# Great Debates **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=389 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 390 --- ## [Taliban...what will they do now?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taliban-what-will-they-do-now/580760)
**Author:** [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Replies:** 51\ **Last updated:** [May 7, 2011, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taliban-what-will-they-do-now/580760 "2011-05-07T03:38:18Z")
ObL is dead. Even though the Afghanistan Taliban don’t seem to want to admit it (they claim there is ‘insufficient evidence’), unless you think the US is lying, they will eventually have to admit it, even if only to the… --- ## [Would Texas ever separate from America?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-texas-ever-separate-from-america/580324)
**Author:** [@UncreativeIntellectual](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncreativeIntellectual)\ **Replies:** 144\ **Last updated:** [May 7, 2011, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-texas-ever-separate-from-america/580324 "2011-05-07T00:19:21Z")
As it turns out, many people in Texas want to secede to form their own country. I believe, however, that they would never actually try, considering they still want the benefits of being U.S. citezens. But I also acknowle… --- ## [Where is the proof of Bin Laden's death? Seriously?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-proof-of-bin-ladens-death-seriously/580510)
**Author:** [@Submerged](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Submerged)\ **Replies:** 102\ **Last updated:** [May 6, 2011, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-the-proof-of-bin-ladens-death-seriously/580510 "2011-05-06T22:51:54Z")
I’m not a conspiracy theorist, and I not saying I disbelieve this morning’s headlines but…where is the proof of the CIA’s claim that he’s dead? Cuz, y’know, they’ve never lied to the American people before…:rolleyes: Al… --- ## [Should withdrawal from Afghanistan be sped up?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-withdrawal-from-afghanistan-be-sped-up/580675)
**Author:** [@Ryan\_Liam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ryan_Liam)\ **Replies:** 26\ **Last updated:** [May 6, 2011, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-withdrawal-from-afghanistan-be-sped-up/580675 "2011-05-06T19:55:18Z")
In my opinion, we’ve achieved one of the biggest aims of the reason why NATO was in Afghanistan in the first place, which was the marginalisation of Al Queda, and the kill or capture of Bin Laden. The more NATO stays th… --- ## [Will there be a war?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-there-be-a-war/580998)
**Author:** [@YaraMateo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YaraMateo)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [May 6, 2011, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-there-be-a-war/580998 "2011-05-06T19:52:25Z")
So, all thw question du jour seems to be did Pakistan know OBL was there. It can be argued (even if it’s not true), they were hiding him. Sounds like reason for a war. So, will the US go to war with Pakistan? --- ## [So How Will Fox Spin OBL Death?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-will-fox-spin-obl-death/580451)
**Author:** [@fumster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fumster)\ **Replies:** 145\ **Last updated:** [May 6, 2011, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-will-fox-spin-obl-death/580451 "2011-05-06T18:52:56Z")
Obama did what Bush couldn’t, how is Fox going to make him pay for it? --- ## [% of Democrat and Republican Senators that deny Evolution?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/of-democrat-and-republican-senators-that-deny-evolution/580338)
**Author:** [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Replies:** 47\ **Last updated:** [May 6, 2011, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/of-democrat-and-republican-senators-that-deny-evolution/580338 "2011-05-06T17:34:41Z")
Bar debate was struck up last night with a conservative friend saying there was 4 or 5 Republican Senators that publicly deny the Theory of Evolution, tops. Further, Democratic senators aren’t much better. If he’s inco… --- ## [How will Al Quaida attack the US? \[duplicate thread\]](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-al-quaida-attack-the-us-duplicate-thread/580977)
**Author:** [@contradancer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/contradancer)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [May 6, 2011, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-al-quaida-attack-the-us-duplicate-thread/580977 "2011-05-06T16:45:01Z")
Taking down the internet Taking down our financial systems by forcing us to lose faith in them by hacking into bank accounts, Paypal, any place they can steal from businesses or individuals. Feeding dissent and disorder… --- ## [What is a good education in the 21st Century?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-good-education-in-the-21st-century/580755)
**Author:** [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Replies:** 19\ **Last updated:** [May 6, 2011, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-good-education-in-the-21st-century/580755 "2011-05-06T15:24:54Z")
A friend of mine who has two children, a girl in middle school and a boy going to college, told me that education is different now. Her children go to very expensive private schools, so they probably don’t represent th… --- ## [Why do people continue to say fossil & nuclear energy are cheaper than solar?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-continue-to-say-fossil-nuclear-energy-are-cheaper-than-solar/580553)
**Author:** [@Le\_Jacquelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Jacquelope)\ **Replies:** 54\ **Last updated:** [May 6, 2011, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-continue-to-say-fossil-nuclear-energy-are-cheaper-than-solar/580553 "2011-05-06T01:35:03Z")
There is this widely held belief that providing X Gigawatts of power is cheaper when it is done via coal and nuclear power than when it is done with solar and wind power. This is because we only calculate a portion of t… --- ## [How rulings for students rights backfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-rulings-for-students-rights-backfire/579771)
