America & World IV: Trump's Taxing Day

[Brad]

That’s you giving them that ability though. I thought you meant they could turn k. Your camera and location and find your up address even if you took steps to not let them do that?

Creating a fake Facebook account is close to impossible though.

[Cassius_Smoke]

FB can definitely put all the dots together with the data they have and find you.
However, everything Edward Snowdon has said the US government can do, like enabling phone cameras and stuff...I believe FB can do that too. They have money, technology and experts. If you have the FB app, it can have backdoor access to your camera and mic if they want.
Its going to be interesting once apple add the little red dot that tells you if the mic or camera is being accessed. Although big business can probably pay to not be pinged by it.

[Asura]

Seeing the situation in Afghanistan and just don't know what to think/feel.

I mean, like many, I wasn't in favour of going to war there in the first place, because I didn't know what it would achieve, fully believing that no matter what you did, the country would go back to the way it's been for a thousand years the moment you left.

I'm seeing a lot of news reports about people's "fear" of what's going to happen... But I wonder if that's very much filtered through the lens of our media, and their people on-the-ground, and the people that have clustered around them who most likely are less averse to western culture.

I can't help but feel is that the "normal" people of the country must not be too averse to the Taliban returning to power or the new government wouldn't have capitulated so quickly. I'm hearing about whole units of the Afghan security force voluntarily handing over their weapons and going home when asked by the Taliban militia.

Do we need to burn this into our collective cultural memory the next time the government pursues an interventionist position abroad?

[Golgo]

Seeing the situation in Afghanistan and just don't know what to think/feel.

I mean, like many, I wasn't in favour of going to war there in the first place, because I didn't know what it would achieve, fully believing that no matter what you did, the country would go back to the way it's been for a thousand years the moment you left.

I'm seeing a lot of news reports about people's "fear" of what's going to happen... But I wonder if that's very much filtered through the lens of our media, and their people on-the-ground, and the people that have clustered around them who most likely are less averse to western culture.

I can't help but feel is that the "normal" people of the country must not be too averse to the Taliban returning to power or the new government wouldn't have capitulated so quickly. I'm hearing about whole units of the Afghan security force voluntarily handing over their weapons and going home when asked by the Taliban militia.

Do we need to burn this into our collective cultural memory the next time the government pursues an interventionist position abroad?

Considering Saddam Hussein kept a lid on the Taliban and the Bush/Blair love in swept him away on a totally phony premise, any return to their worst 1990's phases will be the west's fault. That said, their spokesmen and negotiators are making all kinds of noises about how progressive and benign they are now. It won't be long before we find out. I wonder where Tony Blair is hiding today? In his garden shed? Maybe he's in there with Dominic Raab, who seems to have gone AWOL.

[Brad]

The US government cannot arbitrarily turn on the camera or microphone of a phone. If you have the Facebook app installed and you told it that it can access your microphone and camera whenever it wants, even when it's not the focused app then they (Facebook) can do whatever they want yeah, because you said they can.

[Cassius_Smoke]

The US government cannot arbitrarily turn on the camera or microphone of a phone. If you have the Facebook app installed and you told it that it can access your microphone and camera whenever it wants, even when it's not the focused app then they (Facebook) can do whatever they want yeah, because you said they can.

They can and are hacking phones and enabling cameras and mics. It might not be old Mrs miggins down the road, but this **** exists. Why wouldn't FB have this ability too?
It's very nice of you to think FB need your permission to do this first.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jul/18/revealed-leak-uncovers-global-abuse-of-cyber-surveillance-weapon-nso-group-pegasus

[kryss]

I'd love to see someone try and turn on the camera and mic on my computer.

[fishbowlhead]

Seeing the situation in Afghanistan and just don't know what to think/feel.

I mean, like many, I wasn't in favour of going to war there in the first place, because I didn't know what it would achieve, fully believing that no matter what you did, the country would go back to the way it's been for a thousand years the moment you left.

