| Assad gone 07:57 - Dec 8 with 8219 views | Guthrum |
Hopefully the Syrian rebels stick to their moderate line, can cooperate and the future is brighter for that nation. |  |
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| Assad gone on 12:09 - Dec 8 with 1477 views | Mullet |
I assumed you meant assassination when I saw this. |  |
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| Assad gone on 13:46 - Dec 8 with 1418 views | GlasgowBlue |
He's a very good man. He's a doctor for heaven's sake.
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| Assad gone, but where is he? on 16:37 - Dec 8 with 1375 views | factual_blue |
Is he here?
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| Assad gone on 14:42 - Dec 9 with 1308 views | Europablue |
| Assad gone on 08:10 - Dec 8 by Guthrum |
Tho they have been working for some years to distance themselves from al Qaeda. All the rhetoric - including overnight - has been very moderate and inclusive.
But they are islamists, so it may not be entirely liberal by Western standards. |
The Taliban were also trying to come across as moderate and inclusive when the West got out of Afghanistan and now they have banned music, women aren't allowed to hear women's voices, and women are not allowed to be mid-wifes.
There is a general rule of thumb that the person or group who replaces a repressive regime will be worse.
In this case, hopefully the big difference is that Assad was a member of a minority group who oppressed the majority group, perhaps now the majority group are in charge it will be better. I think you have to judge by different standards than ours, so rather than having progressive gay rights and women's rights, it would be a big win if there was not a programme of mass murder. |  | | |
| Assad gone on 14:55 - Dec 9 with 1294 views | Europablue |
| Assad gone on 08:29 - Dec 8 by BloomBlue |
Trouble is there is more than one group of rebels in Syria, more likely to be like Libya and become a constant civil war |
Seeing as Syria is not a natural country, there is always going to be either a repressive regime or civil war, because there are strong identities that take precedence over the national identity. | | | |
| Assad gone on 15:00 - Dec 9 with 1286 views | Mullet |
| Assad gone on 14:55 - Dec 9 by Europablue |
Seeing as Syria is not a natural country, there is always going to be either a repressive regime or civil war, because there are strong identities that take precedence over the national identity. |
What on earth is “a natural country”? | |
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| Assad gone on 15:03 - Dec 9 with 1275 views | eireblue |
| Assad gone on 15:00 - Dec 9 by Mullet |
What on earth is “a natural country”? |
I wonder if it will be one that has a natural culture. |  | | |
| Assad gone on 15:04 - Dec 9 with 1267 views | Europablue |
| Assad gone on 15:00 - Dec 9 by Mullet |
What on earth is “a natural country”? |
Basically countries that weren't created by drawing random lines on maps, so countries that came about due to geography or based on ethnic groups.
Island nations are natural countries. There is a fair chance that the population at least has a fairly similar culture. | | | |
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| Assad gone on 15:10 - Dec 9 with 1249 views | Mullet |
| Assad gone on 15:04 - Dec 9 by Europablue |
Basically countries that weren't created by drawing random lines on maps, so countries that came about due to geography or based on ethnic groups.
Island nations are natural countries. There is a fair chance that the population at least has a fairly similar culture. |
Have you studied the history of this island?!?! Good lord man.
Whether it’s the heptarchy, Danelaw, connections with France or the very fact that right now we have Northern Ireland I’m not sure you could be more wrong about us. Let alone the fact that islands have the most diverse DNA sequences generally. | |
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| Assad gone on 15:13 - Dec 9 with 1242 views | DJR |
| Assad gone on 15:04 - Dec 9 by Europablue |
Basically countries that weren't created by drawing random lines on maps, so countries that came about due to geography or based on ethnic groups.
Island nations are natural countries. There is a fair chance that the population at least has a fairly similar culture. |
Switzerland doesn't make a bad fist of it, given four ethnic groups and languages. Belgium too. [Post edited 9 Dec 2024 15:14]
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| Assad gone on 15:13 - Dec 9 with 1241 views | DanTheMan |
| Assad gone on 15:00 - Dec 9 by Mullet |
What on earth is “a natural country”? |
I can possibly understand what they are getting at if I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt.