**Author:** [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Replies:** 46\ **Last updated:** [May 6, 2011, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-rulings-for-students-rights-backfire/579771 "2011-05-06T01:01:21Z")
There have been several high-profile cases of children being taken away from public schools by police recently. This article expresses some of the same things that I’ve always felt about these situations. The basic arg… --- ## [Mental Illness and Personality](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mental-illness-and-personality/580317)
**Author:** [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Replies:** 32\ **Last updated:** [May 5, 2011, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mental-illness-and-personality/580317 "2011-05-05T17:22:46Z")
In looking at all the threads we’ve had about borderline personality, it’s pretty clear that people with BPD can be generally unpleasant to be around. But when looking at unpleasant people with mental disorders, how much… --- ## [What if we had caught Osama alive?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-we-had-caught-osama-alive/580592)
**Author:** [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Replies:** 61\ **Last updated:** [May 5, 2011, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-we-had-caught-osama-alive/580592 "2011-05-05T07:09:59Z")
Let’s say he decided not to resist or that the SEALs saw no reason to shoot him and they ended up taking him alive. What then? Would he have been thrown into Gitmo? Brought to some facility in the U.S.? Would he be trie… --- ## [God heals? Question FROM a Christian](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-heals-question-from-a-christian/579298)
**Author:** [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Replies:** 108\ **Last updated:** [May 5, 2011, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-heals-question-from-a-christian/579298 "2011-05-05T01:44:50Z")
First, I’m not one of the resident atheists out to prove that God does not exist. I have recently been doubting my faith, but I still have enough left to believe that I will come around. Question, though: I have a fri… --- ## [Christian propoganda author dies in car accident -- grieve, or celebrate?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-propoganda-author-dies-in-car-accident-grieve-or-celebrate/580163)
**Author:** [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Replies:** 128\ **Last updated:** [May 4, 2011, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-propoganda-author-dies-in-car-accident-grieve-or-celebrate/580163 "2011-05-04T20:25:08Z")
David Wilkerson, author of The Cross and the Switchblade and evangelist for the Assemblies of God, was killed this week by smashing head-on into an oncoming truck, while driving the wrong way down the freeway. His wife,… --- ## [Would "Truth Serums" Be Acceptable](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-truth-serums-be-acceptable/580655)
**Author:** [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Replies:** 22\ **Last updated:** [May 4, 2011, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-truth-serums-be-acceptable/580655 "2011-05-04T18:23:38Z")
Suppose truth serums became practicable and could enable suspects to blurt out all they know about something when asked. Would such a serum be acceptable to actually use against suspects? --- ## [Steam powered cars](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steam-powered-cars/580215)
**Author:** [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Replies:** 50\ **Last updated:** [May 4, 2011, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steam-powered-cars/580215 "2011-05-04T16:53:26Z")
I know in the past there were steam powered cars, but that they pretty much lost out to IC cars early in the 1920’s. My question is, could you build one using modern materials and technology that would be safe and have … --- ## [How long will US-Pakistan relations survive for?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-will-us-pakistan-relations-survive-for/579655)
**Author:** [@Ryan\_Liam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ryan_Liam)\ **Replies:** 23\ **Last updated:** [May 4, 2011, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-will-us-pakistan-relations-survive-for/579655 "2011-05-04T15:41:19Z")
With recent relevations of how the US had listed the ISI (Pakistans intelligence service) as a terrorist organisation and to be treated as such, as well as drone attacks, and the CIA operative jailed then released for ki… --- ## [Hypothetical scenario: Al-Queda enacts terrorism against several U.S. synagogues.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-scenario-al-queda-enacts-terrorism-against-several-u-s-synagogues/580559)
**Author:** [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [May 4, 2011, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-scenario-al-queda-enacts-terrorism-against-several-u-s-synagogues/580559 "2011-05-04T05:16:49Z")
Let’s say they are operating out of Pakistan or Saudi Arabia and 1,000 people are killed, with another 300 wounded. Public response? Do we go to war again? 1998 Fatwa. :dubious: --- ## [BENT AND STRAIGHT , same basic metaphor , why is only one offensive ?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bent-and-straight-same-basic-metaphor-why-is-only-one-offensive/580499)
**Author:** [@MichaelA1330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelA1330)\ **Replies:** 19\ **Last updated:** [May 4, 2011, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bent-and-straight-same-basic-metaphor-why-is-only-one-offensive/580499 "2011-05-04T03:49:06Z")
why is okay to call heterosexual people “straight” but not okay to call homosexual people “bent” this has confused me for a while , it is exactly the same metaphor (referring to direction) why is only the latter offen… --- ## [Have any birthers fessed up yet?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-birthers-fessed-up-yet/579876)
