Mantergeistmann
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User ID: 323
Mantergeistmann
6hr ago
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: the prequels were (mostly) fine as movies, particularly The Phantom Menace. They weren't fine as Star Wars movies.
I think my take is best summed up by the midichlorian scene. In a different setting, this is a fine scene! Sure, you can measure the space magic capabilities of someone with a blood test. That's fine! If it was in Star Trek, sure, or if it was measuring for bionic strength in Mass Effect, for instance. It is, however, completely wrong for Star Wars and The Force.
Mantergeistmann
7hr ago
then Hamas kills about 1.2k, then Israel kills 71k. [...] Certainly Hamas reduced no Israeli cities to rubble.
Shockingly, it's far better for the local population to not be on have a war being fought in their territory. It would be insanity to say "Italians killed no American civilians, yet the Americans then went on to kill thousands of Italian civilians and reduced their cities to rubble*!" as a condemnation of America.
*Yes, yes, Monte Cassino. Mistakes are made in warfare, some absolutely awful, and sometimes even deliberately. It does not change the nature of the campaign as a whole.
Mantergeistmann
1d ago
America destroys its major opponent for projecting power in the Gulf, which strengthens the American military’s position as the basis of global order
It would also allow for an eventual drawdown of American forces in the region, similar to how America doesn't really feel a need to keep significant forces on standby in the Med or Caribbean
Mantergeistmann
1d ago
I'm reminded of how many articles will estimate the "cost of deployment", but they almost never include what the equivalent cost would still be for the ships just hanging out travelling between ports and working on quals.
Mantergeistmann
1d ago
The manga makes it even more explicit, I believe, that a large part of why the monsters are so riled up is that they know if they don't stop you, they all vanish.
Mantergeistmann
2d ago
From Iran, we're going to see a pivot from "Death to Amerikka!" to "Halp! Call the UN, we're being genocided!"
The one reason they might not is that I think Iran has a bit more national pride, rather than being built on being oppressed.
Mantergeistmann
2d ago
Wasn't Gaza Egyptian at one point, though? But I don't recall anyone declaring Egypt controlling it as having been an act of war.
Mantergeistmann
2d ago
I mean, George of the Jungle doesn't involve golf, but the villain is very clearly a country club WASP, but I wouldn't say George is coded as being Jewish.
Mantergeistmann
2d ago
I looked around for some reactions to it, and I don't think it has traveled very far yet. Or, perhaps everyone's just burned out on the subject.
Presumably, the people who don't think GamerGate was about harrassment think it has any new information; and those who do will either not watch it, not believe it, or not share/discuss something critical of their stance unless it can be debunked/used for internet points.
Mantergeistmann
2d ago
JFK conspiracy theorists- a group which includes a majority of Americans- pretty much believe that LBJ/Israel/the KGB/ancient Egyptian deities/the mafia/the KKK killed him.
Does that group include a majority of Americans?
Mantergeistmann
2d ago
Similar to how Germany and France/England were engaged in "war" for a decent period of time after the fall of Poland (the Phony War, or Sitzkrieg) prior to the successful German invasion of France?
Mantergeistmann
2d ago
Yes - "how dare you restrict metal pipes for water!" becomes a lot less impactful when the terrorists release propaganda videos of themselves turning the water pipes into rockets to be fired indiscriminately at civilians.
Mantergeistmann
2d ago
"Conservatives are ballast, progressives are the sails" is a phrase I've seen a few times, with a number of variations (brakes vs. engine on a car, for instance)
Mantergeistmann
3d ago
Honestly, that would have been my preference, especially in hindsight. Go in, deliver a punitive expedition, leave after having sent the message. The nation-building and "you break it, you bought it" ideology was well-intentioned, but overly idealistic.
Mantergeistmann
3d ago
I wish I could find the after-action analysis -- one thing I remember is that whenever people did like western-style institutions (hospitals, for instance) the Taliban would manage to take the credit.
Mantergeistmann
3d ago
Do you have any recommendations for gas station/convenience store/hospital cafeteria food that might be less bad? I try to meal prep and pack ahead, but it's not something I can do all the time.
Might depend on region, but sandwiches could be your best bet (if you're in Wawa territory, hoagies are the way to go)? Meat, bread, vegetables; or tuna salad? Try and go for light on the mayo/sauce? Or maybe some of the superfood smoothies as a grab & go?
Mantergeistmann
3d ago
It's a very obvious motte/bailey, isn't it? I've seen people argue Monty Python or WWI/II British crosssdressing humour is the same thing as all modern drag shows, and if people were fine with the former, they're hypocrites to not be fine with the latter.
Mantergeistmann
4d ago
For one thing, the flaming robot arms also kept smashing into things.
Why are there flaming robot arms to begin with? That seems like an... interesting decision to have in a literal ammunition factory.
Mantergeistmann
4d ago
There could be some role for tube artillery as anti-ship, but I'm not familiar with options there.
It'd be incredibly useful for Taiwan during the defense, but as you said, if it drags on long enough for production and resupply, it'd be because the war has taken on a different shape wherein tube artillery is useless.
One way of looking at it: I believe the Marines are no longer interested in tanks, but are very interested in being able to get missile batteries set up on islands/launch them from the amphib assault decks. Should tell you the sort of ranges/capabilities they expect to deal with.
Mantergeistmann
4d ago
That's very much my point. The US (and, indeed, any outsidde power) should have aimed to put in place a local style government with local style institutions and a local style military, but thought that all you needed to do was say "hey presto, democracy!" and everything else would fall into place. Too much idealism, not enough cynicism. Of course, the latter wouldn't have played well domestically.
Mantergeistmann
4d ago
Recently I think they also had a large deck drone carrier? But yeah, other than that, I think they topped out at frigate. And not even a Kriegsmarine frigate.
Mantergeistmann
4d ago
Mantergeistmann
4d ago
The better question: is this a new development? Presumably American industrial base has always functioned this way (and, of course, nationalized industries themselves are hardly immune to graft and incompetence...)
Mantergeistmann
4d ago
I'm not sure how or why we failed there.
The short version is, "we tried to build their military, institutions, and infrastructure to be like what works for America, but without actually changing any of the foundational stuff locally to make what works for America work."
I'm far from the only person to be annoyed that Slytherin is supposedly just for "ambition", and yet it winds up being the hyper-evil house. I get it, it's a simplistic young adult boarding school adventure book, but the later books seem to try to get deeper/more mature.
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