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Exactly. The US is the biggest possessor of weapons of mass destruction in the world (while Afghanistan has none and never has had any), the US is the only country to use nuclear weapons on mass population centers, and the US is only propping up a government in Afghanistan that maintains its power as a puppet propped up by foreign troops and stolen elections.
When U.S. warplanes strafed [with AC-130 gunships] the farming village of Chowkar-Karez, 25 miles north of Kandahar on October 22-23rd,killing at least 93 civilians, a Pentagon official said, "the people there are dead because we wanted them dead."
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The women and children did not have weapons, automatic or otherwise. It's a shame for you to continue to flack for the Pentagon war machine, but that's about what I'd expect from another Obama suck-up who really doesn't oppose wars of aggression so long as they aren't under Repug leadership.
The women and children by there own admisson are making waepons. You whine as you sit livimng in.thenluxiries you whione bout....why not move to kabul
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Who brought up luxuries, and since when do I claim to be living in them? I don't want to see the meager contribution to the tax rolls misused on foreign wars of aggression launched without a formal declaration of war from Congress, but that's me just bringing up that pesky Constitution you and the rest of the Obama suck-ups have so little use for, right?
@djcharleyd you're a god damn ape who is jealous of batttim cuz he's blonde..... "down there". spend more time with christ baby. THE ALMIGHTY can save you. 2nd Ephesians 11:22
Most of your video is about more effective warmongering in Afghanistan and being more efficient in the slaughter of helpless civilians. You consider withdrawing from wars of aggression to be a "failure" or "loss" in your own words.
Well consider you've taken it completely out of context....lol. I simply was asking questions. Should we cut and run or shouldn't we? I said that it was politically successful for reagan when he did that. In context you ignord that. I also said staying in vietnam and escalating it was a failure...but you ignored that as well. Now. Where did I advocate the war in the first place as you claim? Since you are simply lying about the in context intent of my words....lol
In review: Useless attacks on Bravo, followed by a litany of lame excuses justifying Obama's warmongering.
He's already doubled the US troop level in Afghanistan, sent even more "private contractors" or mercenaries, and has heightened the slaughter of innocent civilians in both Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Only the lamest of partisan Dems would continue to hem and haw about such blatant war crimes; real peace advocates on both sides of the fake left-right divide know it's past time the US left.
Is there justification for targeting civilians for airborne bombardment? No. It's a war crime under international law, regardless of the perpetrator and regardless of the excuse.
Nick/Spike may be wrong on any number of issues, same with Alex Jones; but their stance against the escalation of the war on the Afghan people is not among their mistakes. It's sad to see your personal hatred cloud what should be a moment of clarity regarding the imperialists running both corporate parties in the US.
Geneva code, first of all, is directed at conventional war. Uniformed combatants. If you would like to ignore the enemies violations of geneva code...such as targeting civilians...you can choose to do so. I harbor no hatred for spike, let's not forget he was calling a friend of mine a hooker and a tart for playing a character. That said, I don't recall ever justifying the war in afghanistan. But your one sided view on geneva violations is simply laughable
Those things said if you would also like to ignore that women are treated as property by the taliban and they number one on amnestys list of worst human rights violators, you can choose to do that as well. Doesn't make you right, but certainly makes your perpective oddly self righteous. Shall we protect the rightss of all men who abuse women? Execute folks without trials? Toss planes into civilian buildings? Funny, I do not recall us starting the conflict.
Violations of international law by another country do not automatically excuse the United States from its treaty obligations -- of course I'd expect just another Obama suck-up to come up with such lame excuses for the mass slaughter of civilians.
Give me evidence civilians were the actual traget and not collateral damage and you make a point. Simply stating it doesn't make it so. That said striking militarily at a regime that harbored the folks that attacked targets on our homeland is legal. NATO is not monolithically the usa...as for being a suck up you ignore the ten videos I've done criticizing obama and our policy in afghanistan. Attributing characteristic to me that don't exist is a fallacy, like your arguments
We've been in Afghanistan almost as long as we were in Vietnam. At this point I ask myself what is it exactly we are trying to accomplish? I think that the general in saying the best we coudl hope for is a dicatorship that is friendly to the US is right on.
One think I want to know, is where are the war protesters in the US? It seems to me that Afghanistan at this point is almost pointless. Why aren't people screaming for Obama to get out?
You know why. The peace crowd is ok with war as long as its their guy waging it. The big question is, where are the feminists when dealing with hamas...pat condells latest video is about the pacifists lefts conveniant take on islam. Check it out, its powerful.
My point from the earlier comment really comes down to this, Afghanistan and Iraq are nowhere near as dangerous as the media suggests. One of my buddies just got back, and all he could talk about was how boring the whole thing was.
My recommendation to Obama would be to let us finish our job to the satisfaction of our commanders, then head out when we're done.
Great job on the presentation, I really enjoy your tendency towards an unbiased approach to heavy topics.
you see i know how this is going to end. WHen the Americans grow desperate they will resort to the same thing they did to the japenese. The arabs are more extreme though so the nuclear blood bath will rise to the extreme levels. this war is un winable unless the americans nuke the middle east. Because these arabs are retarded in thinking that their religion is justified even after this mess. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. It will be a day of reckoning for everyone. Just watch and see what these americans do.
Using nuclear arms in china, pakistan, russias and irans backyard won't happen. There is nothing tactically sound about that. Nagaskai and hiroshima were industrial bases of the military machine in japan. No disrepesct intended. The metaphor is flawed on so many levels. That said afghanis arw not arabs.
Excellent point battim about the taliban and al-queda not being the same organization.
It is certainly a point that is lost or forgotten often even by people who know it to be true.
Which brings me to my question. How would you battim, if you were president, approach dealing with al-queda and global terrorism in general?
I've been thinking that using the conventional military to fight an unconventional enemy like al-queda is akin to using checkers pieces in a chess game.
It should be a military/police action. You can ensure camps aren't being set up, but stopping it is like saying you can stop crime. The war or terror was a concept that began with a defined enemy that we found out isn't definable and doesn't have geographical bases.
I'm going to break with you here, Tim. I don't think a police action is what's needed: it should be a covert wet-ops job, and it should be ongoing and global - CIA level assassination-type stuff. Infiltrate and liquidate, a la the Israelis. I have NO sympathy whatsoever for these creatures. They wanna go to the garden and the virgins? Let's give 'em a free pass, sez I...win/win...yaknow?
Well that would be included in a police action. I am not sure we are far off from each other. I just think that fighting a war against an invisible enemy is suicide.
I love this comment exchange - good stuff! I would like to add Tim that I don't think the enemy is invisible, it's more like their actions aren't bound by the Geneva Convention and public opinion like ours are - they have no one to answer to for playing dirty while we have the world to answer to if we play dirty. How can you beat an enemy who plays by no rules when we are bound by so many of them?
well he is invisible in that we could literally be talking to him. i have a few friends that are afghani nationals. they are geologists in the states but have been working for an american company there. they grew up there, during soviet invasion. one of their pops was a tribal leader, who now presides in the states. they told me when they went to visit cousins they had both nato and taliban as well as some Pakistani ISI radios. they sell info to the top bidder.
I was thinking about my comment last night & meant to come back to correct myself. The enemy is indeed invisible for the reason you point out, plus they don't wear a uniform. We're required to by the Geneva Conventions. It makes me sick we are required to treat their POWs with some ounce of respect (albeit we failed at times), while they chop our civilians heads off. According to Geneva Conventions rules, were allowed to shoot by firing squad any "soldier" caught fighting out of uniform.
I think since we're playing by the rules, we oughta totally play by the rules - which include sending them to firing squads when captured out of uniform. But we'll never do it, although we have that right under international law, the world would have a shit fit.
The terrain, the lack of uniform, their targeted civilian markets, etc. aside - the war in Afghanistan in not winnable when one side is following the rules against a side that is not.
From my prospective as a Marine, we want to be in Afghanistan. Seriously, the waiting list for volunteers for duty there is several miles long in the Marine Corps alone, and many of us low rankers can't even get a billet for the number of Sergeants and above who want to go. I don't know what the Army thinks about it, but going over in the Marines is like the Holy Grail of duty or something. I don't care what the press says, we want to be there.
Of course, marine. Its your duty. And we are proud to be tepresented by such fine men and women. That is why the marines are the greatest fighting force alive. I just want to make sure if we lose you, a valuable asset to our country, that it was worth it on every level. But...thank you marine.
