miked10270

But these "handful of Terrorists" have to get the bomb material FROM THE STATE! With permission from national leaders who want to continue to lead their nation... Or would settle for there continuing to be a nation! Would the Iranian State REALLY give nuclear materiel to terrorists and send them on their merry way knowing the certain consequences? Remember that the intrinsic "Atomic-Weapon-Threat" cuts both ways - Remember the American / Western doctrine on WMD response. In particular the position that atomic terrorism is ipso-facto state sponsored! Thus far, terrorist organisations have been singularly unsuccessful in obtaining atomic weapons. Nations tend to be a bit jealous about guarding them! Also, remember that America's "Considered" response to the destruction of 2 buildings was the invasion & subjurgation of 2 entire countries (so far)! We can realistically imagine America's (or indeed ANY atomic power's) JUSTIFIABLE response to an act of atomic terrorism! It's called MAD! Like I said, The leader of an atomic power has NEVER initiated a pre-emptive strike. What has happened (EVERY time since 1945) is that the nation has tended to become more moderate instead. What's to say that Iran would be any different from Britain, Russia, China, France, Israel, Pakistan, India, Taiwan, South Africa....? Mike. Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable. Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

The Iranians are attempting to enrich their own material in their own reactors. They're not shopping for atomic weapons, they're trying to build them so it's going to be their fingerprint. Try looking at it from the Iranian point of view of THEIR national security in the present situation. If they FEEL more secure, then tensions should ease in that region. I also think that a more moderate government would result in Iran - look at how the Pakistani Government has changed since their acquisition of nuclear weapons. Mike. Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable. Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

Doesn't work! Such a threat doesn't hold water - it fails The Clausewitz Test on war. Their own people wouldn't wear it. it goes completely against the Iranian people's survival instincts in that the ordinary citizen of an atomic power knows only too well the consequences of attempts at nuclear blackmail (and it doesn't fit at all well with their plans for tomorrow)! For example: Did America or The Soviet Union ever say; GET OUT OF KOREA OR WE GO NUCLEAR!? Did America or The Soviet Union or China make similar threats over Vietnam? Did India or Pakistan ever settle the Kashmir or the religious wars by overt nuclear threats? Have China or Taiwan ever threatened to nuke one another? There is only one credible threat that can be made with atomic weapons, and that threat is implicit in their possession: "DON'T PUSH US TOO FAR. IF WE LOSE TOO MUCH THEN BOTH OF US WILL LOSE EVERYTHING!" As I said before, possession of nuclear weapons precludes a "Total-War". what national leaders then fear is any war in case it escalates out of control (and thus strive to minimise any conflict)! In effect, atomic weapons ensure that their possessor cannot lose catastrophically since they "guarantee" that any winner against them would also suffer catastrophic loss. Mike. Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable. Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

If the only way for Iran to deliver a nuclear weapon was with a big missle, it would still be horrible, but at least the world could know what had happened and who had done it afterward. If they deliver a weapon in a way that cannot be traced, then that is a very different thing. Are you assuming that having obtained nuclear weapons, then Iran would actually use them pre-emptively? Why? No leader aware of the destructive power of atomic weapons would use them offensively & pre-emptively! This was why Truman removed atomic weapons from military control once he became fully aware of their power. To quote Stalin on atomic weapons: "... the Russian people would not understand us. Moreover, they would chase us away." or, better yet (again Stalin on war): "If war broke out, the use of A-Bombs woulddepend on Trumans (unfair; Truman authorised first use and later exonerated himself) and Hitlers being in power. The people won't allow such people to be in power. Atomic weapons can hardly be used without spelling the end of the world" Yeah... THAT Stalin. Even the psychotic "Uncle-Joe" quailed at the use of atomic weapons! There's nothing to suggest that Iran will be any different. Indeed, having atomic weapons would be more likely to force them to raise their diplomatic game - They could hardly call for the obliteration of the state of Israel convincingly when they possessed the means to do it... BUT... Can't use those (atomic) means since Israel is also a nuclear power and MAD would come into effect. A national leader who recommends what amounts to a "Mass-Suicide-Pact" with his people doesn't stay in power. Even Stalin, with his degree of control over the Soviet Union realised this! As far as delivery systems goes - then I'd expect Iran to have a limited range delivery system, on a par with India, Pakistan, Taiwan. A system capable of destroying an invader. Interestingly, each atomic weapon carries the signature of the reactor that produced the material... In effect, an "Atomic-Fingerprint". This renders the "Fedex-Bomb" impractical since it's accepted that such a bomb would be traced to it's country (reactor) of origin and the state would be a pariah. The world would watch and approve as revenge was meted out! Mutual Assured Destruction. Guaranteed total loss. Mike. Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable. Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

