The anti-abortionists are trying to take ground from which they'll latter stage an invasion. It's an invasion that couldn't happen without the complicity of the women of Texas.

Vote like an idiot, pay the price. — frank

:100:

Thoughts? Is this immoral? — javi2541997

I don't see how it could be "immoral."

By definition, a refugee is someone fleeing from a war zone to which he is supposed to return once the conflict is over.

So I think it makes sense for refugees to go to neighboring countries from where they can return home any time. Plus, those countries also are culturally closer to the refugee population than is Europe.

Yes, I am agree with you. I think the principle objective is keep them on countries closer to their culture. But I guess that is somehow immoral that those countries would not do anything to help them out without money...

This is simply correct, what's the problem? — Maw

I think that in a situation where there is a conflict of cultures and ideologies, the more self-confident ones will tend to have better chances of asserting themselves, as demonstrated by Afghanistan where the Taliban have beaten the USA .... :smile:

But I guess that is somehow immoral that those countries would not do anything to help them out without money... — javi2541997

I see what you mean. Good point. Those countries tend not to like refugees any more than the West does. Or if they take them, they make the West pay for it.

And, of course, most of the cash invariably goes into the wrong pockets ....

Maybe we (all of humanity) should drop the term "refugee" and just call them what they are and will be: "Immigrant." What % are going back, want to go back, and, finally, will the reason they left ever ameliorate?

Immigrant is a dirty word (more so than refugee) for some folks. Better to rip off the scab now instead of letting them think these people are going back. Granted, they are going to scream and pull their hair anyway, but might as well give them the bad news now and get it over with.

This raises the question as to which system wins in the end? One that makes self-criticism into a cult or one that is more self-confident and knows what it wants and that gets what it wants at all costs? — Apollodorus

Don Quixote could have used a little more self criticism. You need more Latin food in your diet.

The Afghan state is a separate issue. Until now it has been receiving Western aid amounting to 43 percent of its GDP. — Apollodorus

This actually is a primary reason why the house of cards fell down. All the money poured into Afghanistan made it simply totally impossible for the Afghan nation with it's own revenues to support such a large bureaucracy.

It's actually a similar thing the pro-Soviet administration of Afghanistan faced. They could keep out the mujahideen from the cities and fight the war and upkeep the administration until the Soviet Union collapsed and no money was sent into the country.

I think Don Quixote had plenty of Latin food but, apparently, it did not help.

Or, perhaps, he had too much of it .... :smile:

This raises the question as to which system wins in the end? — Apollodorus

Which is just: who will adapt to climate change most successfully?

This actually is a primary reason why the house of cards fell down. All the money poured into Afghanistan made it simply totally impossible for the Afghan nation with it's own revenues to support such a large bureaucracy. — ssu

Correct. Western liberalism (and any developed society in general) is an extremely costly project that can only be sustained with massive injections of cash from outside without a strong economy.

You can run a guerrilla war on opium plantations but not a country. So, Afghanistan was a bottomless black hole to throw billions into.

If you are serious about solving the problem, you introduce a more civilized culture or religion, build the economy, and put your political system in place after you've done that. Otherwise, you are building a house of cards and are kidding yourself just like it happened in Iran, Iraq, etc.

After WW2, Europe tried to impose socialism on the Mid East and North Africa from the top down. The result was that Islamic resistance started to form and it all ended in a huge anti-Western backlash.

I understand your point. Yes, they are immigrants but when they have the special condition of refugee the rest of the states are forced to help them out because they are leaving due to political or civil war issues. If we erase the refugee term we have to be aware that all of the persons from broken countries will no longer be protected anymore.

True. All of the European money goes to corrupt politicians in those countries. But what really surprises me is the fact that Erdogan does not want money neither refugees... What is he trying to? I guess geopolitical strategy towards Russia.

That's paella... I hate it as a Mediterranean dish :lol: Here I show you a good Latin dish we can share and probably Don Quijote liked it:

Which is just: who will adapt to climate change most successfully? — frank

No one. Global warming means Latin America, Africa, and India will migrate further and further north. What will happen after that, no one can tell.

:up: Eso si. That's more like it.