But if he fails it could hurt the dems reputation on secuirty (its already belowe that of even republicans). We won't topple the taliban. Its not this monolithic centralized group.
bring the boys back home..i want that all german soldiers leave this land..they are not enough and they got not enough and weapons or vehicles..70% of the german citizens want that they come home.!afgahnistan is a grave.i hate the taliban and the warlords or the drugbarons in this land.but whats with the past?.the russians got over 100000 soldiers in the 80ies in afghanistan and that was not enough it will never end..its like vietnam and i dont want that more soldiers die in this war.
well appealing to common opinion does not always make for good military strategy. or diplomatic strategy, frankly. i understand you frustration at anyone dying in war and why it just seems so unnecessary.
Thats not entirely true. If its irradiated they can sure as shoot come on into Afghanistan! And so what if a few thousand of our soldiers get cancer? Health Care will be reformed by then, am I right? :D
Do we really need *more* of that character? Some of us come to the internet to get away from that stuff.
And what about the young people that get messages about how to behave from that? Go to the Beccarothwell channel--she got harassed by people the other day, in short, because she doesn't look like Katie (I'm not saying Katie had anything to do with it.)
I wish Katie every success with her career, but some of us find the Katie'sOpinion character to be mental pollution of the worst kind.
as for having "more" of that character, she's had some great community moments. she really hasn't been much active recently and i found her last video kind of funny. i thought spike's reaction to it was off base. sometimes i just felt the needs to clarify facts.
Here's the thing, Battim (and I think you're kind of a good guy, so I don't mean this in an attacking way): we *know* Katie is a character (sort of, ish--fact of the matter, if she looked like *me*, she wouldn't be *allowed*, if you will, to do that kind of character.)
We just think there is *enough* of that type of character out in the media *already*--the character of the "socially privileged due to her physical beauty who takes advantage and acts like a bitch" character.
I understand your point. It seems to me the katie character is almost self deprecating. the video spike attacked her was an innocuos play on the whole chivalry vs. equal rights thing. i think it was well played in character. a parody of that kind of exaggerated charicature doesn't glorify it, i think, i think it pokes fun at it.
katie, if you met her, you'd know she is a pretty down to earth city kid who grow up in philly
Al Qaida has moved on...to Pakistan, to Yemen, and to parts further afield. They maintain a presence in Afghanistan, but it is NOT the high-command anymore, just lackeys. It is like a hydra...cut one head off, two more spring up in its place. We are never going to be rid of them, until or unless, that is, some GREATER power for them to hate, rises up and surpasses us on their hit-list. THEN we may get a respite from them, but likely not before then...
A war against them (Al Qaida) is unwinnable, since they have no fixed root country, and remain mobile. As for the Taliban, our routing of them was humanitarian, but trying to stamp out an ideology can ONLY be done with education and good will, and never with force. We are wasting our time in Afghanistan, now, unless we remove troops and replace them with Peace Corps volunteers...who will, of course, be slaughtered... I don't think we should continue on with this, unless they BEG us to stay...
they are literally a bunch of low operating criminal thugs that use islam to recruit a base. they are essentially a gang. a powerful one, a crazy one, but no more or less, they've done less damage than the illegal drug wars in north america
You're right about THAT, for sure...although the body-count from the towers figures in, too, don't forget...but putting that up against the one from Juarez, you may be right again, anyway. And their AGENDA is the toppling of the royal house of SAUD, by whatever means they can employ...
The lesson we learned in Vietnam was that most of the POPULACE north of the DMZ was V.C. - we just couldn't wrap our minds around the idea that a poor, impoverished nation could prefer egalitarian sharing of resources over profiteering and corporate pillaging...it was like trying to understand antimatter. I think there are far more Taliban in Afghanistan than most would care to admit, and in many cases, you have women who are as equally brainwashed by Taliban propaganda as their MEN are...
Personally...I would LOVE to see the Taliban gone forever...Al Qaida exterminated...and fundamentalist Islam reduced to a few curio colonies on the fringes of society much like our own Pennsylvania Dutch (whom I am NOT comparing to fundamentalist Islamists, save by virtue of their being a MINORITY, thank you!) I seriously doubt, however, than any of this will happen without two things: education, and rehabilitation of old and creation of new infrastructure...
But what Afghanistan is, largely, is a loose confederation of tribes, and it's been that way for centuries. Democracy doesn't WORK unless you have an educated populace: otherwise, what you have, as the Tsars of Russia knew, is a rabble of SERFS fit only to be RULED. I'm sorry to sound so elitist, and I'm NOT, really, but lacking education, people really cannot grasp the importance of democracy in their culture and society. In most cases, in fact, they PREFER to be ruled...
This is why, in the latter part of the twentieth century, so many of the older Russian populace mourned the days of communism, and the passing of Stalin in particular. Stalin the monster, yes...but also the Stalin who provided a sure and secure social infrastructure. Better the Devil you KNOW than the devil you DON'T know... and this is where America will fail in Afghanistan, unless we manage to educate a substantial portion of the Afghan people...particularly the WOMEN...
There is also the psychological phenomenon about glorifying the old days even if they weren't so glorious. Women have a diofferent kind of empowerment. Its not just education but cultural revolution. It will take generations.
Before them it was islamic brotherhood and hezbollah. Then there is islamia in se asia. Even if some are eradicated some other nut group will pop up. Its perpetual nuttiness.
Hey man, wanted you to know i've watched a ton of your stuff, and never really told you what a breath of fresh air it is to hear a smart American. I am truly ashamed that most American high school kids cant name one leader of any other country, or even our own presidents.
I have watched your stuff, but never left a comment probably because I didn't want it to sound like im kissing your ass, but now I'm kissing your ass.. LOL..
Thanks cap. I would love for you to join the discussion more even if its just a questuon or your opinion on a subject. Thansk for watching and comments like this are the reason I keep vlogging. There are smart americans and there some pretty dumb non americans (look at how many folks support hama and believe in conspiracy theories). Stupidity can be a universal human trait.
Honestly, the victory we're looking for in Afghanistan isn't possible. Afghanistan isn't a nation-state. There's an Afghanistan outside Kabul, and there probably never will be. They aren't economically or culturally a country, and it isn't our job to try and correct that. We should focus on stabilizing security inside Kabul, declare victory, then leave them to their subsistence farming.
I ponder the details, that of which, we simply do not know. Both outcomes have a good & bad qualities. I suppose trust in the Governmental Military expertise, as well as the diplomatic side, are at war with eachother in some ways. Im on the fence, its a bloody view.
yes, but statistically we are becoming a much less violent race as violent deaths per capita shows. even with these wars humanity slaughters itself at much lower rates than in other time of human history. stephen pinker, dean of cognitive science at hrvard talkes about this. google: humanity less violence pinker . great leacture and article by him on it backed up with a ton of research.
Hey Battim I just want to say thank you for posting videos like this. I'm 15, and I get basically no information on politics since I live with my mother and we don't learn anything about the real world today in school. I don't watch the news because most of it is bullshit as far as I'm concerned, and while I read the paper and I get news from the internet, I was too young at the time when the war started to understand what was going on. So thanks again, your videos are great.
thank you. i should probably cut down on my swear words too. don't look to me for proper speaking methods...lol. email me i'll send you some decent links (since youtube won't let us post them here) of some good info about the history of US intervention in afghanistan throughout history
People do seem to forget the positive stuff that the Johnson years gave us. It's kind of sad that even he didn't see a point in running for re-election in '68.
Are they obtainable?
I'm inclined to say "probably not." They may want our money, and why not, but why should they want us telling them what kind of government to have.
thanks curt. you know i also mentioned on my vlog that if anyone knoew where to get naked lisa hartman pics to let me know. but i think youtube frowns upon intenetz porn swapping.
LOL - well the best I can help you with is a shot from 1982 where she's wearing a satin nighty and denim jacket while making love with her spine to the hood of a classic car. The only problem is she looks hella-uncomfortable because someone apparently gave her hair a dose of electric shock treatment then airbrushed every significant thought right out of her head.
He referred to a friend of mine as white trash and a hooker simply because she plays a character. I was simply disparaging him for his false judgements.
