the old testament, god is a menace. It's hysterical to read moses saying hold on guys I'm going to go talk to god but he only talks to me when I'm by myself. He then comes back with a typical, "yep, god told me to stone him to death" type of answer. Just shows you the extremely basic psychology of primitive religion. You believe morality influences meteorology or illness? Sad.
The727stpete727 7 months ago
@SCV1forever Perfectly balanced planet? Many places on this planet make life nearly impossible. I don't think you're able to comprehend how truly long it takes for 4 and a half billion years to pass by. Plenty of time for natural selection to change species. Just look at humans and where we were 250,000 years ago. There's no point to argue with you though, you're obviously WAY too stupid to understand science and our continual struggle to find truth. Religion will be extinct one day.
The727stpete727 7 months ago
@SCV1forever He does? Is that before or after sending me to the hell HE created? You're a deluded fool. End of.
shashintokyo 6 months ago
HITCHENS IS A NEO-CON NOW. HE SUPPORTS WARS AND COLONIALISM. EARLIER I THOUGHT HE WAS SANE NOW I THINK HE IS A FRAUD.
glower125 9 months ago
@glower125 Have you EVEN HEARD WHAT HE SAID??? SADDAM HUSEIN WAS A COMBINATION OF STALIN AND HITLER! In 21. century we cannot tolerate sick regimes such is the rule in the Middle East. If I cut your finger and I say that it is my CUSTOM, would you say: 'Oh, yeah, ok, IT'S YOUR RELIGION, YOUR CUSTOM, YOU CAN CUT MY FINGER.' You would be insane telling something like that! Abrahamic religions, especially islam, are nothing else than death cults. If you don't agree - you DIE! That's it!
milekrizman 9 months ago
@glower125 We must turn Iraq in a country similar to California - first TOTALLY FREE MIDDLE EASTERN STATE! And of course - RETURN OF SUMERIAN AS OFFICIAL LANGUAGE INSTEAD OF ARABIC!
milekrizman 9 months ago
can anyone give me a link of the video hitchens is talking about, i.e. the one about saddam hussein in power
funnyapples1 9 months ago
In my opinion everything went bad in Iraq after Sargon the Great since 2400 B.C. He was the first imperialist and war monger.
Original language of Iraq is Sumerian. Iraq should make Sumerian their official language beside Kurdish, because Iraqi Arabs (Sunni and Shias) are originally Sumerians who were arabized in 7. century.
milekrizman 1 year ago
@milekrizman Well I guess you can say that everything in the world went wrong with the emergence of civilisation!
753hill 1 year ago
@753hill No, not with emergence of civilization. Everything went wrong in Iraq with emergence of Akkadians. Sumerian language is the original language of southern and central Iraq, and should be made official.
milekrizman 1 year ago
@milekrizman Yes...well it IS a bit hard and pointless to revive a language which has been out of use for more than 3000 years.
753hill 1 year ago
@753hill Well, Hebrew was revived after 1500 years, why not Sumerian? I don' understand how Iraqis can accept foreign language imported from the southern deserts. Sumerian is the original language of Iraq, at least in southern and central part.
milekrizman 1 year ago
@milekrizman The impracticality! Hebrew was in use as a religious language for milenniae after the Diaspora? And I doubt that anyone in Iraq can speak or use Sumerian now. Why don't you make some Native American sign language the official language of the US? Or Celtic the language of Britain?
753hill 1 year ago
@753hill Why not that also? European colonizers came to America and almost wiped out Native american culture and languages. Native american languages should have official status in every US state beside english. For example, in Texas they could teach children Wichita and Comanche language, Oklahoma is full of Indian tribes from the east and so on. In New York state they could teach Lenape language. Well, Welsh and Cornish language do have official status in Great Britain and are taught in school
milekrizman 1 year ago
@milekrizman I am particularly interested in reviving Sumerian in southern Iraq, especially among Marsh Arabs and Native american languages, especially Eastern languages, east of river Mississipi. Every Native american language should have official status in US state where the tribe resides. Mexico has, beside spanish, 62 official regional languages. Canada has that too. Why not USA?
milekrizman 1 year ago
@milekrizman AND HAVE ALL PEOPLE WHO ARE DESCENDENT OF DUTCH IS USA SPEAK DUTCH THE SAME FOR GERMANS AND ITALIAN AMERICAN WILL HAVE TO SPEAK LATIN. SAN FRANCISCO SHOULD BE ALL CHINESE AND NO MORE ENGLISH IN HAWAII BUT NATIVE HAWIAN LANGUAGES...DO YOU SEE THE ABSURDITY IN YOUR ARGUMENT.
