Battle of Monrovia

[Commander-K25]

The LURD rebels in Liberia have launched another assault on the capital, today. They're pushing ever fruther into the northern suburbs and have crossed key bridgeheads making a strike at downtown imminent. Mortar fire is pounding many areas and residents are fleeing from the frontline of the battle.

President Taylor has promised to leave for asylum in Nigeria once peacekeepers arrive and citizens are still demanding U.S. intervention.

"I don't understand why up to this time the peacekeepers haven't come," said city resident Molley Paasewe, "Get us out of this Hell."

More info in the AP article Battle for Liberia's Capital Rages.

[Ted-Easton]

The UN should send in troops immediately. Debating whether or not to will cost lives.
Regardless of what they've asked, it's not the US's place to intervene. The US could, and it's morally acceptable, as they were "invited", but it would be better to have an international force in there immediately.
Stupid slow UN.

[FUNKbrs]

At 7/20/03 04:46 PM, Ted_Easton wrote: The UN should send in troops immediately. Debating whether or not to will cost lives.
Regardless of what they've asked, it's not the US's place to intervene. The US could, and it's morally acceptable, as they were "invited", but it would be better to have an international force in there immediately.
Stupid slow UN.

this is why I hate beauracracies. By the time they get anything done, it's too late for efficient action. I'm beginning to like Dredd's |]|23|]|] |807`5 more and more as time goes on. I mean, robots would be a lot more efficient to intervene, because they are impervious to corruption. Robots won't invade for money, or power, only for their programmed sense of justice and defence. They don't represent any nationality, and they can always be repaired or replaced. This way humans lives will never be lost in order to defend freedom, they will only be lost by the injust. I swear, I get more technocratic every day.....

[Explodapop]

At 7/20/03 04:56 PM, FUNKbrs wrote: this is why I hate beauracracies. By the time they get anything done, it's too late for efficient action. I'm beginning to like Dredd's |]|23|]|] |807`5 more and more as time goes on. I mean, robots would be a lot more efficient to intervene, because they are impervious to corruption. Robots won't invade for money, or power, only for their programmed sense of justice and defence. They don't represent any nationality, and they can always be repaired or replaced. This way humans lives will never be lost in order to defend freedom, they will only be lost by the injust. I swear, I get more technocratic every day.....

That might be a good idea. Leave the battle field and the piece keeping thinking to drones. Possibly with guns, making them gun drones. ;-)

But who would make those robots? Humans. There is the problem again. Some decent, honest, nice and most importantly intelligent ppl would be the best suited for making those robots. But how many ppl like that are there? 1? 3? I dunno. And I am sure no world leaders would let this happen, as they would loose power.

And the robots would after some decades become totally useless, as the world situation would change. They would need a constant update to function proper.

And the worst problem: This technology does not exist. And still, when this technology becomes avalible, it would be very expensive.
Basically, only the richest countries could afford this, and they would probably not use them, as it removed power from the leaders.

Summary: Robots as piece keepers would function great, but it is almost impossible to do.

[FUNKbrs]

At 7/20/03 05:15 PM, -PZY- wrote: That might be a good idea. Leave the battle field and the piece keeping thinking to drones. Possibly with guns, making them gun drones. ;-)

But who would make those robots? Humans. There is the problem again. Some decent, honest, nice and most importantly intelligent ppl would be the best suited for making those robots. But how many ppl like that are there? 1? 3? I dunno. And I am sure no world leaders would let this happen, as they would loose power.

And the robots would after some decades become totally useless, as the world situation would change. They would need a constant update to function proper.

And the worst problem: This technology does not exist. And still, when this technology becomes avalible, it would be very expensive.
Basically, only the richest countries could afford this, and they would probably not use them, as it removed power from the leaders.

Summary: Robots as piece keepers would function great, but it is almost impossible to do.

Would you mind not stomping on my dreams of peace, efficiency, and cool ass robots? If the US can have bomb-bots, we can't be too far away from Dredd-bots. And besides, I imagine that if the average person can enter a robot into a show like "battle bots", there's nothing to stop and independent entity from making Dredd-bots. all the bots would need is better object recognition software, which I hear is coming around nicely. MMmmm.... robot dominated future.....

*goes to find out what LURD stands for*

[Explodapop]

At 7/20/03 05:24 PM, FUNKbrs wrote: Would you mind not stomping on my dreams of peace, efficiency, and cool ass robots? If the US can have bomb-bots, we can't be too far away from Dredd-bots. And besides, I imagine that if the average person can enter a robot into a show like "battle bots", there's nothing to stop and independent entity from making Dredd-bots. all the bots would need is better object recognition software, which I hear is coming around nicely. MMmmm.... robot dominated future.....

