Can't we just bail on the Middle-East?

[mtangelsfan]

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/us-soldiers-told-to-ignore-afghan-allies%e2%80%99-abuse-of-boys/ar-AAey2vA?li=AAa0dzB

 

In Afghanistan soldiers are told not to intervene when boys are being molested, sometimes even on bases by Afgani's.

 

Disgusting.

[TobiasFunke]

Read an article today about someone in Saudi Arabia being sentenced to crucifixion and beheading. Great ****ing allies we have.

[mtangelsfan]

Other than Paul, is there any candidate out there willing to pull out our troops, stop wanting to be in or start wars and cut the military that way?

 

This is one reason I refuse to vote republican, even though I haven't heard Clinton or Saunders suggest that.

[nate]

I think Sanders has been pretty opposed to a lot of the military action but not in the way we want.

 

There are so many disgusting things that happen in that region and our presence there is not changing a thing.  We need to get out but I just don't see it happening.  Too much money in defense contracts.

[Glen]

Was talking with my wife this morning about the crucifixion and how horrible the Saudis are.  Wish we could just get the hell out of there, leave them to do whatever they want to each other, and protect our borders.

[Angelsjunky]

I'm fairly certain that President Sanders would drastically reduce, if not completely withdraw, military forces in the Middle East.

[nate]

Was talking with my wife this morning about the crucifixion and how horrible the Saudis are.  Wish we could just get the hell out of there, leave them to do whatever they want to each other, and protect our borders.

Yeah, our "allies" out there are just as bad as the ones we are at war with.

[Blarg]

You guys do realize this is all about not letting the Russians gain control of oil distribution?

[arch stanton]

I think it's hard for anyone who hasn't been here to realize how incredibly little their culture and values mesh with ours. If I had to actually live among them and spend much of my time living in it I'd have to leave tomorrow but since I work on a military base and live on a guarded western compound it's generally bearable.

[Jason]

Yeah, our "allies" out there are just as bad as the ones we are at war with.

Freaking Islam!

[mtangelsfan]

You guys do realize this is all about not letting the Russians gain control of oil distribution?

 

Is that really worth the cost that it has brought to our young men and women in the military?  I don't think it is, not even close.  We bring back thousands of soldiers back with PTSD, not to mention the bodily injuries and death.  What we ask of them shouldn't be asked almost ever.

 

I'm tired of watching our vets come back, struggle to live normal again, or end up on the streets or in simple poverty.  I'm tired of watching them struggle to survive after giving so much.

 

It isn't worth it and I will be at issue with anyone running for president who doesn't treat our people in uniform as though they are more precious than commodities.

[Tank]

You guys do realize this is all about not letting the Russians gain control of oil distribution?

 

it's also about abandoning israel. we won't do that.

[juansavage1]

http://www.salon.com/2015/09/21/im_a_pedophile_but_not_a_monster/

 

I’ve been stuck with the most unfortunate of sexual orientations, a preference for a group of people who are legally, morally and psychologically unable to reciprocate my feelings and desires. It’s a curse of the first order, a completely unworkable sexuality, and it’s mine. Who am I? Nice to meet you.  My name is Todd Nickerson, and I’m a pedophile. Does that surprise you? Yeah, not many of us are willing to share our story, for good reason. To confess a sexual attraction to children is to lay claim to the most reviled status on the planet, one that effectively ends any chance you have of living a normal life.  Yet, I’m not the monster you think me to be.  I’ve never touched a child sexually in my life and never will, nor do I use child pornography.   But isn’t that the definition of a pedophile, you may ask, someone who molests kids? Not really. Although “pedophile” and “child molester” have often been used interchangeably in the media, and there is some overlap, at base, a pedophile is someone who’s sexually attracted to children. That’s it. There’s no inherent reason he must act on those desires with real children. Some pedophiles certainly do, but many of us don’t. Because the powerful taboo keeps us in hiding, it’s impossible to know how many non-offending pedophiles are out there, but signs indicate there are a lot of us, and too often we suffer in silence. That’s why I decided to speak up.

 

[TobiasFunke]

I'm guessing you posted that in the wrong thread Juan or are you trying to derail another one?

