The Syria Thread: Everything you wanted to know or say about it

[Blackleaf]

Re: British Parliament votes against British military involvement in Syria

How so? The way I see it, a 'tradition' we continue to follow out of understanding of its current applicability is not what I would call tradition.

But once it's outlived its purpose or we've even forgotten the initial purpose, then yes, it's tradition, but that is just blind.

The world progresses by applying the mind, not through blind imitation.

We're only talking about a few men and women wearing wigs in court. It's not doing any harm to anyone. I've never seen people taking to the streets protesting about it yet.

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

Re: British Parliament votes against British military involvement in Syria

Britain - and the whole world - without traditions would be a very horrible place to live.

Considering your traditions are mostly brutal, genocidal, and belong in a D*ickens novel, I'll pass, thanks.

 

[Spade]

Re: British Parliament votes against British military involvement in Syria

Some say tradition is like circumcision; it's for pr!cks.

 

[Blackleaf]

Re: British Parliament votes against British military involvement in Syria

Considering your traditions are mostly brutal, genocidal, and belong in a D*ickens novel, I'll pass, thanks.

Yeah, alright then. If you say so. Britain has been a major force for GOOD in this world.

Britain was the country which stood alone against Nazism when everyone else had either surrendered, been invaded or, like the US, sat on the sidelines. It defeated Communism and the other evil isms born on the European continent.

Remember, Britain was the first country in the world to permanently abolish slavery. You lot still had blacks in shackles as late as the 1860s.

We gave women the vote before the US, and the vast majority of the world, did.

And many Brits today will be able to remember the disgraceful way that black American soldiers were treated by their supposed comrades when they were based in Britain during WWII. Many American soldiers were angered when British barmaids served them beer in pubs - because it wasn't allowed in America at the time to serve blacks in pubs.

 

[Machjo]

Re: British Parliament votes against British military involvement in Syria

We're only talking about a few men and women wearing wigs in court. It's not doing any harm to anyone. I've never seen people taking to the streets protesting about it yet.

I ws speaking in more general terms about tradition, but certainly personal traditions are none of my business unless they harm myself or society. That said, those wigs really are cute, aren't they.

I should get meself one... sorry, 'myself one'.

Yeah, alright then. If you say so. Britain has been a major force for GOOD in this world.

Britain was the country which stood alone against Nazism when everyone else had either surrendered, been invaded or, like the US, sat on the sidelines. It defeated Communism and the other evil isms born on the European continent.

Remember, Britain was the first country in the world to permanently abolish slavery. You lot still had blacks in shackles as late as the 1860s.

We gave women the vote before the US, and the vast majority of the world, did.

And many Brits today will be able to remember the disgraceful way that black American soldiers were treated by their supposed comrades when they were based in Britain during WWII. Many American soldiers were angered when British barmaids served them beer in pubs - because it wasn't allowed in America at the time to serve blacks in pubs.

And what does that have to do with tradition? Your abolishing slavery was progress, not tradition. You seem to be undoing your own argument there.

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

Re: British Parliament votes against British military involvement in Syria

Yeah, alright then. If you say so. Britain has been a major force for GOOD in this world.

Britain was the country which stood alone against Nazism when everyone else had either surrendered, been invaded or, like the US, sat on the sidelines. It defeated Communism and the other evil isms born on the European continent.

Remember, Britain was the first country in the world to permanently abolish slavery. You lot still had blacks in shackles as late as the 1860s.

We gave women the vote before the US, and the vast majority of the world, did.

And many Brits today will be able to remember the disgraceful way that black American soldiers were treated by their supposed comrades when they were based in Britain during WWII. Many American soldiers were angered when British barmaids served them beer in pubs - because it wasn't allowed in America at the time to serve blacks in pubs.

Be sure to conveniently forget your genocide of the Indians and the Aborigines, your brutality toward the poor, women, and children.

And you're full of it. Ireland abolished slavery, and mandated by law religious tolerance, in 1620. And Britain ESTABLISHED American slavery. And you abolished slavery in all British possessions in 1833. All of 32 years before America did the same. After British participation in and promotion of slavery for 300 years.

