Figleaf

I should also add, to my thoughts in post #66, that it is arguable that without Marx the whole realm of Critical studies might not have emerged in the 20th century. Also, though to a much lesser extent than say, J.S.Mill, Marx still nonetheless is part of the 'background erudition' of our culture.

Hm. A very complex response, ScottSA. Let's analyze it. I love the meandering minds of the left. Openning with an insult+gratuitous pidgeonholing. Generalized insult+poisoning the well. Condescending dismissal+mere contradiction. Offhand recitation of false party-line duckspeak. Ad hominem. Once more with feeling.

Algeria and Turkey too, normanchateau. Will we fight the menace in every corner?

So, basically this whole story was a stinking pile of crap all along. I hope the kneejerk warmongering rightwingers learn a lesson from this (as if).

You mean the Jews failed to slit their throats and throw themselves into the sea? Those bastards! I mean nothing of the sort. What crap. Argus, keep your anti-semitism out of the forum.

I have an opinion on what the reasonable expectations of the Palestinians are. Don't you? I don't need to be to make the comment I made. I have not attempted to justify any covenants, nor have I mentioned Hamas. It's amazing what strawmen and nonsense you can come up with to attack expression of opinions you disagree with. You're obviously very emotional about this issue. Do you really think emotion is where the solution to this conflict lies? You're reading a whole lot into a very simple comment. Again, I never mentioned Hamas, or any covenants. More nonsense! I never said they are BEING reasonable. I said that mere withdrawal from Gaza doesn't meet reasonable Palestinian expectations. I know you don't mean that, but you should. Please get a grip on yourself. I've never suggested such a thing, and it's annoying for you to behave with such histrionics. No. I presume to know what it would be reasonable for them to think. No way, I don't want to be Rachel Cory-ed, thanks very much. ??????????? Why don't YOU read them and tell me where I mentioned Hamas? Please keep your prejudices out of the forum.

Excellent summary, but now go one step further ... can stupidity and incompetence explain that litany of screw-ups? Or is not it more plausible to consider that the apparent screwups are better explained as calculated Straussian policy leading to war without end?

To that end, I suggest Israel pull back to the Green Line and stop provoking its neighbors. Israel pulled out of Gaza and now it's raining rockets. How many people want to bet that if they pull out of the West Bank there won't be rockets raining down on Tel Aviv and Jerusalem from there? I believe the topic of this thread was boycotts. My point is that Israel would be able to greatly improve it's acceptance by the world at large if it avoided breaching international law and ceased the illegal and immoral Occupation of the Palestinians. As for rockets, the pullout from Gaza was a half-measure which failed to deliver the reasonable expectations of the Palestinians. Naturally, absent a resolution of their grievances, they regard the conflict as ongoing.

Is M.Dancer propagating his usual brand of utterly wrong interpretations of international law again? Any contention that Iran is violating the NPT for failure to accept inspections is totally without foundation. I challenge anyone to provide a quote from the NPT that specifies such a thing. Now, if we're talking about North Korea, a contention that they are violating the NPT would be patently ridiculous, since they have withdrawn from it.

If you don't know that, there's no-one here with the expertise to advise you better. That said, are you sure your usage of 'bloviated' is correct? Does it apply to the speaker, or should it rather be to the speech (or text)?

The Chinese head tax, while it may have been racially motivated, fell only on individuals who chose to be subject to it. No-one forced these people to immigrate, and the existence of the tax was known before they came. Therefore the head tax was a completely different thing than the internments (an illegal confiscations) people already in Canada were wrongfully subjected to. In my opinion it was a breach of trust for the government today to compensate and apologize for legal government choices at the time that harmed no-one.

There is no sensible way to respond to this poll. Who is meant by 'taleban'? The regime, the social movement, or the common Afghani of rural Afghanistan?

Everyone who hopes to think seriously about current international affairs should read this material. Having done so myself, I would open with a caveat -- perhaps we cannot trust a thing Putin says. Other than that, however, WOW, the Russian pres is clearly a very intelligent man who is extremely aware of details and konwledgeable about issues. The contrast between Putin's brains, direct speaking, and clearsightedness compared with the severe disabilities on display from the U.S. administration is quite striking. And Putin is funny as all get out too! I loved this: Gandhi!

A couple of comments -- 1. Smith might be somewhat content with what has come of his economic theories, but he would probably regret that his moral philosophy was ignored. In fact, it's a great shame that the moral side of his thought has not been appreciated for its importance in explaining the economy. Smith realized that economic choices are based on incentivies and motivations and he tried to work on those concepts in his less famous book the "Theory of Moral Sentiments". 2. Many people wish to diminish the importance of Marx in the history of economic thought. In fact, he made certain significant contributions to the advancement of economic understanding, even though he was wrong on several points too. (That said, many criticisms of him are based on wilfull misunderstandings of his work). In particular, Marx must be credited with building the labor theory of value to a level of maturity it had not previously obtained. While modern economists prefer the explicative use of the marginal theory of value, Marx's LTV remains theoretically sound and useful in understanding economic systems. Even more important, is Marx's formulation of the 'social relations of production' (called inaccurately 'class theory' by some). The concept of social relations of production remains seminal to modern thinking about politics, society and economy.

... It's not clear that Iran is violating the NPT -- they have not weaponized any nukes, yet.

So, let me get this straight. US forces are dying in Iraq to preserve the "legitimate" government from "insurgents" armed by the US? It makes perfect sense, really. 'Oceania is at war with Eurasia. Oceania has always been at war with Eurasia.'

It was worse than a mistake, it was a fraud.

Hey, the left seems pretty okay with Iran pursuing nukes, they should be happier still with Canada doing it since we live next door to the Bushmeister. Well, I can't speak for the left, but you do raise another point about why Canada should have nukes ... it looks like every tinpot craphole in the world will soon have them. I'm lucky enough to be both.

... I wonder if M.Dancer still has that same old paper route.

I don't see how a boycott of Israel is a threat to Jews or open societies generally. To that end, I suggest Israel pull back to the Green Line and stop provoking its neighbors.

So this is all about George Tenet's CIA and the lead up to the Iraq war, right?

Who cares what a bunch of crackpots think?

That's excellent! Thanks for the link.

I agree. That's why I believe Canada must urgently pursue its own nuclear deterent capability. We should have three or four top-of-the line stealth subs armed with ICBMs on regular deployment, just in case anyone gets the idea we look like too much of a pushover.

The reason there is no outrage is that to rightwingers it is perfectly acceptable to use false-flag operations, wag the dog, and generate blow-back. Rightwingers believe it's aok set up the conditions that will kill their own children, as long as it's all wrapped in a flag.