IRAQIS ARE HAPPY WITH THEIR ARABIC AND THEY SHOULD KEEP IT JUST LIKE WE ARE HAPPY WITH THE ENGLISH IMPOSED ON US.
glower125 9 months ago
@glower125 NO! People who settled in USA accepted to speak english as an lingua franca in USA. It is a FACT that Europeans almost entirely exterminated indian culture and languages. What ancestry You are? Imagine Cherokee settlers in 16. century in Europe, imposing Cherokee language on Dutch, Germans, Italians... Isn't that culturocide? What I am for is that Indians should have MORE RIGHTS and represent at least 18 % of american population (Germans are first with 17 % in 2000. census).
milekrizman 9 months ago
@glower125 Germasn have 17 % of total american population. Why Indians wouldn't constitute 18 % of total population through affirmative action policy, like for blacks from early 1970's until late 2000's? There should be three senators from each state and one should represent Indians from that particular state.
milekrizman 9 months ago
@glower125 Concerning Iraqis, they were conquered many times. Arabic was IMPOSED in 7. century A.D. and it is not right. Persians didn't want Arabic in public, except in mosques, so today they have their Persian language. The same should stand for Sumerian. Sumerian has to be revived - it is a language of people who gave calendar, astronomy, algebra, wheel, WRITING!... So, Sumerian will be revived one day in Iraq, as was Hebrew in Israel in 20. century. Arabs wanted Mesopotamia - NO WAY!!!
milekrizman 9 months ago
@753hill In my honest opinion there would be 2 official languages of Iraq - Sumerian and Kurdish. Sumerian in southern and central part, Kurdish in the north. There are scientists who know the language. US and Iraqi government should make more teachers of Sumerian and send them to Iraq to teach Iraqis Sumerian.
milekrizman 1 year ago
Lmao! On ALL five continents. So sad.
ifritincarnate 1 year ago
...There are seven continents, ma'am.
mazerrackham001 1 year ago
Having had my hand in the removal of Saddam Hussein will always be one of the proudest moments of my existence.
To hell with the anti-war lobby.
MultiUniv3rsal 1 year ago
@MultiUniv3rsal Totally agree!!! We must turn Iraq in a country similar to California. I want Baghdad to look like Hollywood ;)
milekrizman 9 months ago
looks like he was right about the WMDs
redryan20000 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Hitchens is a fool.
9-11 happened because of the US State(which Hitchens worships) occupying the Arabian Peninsula and funding Israel. That is what Osama Bin Laden said in 2001-October, 1998, AND 1996! The attack on the African Embassy was on the ANNIVERSARY of the US State occupying the Arabian Peninsula!!!
And either way the US State has no legitimacy committing larceny to pay for any US massacre anyway.
qwertypoiu4321 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Hitchens is a fool.
9-11 happened because of the US State(which Hitchens worships) occupying the Arabian Peninsula and funding Israel. That is what Osama Bin Laden said in 2001-October, 1998, AND 1996! The attack on the African Embassy was on the ANNIVERSARY of the US State occupying the Arabian Peninsula!!!
And either way the US State has no legitimacy committing larceny to pay for any US massacre anyway.
qwertypoiu4321 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Hitchens is a fool.
9-11 happened because of the US State(which Hitchens worships) occupying the Arabian Peninsula and funding Israel. That is what Osama Bin Laden said in 2001-October, 1998, AND 1996! The attack on the African Embassy was on the ANNIVERSARY of the US State occupying the Arabian Peninsula!!!
And either way the US State has no legitimacy committing larceny to pay for any US massacre anyway.
qwertypoiu4321 1 year ago
Wow, that introduction is one of the best blow jobs ive ever seen! For real tho, Hitchens is a fucking idiot, ive NEVER heard him say a single fucking thing original to him. EVERY FUCKING TIME he starts to talk i think "oh shit this story again?" Hes a fucking idiot and he needs to fucking say something original for once in his god damn life.
griptick 1 year ago
@griptick : I'd like to see him tear your asshole open in a debate :)
MrSomeone24 1 year ago
@MrSomeone24 I think youd just like to see my ass you faggot fuck. Stop drooling it aint guna happen. But if he was guna debate me ied likely hang him by his balls, you could get you cock sucking joys that way instead so i guess you win either way.
griptick 1 year ago
@griptick : What the fuck are you talking about? Did you even graduate from 9th grade English, you ignorant fucking homophobe? Tell you what, why don't you go jerk off to your ICP records you ignorant, half-wit, shit-for-brains welfare-sucking cumstain. Then pick up a book, and after you're done reading it, try to challenge me again and I'll show you again how mentally challenged you are.
