Comments for Jurassic Trailer Park at http://www.michaelyon-online.com , comment 1 to 72 out of 20 comments http://www.michaelyon-online.com Sat, 07 Nov 2009 23:16:21 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/jurassic-trailer-park.htm#comment-14425 Itƒ??s fairly obvious that the so-called ƒ??Talibanƒ?, otherwise known as ƒ??Freedom Fightersƒ?, like all their Afghan forebears, enjoy a good scrap, love their guns, and delight in nothing more than resisting foreign armies on their sacred soil. This is, in my view, quite normal amongst most sovereign nations with a sense of patriotism. The Afghans are exceptional because as a particular warrior race they have always thrived on such circumstances. One of their greatest boasts is that they ƒ??prefer a strong enemy to a weak friendƒ?. Thus even the Soviets despite their merciless brutality and overwhelming firepower were forced to beat an ignominious retreat. The idea that by bringing in more foreign troops the invaders can tip the balance against the freedom fighters is at best naive. The more foreign troops are brought into the country, the more the Afghans will rise up and fight against them; conversely, the sooner the foreign troops leave, the sooner the freedom fighters will go back to their husbandry, banditry and sorting things out politically between themselves in their time-honoured tradition. The whole of NATO policy and the whole NATO strategy is blind, foolish, idiotic, naive, stupid, ignorant, misconceived and bound to fail. Sorry! Itƒ??s as plain as the nose on your face We were told back in 2001 that the priority was to train the Afghan National Army to protect Afghanistanƒ??s borders, and probably to fight against internal enemies of the current leadership like the so-called ƒ??Talibanƒ?. That is now seven years ago. Let the Afghans fight amongst themselves, if they want, in their own way. If their National Army with all the resources poured into it canƒ??t resist a rag-tag army of villagers with Kalashnikovs and a few RPGs and IEDs, how can foreign troops whose presence multiplies the insurgentsƒ?? numbers tenfold by their very presence in the country? It is just pathetic that western powers think they can force ƒ??democracyƒ? down the throats of people like the Afghans, at the point of a gun. If the ANA is not yet capable of coping with insurgents, call them what you will, despite being the countryƒ??s ƒ??National Armyƒ?, with 7 years training by the best that NATO can provide, and armed to the teeth, then when will it be ready? In my long life I have rarely witnessed a political situation of such ineffable stupidity than that which the west has forced, and continues to force (with the most moronic justifications imaginable) onto Afghanistan. Go for it! The Russians took eight or nine years to figure it out, how much more stupid is the west than that? Nearly there, keep going guys! Long live freedom and democracy! - sean jones Tue, 18 Nov 2008 10:15:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/jurassic-trailer-park.htm#comment-16390 I note that Sean Jones' assessment of Afghan and Pastun character is largely complimented by this article in the Telegraph (excerpt): "One of the abiding challenges faced by coalition forces in Afghanistan, and the local forces they are training, is the question of loyalty. The word carries a powerful and straightforward message for British and American troops. For many Afghans, however, loyalty has far more nuanced meanings that cut across family, tribal and religious lines as well-honed survival instincts of those caught between warring sides. " http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/3447679/The-failed-suicide-bomber-who-changed-the-war-on-terror-in-Afghanistan.html - Solomon2 Thu, 13 Nov 2008 14:42:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/jurassic-trailer-park.htm#comment-16366 Alan Johnston was the BBC representative in Kabul when we visited during the Taliban regime in 1999, He was later held hostage in Palestine for a long period. He has been back to Afghanistan to interview people and has uncovered some interesting points to make, including the following: "We talked to the former CIA man Michael Scheuer, who headed the unit set up by the agency to track the al-Qaeda leader as he moved across Afghanistan. Mr Scheuer told me of his deep frustration at the Clinton administration's passing up of what he believes was an extraordinary opportunity to kill Bin Laden in the governor's palace in Kandahar one night late in 1998. And after studying his target very closely for years, Mr Scheuer drew conclusions about Bin Laden's motives that you might not necessarily expect from a CIA man. "The war that America is