*goes to find out what LURD stands for*

Ahem, ahem! Wouldn't that lead to robot wars instead of human ones? That is better, but still a waste.

My depressed world view is that there is no peace as long as humans inhabit this planet.

The only way to prevent wars is to stop manufacturing of any lethal weapons. But this is completely out of range to do, as you could just club someone to death with a stick.

No, robots are not the solution. We are made for war, and I think we can live with it. We are animals, in the end. Even life is a war, for power and money and influence and renevue.

[Ted-Easton]

Once we run out of certain resources (oil, metals hard to find), large weapons will be hugely expensive to run. (even more than today)

Then, once they're used up, we'll have peace!
(And a lack of anything useful.)

[Explodapop]

At 7/20/03 06:28 PM, Ted_Easton wrote: Once we run out of certain resources (oil, metals hard to find), large weapons will be hugely expensive to run. (even more than today)

Then, once they're used up, we'll have peace!
(And a lack of anything useful.)

i think you are scaringly correct about this one. I say as Albert Einstein:

"I do not know which weapons the WW3 will be fought with, but I know the WW4 will be fought with sticks and stones"

But we might find other material to build weapons with.

[Ted-Easton]

Joob-joobs.

[Commander-K25]

LURD = Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy

[karasz]

two things...

1) the rebels are called LURD??? no wonder they arent in power, if they get a cool nickname then maybe they will get the power to go with it...

2) a robot army would only mean the ones who invented the robots COULD tell the robots to put the maker in charge... THEN i have to lead an army to defeat the maker and his robot army... god... i have to safe the world all the time...

[Ted-Easton]

Exactly what I said. "Joob-joobs". That's all we're going to find out there, anyways.

(Everyone knows what joob-joobs are, right?)

[Ted-Easton]

Those multi-colored candies (flavour is based on color) that are soft and squishy and come in a variety of shapes.

Black tastes like black licorice.

[Ravens-Grin]

At 7/22/03 10:01 PM, Ted_Easton wrote: Those multi-colored candies (flavour is based on color) that are soft and squishy and come in a variety of shapes.

Black tastes like black licorice.

Do you mean jelly beans

At 7/20/03 06:28 PM, Ted_Easton wrote: Once we run out of certain resources (oil, metals hard to find), large weapons will be hugely expensive to run. (even more than today)

The three R's? reuse, reduce, recycle?

[JMHX]

At 7/21/03 10:36 PM, BaKsHi wrote: Your right. Stupid bureaucratic rules. Yes, the UN is too slow at efficiently solving these problems. No wonder nobody likes going to war with UN approval these days. I think the Liberians will start hating us rather than waiting, because they see how unuseful their US 'savior' is behind bulletproof glass.

The effort seemed noble enough to talk about bringing 4,500 troops over there after the Liberians have begged and pleaded for their savior to send help. It's noble telling Kofi Annan that we'll send some people when the situation calls for it. This situation, the mass shellings, has been going on for a long time now in Liberia, and it's noble that we're acknowledging it at long last.

Or at least that's how it is in the mind of the man standing behind the bulletproof glass.

[Ted-Easton]

No, not jelly beans!
Jelly beans aren't soft!
I'll go find a picture, since you're all too stupid to understand.

Joob-Joobs are a lot like this. They don't have any sugar on them, they're soft and squishy...
HOW CAN YOU NOT KNOW!?!??

[Explodapop]

At 7/23/03 04:55 AM, Ted_Easton wrote: No, not jelly beans!
Jelly beans aren't soft!
I'll go find a picture, since you're all too stupid to understand.

Joob-Joobs are a lot like this. They don't have any sugar on them, they're soft and squishy...
HOW CAN YOU NOT KNOW!?!??

I dindn't know about them. But similar candy, yes.

As a weapon, you could mealt it to a ball of goofy, sticky goo. And you built huge cathapults for launching the balls against the enemy!

But it wouldn't kill much.

[JMHX]

At 7/23/03 08:55 AM, Ted_Easton wrote: No, not jelly beans!
Jelly beans aren't soft!
I'll go find a picture, since you're all too stupid to understand.

Joob-Joobs are a lot like this. They don't have any sugar on them, they're soft and squishy...
HOW CAN YOU NOT KNOW!?!??

Weapons of Mass Destruction!

[Joe-Kidd]

I would just like to say that that is the most enlightening quote I have ever heard...thank you Ted_Easton.