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and hell, they've already started attacking us and our allies.

Here is an editorial from Taiwan that gives some perspective on this issue:

Taiwan is a generally accepted* de facto sovereign nation. However, most other national governments (including the United States) decline to "officially" recognize Taiwan as fully sovereign. On going attempts by China to refute the sovereignty of Taiwan are perceived as pretext for Chinese economic warfare and military action against Taiwan.

"Oh, that is all well and good, but, voice or no voice, the people can always
be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is
tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of
patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same way in any
country." -Hermann Goering, Nuremburg, 1947

You've been brainwashed, krimka. Brainwashed. Nobody wants terrorism here. Neither do we want our Constitutionally-mandated civil rights abrogated.

FACT: PATRIOT Act has been abused. More than once. More than twice.

If you could say that PATRIOT Act could and would ONLY be used to investigate terrorists, that would be a different story. But you can't say that: firstly, because we've already seen that it isn't true; secondly, because the more power you give to law enforcement personnel, the more those individual persons will abuse it - it's just too easy to say, "uh, yeah, it's a terrorism investigation, sure"; and thirdly, because you won't know that they're terrorists until AFTER you've violated their constitutional rights.

The fact that a group of assholes have committed horrible crimes against Americans, in the name of Islam or whatever, does not justify the abrogation of the Constitutional rights of Americans, and *I* resent your implicit belittling of the sacrifices of those thousands (millions?) of Americans who have *knowingly* and *willingly* fought and died to protect those rights.

So, you're saying that the intent will always match the usage? It never will be (and never has been) used for purposes other than combating terrorism? You're new on this world, aren't you?

Ever heard of a guy named J. Edgar Hoover? Richard Nixon? You think if you come home someday and find a bug on your phone you're going to be able to say into it, "Whoa, dude, I'm a musician, not a terrorist!" and they'll immediately come remove the bug?

Only terrorism, huh? How about this? How about this? Or this?

Dude, face facts. It doesn't matter what the people who voted for the PATRIOT act intended, what matters is how it's used - or, in reality, abused. Fact is, it's being used EXACTLY the way Ashcroft and cronies intended - for non-terror-related investigations.

Actually, when it comes to Olympic basketball, I believe it would be accurate to say that the US is ownd3d by Puerto Rico.
92-73?

Sasser worm suspect confesses to German police after arrest

Taiwan, on the otherhand, has been buying fairly modern US cruisers and destroyers

On the other hand, China just received 2 Sovremennys with 2 more on order. It also launched the indigenous Type 52C, an Aegis-class destroyer capable of fleet defense. Submarine wise, China has 8 Kilo's, 5 Han's, and around 30 SSK's of indigenous design (Ming's and Song's). It's also working on a new Victor-III class Type 093 SSN which reportedly was launched for sea trials in 2000.

as well as maintaining one of the world's most elite airforces (yes, China has the largest airforce, but much of it is Mig 15's and 19's, which don't really count)

First of all, the Mig 15 and 19's were retired in the 1980's. The PLAAF is currently composed mostly of modernized J-7's (Mig-21's) but is rapidly modernizing. Through deals with Russia, it has around 150-200 Su-27's and Su-30MKK's not to mention the F-16 class J-10's that are in production now.

The discussion of air superiority is a moot point anyway because all of the ROC airfields are targeted by IRBM's and will be hit the moment war begins so the ROK airforce won't even be able to take off.

Check out for more info.

I think if more news are like this, with pictures, people might start to half-assedly guess what a war is really like - death and misery.

Anyway - I have been kind of thinking (and hoping) that maybe the war will go off so badly until the US will put a "non-aggressive" clause in the constitution like Germany or Japan. I mean, what do you have to lose from it? just because you have the biggest gun doesn't mean you should wave it around and use it. - and you can still use your troops duing UN approved stuff - I think the only military excursions that US undertook since the UN has been UN approved actions.

(subject change, to something slightly on topic) My heart sinks when I see articles like this on CNN because I know they don't really care about stuff like this. Remember that CNN is in the same league as RIAA and MPAA - they are called content providers, who is willing to do everything they can so that they can be sure you are paying more than your fair share.

Maybe I am just being pessimistic, though - somebody please prove me wrong.