[juansavage1]

The story is about pedophilia. Salon magazine has delved into that issue. If more Afghanis with a pedophile sexual orientation can do what the man in the article did, there would be a lot less sex between people of great age difference in Afghanistan. 

[Blarg]

Is that really worth the cost that it has brought to our young men and women in the military? I don't think it is, not even close. We bring back thousands of soldiers back with PTSD, not to mention the bodily injuries and death. What we ask of them shouldn't be asked almost ever.

I'm tired of watching our vets come back, struggle to live normal again, or end up on the streets or in simple poverty. I'm tired of watching them struggle to survive after giving so much.

It isn't worth it and I will be at issue with anyone running for president who doesn't treat our people in uniform as though they are more precious than commodities.

If Russia gains control of middle east oil distribution the economy of the US crumbles worse than when we wrecked the USSR's in the 80's. So if you are concerned about the Vets returning to poverty think of them as a small sample of the rest of the population.

[juansavage1]

Other soldiers would always tell me that the natives liked boys. I never saw it myself.

 

The issues are that we're not there to reform their society, which thinks this activity is OK. Remember that before Christianity, it was OK in the ancient world as well. It was also popular in Japan and in lots of places. So, they're just following their morality as they see fit and that's the important thing. 

 

The second issue is that doing something about would be imposing our values (our values as of 2015). Some might argue that that's bad. 

 

The third issue is that condemning the Afghanis for something we think is wrong simply because we grew up in a society influenced by fake books like the Bible means that we believe in a universal morality. 

 

Now, I do believe in a universal morality and think what they're doing is wrong, even if they think it's OK. The only question for me is if my preventing something so ingrained in their society would do any good or do harm, as it might jeopardize the mission. 

[Tank]

You think the bible is a fake book, Juan?

[juansavage1]

I remember reading a long time ago that this sort of thing is pervasive in the afghan culture. Just absolutely f*cking sick.

Islam sucks.

As I said, indulging in anything that gets one's rocks off was the norm in pre/non-Christian civilizations. Greeks, Romans, and others were much more open-minded and less stuffy about sex than we are. If you read the Bible (I don't think it's fake, BTW), you'd know that this was one of the differences between the Hebrews and its neighbors who had sex cults and whatever. 

[juansavage1]

This society was a winner: 

 

Among the Aztecs, “Sodomy was virtually universal, involving even children as young as six. Cortez also found sodomy to be widespread among the Aztecs, and admonished them to give it up – along with human sacrifice and cannibalism. One of the Aztec gods, Xochipili, was the patron of male homosexuality and male prostitution.”

I've never seen this painted on the side of a van. 

 

There go Christians imposing their values on people. No doubt the Aztecs suffered from repression for many years after. 

Edited September 22, 2015 by Juan Savage

[juansavage1]

The author of the Syballine Oracles, thought to be an Egyptian Jew (approx. 163 - 45 B.C.), compared Jews to the other nations, stating,

The Jews "are mindful of holy wedlock, and they do not engage in impious intercourse with male children, as do Phoenicians, Egyptians, and Romans, specious Greece and many nations of others, Persians and Galatians and all Asia.

 

Poor guys. Imagine all of the repression compared to their neighbors. One shudders. 

[nate]

Sometimes I am really afraid of the generalities and stereotypes that Juan makes but then I realize that there is no way he represents a large amount of Americans.

[juansavage1]

Sometimes I am really afraid of the generalities and stereotypes that Juan makes but then I realize that there is no way he represents a large amount of Americans.

I'm stereotyping Aztecs and cannibals and pedophiles? 

[wopphil]

So can't we all agree that Western values, cultures, and societies are superior to those of people in the middle east? Everything we do is better. Our governments are better. Our religions are more tolerant. Our human rights records are far superior. We treat our women and children better. We have less poverty. We are more scientifically evolved. Our medicine and health are superior. Even our weather is better.

[juansavage1]

 

Sometimes I am really afraid of the generalities and stereotypes that Juan makes but then I realize that there is no way he represents a large amount of Americans.

 

 

Yeah. Stereotypes are awful. Many people stereotype Aztecs as bloosthirsty when I'm sure a lot of them were very sensitive and caring. 

 

Pointing out historical facts is wrong? 

 

By the way, does anybody else find it funny that many people see our new openness to sexual diversity is really a regression to the ancient norm.