fighting now has nothing to do with what any American political leader has been willing to tell the Americans," he said. "We're fighting people who believe that our foreign policy is an assault on their religion and on the people who believe in that religion. You don't have to agree with that, but you have to be an adult in the sense of understanding what motivates your enemy if you hope to defeat him." Strategy Among our interviewees there was much criticism of the strategy that the West has pursued on all fronts in the aftermath of the ousting of the Taleban. It was argued that far too little in the way of troops and resources were thrown into the project, and that the Americans too quickly moved on to the Iraq war - imagining that their work was largely done in Afghanistan. There was criticism too of the West's collaboration with the former warlords who have done so much damage to Afghanistan in the past." - Sean Jones Tue, 04 Nov 2008 07:10:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/jurassic-trailer-park.htm#comment-16362 I apologise for time-wasting. Rather than ƒ??put distasteful words in your mouthƒ? I was trying to practise the time-honoured tradition of using logic, rhetoric and irony in the cut and thrust of a lively debate to draw out certain conclusions inherent in your statements and expose their flaws. I deeply appreciated the wisdom of your earlier gems like ƒ??Democracy is the wrong form of government for Afghanistanƒ? and ƒ??These people [the Afghans] need a kingƒ?. From these and similar I concluded that, unlike moi, youƒ??d enjoyed a classical education and unlike Bayani et al you understood Afghan history and their character. I fully agreed. Since Solomon1 understood the language of even birds and ants, as an accomplished debater I thought that youƒ??d follow and respond in like manner, without taking it personally. Iƒ??m sorry if my rhetorical was lost on you. I thought youƒ??d be equal to having your views questioned and regret it caused offence. My bad. So, back to the chase: ƒ??I choose to vote not because I like him or her, but because I think they're the right person for the job.ƒ? Now itƒ??s you whoƒ??s playing with words, splitting hairs. Was I over-generous in assuming US voters would LIKE their candidate BECAUSE he/she was the right person for the job? I assumed, if one judges a candidate right for the job, one ƒ??likesƒ?? him/her, and vote accordingly. Wrong, apparently! You imply youƒ??d vote for McCain as the right person, even though you donƒ??t like him. How very noble. Well if this be so then at least I can say that I half-agree with you - I donƒ??t like him either; but thatƒ??s my bad too: Iƒ??ll try to like him more. After all heƒ??s human and we have the same basic feelings and other attributes. I guess the problem is his conditioning. As an ex-POW his credentials are impeccable. Anyone whoƒ??s been a POW must be of excellent character, yes? Is that not so? Does that also apply to the enemy and his POWs? Only if God is on his side? But that includes Gitmo! Oh, shit ... it canƒ??t be right. Please, can you kindly clarify this point for us, sir. I guess itƒ??s all down to a question of subjectivity. Like, good guys/bad guys and primitive Neocon stuff like that. ƒ??The period of fairly unified foreign and defense policy ... lasted from 9/11 to August 2002, when division over the issue of the war to oust Saddam developed.ƒ? Thanks for the correction. We never knew opposition to the war in Iraq went so far back, and in addition, we wrongly thought it was prosecuted because of WMD and Saddamƒ??s role in 9/11, as well, like Colin Powell was unforgettably made to tell the UN. Well, Iƒ??m glad to know opposition went back to 2002, even before the invasion. We thought America was fully united and anyone disagreeing was a traitor until around 2006 when the press timidly started to question what the hell was actually going on. The Democrats have risen in my estimation. ƒ??It was a genuine commercial ... but whoever created [it] embedded a partisan pitch for the candidate ... I've never heard of combining commercials this way before, and I found it intensely distasteful.