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blackbird

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Posts posted by blackbird

  1. 12 minutes ago, Army Guy said:

    Every Soldier has his own tolerances to war Mr Boykin is obvious a much harder man than I am. And we clearly had much different jobs, he worked on a strategic level and got to make a difference in the shape of the war, Me, i did the same thing over and over again patrol to contact with the enemy, kick the shit out of him and all his buddies, and get kicked back and do it all over again the next day... 

    God was never in the places i was in, it was nothing but pure evil.... you can't convince me he was in places like Somalia where the country was starving to death form the lack of food, and top it all of, it was in the center of a civil war every where there was death and violence bodies in the streets, along the road sides, run over like road kill here in Canada until you could not tell it was once human... Or Afghanistan where Terrorist strapped explosive onto a 6 year old and told him to drive his bike into our check point.... those that suffer most are always women and kids...Ya no fuc*king god there, You have every right to believe in what you want, me, my whole military career has made me weary of the whole religious thing...

    I have not been to those places or situations so can't say anything about that particular aspect.  Only what I've seen on the tube, movies, or read.  But I don't think the existence of such places proves that God is not everywhere.  I have become  convinced that God revealed himself through his written word, in English, the King James Bible.  He did warn there would be wars, etc. until he returns, which could be any time.  We need to be ready.

    As far as God being in bad places like Somalia, we are told God is a spirit and separate from the material world.  He created the universe and man, but he is not a material being himself.  He is still there as a spirit and is particularly with those who believe in his Son in a special way.  This is a spiritual presence, but real nonetheless.  He has given man free will; hence all the evil things men choose to do.  But there is a day coming in which he will rule the earth and there will be no more wars or suffering.

  2. 2 hours ago, Queenmandy85 said:

    The bottom line for the CPC is, if they oust Mr. O'Toole, who do they replace him with? If past experience is any indication, the new leader will have to appease the reform / Social Credit rump in order to get the leadership. That is what Mr. O'Toole had to do. The problem with that is, that wing is so welded to ideology, they alienate the vast ocean of voters who fill the centre. It is all nice and roses to be ideologically pure. That is what the NDP are, and the only times they have peeked out of their hole is when Jack Layton and Tom Mulcair tried to move them into the real world near the centre. For his efforts, they sacked Tom. I fear the same will happen to the CPC if they sack Mr. O'Toole. The CPC will become another NDP, forever in the wilderness, but happy in their righteous illusion they are pure and it is the electorate that is wrong. Only a moron thinks they are smarter than the average voter. 

    The majority in Canada seem to be of a secular humanist, liberal mind.  What do we expect when Canada brings in millions of third world immigrants without any Judeo-Christian beliefs or culture and destroys our civilization created by our European founding fathers..  Canada has become a post national basket case.  Trudeau was right about becoming a post national state.

    "When the prime minister says Canada is the world’s “first postnational state,” I believe he’s saying this is a place where respect for minorities trumps any one group’s way of doing things.

    ‘There is no core identity, no mainstream in Canada,’ Trudeau claimed after the October election. ‘There are shared values – openness, respect, compassion, willingness to work hard, to be there for each other, to search for equality and justice.”

    The New York Times writer who obtained this quote said Trudeau’s belief Canada has no core identity is his “most radical” political position. It seems especially so combined with criticism Trudeau is a lightweight on national security and sovereignty.

    Not too many Canadians, however, seem disturbed by Trudeau talking about us as a “postnational state.”

    The dangers of Trudeau's 'postnational' Canada | Vancouver Sun

  3. 2 minutes ago, Army Guy said:

     Canadians on both sides of the political spectrum have bought into the entire "WE don't need a military, or who is going to attack us meme" besides there is simply nothing in it for the Average Canadian. Both sides have stripped our military of everything, and now military people are leaving in droves becasue they are tired of giving their all, while Canadians piss all over them and their ideals.  

    They see it as a waste of funds that cold be directed towards them in some way..., they have moved on and could not give a rats ass about anything military or it's soldiers...not all but most... Why we as Canadians still have a military, well it is an employment giant for one, next it has the largest pork barrel in the country, i mean where else can you buy a 200 million boat and pay a bil plus for it...Defense of this country has nothing to do with it, i mean 5G network is a gleaming example, we are still debating giving it to the Chinese... 