Yay you.

 

[SLM]

Re: British Parliament votes against British military involvement in Syria

I ws speaking in more general terms about tradition, but certainly personal traditions are none of my business unless they harm myself or society. That said, those wigs really are cute, aren't they.

I should get meself one... sorry, 'myself one'.

Bazinga!

 

[Machjo]

Re: British Parliament votes against British military involvement in Syria

Be sure to conveniently forget your genocide of the Indians and the Aborigines, your brutality toward the poor, women, and children.

And you're full of it. Ireland abolished slavery, and mandated by law religious tolerance, in 1620. And Britain ESTABLISHED American slavery. And you abolished slavery in all British possessions in 1833. All of 32 years before America did the same. After British participation in and promotion of slavery for 300 years.

Yay you.

To be fair to the British though, the Canadian residential school system was established only at Confederation and was finally abolished in 1996. this is not to say the British did not play a role in laying the groundwork to make this possible, but we cannot pin that one all on them.

 

[Kreskin]

Re: British Parliament votes against British military involvement in Syria

And, another question. Why do Doctors Without Borders say the death toll was 355?

I don't know. Why don't you ask them for proof?

 

[Blackleaf]

Re: British Parliament votes against British military involvement in Syria

I ws speaking in more general terms about tradition, but certainly personal traditions are none of my business unless they harm myself or society. That said, those wigs really are cute, aren't they.

I should get meself one... sorry, 'myself one'.

Britain is awash with ancient traditions which once served a purpose but no longer do, but are continued because of the British love of quirky traditions.

London alone is awash with hundreds of eccentric traditions which are practised every day, week, month or year, many of which most people don't even know about. I've got a book about it.

Some of the best known traditions are those practised at the State Opening of Parliament. First, the cellars of the Palace of Westminster are searched by the Yeomen of the Guard in order to prevent a modern-day Gunpowder Plot. The Yeomen are each equipped with little old-fashioned gas lamps to do their searching. There is no need for them to do this searching, but it is continued for ceremonial purposes.

And, later on during the State Opening, motioned by the Monarch, the Lord Great Chamberlain raises his wand of office to signal to the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod (known as Black Rod), who is charged with summoning the House of Commons and has been waiting in the Commons lobby. Black Rod (representing the Monarch) turns and, under the escort of the Door-keeper of the House of Lords and an inspector of police (who orders "Hats off, Strangers!" to all persons along the way), approaches the doors to the Chamber of the Commons. In 1642, King Charles I stormed into the House of Commons in an unsuccessful attempt to arrest the Five Members for treason. Since that time, no British monarch has been permitted to enter the House of Commons. On his approach the doors to the Commons are slammed shut with violence against him, in a show of the refusal by the Commons ever again to be entered by force by the monarch or one of her servants and of its right to debate without the presence of the Queen's Representative. He then strikes forcefully with the end of his ceremonial staff (the Black Rod) three times on the closed doors of the Commons Chamber and is then admitted. At the bar, Black Rod bows to the speaker before proceeding to the dispatch box and announces the command of the monarch for the attendance of the Commons, in the following words:

"Mr (or Madam) Speaker, The Queen commands this honourable House [pauses to bow to both sides of the House] to attend Her Majesty immediately in the House of Peers."
​

Another ancient British tradition is the Ceremony of the Keys, which is practised every night at the Tower of London (since the 14th Century), Edinburgh and Gibraltar.

At exactly 9.53pm, the Chief Yeoman Warder, dressed in Tudor Watchcoat, meets the military escort, made up of members of the Tower of London Guard. Together, the Chief Yeoman Warder and the Yeoman Warder 'Watchman' secure the main gates of the Tower. Upon their return down Water Lane, the party is halted by the sentry and challenged to identify themselves:

Sentry: "Who comes there?"
Chief Warder: "The keys."
Sentry: "Whose keys?"
Chief Warder: "Queen Elizabeth's keys." (identifying the keys as being those of the current British monarch)
Sentry: "Pass Queen Elizabeth's Keys. All's well."Following this, the party makes its way through the Bloody Tower Archway into the fortress, where they halt at the bottom of the Broadwalk Steps. On the top of the Stairs, under the command of their officer, the Tower Guard present arms and the Chief Warder raises his hat, proclaiming:
Chief Warder: "God preserve Queen Elizabeth."
Sentry: "Amen!"He then takes the keys to the Queen's House for safekeeping, while the Last Post is sounded.

