Throughout the 20th century, no nation has ever successfully occupied another one.
I wonder what he'd call US occupation of Germany and Japan. I can't help but feel that the fact that those countries were clearly aggressors had some effect on the psychology of their being occupied, i.e. that their own country brought it on. Still, they were occupied, and Rall's sweeping generalization makes no room for any counter-examples at all.
That said, while Rall's one-sidedness (and history of knee-jerk leftist) makes him easy to dismiss, I wonder if he has a point and how much of the factual type info he cites that I haven't heard contains some truth.
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Never underestimate the stupidity of intelligent people!!
I think he's pretty good when he sticks to factual matters and analysis. This actually surprised me, since I hate Ted Rall, frankly. And I do think the weakest parts of the article are where he starts talking about himself: "I'm the only American cartoonist who..." Hey jackass, is this article about Afghanistan or about you? Of course, to Ted Rall, everything is about him.
I agree that the "no successful occupation" thing is a strange claim that's entirely dependent on how you define "nation" and "occupy" and "successful". Some people think Israel is unlawfully "occupying" its territory, but they look pretty successful at it. The Soviets were occupying a whole bunch of counties that they didn't release until the entire country fell apart. The British left India, but they weren't forced out militarily. The Basque separatists think Spain is occupying their territory, but I don't see Spain leaving any time soon.
Throughout the 20th century, no nation has ever successfully occupied another one.
I wonder what he'd call US occupation of Germany and Japan. I can't help but feel that the fact that those countries were clearly aggressors had some effect on the psychology of their being occupied, i.e. that their own country brought it on. Still, they were occupied, and Rall's sweeping generalization makes no room for any counter-examples at all.
Yeah. The Tibetans will be overjoyed to find out that they've actually had some sort of double-secret independence for the past 40 years or so.
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"But if it makes you feel better, I would also enjoy a world in which there are men, women, transsexuals, genderqueer folk, etc. who all enjoy pelican role-play." - JD
"Extraordinary conditions do not create or enlarge constitutional powers."
Re: Ted Rall analysis on War in Afghanistan
Presented without comment, eh? Heh. Well,
I wonder what he'd call US occupation of Germany and Japan. I can't help but feel that the fact that those countries were clearly aggressors had some effect on the psychology of their being occupied, i.e. that their own country brought it on. Still, they were occupied, and Rall's sweeping generalization makes no room for any counter-examples at all.
That said, while Rall's one-sidedness (and history of knee-jerk leftist) makes him easy to dismiss, I wonder if he has a point and how much of the factual type info he cites that I haven't heard contains some truth.
Never underestimate the stupidity of intelligent people!!
Re: Ted Rall analysis on War in Afghanistan
I think he's pretty good when he sticks to factual matters and analysis. This actually surprised me, since I hate Ted Rall, frankly. And I do think the weakest parts of the article are where he starts talking about himself: "I'm the only American cartoonist who..." Hey jackass, is this article about Afghanistan or about you? Of course, to Ted Rall, everything is about him.
I agree that the "no successful occupation" thing is a strange claim that's entirely dependent on how you define "nation" and "occupy" and "successful". Some people think Israel is unlawfully "occupying" its territory, but they look pretty successful at it. The Soviets were occupying a whole bunch of counties that they didn't release until the entire country fell apart. The British left India, but they weren't forced out militarily. The Basque separatists think Spain is occupying their territory, but I don't see Spain leaving any time soon.
Re: Ted Rall analysis on War in Afghanistan
Yeah. The Tibetans will be overjoyed to find out that they've actually had some sort of double-secret independence for the past 40 years or so.
"But if it makes you feel better, I would also enjoy a world in which there are men, women, transsexuals, genderqueer folk, etc. who all enjoy pelican role-play." - JD
"Extraordinary conditions do not create or enlarge constitutional powers."