ƒ? Thatƒ??s very sensitive of you. I assumed this kind of thing was totally legal and fair. I read the US government spends billions of dollars on ƒ??perception managementƒ? [ƒ??propagandaƒ? to us], and personally I find this somewhat distasteful. Whereas if a supermarket owner uses his freedom of speech and expression to spend his personal funds to support his candidate, as a donation to his campaign, in such a hotly-fought contest, Iƒ??d strongly support his freedom to spend his money in whichever legal way he wants. Unless, of course he was supporting McCain ƒ?? then I admit, Iƒ??d totally agree with you: Iƒ??d find it intensely distasteful. Iƒ??m glad to see that weƒ??re in full agreement now on almost everything; that feels really good, oh wise one. I look forward to your clarifications on any outstanding divergences. - Sean Jones Mon, 03 Nov 2008 09:21:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/jurassic-trailer-park.htm#comment-16343 "What do you propose as an alternative? Elect the candidate whoƒ??s the least liked by the people? " Sure! I often choose to vote for somebody not because I like him or her, but because I think they're the right person for the job. "...2001 to 2006 or so, when to question the wisdom of George W's policies was considered "unamerican" or "unpatriotic"" The period of fairly unified foreign and defense policy between Democrats and Republicans lasted from 9/11 to roughly August 2002, when division over the issue of the upcoming war to oust Saddam developed. "you heard a pitch for Obama on the radio? How dare he!" Perhaps I didn't make myself clear. It was a genuine commercial for a local supermarket chain, but whoever created the commercial embedded a partisan pitch for the candidate inside it. I've never heard of combining commercials this way before, and I found it intensely distasteful. "Are you kidding us? Should he be gagged...Donƒ??t tell me that you only preach...the majority of your people clearly enthusiastically..." You are putting words in my mouth here, and I don't like their taste, for I don't accept their validity. Your value as an interlocutor is much diminished when you do this since denying baseless accusations and red-herring statements is a great waste of time. - Solomon2 Sat, 01 Nov 2008 23:50:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/jurassic-trailer-park.htm#comment-16342 Solomon2, Iƒ??m beginning to have doubts about your democratic credentials. You accuse Obama for (like Commodus) being so sneaky, so devious, as to ƒ??RISE TO POWER ON A WAVE OF POPULAR ENTHUSIASMƒ?. Shock, horror! [And he was son of the previous emperor, as well? Sounds more like George W to me!] But anyway I always thought that was how democracy works. More votes = the winner. The most popular candidate wins the election. What do you propose as an alternative? Elect the candidate whoƒ??s the least liked by the people? Or did I miss your point? For years, the press supported George W Bush and his policies. Did you say then, ƒ??he owes everything to the press, thereƒ??s been no substantive analysisƒ?? I guess not, but that's what a lot of disinterested America-watchers abroad concluded. I refer to the years from 2001 to 2006 or so, when to question the wisdom of George W's policies was considered "unamerican" or "unpatriotic", and people who did so got lynched by the press. And then, you heard a pitch for Obama on the radio? How dare he! Does he think there is freedom of speech in the USA? Only Republican whites are allowed to make public statements? Are you kidding us? Should he be gagged because you don't agree with what he says? Do you want a one-party state like China where dissidents are gagged or jailed? ƒ??Why should anybody vote for a candidate who is tied by such a rope?ƒ? How should I know, Iƒ??m not American ƒ?? ask the clear majority of tens of millions of US voters who are so enthusiastically endorsing him, and backing his ƒ??rise to powerƒ? by voting for him in the polling booths. Donƒ??t tell me that you only preach "freedom of speech and democracy" so long as the candidate from your party is elected, and so long as you agree with what he is communicating? Oh, and you criticise Commodus for ƒ??ensuring long-term military conflict and economic decayƒ?? I canƒ??t believe that you are not comparing him to George W Bush here, but instead to the person whom the majority of your people clearly enthusiastically support as the man best able to come in and clean up the resulting mess and try to halt the tailspin your country is now in. I guess you are getting a little twisted in your attitudes and thoughts. Come on, where is your democracy, where is your freedom of speech and freedom of communication, Mr Solomon2? - Sean Jones Sat, 01 Nov 2008 08:04:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/jurassic-trailer-park.htm#comment-16340 Commodus rose to power not just as the purported son of the previous Emperor (the hereditary principle wasn't a hard rule for Imperial succession) but on a wave of popular enthusiasm - you just cited one such event that evoked Roman enthusiasm. A gladiator rather than a statesman, Commodus spoke to everybody and cut a deal with Rome's enemies that, although it gave peace for a few short years, pretty much ensured