tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393537226921663625.post7076161625600083226..comments2024-01-22T01:11:25.003-05:00Comments on Unabashed Left: MUST READ PLEASE: THE AFGHAN WAR-THE ASCENDANCY OF DIPLOMACY OVER WARFAREUnabashed Lefthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04003861414639215586noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393537226921663625.post-32715223800672383482012-02-11T14:41:11.808-05:002012-02-11T14:41:11.808-05:00Thanks for your whole work on this web page. Betty...Thanks for your whole work on this web page. Betty really likes getting into internet research and it's obvious why. Most people notice all regarding the dynamic ways you produce priceless steps via this web site and as well increase response from others on this content while my simple princess is really becoming educated a whole lot. Have fun with the rest of the year. You are always carrying out a remarkable job.Paul B.Corneliusnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393537226921663625.post-10929321168668370262012-02-10T18:55:30.114-05:002012-02-10T18:55:30.114-05:00Thanks for your whole work on this web page. Betty...<b>Thanks for your whole work on this web page. Betty really likes getting into internet research and it's obvious why. Most people notice all regarding the dynamic ways you produce priceless steps via this web site and as well increase response from others on this content while my simple princess is really becoming educated a whole lot. Have fun with the rest of the year. You are always carrying out a remarkable job.</b><br><a href="https://sites.google.com/a/discount.priceforsalepurchase.ixcl.net/best-buy-appliances-furnishings-and-appliances-automotive-deals/purchase-cheap-camco-57321-rv-universal-bbq-appliance-stand" rel="nofollow">Camco 57321 RV Universal BBQ/Appliance Stand</a>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393537226921663625.post-62722482570530275082012-01-13T00:19:30.998-05:002012-01-13T00:19:30.998-05:00Steve, thanks so much for your very kind invitatio...Steve, thanks so much for your very kind invitation and comments. I really like your blog and would be honored to write a guest piece. For several years I've submitted my articles first to Intrepid Report (formerly Online Journal), and am currently writing an essay for IR on civil liberties. I have a couple of other projects in the works now, too, but will catch up soon and get with you again on this. I wrote about some of the qualities I think our society needs to cultivate if we're to evolve beyond war in an essay recently published at Intrepid Report. The essay is "Embracing Mystery, Loving Wisdom." <br /><br />You've raised some important questions about our need to outgrow war and move toward a more peaceful world. I hope in the long-run larger numbers of people will see creating peace is a real possibility, and I think it starts with a deep shift in our shared values and the way we perceive the nature of the universe - things I expanded on in the essay I mentioned above. Thanks again for your kind comments, and I'm looking forward to keeping up with your blog and getting to know you better.Carla Binionnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393537226921663625.post-53670425300789618522012-01-13T00:18:25.809-05:002012-01-13T00:18:25.809-05:00Hi Carla,
Thank you for taking the time to commen...Hi Carla,<br /> Thank you for taking the time to comment so thoughtfully on a piece I wrote regarding War, Peace and Afghanistan. I’ve followed military affairs for 50 years and have studied it from an academic perspective as a political scientist, and now as a grad student of religion, and as a popular interest writer. Most of my pieces include comedy and satire to reach a wider audience, but this article needed to avoid those magnets. Your comment was gutsy enough to indicate that you have some possible areas of disagreement with my piece, while at the same time offering the following awesome insight:<br /> “The old saw "evil flourishes when good people do nothing" applies. Somehow, the good people have always allowed the most easily corrupted ones to rise to powerful positions and have done far too little to reverse that tendency. I have ideas for how we could change the trend, but they're beyond the scope of this note.”<br /> I’m fortunate in that my page IS being widely read, and that it offers me a platform to articulate views on issues that matter. Your comment was well written, thoughtful and remarkable in all those regards. I haven’t done this before, but I want to ask you to offer your ideas which are “beyond the scope of this note” by putting them down on paper and doing a guest blog for my website. I can’t offer money, but I can offer an unedited opportunity to get your opinions out and the assurance that I would be honored by your contribution if you choose to do so. It can be as long or as short as you’d wish, you can do it in word format or whatever works for you. <br />My own contact info, including my email, cell phone and my FB accounts are on my FB profile, and I invite you to text, email, call or contact me by any means any time. But please consider my request to guest blog at unabashedleft.blogspot.com? Thank you Carla!