We will just be another notch on the Afghan's bedpost. Right next to the Soviets as the newest one after them. The Nazi didn't attack Switzerland for alot of the same reasons, we shouldn't be in Afghanistan. Those Nazis knew it would be too costly a victory, we need to come to the same realization here. The message we send when we cut and run is bad, but they are bleeding us financially, we have to go. "Occupation" of a region is costly, just kick some ass and threaten to come back.
Well legends will be what they are locally regardless of the outcome. its like the wild west out there. yeah maybe not so much a cut and run but a "bang bang bang mother fucker, this is what we got and next time u fuck with us, you will all perish in rubble."
i dont really have an opinion on it. i was just presenting the difficulties of the situation. leaders make decisions, i don't get get paid to do it nor would i trust anyone who would pay me to do it. but thank you very much, it means a lot coming from such a cerebral fella,
1. I do not think he is going to leave it alone. I think there will be a major change in stragedy.
2. I think we have more assets to determine what is going on, provided we can concentrate those assets in that region long enough to gain real-time intel and act on it with the number three answer.
3. It will take a little more than three brigades.
4. I don't like war any day at any time, but it all began in the last administration so it has to be finished.
I'm not really sure where I stand on the do we stay or do we go question when it comes to Afghanistan - I'd like us (and the entire world for that matter) to continue to take down al Qaeda leaders. As for the Taliban, aside from them giving safe haven to al Qaeda, their treatment of women is horrific on every level - but is that our fight to fight? On the humanitarian side, perhaps it is, but IF it is, then every capable nation needs to step up - we can't be the World Police forever.
Over the years I've met various people from Afghanistan. I usually ask their opinion on the matter and it seems they are pretty split as well. They are appreciative for US attempts to rid the unauthorized, unacknowledged running of the country by the Taliban, but that's backsliding.
Afghanistan as you point out is hardly monolithic or antiwestern. The leaders remember the stingers we gave them. They remember our help in their liberation.
When we first went in, I was basically expecting some hard hits, to show them that we mean business, and then kind of pull back. Because anything more would be a lost cause. The Soviets spent 10 years there, and put a whole lot of resources into the war. And they ended up pulling out because while they held the cities, they were unable to hold the areas between the cities.
So ultimately I am not real sure as to what we can do to attain the goals that are current laid out.
If we leave, do you think training camps will sprout up ? Can we just do some police action raids and blow shit up once in a while? I'd like to withdraw. Some people always say that if you leave, the terror attacks will escalate due to "safe territory" for training. I'm not sure if I buy that argument. It may, however, have some merit.
There are training camps there now. There are training camps in malaysia, indonesia and let's not forget. The pilot training right here in the states. Yemen. Qatar. Congo. They can train anywhere. Our presence in afghanistan only slows the process. Is it possible an independant afghanistan could police even if we are victorious? That is a question whose answer history is very cynical of. Ask the khans. Ask alexander. The brits. The soviets. I wonder.
Seriously Tim, where do these people come from? Do we think training camps will sprout up? FFS! They were there before the war started and they've been increasing ever since - all over the world. Does anyone read anything anymore?
Yeah, I kind of had to look deep in the paper for that stuff the past few days. The front page was busy with, believe it or not, a fucking story on Family Guy. We catch a few dudes red handed right here in the States guilty as shit of plotting to bomb a few major cities and Family Guy is on my front page? Oh that's right, I live in Boston, the Liberal Cap. of the Nation; terrorists don't exist and if they do, we gotta make them our friends.
I think Obama's doing a great job in Afghanistan, Abu Musab Al Zarqawi sent out a bit of media pretty much shitting in his pants because of how well Obama's kicking his guys' asses, comparing Obama to a snarling wolf with claws shredding his guys apart. Alot of high profile top Al Qaeda guys are being killed left and right along with outside the region, plus Bin Laden and Zarqawi are running out of money.
Doesn't matter if someone replaces Osama, what matters is if he's brought to justice.
Well we have seen a grave deterioration prior to and during obama. The taliban controls more of afghanistan than at any time. The NATO allies are losing bad and wanting to pull out. The rhetoric you speak of its a diversionary tactic used to motivate rebellion. Its not as rosy as you paint it.
"how well Obama's kicking his guys' asses"? As far as I know, Barry has never, ever worn the uniform of any branch of the military of the United States of America. Further, kicking whose asses? August 2009 saw the highest US casualties to date in that war.
""As far as I know, Barry has never, ever worn the uniform of any branch of the..."
You know I meant by proxy. Obama has killed alot of top Al Qaeda leaders BY PROXY.
I bet if you ever read the exploits of Alexander the Great or Erwin Rommel and how they wiped out an entire army, your dumb ass is probably thinking they stood in the middle of a field of soldiers and wiped them out themselves. I know you are not that dense.
No, I don't know that you meant by proxy hence my comment. By proxy Barry is "kicking ass?" How utterly disrespectful to the men and women who wear the uniform - THEY are the ass kickers; how dare anyone give credit to Barry for the risks our forces take and the sacrifices they make. I see you didn't answer my question - kicking whose asses? Again in the paper this morning - American casualties are rising there, the highest to date since the war began. lol, talk about dense.
Yes, messier and strangely enough our media is getting quieter about it. Clearly Rahab is in his own Private Idaho - he thinks the President deserves credit for the job our military does. That makes as much sense as giving credit to the manager of a heavyweight boxer for the punches he lands on his opponent.
oh yes and I almost forgot with an escalating situation in Iran it might be convenient to have them locked in by American troops at both east and west of their borders.
GREAT news about Katie'sOpinion! I hope that, *ahem*, Mr. ZB is able to ride her coattails somewhat. I think he's earned it.
As to Afghanistan, I must say I agree with most of what you've said. McCrystal (sp?) has his work cut out for him, as do our allies. The Taliban are resurgent as you pointed out, and I've read elsewhere that they're cadging the military hardware we're giving to the Afghan Army (such as it is).
Where and how the fuck you been robbie tran. Its great for katie. As for afgjhan rebels. They are tough inventive little goat herding drug lords aren't they?
Still living as an economic refugee with the 'rents in rural California. I've lost 170 pounds since last July, but still haven't found a damn job. And yes, the Afghanis are a tough bunch of motherfuckers, no doubt about that.
Scintillating analysis, no?? Chomsky would be proud! ;-)
economic refugee, oh the drama. the west coast ain't kind on recessions. can't wait to see a video with you looking 170 pounds lighter. good god, what were you up to? you pratically lost ME in wieght.
Criticizing content is not the same as personally attacking a fictional character. You apparently don't get the difference between character acting and reality, spike. Just as you don't get the difference between applied physics and loose change illogical demolition theories.
Intel usually doesn't like cutting the head off the snake. Would anything change with osama gone? I doubt it, he would be replaced. There is energy north of afghanistan and it would make energy transport easier to build pipelines there. I am beginning to agree with your bottom line assessment
Considering in pms he was calling her a hooker and on his video comments he continued to call her a harpie...I doubt it. That said...spike has been at his paranoid reactionary strangeness for years....he is bonafide nutty
Barfo needs to die and be cast into the fires of hell for all eternity. It's what the good Lord intends! Good christian boys like you and battim need to help weed out the satanic homosexual filth like Barfo from youtube!
Barfo is what I call spikebravo cuz evertime I see one of his videos I wanna puke. He is satanic, just watch some of his videos where talks about the ocult and witchcraft.
i am no fan of his. he spends his time talking about things he really hasn't a clue about. i am all for government watchdogs. but the conspiracies this guy promotes are simply inane. but the internetz is full of assclowns, i am finding.
I've known about spikebravo for a couple of years now. He's a waste of human life, jobless, friendless, ugly as hell. The best thing anyone could do for society is take him out to the middle of nowhere and end him!
The good Lord never intended fhuman filth like Barfo walk the earth. Did you know he's gay? That alone makes him an abomination in the eyes of the Lord and good Christians everwhere have a responsibility to act as Gods insturment on earth to eradicate homosexual filth like Barfo.
The lord has eyes? Who is this lord and who knighted him and what's his issue with a gay persons liberty to live as they please. I'm not christian but am familiar with its texts, where does it say to eradicate anyone, muich less gays?
his preference of sex partner is of no interest of business of mine. as for the bible, well i guess that's one of the parts where me and the author(s) if the bible disagree.
what happened to the 20 million dollar bombs dropped on 20 dollar tents sales pitch..has american over-confidence struck again. Nam was easier on paper than in the field but thats how it goes. New rumor on the Fox news street in that Iran is supplying weapons to Afghanistan, sounds like a good sales pitch to meet Israel on striking their nuke reactors, cause when Israel does strike them, we're never gonna just leave it to chance that they'll get the job done.
