On the Bookshelf: Cobra II (NOW WITH POLL!)

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Friday October 13, 2006 · 8:10 PM PDT

2006/10/13 · 20:10

Well, I just received my copy of Fiasco, so I guess is time to write my review of Cobra II. Luckily for me the authors resumed the administrations blunders in the epilogue. Nice touch if you ask me. Lets see what we got: Read More

The Trifecta of Tyranny

Ralfast

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Thursday September 28, 2006 · 3:31 PM PDT

2006/09/28 · 15:31

What are the tools necessary to create a tyrannical state? Three simple tools:

The ability to designate anyone as an "Enemy of the State." This first power is the most important as it enables the State to move freely against those it considers a threat to its survival.
The ability to do whatever it wishes with said enemies.
Lack of real any real limits on the power of the State.

Ralfast

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Tuesday September 19, 2006 · 2:20 PM PDT

2006/09/19 · 14:20

In military strategy, a choke point is a geographical feature (such as a valley or defile) which forces an army to go into a narrower formation (greatly decreasing combat power) in order to pass through it. A choke point would allow a numerically inferior army to successfully fend off a larger army since the attacker would not be able to bring his superior numbers to bear.
Wikipedia Entry

Crossposted to Ruins of Empire Read More

Choke Point: The Strait of Hormuz

Ralfast

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Friday August 18, 2006 · 12:40 PM PDT

2006/08/18 · 12:40

A choke point is a narrowing of an international waterway to a distance of less than 24 miles (38 km), necessitating the drawing of a median line (maritime) boundary. These are almost always strategic locations where, presumably, a blockading naval force could "choke" off the waterway. Examples are the Hormuz Strait between Oman and Iran at the entrance to the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Malacca between Malaysia and Indonesia, the Bab-el-Mandeb...
Wikipedia Entry

(Cross posted to Ruins of Empire) Read More

The Painfully Obvious or Obviously Painful?

Ralfast

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Thursday July 27, 2006 · 12:11 PM PDT

2006/07/27 · 12:11

Ok, I had enough. The Democrats have to get their act together. Bush polls ratings are below 40%, even with the "Mid-East" crissis bounce. November is around the corner and yet their is no coherent Democratic strategy to take on Republicans. They should lock all the Dems with Murtha in a room at the Watergate for 24hrs and work them over (West Wing style gosh if everything in politics would be like the West Wing, but I digress), but only after Lamont runs over Lieberman in the primary (why bother with him, if he will be spending the the night texting his Republican bedfellows, you know, 'cause it would be unfair to keep them out of the loop) . Murtha should summon all his Marine gung-ho skills and do the following: Read More

"Hey, YOU! Get on the boat! Reality is coming and we gotta' get the hell outta' here!"

Ralfast

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Tuesday July 25, 2006 · 10:25 PM PDT

2006/07/25 · 22:25

Here we see a Navy beachmaster evacuating Americans from Lebanon. A striking pose, full of energy and purpose, except that this a retreat, not an assault. The reality of the Israeli indiscriminate non-war on Lebannon has pushed hundreds of thousands out of their homes. Of course, none of these things where supposed to happen: Read More

Choke Point: Part I

Ralfast

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Saturday July 15, 2006 · 1:01 PM PDT

2006/07/15 · 13:01

35.89 miles; border=

or 57.75 kilometers. That is the distance that separates the battles raging from Lebanon to the Indian subcontinent. The difference between a a very hot summer of penny pitching parents draging their kids to and fro in the back of minivans to finding out that your stranded on an airport somehwere because the airline(s) went bankrupt. That is the distance in miles separate the fighting in Lebanon from the so called World War that conservative bubbleheads screech about in public but eagerly await in private. Still don't know what I'm talking about? Ok, maybe it's because you don't recognize the neighborhood in which these 35 or so miles live: Read More

The Seven Deadly Sins, according to the Republican Ethos

Ralfast

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Monday July 03, 2006 · 12:52 PM PDT

2006/07/03 · 12:52

Since the Republicans like to speak as if they have God on their lips, I think it about time to see if their words match their actions.

Therefore I present to you, the Seven Deadly Sins, according to the family loving, values inspiring and selfless agenda of the Republican party (with pictures!) Read More

Trust Us?

Ralfast

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Thursday May 11, 2006 · 4:50 PM PDT

2006/05/11 · 16:50

The mantra these days in Washington coming from the Republicans is "Trust us, we know what where doing in" or the reverse, "You can't trust the Democrats, because they don't have a clue."

Ok...let see if we can trust the republicans... Read More

The Anatomy of a Half-Thruth

Ralfast

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Monday April 10, 2006 · 9:05 PM PDT

2006/04/10 · 21:05

On the streets of a modern day Imperial capital:

"_ maintains what we call the Strategic Intelligence Estimate. This is a document updated on a daily basis which gives our assessment of the political and military strength of our adversaries. Because of the nature of our work, and because serious mistakes made in the past, we have three assessment teams who make the estimated Best Case, Worst Case and Middle Case. The terms are self-explanatory, are they not? When we make a presentation to the ___, we generally use the Middle Case estimate, and for obvious reasons we annotate our estimates with data from the other two."
"So when he was called to give his assessment to the ___"
"Yes, Young J__, the ambitious little bastard who wants my job as a wolf wants a sheep, was clever enough to bring all three with him. When he saw what they wanted, he gave them what they wanted."
-------
"But he lied to the ___" S__ nearly shouted.
"Not at all. You think J__ is foolish? He handed over an official _ intelligence estimate drawn up under my chairmanship, by my department heads."

Ralfast

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Wednesday April 05, 2006 · 5:11 PM PDT

2006/04/05 · 17:11

Surprise, surprise! After railing against several papers for among other things, taking the side of child molesters, Bill O'Reilly is missing in action.

Follow me after the flip! Read More

V for...Veritas?

Ralfast

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Tuesday March 21, 2006 · 3:32 PM PST

2006/03/21 · 15:32

I just saw the movie and thought it was good, not great, but good. However, the thing that ran though the back of my mind was several comments I heard about the movie such as it been anti-American, anti-Christian, Hollywood propaganda, the feverish dreams of left-wingers gripped in paranoia. Me thinks doth protest to much! Those on the right who protest movies apparent glorification of terrorism are really complaining about the biting commentary of their political and media icons. From Rush to George and Dick and few dozen others. And as the main character exclaims in his overworked theatrical style, artist use lies to tell the truth while politicians use lies to hide the truth. And here is where the polemic really lies.

cross-posted to http://ruinsofempire.blogspot.com Read More

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On the Bookshelf: Cobra II (NOW WITH POLL!)

The Trifecta of Tyranny

Choke Point: Basra

Choke Point: The Strait of Hormuz

The Painfully Obvious or Obviously Painful?

"Hey, YOU! Get on the boat! Reality is coming and we gotta' get the hell outta' here!"

Choke Point: Part I

The Seven Deadly Sins, according to the Republican Ethos

Trust Us?

The Anatomy of a Half-Thruth

O'Falafel is missing in action!

V for...Veritas?