MrSomeone24 1 year ago
@griptick Go play somewhere else, you frustrated child.
tylerdurden4495 1 year ago
@griptick You don't think his criticisms of Mother Teresa, Henry Kissinger, Bill Clinton and the rest were original? Nobody had even tought about that before. Ditto his essay on North Korea, no body else had even been there. Of course he repeats his arguments on religion - that's because they're damn good arguments.
juikm 1 year ago 33
@juikm Nevertheless unique does not make them correct. Just saying.
753hill 1 year ago
@753hill Of course not. I was just replying to a comment saying Hitchens was unoriginal.
juikm 1 year ago
@juikm He repeats his arguments on religion also because he is frequently asked and I can't really recall that any of them have rebuffed during his debates. If you watch enough of his clips he can sound a bit repetitive, but one has to realize that he's speaking to different crowds in each one.
Relbl 1 year ago
@juikm Sooooo true! "he repeats his arguments on religion- that's because they're damn good arguments"
If it ain't broke, don't fix it! I believe in "Christ"........."Christ"-opher hitchens, that is!
PS: Damn Jesus jumpers put a spider in his bed! LOL!
MagnetoMasterOfEvil 10 months ago
@juikm i enjoy people of critical thought i dont enjoy blind sheeple watch pro religious videos and you will become ill
phildirt3 10 months ago
@juikm Not only are they good arguments, but Hitchens, Dawkins, etc will be the first ones to admit their arguments are plagiarized.
It's because the argument itself never evolves. Religion was first repudiated (at least recorded, and to my knowledge) by Epicurus 2500 years ago.
The rest of us can really only continue the argument of Epicurus, including a mind as brilliant as Hitchens'.
ByronC900 9 months ago
@juikm I find those responses especially ironic considering that religious folk have been singing the same tune sense pre-historic times. "We don't know. It must be god. Derp."
BTCforlife 5 months ago
@griptick Your criticism of Hitchens is incredibly banal and trite in its lack of originality. Go read some his books pre-9/11 before you make any comments.
hellodave2006 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
@griptick
"Hitchens is a fucking idiot, ive NEVER heard him say a single fucking thing original to him. EVERY FUCKING TIME he starts to talk i think "oh shit this story again?" Hes a fucking idiot and he needs to fucking say something original for once in his god damn life. "
yeh he needs to say things like... fuck fuckity fuck fuck fuck
J4YM5 1 year ago
to save a few thousand soldiers, whether they be ours or not. especially when our enemy was not exactly a threat and they were at the end of their rope
runelord37 1 year ago
yes history and facts point towards the emperor losing support and the japanese government surrendering perhaps even with a couple days of the bombings.. but regardless. losing soldiers in a conventional battleground is acceptable. this wasnt guerilla war. it doesnt mean loss of life is a good thing. but by our own moral code, especially at that time, a soldier and the army he fought for was to suppose to engage with a code of honor and war ethics.you dont kill thousands of women and children...
runelord37 1 year ago
answer that comment Christopher.... you cant. truth can only be attacked by rhetoric.
runelord37 1 year ago
Is that pin on his lapel the flag of India?
motioneccentrica 1 year ago
@motioneccentrica I believe it's Kurdistan's although it could very well be India's.
Simon69ification 1 year ago
all five continents?
Abr022575 1 year ago
What Mr Hitchens fails to mention is that Saddam was trained and funded by the CIA to sieze power in Iraq and assassinate the leader of the country. This is because he idolizes the power of the US and seeks to ally himself to it as blindly and unthinkingly as any other idolator. I saw the program when it was shown on the BBC. It is chilling to see a group dominated so completely by an individual who can only be called evil but who was employed in the service of those Mr Hitchens extols.
colourmegone 1 year ago
@colourmegone Hitchens actually finds the CIA irreparably corrupt or, at best, incompetent. He has an article and an interview talking about the CIA and how it should be dissolved. I'm reading his memoir right now, and Hitchens has a whole chapter dedicated to the topic of Iraq where he at various times condemns the US's incompetence in dealing with Saddam or comdemns many of the US's corrupt leaders. I won't argue your points on the CIA, but IMO I think you have Hitch all wrong.
