Quote from: ChristieForPres on November 26, 2015, 09:06:54 AM
As far as Syrian refugees go, I believe the new house bill was needed. Democrats argue that many republican candidates such as Rubio are not wanting to help refugees when they say we should not let them in the country without better security measures. What I believe is that the solution to these refugees problems is not leaving Syria for the United States, I believe the solution is the U.S.A. Creating and leading a strong cooallition to combat ISIS through airstrikes, combatting Russia's at best mediocre bombing campaign that is not destroying ISIS but actually defending the Assad regime, and after ISIS is destroyed and Russia's support of Assad is put to rest, we let democracy decide who leads Syria and get Assad out of there. When this started, with Assad wrongly treating certain groups of Syrian Muslims different than his religion, Assad's government(and the rebel groups) were the ones who were killing civilians, so Assad, ISIS, and Russia/Iran/Hezbollah presences in Russia need to go. Some ways to combat Russia are no fly zones(especially around Turkey) and aiding the Rebels that are combatting ISIS but Putin wants to destroy because they are going against his beloved Assad.

Hmm.... looks like this was just cut-n-pasted from somewhere, like a political ad.
Noticed you haven't replied or added anything to your original post... kinda like a Troll.

Quote from: Hoofer on November 29, 2015, 07:20:06 AM
Hmm.... looks like this was just cut-n-pasted from somewhere, like a political ad.
Noticed you haven't replied or added anything to your original post... kinda like a Troll.

Actually Solar told me to start replying to other posts so I'm focusing on that and getting a feel for the forums.

Quote from: Walter Josh on November 28, 2015, 10:12:27 AM
The Syrian refugees want to leave their homeland for the same reason the Mexicans do and the East Europeans did decades ago. The root of all immigration is economic as there is no opportunity for them and their children in their country of birth, as their leaders ignore them; happy to see their backsides.

ISIS threatens to send 500,000 migrants to Europe as a 'psychological weapon'


The "Settlement Plan" for North America

"The process of settlement is a 'Civilization-Jihadist Process' with all the word means. The Ikhwan [Muslim Brotherhood] must understand that their work in America is a kind of grand jihad in eliminating and destroying the Western civilization from within and 'sabotaging' its miserable house by their hands and the hands of the believers..."

https://whatyouthoughtiwentaway.wordpress.com/2015/10/01/the-muslim-brotherhoods-strategic-plan-for-america-court-document/

Dori, w/respect.
I accept that the idea of conquest, the Caliphate and Sharia Law inflames the mind of the jihadi. Yet the catalyst for mass migration, the Irish in the 19th century, the Mongols in the 16th century and so on, is rooted in economics. We can expect much more of this from the middle east until these people are able, if ever, to break free of the chains Islam imposes upon them.

Quote from: Walter Josh on November 29, 2015, 11:20:39 AM
Dori, w/respect.
I accept that the idea of conquest, the Caliphate and Sharia Law inflames the mind of the jihadi. Yet the catalyst for mass migration, the Irish in the 19th century, the Mongols in the 16th century and so on, is rooted in economics. We can expect much more of this from the middle east until these people are able, if ever, to break free of the chains Islam imposes upon them.

Having lived in islamic countries much of my adult life and traveled extensively in most of the others, I can say with certainty that most muslims do not see themselves as economically deprived.  Their women are dripping in gold (22 carat) jewelry and living well.  Of course all Countries have a segment of "poor" but the muslims countries are not disproportionately poor.

Do they live as opulently as we do? No.  But neither does Europe, Asia or Australia.

Economics IMHO is not the driving force behind immigration from the ME.  Right now it is a combination of political instability, dangers of war and ISIS, and a stealth attempt at an islamic caliphate by some.

Most of these "immigrants" are not interested in the European refugee camps.  They are looking for the nearest ATMs.   For the most part they are not "poor" people.  They are displaced people and jihadists. 

Ben Carson says the Syrian refugees he met during his trip to the Middle East don't want to come to the United States — they want to go home.

https://www.yahoo.com/politics/ben-carson-syrian-refugee-trip-202955293.html

This article supports my position that these people are NOT economic refugees.

Quote from: Walter Josh on November 28, 2015, 09:50:29 PM

Much of talk radio and tv is ignorant blather directed at those small minds already made up, by information long on bs and short on any historical accuracy.
My original comment, about the Syrians, derives from 18 years as a petrochemical engineers working w/the Arabs, their language and their culture; rather than the latest malarkey hyped on idiot tv such as FOX.
Try opening your brain.