    Yes, I think if liberals and NDP had their way, we would have no military at all and Canada would become part of China.  Almost all countries in the world have armed forces.  

  4. 16 hours ago, Army Guy said:

    I'm not a 100 % believer, I've pray to him when my life was in danger, and i also prayed to him to thank him for all my good things....I've been to a few or the worlds shit holes, or conflict areas, your not going to convince me that a higher power was present and allowed all that shit to happen to good people...the only thing there was 100 % evil...so he is not everywhere. 

    Man is born with an evil, corrupt nature and a wicked heart because man rebelled against God in the garden of Eden and ate the forbidden fruit.  God does not cause or create evil.  Man has free will and because of his nature man chooses to do evil.  That is why there is all the wars, crime, and evil things happening in the world.  If God had intervened to stop it, he would have to make robots out of man and take away his free will.   Why Is There Suffering? | Bible.org

  5. 1 hour ago, Queenmandy85 said:

    I am far from being a pacifist and therefore, my values, in that regard are at odds with the 5th commandment, "Thou shalt not Kill." I was an officer in the Canadian Scottish Regiment. My second cousin was the longest serving officer in the Canadian Forces and I have always advocated for a Swiss model in Defence policy. My uniforms as a Peace Officer and an Infantry officer were an "abomination in the eyes of the Lord, " in the same way as a homosexual is. 

    That being said, the state of climate change is now beyond an "emergency" and I believe Mr. O'Toole is the leader who will respond more vigorously. We can transition away from carbon based energy, or we can toss our great grand children onto the barbecue. Transition away from fossil fuels involves two choices: severe rationing or moving to nuclear and solar power. I believe Mr. O'Toole will choose the latter option.

    Northern gateway is the wrong place to put a petroleum pipeline. Just think of the spill in the Slocan river with the ongoning damage that caused. Imagine what a spill would do to the wilderness of northern BC.

    As for your concerns about climate change, I would suggest you read the article on the link below on the subject.  

    The graph shows how global warming did not occur at the same rate as changes in man-made CO2.  If proves man-made CO2 is the main cause of climate change and not the culprit that many people think.  The rates of global warming varied greatly during the 120 year period, while the increase in man-made CO2 was a relatively smooth increase.  So it shows you cannot link man-made CO2 to global warming as the main cause.  There has to be other natural causes such as the water vapour which is a major reason for the greenhouse effect, but also the changes could be related to solar radiation and other factors.   Also man's contribution to the CO2 in the atmosphere is miniscule 18 PPM out of a total of 410 PPM currently.  97% of the CO2 is natural and required for life on earth.  Notice between 1880 to 1910 (30 year period) there was a drop in atmospheric temperature from plus 0.1 degrees C to minus 0.3 degrees C;  yet the man-made CO2 did not drop but continued to increase slowly and evenly.  Why would that be?  So while the temperature rose in general over a long period of time, the connection with man-made CO2 is not clear and cannot be claimed scientifically as the cause.

    A biblical and scientific approach to climate change - creation.com

     

    Global-temperature@682w.webp

  6. 45 minutes ago, Queenmandy85 said:

    I am far from being a pacifist and therefore, my values, in that regard are at odds with the 5th commandment, "Thou shalt not Kill." I was an officer in the Canadian Scottish Regiment. My second cousin was the longest serving officer in the Canadian Forces and I have always advocated for a Swiss model in Defence policy. My uniforms as a Peace Officer and an Infantry officer were an "abomination in the eyes of the Lord, " in the same way as a homosexual is. 

    That being said, the state of climate change is now beyond an "emergency" and I believe Mr. O'Toole is the leader who will respond more vigorously. We can transition away from carbon based energy, or we can toss our great grand children onto the barbecue. Transition away from fossil fuels involves two choices: severe rationing or moving to nuclear and solar power. I believe Mr. O'Toole will choose the latter option.

    Northern gateway is the wrong place to put a petroleum pipeline. Just think of the spill in the Slocan river with the ongoning damage that caused. Imagine what a spill would do to the wilderness of northern BC.