I'm seeing a lot of news reports about people's "fear" of what's going to happen... But I wonder if that's very much filtered through the lens of our media, and their people on-the-ground, and the people that have clustered around them who most likely are less averse to western culture.

I can't help but feel is that the "normal" people of the country must not be too averse to the Taliban returning to power or the new government wouldn't have capitulated so quickly. I'm hearing about whole units of the Afghan security force voluntarily handing over their weapons and going home when asked by the Taliban militia.

Do we need to burn this into our collective cultural memory the next time the government pursues an interventionist position abroad?

This is what happens when you train and arm a militia force to harass the soviets, dump them the instant they did a good job, then decide to hunt them as well, then illegally invade their country ousting the gov keeping them in check (Saddam). I could go on but everyone gets the picture.

[Neon Ignition]

Hi guys, I've been away for a week, let's pop into the America thread. Looks like we're talking about Britney...

It may be about Britney... or maybe that's just what Facebook wants you to think

[Neon Ignition]

Seeing the situation in Afghanistan and just don't know what to think/feel.

I mean, like many, I wasn't in favour of going to war there in the first place, because I didn't know what it would achieve, fully believing that no matter what you did, the country would go back to the way it's been for a thousand years the moment you left.

I'm seeing a lot of news reports about people's "fear" of what's going to happen... But I wonder if that's very much filtered through the lens of our media, and their people on-the-ground, and the people that have clustered around them who most likely are less averse to western culture.

I can't help but feel is that the "normal" people of the country must not be too averse to the Taliban returning to power or the new government wouldn't have capitulated so quickly. I'm hearing about whole units of the Afghan security force voluntarily handing over their weapons and going home when asked by the Taliban militia.

Do we need to burn this into our collective cultural memory the next time the government pursues an interventionist position abroad?

It's just the end result of the US's utter failure with the situation. Any hints at a more progressive stance are just temporary to ensure the US keeps to its withdrawal, before long millions in Afghan will be living a living hell indefinitely moving forward. The US knows this but the optics to its own voter base of exiting the conflict days before the 11 Sept 20th Anniversary matters more to them. In time the West is going to have a mountain of an issue on its hand with the 'war on terror' replaced with a much more traditional one.

[Asura]

It's just the end result of the US's utter failure with the situation. Any hints at a more progressive stance are just temporary to ensure the US keeps to its withdrawal, before long millions in Afghan will be living a living hell indefinitely moving forward. The US knows this but the optics to its own voter base of exiting the conflict days before the 11 Sept 20th Anniversary matters more to them. In time the West is going to have a mountain of an issue on its hand with the 'war on terror' replaced with a much more traditional one.

I'm trying to stay hopeful. Part of me hopes the Taliban will have moderated the slightest bit and maintain the airport and transport links, and facilitate people leaving the country. Like they adopt a policy of "you can do your western **** if you want, but not here, you've got to leave". Mainly because it's been 20 years and for many people in that country, the American occupation is all they've ever known (realistically people have to be >30 to have much memory of anything before).

[Neon Ignition]

I imagine so, if only to minimise internal resistance and to ensure the western nations stay away but it'll also mean horrendous things for women and children there (which the US and others are willfully turning a cold shoulder to) and allow the Taliban to freely control the perception of upcoming generations. The biggest western effect in the short term will probably be Hollywood being able to use more than Russians again as bad guys in action movies.

[fishbowlhead]

The Taliban are now after legitimacy as a government and to turn the narrative around so they are liberating the country not conquering it. 2 years and they will all be politicians fighting yet another liberation group who want the old Taliban out of government, not before they’ve stoned to death a bunch of women on the streets who wanted an education though obviously.

[Neon Ignition]

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[fishbowlhead]

Their next plan will be to flood the markets with cheap opium & meth to keep the west focused on their own streets rather than Afghanistan.