Leslie, yeah, I thought that, too. One of the advantages of dictators is that they keep this kind of thing in check. Getting rid of them sounds like sunshine and rainbows until you see them replaced by crazed, uncontrollable mobs.
You nailed it KT. Ghadaffi and Mubarek (sic?) were brutal disgraces for humanity, but they were stabalizing factors. Now the inmates are running the asylum.
Here in the United States we do NOT understand that method of thinking. In the Middle East people understand and respect strength. It sounds cruel and callous, but if you are nice more often than not most of the populous there either thinks you are working an angle, or they are trying to figure how to work one on you.
Read Gary Berntsen's book "Jawbreaker". When the CIA went in they went in with lots of cash because the warring Afghan tribes would change loyalties at the drop of a hat.
At one point they had Bin Laden's boys trapped and they wanted to negotiate. Our guys said "NO NEGOTIATIONS." The Afghans turned their guns on our guys because their culture said they had to honor the request. Our guys warned them it was a trick to move position and escape.
Sure enough, the next morning, the guys wanting to "Negotiate" were gone.
We are so far removed culturally we are like little children. The belief that we can just be "Nice" and the will be "Nice" right back is a load. The only way we can win is to not play the game. Take our toys and go home and let them bake in that sandbox.
Hey Obama: YOU built THAT!
ReplyDeleteNot to change the subject or anything, but you've got to see this:
ReplyDeletehttp://vimeo.com/48466065
I did not know that hermit crabs did that.
They are land crabs which go to the water for breeding.
ReplyDeleteLeslie, yeah, I thought that, too. One of the advantages of dictators is that they keep this kind of thing in check. Getting rid of them sounds like sunshine and rainbows until you see them replaced by crazed, uncontrollable mobs.
ReplyDeleteYou nailed it KT. Ghadaffi and Mubarek (sic?) were brutal disgraces for humanity, but they were stabalizing factors. Now the inmates are running the asylum.
ReplyDeleteHere in the United States we do NOT understand that method of thinking. In the Middle East people understand and respect strength. It sounds cruel and callous, but if you are nice more often than not most of the populous there either thinks you are working an angle, or they are trying to figure how to work one on you.
Read Gary Berntsen's book "Jawbreaker". When the CIA went in they went in with lots of cash because the warring Afghan tribes would change loyalties at the drop of a hat.
At one point they had Bin Laden's boys trapped and they wanted to negotiate. Our guys said "NO NEGOTIATIONS." The Afghans turned their guns on our guys because their culture said they had to honor the request. Our guys warned them it was a trick to move position and escape.
Sure enough, the next morning, the guys wanting to "Negotiate" were gone.
We are so far removed culturally we are like little children. The belief that we can just be "Nice" and the will be "Nice" right back is a load. The only way we can win is to not play the game. Take our toys and go home and let them bake in that sandbox.