It's a chopped-out part of the Ottoman Empire with a mixture of cultures in there (and a nice straight line border as well).
The same goes for large chunks of Africa where the borders are all based around colonial borders with little to no regard to the history of the people living in those areas.
You could argue, of course, that all borders are arbitrary but most (but not all) European and Asian borders have evolved "naturally" to some respect along rivers and other natural boundaries. |  |
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| Assad gone on 15:17 - Dec 9 with 1196 views | Mullet |
| Assad gone on 15:13 - Dec 9 by DanTheMan |
I can possibly understand what they are getting at if I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt.
It's a chopped-out part of the Ottoman Empire with a mixture of cultures in there (and a nice straight line border as well).
The same goes for large chunks of Africa where the borders are all based around colonial borders with little to no regard to the history of the people living in those areas.
You could argue, of course, that all borders are arbitrary but most (but not all) European and Asian borders have evolved "naturally" to some respect along rivers and other natural boundaries. |
Tell that to the Bosnians!
I was teaching about borders last month and the way even “natural” borders are often arbitrary lines through lakes, mountains etc always makes me laugh.
Let alone the fact this island was full of them for most of our history.
My favourite is a town in Belgium and Holland where it’s marked by tiles and cobblestones. You can order your drink at the bar in one country and drink it at a table in the other if I remember right. | |
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| Assad gone on 15:21 - Dec 9 with 1168 views | DanTheMan |
| Assad gone on 15:17 - Dec 9 by Mullet |
Tell that to the Bosnians!
I was teaching about borders last month and the way even “natural” borders are often arbitrary lines through lakes, mountains etc always makes me laugh.
Let alone the fact this island was full of them for most of our history.
My favourite is a town in Belgium and Holland where it’s marked by tiles and cobblestones. You can order your drink at the bar in one country and drink it at a table in the other if I remember right. |
I was just thinking about the Balkans being a fun outlier there although that was again came from an empire collapsing and then being split up in a pretty bonkers away (although no straight lines this time!) | |
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| Assad gone on 15:24 - Dec 9 with 1156 views | Mullet |
| Assad gone on 15:21 - Dec 9 by DanTheMan |
I was just thinking about the Balkans being a fun outlier there although that was again came from an empire collapsing and then being split up in a pretty bonkers away (although no straight lines this time!) |
Which empire? You’re gonna get Guffers writing a list if you keep this up! I can think of a few out there which reshaped and removed peoples all over that area alone! | |
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| Assad gone on 15:24 - Dec 9 with 1151 views | Europablue |
| Assad gone on 15:10 - Dec 9 by Mullet |
Have you studied the history of this island?!?! Good lord man.
Whether it’s the heptarchy, Danelaw, connections with France or the very fact that right now we have Northern Ireland I’m not sure you could be more wrong about us. Let alone the fact that islands have the most diverse DNA sequences generally. |
I'm talking about England specifically. There are geographical reasons why Wales and Scotland are distinct countries.
Read what I said carefully, and don't jump to conclusions because you don't like me.
Countries that "came about due to geography or based on ethnic groups". Or is the important thing to consider. An Island (at least of a certain scale) is always likely to be one country unless there are mountains that make it very difficult to capture and govern lands beyond.
Geography has a huge influence on so many aspects that leas to the formation of countries. | | | |
| Assad gone on 15:25 - Dec 9 with 1144 views | leitrimblue |
| Assad gone on 15:04 - Dec 9 by Europablue |
Basically countries that weren't created by drawing random lines on maps, so countries that came about due to geography or based on ethnic groups.
Island nations are natural countries. There is a fair chance that the population at least has a fairly similar culture. |
This is an excellent game. So, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland natural or unnatural countries? |  | | |
| Assad gone on 15:29 - Dec 9 with 1110 views | Mullet |
| Assad gone on 15:24 - Dec 9 by Europablue |
I'm talking about England specifically. There are geographical reasons why Wales and Scotland are distinct countries.
Read what I said carefully, and don't jump to conclusions because you don't like me.
