Politics And Current Events

[tifosi77]

That kind of number would've been more representative of the height of the Afghanistan and Iraq campaigns; I think the current total is 150k-160k or something like that.

That's still a lot. We can have had principled discussions about the wisdom or folly of the current engagements around the world, but once committed we must have a you-break-it-you-bought-it policy. Cutting bait and bailing is no better than getting involved wrongly imo. It undercuts national credibility if we vamoose before accomplishing anything like achieving the stability that was sought by the original deployment of forces. It's also weird to be doing this now during the lame duck period, and it cuffs the incoming administration to a degree.

[mikey]

I don't know how anything works...

But I think I saw there's about two unemployed people for every job opening that's out there...so bringing back 150,000 more people isn't super small (it's also not prohibitive)...that said, I'd assume that ex-military are more likely to pursue vocational programs or other adult skill learning things (like in the tech industry, perhaps) than you're ordinary high school or college grad (or intended grad)...so I guess that probably doesn't make a negative impact on the job market...

I really thought the number of deployed overseas would have been higher...really, we just need to squeeze in another Little Rock, AR somewhere, I think this bloated pig of a country can handle that...

Especially if we're still talking about mask use in November...

[grunthy]

That kind of number would've been more representative of the height of the Afghanistan and Iraq campaigns; I think the current total is 150k-160k or something like that.

That's still a lot. We can have had principled discussions about the wisdom or folly of the current engagements around the world, but once committed we must have a you-break-it-you-bought-it policy. Cutting bait and bailing is no better than getting involved wrongly imo. It undercuts national credibility if we vamoose before accomplishing anything like achieving the stability that was sought by the original deployment of forces. It's also weird to be doing this now during the lame duck period, and it cuffs the incoming administration to a degree.

Thats unfortunate that the new administration has to re-deploy troops in order to destabilize regions and kill innocent civilians.

[Freddy Rumsen]

The only solution is to rip the bandaid off. The only way we get out of the nation building/world police role.

All the experts with fancy degrees from Claremont and teaching slots at the Army War College have been wrong constantly. They shouldn't get any more bites at the apple.

There is zero percent chance Biden's admin draws down things, especially with his long term relationship with the military industrial complex and the kinds of people he's already plugging into roles.

We've had decades to "establish" things in most of these places. How much longer do we need?

[tifosi77]

Yeah, I mean they're doing a pretty solid job of getting innocent people killed right here at home.

[tifosi77]

Fun fact: My military history prof in college was tenured at Carlisle, and she was always being interviewed for History Channel type shows and stuff. So that was neat.

[Freddy Rumsen]

Yeah, I mean they're doing a pretty solid job of getting innocent people killed right here at home.

We've got a long ways to go to equal out the numbers of Iraqis, Syrians, Libyans, Yazidis, and Afghanis we've wasted and displaced.

[grunthy]

Yeah, I mean they're doing a pretty solid job of getting innocent people killed right here at home.

Yeah Cuomo did a pretty good job, and still is.

[count2infinity]

I have it on good authority (Ted Cruz) that a week after Biden is announced the winner all the democratic governors and mayors will be sending kids back to school, reopening businesses, lifting restrictions. Wtf Tom Wolf??? Did you forget you’re a democrat? Or do you not know Biden won?

[dodint]

I don't know how anything works...

...that said, I'd assume that ex-military are more likely to pursue vocational programs or other adult skill learning things (like in the tech industry, perhaps) than you're ordinary high school or college grad (or intended grad)...

Law school is a vocational program of sorts, I guess. Two of us from my squadron section took that route.

[Freddy Rumsen]

It always turns out this way

[Tomas]

I don't know how anything works...

...that said, I'd assume that ex-military are more likely to pursue vocational programs or other adult skill learning things (like in the tech industry, perhaps) than you're ordinary high school or college grad (or intended grad)...

Law school is a vocational program of sorts, I guess. Two of us from my squadron section took that route.

I really like the vast majority of ex-military MBA students I teach. I am known to be one of the toughest instructors at my school. My GPA is usually about 0.5-0.7 below the program average, 5%-10% of the class typically have to re-take, 25% of the class ends up with Cs. I teach "stringent European style" - last name basis, no chitchat with students, "my class, my kingdom". While I don't think ex-military students have ever been the very top students in any of my cohort, I don't recall any of them failing or even struggling, either. I think the work ethics & maturity of those students is the reason behind their success.

[dodint]

We had a sub cohort of military vets in my law school class. Motivated group of people.

I am obviously teasing mikey. My experience is that the military is comprised of all kinds of individuals. They're just a sampling of society that skews towards certain demographics. In a lot of ways it is an equalizer because if you just do the bare minimum you leave with a very nice benefits package that can be used for traditional college or trade programs.

[Shyster]

Law school is a vocational program of sorts, I guess. Two of us from my squadron section took that route.

I refer to the professional degrees as the "trade-school doctorates."

[Morkle]

Barr really seems like a bad egg.

https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/a- ... y-general/

A federal criminal probe into one of Attorney General Bill Barr’s former corporate clients was quietly stalled though not quite killed one week after Barr was nominated to lead the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).

The Reuters wire service reports that “[DOJ] officials in Washington told the investigative team in the active criminal probe of Caterpillar to take ‘no further action’ in the case, according to an email written by one of the agents” and reviewed by the outlet.

According to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Caterpillar, Inc. owes the federal government some $2.3 billion in back taxes and penalties after trying to dodge U.S. taxes by creating a shell company in Switzerland in order to take advantage of the Swiss tax rate.

[Freddy Rumsen]

Liberals killing fun again.

[Gaucho]

[count2infinity]

I’ve never heard of the fairytale of New York. Now I want to go listen to it...

[Freddy Rumsen]

Stay home from work and just listen to the Pogues all day.

[shafnutz05]

I’ve never heard of the fairytale of New York. Now I want to go listen to it...

It's a good one. I didn't hear it until I was probably 30 either.

[Freddy Rumsen]

Looking forward to it.

[RonnieFranchise]

First heard Fairytale on a Kirsty MacColl compilation CD. Sort of a WTF moment, but it is pretty incredible.

I don’t really care what a government run British station does but I'm not convinced there is a tidal wave of offense being taken to it.

If you don’t know it by name you’ve still probably heard it.

[dodint]

The only place I've ever heard that song was...here. Someone posted it a long time ago. Just like last time I made it about 45 seconds and closed the window.

Yeah, search for "j9jbdgZidu8" here at the forum and it's been posted multiple times in three threads. I've never heard it elsewhere.

[Gaucho]

It was a huge hit in the UK, maybe not so much in the US.

[nocera]

Fairytale of New York is one of my favorite Christmas songs. I can't hear it without thinking of the sad death of Kristy MacColl and what a **** beast she was. She was out diving with her family when a speed boat entered the restricted diving area. Kristy saw the boat coming, pushed her kid out of the way (saving his life) but unfortunately was struck and died.

By the way, that song is always censored if played on the radio in the US. This is nothing new.