alvein7 1 year ago
Part 2. He says in another interview (again slightly paraphrased) "I enjoy driving them (the religious) from the field and listening to the lamentations of their women." This attitude made him brilliant in debate, his attack on Rabbi Kushner over circumcision was excellent but, in my opinion at least, not someone I would want to trust. I could also mention his educating his children in a faith school, his smoking despite his avowed adherence to science and so on.
colourmegone 1 year ago
@alvein7 Part 1 @alvein7 My main objections to Mr Hitchens are his support for war as a method solving political problems and his attitude in general. Watch 'The Four Horsemen' pt 1 where Mr Hitchens says that Muslims who support terrorism should be anihilated and look at Dr Dawkins and the others faces. When Dr Dawkins says he hopes religion will disappear Mr Hitchens replies (I'm paraphrasing) "I don't want that, I want them to get weaker so it's easier to trounce them".
colourmegone 1 year ago
@colourmegone Again...misleading. All he says is that in some circumstances, there are just reasons to go to war. And he's forthright with how he speaks, at least he has the courage of his convictions, which are in turn well informed!
comanchio1976 1 year ago
@colourmegone Did I mention that Hitchens' memoir is subtitled, "Some Confessions and *Contradictions* "? lol
alvein7 1 year ago
@colourmegone He educates his children (or child) in an Amish school because it happens to be the best school. He IS against faith schools on principal..but why should his child suffer because of an unfortunate system.
As for his smoking, he always knew it was a risk..we all take risks in our life, that doesnt mean we dont have 'faith' in science, your arguments are infantile at best!
comanchio1976 1 year ago
@comanchio1976 He could easily have procured an excellent education for his child by hiring private tutors, but I'm sure there are many other options available. In fact Mr Hitchens's daughter attends a Quaker school, which entails religious instruction. Doesn't sit well with his "Old men telling lies to children" statement, does it? If you chose to take a foolish risk that's your business, but when you set an example for others it's my right to criticise you for it.
colourmegone 1 year ago
@colourmegone Private tutors do nothing to help children to socialise with their peers.
Oh and you know EXACTLY what happens within this particular school do you?
As for 'setting an example', I think he's done that perfectly. He honestly took a risk and paid the price.
comanchio1976 1 year ago
@comanchio1976 The program in Quaker schools is fairly standard as regards requiring to religious education, so I don't have to know "EXACTLY" what goes on to make a judgement.
"he took a risk and he's paying the price" He chose to indulge in vices which he had been warned about repeatedly. He watched his father die from the same disease with the same causes, he knew it ran in his family. So he's either a complete fool or foolishly arrogant. And his family is "paying the price" as well.
colourmegone 1 year ago
@colourmegone well spoken..Hitchens blinds himself with his own considerable wit, which over time has curlded an been spolied by the erosion of sanity due to blind faith. yet with other subjects he seems able to be unbiased and and very clear thinking. he is a self made contradiction. gl to him in his fight against cancer. wish him the best of luck..and barring recovery hope that he can see the light of truth before he reaches his end. peave unto him
runelord37 1 year ago
@colourmegone Absolute nonsense! Hitchens is a huge critic of the U.S.'s past blunders and of the CIA. He's even written extensively about them!
comanchio1976 1 year ago
@comanchio1976 Then why is he now a US citizen? Why does he support the war in Iraq? I greatly admire Mr Hitchens's attack on religion and his skills in debate but there are many questionable facets of his personality and his beliefs, for example the arrogance that led him drink and smoke to excess even though he knew he was genetically vulnerable to esophageal cancer. He may criticise US blunders but I believe he worships its power, that's why he lives there and pays his taxes there.
colourmegone 1 year ago
@colourmegone He is a U.S.citizen because he happens to believe in the ideals of the constitution, and was sick of living under a monarchy..among other reasons.
Also, I'm sure he realises that the best way to change something is to influence it from within.
As for the drinking and smoking...it was a gamble that he took with his eyes wide open to it. We all take risks in our lives, or we'd never leave our front doors.
He's now paying the price, and isnt 1 bit self-pitying on the issue!
comanchio1976 1 year ago
@colourmegone if you see another interview with him he does outline his hatred of bush senior and regan for getting the cia to arm saddam
johnnyd101 10 months ago
Who is this idiot. Its all about Anglo Saxon Supremecy, trying to steal the worlds resources, trying to stop the progress of other countries. Bulshitting to the world of so called threats coming from thousands of miles away. Who the hell gave US and UK authority over the world. They robbed the world, killed millions, and now thing they set the moral standards. Its a load of bullocks, all about power and money.