**Author:** [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Replies:** 88\ **Last updated:** [May 4, 2011, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-birthers-fessed-up-yet/579876 "2011-05-04T03:35:30Z")
The premise here is that some, if not most, birthers are yanking Obama’s chain, and know it (I imagine them holding meetings where they grin and tell each other, " Aren’t we such devils?"). IOW, they’re in it to give the… --- ## [Whitehouse releases Obama long form birth-certificate](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whitehouse-releases-obama-long-form-birth-certificate/579889)
**Author:** [@BigDadWolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigDadWolf)\ **Replies:** 186\ **Last updated:** [May 4, 2011, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whitehouse-releases-obama-long-form-birth-certificate/579889 "2011-05-04T03:33:09Z")
http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog\_theticket/20110427/ts\_yblog\_theticket/white-house-releases-obama-birth-certificate There does not seem to be any surprising or incriminating information on the long form birth certificate. … --- ## [Explain to me why marriage is OK for murders and child molesters but not for gay people](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-to-me-why-marriage-is-ok-for-murders-and-child-molesters-but-not-for-gay-people/579931)
**Author:** [@boozilu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boozilu)\ **Replies:** 191\ **Last updated:** [May 4, 2011, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-to-me-why-marriage-is-ok-for-murders-and-child-molesters-but-not-for-gay-people/579931 "2011-05-04T02:30:27Z")
I know this is nothing new, but as I was reading more about the House GOP and its efforts to defend DOMA, I wondered why defending marriage is defined as making sure that it’s between a man & a woman. What about serial … --- ## [Parsing the Second Amendment](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parsing-the-second-amendment/579952)
**Author:** [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Replies:** 135\ **Last updated:** [May 4, 2011, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parsing-the-second-amendment/579952 "2011-05-04T01:37:37Z")
Over in the Pit, in the “stupid liberal idea” thread, the topic of the good 'ol Second Amendment came up. And the following series of posts occurred, in this order, leading to this thread: Starving Artist re: the First… --- ## [Is the Democratic party headed in the wrong direction?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-democratic-party-headed-in-the-wrong-direction/579187)
**Author:** [@Whambulance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whambulance)\ **Replies:** 60\ **Last updated:** [May 4, 2011, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-democratic-party-headed-in-the-wrong-direction/579187 "2011-05-04T00:34:24Z")
A little background here. I am a middle-of-the-road Libertarian with some far left as well as far right tendencies so I am by no means bashing Democrats in general. The reason I am posting this is that it occured to me… --- ## [Convince my hypothetical mass murderer that he's wrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-my-hypothetical-mass-murderer-that-hes-wrong/579849)
**Author:** [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Replies:** 46\ **Last updated:** [May 3, 2011, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-my-hypothetical-mass-murderer-that-hes-wrong/579849 "2011-05-03T23:19:58Z")
Cray Z. Mann has invented a poison. It will cause all pregnant women to miscarry and he intends to put it in the water supply of every city in the US, one by one. Why? Because he believes that he would be guaranteeing… --- ## [Immigrants who enter the country illegally and the costs they impose](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigrants-who-enter-the-country-illegally-and-the-costs-they-impose/580124)
**Author:** [@Chen019](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chen019)\ **Replies:** 55\ **Last updated:** [May 3, 2011, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigrants-who-enter-the-country-illegally-and-the-costs-they-impose/580124 "2011-05-03T21:32:15Z")
Another thread has looked at crime. What about the economic impacts of illegal immigration to the US? California has been an interesting case study: One of the issues is that unskilled labour generally has a net cost. … --- ## [Another Bin Laden burial question](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-bin-laden-burial-question/580620)
**Author:** [@sciurophobic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciurophobic)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [May 3, 2011, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-bin-laden-burial-question/580620 "2011-05-03T20:38:43Z")
Since it appears that no country would claim the body, and the U.S. didn’t want his burial site to become a shrine, why didn’t they bury his body somewhere in the middle of a large or heavily guarded military base, such … --- ## [Why are people not up in arms over Guantanamo Bay?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-not-up-in-arms-over-guantanamo-bay/580151)
**Author:** [@mac9891](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mac9891)\ **Replies:** 97\ **Last updated:** [May 3, 2011, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-not-up-in-arms-over-guantanamo-bay/580151 "2011-05-03T19:39:31Z")
Is Guantanamo Bay not symbolic of everything that America is supposed to stand against, people being detained for years on end with no right at the whims of government officials? Why are more people demanding that this … --- ## [What place diesels?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-place-diesels/579620)
**Author:** [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Replies:** 55\ **Last updated:** [May 3, 2011, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-place-diesels/579620 "2011-05-03T13:47:10Z")
In the current electric car thread Magiver posits that: This op is to give that proposition a fair hearing in its own thread, comparing diesel to gasoline powered vehicles. Under the current supply/demand conditions d… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=388) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=390)