OHHHHH DO FORGIVE ME I'm sure those 18 years working as a petrochemical engineer among Arabs and soaking up their culture, language etc has just made you an absolute authority on such matters and we need look no further. Certainly not to those idiot TV talking heads who only have the finest military, Govt, private industry  intelligence analysts from a dozen or so countries to count on as resources for their talking points. I'm sure a petrochemical engineer surpasses all that.

Personally, I don't rely on what I see on TV and certainly not the desk jockeys on Talk radio, much of my basis of opinion for my aforementioned post concerning conquest by intermarriage, infiltration & overwhelming numbers/attrition is the  result of tenure as a private security contractor in Places like East Timor, the Philippines, Indonesia and a few other Asian countries. I saw such strategy in play up close and bloody personally. The greatest conflict seems to be where Islam is the minority and Christianity is the majority and the Muzzies, or Moro, are desperate to even the playing field, the exception being Thailand where the conflict is with the Buddhist, yet very Nationalistic,Thai's.

And may I say that you are among the very slim hand full of expats I have ever heard expressing admiration for "Arab" culture etc, assuming you were actually in "Arab" Countries (whatever the hell Arab countries might mean), my fourth month tenure in Kuwait, UAE and Saudi was the most miserable time I spent as an expat and most others, from various countries would agree on how bad the place sucks, the food is awful, the climate terrible and the people are worse.

But since you seem to be so enamored of them I suggest you go back to whatever "Arab' country you found so pleasant and stay there, and while you at it tell the SOB's to stay the hell out of our country.

Kroz, then we have mega difference of opinion based on our observations of life there.
1. The wealth effect in the ME is a function of an accident of geography as well as geology, viz; the presence of oil and gas, which does not exist uniformly in either quantity or quality, per country.
2. Nations w/a higher proportion of Shia are poorer than their Sunni neighbors
3, The same is true of nations w/a higher proportion of Bedouins.
4. Most critically, wealth is concentrated in the hands of the few connected to or part of the ruling class.
I assert that the women you have seen in the gold souks are singular exceptions rather than the rule.
And as well meaning as your opinions likely are, Adam Smith has history and economics on his side.
-------------------------------------
Bayonet, I do not pretend to be an expert on ME culture nor did I express either admiration for Arab culture nor am I enamored of it. My core point was that Islam requires submission which traps the Arab in a cycle that breeds violence. You would have known that if you had read and reflected on my initial post rather than reacting w/uninformed and visceral hostility.  For your information, Arab countries are those where Arabic is the major language and Islam dominates the culture.
I'm uninterested in engaging in a dead end urinary contest w/someone as closed minded as you, so we'll end it here. Let me suggest that the next time you see one of my posts, hurry past it, as you'll quickly feel much better.

Quote from: Walter Josh on November 29, 2015, 05:57:18 PM
Kroz, then we have mega difference of opinion based on our observations of life there.
1. The wealth effect in the ME is a function of an accident of geography as well as geology, viz; the presence of oil and gas, which does not exist uniformly in either quantity or quality, per country.
2. Nations w/a higher proportion of Shia are poorer than their Sunni neighbors
3, The same is true of nations w/a higher proportion of Bedouins.
4. Most critically, wealth is concentrated in the hands of the few connected to or part of the ruling class.
I assert that the women you have seen in the gold souks are singular exceptions rather than the rule.
And as well meaning as your opinions likely are, Adam Smith has history and economics on his side.
-------------------------------------
Bayonet, I do not pretend to be an expert on ME culture nor did I express either admiration for Arab culture nor am I enamored of it. My core point was that Islam requires submission which traps the Arab in a cycle that breeds violence. You would have known that if you had read and reflected on my initial post rather than reacting w/uninformed and visceral hostility.  For your information, Arab countries are those where Arabic is the major language and Islam dominates the culture.
I'm uninterested in engaging in a dead end urinary contest w/someone as closed minded as you, so we'll end it here. Let me suggest that the next time you see one of my posts, hurry past it, as you'll quickly feel much better.

Translation:  Do not conjecture me coz I am the know all be all authority on things 'Arab' and Muslim.

And please don't give a sermon on your all too subjective 'Arab countries'  narrative, digressive from the point anyhow.

