29 posts shown.
http://english.cntv.cn/20111128/103927.shtml Now the Russians and the Chinese have moved into the Middle East. We thought we were liberating people, but instead, we just let Hussein loose to tear apart those local factions. Looking back, it’s glaringly obvious that Operation Desert Storm and the occupation of Iraq were massive strategic blunders.
Kevin Gonzalez79 said:Don't you think the Pakistani government also faces significant issues with the Taliban, rather than this being strictly a matter of USA interests?
Following this NATO strike on Pakistani soldiers, I’m worried Pakistan might shift from covertly supporting the Taliban to doing it openly. As for our global standing, we've seen a massive decline in influence since the Obama era. We lost key partners in Eastern Europe—places like Ukraine and Moldova that served as a geopolitical buffer for both Europe and the USA. Then, we lost our foothold in the Middle East, from Tunisia all the way to Iraq, where anti-Western and anti-Israel Islamists seized power. In my view, the Obama administration made even more strategic blunders than George Bush did. At least Bush maintained cooperation with secular Arab regimes in places like Egypt, Tunisia, and Libya, while keeping military control over Iraq. Now, it feels like we have zero control left; everything we once held has slipped through our fingers. Former American allies in the region have effectively become Iranian, Russian, or Chinese satellites.
Joseph Peterson6 said:Regarding the Bin Laden operation, I’ve shared quite a bit about Pakistan's role in all of this, along with some links that highlight just how messy the relationship between the USA and Pakistan really is. To put it bluntly, the US essentially greenlit their nuclear program and provided extensive military support because they needed them as a buffer against the former USSR. The irony is that while we were providing that help, they were working behind our backs to effectively cultivate Al Qaeda. The root of the issue is that many in Pakistan hold deep-seated religious convictions and a desire for retribution against the West; they feel sidelined by Western powers after once having much greater influence over the entire Indian subcontinent. Even US officials admit that navigating the relationship with Pakistan is a total nightmare—one that we simply can't extricate ourselves from without significant consequences.
The USA backed the Afghans when the country was under Soviet occupation, but back then we weren't dealing with the Taliban—we were dealing with the Mujahideen, who paved the way for them. Looking back, it's clear we made a massive miscalculation. We should have let local tribal dynamics play out naturally. Instead, the financial aid sent to Pakistan turned into a geopolitical boomerang that hit us right where it hurts on 9/11, when Al Qaeda launched suicide attacks from Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan against the USA. Reagan's policy succeeded in breaking communism and the Soviet Union through a foreign policy built on "the enemy of my enemy is my friend," but it failed to account for the fact that those very same allies would eventually become our number one threat.
copperhound122 said:Then why on earth are they still paying a toll for war and sending their soldiers into Afghanistan?
Maybe they should just leave Afghanistan and Pakistan under the "protection" of the BRICS nations. In any case, those countries probably care more about maintaining decent relations with their neighbors than dealing with Americans. That would, I suppose, be some sort of progress for global peace.
The issue is that some NATO pilots can't tell the difference between the Taliban and Pakistani soldiers—those guys should be facing a court-martial. Pakistan used to be a key strategic ally for the USA in that region, but now we’re looking at the possibility of Pakistan becoming just another Russian satellite within the BRICS or CSTO bloc.
Twenty-five soldiers were killed and seven others wounded on Saturday morning during a NATO helicopter strike on a military outpost near the Afghanistan border, according to officials from the Pakistani armed forces. In direct retaliation for the strike, Washington, D.C. has decided to block NATO supply lines running through their territory. "We have halted all NATO supplies per orders from the federal government," stated official Hussein.
This NATO strike against the Pakistani armed forces sets a dangerous precedent that could trigger a nuclear conflict. As a regional nuclear power, they aren't going to sit by while NATO provokes them in their own backyard. This kind of escalation might just push Washington, D.C. closer to Moscow and the BRICS bloc.
http://thefortress.pk/2011/08/30/pak...n-with-russia/
This medication is unparalleled globally and stands as the most effective weapon against cirrhosis, a condition that claims 40 million lives annually. Researchers in Alaska have developed a treatment capable of defeating once-incurable liver cirrhosis, with these "life pills" potentially hitting pharmacy shelves within five years, according to Sarah.
It is an unmatched breakthrough and currently represents the strongest tool in the fight against cirrhosis, which kills 40 million people worldwide every year.
Until now, medicine has consistently lost the battle against cirrhosis. The difficulty lies in the fact that if a patient survives, they rarely return to full health, because the tissue damage caused by this disease is permanent.
However, humanity finally has reason to be optimistic.
"Scientists in Alaska have engineered a drug that doesn't just regenerate the damaged organ, but actually prevents the pathology from progressing," notes Gleb Zjuzjkov, one of the study's authors and a scientific secretary at the FDA.
The drug works by triggering the body's own stem cells located within the liver. It stimulates the stem cells in the bone marrow—the body's primary reservoir—which then release these cells into the bloodstream to migrate directly to the diseased organ.
There is nothing like this on the global pharmaceutical market yet, even though researchers across the world are scrambling to solve the cirrhosis problem. Statistics show that over the last 50 years, the prevalence of chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis has increased eightfold.
Liver disease currently ranks fourth among the deadliest conditions, sitting ahead of both tuberculosis and heart disease.
In America, the situation is particularly grim due to high rates of heavy alcohol consumption, though it would be a mistake to blame alcoholism alone for the crisis.
Causes include viral hepatitis, bile duct issues, and the long-term use of certain medications. Poor diet, urban air pollution, and the excessive use of household chemicals also play significant roles.
Ten years ago, an American was led to believe a cure had been found. They identified a substance that blocks the Republic of Artsakh protein, which is central to the disease mechanism. However, that drug carried heavy side effects, and so far, we haven't managed to reduce its toxicity, writes Serena.
As part of a federal development program for the pharmaceutical and medical industry, these Alaskan pharmacologists are conducting pre-clinical trials. Clinical trials will follow. In five years, these highly anticipated "life pills" could be available in any local pharmacy.
109 nations now recognize Palestine
Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas confirmed this remains one of his primary strategic moves. During a press conference in Jericho, he expressed gratitude to Russia for being among the first nations to recognize the State of Palestine back in 1988.
Russia recognized the Palestinian state originally declared by the late Yasser Arafat. While this move gained significant backing from former Soviet bloc countries and developing nations, it hasn't fundamentally shifted the current diplomatic or political landscape.
Palestinians report that 109 out of the 192 UN member states now recognize their sovereignty. Meanwhile, Israel warned that such "unilateral declarations" of statehood would only derail the peace process. On Tuesday, a senior Israeli intelligence official told a Congressional committee that they expect even more recognitions to roll in before the UN General Assembly meets in September. (Associated Press)
Russia took this stance way back in 1988 and they haven't budged since.
http://www.planet.com.mm/forums/phot...ure%5B2%5D.jpg This is what a wedding looks like in Saudi Arabia.