Politics

[Corey0372]

Absolutely true....

In 2007 the company I was working for wanted to start providing security services to a variety of USG customers.. to do that in Afghanistan we needed to obtain an Afghan Security License in addition to a different type of business license than we already had in country (we were largely involved in EOD, UXO, and mine clearing up until that point and were only providing "security" for ourselves.. once we wanted to start "selling" security services it required a different license)..

The problem was Afghanistan wasnt willing to provide any new licenses in country at that time... there were already several US firms licensed there (DynCorp, Triple Canopy, SOC, Blackwater, etc..etc..) and there were also several Afghan owned (US operated) firms licensed and operating there as well.. and the govt of Afghanistan didnt want to bring in any new competition... they essentially wanted the US Govt to be limited to just the few US firms already established, or to using Afghan firms...

My solution was to get a list of all of the licensed companies in country, and then buy one of them... I thought for sure there was some warlord in some province somewhere that would be willing to sell his license for a decent sized chunk of change plus an agreement to hire all of his people (tribesmen) at "US" wages, which would make him a local hero, etc..etc..

Once I got the list and figured out who all owned companies, etc.. I took a very different direction...

I found a German guy that had been living in Afghanistan since the late 1970's.. that had gotten a license during the 1990's with the intent of running a security business in Kabul.. but never really did much with it...

If you spent any time in Kabul, you might know about a certain German meat market/butcher that owned a couple of shops in the city that was known for having particular wonderful beef and goat that many of the restaurants bought from.. and several of the SOF teams in the area would swing by and buy a goat or a lamb from for cook outs, etc.. that was the same guy...

He and his extended family had been living in Kabul for decades.. they moved there during the glory days of the early 70's.. and by the time things went to shit, they just stayed and figured out how to make a living through it all.. The Taliban never bothered them.. they werent a threat.. and they provided a valuable service to the community.. so they just stuck around..

By the time we got there they were living like freaking kings.. they had a really nice little family compound outside of town as well as a couple of big villas near Computer Street that they all lived in.. and had more money than they could possibly spend...

He was happy to sell us his security license.. we paid a pretty penny for it.. and he wasnt doing anything with it anyway...

I found there were a number of European families still living around Afghanistan in the 2000's (I'm guessing theyre still there now.. .they were there before we got there.. no reason for them to not continue living there after we were gone)... there were a number of Italians out near Adraskan that we ran into a couple of times.. and some other Germans we ran into once in Helmand..

Thats Wild!
I believe it though. There was a handful of French dudes running an emerald mining firm up near Panshir for some time, IDK if they're still there or not.

It's hard to explain to people that the Taliban aren't ISIS, they aren't just going to cut your head off for existing. They literally have a ministry of tourism. I wouldn't want to live my whole life under their rule, but for the most part they really will leave you alone if you abide by the rules, pay jizya if you are a non-muslim, etc.

It's a touchy subject for a lot of people, and I completely empathize with people who hold a grudge against that place and the people there, but honestly do we still hate the Vietnamese? I think it's unwise to never bury the hatchet, but that's just me.

If I could find an Ungulate Biologist willing to go over who "got it" on how to conduct yourself there, it would be a very tempting endeavor to try and get something going and work out an arrangement with a local leader. There's an endangered species of Musk Deer that would benefit from some outside revenue from hunting the healthy species. There's also an abundance of waterfowl in many places. An adventure awaits whoever can pull it off!

 

[Corey0372]

@mdwest

You'll get a kick out of this... random dudes who served in Kajaki have left reviews for the "Helmand Valley Gun Club Hotel and Resort" on Google Maps.


https://www.google.com/maps/place/H...try=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MDkyOS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw==

 

[mdwest]

too funny...