I'm afraid I wasn't talking peaceful nuclear power, I'm actually in favour of Iran having atomic bombs! My reasoning is threefold: 1. Iran's history. Iran was formed out of Persia, plus & minus bits, as drawn at the end of WWI by the victors of that conflict and as part of the dismantlement of the Ottoman Empire. It was then governed as a British Protectorate. After WWII, (I think around 1949 & once the Russians were ejected from the country's north, it was granted independence with a pro western government installed by Britain & America. Elections were held in 1952 and the socialists (read Potential-Pinko-Commie-Bastards) gained power! This was unacceptable to The USA, perhaps a monarchy would be better, so by 1953 The CIA assisted (installed) Shah Pawlavi as ruler! OK. He was repressive & autocratic, but he was Pro-America and that's what counted! Feel free to continue the history of American / Western interference in Iran at your leisure! In total, Iranians feel that America & The West just couldn't ever resist interfering in their country and there's nothing to suggest that has changed. Right now, Iran, with Afghanistan to it's west, Iraq to It's East etc... Iran feels isolated & surrounded by America. There's a seige mentality developing. They fully expect America to invade & enforce "regime-Change on them just as they've done to Afghanistan & Iraq in the last few years. The Iranians might be being paranoid, but their concern is whether they're being paranoid enough. 2. Effective defence. Iran, along with the rest of the world knows that AMerica / The West are "The Varsity" when it comes to conventional warfare. What America invades, America conquers. American troops are not only the best equipped in the world, they're also very experienced having fought (& won) so many wars & carried out so many successful invasions since the end of The Cold War. As far as a conventional war goes, Iran KNOWS it'd lose. But... For "Nuclear-Powers", the rules change. no country, once it has obtained nuclear weapons has ever been invaded or had it's interests significantly damaged. The mere possession of nuclear weapons renders invasion of a possessing country unacceptably costly in terms of casualties & worthless in terms of gains. In effect, you can't push a Nuclear Power to the point where it has nothing to lose - if you do, then both sides lose unacceptably. In effect, Iran is in a very similar position to NATO during the cold war, facing a perceived superior conventional Soviet force & the only effective defence against invasion is to make the invasion completely unprofitable. Iran feels it NEEDS a "Flexible-Response" & MAD to insure it against conventional invasion. Iran actually wants "Detente". It wants to ensure that the major power with a long & frequent history of interfering directly with it & its neighbours affairs to be prevented from carrying out direct action against it again. Of course, it's a matter of opinion as to whether these points are reasonable, but consider: 3. Nuclear weapons are peacekeepers. Every weapon ever developed, from the "Pointy Rock" to the "Aircraft Carrier" equipped with "Jet Bombers" & "Guided Missiles" has always been passed to the military as soon as its developed for inclusion in tactical doctrine. All weapons are usable to win a war .... EXCEPT ONE! Nuclear weapons, by their very destructive nature are regarded as weapons of statecraft, not tactics (apart from the very first & only deployments) and, while promoting a possessing countys security, nuclear weapons simultaneously prevent that country engaging in "Total-War" with another. "Total-War" guarantees Total-Loss through MAD! Every leader of a country which has acquired nuclear weapons has faced this dilemma. Even Stalin (who happily murdered 20 million of his own people) and Mao Zedong (who almost certainly did even more than Stalin) quailed at any suggestion of actual use of their nuclear arsenal! A prime example of this was India & Pakistan. Prior to these countries gaining nuclear weapons, they fought several evenly matched unrestricted wars over various disputed territories and also on religious grounds. Since becoming Nuclear Powers, they no longer fight. Possession of these weapons have forced them to confine their differences to peaceful negotiations because they can no longer wage unrestricted war on one another and are afraid of any war they were to wage escalating beyond their political control. This is a real historical situation. The third European war and the American-Soviet-European wars that were prevented during the 1950's & 60's by possession of Nuclear weapons can only be imagined. Admittedly, Korea & Vietnam were bloody conflicts, but they were strictly limited by the "Superpowers" involved, none of whom, it's now known, wanted to become involved in either conflict, but felt forced to support the client governments involved reluctantly and only sufficiently to prevent their client governments' collapse. Anyway, that's my $0.02. my considered case for Iran gaining nuclear weapons. Mike. Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable. Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