long-term military conflict and economic decay. Yesterday on the radio I heard a pitch for Obama embedded in a supermarket commercial. That's something very new in political campaigning. There has been little substantial critical analysis of the candidate in the mainstream media. He owes everything to the press, and they know it. Why should anybody vote for a candidate who is tied by such a rope? - Solomon2 Fri, 31 Oct 2008 14:42:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/jurassic-trailer-park.htm#comment-16338 "Often, wounded soldiers and amputees would be placed in the arena for Commodus to slay with a sword. Commodus' eccentric behavior would not stop there. Citizens of Rome missing their feet through accident or illness were taken to the arena, where they were tethered together for Commodus to club to death while pretending they were giants." (Wikipedia). Doesn't exactly sound like Obama to me, sir. I don't quite get the point you are making with your other comments, either. Except that renewed discussion is in order - hear, hear. Don't forget to include ALL interested parties. By the way who are you referring to exactly as the Neocon and the Neocolonialist who have been having this discussion? I thought these terms indicated one and the same party. - Sean Jones Fri, 31 Oct 2008 12:40:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/jurassic-trailer-park.htm#comment-16337 "itƒ??s better to do that than make more enemies by fighting wars, killing people and making everyone hate you. " Stockholm Syndrome may have worked for you, but it doesn't work for everyone. The Yezhidis of Iraq didn't fight or kill people, nor were they very hated, but refraining from fighting didn't save the Yezhidis when Al Qaida (or was it Syria?) blew them up. The Taliban resurgence began not with attacks on U.S. forces, but on Red Cross volunteers. So it's OK for others to hate you - if that means you stay alive. The story of Moshe Dayan comes to mind. After their 1967 defeat, the Arabs hated him, yet respected his military skill. They were compelled to deal with Dayan personally after the 1973 war. Out of the background of respect plus the stimulus of personal contact a genuine admiration and even liking for the man developed. Maybe when you live in the jungle respect is a prerequisite to friendship. "I guess Obamaƒ??s got the smarts to fix this humungous neocon-generated mess with effective long term solutions. " I'd guess not; I put no faith in a modern-day Commodus. We'll need luck, and then some. However, our little discussion, neocon to neocolonialist, does suggest that renewed political discussion about the future and direction of Afghanistan is in order among the interested parties, and may even bear fruit. - Solomon2 Fri, 31 Oct 2008 02:36:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/jurassic-trailer-park.htm#comment-16331 In reply to Solomon2, thank you for your comment. I take your point, itƒ??s a good one. Unfortunately itƒ??s beside the point that I was making. By ƒ??Better go home ...ƒ? I meant itƒ??s better to do that than make more enemies by fighting wars, killing people and making everyone hate you. If the USA is truly liberating, and [as you say] ƒ??interacting and helping the locals, encouraging them to join the anti-jehadist campaign, and leaving them when they are comfortable with us departing ƒ?? not beforeƒ?, then I totally agree with you, thatƒ??s definitely the right way to go. Itƒ??d be great and thatƒ??s what the world dreams of and wishes the USA would do. I feel that in the 1980s the USA really did help the Mujahideen liberate Afghanistan from Soviet military occupation by sending stingers etc., and I applaud it. I felt so grateful, at the time, personally, because as I said Afghanistan has been one of my favourite hangouts since 1965 and I strongly oppose what the Soviets did there. Had the USA then moved in and followed up, helping out with rebuilding the country and facilitating development, then I suspect the Afghans would have welcomed it and the USA with open arms. Instead it was, indeed, abandoned, and in the USA-less vacuum the over-armed Mujahideen parties were left to slug it out between themselves and Najibullah. In the process the entire city of Kabul and whatever good the Soviets had done was destroyed, leaving the country totally exhausted and ripe for the Taliban to move in from 1994-97 and establish their kind of peace. So the USA missed an opportunity. The Taleban took power by default and were later conned into giving sanctuary to Bin Laden and his Al Qaeda, leading to 9/11. Had the USA done what you suggest and filled the post-Soviet vacuum with such a positive role as you portray then Iƒ??m dead sure