Iran has nothing to gain by supporting a sunni government that hates them. Iran in the beginning was actually supplying us with intel...and we fucked that up. If israel attacks iran, iran is desperate and retaliate desperately. Jews in iran will not be safe..and there are quite a few. It won't turn out like when israel hit iraqi facilities, it will be ugly for everyone...if it happens.
I say the biggest problem is with Pakistan our 'ally' and drug trade
We can pour money and soldiers in it all we want it won't help if Pakistan is a mess.
The drug thing is even more hopeless given the dumb stubbornness of America on the war on drugs.
On the question of : Will Obama cut and run? I say, hell no. He ran on Afghanistan, Afghanistan was his case too prove he could be a tough too when it came to foreign policy. You really think he's going to give that up?
I think sort term prestige along with the hope that it might get all better someday will make the US stay strongly committed to Afghanistan for at least his first term. Even if he decides to pull out later it will be a long process.
That's a roll of the dice, prestige can quickly turn into disaster. Think of the tet offensive. We exposed the enemy and made ourselves more mobile. Then disaster struck. Tides can turn quickly. We were strongly committed to vietnam and although it was a lost war. Southeast asia didn't have to deal with soviet and chinese pressure for a decade. Its a tough call to see how history will judge even a modicum of success
I say facilitating terrorism by giving Al-Qaeda a safe haven is almost as bad as doing it yourself. If Afghanistan is going back to being a taliban ruled state again it will become a breeding nest for terrorism again that's is not really a great option I say.
The way women are treated under the taliban is criminal. I am not claiming one is worse or better...just different. We are fighting two wars...one against the one who caused 911 and one against the local authority who provided them cover. They are allies (odd thing is at one time they fought against each other when al quaeda fought with the mujhahadeen after the soviet war). It remains a breeding ground for terrorists. If not there western pakistan will do for them. Is it a toss up?
Only if you think there is no way we can handle Pakistan but if that is your position then we should leave Afghanistan yesterday.
I never really understood how Pakistan ever became such an ally of the US btw India seems a far more logical choice maybe have to do some reading on that
Pakistan did not want the soviets in afghanistan. They were strong allies of our under reagan when we supplied them with arms to help fight the soviets. Pakistan has common goals as the usa in the region, that is keeping china russia and iran in check
Obama is rolling the Dice to make a decsion on Afganastan. Bill Clintion stated Obama is a roll of the Dice good luck
luilun 2 years ago
You called her an escort. Liar
battim 2 years ago
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Exactly. The US is the biggest possessor of weapons of mass destruction in the world (while Afghanistan has none and never has had any), the US is the only country to use nuclear weapons on mass population centers, and the US is only propping up a government in Afghanistan that maintains its power as a puppet propped up by foreign troops and stolen elections.
djcharleyd 2 years ago
Overused? Its a fact. As oppsed to your lack of proof. You callef a woman a hooker. You are a sexist like the afghanis. Keep suppoting abuse
battim 2 years ago
When U.S. warplanes strafed [with AC-130 gunships] the farming village of Chowkar-Karez, 25 miles north of Kandahar on October 22-23rd,killing at least 93 civilians, a Pentagon official said, "the people there are dead because we wanted them dead."
djcharleyd 2 years ago
again, they had automatic weapons, what part of combatant do you need defined?
battim 2 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
The women and children did not have weapons, automatic or otherwise. It's a shame for you to continue to flack for the Pentagon war machine, but that's about what I'd expect from another Obama suck-up who really doesn't oppose wars of aggression so long as they aren't under Repug leadership.
djcharleyd 2 years ago
The women and children by there own admisson are making waepons. You whine as you sit livimng in.thenluxiries you whione bout....why not move to kabul
battim 2 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
Who brought up luxuries, and since when do I claim to be living in them? I don't want to see the meager contribution to the tax rolls misused on foreign wars of aggression launched without a formal declaration of war from Congress, but that's me just bringing up that pesky Constitution you and the rest of the Obama suck-ups have so little use for, right?
djcharleyd 2 years ago
@djcharleyd you're a god damn ape who is jealous of batttim cuz he's blonde..... "down there". spend more time with christ baby. THE ALMIGHTY can save you. 2nd Ephesians 11:22
hedcourters 2 years ago
I'm fairly certain Jesus wouldn't approve of calling people "god damn" anything.
djcharleyd 2 years ago
@dj well i'm fairly certain everyone sins. i was struggling with sin when i typed that. i've since repented. what about YOU?
hedcourters 2 years ago
I prefer ethical conduct to being a stinking hypocrite and then claiming some sky god forgives you after the fact.
djcharleyd 2 years ago
@dj then you prefer hell.
that's it. BATTIM! BLOCK HIM!
hedcourters 2 years ago
That's about what I'd expect from such a collection of liberal fascists. Go suck off your Emperor some more, why don't you?
djcharleyd 2 years ago
@dj wow you're really dumb. i'm a conservative christian. YOU are the godless liberal.
hedcourters 2 years ago
If god is everywhere, then no one is godless. But that's just too much logic for some Repug to understand, no doubt.
You and battim are in the same boat flacking for the war machine. That's why the two party system is such an Imperial scam.
djcharleyd 2 years ago
@dj god, looks like you're the liberal. a lib who is jealous of blonde battim and who will burn in the slimey pits of hell baby
hedcourters 2 years ago
dude hed hasnt even talked about the war. lol. what a moron. and when, again did i advocate the war? why wont you answer that question?
battim 2 years ago
Most of your video is about more effective warmongering in Afghanistan and being more efficient in the slaughter of helpless civilians. You consider withdrawing from wars of aggression to be a "failure" or "loss" in your own words.
djcharleyd 2 years ago
Well consider you've taken it completely out of context....lol. I simply was asking questions. Should we cut and run or shouldn't we? I said that it was politically successful for reagan when he did that. In context you ignord that. I also said staying in vietnam and escalating it was a failure...but you ignored that as well. Now. Where did I advocate the war in the first place as you claim? Since you are simply lying about the in context intent of my words....lol
battim 2 years ago
In review: Useless attacks on Bravo, followed by a litany of lame excuses justifying Obama's warmongering.
He's already doubled the US troop level in Afghanistan, sent even more "private contractors" or mercenaries, and has heightened the slaughter of innocent civilians in both Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Only the lamest of partisan Dems would continue to hem and haw about such blatant war crimes; real peace advocates on both sides of the fake left-right divide know it's past time the US left.
djcharleyd 2 years ago
Who made excusses or justified anything? That said in your eyes is there any justification of war?
battim 2 years ago
Is there justification for targeting civilians for airborne bombardment? No. It's a war crime under international law, regardless of the perpetrator and regardless of the excuse.
Nick/Spike may be wrong on any number of issues, same with Alex Jones; but their stance against the escalation of the war on the Afghan people is not among their mistakes. It's sad to see your personal hatred cloud what should be a moment of clarity regarding the imperialists running both corporate parties in the US.
djcharleyd 2 years ago
Geneva code, first of all, is directed at conventional war. Uniformed combatants. If you would like to ignore the enemies violations of geneva code...such as targeting civilians...you can choose to do so. I harbor no hatred for spike, let's not forget he was calling a friend of mine a hooker and a tart for playing a character. That said, I don't recall ever justifying the war in afghanistan. But your one sided view on geneva violations is simply laughable
battim 2 years ago
Those things said if you would also like to ignore that women are treated as property by the taliban and they number one on amnestys list of worst human rights violators, you can choose to do that as well. Doesn't make you right, but certainly makes your perpective oddly self righteous. Shall we protect the rightss of all men who abuse women? Execute folks without trials? Toss planes into civilian buildings? Funny, I do not recall us starting the conflict.
battim 2 years ago
Violations of international law by another country do not automatically excuse the United States from its treaty obligations -- of course I'd expect just another Obama suck-up to come up with such lame excuses for the mass slaughter of civilians.
djcharleyd 2 years ago
Give me evidence civilians were the actual traget and not collateral damage and you make a point. Simply stating it doesn't make it so. That said striking militarily at a regime that harbored the folks that attacked targets on our homeland is legal. NATO is not monolithically the usa...as for being a suck up you ignore the ten videos I've done criticizing obama and our policy in afghanistan. Attributing characteristic to me that don't exist is a fallacy, like your arguments
battim 2 years ago
We've been in Afghanistan almost as long as we were in Vietnam. At this point I ask myself what is it exactly we are trying to accomplish? I think that the general in saying the best we coudl hope for is a dicatorship that is friendly to the US is right on.
