Booman Tribune ~ A Progressive Community

World Peace is At Hand

by BooMan
Fri Dec 26th, 2008 at 10:36:27 AM EST

As Teddy Roosevelt counseled, we should walk softly and carry a hard stick:

The Afghan chieftain looked older than his 60-odd years, and his bearded face bore the creases of a man burdened with duties as tribal patriarch and husband to four younger women. His visitor, a CIA officer, saw an opportunity, and reached into his bag for a small gift.
Four blue pills. Viagra.
"Take one of these. You'll love it," the officer said. Compliments of Uncle Sam.

I've never been so proud of my country.

World Peace is At Hand | 14 comments (14 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: World Peace is At Hand (none / 0)

While the CIA has a long history of buying information with cash, the growing Taliban insurgency has prompted the use of novel incentives and creative bargaining to gain support in some of the country's roughest neighborhoods, according to officials directly involved in such operations.
ad_icon
In their efforts to win over notoriously fickle warlords and chieftains, the officials say, the agency's operatives have used a variety of personal services. These include pocketknives and tools, medicine or surgeries for ailing family members, toys and school equipment, tooth extractions, travel visas, and, occasionally, pharmaceutical enhancements for aging patriarchs with slumping libidos, the officials said.
"Whatever it takes to make friends and influence people -- whether it's building a school or handing out Viagra," said one longtime agency operative and veteran of several Afghanistan tours. Like other field officers interviewed for this article, he spoke on the condition of anonymity when describing tactics and operations that are largely classified.

by BooMan on Fri Dec 26th, 2008 at 10:38:39 AM EST

After what we've done in Afghanistan, (none / 0)

and what we plan to do, this is just what we need---more men running around with hard dicks looking for a place to put them.

Yeah, pride. Funny.

by invisible on Fri Dec 26th, 2008 at 10:48:35 AM EST

Re: World Peace is At Hand (none / 0)

Umm.. This is a lot cheaper and morally sound than a shipment of arms...

There is something to men being sexually satisfied being less violent... no?

Then again, there might be (no pun intended, I swear) blow back: for every happy warlord there are 4 FURIOUS wives ('What?!!? AGAIN?!!? Damn those infidel dogs!').

Declaring the bottom is the only way back up..

by anarchronarchist (mincers (-at-) hotmail (-dot-) com) on Fri Dec 26th, 2008 at 10:52:05 AM EST

Re: World Peace is At Hand (none / 0)

one point to be made, though....where will they put those dicks? It's one thing to assume it'll be wives, but powerful men believe rules (like being faithful to spouses) don't apply to them. Or...they might distribute their bounty among their bodyguards.

In any case, I expect to see a spike in reported rapes, or in 'honour killings' of girls raped by these men.

Man with stiff dick...gotta put it someplace, no?

"The invisible hand of Adam Smith seems to offer an extended middle finger to an awful lot of people"---George Carlin

by justadood on Fri Dec 26th, 2008 at 11:02:20 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Little, Blue, Different... (none / 0)

Let me follow this line of reason to it's conclusion:

To acheive peace now, we just send in an army of Warlord-loving nyphomaniacs, right?

Declaring the bottom is the only way back up..

by anarchronarchist (mincers (-at-) hotmail (-dot-) com) on Fri Dec 26th, 2008 at 11:15:09 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Little, Blue, Different... (none / 0)

There is a comment below which, rightfully shuts down this line of 'humor'.

Although, I gotta say: Without humor as a release, I don't know what, even more insensitive or destructive acts I'd be contributing to the endless violence. And that is serious.

Declaring the bottom is the only way back up..

by anarchronarchist (mincers (-at-) hotmail (-dot-) com) on Fri Dec 26th, 2008 at 11:18:25 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Little, Blue, Different... (none / 0)

"now look what you made me do!!!"

"nothing worse than assault with a dead weapon..."

I do appreciate the humour in this bit o' news, it's just that I tend to lose that when the negatives outweigh the positives.

Now, the republican thrashing in MN over the (more and more) probable Franken win....that's funny.....

"The invisible hand of Adam Smith seems to offer an extended middle finger to an awful lot of people"---George Carlin

by justadood on Fri Dec 26th, 2008 at 12:48:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Men with hard sticks. (none / 0)

Read. Enjoy. It's really funny.

http://intelligencenews.wordpress.com/2008/12/12/03-13/

http://rinf.com/alt-news/war-terrorism/cia-death-squads-killing-with-%E2%80%9Cimpunity%E2%80%9D-in-a fghanistan/3536/

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/jul/11/afghanistan.usa

Don't worry, it's just collateral damage.

by invisible on Fri Dec 26th, 2008 at 11:10:35 AM EST

Re: World Peace is At Hand (none / 0)

Make Love Not War....If only the Neocons who invaded Iraq would've taken those "blue" pills.

by americanforliberty on Fri Dec 26th, 2008 at 11:32:51 AM EST

Re: World Peace is At Hand (none / 0)

what makes you think they didn't?

by RevDeb on Fri Dec 26th, 2008 at 11:35:22 AM EST
[ Parent ]

A hard "stick", (none / 0)

does not "love" make.

by invisible on Fri Dec 26th, 2008 at 11:39:47 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: World Peace is At Hand (none / 0)

Have we so little left that we can export is this what it has come to?

