Anyone else wonder if it's because Bhutto could win reelection?

Could be, Reynolds, could very well be.

Jesus, what a mess!

Something tells me that Britain never should have left that part of South Asia.  India is doing ok, but Pakistan and Bangladesh are in rather pathetic shape.

Bhutto poses a major threat to General M.  She has the popular vote.  I love how he's comparing Pakistan's Marshal Law to when Abe Lincoln suspended habeas corpus.

Something tells me that Britain never should have left that part of South Asia.  India is doing ok, but Pakistan and Bangladesh are in rather pathetic shape.


True, very true.

Bhutto poses a major threat to General M.  She has the popular vote.  I love how he's comparing Pakistan's Marshal Law to when Abe Lincoln suspended habeas corpus.


Well, Lincoln was heavily criticized around his time. Things were worse with him than Bush, but I can't tell. James Madison's presidency had more sheesh to deal with and it took awhile to get America out with the War of 1812 and Louisiana.

ATTENTION CITIZENS:  When, at long last, I roll up to the seat of government in my tank, my minions gleefully casting the still-smoldering bodies of the unconverted before its treads, and finally take my rightfully-appointed place as your God, the Constitution of the Planetary Corporate State of Foo shall commence with the following preamble:

WHEREAS, the word "Marshal" is a word meaning "to assimilate, to bring in, to bring under control", and is either a very high military position (c.f. Grand Marshal, Marshal of the Air Force, etc.) or refers, in the context of law enforcement, to one who brings fugitives to justice (c.f. U.S. Marshal, etc.), and

WHEREAS, the word "Martial" is a word meaning "of, or pertaining to Mars, the God of War", and is used to refer to a legal system under which the military, rather than any judiciary, is granted the absolute monopoly of force over a geographical region,

NOW LET IT BE KNOW THAT, in the Corporate State of Foo, that any Citizen using the phrase "Marshall Law" shall be flogged for the remainder of his or her natural life with a wet noodle.

The rest of my Constitution, I'm still working on.  But it's gonna start with that.

My plan for world domination starts modestly, with my humble peeve ranch.  I've been breeding peeves for years now, and not understanding the distinction between "Martial Law" (what's going on in Pakistan) and "Marshall Law" (which doesn't exist, except as "Marshall's Law", a marketing slogan implying great values for customers who shop at the "Marshall's" chain of department stores) is one of my biggest and longest-lived pet peeves. 

Now, all that aside.  Reynolds is otherwise right.  (Still subject to wet-noodle treatment when I take power, but since that hasn't happened yet, (edit: my bad for not looking, S)he's off the hook for now), he's still right.

The last thing the President General wants is to have to hand over power to Bhutto.  The good thing about the situation is that whoever wins (and as much as I prefer Bhutto on grounds of basic competence) the current kerfuffle, the terrorists lose.  Both Mushie and Bhutto are loathed by the fundie Muslims who have taken over a good portion of Pakistan.  After the dust settles, the winner (whether it's Mushie or Bhutto) will be more willing to work with the US in order to consolidate their tenuous hold on power.

The $64,000,000,000 question is who's got control over the nukes, especially on the off chance that neither Mushie nor Bhutto can take and consolidate power in the next few weeks.  If "control" means "the ability to vaporize within ~mumble~ time if things go pear-shaped", the US has control over them, probably much to the relief of everyone involved. 

Still, gonna be an interesting month over there.

Just a side note...  Reynolds is female.

Just a side note...  Reynolds is female.


And no sooner do I fix my failure to check, than I realize we have to add the Republic of Georgia to the list as of a few hours ago.  In lieu of research, Georgria seems like a fairly straightforward power grab by Putin or someone allied with him. 

Anyone taking bets on who's next?

ATTENTION CITIZENS:  When, at long last, I roll up to the seat of government in my tank, my minions gleefully casting the still-smoldering bodies of the unconverted before its treads, and finally take my rightfully-appointed place as your God, the Constitution of the Planetary Corporate State of Foo shall commence with the following preamble:

WHEREAS, the word "Marshal" is a word meaning "to assimilate, to bring in, to bring under control", and is either a very high military position (c.f. Grand Marshal, Marshal of the Air Force, etc.) or refers, in the context of law enforcement, to one who brings fugitives to justice (c.f. U.S. Marshal, etc.), and

WHEREAS, the word "Martial" is a word meaning "of, or pertaining to Mars, the God of War", and is used to refer to a legal system under which the military, rather than any judiciary, is granted the absolute monopoly of force over a geographical region,

NOW LET IT BE KNOW THAT, in the Corporate State of Foo, that any Citizen using the phrase "Marshall Law" shall be flogged for the remainder of his or her natural life with a wet noodle.

The rest of my Constitution, I'm still working on.  But it's gonna start with that.

My plan for world domination starts modestly, with my humble peeve ranch.  I've been breeding peeves for years now, and not understanding the distinction between "Martial Law" (what's going on in Pakistan) and "Marshall Law" (which doesn't exist, except as "Marshall's Law", a marketing slogan implying great values for customers who shop at the "Marshall's" chain of department stores) is one of my biggest and longest-lived pet peeves. 

Now, all that aside.  Reynolds is otherwise right.  (Still subject to wet-noodle treatment when I take power, but since that hasn't happened yet, (edit: my bad for not looking, S)he's off the hook for now), he's still right.

The last thing the President General wants is to have to hand over power to Bhutto.  The good thing about the situation is that whoever wins (and as much as I prefer Bhutto on grounds of basic competence) the current kerfuffle, the terrorists lose.  Both Mushie and Bhutto are loathed by the fundie Muslims who have taken over a good portion of Pakistan.  After the dust settles, the winner (whether it's Mushie or Bhutto) will be more willing to work with the US in order to consolidate their tenuous hold on power.

