Brad you posted to Shek on this thread.Are you forgetting what you have posted? Any whos I reposted the entire post For your reveiw.You then reponded to Horse soldier to stay tuned.Hypocritical don't ya think. LRSRNG A.K.A Dr Zeuess BraddockCaesar RE:Please Tell Me You are Joking 1/23/2006 4:12:12 PM *Please tell me you are joking. This response makes no sense at all. You are suggesting that a potential force projection factor that will be available to Iran in regards to an adjacent Shiite controlled government, gives no insight as to how this threat can be neutralized. NEWSFLASH! The UIA doesn't hold a majority in the "permanent" government. They will wield a lot of power if the expected Shia-Kurd coalition is formed. However, you seem to ignore the Kurdish interests in the matter and the power that they will hold over Iranian meddling in internal Iraqi affairs. *Once again, your understanding of the strategic situation leaves much to be desired. The Shiites hold a majority(Iran influenced Shiite majority) and minority(secular Shiite influenced)bloc of parliament seats. To suggest that the Kurds are capable of neutralizing any interaction and strategic continuity between Iran and the divergent Shiite voting blocs is erroneous at the least and a pipe dream in any serious entertainment of such a notion. The Kurds have only the power of our support to their role in a democratic Iraq that heavily depends on our presence in country over the short and long term(10 years). Also, the multi regional economic effects and casualty projection implications that will be facilitated by any cooperative initiatives between Iran and Iraq, will accelerate Iran’s pursuit of a nuclear weapons capability. This scenario would force us into making some tough decisions in a relatively short timeframe. These factors suggest that we should stay the course in Iraq while formulating a plan that will allow us to decisively defeat the insurgency in Iraq with or without the support of the new government we liberated from oppression, as any failure to cooperate on their part clearly defines their intentions concerning their relationship with Iran. Outside of Darth Sadr, can you point to any Shia forces that are anti-US? While Sadr has deftly maneuvered his way into some semblance of political power, he is still not in the mainstream of Shia Iraq. *Al Sadr has accomplished all that he needs. He has some semblance of political clout that will be dramatically increased upon any future political conflict between the Shiite, Sunni and Kurdish voting blocs. These factors clearly detail why he must be disarmed. To allow him to remain armed, is similar to allowing Hezbollah to remain armed. His group will only get stronger as the Shiite base expands its grip on the future course of Iraq. Another reason that we should follow the lead of Secretary of State Rice in leaving our options open in regards to staying in Iraq for a period of up to 10 year. So, once again, you expose your lack of depth of knowledge on Iraq, and fail to demonstrate how talking about Iran's nuclear aspirations assists our COIN strategy in Iraq, except to highlight that defeating the insurgency in Iraq sooner than later is better. *You need to just print the essays and study them meticulously before responding sir. Hey Shek, you are supposed to be capable of responding off the top of your head. That is indicative of one who is truly knowledgeable of the facultative elements of war. However, by taking your time, you are admitting that you have much to learn. I respect your humility. Previous Comment

I finally figured out your "Makaveli" spelling. It took some time to figure it out since you never used a sentence to explain your reference. What's funny is that from what I saw, it's still stems from ignorance of Machiavelli's writings. For the benefit of all, here's a source that explains the Tupac Shakur/Machiavelli connection.

http://archives.thedaily.washington.edu/1996/112196/tupac112196.html Now we must ask, "How is this Machiavelli present in the man formerly known as Tupac?" The beginnings of Tupac's transformation to Machiavelli started on the album Me Against the World where he changed "Thug Life" to "Immortal Outlaws." Everyone affiliated with this assembly of rappers each changed their name to a labeled dictator or political philosopher: Noriega, Napoleon, Hussein, and Khadafi. This can be connected to Tupac's own school of intellectual thinkers communicating via albums rather than through books. Tupac becomes the leader of his army, the general, the strategist on record, starting and ending every song. But who are his enemies in this war that requires an army of reincarnated political philosophers? Each of these artists have been targeted by Tupac: Bad Boy Records moguls Biggie Smalls and Shawn Puffy Combs, Dr. Dre, Mobb Deep and Nas. Most of Tupac's enemy are announced in "Hit 'em up," "Toss it up" and "Against all odds." Tupac's anger and intensity on past albums, reveal his Machiavellian approach. Tupac no longer wanted to be loved - he wanted to be feared and he felt the best way to accomplish this was through a flurry of threats. Tupac was no longer the lady's man. He was a soldier, in a sense, and this becomes obvious in many aspects of his work. Tupac was also a poet, like Machiavelli, and if you know him from his first album, you know Tupac has still got that Black Panther family blood in veins, just waiting to get triggered. Lyrics such as: "With this all this extra stressin' the question/I wonder after my last breath when I rest through this oppression?/They punish people askin' questions and those who possess, steal from those without possessions," from Me Against the World The political lyrics on Makaveli, make this Tupac's best philosophical work since 2Tupacolypse Now. Songs such as "Blasphemy," "Hail Mary," and "White Man's World" reveal that Tupac has returned to that beautiful Black Panther thought. In "White Man's World," he apologizes to all the Black women he has offended in the past, and states we all suffer in this White Man's World. Tupac uses the Machiavellian approach to analyze the problems within this White power structure in America. This is what gives the album its content, rather than simply addressing issues that don't directly affect Black people. This is a positive change from All Eyes On me, which contained not enough Tupac and too much commercialized R&B material. The Machiavelli mindset was always in Tupac and I sincerely believe that Tupac didn't even know, until he stumbled upon the book in prison and said, "Hey, I'm a Black Machiavelli for thugs and Black people in general around the country in the ghetto." You can hear him bring every element of Machiavelli into the music, from the use of the Italian mandolin instrument in several of his songs to the political lyrics that glide across the harmonies. There is no question about it - Tupac is dead. With Tupac's death, a new life is breathed into Makaveli. Like Machiavelli, whose ideologies remain immortal and transcend space, time, and physical beings - so will Tupac's music and message remain a historical contribution to hip hop.