    We could debate the Northern Gateway endlessly.  There are thousands of km of pipelines criss-crossing north America.  Nothing wrong with having a pipeline through the wilderness.  Most of Canada is wilderness and they have to go somewhere.  The wilderness in northern B.C. and the coast covers thousands of square kilometers.  A spill can be cleaned up and it would only be in a small area.  It is not going to destroy the wilderness.  There are also thousands of jobs at stake in the energy industry.  We need pipelines.  Trudeau killed the Northern Gateway pipeline project after years of study.  Nuclear and solar is not a legitimate substitute for oil and gas.  There are hundreds of millions of cars, trucks, and ships, and planes in the world that need the oil industry and it will last for the foreseeable future.

  7. 2 hours ago, Queenmandy85 said:

    First, the US has never raided Barbados. I think you are thinking of Grenada. I know, picky, picky, picky. ? But the people of Barbados and Grenada probably think it is a big deal. It is like when Canadians are called Americans.

    Being a soldier is contrary to Christian values.

    Back to the OP. The purpose of a political party is to win elections. Sticking to an ideology goes against electoral success and goes against democracy. We don't have governments to impose a dogmatic belief that a single ideology will solve all problems. Governments are there to provide pragmatic solutions which may not be perfect, but reflect the desires of the electorate.

    The CPC is running out of viable potential leaders. They are driving good people out of politics. Ambrose, Moore, Raitt. They currently have a leader who is willing to put up with all the back-stabbing that has been going on, and who has a shot at forming a government. There are not enough voters who have confidence in Pierre Pollievre, or Max Bernier types to run a pragmatic centrist  government. Mr. O'Toole lost my vote when he backed the Northen Gateway pipeline, but I am willing to give him another chance. He is a pragmatist.

    You are correct about Grenada.  Good point. I will correct that.

    Being a soldier is not contrary to Christian values.  You must be a pacifist.  That is why our Canadian Forces have been neglected and underfunded for years.  Trudeau and Liberals are anti-defence/ anti-military.  It is perfectly Biblical for a country to have military forces to defend itself as we did in the two world wars.  Same reason it is fine to have police or for a Christian to become a police officer.  In fact it is preferable such people do those jobs.

    Read Romans ch13 in the King James Bible.  God ordained authorities who have the power to use force and the sword.

    " 4  For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil." Romans 13:4 KJV

    All political parties are largely pagan in nature and support a lot of evil or unbiblical policies.  Progressivism is evil and I can't support it.  Mr. O'Toole changed after he was elected leader and embrace some liberal policies such as carbon taxes against the wishes of at least half of conservatives.  He is toast.  I don't think he has a chance of winning an election if he lasts that long as leader.  I support the Northern Gateway pipeline and any pipeline.  They are essential to our prosperity as an energy-producing nation.  There is no climate emergency and the whole man-made climate change thing is a fraud.

  8. 11 hours ago, Army Guy said:

    I'm not a 100 % believer, I've pray to him when my life was in danger, and i also prayed to him to thank him for all my good things....I've been to a few or the worlds shit holes, or conflict areas, your not going to convince me that a higher power was present and allowed all that shit to happen to good people...the only thing there was 100 % evil...so he is not everywhere. 

    Interesting.  Sounds like you have been and seen some pretty bad places.  You might consider getting a book called "Never Surrender" by a soldier, retired LTG William G. Boykin, former commander of U.S. Army Special Forces and founding member of Delta Force.  He is also on Facebook as Jerry Boykin I believe.  He was chosen in 1978 to make up the first unit in America's Delta Force.  He then became commander of the unit;  then commander of all U.S. Army Special Forces.  Later to tour of Central Intelligence Agency and clandestine missions around the world. Served last four years as deputy undersecretary of defense for intelligence.  He spent time in the elite forces bringing down warlords, war criminals, despots, and dictators.  He took a 50 calibre bullet in the shoulder and chest but survived.  The bullet came through the Blackhawk helicopter and hit him.  When soldiers get hit, they don't have a modern hospital right at their disposal, but fortunately for him a medic put a bandage on the wound and gave him a little morphine.  But I guess he had to hold out until they got to better facilities later.  I think it was during a raid to liberate the island of Grenada from Marxists in 1983.

      He has been in the world's trouble spots from Iran to Mogadishu, the Panama.  He helped capture Noriega in the Panama, liberating a nation from a brutal dictator.  He can tell you how his faith kept him going and how God worked with him. Life is often a battle. We wonder sometimes where God is.  But he is there.  

