Fracas in South America

And wouldn’t you know it - Hugo Chavez is at fault.

EXCERPT:

[i]Thousands of Venezuelan troops supported by tanks are moving towards the border with Colombia, Venezuela’s defence minister has said.

President Hugo Chavez ordered 10 battalions to the border on Sunday after Colombian troops killed a top Farc rebel leader in Ecuador.

Venezuelan Gen Jesus Gonzalez said almost 90% of the troops ordered to the border were in place.

Ecuador has also mobilised troops after the cross-border raid on Saturday.

Venezuelan Defence Minister Gustavo Rangel said the armed forces were “ready to defend the sacred sovereignty of the homeland”. [/i]

Geography lesson: Columbia is between Ecuador and Venezuela - so the Columbian troops going one mile into Ecuador were further from Venezuela than if they had stayed in Columbia.

Austin Bay has a good take on the strategic situation:

http://www.strategypage.com/on_point/20083423478.aspx

Columbia needs to stomp Venezuela until there’s no more Venezuelan military to stomp.

[quote]BostonBarrister wrote:
And wouldn’t you know it - Hugo Chavez is at fault.[/quote]

You do realize the Colombians technically invaded Ecuador?

Lesson brought to you by the guy misspelling Colombia.

Nice title though.

[quote]PRCalDude wrote:
Columbia needs to stomp Venezuela until there’s no more Venezuelan military to stomp.[/quote]

Cheering for people to be killed?

How Christian of you.

[quote]lixy wrote:
BostonBarrister wrote:
And wouldn’t you know it - Hugo Chavez is at fault.

You do realize the Colombians technically invaded Ecuador?

Geography lesson: Columbia is between Ecuador and Venezuela - so the Columbian troops going one mile into Ecuador were further from Venezuela than if they had stayed in Columbia.

Lesson brought to you by the guy misspelling Colombia.

Nice title though.[/quote]

Well, they did go after FARC, no?

[quote]pookie wrote:
PRCalDude wrote:
Columbia needs to stomp Venezuela until there’s no more Venezuelan military to stomp.

Cheering for people to be killed?

How Christian of you.
[/quote]
Were Christians allowed to root for America vs. the Germans in WWII? Am I not allowed to root for one state intervening against another rogue kleptocracy to the benefit of many in that region?

I can tell now that further discourse between us is probably pointless. There are atheists and then there are the Angry Atheists like yourself and Dawkins who need to lash out at Christian theists for everything they say, do, and think whilst engaging in self-congratulatory atheistic love-fests like the one between you and Eales on the other thread.

[quote]BostonBarrister wrote:
Austin Bay has a good take on the strategic situation:

http://www.strategypage.com/on_point/20083423478.aspx

[/quote]

It’s pretty amazing to read your article and then to contrast it with Le Monde Diplomatique’s take on it:

(It’s in French, sorry.)

The Villains™ and the Nice Guys™ tend to blur a bit.

[quote]PRCalDude wrote:
I can tell now that further discourse between us is probably pointless. There are atheists and then there are the Angry Atheists like yourself and Dawkins who need to lash out at Christian theists for everything they say, do, and think whilst engaging in self-congratulatory atheistic love-fests like the one between you and Eales on the other thread. [/quote]

Angry? I’ve long passed the point where I got angry in those debates. I think any anger you see is but a reflection of your own.

Do you think Jesus would cheer for Colombia to “stomp” Venezuela if he came back? I don’t. But I don’t call myself “a Christian” either… so maybe I’m wrong.

Shouldn’t someone who claims to pattern his life after someone who preached love, peace and forgiveness act, think and speak in ways that reflect that claim? Or at least show some modicum of effort being made towards that goal?

[quote]pookie wrote:
PRCalDude wrote:
I can tell now that further discourse between us is probably pointless. There are atheists and then there are the Angry Atheists like yourself and Dawkins who need to lash out at Christian theists for everything they say, do, and think whilst engaging in self-congratulatory atheistic love-fests like the one between you and Eales on the other thread.

Angry? I’ve long passed the point where I got angry in those debates. I think any anger you see is but a reflection of your own.

Do you think Jesus would cheer for Colombia to “stomp” Venezuela if he came back? I don’t. But I don’t call myself “a Christian” either… so maybe I’m wrong.

Shouldn’t someone who claims to pattern his life after someone who preached love, peace and forgiveness act, think and speak in ways that reflect that claim? Or at least show some modicum of effort being made towards that goal?
[/quote]

You do come off angry, in my opinion.

[quote]pookie wrote:
PRCalDude wrote:
I can tell now that further discourse between us is probably pointless. There are atheists and then there are the Angry Atheists like yourself and Dawkins who need to lash out at Christian theists for everything they say, do, and think whilst engaging in self-congratulatory atheistic love-fests like the one between you and Eales on the other thread.