theyƒ??d have been welcomed in to help rebuild, the Taleban would have stayed in the Pakistani Madrassas, Al Qaeda would have stayed in Africa, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO 9/11, Afghanistan would have been just as happy as the post-war British to host you and cooperate as a grateful client state and probably the world would be a far safer and happier place to live in than it is today. Unfortunately this is not what happened and on the contrary invading countries to beat up on them on false pretences (e.g. WMD) and killing huge numbers of people just makes more enemies and I still say itƒ??s better to go home and stay there than do that. But no use crying over spilt milk. I guess Obamaƒ??s got the smarts to fix this humungous neocon-generated mess with effective long term solutions. I have faith in him and the USA to learn from mistakes and get it right in the end. Good luck guys. - Sean Jones Thu, 30 Oct 2008 21:00:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/jurassic-trailer-park.htm#comment-16329 Tried that after the Soviet-sponsored government fell, and it had the opposite effect: Afghans blamed us for abandoning them. And we tried that after the 1991 Saddam war, and the Shia blamed us for raising their hopes. The past 6+ years have at least restored some American credibility, is that not so? Over at Michael Totten's blog, he revealed, from interviews, an important twist to thinking Lebanese thinking that may apply to Afghanistan as well: that it's ok to direct your anger against people who aren't your neighbors. Did American troops create lasting ill-will by their vast encampments in England before D-day? Just by being Americans - liberators - and interacting and helping the locals, encouraging them to join the anti-jihadist campaign, and leaving when they are comfortable with us departing - not before - isn't that the right way to go? - Solomon2 Thu, 30 Oct 2008 15:11:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/jurassic-trailer-park.htm#comment-16328 One thing that needs to happen for Afghanistan to progress out of past centuries is for boys to stop girls from going on a fun adventure by throwing rocks at them. I am surprised and disappointed that neither Michael, Tim, Shem, nor Beata told them to stop and facilitated a little education desperately needed in this country: "Girls are just as good as boys." - Petunia Wed, 29 Oct 2008 19:51:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/jurassic-trailer-park.htm#comment-16326 Iƒ??ve no ƒ??anti-American ideologyƒ?, this has no basis. Iƒ??m anti-colonialist, anti-imperialist, anti-pre-emptive war, anti-torture; pro-freedom, pro-democracy, pro-accountability, pro-education, pro-peace; Iƒ??m pro-American in the sense I support all good things America does; Iƒ??ve a healthy proportion of amiable, admirable and patriotic Americans amongst the friends I love dearly and in general I see Americans as the same as others, why not? Iƒ??ve no bias to any particular group and I donƒ??t oppose anyoneƒ??s actions unless they are shown and known to harm others, like Al Qaeda - or your Neocons. We all have the same body, mind, emotions, brain, pain, needs and aspirations. Itƒ??s just that a gang called the Neocons somehow seized power over there and is busy screwing up the whole world for everyone else, plus screwing up its own country in the process. We all have to really thank GWB and gang for ripping aside the curtain of propriety and apparent virtue that used to cloak the USAƒ??s image in the world. He exposed it for what it is for everyone to see, naked aggressors, excessive greed, and who cares what anybody thinks ƒ?? ƒ??we have the power, weƒ??re gonna use itƒ??. Thatƒ??s what I donƒ??t support, but I donƒ??t see it as something ƒ??Americanƒ?, itƒ??s just bad human traits that sometimes get in power and wreak havoc. It happens from time to time in whatever country all over the world. Donƒ??t take it personal, kid! In my book, Americaƒ??s just as good as anywhere else, and in some respects itƒ??s even better. I grew up in comfortable western post-war affluence, conditioned with this image of the USA as a benevolent giant, the saviour of the downtrodden; emancipated and enlightened, well-meaning and kind to the dispossessed, the impoverished and the victims of oppression, a US that established and supported the UN to establish peace, freedom and democracy by peaceful means all over the world. In the last 8 years that happy image that we all treasured, which gave us hope and happiness has been shattered. The curtainƒ??s been ripped aside and the world enabled to see the naked truth of US actions in the world ƒ?? and internally ƒ?? unashamedly exposed. The economic