    Boykin is on Facebook at  Lieutenant General William "Jerry" Boykin, USA, Ret. | Facebook

    He gives his thoughts on some current issues you might find interesting, like the recent meeting between Putin and Biden. I just listened to his 6 minute interview on Putin and the Ukraine.  He doesn't have much faith in what Biden is doing.  He says Biden was in politics 40 years and made 40 years of bad decisions.  He says Putin studies the U.S. very closely and knows exactly how the American government thinks.  He said when Trump was in, the Russians didn't understand Trump because he was unpredictable which created a different situation and a challenge for them.  He doesn't think the threat of sanctions will bother them at all.

    But it would be wise for me to address your concern you raised about whether God is present everywhere or not.  I shall attempt to better answer that a little later.

     

  9. 39 minutes ago, Army Guy said:

    I'm not saying i don't believe in god, You can believe in what ever you want to, i try to limit my religious believes myself and stay away from the bible, i have been to a lot of places that god has just up and left, and has not yet come back to.

    Why do you want to stay away from the Bible?  Not sure what you mean God has up and left.  God is omnipresent.  He does not leave any where.  

  10. This is one of the most bizarre and lying topic headings I have ever seen.  It should not be allowed to go unchallenged.

    The Westminster Confession of Faith, which is drawn from teachings in the Bible and held by a large segment of Christianity says the following in Article II:

    "1. There is but one only living and true God, who is infinite in being and perfection, a most pure spirit, invisible, without body, parts, or passions, immutable, immense, eternal, incomprehensible, almighty, most wise, most holy, most free, most absolute, working all things according to the counsel of his own immutable and most righteous will, for his own glory; must loving, gracious, merciful, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin; the rewarder of them that diligently seek him; and withal most just and terrible in his judgments; hating all sin, and who will by no means clear the guilty."

    There are many haters of God who falsely misinterpret certain passages of the Bible to try to paint a false picture of God.  They take verses out of context or in isolation of the meaning of a section or part of the Bible.  There is such a person or rather fallen angel named Satan and his followers (demons) which we should be aware of.  He exerts much influence and control in this world and opposes God.  His certain end is described in the Bible.  The only sure way to avoid falling under his influence and control is to be born again by faith in Jesus Christ and his sacrifice for sin on the cross.  Reading and believing the New Testament and believing in Jesus Christ is the only way to be set free.

  11. 3 hours ago, Army Guy said:

    Another chance for the conservatives to find out if O Toole is still their man, There are some cracks already with frustrated members. And although I'm not an expert but now seems like a good time for a leadership challenge, "not like Justin will call another election any time soon" So if not O Toole then who ? is there any one new out there we are not aware of that could challenge the left and win ? Do we toss O Toole and try again seems like a conservative tradition. 

    O’Toole facing crucial test as Conservative MPs gather for caucus retreat (msn.com)

     

     O'Toole turned the party into a liberal lite party which means continued rule by Trudeau and Liberals.  Politics in this country is hopeless.  Don't put your trust in horses or men as the Bible warns.  Study the King James Bible and put your trust in Jesus Christ.  This world is heading for destruction. 

  12. On 1/20/2022 at 12:55 PM, West said:

    Not so sure about that. Ol BJ has shown himself to be a globalist through his build back better scam. He needs to be removed ASAP

     

    On 1/19/2022 at 8:47 PM, Zeitgeist said:

    Just as the Brits were the first to declare war on the Nazis, they have again stood up in defence of freedom over tyranny.

    Britain has the highest death rate in the world per hundred thousand of the population.

    Boris Johnson has been a disaster, and holding parties while everyone else is under restrictions and lockdowns.

     Britain Hits Highest COVID-19 Death Rate Per Capita in the World (voanews.com)

  13. 9 minutes ago, Queenmandy85 said:

    The 9-11 attacks came from Afganistan. Iraq's Saddam had nothing to do with it.

    You must have very limited knowledge on al Qaeda.  al Qaeda was training in Afghanistan, but they are a international terrorist group spread out through the middle east and other countries.  They were in Iraq as well.  Where do you think ISIS came from?  They can attack anywhere and have.  The war on terror was not just in Afghanistan.  It was in other places as well such as Iraq which attracted al Qaeda fighters when the Americans were there.  That is who they were fighting in Iraq.

  14. 14 minutes ago, Queenmandy85 said:

    The 9-11 attacks came from Afganistan. Iraq's Saddam had nothing to do with it.

