Just another daily CNN news blip.

I have come full circle with news from the Mideast. I used to ignore it when it was in the center section of the paper. After 9/11 I wanted to know everything about their politics and what makes them tick. Now, I just don't care anymore. Maybe its a combination of the depressing nature of it all, or just my inability to grasp their fundamental problem. However, it does make me thankful to be living in the USA.

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1985 380SE Blue/Blue - 230,000 miles
2012 Subaru Forester 5-speed
2005 Toyota Sienna
2004 Chrysler Sebring convertible
1999 Toyota Tacoma

Right on all counts except for over-saturation, IMHO. With over 100K people dead (the Iraqi gov. estimate is 150K killed by insurgents) and maybe many more, the gravity of the situation is such that I think over-saturation is impossible.

It's hard to make sense of it. You just have to stop reading about it all the time or you find yourself constantly pi$$ed off. I wish there was a good solution to it all, but there isn't one.

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Ralph

1985 300D Turbo, CA model
248,650 miles and counting...

It is awful the way that culture, after 1500 years, still focuses on religiously-sanctioned dominance and death. I have no doubt that they have no more and certainly no less psychopaths than we have. The difference is between their culture and ours. Our culture had about 800 years of religio-political mass murder but for some reason we tired of it about 400 years ago. Islam was borne of warfare and instructs it's adherents using concepts of military dominion. This is, if not absent, at least no longer adhered to in the Judeo-Christian understanding of the relationship with God. In Islam it is front and center.

It occurred to me as I wrote the above that Muhammed's life was similar in some respects to that of the Biblical King David. Humble origins, martial victories used as evidence of God's favor toward David. David's betrayal of one of his best friends, a general, in the murder of the friend to consummate his lust for the friend's wife. I wonder if there is more.

B

The neocons had a good field day with this one. Hopefully, you're right. I'm quite afraid that you're not.

that's 140 less savages

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Audi TT

Yes it is a martial religion.

Interesting about the parallels with David. Funny psychological possibilities much like Hitler having Jewish ancestory and hating Jews wishing to purge himself.

Interesting insight.

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1979 300D 220 K miles
1995 C280 109 K miles
1992 Cadillac Eldorado Touring Coupe 57K miles SOLD
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1979 240D 140Kmiles (bought for parents) *SOLD.
SAN FRANCISCO/(*San Diego)
1989 300SE 148 K miles *SOLD

'...over saturation by the media'

...it's a phenomenon called 'propaganda'

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...and what 'savages' exactly are you talking about?

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the Muslim ones

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Audi TT

To me, this attitude is probably the most disturbing and cynical aspect of it all:
your country decides to send out an army to the other side of the globe to invade some third world nation on some lame pretext of vital national interest, that results in 600.000+ deaths, total destruction and chaos. And as soon as it becomes clear that the whole operation won't have the promised Disney ending: you get bored, complain about the news, and switch to another TV channel. And leave the folks you supposedly liberated to rot for ever in the Hell you created.

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2011 Prius

I think the sparse nature of the landscape may have something to do with it. Those guys have been competing for scarce resources for a long time. Now with the artificial affluence of oil revenues, they've overpopulated the place. Artificial because it doesn't do anything about poor climate, scarce water, and limited food production capacity.

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Te futueo et caballum tuum

1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

160 died today...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15866123/

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Audi TT

Yep, you sure have grasped the soul of America there, Vronsky.

B

I wouldn't call it bored. Its more like frustration. The stage is set for great things to happen in Iraq, and their own people, fellow Muslims, are the ones doing the killing and undermining whatever progress has been made. I guess the last straw for me was when they invaded the university admin buildings and a number of students who were later interviewed were absolutely devastated from the fallout of that. All they wanted to do is go to school. Education is one of the big elements that would pull Iraq out of the dark ages, and an educated populace is the ultimate enemy of warlords who continue to hang on to weapons and power. We support education, elected governments, and womens equality among many other things. Yes, we are the bad guys, right?. Yet, these are the same benefits you enjoy over in Holland, last time I checked. So stop painting the US with your nasty bile brush.

However you view it, US actions in the region are a catalyst for change. Forcing change upon a very corrupt and upside-down regime may still end up being a good thing, especially if Syria and Iran get involved in a positive, or at least unobstructive, way.

My cynicism is for a reason, whereas yours seems repeatedly, doggedly, and arbitrarily aimed at my country. I think its your attitude that could use a little fine-tuning.

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1985 380SE Blue/Blue - 230,000 miles
2012 Subaru Forester 5-speed
2005 Toyota Sienna
2004 Chrysler Sebring convertible
1999 Toyota Tacoma

'Its more like frustration' ...because it's America that's stuck between a rock and hard place.

'Education is one of the big elements' ...that, applied within the homeland, would help to find a strategy that works.

'and their own people, fellow Muslims' ...esp. when it comes to understand that "Muslim+Muslim" does not automatically equal "Muslim".

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