If you look at The FACTS(!) Hamas isn't a "Terrorist-Organisation" in Palestine. They're actually a "Humanitarian-Organisation" which builds & staffs schools, basic hospitals, and other aid infrastructure! I suppose it's called "Winning the Publicity War", which is really THE war to win. In effect, Hamas won the palestinian election NOT for their terror attacks, but for the apparent good they've done in the place where the election was held. Winning by force... "Kickin' Ass" (which is what America is doing now) isn't really winning. It's a short term victory which only fuels resentment. What America REALLY has to find is a way of "Winning while appearing to lose". In effect to achieve what America wants (peaceful coexistence & free trade?) without causing resentment in the Muslim World. Strangely, I believe that Iran becoming a nuclear power would actually help that in so far as possession of atomic weapons would give the Iranians a far greater sense of security. Mike. Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable. Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

What is wrong with them(?) is that they object to the imposition of "The American Way" on them by force. A secular state combined with capitalist free market economy with a definite division of Church & State has proven to be a very effective way to allow a country to largely run itself. There can be no denial that it has served America, Western Europe and associated countries very well for the past 60 years and it is beginning to serve Eastern Europe & Asia every bit as well. However, not every culture may accept it. A different, more religiously focussed culture may prefer a more planned economy, and it is the attempts to impose a Western European political & economic model on another culture that causes resentment. It may be done with the most benevolent motives, but the resentment is still caused. It was once viewed by America as sufficient merely to show how they did things, and other countries could follow and perform like America or not as they pleased. At that time, America had faith in it's system of government & economics. Remember that America as head of The Coalition invaded Afghanistan & Iraq to enforce a change of regime. In the case of Iraq, the particular mission has been completed, Saddam Hussein has been toppled. The median Iraqi & Muslim World view is: [/]"Job Done... You Can Go Home Now!" In effect, they simply want self-determination and government of their country back. Remember that Iraq WASN'T an invasion, it was a liberation. Because they feel that they can handle things from now, they begin to question the motives of The Americans in staying. Since I'm reading about Reagan's "Ivan & Anya, Jim & Sally" speeches, let's put it in those terms: Say you're doing yard work & trying to trim a tree with a hand saw. Your neighbour comes along with his chain saw and helps you trim the tree. That's great. Job done in half the time. "Thanks, Neighbour". But your neighbour doesn't go away, he goes into your house, tells you to put the coffee on and says he's going to fix your plumbing. Never mind that you're going to fix your own plumbing tomorrow, your neighbour is fixing it for you now. He tells you to go to the hardware store and gives you a list. Never mind that you already have a list, his list also has electrical stuff on it 'cos he's going to look at your wiring while he's here, then he'll do some work on your drains, tidy up your houses paintwork, fix your windows, and hoover while you're at the store.....! At what point do you turn around and ask him: "JUST WHOSE FUCKING HOUSE DO YOU THINK THIS IS?" And there you are. He's America... You're Iraq. Mike. Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable. Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

These are just SUPERB!!! Mike. Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable. Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

