All we need to do is get one of those really cool computer programs like they have on CSI where we can zoom in even further, enhance, and make out their continents...
You fly at the wrong time, or with the wrong airline...;)
I fly out of SeaTac a lot - in the last 12 months, I've flown 93 legs, and racked up 163,000 miles. Every week I'm on a plane to somewhere - SJC, LAX, ORD, DFW, JFK, PVG, HKG, NRT, SZX, etc. Usually I show up at the airport about 1 hour before the scheduled boarding time, and still find I sit at the gate for 20 minutes before boarding. Including International flights. Never came close to missing a flight yet - the closest times have been in transfers where the departure was delayed significantly.
In my experience (and it's actually quite a lot of experience), long delays are the extreme rarity, rather than close to anywhere the norm. And most of the delays are people not familiar with the security requirements NOR who read the umpteen posters stating "NO LIQUIDS - TAKE YOUR SHOES AND COATS OFF". And who bitch and moan at the detector, slowly removing everything, holding up the line.
Alaska Air MVP Gold/NWA Platinum Elite since 2002 - Yes, I have a freakin HUGE carbon footprint
The Iraq War was an absolute and unqualified success, stunning in the speed and completeness of victory. Dealing with the occupation has been problematic, but please don't confuse that with the actual execution of the war.
The US military is truly unequaled in terms of its ability to kill people and break things. Today, there isn't a single country of the face of the earth that could withstand a full-out attack by the US. Iraq was the latest to get in the way of the US machine - twice.
The problems have come from the way the occupation was handled; as good as the US troops are at doing their job - waging war - they simply weren't prepared to handle a police-action. But even that is slowing turning around as half the country of Iraq is now back under Iraqi control.
IF the US did invade Iran, I'd suspect that Iran would fold about as quick as Iraq - give it 5-6 weeks and the war would be over. Occupation would be the issue. But the war itself would be quick, complete, totally one-sided, and once again an unequivocal success.
Then you will take Mr. Clarke's words at face value when he stated unequivocally that the "warnings about the terrorism threat" and the plans left by the Clinton administration would have done NOTHING to prevent 9/11:
GORTON: Now, since my yellow light is on, at this point my final question will be this: Assuming that the recommendations that you made on January 25th of 2001, based on Delenda, based on Blue Sky, including aid to the Northern Alliance, which had been an agenda item at this point for two and a half years without any action, assuming that there had been more Predator reconnaissance missions, assuming that that had all been adopted say on January 26th, year 2001, is there the remotest chance that it would have prevented 9/11?
CLARKE: No.
Right there. What the Clinton administration left for the Bush administration would have done NOTHING to prevent 9/11. Straight from the mouth of the Clinton terror "czar", Richard Clarke.
Yes, I RTFA and it's fundamental conclusions are wrong. I look at the ads, I see in the stores that Joe Q. Public buys at that the cheapest computers come pre-loaded with Windows.
Yeah, the OLPC? Intel and Microsoft have a competing unit as well. I read the TFA, I just also happened to read a few other things that made me see the article for what it is - a wish to see 2008 as the "year of Linux because it's cheaper!", when the reality points to Windows still dominating all the consumer market niches...
Take a look at the Sunday paper ads right now. Circuit City, Best Buy, Office Depot, Staples, and dozens of other stores selling desktops AND laptops for well under $500 pre-loaded with Windows. Windows is already in the $250 and up market. Meaning the ENTIRE market.
It's worse than that. Here in Washington we're not only breaching productive dams, but being pushed to breach ALL the dams. All in the name of bringing back biodiversity to a river that's been dammed for 80 years...
When will the eco-freaks (the ones pushing for things like breaching dams) realize that biodiversity INCLUDES homo sapiens?
Anyone who's bought a "copywatch" or other knock-off product in China knows that sometimes the details are a bit different. What makes you think their version of the Moon would be identical, too?
I mean, you can tell the real Canadians from the fakes ones easily enough. Just look for the plethora of Canadian flags sewn to their backpacks and bags.
