draconix Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 POLL:Do you think that the government and news media have done a good job of keeping our wars, and occupations, and what have you, and our reasons for being in various places clear and separate? Or do you think that they have been all sort of muddled together? Someone earlier mentioned that they won't get into why we're in the middle-east, because it was a different topic. I thought that sounded about right, so here's that topic. :thumbsup: Now I didn't start this in order to state my opinion on what happened that got us to where we are, mostly because I know that I have no clue why we are in the middle-east. I have a few theories, but I'd like to see a good discussion. Maybe we can get to the root of all of this death and violence? Maybe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grannywils Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 I was going to wait to post on this thread but decided to just go on and get shot down early. I believe we are in the Middle-east for multiple reasons. I have listed them below in no particular order. I will not elaborate on each. I will just list them, and let others elaborate. No, media and government not clear on reasoning. 1. We have a major ally in the ME. Israel2. We had some other allies in the ME who are now questionable. Saudi Arabia, Egypt, etc.3. There is lots of oil in the ME, that we would love to get our hands on permanently4. We have lots of enemies (self-created, in my opinion), that we need to keep our eye on5. We have some bases nearby that require manpower6. Oh yes, we are at war with one or two countries over there as well as some terrorists that are based in and around the ME7. There are a couple of corporations (with connections) doing work for our military in the ME, making gazillions of dollars, and they would just hate to lose that income. That will do for now. I am sure other posters can add to the list..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeyYou Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 I don't see an answer that I agree with in the poll...... We are in the middle east because of oil. That's it, plain and simple. As for the 'reasons' that the government/media has purported to be the case, they are lies, and manipulations. Especially Iraq. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saraane Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 Heyyou, the poll was asking whether the news/Unca Sam were doing a good job on keeping us informed on WHY we were at war with so many countries out in the ME (I count the "not war" also). Clear as mud! Considering the fact that to get the unvarnished truth I have to go to the two right and left extremes, the BBC, online news sites/blogs AND talk to some friends that check different sources from I... I'm about convinced they are TRYING to keep us in the dark! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ub3rman123 Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 We're in the Middle East because we've been there for a decade and our government seems to see no reason to stop now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
draconix Posted August 11, 2011 Author Share Posted August 11, 2011 So I'll just try to re-cap this saga in the middle east as best as I can understand it... The events of 9/11 sparked George Bush's "War on Terror," an illegal war, since it was not declared through congress. The war on an idea, generally speaking, is a pretty terrible idea, based on how well the War on Drugs is turning out, and this brush war. So, that war on terror sent us after the Taliban.. or was it Al Quaeda? Who was it that attacked the WTC again? Well, whatever, we were going after Osama, that was the big thing I guess. So we went to Afghanistan, where we shocked and awed them, where we basically aimlessly blew up a bunch of stuff for a night, like it was some sort of 4th of July rally in Texas. Hurrah. Mission Accomplished! After that was over and we realized that we still had no idea where Osama was, troops descended upon the country with soccer balls and candy in order to win the "Hearts and Minds" of the people's country we just turned into swiss cheese. Well, eventually we heard less and less about that P.R. campaign. Gas prices were rising quite rapidly from the buck fifty per gallon it had been. Uh-oh. Say, does anybody remember that guy that we don't like that's kind of near Afghanistan? The guy who we put in power, but then kinda started being a dick? Been around for say, 20 years.... Oh yeah, Saddam. So, despite military intelligence reports, George insisted that we go in and oust him for having "dubya im dees". Well as the pickets said, God speaks through Bushes, so off we went into Iraq. While in Iraq, we didn't find any "Weapons of Mass Destruction," but we found Saddam! So some people pulled down a statue, and then they hung Saddam after a trial, and putting his un-groomed mug on all of the tabloids around the world. So we then immediately left Iraq... oh wait, no, we didn't. So.. what are we STILL doing there? Oh well.. Turn the page, maybe the story gets better. So after almost 8 years in the middle-east, George Bush retires from presidency after a job well done. Our economy in tatters, our housing bubble, popped. We had the choice between a Democratic black president, and a republican old white war monger. Apparently 'Merica had enough of the latter in the last 8 years, so they opted for the history-making, first black president. I was personally hoping for Ron Paul, but maybe that'll happen next year. So Obama wins office, and immediately puts pressure on congress for a exit strategy. 3 Years later, we are STILL there. We went over the heads of the Pakistani Government and brought in American Troops onto Pakisan soil...er sand... or whatever, completely without permission or approval or asking, and we outright Kill Osama on the spot. No trial. Even Saddam got a trial. We got to publically humiliate the guy with our tabloids, and we could have tried to get info out of him but... nah, just shot 'im. Oh well, surely now we can get the hell out of the middle east right?! Right?? :facepalm: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saraane Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 Nope! Now we have the "not war" and can't get our fingers out of the pies we've already thrown in our own faces. You know our troops are secretly making off with barrels of oil in the night. :ninja: (for those of you who do not get it... the above line was sarcasm) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeyYou Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 Heyyou, the poll was asking whether the news/Unca Sam were doing a good job on keeping us informed on WHY we were at war with so many countries out in the ME (I count the "not war" also). Clear as mud! Considering the fact that to get the unvarnished truth I have to go to the two right and left extremes, the BBC, online news sites/blogs AND talk to some friends that check different sources from I... I'm about convinced they are TRYING to keep us in the dark! Considering the government, via the media, LIED to us about "why are we here" from the beginning, I would have to say no, the media is not doing a good job keeping us ACCURATELY informed at all. They are doing a fine job of feeding us the pap the government wants us to have though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marharth Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 2. We had some other allies in the ME who are now questionable. Saudi Arabia, Egypt, etc.Only thing I disagree with here minorly. I don't think Saudi Arabia is a questionable ally at all. They have extremely strong ties with the USA and we give a ton of foreign aid to them. I might be misunderstanding your use of questionable though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpellAndShield Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 I was going to wait to post on this thread but decided to just go on and get shot down early. I believe we are in the Middle-east for multiple reasons. I have listed them below in no particular order. I will not elaborate on each. I will just list them, and let others elaborate. No, media and government not clear on reasoning. 1. We have a major ally in the ME. Israel2. We had some other allies in the ME who are now questionable. Saudi Arabia, Egypt, etc.3. There is lots of oil in the ME, that we would love to get our hands on permanently4. We have lots of enemies (self-created, in my opinion), that we need to keep our eye on5. We have some bases nearby that require manpower6. Oh yes, we are at war with one or two countries over there as well as some terrorists that are based in and around the ME7. There are a couple of corporations (with connections) doing work for our military in the ME, making gazillions of dollars, and they would just hate to lose that income. That will do for now. I am sure other posters can add to the list..... We are there to bring freedom to the beleaguered people of the Middle East! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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