Theres nothing wrong with iran, problem is with US and UK.
scarface2088 1 year ago
@scarface2088 Thats true, except that there are also plenty of things wrong with Iran, and Hitchens is quite intelligent. The Western world is hypocritical and harmful. Very harmful. Hitchens doesn't acknowledge that enough. But, most in Western society are completely ignorant to these hypocrisies and ALSO have strong morality towards human rights.
If we were to fix ourselves, somehow, then we would actually be capable and worthy of spreading morality elsewhere, which is equally necessary. IF.
gamevideo08 1 year ago
@scarface2088 lets no forget who fired first A-bomb. we are capable as much eveil as the Nazis...we did it twice. the honor of war? fighting for a cause? god and country? guess that honor meant nothing when we killed hundeds of thousands of japanese innocents, horrifically. guess our cowardice of losing more soldiers to a cause gave us the right to that mass murder? i think not. we shall reap what we sow, and empire collapses under its own considerable hypocrisy and will to power and greed.
runelord37 1 year ago
@runelord37 I agree that the a-bomb could well be viewed as an immoral act, especially now that we have more info' that Japan was making overtures of peace through the Russians. But a comparison with the sheer calculated brutality of the Nazis and the U.S. is beyond ludicrous!
comanchio1976 1 year ago
@comanchio1976 no its not absurd. read the actual first hand account of what happened at hiroshima and nagasaki. i would never say that in terms of premeditation we are anywhere close to nazis. however the road to hell is paved with good intentions. the american psyche has been forced to defend this egregious act over the decades, because its to accept that we killed hundereds of thousands of innocents in an unspeakable manner. period. even if they wouldnt have surrendered...thats my point
runelord37 1 year ago
@runelord37 Aah, I now see more fully the point that you were making, and completely agree. Apologies for my hasty criticism, looks like we see things from a more similar perspective than I first realised.
comanchio1976 1 year ago
@comanchio1976 glad to clarify and happy we're on the same page more or less
runelord37 1 year ago
2:16 for hitchens; Thumbs up for useful resource
jazzjackrabbits 1 year ago
this axis of evil was first used by President Bush... along with a whole bunch of other fervent names used in war: operation enduring freedom, operation iraqi freedom. But lets think of it this way: more civilians were killed by the iraqi invasion in the past 8 years, than under 20+ years of saddam's leadership. I am not defending saddam hussein, he was a tyrannical, selfish ruler who needed to be removed. But a foreign govt getting invading it was not the way to do it
dihsar111 1 year ago
@dihsar111 it would've been a lot worse without the US invasion. Iran,Saudi Arabia and Syria would've intervened and it would've ended up like Rwanda.
moh490234890238490 1 year ago
This is one of Hitchens' more powerful and serious talks. Highly recommended.
turbozed 1 year ago
Christopher is wrong about the Night of the Long Knives. He didn't gain, but rather consolidated his extant power by assassinating Ernst Rohm and destroying the Sturmabteilung leadership, but the Enabling Act of March 23, 1933 after the Reichstag fire is when he took power.
JiangZiyaTabooDays 1 year ago
For more info on the connection between Nazism and Baathism, youtube search "Saddam and the third reich"
darkhyena 1 year ago 10
I concede that Saddam was one of the modern world's most malicious dictators. But I also think he nis not to be likened to the worst of the dictators huamnity has seen. He killed approx. 400,000 ppl in his 30 years in power. Pol Pot killed 3 million ppl ina few years.
regelemihai 1 year ago
Always appreciate a free view of Hitchens and his exquisite tutelage! What is disturbing is that people consistently engage in quasi-conversation, disputation, derrogation and, generally, illiterate bombast in the "comment" section. How macabre!
As for "propaganda" - I find it a loathesome, repellant and altogether disgusting habit.
Quod erat demonstrandum.
spinozaic 1 year ago 2
thanks for the convenient "skip intro" button!
goonlagoon 1 year ago
@BornWhiteSupremacy Judging by the manner in which you write, you are mistaken.
JConant09 1 year ago
That's better.
FarKingEL 1 year ago
@BornWhiteSupremacy
I'm not Mexican, way to prove that your dumb as dog shit
FarKingEL 1 year ago
@BornWhiteSupremacy
Troll harder
FarKingEL 1 year ago
spider bite? he's drunk! it takes one to know one.