I guess I answered my own question.

by RevDeb on Fri Dec 26th, 2008 at 11:34:56 AM EST

Re: World Peace is At Hand (none / 0)

"We'll give you the blue pills. You give us the opium." Sounds like the same ol' CIA to me.

by Bob In Pacifica on Fri Dec 26th, 2008 at 11:42:27 AM EST

Re: World Peace is At Hand (none / 1)

"You take the blue pill, the story ends, you wake up in your bed, and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill, you stay in Wonderland, and I show you just how deep the rabbit hole goes."

Morpheus describes the effects of the two pills to Neo

by invisible on Fri Dec 26th, 2008 at 12:30:32 PM EST
[ Parent ]

World Peace is At Hand | 14 comments (14 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Go to: [ Booman Tribune Homepage : Top of page : Top of comments ]

. Home
. About
. Contact
. Advertise
. FAQ
. Search

Username:
Password:

. Make a new account
. Reset password

Gift Cards * New Arrivals

THE BOOKS WITH "BUZZ":
______________

The roots of the bubble and the story of Wall Street's collapse can be told no clearer — nor with as much humor — as by Michael Lewis. If you read only one book that explains the current economic crisis, make it The Big Short.
:

"The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine
by Michael Lewis

Check out the new biography of Barack Obama that is getting rave reviews:

The Bridge: The Life and Rise of Barack Obama
David Remnick.
Senator Edward M. Kennedy tells his extraordinary personal story:

True Compass: A Memoir
by Edward M. Kennedy.

Read Barack Obama's vision for America:

The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream
by Barack Obama

Boran2 and maryb2004 recommend:

The Big Over Easy: A Nursery Crime
by Jasper Fforde

Must-have information for all presidents-and citizens-of the twenty-first century?

Physics for Future Presidents: The Science behind the Headlines
Richard A. Muller

rae recommends:

Dark Ages America: The Final Phase of Empire
by Morris Berman.

On BooMan’s shelf:

Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln
by Doris Kearns Goodwin

This looks interesting:

Adventure Divas
by Holly Morris

Check out
Powell's new section:
NEW FAVORITES
Selected new arrivals at 30% off

Recommended by Indianadem and ejmw:
The Conscience of a Liberal
by Paul Wellstone

From northcountry’s bookshelf:

The New Golden Age:
The Coming Revolution Against
Political Corruption and Economic Chaos by Ravi Batra

Great Deals
----- * ^ * -----

Find mystery novels by Nancy Pickard ("Kansas")

Challenging Empire: How People, Governments, and the UN Defy US Power by Phyllis Bennis (interviewed on DN!)

Featured by Keith Olbermann, New (Powell's Sale): Rogue State: A Guide to the World's Only Superpower by William Blum (whose other books merit serious consideration)

"Explosive" State of War: The Secret History of the CIA and the Bush Administration
by James Risen

The book the CIA doesn't want you to read: Jawbreaker: The Attack on Bin Laden and Al Qaeda: A Personal Account by the CIA's Key Field Commander
Larry Johnson's review

BT's all-time best seller:

PERMACULTURE:
A Designers' Manual
$79.95 * Sale: $59.95

Unequal Sisters: A Multicultural Reader in U.S. Women's History (Third Edition)

The Undercover Economist: Exposing Why the Rich Are Rich, the Poor Are Poor And Why You Can Never Buy a Decent Used Car!

The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl
by Timothy Egan

Green Press Initiative
----- * ^ * -----

Journalistas: 100 Years of the Best Writing and Reporting by Women Journalists by Eleanor Mills * NYT review

Bury Me Standing: the Gypsies & Their Journey

1491: New Revelations of the Americas before Columbus

Brokeback Mountain
by Annie Proulx
----- * ^ * -----
Check out Powell's
"At The Movies"

Imperial Ambitions: Conversations on the Post-9/11 World by Noam Chomsky (Power & Terror: Post 9-11 Talks)

The Price of Privilege:

How Parental Pressure and
Material Advantage Are Creating a Generation of
Disconnected and Unhappy Kids
by Madeline Levine

Save 35-70% on
name brand clothing,
footwear, and outdoor gear
at SierraTradingPost.com
:

We listened to PEN American Center's "State of Emergency" and found 1940s books by Curzio Malaparte only at Alibris. (Selection (MP3) excerpted from "The Skin.")

Banned Books * Are you a fan of Film Noir, Art House, Documentaries or Hong Kong Action? * Searching for a long-lost children's book or a first printing of Miles Davis' Kind of Blue on vinyl? Find it at Alibris!

:
:

Booman Tribune Homepage
admin@boomantribune.com
powered by Scoop

More blogs about Blogs at Technorati.

Technorati Profile