Yeah, there seems to be more & more entrenchment on both sides. Right now, I just don't see the problems with the "Danish Boycott", but perhaps this is based on ignorance - I always thought that Denmarks principal exports were Pork-Products and Pornography! I didn't really see much of a Muslim market for either. Also, I don't see Carlsberg Beer doing too well in a culture which prohibits alcohol. Just a stray thought... If they chop your hands off for stealing, do you suppose they'd liposuction your beer gut away if they caught you drinking? Mike. Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable. Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

Dear Husband: I'm writing you this letter to tell you that I'm leaving you for good. I've been a good woman to you for seven years and I have nothing to show for it. These last two weeks have been hell. Your boss called to tell me that you had quit your job today and that was the last straw. Last week, you came home and didn't notice that I had gotten my hair and nails done, cooked your favorite meal and even wore a brand new negligee. You came home and ate in two minutes, and went straight to sleep after watching the game. You don't tell me you love me anymore, you don't touch me or anything. You're cheating or you don't love me anymore, whatever the case is, I'm gone. P.S. If you're trying to find me, don't. Your BROTHER and I are moving away to West Virginia together! Have a great life! Your EX-Wife ***************** Dear Ex-Wife: Nothing has made my day more than receiving your letter. It's true that you and I have been married for seven years, although a good woman is a far cry from what you've been. I watch sports so much to try to drown out your constant nagging. Too bad that doesn't work. I did notice when you cut off all of your hair last week, the first thing that came to mind was "You look just like a man!" My mother raised me to not say anything if you can't say anything nice. When you cooked my favorite meal, you must have gotten me confused with MY BROTHER, because I stopped eating pork seven years ago - about the same time that you did! I went to sleep on you when you had on that new negligee because the price tag was still on it. I prayed that it was a coincidence that my brother had just borrowed fifty dollars from me that morning and your negligee was $49.99. After all of this, I still loved you and felt that we could work it out. So when I discovered that I had hit the lotto for ten million dollars, I quit my job and bought us two tickets to Jamaica. But when I got home you were gone. Everything happens for a reason I guess. I hope you have the filling life you always wanted My lawyer said with your letter that you wrote, you won't get a dime from me. So take care. P.S. I don't know if I ever told you this but Carl, my brother was born Carla. I hope that's not a problem. Mike. Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable. Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

Amen to that. If I'd been standing close to the attack I'd have taken any opportunity to clobber "Hatchet-Boy" if only to stop him before he decided to go for me! Too bad you're preachin' to the choir here PJ. Remember that skydivers have developed an ability to act DECISIVELY in high stress situations! Mike. Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable. Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

Just my $0.02, having been on both sides of the mental health fence... Self intoxication / self induced insanity can't (shouldn't) be any defence. A major problem with the modern drugs used to treat mental illness is that they're VERY effective - so effective that once on them the sufferer becomes functional and fit to be in society unsupervised. They're normal, and the result of this is that all too often, without close supervision they try stopping their medication. & don't realise their behaviour is becoming abherrant as the drugs wear off! All too often, no-one bothers until their behaviour deteriorates to the point where there are serious consequences for others! IF this woman was truly insane at the time of the crime, then what she did would have made perfect sense to her. As far as she was concerned, she was doing the right thing. The REAL problem is that since it's going into an adversarial Criminal-Justice System, any attempt at a clear & focussed enquiry into this incident will go straight out of the window! One team of lawyers will do their utmost to prove she's an evil vicious cold-blooded premeditated murderess who should be executed, while another team of lawyers will do their utmost to show that she's a complete innocent who should be set free into society without any conditions! AND... Out of that, 12 folk, the majority of whom are only there because they're too dim to dodge Jury service are supposed to get to the truth & rule accordingly!!? At least it'll make good TV for a while. Mike. Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable. Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

Are you looking for justice?... Or just some sort of vicarious revenge? Legal punishments, even capital punishment is designed as a deterrent. Unfortunately, if someone isn't sane then they can't make a sane judgement! Hopefully the court will make a proper investigation to determine the facts of this case & her sanity... Hopefully the court case WON'T degenerate into some point-scoring-farce to further some lawyers' future political career! As for the prosecution holding 2 cases back in case they lose, that is reprehensible and suggests that the prosecutor is already playing at politics - he certainly isn't upholding the law. Mike. Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable. Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