    Saddam was thought to have WMDs at the time and he was not a friend of the west.  He had previously attacked Kuwait, remember?   Turned out Iraq was loaded with al Qaeda terrorists who travelled there from everywhere to fight the Americans.  They thought it was their chance to wage jihad against Americans.  Those are the people who attacked the U.S. on 9-11.   Remember?   

  15. 4 hours ago, Nationalist said:

    I would think the point is obvious. 

    If the actual death rate/numbers have remained stable, is there really a pandemic? Is there really need for these draconian measures?

    "

    People recovering from Omicron can experience the following:

    Muscle weakness and stiff joints

    Extreme fatigue and feeling low on energy

    Reduced mobility

    Breathlessness

    Phlegm build-up

    Weaker physical fitness

    Loss of appetite and weight loss

    Lack of sense of smell or taste

    Stomach problems and this includes heartburn, diarrhoea and vomiting

    Difficulties swallowing

    On the other hand, some people experience a mental and emotional toll from Covid. These include:

    Sleep issues – and can affect people who have been in hospital, where it can be difficult to sleep on Covid wards

    Mental fog such as being forgetful and not thinking clearly

    Sudden changes in your mood

    Depression or anxiety

    Nightmares or flashbacks

    Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

    Confusion or delirium  "

    The worrying side effect Omicron patients must watch out for even after recovering from Covid (the-sun.com)

    So, is there any need for certain measures to fight the pandemic?   I wouldn't call the existing measures "draconian".  Yes there is a need for the measures.  It is still a serious threat to everyone.

    There are no lockdowns and the measures in place are actually weak and half-hearted.  Everyone can still do almost everything they normally do with a few exceptions.  Nobody is locked in their apartment or home.

  16. 1 minute ago, Queenmandy85 said:

    Of the issues stated in the OP, the only one that is political was the invasion of Iraq. IMO, President Bush was riding a wave of hubris and wanted to prove he could out perform his father. I mean, what could go wrong?

    However, it wasn't a scam. It was promoted out of a lack of knowledge. I can't think of a single actual scam (ie. the long con) carried out by either the Canadian or US governments since Adams and Handcock in 1775.

    What would you have done if you were President when 9-11 attack happened?

  17. 46 minutes ago, QuebecOverCanada said:

    So hospitals serve their primary function. But it doesn't change the fact Omicron is just a literal cold for almost everyone except a tiny minority of obese people and older folks with underlying issues.

    That's a myth.  Some commentators have misled people like you.   

    "FEELING THE PAIN 

    The worrying side effect Omicron patients must watch out for even after recovering from Covid

    12:53 ET, Jan 13 2022

    Updated: 13:22 ET, Jan 13 2022

    DOCTORS are warning about a worrying side effect that Omicron patients should watch out for – even after they've recovered from Covid.

    Since being first detected in late November 2021, the Omicron variant has caused a surge in Covid cases across the nation, forcing state officials to reimplement mask mandate rules and stress testing.

    1

    Some recovering Omicron patients are suffering from body pain and lack of energy

    Yet, doctors and researchers have claimed that Omicron symptoms are mild and less severe than the Delta strain – despite being among the most highly contagious variants.

    Data revealed the risk of hospitalization is 50 to 70 percent lower than with Delta.

    However, many recovered patients are complaining about body pain and lack of energy.

    In an interview with Livemint, Dr Harish Chafle, a senior consultant at Global Hospital, explained the back-breaking pain caused while recovering from Omicron.

    "It is a possibility that due to inflammatory mediators, this variant is causing more myalgia than any other variant post-recovery," the outlet reported.

    Myalgia, according to John Hopkins Medicine, describes a range of muscle pains, with symptoms that include muscle cramps and joint pain.

    A second reason for sudden post-Covid back pain may be Omicron's effect on the musculoskeletal system, which the variant attacks more than any other variant, per the outlet.

    There are several other long-term Omicron symptoms that can last for months – and here is how you can relieve them.

