Author Topic: Interesting Request - Afghans ask for permanent US bases (Read 760 times)

straffo · « **Reply #15 on:** April 13, 2005, 04:16:47 PM »

1) ooops

2) I don't disagree with this.

It's just that as a Frenchman I've doubt when the election is not direct.

We had in the past a sort of electoral college and it was a mess.

Btw a landslide would more have been 80% for me

, except if Karzaï got 60% in the 1st turn* of the election.

* I'm not sure it's the right term ... but well I can't think of another

Elfie · « **Reply #16 on:** April 13, 2005, 04:24:00 PM »

Quote

Btw a landslide would more have been 80% for me , except if Karzaï got 60% in the 1st turn* of the election

With each of the other 17 candidates averaging just over 2% of the vote, how is this not a landslide? Just curious

Elfie · « **Reply #17 on:** April 13, 2005, 04:30:07 PM »

*edit* Whoops! posted to the wrong thread!!

straffo · « **Reply #18 on:** April 13, 2005, 04:35:34 PM »

Well I interpreted as it was similar to the system we use in my country.

55% at the 2nd turn is not a landslide. but it is at 1st turn.

Pongo · « **Reply #19 on:** April 13, 2005, 05:24:54 PM »

Interesting, Think the Iraqis will ask for the same thing?

Elfie · « **Reply #20 on:** April 13, 2005, 05:37:57 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Pongo
Interesting, Think the Iraqis will ask for the same thing?

Good question, only time will tell.

Chortle · « **Reply #21 on:** April 13, 2005, 05:50:19 PM »

Hamid Karzai....didn't he used to work for United Oil of California? What a talented guy.

john9001 · « **Reply #22 on:** April 13, 2005, 05:53:31 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Chortle
Hamid Karzai....didn't he used to work for United Oil of California? What a talented guy.

United Oil of California? never heard of them, what do they sell , olive oil?

Chortle · « **Reply #23 on:** April 13, 2005, 06:06:45 PM »

Slightly more than olive oil

From http://www.unocal.com, they do amongst other things -

Unocal's Business Activities
The company's North America Energy Operations and International Energy Operations groups are engaged in the exploration and production of crude oil and natural gas and project development in the U.S. and in various countries around the world. In 2002, Unocal produced 167,000 barrels of petroleum liquids and 1,826 million cubic feet of gas per day.

I'm sure its just a coincidence.

Raubvogel · « **Reply #24 on:** April 13, 2005, 06:07:38 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Sandman
I wonder how many bases we'll have to close here in the U.S. to support it.

BRAC is good for the military. There is quite a bit of redundancy in base functions spread among the services and by cutting the fat they can focus money on upkeep and upgrading the remaining facilities. This isn't something Congress is forcing on the military, the military is a driving force behind it. There's also talk of combining the Post Exchange organizations from the Army/Air Force and Navy/Marines, plus the commissaries into one entity.

Elfie · « **Reply #25 on:** April 13, 2005, 06:14:38 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Chortle
Slightly more than olive oil

From http://www.unocal.com, they do amongst other things -

Unocal's Business Activities
The company's North America Energy Operations and International Energy Operations groups are engaged in the exploration and production of crude oil and natural gas and project development in the U.S. and in various countries around the world. In 2002, Unocal produced 167,000 barrels of petroleum liquids and 1,826 million cubic feet of gas per day.

I'm sure its just a coincidence.

A link to a profile for Mr. Karzai. It says nothing about him being employed by Unocal.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/3135938.stm

Elfie · « **Reply #26 on:** April 13, 2005, 06:16:13 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Raubvogel
BRAC is good for the military. There is quite a bit of redundancy in base functions spread among the services and by cutting the fat they can focus money on upkeep and upgrading the remaining facilities. This isn't something Congress is forcing on the military, the military is a driving force behind it. There's also talk of combining the Post Exchange organizations from the Army/Air Force and Navy/Marines, plus the commissaries into one entity.

The DoD has wanted to close a significant number of bases for a very long time now. Congress is the roadblock.

Skydancer · « **Reply #27 on:** April 13, 2005, 06:38:27 PM »

"The muslims are absolutely gonna love this. There will be no end to the conspiracy theories about how Karzai is a 'US lackey'."

Lets be honest here. He is a US lackey! oil pipeline anyone?

Even so the Taliban were are extremist nutters and deserved to go.

mosca · « **Reply #28 on:** April 13, 2005, 09:20:28 PM »

HAH!

When I read the title, I thought that the Afghanis were asking for permanent Afghani bases inside the US....

Now THAT would be cool, huh? They could help us defend against terrorists when the level goes to ORANGE and RED.

Tom

ASTAC · « **Reply #29 on:** April 13, 2005, 09:35:39 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Elfie
The DoD has wanted to close a significant number of bases for a very long time now. Congress is the roadblock.

Yeah because the communities are selfish and want the jobs...example actually 2 from this area alone. USS JFK will decommission this year leaving mayport,FL without a CV..Navy said it would move one from Norfolk (where there are 5 homported)..Hampton roads went into an uproar...of the tens of thousands of sailors here..they can't affort to lose 3000? Most of the time the community acts like it hates us...then there is NAS Oceana..Navy wants to close it because the community that moved next to the base long after it was built complains about jet noise to the point that they actually had to do a rotating flight pattern so no one neighborhood had the jets taking off/landing overhead all the time...well as soon as they got wind that the largest employer in Va Beach might pull out...they started whining..they even have the balls to tell the navy..kepp the base..relocate the jets.

so yes pork barreling by representatives and senators hold the military back from "rightsizing" their assets..

BTW with 3/4 of the Atlantic fleet here in Hampton Roads..don't you guys agree that they could be fair and let Jacksonville/Mayport have one measley CV? bunch of selfish bastards.

I wish the Navy would pull out of here completely..just so I can have the satisfaction of seeing such a crime ridden, sailor hating, too much taxing, opressive police having, cheesehole die a slow economic starved death.