"The Great Society!" (New & Improved, With Added Taliban!)
Smart comment by Heather Mac Donald in one of her posts over at Secular Right:
The belief that by building roads and hospitals in Afghanistan, America has the power to change that society in significant and positive ways, and to foster long-term good will towards the U.S., strikes me as no less fanciful than any Great Society faith in the ability of government social service programs to eradicate dysfunctional underclass behavior. Restoring electricity and rebuilding bridges in New Jersey and Vermont, by contrast, is eminently doable and a service that American citizens can legitimately expect their government to provide-even if the costs of doing so should be offset during this time of spiralling deficits.
I think she's part wrong about this, but it's late at night.
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at September 5, 2011 11:45 PM
Here's a ball-point pen. Goodnight, internets
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at September 5, 2011 11:48 PM
But we could create so many more jobs if we took away those steam shovels and forced workers to use spoons!
damaged justice at September 6, 2011 5:01 AM
How come no one's commenting today?
Offtopic— Everything that's wrong with hipster Los Angeles.
Crid [Cridcomment at gmail] at September 6, 2011 8:24 AM
And I hope you did your part over the holiday.
Crid [Cridcomment at gmail] at September 6, 2011 8:26 AM
> How come no one's commenting today?
I saw a really good motivational poster this morning that said "life is full of opportunities to shut the fuck up." I made it my desktop background.
Eric at September 6, 2011 8:57 AM
@Eric: LOVE it!
@Crid: Why do you post off-topic comments on every one of Amy's blog items?
Just Sayin' at September 6, 2011 9:51 AM
Three reasons:
[1.] To annoy the internet's Topic Police, those pathetic, small-minded ninnies who anonymously daydream that whatever segment of human culture they're dealing with in any given instant should, if things are working correctly, be providing them with whatever information or amusement they'd find palatable and flattering, without ever having to reach, grow, investigate, challenge, take offense, or reflect. I hate people like that.
[2.] My favorite artistic human being was famous for demanding spotless performances from the brilliant performers he hired; yet his motto was "Anything, anytime, for any reason at all". And I love him more than I love you.
[3.] Amy lets me.
Crid [Cridcomment at gmail] at September 6, 2011 10:14 AM
[4.] He wants attention.
NicoleK at September 6, 2011 10:52 AM
She's right about Afghanistan. We are wasting lives and money for no damn reason. Afghanis don't give a rat's ass about what the nation building the west is doing. Moreover, for any country to truly succeed in anything resembling democracy, the people must want it. I'm not convinced they do.
As for the concern that Afghanistan become a haven for terrorists; it was only a haven because nobody in the west had the balls to simply take out the terrorists. We knew where they fucking were, but did nothing. Besides, if the Taliban returns and threatens the west or India, the solution is to kill them, then leave. No rebuilding. The message should simply be: you cross us, we kill you and, likewise, leave us alone and we'll leave you alone.
Joe at September 6, 2011 10:53 AM
Apparently Heather never heard of the Marshall Plan and also doesn't realize that to some extent the failure of the US to stick around after they helped the Afghanis drive out the Soviets,left the door open for the Taliban to fill the power vaccum.
Isabel1130 at September 6, 2011 11:10 AM
I KNEW it was Zappa!
Eric at September 6, 2011 11:41 AM
> [4.] He wants attention.
Groupies (sex); exotic gifts (vacation travel, dinners, etc.); other things. POWER.
It's a racket! You should try it! You just have to be this good.
[Cridcomment at gmail] at September 6, 2011 11:57 AM
> Afghanis don't give a rat's ass about what
> the nation building the west is doing.
Who said we were in it for the gratitude? We're there because bad guys will do worse things there if we aren't.
(Is that ontopic enough for you, Justy?)
[Cridcomment at gmail] at September 6, 2011 11:59 AM
It's a plot to destroy the Afghan family.
MarkD at September 6, 2011 1:01 PM
The attention whore, Amy, is at it again.
All you wanted was attention and money. You couldn't be bothered to file a complaint. No cash or attention in it for you.
I hope the woman that 'raped' you, Ms. Magee wins a large judgement against you.
Y. Nokla at September 6, 2011 1:30 PM
People from other cultures are used to being submissive during assault... It's part of their heritage. Anyone remember Tressider?
Crid [Cridcomment at gmail] at September 6, 2011 2:05 PM
I don't have a clue who Tressider is. I can't imagine it's the Stanford University president or the famous Australian sculler...
Eric at September 6, 2011 2:53 PM
Here comes the rhetoric about how spending money on "foreign aid" is so much better than spending it here at home.
Only this time, it's Afghanistan, not Israel, so you won't be able to accuse me of hating our Jewish friends.
Maybe you all can declare a jihad?
Oh, and thanks 'Y' for the thoughtful comment on the other post here. Your post ignores the background on the whole thing, but you had to justify that 'attention whore' thing to yourself.
DrCos at September 6, 2011 2:54 PM
"Groupies (sex); exotic gifts (vacation travel, dinners, etc.); other things. POWER."
Damn, I'm doing something wrong.
And to "Y": We think it's hilarious when a first-time poster who's an obvious tool can't be bothered to post on the right thread.
Cousin Dave at September 6, 2011 4:36 PM
I'm going to forget the first half of her post about rebuilding Afghanistan. We made some serious mistakes how it was handled -- but that is water under the bridge. War with other countries is truly a Constitutional purview.
This is where I have an issue:
The scariest words ever uttered: We're from the government, and we're here to help.
Jim P. at September 6, 2011 8:41 PM
Another comment vanished, so apologies if this is a rerun...
Twice in these comments, critics have cited "getting attention" as a suspicious motive. Given the anonymity of the forum, it doesn't sense.
In the second case, the commenter seems to be recommending childlike submission to TSA authority. And the criticism is plenty juvenile... As if the critic's mentality is stuck back there in first grade, when (incompetent) parents would play weird emotional games with their kids at dinnertime instead of offering thoughtful discipline.
It's a blog. People are here to trade ideas. If you don't want to give me your attention, DON'T... It won't be missed. That'll work out fine for everyone.
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at September 6, 2011 10:12 PM
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