Treaty of Tripoli - Is the US A Christian Nation? Hmm...

[Solomwi]

Maybe I should have made the "Jesus founded the Marine Corps" post I was considering earlier. It might have staved off some confusion. Probably not.

[Thoth]

The ability to walk on water would be an asset to a Marine.

[Al B. Sure!]

Just to clarify for N35t0r... The treaty of Tripoli was signed in 1796. We would go on to have two wars with the Barbary states (1801-1805 and 1815) after they kept capturing and enslaving American citizens and demanding ransom for them.

Fun Fact: 1 to 1.25 million Europeans were enslaved between 1530 and 1780 by the Barbary corsairs.

[Berzerker]

thats about how many Arabs were grabbed by the Mongols

[Dinner]

I don't see how this is any worse than Obama claiming his policies will reduce the deficit or that he hasn't raised taxes.

The average tax rate is the lowest it has been since 1950; down to just 9.8% on average. That's not a lie or an exaggeration or anything but a cold hard fact. The deficit hasn't gone up because of any massive new spending and in fact has gone up for two reason. 1) That we're in a recession and have been since Nov 2007 and so tax revenue has been lower during a recessionary period and 2) That many entitlement programs automatically by law get increases each year.

If you're upset about the TARP, which happened under Bush, or the first round of stimulus spending, which also happened under Bush, then put the blame where it belongs instead of trying to be deceptive and blaming it on Obama. Facts are a hard thing, I know, but you have to accept them.

[SlowwHand]

Like the fact that Obama hasn't a chance of serving a 2nd term.

[giblets]

51% approval rating right now, says Gallup

[David Floyd]

Like the fact that Obama hasn't a chance of serving a 2nd term.

Yeah right. All black men who serve a first term are incredibly likely to serve a second term. Why should Obama be different?

[Dinner]

Like the fact that Obama hasn't a chance of serving a 2nd term.

Want to bet? It is extremely hard to boot a sitting President and Sarah Palin won't be able to do it. Her negatives are so good Dems are salivating.

[SlowwHand]

Think Bush, Sr. and he didn't even put those not yet born into debt.

[bc1871]

From the Halls of Montezuma,
To the shores of Tripoli;
We fight our country's battles
On the land as on the sea;
Admiration of the nation,
we're the finest ever seen;
And we glory in the title
Of United States Marines

Our flag's unfurled to every breeze
From dawn to setting sun;
We have fought in every clime and place
Where we could take a gun;
In the snow of far-off Northern lands
And in sunny tropic scenes;
You will find us always on the job
The United States Marines.

Here's health to you and to our Corps
Which we are proud to serve;
In many a strife we've fought for life
And never lost our nerve;
If the Army and the Navy
Ever look on Heaven’s scenes;
They will find the streets are guarded
By United States Marines.

[Dinner]

The Marines are for fights to small for the Army. Think about it. They're supposed to fight wars which are supposed to be very short but if it gets to big, if the Marines just can't handle it, then they call in the Army. The Army if for long term extended conflicts and the Marines can't handle that sort of war.

[bc1871]

The Marines are for fights to small for the Army. Think about it. They're supposed to fight wars which are supposed to be very short but if it gets to big, if the Marines just can't handle it, then they call in the Army. The Army if for long term extended conflicts and the Marines can't handle that sort of war.

Agreed!

[Sava]

We would go on to have two wars with the Barbary states

We? Who's we Kimosabe? God knows what corner of the world your dirt farmer ancestors called home back in the day. Although, maybe your great, great, great, great grandmother sucked off Oliver Perry when he frequented one of the local whorehouses when he was at port. Lord knows a man at sea has needs.

From what I've read, these "wars" consisted of about a dozen Americans hiring a bunch of mercenaries as cannon fodder and letting them slaughter the Arabs.

My god... now I know where they got the idea for the WAR ON TERRORtm

[Al B. Sure!]

Flashbacks to the hilarity of a platoon of guys singing that song in our racks in the dark and the fact that only a few of us knew the second and third verses... oh man our SI was something... "Lights! Lights! Lights!" "Radio on" "From the halls of Montezuma..."

guess you had to be there.