LixyChick,

They never were - at least as some might want.

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Eudaimonia

Personally I enjoy talking about it even with people of opposing views, you learn more that way than if you talk to all people who have the exact same view, but I realize most people get way to caught up in the debate and the conflict becomes personal. So yes I steer away from politics and religion.

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The last war the military-industrial complex didn't profit from was fought with sticks and stones.

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Calm, quiet, smooth, devastating

And I'd be willing to bet "Og's Sticks & Stones Inc." soon figured out how to clean up supplying both sides even then...

Didn't someone once say that all wars are fought over commerce?

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Plug me into somethin'

If the theory does not conform to the facts, then the facts must be discarded.

No good deed ever goes unpunished

Never argue with an idiot. He'll drag you down to his level, & beat you with experience.

Changed that.. but yes I think for the majority of them.

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Carl von Clausewitz, in On War said "war is a means to a political end". He also said "War is merely the continuation of policy by other means". Basically the same thing.

On War is one of those books most people should read, and I kick myself for having never gotten around to it.

You can read On War here http://www.clausewitz.com/CWZHOME/V.../ONWARTOC2.HTML

if it so intrests you.

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Jude30, yes, I highly recommend Clausewitz. And, if you have the time, Sun Tzu, "The Art of War".

But as a follow-on to Clausewitz, read Gen Rupert Smith's, "The Utility of Force", Alfred A Knopf publishers, 2005.

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On the kinkometer, my kink measures as a sine wave.

I understand that but Cheney is making SO much money in Iraq. It's sickening, IMHO.

Steph,

Do you have any evidence to support that claim?

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Eudaimonia

Do you have any evidence that doesn't?

Does he still own stock in Halliburton? If so it would seem to be pretty obvious that he has earned a crap load of money off of dividends from that stock which would have greatly benefited from the no bid contracts Halliburton was awarded.

The unspoken (till now) question was whether these plutocrats failed to stop this war in order to line their pockets.

It will take a congressional enquiry to absolutely establish whether this happened, so until that day, all is cynical speculation.

Sad, innit?

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Calm, quiet, smooth, devastating

Jude30,

For anyone who might be interested in facts on some of these issues ...

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Eudaimonia

^^^that stuff reads drier and more remote than a vcr programming guide.

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Trees give peace to the souls of men * Nora Waln

The forest would be very quiet if no other birds sang than those who sing the best * Henry van Dyke

some fairly sordid tales, rambles, and anecdotes
Hypothetically Speaking * Something More * Cammy Interrupted * An Experimental Vacation * Masked * so..damn..hot * Thank You * My toy, his idea * no.19 Maple Lane * I Have A Surprise For You * Yesterday * In a Quiet Kitchen * help me decide * untitled prose * more untitled prose

wyndhy,

Quite true! That stuff is also the federal law addressing some of the rather amusing speculations I have read here.

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Eudaimonia