    LONG-TERM OMICRON SYMPTOMS

    People recovering from Omicron can experience the following:

    Muscle weakness and stiff joints

    Extreme fatigue and feeling low on energy

    Reduced mobility

    Breathlessness

    Phlegm build-up

    Weaker physical fitness

    Loss of appetite and weight loss

    Lack of sense of smell or taste

    Stomach problems and this includes heartburn, diarrhoea and vomiting

    Difficulties swallowing

    On the other hand, some people experience a mental and emotional toll from Covid. These include:

    Sleep issues – and can affect people who have been in hospital, where it can be difficult to sleep on Covid wards

    Mental fog such as being forgetful and not thinking clearly

    Sudden changes in your mood

    Depression or anxiety

    Nightmares or flashbacks

    Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

    Confusion or delirium

    But there are ways to relieve symptoms like a build-up of phlegm, and that's through deep breathing.

    This technique expands your lungs and helps clear the phlegm.

    To do this, make sure you're comfortable and that your chest and shoulders are relaxed, and do the following:

    Sit or lie in a comfortable position

    Place one hand on your tummy below your ribs and the other on your chest

    Take a deep breath through your nose while letting your tummy push your hand out. The hand on your tummy should move more than the hand on your chest

    Breathe out through pursed lips like you're trying to whistle. Feel the hand on your belly go in and use it to push all the air out

    Repeat this three to five times while taking your time with each breath

    If you're still struggling to cope, please contact your doctor or visit your local hospital for help.

    The worrying side effect Omicron patients must watch out for even after recovering from Covid (the-sun.com)

  18. 18 hours ago, QuebecOverCanada said:

    Yes, Omicron is a cold for most people. Yes, it is reasonable to consider it like that. Symptom wise, it is literally a cold. Coronaviruses lead to colds generally.

    Original sars cov 2 was deadlier. Delta was a bit less deadly. Omicron is much less deadly than Delta.

    The Covid tracker dated yesterday Jan. 21 that across Canada there were 157 deaths and 10,700 more people contracted Covid.  Doesn't sound like it is a common cold type of thing.  It might not be as deadly on a per capita basis, but because it is far more contagious, far more people are being infected.  The end result is still a lot of people get extremely sick and are filling up hospitals and large numbers are still dying.  Delta was not nearly as contagious.  The bottom line is the number of people in the hospital is worse than during Delta and probably just as many are dying.  You are not admitted into the hospital unless you are in serious condition.  The hospitals are full of seriously ill patients.

  19. 2 hours ago, H B Lowrey said:

    You of all people should understand zealotry, c'mon now.

    "12  A scorner loveth not one that reproveth him: neither will he go unto the wise. " Proverbs 15:12 KJV

    "14  The heart of him that hath understanding seeketh knowledge: but the mouth of fools feedeth on foolishness. " Proverbs 15:14 KJV

    "32  He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding."  Proverbs 15:32 KJV  

  20. 7 hours ago, Winston said:

    I see blackbird, no interest in honest discussion, just preaching.

    All the best to you. 

    One thing that the theory of evolution fails to explain is cases of irreducible complexity.  An example is a jumping beetle mechanism.  This article explains this mechanism.  It is apparently something that would have to have been created with the spring mechanism built into the beetle.  It says there is no known way such a mechanism could have evolved.

    Jumping beetle mechanism inspires bionic design - creation.com

    flea-beetle-2@559w.webp

  21. 7 minutes ago, Army Guy said:

     

    Russian conflict in Afghanistan happened during 1979-1989. 

    Sorry the Taliban did not exist during the CIA actions in Afghanistan, US was supporting Mujahedeen, although alot of the Mujahedeen did cross over to the Taliban, but not until much later, 1994 to 1996 they were classified as a militia.... Taliban did not come to the world stage until 1992 after a civil war in Afghanistan 

    As for Osama, He hated the US, i doubt he would have anything to do with them during the Russian Afghanistan conflict.