McPrfctday 1 year ago
Wow, she can really enunciate!
audiophile71 1 year ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
Hitchens has NO IDEA about life in general. SO having said that, clearly, he has no idea about Saddam, Bush, or anyone else who rules a country
dionhenderson 2 years ago
Good, well thought out, rebuttal. Dion.
kmcc2576 1 year ago
@kmcc2576 I could go into why I believe this but if the people watching this truly believe Saddam, Iran and North Korea to be the axis of evil then there is no point.
Clearly the western mainstream has a significant stranglehold on your beliefs.
No one ever mentions that Saddam was funded by the US against Iran in the 80's, no one ever mentions that the US funded Al Qaeda, no one ever mentions that Clinton helped North Korea with their nuclear program.
Axis of Evil? Try EU, Britain, US, Aust
dionhenderson 1 year ago
When you are going to lecture us mortals on the finer points of foreign policy, try to base your arguments less on deliberate red herrings and non-sequiturs, and a little more on actual data and concrete facts? K?
Just because Saddam was supported by the US before doesn't mean he is ALWAYS supported by the US, and most importantly it doesn't mean his crimes should be IGNORED.
Forget that part, or were you too busy up your own asshole?
F33bs 1 year ago
Research for yourself, instead of listening to this puppet and maybe you might find out a thing or two about foreign policy and how the West's only foreign policy is financial control (and in turn complete control) of the planet... Wake up and smell the manure, you're lying in it, along with the rest of the West (including myself).
But continue spitting western mainstream garbage instead and throw Ad hominem attacks at me, works wonders.
No country has the right to invade another. Period.
dionhenderson 1 year ago
Propaganda doesn't work on me sweetheart, so nice try.
If you are going to allege that the USA wants to dominate the world, you are going to have to offer some facts and figures.
You're off to a start, albeit a boring and bad one, but a cliche is oftentimes the foundation of a crafty lie, as you've just demonstrated.
Also, read a philosophy book. An ad hominem is when I use an insult in place of an argument, except I didn't, I addressed one of your primary concerns. Which you've ignored.
F33bs 1 year ago
@F33bs Propaganda? If you can't see that the US and Europe are running an empire on your own then there is nothing I can do for you.
Philosophy? Too bad it's logic, not philosophy.
"Forget that part, or were you too busy up your own asshole?" - Ad hominem - an attack on ones character.
Propaganda is what the government and mainstream media has put into you head. Discern the facts for yourself, stop reading peer-reviewed articles, start questioning things properly.
200 bases, 130 countries...
dionhenderson 1 year ago
Logic goes hand in hand with philosophy, and every university course on logic is part of the college of philosophy.
Again you don't know what an ad hominem is, as you've demonstrated by ignoring the crushing blow to your fragile worldview I dealt just before adding an obligatory joke at your expense.
You can't keep ducking this any longer in my opinion. Address my point or just get the hell out. I've got no time for some whiny little bitch. (Uh oh, I did it again!)
F33bs 1 year ago
And yes it most definitely is propaganda.
Whether or not the US has bases around the world has nothing to do with whether liberating Iraq was a good choice, or a moral one.
That's quite obviously a red herring fallacy, something you just can't seem to avoid committing time and time again.
What's left is just boring propaganda from an equally boring propagandist. If you weren't such a cliche and a caricature of yourself, I'd pity you.
F33bs 1 year ago
@F33bs *yawn* time will prove me right.
dionhenderson 1 year ago
Yes. Run away.
F33bs 1 year ago
Clearly, we're not getting anywhere here. So I'm snipping the cord. Go do some independent research.
dionhenderson 1 year ago
You never addressed my point, so you aren't cutting anything short.
You posted propaganda, I disputed it with a superb counter-argument, you called ad hominem, I debunked that, and I repeated my challenge again.
If we aren't getting anywhere, it's because you can't even defend your own arguments.
F33bs 1 year ago
I don't know what propaganda I posted, google anything I've said, you will find mainstream sources.
Just because you are living under a rock doesn't mean anything I'm saying is propaganda.
I'm done now, I'm not going to continue to waste my time with a closed-minded person. There are people out there ready to wake up so good day to you.
dionhenderson 1 year ago
Propaganda is language and argument intended to deceive, and blur the lines of fact and fiction.
Saying the US and the EU is trying to dominate the world is quite literally an example of obvious, unabashed propaganda. Especially since you have absolutely no evidence to back up the claim.
But your argument about how the US installed Saddam = liberation of Iraq is wrong, may not be propaganda, but it's extremely deceitful, and certainly a non-sequitur and a horrible piece of logic.