Jamon iberico de bellota, my favorite. And it will keep the Taliban away, too! :grin:

You can run a guerrilla war on opium plantations but not a country. — Apollodorus

This is so true.

I think the former Afghan vice-President is back at his comfort zone when fighting now the Taliban as an insurgent in Panshjir Valley.

our opinions don't matter because we have no will to surgically alter their culture. — frank

If we are serious about "liberating women from Islam" then we need to sort out Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, etc. by enforcing a new religion or ideology.

But we are not doing that. If anything, we are trying to do it piecemeal and that allows for pockets of resistance leading to a backlash. — Apollodorus

And I think that's what China will do eventually. Islam will be gone as anything but a museum piece. — frank

Correct. Islam has fanaticism, China has the intelligence, and the West has (nearly) given up. — Apollodorus

This is, bluntly speaking, crazy talk. AS IF we could surgically alter their culture. AS IF we could enforce a new religion or ideology. I would much prefer that right-wing fundamentalist Islam to
disappear, along with all other right-wing fundamentalist religious practice. But...

Crushing foundational religion in our own society, let alone in Afghanistan, would require a super-commitment, total control, a couple of centuries at least, and more money than there is. Further, we would have to be an authoritarian dictatorship like China to pull this off. Or, better, the intervention of enlightened aliens like in Arthur C. Clark's Childhood's End.

we need to sort out Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, etc. — Apollodorus

Maybe just nuke the lot of them?

Here I show you a good Latin dish we can share and probably Don Quijote liked it: — javi2541997

Jamon iberico de bellota, my favorite. And it will keep the Taliban away, too — Apollodorus

Description for the poor American?

Crushing foundational religion in our own society, let alone in Afghanistan, would require a super-commitment, total control, a couple of centuries — Bitter Crank

China creates large re-education camps where they electrocute people with cattle prods until they repeat the Chinese perspective correctly. Then they do the same kind of job placement they did during the glorious revolution, or whatever it was where they mangled their own culture into a giant gaping wound

Maybe just nuke the lot of them? — Bitter Crank

How is changing culture "nuking" them?

What I'm saying is that regime change doesn't work without culture change.

We did that in Germany after WW2, but we are no longer prepared to do that. So, we are kidding ourselves whilst someone is making billions of dollars in the process.

And it isn't you or me. Or the Afghan people ....

Jamón Ibérico is a Spanish dish which comes from the pig's leg. We season it at special stables. The prices of these pieces (depending on the pig's race) could be around 1.000 or 5.000 €. But this luxury food are only bought by the Japanese :sad:

Description for the poor American? — frank

You don't look poor to me. But here's the description:

Jamon iberico - Wikipedia

Basically, the pigs are allowed to roam around in oak forests and feed naturally on acorns, chestnuts, etc.

Just don't let the Taliban find out .... :smile:

This is, bluntly speaking, crazy talk. — Bitter Crank

:up:

Glad that we can have lived for so long in peace with other cultures, I guess.

It may be produced largely for export. But you don't need to be Japanese to enjoy it. :smile:

We did that in Germany after WW2, — Apollodorus

Germany was/is an archetypically western culture. Their Fascist episode was within the outer limits of the western tradition. Once thoroughly defeated by the Allies in 1945, the Germans returned to their normal national behavior.

Basically, the pigs are allowed to roam around in oak forests and feed naturally on acorns, chestnuts, etc. — Apollodorus

Jamon iberico does sound superb. But most of us have to put up with less delicious mass-produced and overly wet ham. What is the etymology of "Jamon"? "Ham" comes from Old English, meaning back of the knee, or thigh.

Once thoroughly defeated by the Allies in 1945, the Germans returned to their normal national behavior. — Bitter Crank

They were under military occupation for ten years, divided into Eastern (Russian communist) and Western (US capitalist) zones, and subjected to systematic propaganda and brainwashing. Nothing "normal" about it IMO.

What is the etymology of "Jamon"? "Ham" comes from Old English, meaning back of the knee, or thigh. — Bitter Crank

I think "jamon" is from French "gambon/jambon" (“ham”), from "gambe" (“leg”) and apparently cognate with English "ham".

jamón - Wiktionary