wiffleball 4,639 Posted August 18, 2017 So, amidst all the sound and fury this week, a pretty much undiscussed super meeting is set to occur in Camp David this weekend. So important in fact, that Mike Pence cut his trip to So/Cen America short. And Trump - who hates Camp David (and anything 'rustic') is attending along with our military heads to discuss the way forward in Afghanistan. The Gist: Betsy DeVoss (yes her) brother is Erik Prince. He founded Blackwater (yes, THAT Blackwater). He allegedly met with a Sr. Advisor/close confidant of Putin (yes, THAT Putin) in the Secheylles several months ago to discuss a Plan for Afghanistan going forward (not sure why or what - seems odd to say the least). He'll be at the meeting this weekend. The plan? The US pays him $10Billion per year, he takes over the war in Afghanistan (WIA). Private troops, air force, equipment, etc. Ostensibly to train and 'stand up' the Afghan forces. - As opposed to what our own military has been doing (the same thing) the past 15 years. If this sounds at all sort of Deja-Vu-eee, think of the East India Company - wherein Prince takes on the role of Viceroy of the region. My own take? We'd end up spending a LOT more than $10B, We'd give BW a hell of a lot of equipment, you KNOW for a fact that SPECFOR would still be all over there, also, that they'd hate BW. I'd imagine the air operation (despite public statements) would be either directly our military - or some kind of 'Air America' operation. Oh - and BW would fail miserably. - BUT: What the hell, it's a way (sort of) out of that endless Morass. What I don't get at all is the whole Russia Angle. Not sure what's up with that. Also, Ironically, we can (and usually have) go into war these days without Congress' blessing, but we'd likely need Congress to approve the money - and I'm not sure Trump could get Congress to even chip in for Pizza on Fridays at this point. Anyway, for those of you interested: https://www.google.com/search?q=privatize+war+in+afghanistan+blackwater&rlz=1C1NHXL_enUS700US700&oq=privatize+war+in+afghanistan+blackwater&aqs=chrome..69i57.17998j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wiffleball 4,639 Posted August 18, 2017 One story that came out almost 20 years ago: While the rest of the world was tinfoiling about the Russians and a massive oil pipeline through Afghan to Europe - The MUCH quieter story was the find years earlier of so called 'rare earth elements' in (I believe) the Swaat Valley. THAT shiit is the key. It's the key to advanced computing and associated space travel - and perhaps most immediately, high-tech health care. Think about it - 99% of the world's wealth is already controlled by 1% of the world (give or take). But what good is any of that if you've got Alzheimer's? Cancer? etc. We came damn close to running out of Helium a few years back - it was very quietly a major panic - as such things are MRI's and various super-computing elements require it. Massive amounts of resources were quietly re-purposed to find a huge new reserve and develop a way to harvest previously un-harvestible (sp?) supplies. As the world's super wealthy age, they'll pay any amount of money to cheat death and/or infirmity. I honestly think that's the most likely reason the US and Russia met secretly to talk about taking another crack at Afghanistan. - Too damn much scarce resources and money on the table to have it go wasted bc of boy buggering goat wranglers living in the 7th century. Death makes fast bedfellows. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wiffleball 4,639 Posted August 19, 2017 Updating: The meeting that Pence deliberately left his planned SA/CA trip for - the meeting discussed above - Has been cancelled immediately upon the termination of Steve Bannon. Takeaway: Don't let them kid you that somehow Bannon's firing was planned and mutually agreed upon. What a shiit-show. Apparently Bannon was Price's political benefactor. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iam90sbaby 2,125 Posted August 19, 2017 I can see humanity living in a future where Google, Tesla, Facebook, etc.. control the world and people identify with what organization they come from rather than country/race or anything else. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BufordT 371 Posted August 19, 2017 I think Brock Pike and the Black Forest team could do a good job over there Share this post Link to post Share on other sites