Angry? I’ve long passed the point where I got angry in those debates. I think any anger you see is but a reflection of your own.

Do you think Jesus would cheer for Colombia to “stomp” Venezuela if he came back? I don’t. But I don’t call myself “a Christian” either… so maybe I’m wrong.

Shouldn’t someone who claims to pattern his life after someone who preached love, peace and forgiveness act, think and speak in ways that reflect that claim? Or at least show some modicum of effort being made towards that goal?
[/quote]

Have a wonderful life. I wish you the best.

[quote]lixy wrote:
BostonBarrister wrote:
And wouldn’t you know it - Hugo Chavez is at fault.

You do realize the Colombians technically invaded Ecuador?

…[/quote]

Technically Ecuador is committing acts of war by harboring FARC.

[quote]PRCalDude wrote:
pookie wrote:
PRCalDude wrote:
Columbia needs to stomp Venezuela until there’s no more Venezuelan military to stomp.

Cheering for people to be killed?

How Christian of you.

Were Christians allowed to root for America vs. the Germans in WWII?
… [/quote]

The Germans did have crosses on their tanks and planes as well as “Gott Mit Uns” on their belt buckles.

[quote]Zap Branigan wrote:
lixy wrote:
BostonBarrister wrote:
And wouldn’t you know it - Hugo Chavez is at fault.

You do realize the Colombians technically invaded Ecuador?

Technically Ecuador is committing acts of war by harboring FARC. [/quote]

Then I guess the US is committing acts of war by harboring Luis Posada.

How would you react if someone violated your sovereignty and bombed your country?

[quote]Sloth wrote:
You do come off angry, in my opinion.[/quote]

Really?

You wouldn’t have a specific example of it, by any chance?

I generally try (or like to think I do) to address the arguments and to refrain from personally insulting the person who I’m replying to. I do make exceptions with a few regulars, such as Rainjack and Jeffr, but they know that, deep down, I dearly love them both.

In the “believe in God” thread, I’m being an idiot with Eales and probably pissing off a few believers… I’ll stop it. But I’m perfectly serious (and non-angry) in my long-ass replies to PRCalDude.

It’s not like anyone ever changes their opinions in these discussions… no point in getting tied up in knots over it.

[quote]PRCalDude wrote:
Have a wonderful life. I wish you the best.[/quote]

So I guess I won’t be getting a reply to my last long post in the other thread?

[quote]
BostonBarrister wrote:
And wouldn’t you know it - Hugo Chavez is at fault.

lixy wrote:
You do realize the Colombians technically invaded Ecuador?[/quote]

Yeah - what does that have to do with Venezuela? Oh yeah - they’re worried because they are harboring terrorists who are constantly attacking the Colombians too…

[quote]
BostonBarrister wrote:
Geography lesson: Columbia is between Ecuador and Venezuela - so the Columbian troops going one mile into Ecuador were further from Venezuela than if they had stayed in Columbia.

lixy wrote:
Lesson brought to you by the guy misspelling Colombia.

Nice title though.[/quote]

Yeah, I spent a few years living in right outside the District of Columbia ( Washington, D.C. - Wikipedia. ), so that’s my default.

Luckily, spelling and geography are different subjects.

[quote]Sloth wrote:
You do come off angry, in my opinion.[/quote]

Because he wrote the following?

Cheering for people to be killed? How Christian of you.

Can you elaborate on that?

[quote]lixy wrote:

Then I guess the US is committing acts of war by harboring Luis Posada.

How would you react if someone violated your sovereignty and bombed your country?[/quote]

Guess how we’d react if the Mexicans were harboring a large group of terrorists that was attacking the U.S. on a regular basis?

[quote]pookie wrote:
Sloth wrote:
You do come off angry, in my opinion.

Really?

You wouldn’t have a specific example of it, by any chance?

I generally try (or like to think I do) to address the arguments and to refrain from personally insulting the person who I’m replying to. I do make exceptions with a few regulars, such as Rainjack and Jeffr, but they know that, deep down, I dearly love them both.

In the “believe in God” thread, I’m being an idiot with Eales and probably pissing off a few believers… I’ll stop it. But I’m perfectly serious (and non-angry) in my long-ass replies to PRCalDude.

It’s not like anyone ever changes their opinions in these discussions… no point in getting tied up in knots over it.

[/quote]

Ah, yeah. I don’t mean to imply that you generally seem angry in your posts. I was thinking more along the lines of the religion topic (and it coming up again here). But, I’ll take you at your word that you’re throwing in some good-natured jabs. So please, disregard my comment.

[quote]BostonBarrister wrote:
lixy wrote:

Then I guess the US is committing acts of war by harboring Luis Posada.

How would you react if someone violated your sovereignty and bombed your country?

Guess how we’d react if the Mexicans were harboring a large group of terrorists that was attacking the U.S. on a regular basis? [/quote]

Answer my question, then I’ll answer yours.