GWiz

No arguement... Saudi Arabi is the better fit although I wouldn't totally dismiss Iran in the equasion... In fact, I'd say, Saudi Arabia may be used by the US to provide said funding to Mobarak... Unfortunately, it's more than likely that both Mobarak and the worst elements in the Middle East realize this path also... If the Military acts against the protestors all bets are off regarding any stability in the region... The US giving Mobarak a BIG "Golden Parachute" to leave Egypt may be the only answer at this point...

Hitler's most effective weapon to gain support from the general population was his hatred of Communism (read Stalin) which is why he went east not west where his troops, who, up to Poland (a very Nationalistic state who had fought Communism and any other form of subjugation), were welcomed as liberators... 1. Fascism isn't about markets it's only about productivety in support of the state aka GDP... PURE Capitalism on the other hand is control of the state by it's corporate elite with little regard for the general population since they don't matter to the "bottom line" and are at best considered an "expense"... In this case markets matter, but only to the degree of profitabilty to the corporations... 2. Anything like "ownership" by the general population is only viewed within the spectrum of profit or loss (Capitalism) and doesn't exist under fascism since the state controls all facets of the states assets, not very palitable to the population as Mussolini found out the hard way... 3. "Nationalism" is love of country and exists within any form of Government... It never "morphs"... On the "left" there's Communism and Socialism, both derived from Marxism but taking divergent paths... Relevent and workable Democracy can only exist where society (read social) controls Government and in turn Government acts for the benefit of the people - by the people, for the people - without some degree of "socialism" a Democratic Government cannot exist nor function... Communism deems that the Government knows best what's good for the society it Governs with little or no input from "the people" - by the state, for the people - ... In that way it is simular to Fascism but with an opposing focus... Socialism vs Communism Definition Socialism is defined as "any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods." Whereas, communism is defined as "a system of government in which the state plans and controls the economy, and a single, often authoritarian party, holds power, claiming to make progress toward a higher social order in which all goods are equally shared by the people." http://www.buzzle.com/articles/communism-vs-socialism.html

I think there could be a third outcome... The military sides with Mobarak and violently puts down the revolt/protests... Because of all the resulting deaths and devestation the US withdraws it's support of Mobarak... Mobarak seeks to replace that funding by turning to other players like Iran... THAT scenario, I believe, would be the worst outcome of this... One I hope doesn't come about... As I said, the military will decide this...

Since any form of fascism is in fact the opposite of any form of socialism, or even communism, I'd have to disagree with you... In fact the ONLY simularity between fascism and communism is that they both are authoritarian regimes...

Dictators seldom step down without a fight... That'd be bad if Mobarack fights via the military to stay in power... Fighting radicalizes people, when support or lack thereof from countries like the US and Canada isn't forthcoming they remember that... The military will decide the outcome of this situation one way or another... The military leadership (below Mobarack) is who the west should be looking at and talking to (if possible)...

Anyone here ever mis-speak? I know I have... I'm kinda glad he's human rather than an unfeeling and uncaring automatron like Harper...

Correct. ie Chretien killing the GST... Martin convinced Chretien that reducing the national debt, balanced budgets, and a surplus rather than deficit economy were more important... Much as I hate the GST because of it's unfairness and harder impact on society, Martin was right... Absolutely correct... Socialism and Communism have been wrongly termed the same thing for a long, long time now... They are quite different in reality... However, even the dreaded Communism seems to be working when mixed with Socialism AND Capitalism (Hong Cong) when it comes to China... One has to do some mixing if one wants to make a cake or to make a Just Society...

Noticed you didn't answer my question... I quess when you're irrelevant it hurts too much... You have my sympathy, you seem to need it...

Pretty much, there's a HUGE difference between Provincial and Federal Politics... ie - ain't no Bloc running in Provincial Politics outside Quebec to make the NDP a 4th place also ran party (you can thank Brian Morony for that one)... I can't wait for the Greens to get into Parliament in a few numbers to put those few NDPers left into a 5th place also ran party... What's it feel like never having to take responsibility for what you do and say?

You expected something else? Shame on you...

Wow, my whole post, good on you... You're learning... Ain't been wrong yet... Every currency around the world is constantly being bought and sold that's how a currency's "value" against another country's currency is established... In this case China has been buying up loads of US dollars which is how the US became so indebted to them while the US dollar has dropped like a rock... Japan did the same thing back in the '80s which is why they OWNED so much of the US and made you scream for tarriffs on them... However, some time ago, during WWII in fact, some "wise men" established something called the IMF and decided that the US dollar, rather than the "Gold Standard" (although still relevent) would be used as the measuring stick for fiat money so when the US dollar drops it only shows up in the value of the currency it's up against...

Nope, the only one moving goal posts is YOU... Science is science, fiction is fiction, fiction CAN become science, but science can never become fiction, it can only become a mistake or lie... Unproven speculation is neither science nor fiction but can simply be opinion... Yup, your fault, that's because you were constantly moving those goal posts every post you made... Bye, see ya around... Hmmm, where'as YOUR "expertise" on what YOU posted came from Wikipedia... Ooookaaaay... Ok, I was wrong, I'm much, much further from being a "professor" than I am from being a "techie", you got me... Happy now? I don't get paid for the things I teach, I do that for free... You're welcome...

1.

