naraburns nihil supernum
11mo ago
(text post)
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Israel-Gaza Megathread #2
This is a refreshed megathread for any posts on the conflict between (so far, and so far as I know) Hamas and the Israeli government, as well as related geopolitics. Culture War thread rules apply.
f3zinker
Its A/B testing all the way down
11mo ago
I don't think the limiting factor is the strength of Mexico's Military (watch cartel vs Army footage, the cartels get massacred every time, that one time CJNG took down a helicopter has been mythologized). In Mexico's case the real problem is just how bloody corrupt the government is on aggregate. If Mexico had someone unshakeable with a one-track mind like Bukeles, I'm sure they could probably achieve the same outcome.
The first time I became aware someone was corrupt was watching a general in the Mexican army being interviewed by Nightline or Newshour or some show. I was maybe 13 and I recall him telling the interviewer about how he had this many men and they were covering that many kilometers searching for the other cartel smugglers...
"Sir," the reporter interrupted, "How many have you caught?"
Ten seconds of dead silence, and the look on the general's face that made it clear catching people was not part of his plans--and that's the day I realized how the world worked.
I heard the same rant from every American General in command of the Afghanistan invasion and occupation for decades, though usually before a congress tame enough not to ask any awkward questions.
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Notes -
I don't think the limiting factor is the strength of Mexico's Military (watch cartel vs Army footage, the cartels get massacred every time, that one time CJNG took down a helicopter has been mythologized). In Mexico's case the real problem is just how bloody corrupt the government is on aggregate. If Mexico had someone unshakeable with a one-track mind like Bukeles, I'm sure they could probably achieve the same outcome.
The first time I became aware someone was corrupt was watching a general in the Mexican army being interviewed by Nightline or Newshour or some show. I was maybe 13 and I recall him telling the interviewer about how he had this many men and they were covering that many kilometers searching for the other cartel smugglers...
"Sir," the reporter interrupted, "How many have you caught?"
Ten seconds of dead silence, and the look on the general's face that made it clear catching people was not part of his plans--and that's the day I realized how the world worked.
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