<br />Sincerely,<br />Steve AlexanderUnabashed Lefthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04003861414639215586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393537226921663625.post-42632265378350017992012-01-12T18:34:52.304-05:002012-01-12T18:34:52.304-05:00Thanks for the thughtful commentary Edward Baclaws...Thanks for the thughtful commentary Edward Baclawski!Unabashed Lefthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04003861414639215586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393537226921663625.post-11904424407762173662012-01-12T18:34:13.294-05:002012-01-12T18:34:13.294-05:00Thank You, Steve. That was a very well written pie...Thank You, Steve. That was a very well written piece. It really is time to find a way out of Afghanistan. Before you can find a way out you need to know how you got there, and you layed it out quite well. Ironically, I was thinking about this stuff while I was driving to work last night, specifically how one major catylyst for 9/11 was Osama Bin laden's anger at the US Military based in Saudi Arabia. As you well noted that was directly as a result of George HW Bush military action in Kuwait ,which was very simply war to protect oil. Very good job, Steve Alexander, Thanks again.Edward Baclawskinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393537226921663625.post-62552279213518378242012-01-12T18:24:07.445-05:002012-01-12T18:24:07.445-05:00Carla Binion, I ditto Nancy McBeth's comment,...Carla Binion, I ditto Nancy McBeth's comment, taking the time to offer this thoughtful commentary on a difficult topic means much. I'm taking the liberty of adding these comments to the comment section of tht article on the blog, particularly your's Carla, and thanks also to Jane Dunn, Paulette Collier, Bianca Longgood, and to all! ♥ ; Not War, pleeze!Unabashed Lefthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04003861414639215586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393537226921663625.post-47109480241600227132012-01-12T18:23:42.728-05:002012-01-12T18:23:42.728-05:00Great article and awesome comment Carla BinionGreat article and awesome comment Carla BinionNancy McBethnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393537226921663625.post-57002849211056645192012-01-12T18:23:03.269-05:002012-01-12T18:23:03.269-05:00I read the whole article, and I think it's bea...I read the whole article, and I think it's beautifully written and agree with most of it. I think you did a good job pointing out the horrors of war and the fact that all war spirals out of control and ends up creating a gristly nightmare world of daily-life-as-torture for innocent civilians. People don't tend to factor in the far reach of destruction that is bound to happen any time we enter a war - the fact that the nightmare world will shred the bodies of babies, puppies, and guiltless living beings by the thousands. The human race should have outgrown war, and might have if we'd found a way to keep psychopaths from so often taking leadership positions in business and politics. The old saw "evil flourishes when good people do nothing" applies. Somehow, the good people have always allowed the most easily corrupted ones to rise to powerful positions and have done far too little to reverse that tendency. I have ideas for how we could change the trend, but they're beyond the scope of this note. At the least I think nations need to begin placing a higher value on educating their populations regarding critical thinking and b.s.-detecting; to find ways to insist potential political leaders pass personality tests to weed out those with psychopathic tendencies; and to shift from plutocratic toward democratic systems. Before any of that could begin, there would have to be significant change in what we as human beings value. Bringing up a generation to value real compassion and wisdom - and strongly condemning authoritarianism and anti-intellectualism - would be a good start.Carla Binionnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393537226921663625.post-56874975473918297332012-01-12T18:20:09.739-05:002012-01-12T18:20:09.739-05:00No problem, Yes thank u every time I pray I do alw...No problem, Yes thank u every time I pray I do always for peaceBianca Longgoodnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393537226921663625.post-76562273648995329192012-01-12T18:19:26.122-05:002012-01-12T18:19:26.122-05:00No!...Thank you for this thought provoking article...No!...Thank you for this thought provoking article...I join you in prayer!Paulette Colliernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393537226921663625.post-6347346628981559472012-01-12T18:18:47.903-05:002012-01-12T18:18:47.903-05:00thanks so much Paulette Collier!thanks so much Paulette Collier!Unabashed Lefthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04003861414639215586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393537226921663625.post-59982415153222292492012-01-12T18:18:20.001-05:002012-01-12T18:18:20.001-05:00Thanks Jane Dunn and Bianca Longgood. I want all m...Thanks Jane Dunn and Bianca Longgood. I want all my friends to read this one.Unabashed Lefthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04003861414639215586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393537226921663625.post-30359579174843677362012-01-12T18:17:54.321-05:002012-01-12T18:17:54.321-05:00To borrow from Country Joe & The Fish: One, tw...To borrow from Country Joe & The Fish: One, two, three what are we fighting for?Jane Dunnnoreply@blogger.com