ViewsMidEast by CartoonArts International

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  1. big G 3469

    big G 3469Genius_badge said, 3 months ago

    “Puppet government” or should I say “Puppet DICTATORSHIP”?

  2. cabrobst

    cabrobst said, 3 months ago

    Reagan could have nipped this in the bud, instead he gave the terrorists guns in exchange for hostages, but then, Reagan was a Republican.

  3. fennec

    fennec said, 3 months ago

    Don’t think so, cab. The initial damage by the US (and Britain) was done way back in the 1950’s. The revolution of ‘79 was brought about by the people of Iran in opposition to the Shah (our buddy, so to speak). I have respect for the people of Iran, and I won’t be surprised if they don’t end up forcing changes on their government. That is best done without our interference.

  4. Dypak

    DypakGenius_badge said, 3 months ago

    The Iranians are good people, with poor leaders. It is our mistake to try and push our way of life on them. Our diplomatic efforts with them are usually arrogant and heavy handed. No wonder they consider us ignorant and pushy.

  5. DrCanuck

    DrCanuck said, 3 months ago

    Most people are good people, with poor leaders.

  6. Gladius

    Gladius said, 3 months ago

    Doc,
    Are you taking the philisophical position that people are basically good?

  7. DrCanuck

    DrCanuck said, 3 months ago

    Depends on your definition of “good,” of course. So to start the ball rolling with broad generalities, I will say yes (with qualifications). Biologically, we were selected according to our sociability and cooperative natures. However, that’s primarily within our own gene pool, and we are equally selected to aggress against other pools. Hence, the intense propensity to fall into the Us versus Them trap that these pages so readily reveal.

    What ya got?

  8. Gladius

    Gladius said, 3 months ago

    I go with basically self- centered. This is not individual selfishness but actually a concern for what may directly impact an individual. People easily care and will often sacrifice for those close to them. Such concern and sacrifice drops off significantly when you get to strangers and even farther when they are strangers who are very different or far off. I would say that gene pool is just one of the Us vs Them traps.

  9. oldlegodad

    oldlegodadGenius_badge said, 3 months ago

    DrCanuck, Your initial was right on, your amplification was BS . You’re getting better.

  10. DrCanuck

    DrCanuck said, 3 months ago

    It’s a classic argument on the existance of good and evil, so let’s take another poll.
    Is humankind:
    Born bad and must be controlled in order to be good(Freud),
    Born good, society corrupts them and some become evil(Rogers),
    Born tabula rasa and both are simply learned (Skinner),
    Born with a predisposition to learn to do good to the “Us” and do evil to the “Them” (Canookie)?

  11. Gladius

    Gladius said, 3 months ago

    Well Doc,
    If you put it that way, I’ll have to agree with you. Although, I’d go with Skinner before Freud and Rogers.

  12. DrCanuck

    DrCanuck said, 3 months ago

    Invent a fifth position if you care to.

    What’s the rationale for your selection?

  13. Gladius

    Gladius said, 3 months ago

    I did in my second to last post. You are good to those who directly impact you but concern drops off as the impact wanes. Concern for those outside your immediate circle is not innate. It is the result of socialization. Society, as a whole, is impacted by things the individual wouldn’t necessarily notice.