The $64,000,000,000 question is who's got control over the nukes, especially on the off chance that neither Mushie nor Bhutto can take and consolidate power in the next few weeks.  If "control" means "the ability to vaporize within ~mumble~ time if things go pear-shaped", the US has control over them, probably much to the relief of everyone involved. 

Still, gonna be an interesting month over there.


All that aside Pakistan has been well known for it's unstable government from the get go.

Just a side note...  Reynolds is female.


Yep. :)

Something tells me that Britain never should have left that part of South Asia.  India is doing ok, but Pakistan and Bangladesh are in rather pathetic shape.


Even better, maybe they should never have gone in.

Even better, maybe they should never have gone in.


Perhaps, but if they never had, the Soviets would have likely done so later on.  Also, Japan would have crushed them, if Britain wasn't defending them during WW2.

In short, it was only a matter of time before some more technologically advanced empire was going to conquer India.  Britain just happened to be the one that did it, and of all the empires that have come and gone, I'd say the Brits were the least oppressive.

Even better, maybe they should never have gone in.

Karma +1

Bhutto's under house arrest.  About that election that's to happen in February . . .doubtful. :-\\

Even better, maybe they should never have gone in.


.. and leave that whole area a mess? India grew by leaps and bounds because of Britain's involvement. No, once again, Islam is rearing it's ugly head.

.. and leave that whole area a mess? India grew by leaps and bounds because of Britain's involvement. No, once again, Islam is rearing it's ugly head.


India is a Hindu nation which welcomes western ideals.  Pakistan is Islamic.  The reason why Pakistan is so important to the U.S. is purely for military transportation and their nuclear program. 

India is a Hindu nation which welcomes western ideals. 
And American jobs!
::)

India is a Hindu nation which welcomes western ideals.  Pakistan is Islamic.  The reason why Pakistan is so important to the U.S. is purely for military transportation and their nuclear program. 


I know exactly what India is.

My whole point was the Islamic fanatics are once again causing problems.

And American jobs!
::)


They'd probably tell you in capitalism all is fair.  Damn that tech support. :P

I know exactly what India is.

My whole point was the Islamic fanatics are once again causing problems.


I agree.

I agree.


Pretty much.

It seems wherever the seeds of democracy are spread, fundamentalism (and don't get me wrong, it's not just the Islamic sorts, Christians are trying to do the same in the U.S) tries to p*ss out the fire.

Pretty much.

It seems wherever the seeds of democracy are spread, fundamentalism (and don't get me wrong, it's not just the Islamic sorts, Christians are trying to do the same in the U.S) tries to p*ss out the fire.


Neither would want true democracy would underline fundamentalism.  Fundamentalism is about absolute power.  I've often asked does the Middle East really want our form of democracy?  Perhaps we're shoving it down their throats.

Neither would want true democracy would underline fundamentalism.  Fundamentalism is about absolute power.  I've often asked does the Middle East really want our form of democracy?  Perhaps we're shoving it down their throats.


C'mon!  Doesn anybody REALLY think we're over there to spread democracy?
I mean, anybody other than those who watch FOX News and believe everything!

C'mon!  Doesn anybody REALLY think we're over there to spread democracy?
I mean, anybody other than those who watch FOX News and believe everything!


Ok, world domination and oil.

Fox News is the finest in Right-Wing Utopia propaganda.

Ok, world domination and oil.

Fox News is the finest in Right-Wing Utopia propaganda.








CNN is the opposite, they're Left-Wing.

There really needs to be a Middle-Ground.

CNN is the opposite, they're Left-Wing.

There really needs to be a Middle-Ground.


When you find something let me know.

CNN is the opposite, they're Left-Wing.



CNN is NOT left wing.  Period.  They're corporate lackeys, they just don't think homosexuals should be shot on sight and whatnot, so that makes the "left wing" in the Bill O'Reilly book!
:D

CNN is NOT left wing.  Period.  They're corporate lackeys, they just don't think homosexuals should be shot on sight and whatnot, so that makes the "left wing" in the Bill O'Reilly book!
:D


Isn't CNN owned by Ted Turner?  If so Bill O'Reilly hates it by default.

It seems wherever the seeds of democracy are spread, fundamentalism (and don't get me wrong, it's not just the Islamic sorts, Christians are trying to do the same in the U.S) tries to p*ss out the fire.


Pretty much...  dogma (in all of its forms) is the enemy of democracy.

Pretty much...  dogma (in all of its forms) is the enemy of democracy.

Reaganomics was dogma and an enemy of democracy if ever there was.  It has been the reigning dogma for the past 26 years and it is what's killing this country. 

Reaganomics was dogma and an enemy of democracy if ever there was.  It has been the reigning dogma for the past 26 years and it is what's killing this country. 


The wonderful "trickle down" system.  Regan didn't have a clue.  It's going to cost billions of dollars to fix it, no one wants to pay the bill of course.

Reaganomics was dogma and an enemy of democracy if ever there was.  It has been the reigning dogma for the past 26 years and it is what's killing this country. 

Agreed....

The wonderful "trickle down" system.  Regan didn't have a clue.  It's going to cost billions of dollars to fix it, no one wants to pay the bill of course.

Mr. Reagan knew exactly what the game was and the transnational capitalists have no intention of fixing it because events have unfolded as they have planned. 

Mr. Reagan knew exactly what the game was and the transnational capitalists have no intention of fixing it because events have unfolded as they have planned. 


That didn't include longterm planning or Cause and Effect.