F33bs 1 year ago
No, you're right, America is spreading freedom and democracy. Thank you for doing all your fine scholarly work. Good job.
dionhenderson 1 year ago
Me? Oh no, I didn't do a thing to help the Iraqi people, unfortunately. That was all done by the US military and the Coalition countries that agreed to help rebuild and secularize a devastated country.
If you put as much effort into researching history as you did being a boorish flippant clown, you probably wouldn't be in this situation would you?
I suggest you take this as a 'teaching moment', and come back prepared in the future.
F33bs 1 year ago
Yes sir. Thank you for doing your part in making sure that anyone that questions American overseas operations is put firmly in their place. I commend your efforts.
dionhenderson 1 year ago
Keep it coming, my friend, you only serve to illustrate my point and make conspiracy theorists look like the pitiful losers they all are.
What's funny is I used to 'think' exactly like you, down to the dot and letter, until I actually did my research, examined my own arguments and found them to be objectively wrong.
If you are happy with being a mouthpiece for the far-right wing of the spectrum, have at it. I for one won't let myself be a propaganda tool.
F33bs 1 year ago
LOL, and this is the exact regime that the U.S.A supported for many years...
Zackerybob 2 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
Hitchens is wrong about comparing Saddam with Hitler. Hitler was elected to power and was loved by his people. Hitler didn't want "the night of the long knifes", but was forced to. He cried when he got the reports of the treason of Röhm and other SA-leaders The were planning a coup. I guess Hitchens didn't read the investigations and the writings of the people involved.
I know people that lived in NS-Germany. They weren't afraid, but happy. They supported Hitler and were proud.
Gumbypotty 2 years ago
@Gumbypotty: who really gives a shit if Hitler got his dick suck every day and Saddam didn't. Does that make him a good man?
lilgurly1607 2 years ago 9
@lilgurly1607 Hitler was impotent
mowgly3000 1 year ago
@lilgurly1607 aren't there 7 continents?
Abr022575 1 year ago
You are right my friend. The idiots who are giving you a thumbs down forget very much that their precious presidents BUSH SR., JR. and Clinton helped finance the third reich.
dionhenderson 2 years ago
@Gumbypotty Kinda like the Americans that support whatever puppet is on the Rockefeller instated throne of America and are proud of it?
dionhenderson 1 year ago
@dionhenderson - Of course not. I'm well aware that the US supported/supports regimes that for the time being is thought as "needed" by the zionists.
Gumbypotty 1 year ago
Well the US govt, left and right, are Zionists, as are the Australian left and right, British left and right, etc. etc. etc. It's just another word that has been misconstrued. Zionism = Colonialism. It is disgusting that Israeli zionists in the upper echelon try and hide behind the jewish religion as an excuse for imperial conquest.
dionhenderson 1 year ago
I love how he called that bitch out for her "terse introduction." LOL He's so gangsta.
MeatyCockandBallz 2 years ago
0:40
All five of the continents, eh? Guess he was on Pluto?
caltrop69 2 years ago
Wow, you're a pretty pathetic retard, aren't you?
MeatyCockandBallz 2 years ago
@MeatyCockandBallz
Maybe you're suggesting that Pluto has a different number than five? If you know how many continents Pluto has...Do tell.
Do you know how many continents exist on the planet Earth?
caltrop69 2 years ago
I think you're the one who doesn't know!
There are 5 -- America, Asia, Europe, Africa, and Australia. Those are the 5 continents she was referring to. Wake up and read a book.
MeatyCockandBallz 2 years ago
There are 7 moron. And he's been to at least 6 of them...Not sure if he's been to Antarctica.
caltrop69 2 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
There are 5, dipshit. The 7 continents model is outdated.
MeatyCockandBallz 2 years ago
You're just trolling, aren't you?
I hope you were adequately entertained.
caltrop69 2 years ago
there are 6 5 with nations on them
905rocks 2 years ago
Haha, Hitchens doesn't look well at the best of times, I wondered why he looked worse than usual as he approached the podium. Doesn't hold back his argumentative brilliance though.
mikeyman211 2 years ago
suprised to hear an atheist for the war.
dawildabeast24 2 years ago
why isnt israel in the axis of evil
risteardsean 2 years ago
b/c they arent a shit autocratic enemy, why the fuck do you think?
aweiss 2 years ago 2
Because they're not evil. You know, the whole part where they're a modern western democracy instead of a brutal dictatorship.