One think I want to know, is where are the war protesters in the US? It seems to me that Afghanistan at this point is almost pointless. Why aren't people screaming for Obama to get out?
DoggBisket 2 years ago
You know why. The peace crowd is ok with war as long as its their guy waging it. The big question is, where are the feminists when dealing with hamas...pat condells latest video is about the pacifists lefts conveniant take on islam. Check it out, its powerful.
battim 2 years ago
i meant the other ones sorry. But eventually some racist will show up and resort to nukes
Syranus66 2 years ago
My point from the earlier comment really comes down to this, Afghanistan and Iraq are nowhere near as dangerous as the media suggests. One of my buddies just got back, and all he could talk about was how boring the whole thing was.
My recommendation to Obama would be to let us finish our job to the satisfaction of our commanders, then head out when we're done.
Great job on the presentation, I really enjoy your tendency towards an unbiased approach to heavy topics.
DantarBlade 2 years ago
Its always great to hear from one of america,s finest. Thank you, marine, for your service.
battim 2 years ago
you see i know how this is going to end. WHen the Americans grow desperate they will resort to the same thing they did to the japenese. The arabs are more extreme though so the nuclear blood bath will rise to the extreme levels. this war is un winable unless the americans nuke the middle east. Because these arabs are retarded in thinking that their religion is justified even after this mess. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. It will be a day of reckoning for everyone. Just watch and see what these americans do.
Syranus66 2 years ago
Using nuclear arms in china, pakistan, russias and irans backyard won't happen. There is nothing tactically sound about that. Nagaskai and hiroshima were industrial bases of the military machine in japan. No disrepesct intended. The metaphor is flawed on so many levels. That said afghanis arw not arabs.
battim 2 years ago
ok before you even start, what a sexy opener!
Furnifur 2 years ago
Why thank ya
battim 2 years ago
I should have commented after I watched it but all I can think to say is gibberish so I won't
Furnifur 2 years ago
Excellent point battim about the taliban and al-queda not being the same organization.
It is certainly a point that is lost or forgotten often even by people who know it to be true.
Which brings me to my question. How would you battim, if you were president, approach dealing with al-queda and global terrorism in general?
I've been thinking that using the conventional military to fight an unconventional enemy like al-queda is akin to using checkers pieces in a chess game.
Your thoughts?
WhirlingWolves 2 years ago
It should be a military/police action. You can ensure camps aren't being set up, but stopping it is like saying you can stop crime. The war or terror was a concept that began with a defined enemy that we found out isn't definable and doesn't have geographical bases.
battim 2 years ago
I'm going to break with you here, Tim. I don't think a police action is what's needed: it should be a covert wet-ops job, and it should be ongoing and global - CIA level assassination-type stuff. Infiltrate and liquidate, a la the Israelis. I have NO sympathy whatsoever for these creatures. They wanna go to the garden and the virgins? Let's give 'em a free pass, sez I...win/win...yaknow?
TheMercilessEye 2 years ago
Well that would be included in a police action. I am not sure we are far off from each other. I just think that fighting a war against an invisible enemy is suicide.
battim 2 years ago
I love this comment exchange - good stuff! I would like to add Tim that I don't think the enemy is invisible, it's more like their actions aren't bound by the Geneva Convention and public opinion like ours are - they have no one to answer to for playing dirty while we have the world to answer to if we play dirty. How can you beat an enemy who plays by no rules when we are bound by so many of them?
Michelle5451 2 years ago
well he is invisible in that we could literally be talking to him. i have a few friends that are afghani nationals. they are geologists in the states but have been working for an american company there. they grew up there, during soviet invasion. one of their pops was a tribal leader, who now presides in the states. they told me when they went to visit cousins they had both nato and taliban as well as some Pakistani ISI radios. they sell info to the top bidder.
battim 2 years ago
I was thinking about my comment last night & meant to come back to correct myself. The enemy is indeed invisible for the reason you point out, plus they don't wear a uniform. We're required to by the Geneva Conventions. It makes me sick we are required to treat their POWs with some ounce of respect (albeit we failed at times), while they chop our civilians heads off. According to Geneva Conventions rules, were allowed to shoot by firing squad any "soldier" caught fighting out of uniform.
Michelle5451 2 years ago
I think since we're playing by the rules, we oughta totally play by the rules - which include sending them to firing squads when captured out of uniform. But we'll never do it, although we have that right under international law, the world would have a shit fit.
Michelle5451 2 years ago
The terrain, the lack of uniform, their targeted civilian markets, etc. aside - the war in Afghanistan in not winnable when one side is following the rules against a side that is not.
Michelle5451 2 years ago
From my prospective as a Marine, we want to be in Afghanistan. Seriously, the waiting list for volunteers for duty there is several miles long in the Marine Corps alone, and many of us low rankers can't even get a billet for the number of Sergeants and above who want to go. I don't know what the Army thinks about it, but going over in the Marines is like the Holy Grail of duty or something. I don't care what the press says, we want to be there.
DantarBlade 2 years ago
Of course, marine. Its your duty. And we are proud to be tepresented by such fine men and women. That is why the marines are the greatest fighting force alive. I just want to make sure if we lose you, a valuable asset to our country, that it was worth it on every level. But...thank you marine.
battim 2 years ago
Obama's hungar to go into Afgahnistan is much like Reagan's deal with the contras to give weapons to Iran in their fight against Iraq.
It's all about Bin Laden and gaining political clout to make a statement that "hey, We got him".
The Republicans could never bitch about anything again if we topple the Taliban and get Osama.
Here's the catch though: 100, 000 young men and women (and their familys) who will suffer over the next few decades mentally and physically if we do.
Yippee ki yay!
zenguin13 2 years ago
But if he fails it could hurt the dems reputation on secuirty (its already belowe that of even republicans). We won't topple the taliban. Its not this monolithic centralized group.
battim 2 years ago
fakesagan referance in the intro?
"citizens of the mother fuckin youtube"
largemarge1050 2 years ago
yes largemarge. i told him until he is reinstated i will begin each vlog that way.
battim 2 years ago
Of course it would be a fashion statement if I stick it all straight up. I'm a fashionable guy!
renetto 2 years ago
so the hellorodney look is in vogue this fall? if you flub on this one and dont let it grow out, i'm calling you out.
battim 2 years ago
awesome renetto is not dead!
ForFun808 2 years ago
But he is hairy
battim 2 years ago
bring the boys back home..i want that all german soldiers leave this land..they are not enough and they got not enough and weapons or vehicles..70% of the german citizens want that they come home.!afgahnistan is a grave.i hate the taliban and the warlords or the drugbarons in this land.but whats with the past?.the russians got over 100000 soldiers in the 80ies in afghanistan and that was not enough it will never end..its like vietnam and i dont want that more soldiers die in this war.
sevenender 2 years ago
well appealing to common opinion does not always make for good military strategy. or diplomatic strategy, frankly. i understand you frustration at anyone dying in war and why it just seems so unnecessary.
battim 2 years ago
I can't say its obtainable Battim, the only way to possible control that area is to glass it, which won't happen. So yea, its not winnable.
Lanparth 2 years ago
can say i disagree. even if you glazed it neighboring tribals would come start the whole process over.
battim 2 years ago
Thats not entirely true. If its irradiated they can sure as shoot come on into Afghanistan! And so what if a few thousand of our soldiers get cancer? Health Care will be reformed by then, am I right? :D
(This is all sarcasm for the record :P)
Lanparth 2 years ago
I got it, and it was gruesomely hilarious
battim 2 years ago
Do we really need *more* of that character? Some of us come to the internet to get away from that stuff.
And what about the young people that get messages about how to behave from that? Go to the Beccarothwell channel--she got harassed by people the other day, in short, because she doesn't look like Katie (I'm not saying Katie had anything to do with it.)
I wish Katie every success with her career, but some of us find the Katie'sOpinion character to be mental pollution of the worst kind.