meltdown that American greed and dishonesty has created is additional evidence, if needed. We love Obama, a ray of hope, all my American and other friends hope and pray that he, and if not him then someone else, will do the necessary to reinstate that idyllic America that we an image of as we grew up, that now lies broken. This is the America we all love and we all want to see rise up again ƒ??from the ashes of the Bushesƒ?. I hope this goes some way to clearing up your distorted impression of my ƒ??anti-Americanismƒ?. I thoroughly enjoy and appreciate the opportunity to voice my views on this site and I feel like a very happy guy with wonderful circle of friends both locally and all over the world. My lifeƒ??s a gas and I love the opportunity to put my contribution in the mix. Thank you one and all for your contributions. I welcome all challenges: with discussion of challenges comes the chance to exchange views, learn and make progress in the world. And if anyone comes up with good arguments or experiences or points that I canƒ??t refute, I promise to concede and theyƒ??ll win. Iƒ??ve no personal axe to grind but enjoy communicating and sharing views about such vital things that affect our whole world and what it will become of it for our children. Iƒ??ve two sons aged 19 and 20 and Iƒ??m proud of how theyƒ??re developing and their attitudes. I learn more from them every day. So Daniel letƒ??s say it, loud and clear: ƒ??Long live Americaƒ? ƒ?? the version we love, that is ƒ?? and down with hate-mongers, warmongers, trouble-makers, the arrogant, the intolerant, the greedy and the oppressors who go out of their way to invade, destroy and kill ƒ?? whether theyƒ??re Americans, Afghans or from Timbuctoo. Agree? - Sean Jones Wed, 29 Oct 2008 09:11:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/jurassic-trailer-park.htm#comment-16325 Dear Daniel Dan, Thank you for your comment, I really appreciate that you have the guts to speak up and voice your thoughts, and I admire your positive sentiments. Iƒ??m very glad to see you care, but you have got a slightly wrong impression coming from my earlier arguments with your rather more militant and aggressive brothers, that I would like to be able clear up for you and anyone else following these interesting and illuminating comments. I love Americans, I have loads of great American friends, with open and enquiring minds and they are all willing to debate and consider facts and other peopleƒ??s experiences and draw the right conclusions. Donƒ??t mistake my warnings and advice from my personal 40+ years of experience in Afghanistan for anti-Americanism, my friend, just because it questions the conventional wisdom that is promoted on Faux News. Afghans are fine too, they have their traditions and this is what I am trying to get across. It doesnƒ??t mean to say I subscribe to Afghan views, or applaud their vengeful culture; I support whatever is helpful and I oppose bad and harmful acts of everyone, whether they are Afghans or Americans. Donƒ??t shoot the messenger because the message appears distasteful! Be wise, keep an open mind, unglued-up with prejudice, un-blinded by narrow, nationalist bias. Think big, think ƒ??worldƒ?, and be big enough and open-minded enough to take on board in a positive way things that might be helpful instead of retreating behind this concrete defensive wall of guilt and nationalism. The situation is that the USA has invaded Afghanistan militarily and a large proportion of the people of that country are fighting back because thatƒ??s all they know to do under these circumstances. I oppose anyoneƒ??s military occupation of other countries. If the Afghans invaded the USA and occupied you militarily I would oppose that too, but this is not the case. The USA is the aggressor. Itƒ??s not a bordering country, itƒ??s 12,000 miles away. OK, so itƒ??s true that Al Qaeda did 9/11 then went to hide behind the Afghans, took advantage of them, and the Afghans naively gave them sanctuary, so you went and blew up the whole country and killed tens of thousands of people there, that taught them a good lesson, but that was 7 years ago, what are you doing, still there now in 2008 and planning for troop surges and many more years of military occupation on the pattern of Iraq? Better go home, guys and stop creating more enemies. There are what, 30 million Afghans, and for every single one you kill another 10 from his/her family will rise up and take arms against you. This is why the insurgency is growing and growing as everyone can see and we can all see what itƒ??s going to lead to as well. Nothing good for anyone. I deeply respect your soldiers and the sacrifices they make for their country, they are as