And here's why it's still ignorant based on the above, since giving threats is a dumb tactic according to Machiavelli.

Second Book. Chapter XXVI. Contempt and Insults Engender Hatred Against Those Who Indulge In Them, Without Being of Any Advantage to Them. I hold it to be a proof of great prudence for men to abstain from threats and insulting words towards any one, for neither the one nor the other in any way diminishes the strength of the enemy; but the one makes him more cautious, and the other increases his hatred of you, and makes him more persevering in his efforts to injure you. Third Book. Chapter VI. Of Conspiracies. The different wrongs which a prince can inflict upon a subject consist either in an attempt upon his possessions, his person, or his honor. In matters of personal injury, threats are worse than the execution; in fact, menaces involve the only danger, there being none in the execution, for the dead cannot avenge themselves, and in most cases the survivors allow the thought of revenge to be interred with the dead. But he who is threatened, and sees himself constrained by necessity either to dare and do or to suffer, becomes a most dangerous man to the prince, as we shall show in its proper place. Besides this kind of injury, a man’s property and honor are the po

Shek I admire your attempt at implementing the strategy of Machiavelli in the most covert manner possible: 1. Post a thread that is not indicative of how 33 million people across the globe viewed Tupac Shakur, hence, saddling me with the burden of defending my acceptance of someone who is strictly for his own race according to the thread you chose to post. 2. Tupac is admired and respected by poets, Politicians(U.S.Representative Cynthia McKinney)and people from all walks of life. A documentary about the life of Tupac, Resurrection was nominated for an Oscar and is more indicative of the varying stages of his life which ended as he was attempting to galvanize his millions of fans towards political power to be used for the uplifting of the downtrodden before he was assassinated. 'Resurrection' clearly details this evolution. 3. Machiavelli was a reknowned philosopher, however, he was not noted for his ability to lead his nation to diplomatic and or military viability. Quite the opposite. He was jailed for his military failure in a battle that I will let you post. I have what both Tupac and Machiavelli were not blessed with. The total package. Soldier, strategist and philosopher. It's the simple truth. I am getting quite a bit of intel as to what type of person you are.

Shek I admire your attempt at implementing the strategy of Machiavelli in the most covert manner possible: 1. Post a thread that is not indicative of how 33 million people across the globe viewed Tupac Shakur, hence, saddling me with the burden of defending my acceptance of someone who is strictly for his own race according to the thread you chose to post. 2. Tupac is admired and respected by poets, Politicians(U.S.Representative Cynthia McKinney)and people from all races(Eminem produced his entire last album)and walks of life. A documentary about the life of Tupac, Resurrection was nominated for an Oscar and is more indicative of the varying stages of his life which ended as he was attempting to galvanize his millions of fans towards political power to be used for the uplifting of the downtrodden before he was assassinated. 'Resurrection' clearly details this evolution. 3. Machiavelli was a reknowned philosopher, however, he was not noted for his ability to lead his nation to diplomatic and or military viability. Quite the opposite. He was jailed for his military failure in a battle that I will let you post. I have what both Tupac and Machiavelli were not blessed with. The total package. Soldier, strategist and philosopher. It's the simple truth.

Braddock, I really don't care who likes or doesn't like Tupac. I was simply illustrating that it appears that your allusion to Machiavellian thought as well as Tupac's are invalid - nothing more, nothing less. If you have some examples that prove otherwise, then I am more than willing to change my mind. As far as Machiavelli being a failed man of action, it is quite common in history for men like this to prove to be great philosophers and inspire generations of intellectuals and military men. After all, it is their writings and not their actions that have made them timeless. Thucydides provided us with a history for all time, with his self-imposed exile rather than facing an Athenian jury allowing him to reside with the Spartans. Clausewitz wasn't even a commander, and yet wrote the most influential philosphy on the art of war for the West.

Yeah Yeah Yeah He could never be a Green Beret. I am a shoo in. Hear me Old Grunt. I will run the GB gauntlet and still emerge a SOF operator. My boasting is my way of ensuring that I am challenge with the best that the SOF has to offer.

>>I have what both Tupac and Machiavelli were not blessed with.<< Paranoid schizophrenia?

Horse Soldier Whatever works. Braddock Nash

Horse Soldier You SOF guys don't use chapter 9 of the interrogation FM. Is there a alternative supplement that I can view concerning LIC Interrogation techniques?

>>You SOF guys don't use chapter 9 of the interrogation FM. Is there a alternative supplement that I can view concerning LIC Interrogation techniques? << a) Not my area of expertise, b) Not what I would consider to be an appropriate venue for discussion if it were my area of expertise, c) From what I've seen on the news, you could probably get some first hand data by following this simple plan: Start making calls to random phone numbers in Pakistan, Yemen, and Saudi Arabia, say "I have your plutonium ready" and hang up. I suspect someone will provide you with at least a cursory introduction to current US interrogation techniques in short order.