The meaning of it all

dedicated to Evil Stormbringer and Wheeloffire

Published on January 17, 2007 By Philocthetes In Off-Topic

Evil did me right by starting his own thread on the "what's a thief" question. But a few posts later in that Grammar nazi sprawl thread, QuietlyObserving says "If we are to be a society founded on the Rule of Law, it would be prudent to maintain a healthy respect for language and the meaning of words, lest we slip into a dictatorship of unelected Judges."

This gives me a painfully beautiful opportunity to start a sister thread to Evil's, and ask you all to sink your fangs, fingers, etc., into the basic question "How does a law rule without a human to interpret and/or execute it?"

That's my latest hasty attempt at a longstanding interest in the gov't-of-law-and-not-men notion that's very popular here in the US. I've also known a few linguists and flirted with other philosphies enough to be taken aback by anyone who has too much certainty about the meaning of a particular word or phrase.

Unless you're a minor with parents who don't want you seeing PG-13 movies (I know we have some sharp youth out there, just want to respect your folks), I suggest finding and playing fword.wav before you finish a reply here.

Comments (Page 25)

361

danielost

on Jan 31, 2007

perhaps but they lost the 5 generals and a bunch of troops they couldn't afford to lose

if either the north or south had attacked on the first day the battle would have been a one day battle not four

362

Mystikmind

on Jan 31, 2007

if either the north or south had attacked on the first day the battle would have been a one day battle not four

perhaps. i think the point is that the sieze of the army is the main determining factor. even if you have cunning generals, cunning is totally useless without opportunity.

These days the strength of an army mostly comes from money not manpower or smart generals. Also we no longer have completely stupid generals like the north did in the american civil war (early stages) or the shockers that the british had in the first world war! 'lest we forget' here in australia on anzac day.

363

danielost

on Jan 31, 2007

true but if the man in charge of the iraq war had been smarter we wouldn't be in the mess we are in

and that man is george bush he is now trying to do what he should have done in the beginning

of course what he did is better than what the demos would have done

for instance they just gave iran the go ahead to do what ever they want to do including building nukes

which unlike the usa and russia during the cold war. iran will use them against isreal and under the congress we have to wait until they use them before we can stop them

364

Mystikmind

on Jan 31, 2007

true but if the man in charge of the iraq war had been smarter we wouldn't be in the mess we are in

and that man is george bush he is now trying to do what he should have done in the beginning

hehehe, na, American presidents don't really interfere in the logistics of war. Most western leaders typically rely on their generals. And i have to say that i think the american generals did a superb job in taking Iraq.

as far as i'm concearned, what you see happening in iraq now is all saddam's fault not bush. All saddam had to do was co-operate with un inspectors but noooo, and for what? he didn't even have anything worth hiding! so how totaly stupid is that???

365

danielost

on Jan 31, 2007

i agree with the saddam thing

but we have been taking an area and then leaving allowing the insurgents to go back in to that area and that was under bushes orders

366

Mystikmind

on Jan 31, 2007

but we have been taking an area and then leaving allowing the insurgents to go back in to that area and that was under bushes orders

Sound like a good tacktic to me... allow the little pricks back in to regroup ready for another ass floggin!

They should open the boarders to iraq, hand out machine guns to any prik so inclined to use one.... then finish them all off in one place! Iraq.

367

TheGreatEmperor

on Jan 31, 2007

Bad idea, we have already seen what happens when you give missle system(or any other weaponry) to other countries.
E.g. Israeli bombing the crud out of Lebenon, with our missles, isnt that just great.

As for the President relying on generals, i wish he would. As an executive power Bush has the authority to move forces where he pleases without a decleration of war from Congress. The only way Congress can stop him is to make a appeal. Now, Bush has sent of 23,000 more troops, not because his genearals told him too. But, because he wanted to.

368

Mystikmind

on Jan 31, 2007

I don't see how we can blame israel for doing what they did. If you were to consider it this way, if mexico had such a lame government that it allowed factions in it's borders to do the same to america what the lebanese did to israel, how do you think america would respond? One of it's soldiers captured in mexico... what would the people of america be calling for if that happened?

Now, Bush has sent of 23,000 more troops, not because his genearals told him too. But, because he wanted to.

Are you sure? I would have thought he would be acting on his generals advice? Not that an american generals advice is always best! look at mcarthur wanting to attack china! or the response the generals wanted in the cuban missile crisis!!

369

danielost

on Jan 31, 2007

no the out going generals said they didn't need more troops

and now the new ones are starting to sing the same song

you can't blame isreal for defending itself

370

TheGreatEmperor

on Jan 31, 2007

See, Israel didnt have to go bombing away at Lebonese cities for defense. Israel had a chance to accept UN assistance in making a buffer barrier between the two countries. Did Israel accept... no. Instead they started bombing away at the cities killing hundreds of civilians. And in the end all they had for their defense was "There are terrorists hidding in those appartement complexes."

Thats just a bit too conviniet for my tastes.

371

danielost

on Jan 31, 2007

the un was already in the so called buffer the arabs fighters hide in civilian areas so they can get people to say just what youi just said

the same thing is going on in iraq

the other idea is not to put uniforms on the fighters that way all you have to do is remove the weapons and then you can say that the us and isreally army is attacking and killing civilians

and what about the arabs attacking civilians where is your outrage at that

so next you will say that the arabs didn't kill as many civilians as isreal did so isreal is the only one in the wrong

but if i have a crossbow and you have a machinegun and we both attack civilians guess what if you condemn one you have to condemn both

372

TheGreatEmperor

on Jan 31, 2007

Okay, dont twist my words.

All that conflict was, was two very badly managed country having a go at each other. Sure Israel is our friend, but that doesnt mean we should turn a blind eye at what they did. Plus, Israel didnt even offer compensation for the property damages caused.

Instead who stepped in but the terrorists. All this war did was gain more support for a very bad political party.

373

danielost

on Jan 31, 2007

and what about the arabs attacking civilians where is your outrage at that

oh and one thing isreal did do that no other country has ever done was warn the civilians on the border where and when they were going to attack

374

Mystikmind

on Jan 31, 2007

There are terrorists hidding in those appartement complexes

This sounds familiar... there are terrorists hiding in them there countries!

I think we would be all better off to just start thinking of terrorists as a natural part of life, like car accidents, earthquakes, tornados, insect pests!

No one worries why cockroaches do what they do, we just exterminate them. so it should be with terrorists.

375

danielost

on Jan 31, 2007

i wasn't trying to twist your words

and your right isreal shouldn't have attacked civ targets if they were only civ targets

but the arabs shouldn't have attacked that elementary school a couple of years ago

or the coffee shop this week

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