Perhaps if you would have been more forthcoming & named what "Arab" country you imply you had tenure in where you absorbed the culture and language you might have more credibility. Then we might determine what nexus it might have with the current Syrian crisis and your qualification to pass judgement & Lecture us lesser mortals with your vastly superior intellect.

But Right now you are still failing.

Quote from: Solar on November 26, 2015, 09:25:52 AM
We know exactly what he meant by that. The US was founded by essentially offspring of the Mayflower pilgrims and settlers that follow.
He knows what happens when Muscum are offered a place to settle, Hell, look at Michigan and the problems they're having already.

I think we can safely trashcan anything that spews outta' Bozo's mouth.  We can believe just the opposite of what he says and be on the right side of any issue.

Quote from: keyboarder on November 29, 2015, 06:38:56 PM
I think we can safely trashcan anything that spews outta' Bozo's mouth.  We can believe just the opposite of what he says and be on the right side of any issue.

True that...

Quote from: keyboarder on November 29, 2015, 06:38:56 PM
I think we can safely trashcan anything that spews outta' Bozo's mouth.  We can believe just the opposite of what he says and be on the right side of any issue.

Well said. Believe nothing he says, but watch what he does. Makes one wonder how Josh Ernest can even look in the mirror.

Quote from: taxed on November 26, 2015, 12:36:30 PM
Christie for pres???



Liberals are hilarious.

Or mentally ill.

Working somewhere in the Middle East in the petrochemical industry for 18 years, might make one an expert on petrochemicals, but the little foreign enclaves give one scant opportunity to know much about the country or the culture.  I guess the Arab oil barons' wives (And I mean plural) do sport gold jewelry (I think it's mostly 18K actually because I, myself, have some) but the hordes of barbarians I see pictured invading Europe don't look especially prosperous or civilized or female.  This is not an economic phenomenon, but a religious war with the goal of creating a worldwide Caliphate.  The foolish Europeans are allowing this to happen to their own civilization, but I hope we here in the US can somehow put a stop to our government's destruction of our country and culture.  These people do not assimilate nor do they know how to live peaceably.  They are barbarians who think little of human life's value and are willing and indeed eager to kill for Allah.  That is who is coming.  We have no need to hold Job Fairs for them.

Quote from: Charliemyboy on November 30, 2015, 02:45:53 PM
Working somewhere in the Middle East in the petrochemical industry for 18 years, might make one an expert on petrochemicals, but the little foreign enclaves give one scant opportunity to know much about the country or the culture.  I guess the Arab oil barons' wives (And I mean plural) do sport gold jewelry (I think it's mostly 18K actually because I, myself, have some) but the hordes of barbarians I see pictured invading Europe don't look especially prosperous or civilized or female.  This is not an economic phenomenon, but a religious war with the goal of creating a worldwide Caliphate.  The foolish Europeans are allowing this to happen to their own civilization, but I hope we here in the US can somehow put a stop to our government's destruction of our country and culture.  These people do not assimilate nor do they know how to live peaceably.  They are barbarians who think little of human life's value and are willing and indeed eager to kill for Allah.  That is who is coming.  We have no need to hold Job Fairs for them.

You have addressed comments in your post from different people.

I will comment on the portion that involved me.  I purchased 22 1/2 carat gold in Saudi frequently.  They do have 18 carat but the locals preferred the 22 1/2 carat.

I saw many Bedouin women wearing unbelievable amounts of gold.  Their husband's wealth was in his wife's gold jewelry.  It was the only thing of value to buy in Saudi back in the 70s.  That was their bank account... gold jewelry. 

One day we drove through what appeared to be a remote Bedouin enclave that was full of squalor and filth.  Goats running around everywhere, tents and camels.  Veiled women were walking around but you could see their gold bangles and necklaces.... not chains but heavy gaudy necklaces.

I also lived in Indonesia for many years and they actually had more poor people than the middle eastern countries.  Poverty was a problem but during the 80s and 90s there was an emerging middle class with far less poverty.

I have traveled in many of the muslim countries.  I really have a good understanding of the culture.  My husband's sister's family lived many years in Jordan and we visited them.  I've been to Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey, Egypt, India, Nepal, Malaysia, and others.  This gave me a cross section of various cultures, both Shia and Shiite. 

I am not an authority but I sure have a lot of cumulative knowledge of islam.