We're at war with ISIL

[dpareja]

Would you rather we abandon them?

As nasty as ISIL is, this war is obviously just an excuse to increase defense contractors income. ISIL poses no threat to America, and will probably never hold more land than the chunk they have carved out for themselves. There are, as has been noted already, far worse groups and countries to attack, but ISIL is a handy expendable group of brown people so they become the target of the month.

34: War is good for business.
Ferengi rules of acquisition.

Although the 35th rule is "Peace is good for business." How is that supposed to work?

Seems like they could've just saved themselves a rule and said "Any time is good for business". Or, since "good" is a relative measure, just skipped both rules altogether.

Clearly whoever wrote the rules just needed some padding.

It's a reminder to those who have specialized in one sort of business (arms dealing, say) that there are opportunities during peacetime as well. Maybe that ship-destroying rocket could be sold to a government looking to clear away obstacles to building roads.

[Sylvana]

34: War is good for business.
Ferengi rules of acquisition.

Although the 35th rule is "Peace is good for business." How is that supposed to work?

Seems like they could've just saved themselves a rule and said "Any time is good for business". Or, since "good" is a relative measure, just skipped both rules altogether.

Clearly whoever wrote the rules just needed some padding.

It's a reminder to those who have specialized in one sort of business (arms dealing, say) that there are opportunities during peacetime as well. Maybe that ship-destroying rocket could be sold to a government looking to clear away obstacles to building roads.

I was just trying to make a point how much of the powerful in the American economy rely heavily on war to make enormous profits. The rules of acquisition were made as a parody of the doublethink and cut throat opportunism in modern capitalism. In America's case though, the War is good for profit is always relevant. The arms contractors know that during wartime they are pretty much given free reign on the countries treasury.

ISIL isn't a threat, they are an excuse.

(Peace is good for profit because you can sell reconstruction materials to the people you just bombed.)

[Igor]

Would you rather we abandon them?

As nasty as ISIL is, this war is obviously just an excuse to increase defense contractors income. ISIL poses no threat to America, and will probably never hold more land than the chunk they have carved out for themselves. There are, as has been noted already, far worse groups and countries to attack, but ISIL is a handy expendable group of brown people so they become the target of the month.

34: War is good for business.
Ferengi rules of acquisition.

Although the 35th rule is "Peace is good for business." How is that supposed to work?

Seems like they could've just saved themselves a rule and said "Any time is good for business". Or, since "good" is a relative measure, just skipped both rules altogether.

Clearly whoever wrote the rules just needed some padding.

Well, of course! A long, impressive rulebook is good for business!

Edit - I may have missed this somewhere, but I have to ask.. what does the L stand for? First it was "ISIS" and then it was "IS" and now it's "ISIL" and I can't for the life of me figure out where the L comes from. It's kinda bugging me.

Edit 2: The Editing - Nevermind, I just found it about five seconds after asking.