TheAgentChaos 2 years ago
as for having "more" of that character, she's had some great community moments. she really hasn't been much active recently and i found her last video kind of funny. i thought spike's reaction to it was off base. sometimes i just felt the needs to clarify facts.
battim 2 years ago
Here's the thing, Battim (and I think you're kind of a good guy, so I don't mean this in an attacking way): we *know* Katie is a character (sort of, ish--fact of the matter, if she looked like *me*, she wouldn't be *allowed*, if you will, to do that kind of character.)
We just think there is *enough* of that type of character out in the media *already*--the character of the "socially privileged due to her physical beauty who takes advantage and acts like a bitch" character.
TheAgentChaos 2 years ago
I understand your point. It seems to me the katie character is almost self deprecating. the video spike attacked her was an innocuos play on the whole chivalry vs. equal rights thing. i think it was well played in character. a parody of that kind of exaggerated charicature doesn't glorify it, i think, i think it pokes fun at it.
katie, if you met her, you'd know she is a pretty down to earth city kid who grow up in philly
battim 2 years ago
Al Qaida has moved on...to Pakistan, to Yemen, and to parts further afield. They maintain a presence in Afghanistan, but it is NOT the high-command anymore, just lackeys. It is like a hydra...cut one head off, two more spring up in its place. We are never going to be rid of them, until or unless, that is, some GREATER power for them to hate, rises up and surpasses us on their hit-list. THEN we may get a respite from them, but likely not before then...
TheMercilessEye 2 years ago
A war against them (Al Qaida) is unwinnable, since they have no fixed root country, and remain mobile. As for the Taliban, our routing of them was humanitarian, but trying to stamp out an ideology can ONLY be done with education and good will, and never with force. We are wasting our time in Afghanistan, now, unless we remove troops and replace them with Peace Corps volunteers...who will, of course, be slaughtered... I don't think we should continue on with this, unless they BEG us to stay...
TheMercilessEye 2 years ago
they are literally a bunch of low operating criminal thugs that use islam to recruit a base. they are essentially a gang. a powerful one, a crazy one, but no more or less, they've done less damage than the illegal drug wars in north america
battim 2 years ago
You're right about THAT, for sure...although the body-count from the towers figures in, too, don't forget...but putting that up against the one from Juarez, you may be right again, anyway. And their AGENDA is the toppling of the royal house of SAUD, by whatever means they can employ...
TheMercilessEye 2 years ago
3000 deaths at the towers. Baltimore and dc alone see over 1000 murders a year.
battim 2 years ago
The lesson we learned in Vietnam was that most of the POPULACE north of the DMZ was V.C. - we just couldn't wrap our minds around the idea that a poor, impoverished nation could prefer egalitarian sharing of resources over profiteering and corporate pillaging...it was like trying to understand antimatter. I think there are far more Taliban in Afghanistan than most would care to admit, and in many cases, you have women who are as equally brainwashed by Taliban propaganda as their MEN are...
TheMercilessEye 2 years ago
Personally...I would LOVE to see the Taliban gone forever...Al Qaida exterminated...and fundamentalist Islam reduced to a few curio colonies on the fringes of society much like our own Pennsylvania Dutch (whom I am NOT comparing to fundamentalist Islamists, save by virtue of their being a MINORITY, thank you!) I seriously doubt, however, than any of this will happen without two things: education, and rehabilitation of old and creation of new infrastructure...
TheMercilessEye 2 years ago
But what Afghanistan is, largely, is a loose confederation of tribes, and it's been that way for centuries. Democracy doesn't WORK unless you have an educated populace: otherwise, what you have, as the Tsars of Russia knew, is a rabble of SERFS fit only to be RULED. I'm sorry to sound so elitist, and I'm NOT, really, but lacking education, people really cannot grasp the importance of democracy in their culture and society. In most cases, in fact, they PREFER to be ruled...
TheMercilessEye 2 years ago
This is why, in the latter part of the twentieth century, so many of the older Russian populace mourned the days of communism, and the passing of Stalin in particular. Stalin the monster, yes...but also the Stalin who provided a sure and secure social infrastructure. Better the Devil you KNOW than the devil you DON'T know... and this is where America will fail in Afghanistan, unless we manage to educate a substantial portion of the Afghan people...particularly the WOMEN...
TheMercilessEye 2 years ago
So, without those things, the effort there is doomed, in my opinion. Hopefully, somebody in DC READS all this stuff out here...sigh...
TheMercilessEye 2 years ago
There is also the psychological phenomenon about glorifying the old days even if they weren't so glorious. Women have a diofferent kind of empowerment. Its not just education but cultural revolution. It will take generations.
battim 2 years ago
That's for sure... Meantime, best thing we can do is to kill 'em with KINDNESS...
TheMercilessEye 2 years ago
battim= blind sheep that believes the offical lie about the tsunami
TsunamiTruth 2 years ago
You mean a natural disaster we have proof of or a manmade earthquake we have never done? Who gains by causing damage to a manufacturing base?
battim 2 years ago
its complex see some of my videos
they explain it all
bush and cheney will pay for their crimes
TsunamiTruth 2 years ago
i have, no offense, but its all nonsense. there is no science behind that, its all loose conjecture.
battim 2 years ago
Before them it was islamic brotherhood and hezbollah. Then there is islamia in se asia. Even if some are eradicated some other nut group will pop up. Its perpetual nuttiness.
battim 2 years ago
Hey man, wanted you to know i've watched a ton of your stuff, and never really told you what a breath of fresh air it is to hear a smart American. I am truly ashamed that most American high school kids cant name one leader of any other country, or even our own presidents.
I have watched your stuff, but never left a comment probably because I didn't want it to sound like im kissing your ass, but now I'm kissing your ass.. LOL..
captainfury2007 2 years ago
Thanks cap. I would love for you to join the discussion more even if its just a questuon or your opinion on a subject. Thansk for watching and comments like this are the reason I keep vlogging. There are smart americans and there some pretty dumb non americans (look at how many folks support hama and believe in conspiracy theories). Stupidity can be a universal human trait.
battim 2 years ago
Mr. Ad Hominem geeez.
Squishykinss 2 years ago
oh its internetz fun. yeah i ad hommed a tad.
battim 2 years ago
Honestly, the victory we're looking for in Afghanistan isn't possible. Afghanistan isn't a nation-state. There's an Afghanistan outside Kabul, and there probably never will be. They aren't economically or culturally a country, and it isn't our job to try and correct that. We should focus on stabilizing security inside Kabul, declare victory, then leave them to their subsistence farming.
HeathMercer 2 years ago
I made those points in the vlog and I agree. We have to define obtainable goals or gtfo
battim 2 years ago
I ponder the details, that of which, we simply do not know. Both outcomes have a good & bad qualities. I suppose trust in the Governmental Military expertise, as well as the diplomatic side, are at war with eachother in some ways. Im on the fence, its a bloody view.
cooksterz 2 years ago
yes, but statistically we are becoming a much less violent race as violent deaths per capita shows. even with these wars humanity slaughters itself at much lower rates than in other time of human history. stephen pinker, dean of cognitive science at hrvard talkes about this. google: humanity less violence pinker . great leacture and article by him on it backed up with a ton of research.
battim 2 years ago
Hey Battim I just want to say thank you for posting videos like this. I'm 15, and I get basically no information on politics since I live with my mother and we don't learn anything about the real world today in school. I don't watch the news because most of it is bullshit as far as I'm concerned, and while I read the paper and I get news from the internet, I was too young at the time when the war started to understand what was going on. So thanks again, your videos are great.
DEWMASTER25 2 years ago
thank you. i should probably cut down on my swear words too. don't look to me for proper speaking methods...lol. email me i'll send you some decent links (since youtube won't let us post them here) of some good info about the history of US intervention in afghanistan throughout history
battim 2 years ago
People do seem to forget the positive stuff that the Johnson years gave us. It's kind of sad that even he didn't see a point in running for re-election in '68.
Are they obtainable?
I'm inclined to say "probably not." They may want our money, and why not, but why should they want us telling them what kind of government to have.
You should be teaching history.
And I know I'm a broken record on this point.