Play fair - the Heckler & Koch redesign improved the weapon beyond all recognition to the point where it's merely an unreliable jam-prone piece of shite! At least it doesn't self-disassemble any more and the magazine no longer falls out (as often)! The Irish Guards Colonel - the one who was done for his "energetic" chats with Iraqis - was talking about the various complaints against him by MoD. One of them was that he collected an AK47 & used it as his personal weapon instead of an SA80. He stated: "That wasn't true. I didn't have an AK47, I had 3 of the feckers! Ma troops used them as well. We used what worked. We got some American (M-16) rifles as well, but the AK was better". Mike. Edited to add: It was Colonel Tim Collins, Royal Irish Regiment. Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable. Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

Yeah... EXACTLY like the SA-80 / IW(s) / L85... "To load, push the magazine home firmly but not forcibly , pull the cocking handle fully back allowing the extractor port cover to open by itself, release the cocking handle and allow it to return under spring pressure, then push the cocking handle forward!!!" Why didn't they just say "This is a jammed weapon looking for an excuse!" Apparently, just like any dodgy piece of criminal shite it has a tendency to keep changing it's name to avoid getting blame. Mike. PS: Did you see that ex Irish Guards Colonel (forgot his name) talking about being accused of possessing an AK47 during his tour in Iraq? Too funny. Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable. Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

OR...! The US Forces will get the cheapest, crappiest, who-cares-if-it's-reliable-is-it-CHEAP!!? collection of pistol-shaped-plumbers-junk in .45Cal instead of 9mm. Then the USDoD can cut back on training 'cos of the increased ammo costs! Mike. Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable. Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

THIS and THIS is all you'll ever need! Mike. Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable. Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

I believe there's a PIRA Group presently resident in Gibraltar Cemetery who would take issue with that statement... If they could! Mike. Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable. Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

Now THAT'S a damn good question. When I saw the title, I just assumed it was a workplace shooting - not a full & proper "Postal"! For what it's worth, given my recent dealings with British Post Office Counters workers, I can give an excellent reason for Britain's prohibition on Big-Knives, Machine-Guns & Flamethrowers!!! Mike. Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable. Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

Only if you're from Indiana! You're "Gator-Bait" aren't you? Anyway - back to the condemned man's last words. I guess that it's effectively a "Dying-Declaration". Most legal systems allow that if someone KNOWS they're about to die, then they have no reason to lie - therefore any statement from them does have some legal significance, always assuming that it's relevant. I suppose you're going to have to start executing a more intelligent class of criminal. Mike. Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable. Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

With that logic, would you say that willingness to accept gun control reflects confidence in the state? In effect, if you have confidence in your government, legal system, etc... THEN you're willing to accept gun control. OTOH... If you're worried about how your government is going to behave, if you mistrust your government & legal system, then you want to arm yourselves. Mike. PS: Britain is a lousy example since guns have been successfully demonised here. Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable. Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

The Dutch have a simple explanation for being such a laid back & relaxed nation... Back in the 1800's they exported all their psychos out to South Africa! Mike. Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable. Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

You would just LOVE Iceland! Really... The link just doesn't do the whole name thing justice! For that, You've REALLY gotta get invited to a family gathering. I went to one once - I had 50% of the total number of different names all to myself - exotic or what!? Mike. Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable. Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

Pizza Delivery! Of course, that'll never happen... Will it!... Will it? Mike. Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable. Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

Now that the "Cold War" is looked at as history & subjected to analysis from a distance. Now that archives are opened on both sides. Now that we've all kind of CALMED DOWN... There's PLENTY of laughs - Mainly had by comparing what each side really wanted or tried to achieve, as opposed to what each side THOUGHT the other wanted and was trying to achieve...! Talk about "Lack Of Communication"...! The whole thing reads more like a Whitehall Farce that the deadly serious End-Of-The-World-Game that it seemed to be when we were actually in the middle of it. Mike. So yeah... I agree with Bill. We'll come out of this. Look back on it. And wonder what all the fuss was about. Then we'll find somebody else to hate! Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable. Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.