Countries that "came about due to geography or based on ethnic groups". Or is the important thing to consider. An Island (at least of a certain scale) is always likely to be one country unless there are mountains that make it very difficult to capture and govern lands beyond.
Geography has a huge influence on so many aspects that leas to the formation of countries. |
England is not a natural country by your own logic. Hence why it rarely has been and a lot of what you’re talking about his revisionism from around the Victorian era.
I don’t really care about you let alone not liking you. You’ve just got a terrible grasp of history, culture, politics and geography it seems and are making duff points.
Even East Anglia is a construct from the results of foreign invasion and trade! | |
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| Assad gone on 15:32 - Dec 9 with 1093 views | Europablue |
| Assad gone on 15:13 - Dec 9 by DJR |
Switzerland doesn't make a bad fist of it, given four ethnic groups and languages. Belgium too. [Post edited 9 Dec 2024 15:14]
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Belgium isn't really a proper country, now is it? | | | |
| Assad gone on 15:32 - Dec 9 with 1092 views | bluelagos |
| Assad gone on 15:24 - Dec 9 by Europablue |
I'm talking about England specifically. There are geographical reasons why Wales and Scotland are distinct countries.
Read what I said carefully, and don't jump to conclusions because you don't like me.
Countries that "came about due to geography or based on ethnic groups". Or is the important thing to consider. An Island (at least of a certain scale) is always likely to be one country unless there are mountains that make it very difficult to capture and govern lands beyond.
Geography has a huge influence on so many aspects that leas to the formation of countries. |
What's the natural England/Wales geographical barrier? |  |
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| Assad gone on 15:33 - Dec 9 with 1089 views | Mullet |
| Assad gone on 15:25 - Dec 9 by leitrimblue |
This is an excellent game. So, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland natural or unnatural countries? |
He’s gonna think the beaker people are toddlers. | |
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| Assad gone on 15:34 - Dec 9 with 1082 views | DJR |
| Assad gone on 15:32 - Dec 9 by Europablue |
Belgium isn't really a proper country, now is it? |
Are you joking? | | | |
| Assad gone on 15:36 - Dec 9 with 1075 views | Mullet |
| Assad gone on 15:32 - Dec 9 by bluelagos |
What's the natural England/Wales geographical barrier? |
Rugby league? | |
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| Assad gone on 15:40 - Dec 9 with 1055 views | bluelagos |
| Assad gone on 15:34 - Dec 9 by DJR |
Are you joking? |
Wasn't Belgium invented to keep the French and Germans apart? Obviously it's a real country at the moment - but it was artificial when first created?
I am very much of the opinion that all countries are social constructs albeit some have been around a lot longer than others and some have far more uniformity in their populations.
But be a lot fcking easier if we could all just get along. | |
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| Assad gone on 15:42 - Dec 9 with 1050 views | DJR |
| Assad gone on 15:32 - Dec 9 by bluelagos |
What's the natural England/Wales geographical barrier? |
One could ask the same about Scotland because a line drawn across the country north of the central belt is a more correct geographical division because it differentiates the Highlands from the Lowlands, the mountains in the latter being much more akin to the Pennines.
As it is, Scotland once had separate areas with Picts, Angles, Scotti, Britons and Vikings, and its formation as a single country has much more to do with history than geography.
[Post edited 9 Dec 2024 15:51]
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| Assad gone on 15:48 - Dec 9 with 1025 views | bluelagos |
| Assad gone on 15:42 - Dec 9 by DJR |
One could ask the same about Scotland because a line drawn across the country north of the central belt is a more correct geographical division because it differentiates the Highlands from the Lowlands, the mountains in the latter being much more akin to the Pennines.
As it is, Scotland once had separate areas with Picts, Angles, Scotti, Britons and Vikings, and its formation as a single country has much more to do with history than geography.
[Post edited 9 Dec 2024 15:51]
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Indeed.
Europa's idea of natural countries - is more than a bit limited in it's usefulness. Even places like Aus - it kind of falls down when you factor in that some people lived there for 000s of years before they were "settled" - so even they are hardly a natural country at all. | |
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