OhCurt 2 years ago
thanks curt. you know i also mentioned on my vlog that if anyone knoew where to get naked lisa hartman pics to let me know. but i think youtube frowns upon intenetz porn swapping.
battim 2 years ago
LOL - well the best I can help you with is a shot from 1982 where she's wearing a satin nighty and denim jacket while making love with her spine to the hood of a classic car. The only problem is she looks hella-uncomfortable because someone apparently gave her hair a dose of electric shock treatment then airbrushed every significant thought right out of her head.
OhCurt 2 years ago
That does me no good. I want full frontal nudosity. Ok how about victoria prionciple?
battim 2 years ago
dang...you have GOOD taste, dudesicle....
TheMercilessEye 2 years ago
the comment about spikebravo was a little bit strange.
And i just realize you have a missing tooth in your right side.
can you make video response lol
sexoja23 2 years ago
He referred to a friend of mine as white trash and a hooker simply because she plays a character. I was simply disparaging him for his false judgements.
battim 2 years ago
We will just be another notch on the Afghan's bedpost. Right next to the Soviets as the newest one after them. The Nazi didn't attack Switzerland for alot of the same reasons, we shouldn't be in Afghanistan. Those Nazis knew it would be too costly a victory, we need to come to the same realization here. The message we send when we cut and run is bad, but they are bleeding us financially, we have to go. "Occupation" of a region is costly, just kick some ass and threaten to come back.
AlexGrim 2 years ago
Well legends will be what they are locally regardless of the outcome. its like the wild west out there. yeah maybe not so much a cut and run but a "bang bang bang mother fucker, this is what we got and next time u fuck with us, you will all perish in rubble."
battim 2 years ago
Good vlog, by the way. You make more sense than any other vlog on the whole issue presented by varied people on Youtube, save the president himself.
Rikotistic 2 years ago
i dont really have an opinion on it. i was just presenting the difficulties of the situation. leaders make decisions, i don't get get paid to do it nor would i trust anyone who would pay me to do it. but thank you very much, it means a lot coming from such a cerebral fella,
battim 2 years ago
Question answers
1. I do not think he is going to leave it alone. I think there will be a major change in stragedy.
2. I think we have more assets to determine what is going on, provided we can concentrate those assets in that region long enough to gain real-time intel and act on it with the number three answer.
3. It will take a little more than three brigades.
4. I don't like war any day at any time, but it all began in the last administration so it has to be finished.
Rikotistic 2 years ago
1. we will see.
2. real time intel needs more bodies on the ground. local loyalists can never be trusted with much.
3.ya think? (sarcasm deeply inflected)
4.nixon said that about nam. look where that got us.
battim 2 years ago
I'm not really sure where I stand on the do we stay or do we go question when it comes to Afghanistan - I'd like us (and the entire world for that matter) to continue to take down al Qaeda leaders. As for the Taliban, aside from them giving safe haven to al Qaeda, their treatment of women is horrific on every level - but is that our fight to fight? On the humanitarian side, perhaps it is, but IF it is, then every capable nation needs to step up - we can't be the World Police forever.
Michelle5451 2 years ago
Over the years I've met various people from Afghanistan. I usually ask their opinion on the matter and it seems they are pretty split as well. They are appreciative for US attempts to rid the unauthorized, unacknowledged running of the country by the Taliban, but that's backsliding.
Michelle5451 2 years ago
Afghanistan as you point out is hardly monolithic or antiwestern. The leaders remember the stingers we gave them. They remember our help in their liberation.
battim 2 years ago
Ahh, Afghanistan....
When we first went in, I was basically expecting some hard hits, to show them that we mean business, and then kind of pull back. Because anything more would be a lost cause. The Soviets spent 10 years there, and put a whole lot of resources into the war. And they ended up pulling out because while they held the cities, they were unable to hold the areas between the cities.
So ultimately I am not real sure as to what we can do to attain the goals that are current laid out.
Stuka87 2 years ago
remember what rumsfeld said "we aint baking cookies" when talking about the daisy cutters. great diplomacy, huh?
battim 2 years ago
If we leave, do you think training camps will sprout up ? Can we just do some police action raids and blow shit up once in a while? I'd like to withdraw. Some people always say that if you leave, the terror attacks will escalate due to "safe territory" for training. I'm not sure if I buy that argument. It may, however, have some merit.
BlakeMason2 2 years ago
There are training camps there now. There are training camps in malaysia, indonesia and let's not forget. The pilot training right here in the states. Yemen. Qatar. Congo. They can train anywhere. Our presence in afghanistan only slows the process. Is it possible an independant afghanistan could police even if we are victorious? That is a question whose answer history is very cynical of. Ask the khans. Ask alexander. The brits. The soviets. I wonder.
battim 2 years ago
Seriously Tim, where do these people come from? Do we think training camps will sprout up? FFS! They were there before the war started and they've been increasing ever since - all over the world. Does anyone read anything anymore?
Michelle5451 2 years ago
been interesting how many terror plots we've nailed this week. huh?
battim 2 years ago
Yeah, I kind of had to look deep in the paper for that stuff the past few days. The front page was busy with, believe it or not, a fucking story on Family Guy. We catch a few dudes red handed right here in the States guilty as shit of plotting to bomb a few major cities and Family Guy is on my front page? Oh that's right, I live in Boston, the Liberal Cap. of the Nation; terrorists don't exist and if they do, we gotta make them our friends.
Michelle5451 2 years ago
I think Obama's doing a great job in Afghanistan, Abu Musab Al Zarqawi sent out a bit of media pretty much shitting in his pants because of how well Obama's kicking his guys' asses, comparing Obama to a snarling wolf with claws shredding his guys apart. Alot of high profile top Al Qaeda guys are being killed left and right along with outside the region, plus Bin Laden and Zarqawi are running out of money.
Doesn't matter if someone replaces Osama, what matters is if he's brought to justice.
Rahab111222 2 years ago
Well we have seen a grave deterioration prior to and during obama. The taliban controls more of afghanistan than at any time. The NATO allies are losing bad and wanting to pull out. The rhetoric you speak of its a diversionary tactic used to motivate rebellion. Its not as rosy as you paint it.
battim 2 years ago
The only thing that matters is Bin Laden.
Rahab111222 2 years ago
"how well Obama's kicking his guys' asses"? As far as I know, Barry has never, ever worn the uniform of any branch of the military of the United States of America. Further, kicking whose asses? August 2009 saw the highest US casualties to date in that war.
Michelle5451 2 years ago
""As far as I know, Barry has never, ever worn the uniform of any branch of the..."
You know I meant by proxy. Obama has killed alot of top Al Qaeda leaders BY PROXY.
I bet if you ever read the exploits of Alexander the Great or Erwin Rommel and how they wiped out an entire army, your dumb ass is probably thinking they stood in the middle of a field of soldiers and wiped them out themselves. I know you are not that dense.
Rahab111222 2 years ago
No, I don't know that you meant by proxy hence my comment. By proxy Barry is "kicking ass?" How utterly disrespectful to the men and women who wear the uniform - THEY are the ass kickers; how dare anyone give credit to Barry for the risks our forces take and the sacrifices they make. I see you didn't answer my question - kicking whose asses? Again in the paper this morning - American casualties are rising there, the highest to date since the war began. lol, talk about dense.
Michelle5451 2 years ago
I have to say I don't understand where his info is coming from. Afghanistan is becoming messy.
battim 2 years ago
Yes, messier and strangely enough our media is getting quieter about it. Clearly Rahab is in his own Private Idaho - he thinks the President deserves credit for the job our military does. That makes as much sense as giving credit to the manager of a heavyweight boxer for the punches he lands on his opponent.
Michelle5451 2 years ago
And by the way Rahab, the only killing Barry has done is that of a fly at a fucking televised interview.
Michelle5451 2 years ago
oh yes and I almost forgot with an escalating situation in Iran it might be convenient to have them locked in by American troops at both east and west of their borders.
hypothetisch 2 years ago
Surrounding iran was part of the deal from day one. Keeping arabs and iranians at odds is in the best interests of the west in general
battim 2 years ago
Surrounding iran was part of the deal from day one. Keeping arabs and iranians at odds is in the best interests of the west in general
battim 2 years ago
Big congrats to katie! That's awesome news. Not personally a family guy fan, but i will definately have to watch for her voiceover work.
almerfud22 2 years ago
GREAT news about Katie'sOpinion! I hope that, *ahem*, Mr. ZB is able to ride her coattails somewhat. I think he's earned it.