brave as any other soldiers. Itƒ??s your Commander in Chief, who orders them to go attack this country, that country, whose policies we questions as deeply flawed. My heart goes out to the brave guys who die or get their limbs blown off, in what obviously seems a lost cause to anyone with a modicum of experience and a basic knowledge of relevant history. Why doesnƒ??t anyone come back with proper arguments or facts? I challenge you with different views and facts that do not compute with your rhetoric, and all you can come back with is more character assassination, sarcastic and meaningless remarks like ƒ??it must be terrible being youƒ? and more dumb rhetoric. Letƒ??s hear something factual, something that makes sense, please. - Sean Jones Wed, 29 Oct 2008 08:52:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/jurassic-trailer-park.htm#comment-16323 Wow Sean Jones...Sean Jones...It's terrible being you. Your negative voice tone just make Americans like me stronger and stronger. Your anti-american ideology is just way too obsolete, mate. I hope you would go on and live with that ideology for the rest of your life. So, young americans like me would be able see black and white, dark and bright, and avoid bad things like you've poccessed. Live well, mate! - Daniel Dan Tue, 28 Oct 2008 19:46:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/jurassic-trailer-park.htm#comment-16319 My western friends who are working for HR, freedom and democracy in Kabul, to whom I was talking yesterday, were just reassuring me that every single Afghan that they talk to swears they hate the Taleban, and are 100% on the side of western-style freedom and democracy. Do they think that these guys would admit they liked the Taleban because the Taleban took over in 1998 largely by negotiation, very little fighting, and they made the whole country (except that under the Northern Aliiance) peaceful, disarmed and secure after 20 years of war? (That's what they all told me, when I was in Kabul and toured the surrounding countryside in April 1999, a few months after the Taleban took Kabul - it was totally secure at that time and with my wife we drove all around and toured all the places in Logar, Nangrahar, Sarobi and surrounding provinces, upto Panjshir, no escort needed, no driver, we drove ourselves, totally unarmed, there was no threatening behavious, no danger was felt anywhere - is was cool and my even wife thought the Taleban were sweet. That was our experience and bona-fide western tourists at the time). No, now those same Afghans tell the westerners what they figure the westerners would like to hear - after all, if they give the impression they supported the Taleban they'd be disappeared and rended extraordinarily to Bagram torture centre, if not Gitmo. So watch your backs because those very same Afghans who now swear they hate the Taleban will stab you in the back one day and be proud of their loyalty to the freedom of their country. That's what Afghans do. Foreigners may think they are treacherous, turning on you when you least expect it, but for them that is cunning and loyalty to their country. They swear they support you 100% and you are the best guys in the whole world and thank you for liberating us, we love you Americans, British are great, long live NATO, whatever. Then the moment your back is turned - you get toasted, castrated and your body thrown in the river, if there is a river, and your trusty Afghan servant will exult that he has done his duty well. That's what Afghans have done to invaders throughout history. DO you believe what they tell you and think they that now it will be different because they say they want your brand of freedom and democracy even if it's imposed with an army of occupation that is there to kill other Afghans? Do you think that because people don't have long beards they must be against the Taleban? All that is so naive. Yesterday CNN reported the DHL "security" guard did just that and decided it was time to blow away these foreign invaders on Afghan soil. He could not wait. Boom! Another two invaders bite the dust. I am really sorry. It isn't me who supports that kind of behaviour. It's Afghans who are doing it. No doubt he had been carefully vetted and passed as an anti-Taleban, pro-western, modern, democratic, freedom-loving Afghan who could be fullt trusted to protect the westerners at the cost of his own life. "Freedom-loving Afghan" would have been the only correct bit of that assessment. So wise up, you guys, you've got it coming sooner or later. The Afghan will never be subdued, he will wait his chance, act nice and friendly, take all the dollars, smile, swear alliegance, and then one day boom!boom! You are toast and he