Rolling Afghanistan Thread

[Clinamenic]

Granted I'm an optimist, in more than one sense.

 

[luka]

fucking nuke america bring on the chinese tbh, or the caliphate, whatever, lets have a laugh

 

[Clinamenic]

I'm sure there is much to learn from the Chinese. I'd be interested in a state that is just as entrepreneurial, but less totalitarian, at least from whatever glimpse I possess into Chinese reality. I also like the notion of special economic zones, the notion of an inconsistent politico-economic fabric, but intentionally inconsistent in keeping with federal policy, rather than just inconsistent in keeping with different regional governments.

 

[luka]

youll never know anythng about china cos it is y0ur designated offical enemy

 

[Clinamenic]

Special Opportunity Zones

 

[Clinamenic]

Yeah it is explicitly viewed as the top national security threat by numerous congresspeople, with an emphasis on tech development. Systematic surveillance. Call me a tech vampire, but I think there is something to salvage there.

 

[WashYourHands]

@shakahislop is Rory Stewart

North Face = Otter Tekra

 

[DannyL]

its mad the things people get excited about isnt it. i was just looking at some of my favourite twitter nerds and theyre having this furious argument about Trotsky. like, who the fuck is Trotsky? didnt he die about 2 million years ago? who cares

This always baffles me with the online left. Totally specious what are they talking about bubbles of theory that will never ever happen. Might as well say I'm going to enter Love Island next year and agitate for socialist revolution from the living room and pool.

 

[luka]

This always baffles me with the online left. Totally specious what are they talking about bubbles of theory that will never ever happen. Might as well say I'm going to enter Love Island next year and agitate for socialist revolution from the living room and pool.

its just something to fill time like we might argue about dubstep

 

[luka]

no one has the slightest influence or even an idea of where we should be going. stalin. mao. trotsky. cheef keef. its all idle.

 

[Clinamenic]

How much is the western citizen's notion of privacy superfluous? Does it really contribute to the quality of their life? I suppose its especially an issue in the US what with its libertarian roots and all.

 

[DannyL]

more seriously: for me it's because i was involved in this war for a long time, which leads to a kind of obsessive interest, and what's going on now is affecting a lot of my friends there (but i don't know if you're talking about me).

How were you involved if you don't mind me asking?

 

[luka]

i want to be ever so slightly criminal frankly. most of my life has been somewhat naughty so in that respect i care

 

[DannyL]

no one has the slightest influence or e an idea of where we should be going. stalin. mao. trotsky. cheef keef. its all idle.

Keef has bangers though

 

[version]

i lived in kabul for four years, working a bit on the 'statebuilding' side of things, a bit on the development side, and then quite a lot on the humanitarian side. there were a few links to bits and pieces that the CIA was doing, but it was more directly related to things that the state department and the UN were trying to do. in terms of what psychological defect bought me there, there have been many hypotheses but no conclusive evidence as yet.

@DannyL

 

[luka]

i want to be ever so slightly criminal frankly. most of my life has been somewhat naughty so in that respect i care

leave me alone you neolib psychos, seriously

 

[shakahislop]

How were you involved if you don't mind me asking?

i am god

 

[Mr. Tea]

its a recognition thatt the us led empire is by far and away the most powerful and influential actor and to resist it is heroic in and of itself regardless of motivation, ie even if evil

I think this picture of the world might be 20 or 30 years out of date. It was certainly true while the USSR was in the process of collapsing, and for a while after that collapse. But how much influence does America have in the Middle East, really, compared to Iran? Or in SE Asia, Africa and the Pacific, compared to China? Or in Eastern Europe or Central Asia, compared to Russia? I think America's influence these days is greatly exaggerated both by people taking your position and by America itself.

 

[Mr. Tea]

Then again, I appreciate that your position is more of a religious credo than a geopolitical analysis.

 

[DannyL]

i am god

Aren't we all?