As to Afghanistan, I must say I agree with most of what you've said. McCrystal (sp?) has his work cut out for him, as do our allies. The Taliban are resurgent as you pointed out, and I've read elsewhere that they're cadging the military hardware we're giving to the Afghan Army (such as it is).
robtran 2 years ago
Where and how the fuck you been robbie tran. Its great for katie. As for afgjhan rebels. They are tough inventive little goat herding drug lords aren't they?
battim 2 years ago
Still living as an economic refugee with the 'rents in rural California. I've lost 170 pounds since last July, but still haven't found a damn job. And yes, the Afghanis are a tough bunch of motherfuckers, no doubt about that.
Scintillating analysis, no?? Chomsky would be proud! ;-)
robtran 2 years ago
economic refugee, oh the drama. the west coast ain't kind on recessions. can't wait to see a video with you looking 170 pounds lighter. good god, what were you up to? you pratically lost ME in wieght.
battim 2 years ago
"Quagmire" isn't he in the Family Guy with Katie?
kidblood1 2 years ago
Yeah he is the islamic enighbor
battim 2 years ago
Criticizing content is not the same as personally attacking a fictional character. You apparently don't get the difference between character acting and reality, spike. Just as you don't get the difference between applied physics and loose change illogical demolition theories.
battim 2 years ago
comes down to risk vs reward....whats are end game here?find osama?is the risk worth the reward?
is it still really about bin laden?is the war good for business?its complicated question...if we win what do we gain?(if we win very funny)
i believe the cost is too great for the reward.
muddieair 2 years ago
Intel usually doesn't like cutting the head off the snake. Would anything change with osama gone? I doubt it, he would be replaced. There is energy north of afghanistan and it would make energy transport easier to build pipelines there. I am beginning to agree with your bottom line assessment
battim 2 years ago
I knew the katiesopinion/spikebravo issue would become interesting...
Keep on YouTubin!
kiddsock 2 years ago
But then again.. spikebravo could be a "character" also... hmmmm...
kiddsock 2 years ago
Considering in pms he was calling her a hooker and on his video comments he continued to call her a harpie...I doubt it. That said...spike has been at his paranoid reactionary strangeness for years....he is bonafide nutty
battim 2 years ago
he was probably having PMS when he made that video. lol
kiddsock 2 years ago
He has stopped replying to it and took down a sock response to me. Maybe he feels like an idiot...at least I hope he does.
battim 2 years ago
who knows. I thought he was trying to be funny, especialy with the crown & sunglasses, but some of the words were just Crude.
Keep on YouTubin!
kiddsock 2 years ago
Barfo needs to die and be cast into the fires of hell for all eternity. It's what the good Lord intends! Good christian boys like you and battim need to help weed out the satanic homosexual filth like Barfo from youtube!
cesarbellarus 2 years ago
Who is barfo? I'm not christian and have no problems with homosexuals. There is not satan...so the adjective satanic is moot
battim 2 years ago
Barfo is what I call spikebravo cuz evertime I see one of his videos I wanna puke. He is satanic, just watch some of his videos where talks about the ocult and witchcraft.
cesarbellarus 2 years ago
i am no fan of his. he spends his time talking about things he really hasn't a clue about. i am all for government watchdogs. but the conspiracies this guy promotes are simply inane. but the internetz is full of assclowns, i am finding.
battim 2 years ago
Interesting video Tim!
Five Stars!
MadBadVoodo 2 years ago
I've known about spikebravo for a couple of years now. He's a waste of human life, jobless, friendless, ugly as hell. The best thing anyone could do for society is take him out to the middle of nowhere and end him!
cesarbellarus 2 years ago
Well if not for morons like him maybe we would be the dumb ones. Thank god folks like him take stupidity to new levels huh?
battim 2 years ago
The good Lord never intended fhuman filth like Barfo walk the earth. Did you know he's gay? That alone makes him an abomination in the eyes of the Lord and good Christians everwhere have a responsibility to act as Gods insturment on earth to eradicate homosexual filth like Barfo.
cesarbellarus 2 years ago
The lord has eyes? Who is this lord and who knighted him and what's his issue with a gay persons liberty to live as they please. I'm not christian but am familiar with its texts, where does it say to eradicate anyone, muich less gays?
battim 2 years ago
Spikebravo is an obvious homosexual, and according to the Bible he's livin in sin.
cesarbellarus 2 years ago
his preference of sex partner is of no interest of business of mine. as for the bible, well i guess that's one of the parts where me and the author(s) if the bible disagree.
battim 2 years ago
You stupid goddamned motherfuckin molerat! You need to someone to shut you up for good!
cesarbellarus 2 years ago
what happened to the 20 million dollar bombs dropped on 20 dollar tents sales pitch..has american over-confidence struck again. Nam was easier on paper than in the field but thats how it goes. New rumor on the Fox news street in that Iran is supplying weapons to Afghanistan, sounds like a good sales pitch to meet Israel on striking their nuke reactors, cause when Israel does strike them, we're never gonna just leave it to chance that they'll get the job done.
Greensborrow210 2 years ago
Iran has nothing to gain by supporting a sunni government that hates them. Iran in the beginning was actually supplying us with intel...and we fucked that up. If israel attacks iran, iran is desperate and retaliate desperately. Jews in iran will not be safe..and there are quite a few. It won't turn out like when israel hit iraqi facilities, it will be ugly for everyone...if it happens.
battim 2 years ago
There is no winning there,not without committing huge forces and expenses.
I would destroy the coca fields and get out of there asap. :-)
Ranblv 2 years ago
coca?
ilikebac0n 2 years ago
In Afghanistan you have the poppy fields as the coca fields in Columbia, it was a joke...
Ranblv 2 years ago
oh, i thought you were stupid.
ilikebac0n 2 years ago
well those smileys should be a dead giveaway, but I guess it does not translate well to all people.
Ranblv 2 years ago
Maybe next time try a :p face, they are better suited for joking/not taking something seriously, smileys are more to convey happiness
ilikebac0n 2 years ago
Internet commenting is tough on inflection for sure.
battim 2 years ago
It has political ramifications for him either way. He ran on success in afghanistan. Btw I got the coca reference.
battim 2 years ago
I say the biggest problem is with Pakistan our 'ally' and drug trade
We can pour money and soldiers in it all we want it won't help if Pakistan is a mess.
The drug thing is even more hopeless given the dumb stubbornness of America on the war on drugs.
On the question of : Will Obama cut and run? I say, hell no. He ran on Afghanistan, Afghanistan was his case too prove he could be a tough too when it came to foreign policy. You really think he's going to give that up?
hypothetisch 2 years ago
Rock meet hard place, presdient obama. Stay and escalate and lose and that is his legacy. Get out and violate his campaign promise. Tough choice.
battim 2 years ago
I think sort term prestige along with the hope that it might get all better someday will make the US stay strongly committed to Afghanistan for at least his first term. Even if he decides to pull out later it will be a long process.
hypothetisch 2 years ago
That's a roll of the dice, prestige can quickly turn into disaster. Think of the tet offensive. We exposed the enemy and made ourselves more mobile. Then disaster struck. Tides can turn quickly. We were strongly committed to vietnam and although it was a lost war. Southeast asia didn't have to deal with soviet and chinese pressure for a decade. Its a tough call to see how history will judge even a modicum of success
battim 2 years ago
I say facilitating terrorism by giving Al-Qaeda a safe haven is almost as bad as doing it yourself. If Afghanistan is going back to being a taliban ruled state again it will become a breeding nest for terrorism again that's is not really a great option I say.
hypothetisch 2 years ago
The way women are treated under the taliban is criminal. I am not claiming one is worse or better...just different. We are fighting two wars...one against the one who caused 911 and one against the local authority who provided them cover. They are allies (odd thing is at one time they fought against each other when al quaeda fought with the mujhahadeen after the soviet war). It remains a breeding ground for terrorists. If not there western pakistan will do for them. Is it a toss up?
battim 2 years ago
Only if you think there is no way we can handle Pakistan but if that is your position then we should leave Afghanistan yesterday.
I never really understood how Pakistan ever became such an ally of the US btw India seems a far more logical choice maybe have to do some reading on that
hypothetisch 2 years ago
Pakistan did not want the soviets in afghanistan. They were strong allies of our under reagan when we supplied them with arms to help fight the soviets. Pakistan has common goals as the usa in the region, that is keeping china russia and iran in check
battim 2 years ago