What did I ever do to you?

[NICE MOBIUS]

You took a sentence fragment you intellectually dishonest piece of ****. I clearly spelled out in what specific way they wanted to be like the Ottomans:

"For one, ISIS basically dreams of being like the Ottomans, ruling over a vast caliphate they conquered by the sword."

Yes, but that was the thing about the Ottomans, once they ruled you, they kind of let you go about your business etc - hence the large Jewish community in Palestine, etc - unlike ISIS.

[Aeson]

Yes, but that was the thing about the Ottomans, once they ruled you, they kind of let you go about your business etc - hence the large Jewish community in Palestine, etc - unlike ISIS.

I clearly stated the factors that were being shown to be analogous.

Also, look up the Armenian genocide since you seem to be in the camp that thought the Ottomans didn't do anything horrible.

[NICE MOBIUS]

You scream at people being disingenuous with your arguments and several posts later you employ the same tactics!

[Aeson]

You scream at people being disingenuous with your arguments and several posts later you employ the same tactics!

Please point out what you are referring to. There aren't even "several" responses in this thread since that post, with my posts being the 1st and 3rd responses since. So I have no idea what you are even referring to.

I don't think I addressed a sentence fragment out of context of the rest of the sentence in any case.

[C0ckney]

you calling someone intellectually dishonest is like hitler calling someone anti-semitic.

and yes, the ottomans conquered their empire by the sword, just like, you know, every other empire in history. when it comes to the caliphate, it was just a (disputed) title that the sultans found little use for until their empire was on the wane; they never set out to create a caliphate. as for the armenian genocide you might as well say that ISIS want to be like the belgians in the congo, or the british in bengal, or the european settlers in the americas.

But yes, getting rid of dictators is in and of itself a good thing. Supporting dictators is in and of itself a bad thing. Saddam and Gaddafi in the ground, the Taliban out of power ... whether or not those lead to a better future is yet to be seen.

'sorry about cutting off your leg, but hey at least that nasty blister is gone; perhaps it will grow back, one day, you never know, right...

[NICE MOBIUS]

Please point out what you are referring to. There aren't even "several" responses in this thread since that post, with my posts being the 1st and 3rd responses since. So I have no idea what you are even referring to.

I don't think I addressed a sentence fragment out of context of the rest of the sentence in any case.

WARNING! BEN KENOBI HAS HACKED AESON'S ACCOUNT! WARNING! I REPEAT - BEN KENOBI HAS HACKED AESON'S ACCOUNT!!!

[Aeson]

you calling someone intellectually dishonest is like hitler calling someone anti-semitic.

You were very clearly taking a sentence fragment out of context. Now you're trying to make the discussion about my character to distract from your mistake, which is another way you are illustrating your intellectual dishonesty.

and yes, the ottomans conquered their empire by the sword, just like, you know, every other empire in history.

I'm glad we can agree that the analogy was appropriate in regards to ISIS' desire for conquest.

when it comes to the caliphate, it was just a (disputed) title that the sultans found little use for until their empire was on the wane; they never set out to create a caliphate.

The analogy is fine. ISIS wants to do something the Ottomans did. The Ottomans did do it. ISIS does want to do it. That is the specified extent of the analogy.

as for the armenian genocide you might as well say that ISIS want to be like the belgians in the congo, or the british in bengal or the european settlers in the americas.

It would be silly to bring up groups who weren't being discussed. ISIS is central to the argument about Iraq, and the Ottomans had been mentioned. So I used ISIS and the Ottomans because that fits with the context of what was being discussed.

'sorry about cutting off your leg, but hey at least that nasty blister is gone; perhaps it will grow back, one day, you never know, right...

Comparing amputation (the invasion of Iraq) to a blister (Saddam) is not very apt. The implication of your analogy is that Saddam is a very mild inconvenience (blister) while the invasion is a permanent loss (amputation) with no actual chance of being made whole. The reality is Saddam was a very bad, long term problem. The invasion also caused some very bad problems (while removing Saddam). The actual long term implications of the invasion are going to be seen over the coming decades, and aren't clear yet.

You are consistently overstating the damage by the invasion and understating the damage from Saddam.

[Aeson]

WARNING! BEN KENOBI HAS HACKED AESON'S ACCOUNT! WARNING! I REPEAT - BEN KENOBI HAS HACKED AESON'S ACCOUNT!!!

I see you continue to try to deflect from the direct request to substantiate your unsubstantiated claim.

[C0ckney]

yeah now i remember why i don't usually bother debating with you.

[Aeson]

Because I always point out how you are wrong. It must be very hard to take

[Uncle Sparky]

...

I don't think I addressed a sentence fragment out of context of the rest of the sentence in any case.

Would you agree that Syria, Libya and Iraq have been fragmented out of context?

[ZEE]

Uncle Sparky has really big man-boobs.

[NICE MOBIUS]

Because I always point out how you are wrong. It must be very hard to take

Again, just like Ben. Everyone is disagreeing with you - ergo everyone must be wrong.

I don't need to 'directly substantiate my claim', your hypocrisy in this thread is there in black and white for everyone else to make their minds up on.

Oh wait. Everybody is wrong.

[Aeson]

You made it almost one day moby, that's pretty good.

If you want to discuss any of the substantive points about the topic I'm still waiting

[Aeson]

Everyone is disagreeing with you - ergo everyone must be wrong.

I just want to point out I have never based any of my stances on how many people agree or disagree with me. I'm not a sheep. (Sorry.)