I see. So Richard Clarke, one of the most vocal critics of the Bush Administration, and the Clinton Administration's own terror czar, essentially blamed HIMSELF and the Administration he served because it's all a big conspiracy...
How do you keep aluminum from chafing around the ears?
I see this type of reasoning all the time. Let's just set the record straight:
From the 9/11 hearings when Senator Gorton interviewed Richard Clarke, the Clinton Administration's Terror Czar and head of counter-terrorism.
FORMER SEN. SLADE GORTON: Assuming that the recommendations that you made in... on January 25 of 2001 based on blue sky, including aid to the northern alliance which had been an agenda item at this point for two-and-a-half years without any action, assuming that there had been more predator reconnaissance missions, assuming that that had all been adopted, say, on January 26, the year 2001, is there the remotest chance that it would have prevented 9/11?
RICHARD CLARKE: No.
Unequivocal. The person in charge of counter-terrorism up to the very date that the Bush administration started CONFIRMED that 9/11 was already irreversibly in motion. The opportunity to stop it had already passed.
I respectfully disagree... The Johns Hopkins study is far from authoritative, it is an estimate based upon surveys of the population. The IBC count is hard fact documented casualties, with solid backup.
With surveyed reports, if you asked the ~85 people on my street if they knew anyone who died in the last 6 months, you'd get 85 positive results. ONE of our neighbors passed away about 4 months ago, and everyone knows it. With a survey, you would extrapolate that to 85 deaths, when in fact morgue and hospital/emergency reports would confirm one death.
And regardless of the source of casualties, all are reporting a drastic drop in violence within Iraq. Fundamentally, the surge worked, 45% of Iraq is under direct Iraqi control, terror attacks and suicide bombing (by far the largest source of all deaths) are down dramatically.
That number range is bogus; at most it is around 80,000 (an order or magnitude lower) and most of those have been at the hands of the insurgents (approximately 2/3rds). This number also corresponds with that from the LA Times, and Iraq's government. The main killer of Iraqi civilians are suicide bombs, kidnappings and executions, political assassinations.
Personally, I think if we allowed the generals a bit more latitude in running the war, we would have either finished off the NVA (which would not have triggered WWIII - the Chinese, not the Russians were the main supporters of the NVA), or at worst ended up with a divided nation a la Korea. And a divided Korea has been a LOT better for the world - and the South Koreans - than what would have come from an entire country just like North Korea...
I know it doesn't fit the Left's view of "QUAGMIRE!", but guess what? The surge worked VERY well, Iraq is stabilizing, they are taking control of their own country, we are withdrawing, and in general the populace - via the tribal and local leaders - are supporting the coalition because they rat out the Al Qaeda and insurgent cells.
Maybe, just maybe, we are actually winning? No, can't be that would mean that the Bush Administration finally did something right and we all know that Bush=Hitler and can never do right...
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS! This really needs to be modded up... Point 4 is especially salient; you can make plans for the start, but your opponent adapts, and you have to change strategy on the fly. This is true in war or sports. Adaptation is the key.
Point 5 is also highly relevant; the actual war was over in a matter of three weeks, with amazingly low bloodshed on both sides (extremely low on the coalition side). The police action afterwards has been problematic, but when you consider we are losing soldiers in the ENTIRE US military at a LOWER rate than we did in the "peaceful" 80s, well, we have become extremely efficient at the job at hand, and adapt well.
I think the technology used - like in the other thread, about bombs released at supersonic speed, and the rapid transfer of situation information - is a key to this. It allows for quick adaptation to situations, and is working very well.
Anyway, thank you for your service, and if you ever get around some big fish, give them a pat for me (I worked on the acquisition and guidance systems for the Mk 48 and Mk 50 fish back in the day).
Militarily, yes, we were winning. The Tet offensive was a massive failure for the NVA. The only reason South Vietnam collapsed was the US Congress decided to stop funding the war.
Add in the fact that the politicians in DC decided they could run the war better than the generals, and a lot of the setbacks were easily avoided. When you go to war, RELEASE the dogs of war.
Patton had it right - the object of war is not to die for your country, but to make sure the other bastard dies for his.