But these are just the well-known British traditions. You can travel throughout London, and throughout the whole of Britain, and find a whole plethora of eccentric and weird traditions that most people don't even know exist, and Britain has more eccentric little traditions than any other country.

 

[Highball]

Re: "The U.S. Should Act"

Obama sure stuck a Harpoon in Kerry's statements of a few days ago. Like the US Forest Service Wild Fire attack plan he'll opt to gather a team, have 50 + meetings and then go out and use the "Indirect Attack" method of "Sit and Watch" and make all kinds of press releases about how hard everyone is working. Especially those behind their desks in air conditioned offices. My guess? We keep giving Foreign Aid to Syria while condemning them in the media. It is the American way!

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

Re: "The U.S. Should Act"

Obama sure stuck a Harpoon in Kerry's statements of a few days ago. Like the US Forest Service Wild Fire attack plan he'll opt to gather a team, have 50 + meetings and then go out and use the "Indirect Attack" method of "Sit and Watch" and make all kinds of press releases about how hard everyone is working. Especially those behind their desks in air conditioned offices. My guess? We keep giving Foreign Aid to Syria while condemning them in the media. It is the American way!

Well, if you want to blunder in with incomplete information and no plan, you get right on that.

 

[B00Mer]

Re: "The U.S. Should Act"

Identify that chief and discharge him immediately. Complaining about policy, in uniform, makes him unfit to serve in the Navy.

What's that??

 

[JLM]

Re: "The U.S. Should Act"

Obama sure stuck a Harpoon in Kerry's statements of a few days ago. Like the US Forest Service Wild Fire attack plan he'll opt to gather a team, have 50 + meetings and then go out and use the "Indirect Attack" method of "Sit and Watch" and make all kinds of press releases about how hard everyone is working. Especially those behind their desks in air conditioned offices. My guess? We keep giving Foreign Aid to Syria while condemning them in the media. It is the American way!

Hopefully the foreign aid was to feed starving civilians! You can't condemn an entire country for the actions and idiocy of a few. I just wish there was a way to sneak in there after dark and annihilate the perpetrators.

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

Re: "The U.S. Should Act"

What's that??

It's really simple. When you sign up and put on the uniform, a specialised morality kicks in. The same kind of morality that allows a lawyer to defend a scumbag. Your job is to effectuate the policies of the political leadership of the country. End of.

If you can't hack it, trade your uniform for a suit and go on talk radio.

 

[Spade]

Re: "The U.S. Should Act"

Hopefully the foreign aid was to feed starving civilians! You can't condemn an entire country for the actions and idiocy of a few. I just wish there was a way to sneak in there after dark and annihilate the perpetrators.

Whoever they may be. Any idea?

 

[Retired_Can_Soldier]

Re: "The U.S. Should Act"

Personally I think the United States should sit this out and I guess it's starting to look like that will happen. Even if the US attempts surgical strikes, this will end up blowing up in their face. One stray missile strike that kills innocent civilians will result in the usual Death to America tirade in the Middle East. These folks who are opposing Assad are just as likely to stab us in the back once they achieve their aim. Sad to say, but we should sit this out.

 

[Spade]

Re: "The U.S. Should Act"

Wow, sanity.

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

Re: "The U.S. Should Act"

Wow, sanity.

Yep, and from a career man.

Props to you, CanSoldier!

 

[Retired_Can_Soldier]

Re: "The U.S. Should Act"

Wow, sanity.

I'm tired of seeing our soldiers killed for dishonest people in the Middle East.