    After leaving college in 1979, bin Laden went to Pakistan, joined Abdullah Azzam and used money and machinery from his own construction company to help the Mujahideen resistance in the Soviet–Afghan War.[98] He later told a journalist: "I felt outraged that an injustice had been committed against the people of Afghanistan."[99] From 1979 to 1992, the United States (as part of CIA activities in Afghanistan, specifically Operation Cyclone), Saudi Arabia, and China provided between $6–12 billion worth of financial aid and weapons to tens of thousands of mujahideen through Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).[100] British journalist Jason Burke wrote that "He did not receive any direct funding or training from the US during the 1980s. Nor did his followers. The Afghan mujahideen, via Pakistan's ISI intelligence agency, received large amounts of both. Some bled to the Arabs fighting the Soviets but nothing significant."[101] Bin Laden met and built relations with Hamid Gul, who was a three-star general in the Pakistani army and head of the ISI agency. Although the United States provided the money and weapons, the training of militant groups was entirely done by the Pakistani Armed Forces and the ISI.[102] According to some CIA officers, beginning in early 1980, bin Laden acted as a liaison between the Saudi General Intelligence Presidency (GIP) and Afghan warlords, but no evidence of contact between the CIA and Bin Laden exists in the CIA archives. Steve Coll states that although bin Laden may not have been a formal, salaried GIP agent, "it seems clear that bin Laden did have a substantial relationship with Saudi intelligence."[103] 

    By 1984, bin Laden and Azzam established Maktab al-Khidamat, which funneled money, arms, and fighters from around the Arab world into Afghanistan. Through al-Khadamat, bin Laden's inherited family fortune[105] paid for air tickets and accommodation, paid for paperwork with Pakistani authorities and provided other such services for the jihadi fighters. Bin Laden established camps inside Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan and trained volunteers from across the Muslim world to fight against the Soviet-backed regime, the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan. Between 1986 and 1987, bin Laden set up a base in eastern Afghanistan for several dozen of his own Arab soldiers.[106] From this base, bin Laden participated in some combat activity against the Soviets, such as the Battle of Jaji in 1987.[106] Despite its little strategic significance, the battle was lionized in the mainstream Arab press.[106] It was during this time that he became idolised by many Arabs.[15]

     

    Saddam i'm not sure sure off, but hey 1 out of 3 is a good batting average.

     

    As you've demonstrated it's far more complex that many people think.  It's easy to blame the U.S. for lots of things when one doesn't know the complexities of what's going on in the world.  It's hard to understand why a young man from Quebec would go on a vacation around Pakistan and the Afghanistan for a lark.  The dumb guy was arrested by the Taliban who are suspicious he is an ISIS supporter.  He's not the first to do something crazy like that.  There was another guy who took his wife and wandered around that part of the world and was also taken prisoner.  Then they expect the Canadian government to bail them out.  Like the guy who spent 15 years in an Egyptian prison and was recently released.  They all whine that the Canadian government didn't do enough.

  22. "13  Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; 14  Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. 15  For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: 16  As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. " 1 Peter 2:13-16 KJV

    This is really speaking to Bible believers.  So if you are not a Bible believer (Christian), this won't have any meaning to you.   The first thing to do is to become born again and accept God's written revelation, the Bible.  In English it is the King James Version.  All other modern versions are corrupted in one way or another.  

    God has ordained earthly authorities for our good.  That is why we should obey them.  In these days in which we live many are opposing everything government does.  The Covid health guidelines are there for our benefit and protection of ourselves and our neighbour.  So whether you are a Christian or not, you should still obey the lawful authorities on the Covid restrictions and guidelines.  Those who rebel against the government on this are really endangering themselves and others.

  23. 21 minutes ago, Winston said:

    I see blackbird, no interest in honest discussion, just preaching.

    All the best to you. 

    Of course I am always interested in honest discussion.  But where do we start.  We seemed to have reached an impasse.  I would like to go further but I am not sure how to proceed unless you have something to contribute.  If you insist I must provide some kind of scientific proof about how God created everything, which as you know is an impossibility.  You seem to think that all things must fit into that kind of mould, which is false.  There is a supernatural world apart from the material or visible world.  Mankind has believed in the existence of the supernatural since the beginning of man.  The evidences of many occasions of supernatural acts of God are recorded in Holy Scripture.  It is not something you can analyze in scientific terms.  Could you agree to the possibility of the supernatural?    

  24. 29 minutes ago, Winston said:

    I see blackbird, no interest in honest discussion, just preaching.

    All the best to you. 

    From what I've read you do your fair share of preaching in favour of secular humanist thinking.  As far as preaching is concerned, that is what public schools do;  they preach secular humanism, the theory of evolution, and sexual fluidity or gender fluidity to young people.  What did Jesus say about offending children or leading them astray?

     I have given you countless examples of evidence pointing to an intelligent designer or Creator, but you don't accept any of it.

    What would you say is the purpose of life?  Does it even have a purpose?  Where did the universe come from?

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