Comments on: We seem to have a populist revolt on our hands—in Tunisia

By: Curtis

Curtis — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 21:19:08 +0000

It’s probably not wrong to say that the most influential event which caused the Constitution was the funding of necessary government functions which did not occur because of weaknesses of the Second Continental Congress working through the Articles of Confederation. The slack was either borne by the men in the field or taken up by men like Robert Morris, of whom a new book shows his under appreciation.

http://www.americanthinker.com/2011/01/book_review_robert_morris_fina.html

By: Curtis

Curtis — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 19:43:30 +0000

Sometimes one edits too much. In this case, I edited out an introductory statement for the above post.

Please note my comment at 2:19 is about Bryan’s comment at 12:52 am.

By: Curtis

Curtis — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 19:19:36 +0000

The idea that the Constitution is a product of a need for a Navy is an overstatement. No doubt the Revolutionary War showed the Founders (especially Hamilton) the need for a strong central government to provide for the common defense, but the United States didn’t even create a Navy until 1994. And it wasn’t the first Navy.

The Continental Congress created a Navy in 1775. So a federal constitution wasn’t needed to create a Navy. To fund one adequately, probably yes.

“The Act to Provide a Naval Armament” was passed by the United States Congress on March 27, 1794, well after the following dates: Adoption of the Constitution, September 17, 1787; Ratification of the Constitution by New Hampshire, June 21, 1788; Operational start date of the new federal government, March 4, 1789.

If the need for a Navy birthed the U.S. Constitution, why did the new nation wait five years to create one?

Michael Oren is a superb scholar and I would like to read his book, but the origins of the U.S. constitution are more varied and local than the scourge of Barbary pirates.

By: Sergey

Sergey — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 11:07:10 +0000

Arabs are natural anarchists, they can tolerate only rulers that do not interfere big time into religious, community and family life. Only essential functions of government can be maintained here without most harsh tyranny bordering in auto-genocide (like Saddam rule in Iraq). Saudi kings make a lot of compromisses with clergy, other Arab rulers buy loyality of populace by largesse from oil revenues. When oil will run out, all Arab world will go to the dogs.

By: Sergey

Sergey — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 10:50:50 +0000

Democracy? In Arab country? Do not make me laugh. It will result in another Hamastan or Hezbollahlend, or Somali-like chaos. The only form of government capable to provide civil peace and social order in Arab world is military dictatorship. Everything else quickly becomes nasty. (As well as in Russia, the only stable form of government is autocracy: pre-enlightenment society can not support viable democracy, it quickly degrades to primordal savagery.)

By: blert

blert — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 03:15:14 +0000

Why says…

Actually Tunisia has been the backdrop for an ENDLESS sequence of Hollywood productions.

Hollywood loves:
Tunisia (Lawrence of Arabia
Morocco
Jordan & (Lawrence of Arabia
Southeast Spain ( Patton Once Upon A Time..

Indiana Jones, Life of Brian, etc. all were filmed in Tunisia.

The big man rolled out the red carpet AND
Tunisia has a climate not too far away from Northern Mexico/ Southern California. PLUS, all manner of varied micro-climates without a lot of utility poles to force modernity upon the viewer.

This last item should keep Tunisia in the movie business for a long time.

—–

These food riots were predicted by me many weeks ago: there due to the effects of crop failures, yes, but the real killer is Benny and the Press.

The Bernanke is taxing all USD liquidity-assets at a tremendous clip.

What this means is that the stock market is losing ground to commodities — so that even up days are in fact economic losers.

Global stock markets have been losing ground to gold and silver and should continue to do so.

Right now we are on the very edge of a silver panic. Commercial silver deliveries can’t keep up with demand. Most dealers are entirely out of stock and waiting for metal.

Gold and silver imports by India an China are now not even price sensitive. This is how the USD is losing its reserve status.

The Bernanke is a river boat gambler — and now he’s going ‘all in’ at the river!

With everyone’s money!

By: waltj

waltj — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 03:08:46 +0000

Yes, U.S. forces in WW2 did fight in Tunisia, and in fact suffered one of their worst defeats there, at the Battle of the Kasserine Pass in February 1943. It was their introduction to Rommel and the Afrika Korps varsity, and it didn’t go well. In fact, the defeat here is what led to Ike replacing Lloyd Fredendall with Patton as II Corps commander. The rest, as they say, is history.

By: Why

Why — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 01:39:32 +0000

watch patton again. Scene in ancient battlefield in early part of movie is supposed to be near carthage. At the time us forces were in tunisia

By: Tom

Tom — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 00:33:55 +0000

The democratic Tunisian Arab Street. Yeah, sure. Dream on.

By: Lorne Marr

Lorne Marr — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 22:06:54 +0000

I can’t imagine that a situation like this occurs in North Korea or Cuba. In these countries the leaders exercise much more control over their people. And it’ll also be interesting to watch the international community and the reactions of other countries to the events taking place in Tunisia.