Comments on: Stuck on Stupid http://dumpendebat.net/2008/07/25/stuck-on-stupid/ A sniff in the kortevar, that what you cry for, yeled? A prert up the cull, a prang on the dumpendebat? Sat, 24 Mar 2012 23:16:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: dumpendebat http://dumpendebat.net/2008/07/25/stuck-on-stupid/comment-page-1/#comment-8925 dumpendebat Tue, 07 Oct 2008 02:31:52 +0000 http://dumpendebat.net/?p=482#comment-8925 >OT I know Yes, you're off-topic. Thanks, though, for stopping by. >OT I know

Yes, you’re off-topic. Thanks, though, for stopping by.

]]> By: Norm N. $hoe http://dumpendebat.net/2008/07/25/stuck-on-stupid/comment-page-1/#comment-8924 Norm N. $hoe Sun, 05 Oct 2008 15:22:49 +0000 http://dumpendebat.net/?p=482#comment-8924 Well I'm convinced now to vote Democrat; even if the candidates between them can't speak without a <a href="http://www.teleprompterobama.com" rel="nofollow">teleprompter</a> or are reminding us about FDR's use of television in the 20's to assuage the fears of the citizenry. Hey, OT I know, but what ever happened to <a href="http://suitablyflip.blogs.com/suitably_flip/2007/09/hsu-vs-abramoff.html" rel="nofollow">Norman Hsu</a>? He only received 1/77 the press Jack did. Well I’m convinced now to vote Democrat; even if the candidates between them can’t speak without a teleprompter or are reminding us about FDR’s use of television in the 20′s to assuage the fears of the citizenry.

Hey, OT I know, but what ever happened to Norman Hsu? He only received 1/77 the press Jack did.

]]> By: dumpendebat http://dumpendebat.net/2008/07/25/stuck-on-stupid/comment-page-1/#comment-8813 dumpendebat Sat, 26 Jul 2008 05:06:33 +0000 http://dumpendebat.net/?p=482#comment-8813 The main languages spoken in Afghanistan are <a href="http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=prs" rel="nofollow">Dari</a>, which is a dialect of Persian; and <a href="http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=pbu" rel="nofollow">Pashto</a>, a language which is a sort of cousin of Persian (a relationship sort of like that between English and Danish, say, or Swedish and Dutch). It's likely that locally-recruited bad guys in Afghanistan would be speaking one of these two languages. Of course, there are plenty of languages spoken by radical Islamic bad guys in Central Asia. And yes, of course, Arabic speakers would be useful in the pursuit of al-Qaeda terrorists in Afghanistan. We need speakers of lots of languages in our efforts to fight terrorists, especially Arabic, Pashto, Dari, and <a href="http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=urd" rel="nofollow">Urdu</a> (the national language of Pakistan). The main languages spoken in Afghanistan are Dari, which is a dialect of Persian; and Pashto, a language which is a sort of cousin of Persian (a relationship sort of like that between English and Danish, say, or Swedish and Dutch). It’s likely that locally-recruited bad guys in Afghanistan would be speaking one of these two languages.

Of course, there are plenty of languages spoken by radical Islamic bad guys in Central Asia. And yes, of course, Arabic speakers would be useful in the pursuit of al-Qaeda terrorists in Afghanistan.

We need speakers of lots of languages in our efforts to fight terrorists, especially Arabic, Pashto, Dari, and Urdu (the national language of Pakistan).

]]> By: Stram http://dumpendebat.net/2008/07/25/stuck-on-stupid/comment-page-1/#comment-8812 Stram Sat, 26 Jul 2008 03:24:55 +0000 http://dumpendebat.net/?p=482#comment-8812 I know you being a linguist Filius this type of thing must drive you batty. But to be honest, I spent 26 months in Italy and I didn't get much further than 'ciao Bella'. And oh yeah, I wanted to ask you something. I'm sure you have heard wingnuts ridicule Obama for saying that we needed more Arabic linguists in Afghanistan since <i>'they'</i> don't speak Arabic - the Afghans speak 'Pashto?' -- but since the real reason we are there is because of al-Qaeda who are probably 95% from Arabic speaking countries and you would think we should be listening in on any communications from the people who we <i>should actually</i> be pursuing, don't you think we need more Arabic speaking linguists in Afghanistan? I know you being a linguist Filius this type of thing must drive you batty.

But to be honest, I spent 26 months in Italy and I didn’t get much further than ‘ciao Bella’.

And oh yeah, I wanted to ask you something. I’m sure you have heard wingnuts ridicule Obama for saying that we needed more Arabic linguists in Afghanistan since ‘they’ don’t speak Arabic – the Afghans speak ‘Pashto?’ — but since the real reason we are there is because of al-Qaeda who are probably 95% from Arabic speaking countries and you would think we should be listening in on any communications from the people who we should actually be pursuing, don’t you think we need more Arabic speaking linguists in Afghanistan?

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