You mean not yet... When did Bush, or even Obama, issue the Iraq/Afghanistan "war bonds"? Sonny, "appropriations" ain't funding or money... It's where money goes... That money has to come from somewhere to be funded, like Taxes, bonds, or in this case borrowed from China... As incidentally, are every Tax cut Bush made or Obama makes... Guess you didn't know that, eh...

Agreed! Whole heartedly at that...

Exactly HOW were the Afghan and Iraq wars "FUNDED"? WWII was funded with HIGH TAXES and a population willing to "do without" and give of themselves to fuel a countrys WAR EFFORT like women doing whatever their men were doing before the men went of to war... Ever hear of HISTORY? It exists and can't be "made up"...

Wish we had the "applaud" emoticon... Good post... Although, anything can be done to excess, at some point one has to take a stand regardless of consequences... For Ignatief that may be the next budget, we'll see... No matter what being "flexible" in regards to "the people" and sound practices is one thing... Doing something like that for strictly political reasons (see Layton/Republicans) is quite another... But that's another thread... I agree there's a lot of simularity between Ignatief and Obama... Perhaps both a little too nice and not quite where they should be when it comes the what they believe in...

There's a couple of things you may want to remember when posting to me: 1. Address WHOLE POSTS - which was - - 'I agree... "As ye sow so shall ye reap." Ergo, the people who ELECTED Bush (a whole lot more so than Obama, since he never paid for any of the debt the US incurred during his 8 years in office, like two wars, massive tax cuts that reduced income, adding a huge beaurocracy and departing office after adding an additional $700 BILLION bank bailout to that debt) are ultimately the culprits that are responsible for the huge debt the US has... So, the bottom line is, Americans have no one to blame but themselves... It's too bad that Canadians don't understand that concept, we're headed in that same direction with our Harper Gov.... No worries though, China still loves both countries so nothing to worry about...' 2. When it's a comment or reply to someone else's post that I've simply agreed with, why not comment on that post rather than mine? You wouldn't want to be changing the context, now would you? That wouldn't be "nice"...

What happened to the "dropping"? What happened to the avionics on that crowbar? When did it become Titanium? What happened to the complex targetting system needed on that "crowbar" to hit a tank or building? What happened to a "bunch" of them taking out a battlefield? Go back and read what YOU wrote and get back to me... You should report that to the UN, it's against the Geneva Conventions and considered a weapon of mass destruction... Try firing a nuke off sometime, ANY size or method of delivery and see what happens... Don't think you'll like it... Even a depleted uranium artilliary/tank shell, which WAS used in Iraq, is against the Geneva Conventions, for good reason, there are long term affects not only for the target and surroundings but also for the people firing it... That's not too pretty either.. Again, look back at what you wrote and argue THAT, not whatever pops into your head when you see my post... Can you do that for me please? Not at all, you should believe it because what I post are simply FACTS and common sense and not some fiction writer's imagination... Then again you may be one of those that BELIEVES the Pentagon buys $1000.00 toilet seats... Seems more plausible with every post you make... Never have, never will... That kind of answer is far beneath me... However, I like to see complete answers from intelligent people and not just picking the parts of a post you feel like answering... Although there are posts and people that don't MERIT an answer, those I'll lay waste to in a not very friendly fashion... Actually it's me who explains things to my son... I AM well read, in fact I write, and it matters little what you see me as... I know who I am, you don't... So far you've been considerably off the mark in your analysis of me, as it appears now I was too in my initial analysis of you... BTW, can you link me to those crowbar tests, that'd be worth seeing...

Wow, hard to believe, CBC has the best reporting of this event... Egyptians around the world are coming out in support of the overthrow of Mubarak... It's come from within Egypt, involves every political stripe in Egypt... Involves every age group, both male and female... It's a true revolution... Mubarak's security forces (police, not the Military) are on the run and scattering after taking an initial hard line and firing tear gas, water cannon and rubber bullets ( a few live rounds mixed in too I'm betting)... The Military is protecting key structure but taking no action... The protest is country wide and seemingly unstoppable... The population is disapointed that Obama (he's in a no win situation) hasn't come out in support when Britain and most of rest of the world is supporting the ouster of Mubarak already... There's nothing "radical" happening, no flag burnings, no anti Israel or anti US shouting, the protesters just want Mubarak out and a better life...

I agree... "As ye sow so shall ye reap." Ergo, the people who ELECTED Bush (a whole lot more so than Obama, since he never paid for any of the debt the US incurred during his 8 years in office, like two wars, massive tax cuts that reduced income, adding a huge beaurocracy and departing office after adding an additional $700 BILLION bank bailout to that debt) are ultimately the culprits that are responsible for the huge debt the US has... So, the bottom line is, Americans have no one to blame but themselves... It's too bad that Canadians don't understand that concept, we're headed in that same direction with our Harper Gov.... No worries though, China still loves both countries so nothing to worry about...

If you've got it, flaunt it... It's the AMERICAN way... (How do you think I "survived" on Hannity for those years, besides, even Americans need a good laugh from time to time, eh.)

Bang on my friend, bang on... Good Post(s) on your part..

True dat... As I said, the big banks are divesting themselves of that debt by converting it to cash by foreclosures and selling the properties to generate cash to invest outside the US... 2012 is next year... Glad you saw my point...

Good'un...