exults. He has done his duty to his country and his people and struck a blow for freedom and democracy, Afghan style. When I look at these photographs of these great kids smiling for the camera, and no doubt taking handouts of Hershey bars and money to buy food, what I see when I look in their eyes is Afghan kids who dream of growing up and one day having the chance to kill these foreigners who think they are so welcome here. Dream on, guys. - Sean Jones Mon, 27 Oct 2008 09:26:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/jurassic-trailer-park.htm#comment-16291 Hello Mr Baloney, welcome back to the fray! One feared you had departed, deflated, to greener pastures new, some Rambo heaven of dead terrorists, or your usual catatonic state. [What are you on? Can I have some?] - but here you are, back again like Terminator, and fully puffed up with hilarious but empty rhetoric - as ever. Anything interesting to say? I guess not. But do pour forth more of your heady brand of vitriol as it most evocatively illustrates your mental state and value to mankind far better than any comment that I could dream up. BTW I think you missed comments 39 and 40, which were in response to your last salvo of amusing diatribe. Please do feel free amuse us all some more - I'm sure you're right, that most readers of this column feel annoyed by the truth - nothing hurts like the truth, they say - and show how life is good on the neocon manure distribution fan side of the fence, I'm jealous of your killing wit and pleased to know your fandom fellows are getting even more catatonic than before as a result of my pathetic and ill-judged attempts to satirise the dogs of war. Maybe, resting in full MEGO catatonia they'll be in a position to do less damage to the rest of us. - Sean Jones Sun, 26 Oct 2008 08:03:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/jurassic-trailer-park.htm#comment-16290 Crikey, Jonesey, you still swanning around here? The vast swathe of Michael Yon's fandom are in MEGO catatonia from being subjected to the dustbin of your personal history. Is it really that awful being you? - Bayani Sun, 26 Oct 2008 07:19:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/jurassic-trailer-park.htm#comment-16285 Brit, youƒ??re right, Iƒ??m totally blind. If you call Iraq ƒ??liberatedƒ? when, even after 5 years of military occupation and maybe a million people dead, you have to bring in a ƒ??surgeƒ? of an extra 30,000 troops to lock down districts right inside the capital city, and so on and so forth, youƒ??re right, Iƒ??m totally blind to it. Do you really think your puppet government will stand once you pull out the iron fist of your army of occupation? Hey, remember Vietnam! No, youƒ??re probably too young to remember that. Have you read Michaelsƒ?? despatch from Sarobi, where he describes how the ANA cut and ran, abandoning their guns and equipment, after ƒ??lounging aroundƒ? on the battlefield, when the French patrol was being shot to pieces by those anti-Taleban freedom fighters? Thatƒ??s what the ANA does after 7 years of ƒ??liberationƒ? and 7 years of ƒ??intensive trainingƒ? which was the occupying armyƒ??s ƒ??top priorityƒ? ƒ?? for seven years! How many more years will it take before the ANA will be ƒ??fully trained and reliableƒ?, and not run away in such situations? Or am I being blind to something? What rest of the world has seen ƒ??liberatedƒ? is a few hundred billion dollars, into the coffers of the war industry, the latest technological killing equipment thatƒ??s been able to be tested ƒ??in the fieldƒ?, unknown numbers of terrorists who have been recruited as a result of your Neocon aggression, the febrile imagination and credulity of insane warmongers like you, and, maybe, temporarily, the Green Zone in Baghdad, at least most of the time. Evidently, youƒ??re blind to all that! And which concentration camps are you talking about? Abu Ghraib and Gitmo Bay? I suppose you are one of these people who condone and practise torture, too ƒ?? so long, of course, as it is only done to further the interests of ƒ??freedom and democracyƒ?, and by ƒ??usƒ?, because ƒ??weƒ? are the ƒ??good guysƒ?. ƒ??Godƒ??s on our sideƒ?, oh yeah. Thatƒ??s not blind, is it? Not for the Taleban! ƒ?? whoops, I mean the Creationists!!! - Sean Jones Sat, 25 Oct 2008 07:36:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/jurassic-trailer-park.htm#comment-16283 Not kings of Castile, but of Aragon. Here is the Oath of Loyalty taken by their subjects: "We, who are as good as you, swear to you, who are not better than we, to accept you as our king and sovereign lord, provided that you observe all our liberties and laws; but if not, then not." - Solomon2 Fri, 24 Oct 2008 16:23:00 +0100