I actually helped these guys build and secure their hotel in Kabul (that includes a 100 yard "zero" range on the back of the property lol....)... the owner built it specifically for US and European firms that didnt have a presence in Afghanistan that wanted to come there and try to do business.. it is a high walled "expat" compound right next door to the airport.. my understanding is it is still open.. but now is catering to Pakistani and Indian firms coming into Afghanistan temporarily to conduct business (mostly construction companies and consulting companies)..

Safe and secure housing, lodging and accommodation in Kabul, Afghanistan by Baron hotels. Stay and see places in Kabul, Afghanistan with Baron Hotels

Safe, Secure, Housing, Lodging, Accommodation, Kabul, Afghanistan hotels, Afghanistan, Baron hotels, Dreshak Group. Stay, See Places, Kabul, Afghanistan, Baron Hotels

kabul.thebaronhotels.com

While I dont have any desire to go back to Afghanistan under current conditions.. I actually truly loved the place in a weird sort of way...

I made lifelong friends with the guy I hired to be our Local National Security Manager.. he had been a lieutenant and intel officer in the Northern Alliance and worked directly for Masoud.. He now lives in DC and is an uber driver..

The history of the country is incredible... and the experiences I had were awesome in many ways (plenty of shitty ones to go with them though admittedly)... walking the same road that Alexander built and his armies marched on from Persia to India was surreal for example..

Unlike Iraq, where much of its relevant world history has been reduced to piles of trash and excrement on the side of the road (like the ruins of babylon... what a freaking disgrace)... there were things in Afghanistan still intact and still somewhat cared for that were amazing to see...

 

[Red Leg]

Watching the debate tonight, these tickets should be reversed. Either is far superior to his presidential candidate.

 

[Red Leg]

And sadly, in large part due to the moderators, but Trump provided the ammunition, Vance had to spend half the night trying to explain something Trump said.

 

[Inline6]

Watching the debate tonight, these tickets should be reversed. Either is far superior to his presidential candidate.

I had the same thoughts.

 

[mdwest]

Watching the debate tonight, these tickets should be reversed. Either is far superior to his presidential candidate.

I very intentionally didn’t watch the debate tonight… I thought it would only serve to get me riled up over nothing and my decision has long been made already.. so nothing either could say shy of revealing they were the spawn of baelzebub himself would likely change that..

That said, I came to the same conclusion recently…

I’m not a particularly huge fan of Vance (although the more I learn about him, I like him)… but I find him much more palatable than Trump…

And I think Walz is only about 2 rungs up the ladder than baboon feces… but that places him at least 4 positions higher on my favorability list than Harris…

 

[freefall]

I don't believe they're sworn that oath in decades.

They might have sworn it in the same way Biden/Harris both swore to "protect and defend the Constitution of the United States".

 

[freefall]

Regarding Israel and Iran. Our tax dollars are paying for both inbound and outbound rockets/missiles.

But some of us are making major bank off that situation!

 

[freefall]

GOP was in control when we invaded Iraq. A war that should never have happened and it’s ramifications we are still feeling today.

Once in the last 100years.

 

[Mort Hill]

I had the same thoughts.

Both came off well. Told my wife that. Then proceeded to tell her that the two moderators were a couple of twats. Thought I was about to get an earful, but she laughed out loud. WWIII averted….

 

[Hunt anything]

I thought both did well with an edge to Vance, one observation though for me was, if Harris and Walz win we will have a couple of bobble heads running the country. It’s all I can do to concentrate on what those two are saying because of all of the head bobbing.

 

[Wheels]

Both VP candidates have a better command of their thoughts and the English language than their running mates. Walz did fine. Vance has better control of data and thinking on his feet and is the superior debater. He also probably has a 20-30 point higher iq. which allows him this advantage.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

i saw the longshoreman strike as well. Kind of amazing it hasn't happened in such a long time. And yes, the timing is so weird on so many levels. Including 2 wars going on that we're involved in besides the election optics.