JimFacebookVids 2 years ago 2
No they aren't. They're an apartheid state, the constitutional premise being that it is exclusively a nation for one ethnic and religious group to the exclusion of others, including the native inhabitants of the land on which it was founded in 1948. They also happen to have undeclared nuclear weapons, which makes them a potential threat to world peace.
gloomyoutlook 2 years ago
They weren't the "native" inhabitants of the land; Israel isn't threatening countries with nuclear arms in order to invade them; and if you think Israel's enemies are tolerant of ethnic and religious differences you are insane. Israel couldn't exist if they allowed everyone to move in and vote them out of power. A group is a group because you can exclude others.
darwinkilledgod 2 years ago
They are indeed the native inhabitants. As far as native inhabitants go, they have a far greater claim to the land of Palestine than the European migrants who colonised it and called it their own, as they have continuously lived there for thousands and thousands of years. There is a well documented and continuous archaeological history. Secondly, I said nothing of Israel's "enemies", as I think that is a very poor measure of Israel's actions and policies.
gloomyoutlook 2 years ago
Third, you have no right to claim Israel can't "allow everyone in". These people already live on the land that became Israel, and the land annexed and illegally occupied by Israel, and have done so for countless generations. What Israel is doing is pushing them OUT. Fourth, it is entirely possible indeed for Jews and Arabs to share a state, but that is not what the Israelis want, hence their policy of ethnic cleansing.
P.S., one cannot "vote a state out of power".
gloomyoutlook 2 years ago
You threw the phrase "ethnic cleansing" around a little too easily there. The europeans don't have claim to the land but the Jews were there well before there was such a thing as the Palestinian people.
And your claim that the Jews, generally, don't want peace is massively contradicted by all the agreements they keep signing before they're attacked by Hezbollah or Arafat. Who gave away land in the Gaza strip? the jews. What happened? they were attacked from it.
darwinkilledgod 2 years ago
There is absolutely no evidence to suggest the Jews were in Palestine before the Palestinians. Jews inhabited only certain parts of the land, non-Jews the rest. Ethnic cleansing is a perfectly accurate term to describe Israeli state policy. Apartheid and ethnic cleansing. The court system in Israel accomodates the eviction of Palestinians in East Jerusalem, the bulldozing of their homes, and the building of Jewish settlements to change the demographic make up of the city. That's ethnic cleansing
gloomyoutlook 2 years ago
Hezbollah is a militant Lebanese political party, not Palestinian. Arafat supported an armed intifada against a hostile Israel for the right to self-determination of his people; it is admirable. He then signed a peace treaty in the 90s and ended the PLO's armed movement, and won a Nobel Peace Prize alongside Israeli PM Yitzhak Rabin, who was subsequently assassinated by a Jewish extremist, thus derailing the peace movement.
gloomyoutlook 2 years ago
Gave away land in the Gaza strip? The Gaza strip was not Israeli territory, it was occupied land which contravened international law. Israel finally submitted to it's return to Palestinian hands, but as Hamas won the local elections, Israel enacted a blockade, thus suffocating the territory and depriving its inhabitants of electricity, water, provisions and medicine and aid. This led to a new conflict which ended with Israel bombing the shit out of Gaza and killing thousands of civilians.
gloomyoutlook 2 years ago
Their continued policy of settlement building and apartheid in the West Bank will only lead to more conflict. Netanyahu is the PM of Israel, and is notoriously hawkish. He has refused to submit to US and international pressure to freeze settlement building in the occupied territory. Mahmoud Abbas, the President of the PLO and an ally of the US, has threatened to resign if Israel does not co-operate and continue the peace plan they have commited themselves to. Israel is unco-operative.
gloomyoutlook 2 years ago
@darwinkilledgod yeah yeah yeah... that old line would be a little bit easier to swallow if Israel wasn't constantly expanding its territory... you should also keep in mind that there's a fairly large progressive minority in israel which stands against expanding the borders and building new settlements, thereby inviting more retaliation and precluding any real chance of lasting peace.
PRIMEx420 2 years ago
good question
gloomyoutlook 2 years ago
Because they are a democratic nation that has not only tries through tooth and nail to wage peace agreements and concessions with terrorists,but that has provided humanitarian aid for palestinians,has negotiated peace stellments, and that has within its own borders 2 million arab muslims who live better than any other muslim in islamic nations,who have full Israeli citizenship that allows them not to serve the mandatory 3 year army service(that ANY israeli is forced to)
A good place to start :)
regelemihai 2 years ago