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All we need to do is get one of those really cool computer programs like they have on CSI where we can zoom in even further, enhance, and make out their continents...
Well then, screw them... I mean, if they aren't going to follow the stinking RFC standards about smilies and emoticons then why do we even want their standards-breaking butts here anyway?
I mean, now that pirates will make a comeback, global warming will go away!
I fly out of SeaTac a lot - in the last 12 months, I've flown 93 legs, and racked up 163,000 miles. Every week I'm on a plane to somewhere - SJC, LAX, ORD, DFW, JFK, PVG, HKG, NRT, SZX, etc. Usually I show up at the airport about 1 hour before the scheduled boarding time, and still find I sit at the gate for 20 minutes before boarding. Including International flights. Never came close to missing a flight yet - the closest times have been in transfers where the departure was delayed significantly.
In my experience (and it's actually quite a lot of experience), long delays are the extreme rarity, rather than close to anywhere the norm. And most of the delays are people not familiar with the security requirements NOR who read the umpteen posters stating "NO LIQUIDS - TAKE YOUR SHOES AND COATS OFF". And who bitch and moan at the detector, slowly removing everything, holding up the line.
Alaska Air MVP Gold/NWA Platinum Elite since 2002 - Yes, I have a freakin HUGE carbon footprint
The Iraq War was an absolute and unqualified success, stunning in the speed and completeness of victory. Dealing with the occupation has been problematic, but please don't confuse that with the actual execution of the war.
The US military is truly unequaled in terms of its ability to kill people and break things. Today, there isn't a single country of the face of the earth that could withstand a full-out attack by the US. Iraq was the latest to get in the way of the US machine - twice.
The problems have come from the way the occupation was handled; as good as the US troops are at doing their job - waging war - they simply weren't prepared to handle a police-action. But even that is slowing turning around as half the country of Iraq is now back under Iraqi control.
IF the US did invade Iran, I'd suspect that Iran would fold about as quick as Iraq - give it 5-6 weeks and the war would be over. Occupation would be the issue. But the war itself would be quick, complete, totally one-sided, and once again an unequivocal success.
GORTON: Now, since my yellow light is on, at this point my final question will be this: Assuming that the recommendations that you made on January 25th of 2001, based on Delenda, based on Blue Sky, including aid to the Northern Alliance, which had been an agenda item at this point for two and a half years without any action, assuming that there had been more Predator reconnaissance missions, assuming that that had all been adopted say on January 26th, year 2001, is there the remotest chance that it would have prevented 9/11?
CLARKE: No.
Right there. What the Clinton administration left for the Bush administration would have done NOTHING to prevent 9/11. Straight from the mouth of the Clinton terror "czar", Richard Clarke.
Yep, which is why it's not a surprise that Al Qaeda is losing this war. They never should have started it...
Hey, a geek has to have his priorities!
You pointed to the OLPC; how many of those are being purchased by JQP? And how many compared to the other outlets? How about all 5 desktops at Circuit City for under $500, all pre-configured with Windows? The only two sub-$500 laptops at Circuit City come pre-loaded with Windows? How about all 9 sub-$500 desktops at Best Buy? Or the two laptops at Best Buy that have a decently sized screen, both coming with Windows? Take a look at Staples, Office Depot, Office Max. All the outlets have low-cost computers and all of them already come with Windows.
Yeah, the OLPC? Intel and Microsoft have a competing unit as well. I read the TFA, I just also happened to read a few other things that made me see the article for what it is - a wish to see 2008 as the "year of Linux because it's cheaper!", when the reality points to Windows still dominating all the consumer market niches...
Take a look at the Sunday paper ads right now. Circuit City, Best Buy, Office Depot, Staples, and dozens of other stores selling desktops AND laptops for well under $500 pre-loaded with Windows. Windows is already in the $250 and up market. Meaning the ENTIRE market.
Except we have those new eco-freaks moving up here demanding we breach these dams to try to restore the fish runs...
When will the eco-freaks (the ones pushing for things like breaching dams) realize that biodiversity INCLUDES homo sapiens?
As long as there's no freaking Jar-Jar, I'm OK with it...