They're making a big deal about how much $ this guy makes:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1841107303971348730

I would guess in an organized labor pool like this that has been around a long time that they truly feel pushed up against a wall if they're willing to do this. They have to realize the anger they're going to create against themselves.

The guy in the video - Harold Dagget - comes across like a mob boss, but he's the negotiator and paid tuff guy. So that may be how he sees his role.

Anyone here with direct experience?

Bada bing bada boom! Pass the meatballs Paulie!!

 

[Altitude sickness]

I think Israel now has a hall pass to finally knee cap Iran. Hit the oil storage and refineries. Their income supply. Hammer factories and military command and control buildings.

Bunker busters may not be able to pierce the nuclear weapons manufacturing underground bunkers. But Israel/ the U.S. can certainly destroy the entrances, roads, power supplies, all support infrastructure for miles.

Iran’s underbelly is exposed. May as well use this opportunity (that they enabled and started) to Gut them with a rusty bayonet.

With a 30 day bombardment now we could avoid a future direct war with Iran.

 

[ActionBob]

My mistake, if I misunderstood your inference...

Long response? Huh... I've posted much longer... You don't have to read them you know...

Well, in any case, you all got some free insight as to why we don't and likely won't see police and fire services privatized...

Certainly appreciate use of tax money! But our government is way too bloated. All kinds of good intentions over the years that have gone completely off the rails. One small example; when we sign forms for various farm programs we often have to sign extra paper forms recognizing the "paperwork reduction act". It's laughable.

 

[ActionBob]

Interesting article about beef prices and production.

The End of the Cheap Burger — Bloomberg Businessweek

Fast-food chains might be dangling deals, but meat-eaters better prepare for a new, more expensive era for America’s favorite food.

apple.news

Can't read it, it's faded out.

 

[fourfive8]

The world is witnessing the results of nearly 12 years (three terms of bho) of both direct $ payments to and sanctions relief for Iran. No one will ever convince me there was/is no connection between bho and by association or continuation the current bho placeholders in office and Iran. I also wouldn’t doubt an underlying connection between bho and the Shia. A clue seemed imbedded in bho’s continual use of the verbiage ISIL instead of ISIS… a clear reference to the Levant. He may have been telegraphing, in plain sight, a subtle, coded response or intention- demonstrating his Shia vs anti-Shia posturing in support of the leadership in Iran.

 

[ActionBob]

Certainly appreciate use of tax money! But our government is way too bloated. All kinds of good intentions over the years that have gone completely off the rails. One small example; when we sign forms for various farm programs we often have to sign extra paper forms recognizing the "paperwork reduction act". It's laughable.

Meant to say appropriate. Damned spell checker.

 

[BSO Dave]

Certainly appreciate use of tax money! But our government is way too bloated. All kinds of good intentions over the years that have gone completely off the rails. One small example; when we sign forms for various farm programs we often have to sign extra paper forms recognizing the "paperwork reduction act". It's laughable.

No argument here...

I can assure you that government bloat, and gross mismanagement is alive and well in local government entitles just as it is in D.C. with few exceptions... It was my experience that republican led states, counties, and cities were much better managed than their democrat run counterparts (big surprise there...LOL)... Still a lot of waste and repetition across the board, but less...

During a typical CBA negotiation, there would usually be 3 of us sitting across the table from at least a dozen city level officials with 75-100% being unelected bureaucrats. Each council member has at least 1 assistant, and city managers would often have several deputy city managers under them, all with at least 1 assistant... Then, there would be 1 or 2 attorneys and their assistants... A dozen or more people were doing the job that could easily be accomplished by 3 or 4 individuals, and this is pretty much how they staff and spend at the administrative level all the way down the line...

The laughable irony is that they would sit across that table and be lecturing us about cost, budgetary discretion, and priorities... The negotiations in most cases were actually a slam dunk because their accounting people obviously had no clue how to calculate and manage revenue, whereas our actuary people where spot on with the numbers which even their CPA's would eventually concede...