budgie

That's a hoot. Had me giggling.

Interesting about being held captive by the regime. In the last gulf war, were the real human sheilds abused and if so, where can I read up on it?

Warhawk, 300mag and I might find something to agree upon here. Though you all know I do not support the US and Britain going to war without the backing of the world community - France's obstinacy even irritates me at times, though I concede their right - I have to question the logic and yes, peaceniks, even the ethics of the so called American "Human Shields" who are traveling to Baghdad to "protect" Iraqi targets. While I think all people have the right to disagree, object and march in protest (however ridiculously they conduct themselves on these marches), isn't it a tad unpatriotic even

Airsoft weapons are usually, good and faithful replicas of real live weapons (m4s, Ak47s mp5s etc...) and have a large range of knockoffs. They fire a 6mm white plastic BB from spring loaded magazines, thus you get the added buzz of loading them like real clips. The standard clips come with a lot of ammo (68 rounds for M16/M4 clips, 80 in the Steyr AUG) and there are even higher capactity clips but they have feeding problems. The pistols tend to be CO2 gas (handcocked are available, but they're not automatic). the gas cylinder occupies part of the pistol clip, while the ammo magazine (abo

Sure, prior to 1939 they might have had a chance against Germany, but in 1939, they were attacked, they did fight and they lost. In fact when Germany took back teh rhineland in 1938, it was probably alreeday too strong to consider fighting. Those intact French forces that survived Dunkirk to escape to Britain came back on D-Day. And the French left Vietnam after Dien Bien Phu ('54 or '56, I forget which). The US came in after the French and if anyone invited them it was the military regime of South Vietnam.

I thought this one was funny no matter your political persuasion. According to TIME it's one the boys in the desert waiting for war are floating. BTW the troops are calling it Operation Desert Justus, which is kinda funny too. "How many troops does it take to defend Paris?" "Don't know, it's never been done before."

I had no idea she was a Bond Girl

Me and my buddies once played against a bunch of 'weekend warriors'. These guys played it all the time, man we got whipped!

whoa, I was talking about bringing the rocket launcher along. My bad. Touched a nerve there...

If SP 'cheating' means dumbing down the enemy AI so they can't sneak up on my unattentive AI buddies, pop them with the first shot from a pistol at 200 yards, deadeye a rifle grenade over 10 obstacles of varying height and always know where I am, then I'm guilty. If SP cheating means loosening the accuracy of enemy weapons so they actually shoot like real human beings rather than integrated man-rifle cyborgs, then I'm guilty. And if SP cheating means fixing that ridiculous 'grenade launcher' on the OICW so that it shoots straight like the real thing, adding more grenades to the M203's invent

I don't think you should forward all protection to the government at all. I think only that A, some Americans should not be so paranoid about the government's 'intentions' of taking away their rights, and B, there's not much they could do about it if they were right. As for the right to bear arms, I totally agree. Concealed weapons permits included. But don't tell me that has to include the right to bear arms secretly or without the prior knowledge - and in the case of convicted violent offenders, consent - of the local authorities. with great power comes responsibility and gun owners ha

Say that again. I couldn't hit a hill with the M16 in that. Just like in real life, I'd have to log hours of practice. That said, I can't hit much in GR either. WK is still mad at me for roasting his girlfriend last week with a rocket launcher. Bringing it along was a bad tactical call.

Whatever they were up to, they got the smackdown coming now.

I'm 29 but I have the liver of a man twenty years my senior.

At the start of WWII, 1939 for everyone in Europe, 1937 for China, 1914 for Korea, France wasn't strong enough to challenge Hitler. He took the Rhineland back and they had to sit back and watch. Now, France could probably take Iraq all by itself. The problem is, it doesn't want to. Lets stop the "we bailed them out in WWII" BS. They had to capitulate or suffer immense destruction and anyway, their military was defeated in days. You guys think a proud, and let's face it, snobbish people like the French wanted to be occupied by germany?

How do they win when both sides want to surrender?

The Native Americans, most of whom were wiped out by colonists with more than pitchforks and pistols, might have a thing or two to say about that. As for the amendment being there to protect Americans from tyranny, thank your lucky stars that its crime that worries people the most when they think about the issue of gun control. This protection from the governement balony is no longer relevant when people can't park a stealth bomber in their yards. They're no longer on equal terms - in terms of military muscle - with the state. If the state ever wanted to oppress its people - and thankf

Aaah, the sweet debate on firearms. Although the right to bear arms is not written into New Zealand's statutes and laws, a surprising number of Kiwis have weapons. In order to have one, you must pass an exam, much like a written exam for car licenses, keep it secure so that it can't be used by kids and most importantly - this isn't unreasonable - owners must be registered with the poilce. There are very few gun deaths in NZ, most of which are caused by - you guessed it - illegal fire arms. Law abiding people have nothing to fear by registering their weapons. I believe everyone should be a

It is estimated by C. warren Hollister in his excellent book, "medieval Europe", that 12th century London had a higher per capita murder rate than modern day New York or LA (dunno about South Africa). They didn't have TV, movies, novels or radio shows, the chivalric tradition was barely awakening and it was still 400 years before Shakespeare. Swords were expensive, so not everyone had them. Other factors must have led to such a violent society. Same with modern societies - if there is violence, the causes are older than TV or video games.

No doubt about it, counterstrike is the most realistic, mature and creative game on the market. I once played it for a full ten minutes before throwing my hands up in disgust. wait a minute, that was the only time I played it.

That what you gonna call it when your girlfriend catches you kissing someone else? Seriously, though this is purile. when in 1996, France resumed nuclear testing in the south pacific, New Zealanders, myself included, became enraged. Many bakeries even resorted to calling baguettes, otherwise known as French sticks, "kiwi sticks." This made me almost as sick. Despite my support for the anti-testing cause, I didn't blame French people and culture. Wearing your flag on your sleeve is admirable, but resorting to childish tantrum-throwing is a poor form of protest.

Hope you guys are right. I only read that part of Turkey's demands was that it be allowed to station a sizeable (ahem) 'peacekeeping' force inside Kurdish Iraq. Hopefully the US won't grant that wish for te sake of victory. No use liberating nrthern Iraq only to hand it over to Turkish forces - whose list of atrocities against kurds reads like Saddam's own rap-sheet. Without full UN support, the price for disarming Iraq is already too high. That might change, but Turkish soldiers won't suddenly become paragons of human virtue overnight, so it's best to keep them at arm's length.

On purely moral grounds, Phantom has expressed his views and the British and US reasons for this action very well. However Turkey is not a great nation that is going to bring peace to the region. They want a slice of Saddam's pie and to keep the Kurds under the jackboot. The US will come as lidberators, the Turks see themselves as conquerors. I truly hope Bush does not give them the broad 'responsibilities' they have asked for in Northern Iraq.

I fire my gun every night. Keeps me in shape.

Sucks but you gotta take help where you can get it - even substandard help. Remember Pakistan is not a functioning democracy - it is a dictatorship in the center surrounded by fiefdoms. Some of those fiefdoms are sympathetic towards Osama Bin Hidin' and the central 'government' can't really control them.Just because General Musharraf in Islamabad get's a billion dollars doen't mean Abdul al'Sympathizer in the hills cares to help the US. Better than no help at all.