Anyone who's bought a "copywatch" or other knock-off product in China knows that sometimes the details are a bit different. What makes you think their version of the Moon would be identical, too?
I mean, you can tell the real Canadians from the fakes ones easily enough. Just look for the plethora of Canadian flags sewn to their backpacks and bags.
How do you keep aluminum from chafing around the ears?
From the 9/11 hearings when Senator Gorton interviewed Richard Clarke, the Clinton Administration's Terror Czar and head of counter-terrorism.
FORMER SEN. SLADE GORTON: Assuming that the recommendations that you made in... on January 25 of 2001 based on blue sky, including aid to the northern alliance which had been an agenda item at this point for two-and-a-half years without any action, assuming that there had been more predator reconnaissance missions, assuming that that had all been adopted, say, on January 26, the year 2001, is there the remotest chance that it would have prevented 9/11?
RICHARD CLARKE: No.
Unequivocal. The person in charge of counter-terrorism up to the very date that the Bush administration started CONFIRMED that 9/11 was already irreversibly in motion. The opportunity to stop it had already passed.
They're trying hard to be!
Success 25 times out of 100... Sounds like the batting averages of the starting lineup of the Seattle Mariners!
With surveyed reports, if you asked the ~85 people on my street if they knew anyone who died in the last 6 months, you'd get 85 positive results. ONE of our neighbors passed away about 4 months ago, and everyone knows it. With a survey, you would extrapolate that to 85 deaths, when in fact morgue and hospital/emergency reports would confirm one death.
And regardless of the source of casualties, all are reporting a drastic drop in violence within Iraq. Fundamentally, the surge worked, 45% of Iraq is under direct Iraqi control, terror attacks and suicide bombing (by far the largest source of all deaths) are down dramatically.
That number range is bogus; at most it is around 80,000 (an order or magnitude lower) and most of those have been at the hands of the insurgents (approximately 2/3rds). This number also corresponds with that from the LA Times, and Iraq's government. The main killer of Iraqi civilians are suicide bombs, kidnappings and executions, political assassinations.
Personally, I think if we allowed the generals a bit more latitude in running the war, we would have either finished off the NVA (which would not have triggered WWIII - the Chinese, not the Russians were the main supporters of the NVA), or at worst ended up with a divided nation a la Korea. And a divided Korea has been a LOT better for the world - and the South Koreans - than what would have come from an entire country just like North Korea...
Iraqi tribal leaders turning on Al Qaeda, assisting the coalition
Maysan province and Karbala province turned over to Iraq. In fact we've turned over 8 of the 18 provinces to Iraqi control. Baghdad is at a 21 month low in terms of rocket and mortar attacks.
I know it doesn't fit the Left's view of "QUAGMIRE!", but guess what? The surge worked VERY well, Iraq is stabilizing, they are taking control of their own country, we are withdrawing, and in general the populace - via the tribal and local leaders - are supporting the coalition because they rat out the Al Qaeda and insurgent cells.
Maybe, just maybe, we are actually winning? No, can't be that would mean that the Bush Administration finally did something right and we all know that Bush=Hitler and can never do right...
Point 5 is also highly relevant; the actual war was over in a matter of three weeks, with amazingly low bloodshed on both sides (extremely low on the coalition side). The police action afterwards has been problematic, but when you consider we are losing soldiers in the ENTIRE US military at a LOWER rate than we did in the "peaceful" 80s, well, we have become extremely efficient at the job at hand, and adapt well.
I think the technology used - like in the other thread, about bombs released at supersonic speed, and the rapid transfer of situation information - is a key to this. It allows for quick adaptation to situations, and is working very well.
Anyway, thank you for your service, and if you ever get around some big fish, give them a pat for me (I worked on the acquisition and guidance systems for the Mk 48 and Mk 50 fish back in the day).
Add in the fact that the politicians in DC decided they could run the war better than the generals, and a lot of the setbacks were easily avoided. When you go to war, RELEASE the dogs of war.
Patton had it right - the object of war is not to die for your country, but to make sure the other bastard dies for his.