What This Group Is For - A Clarification

Following the censorship / deletion of a few posts here recently, after I noticed an increasing number of them were getting to be off-topic and outside the scope of what this group was set up to document and discuss, I am called upon to clarify what exactly is wanted here and what is not.  I wrote a similar piece to this early on, and some general guidelines... but frankly few read them, and perhaps now we're more operational, more of us will read this, and I won't need to delete anything else.


First of all, what is 'Geopolitics', as opposed to any other politics?  As group founder, have I understood that correctly... do others not think of it in the same way?  I'm open to being corrected where I'm wrong, and any discussion that comes from this post should clear this up once and for all.

HERE are a couple of different definitions, giving us a good all-round idea of the meaning.

Personally, I understand it to be about the things listed in the group's profile - international relations, war over natural resources like oil, terrorism, nuclear proliferation, rivalry between ideologies as in The Cold War, territorial disputes and man's inability to co-exist peacefully unless there's a mountain or an ocean in the way...  a blend of politics and geography, then?

I see it as international, but perhaps that is wrong.  Can more local issues such as at the State level be 'geopolitical' too?  The gas row between Russia and Ukraine which froze half of Europe last January, that's geopolitical.  What about the MP's expenses scandal in Britain recently?  Is that?  Or the issue of Sotomayor's ethnicity, in the US?   

The single biggest subject within that third of the group's title was always going to be Islam, Israel, the West's crusade in Central Asia and associated terrorism.  With that in mind, I would ask a couple of things of everyone...

It is hoped that we can develop a peaceful environment, perhaps even unique among these groups, where all political affiliations, nationalities and religious creeds can come and talk openly without being offensive or being offended.  Take this as an opportunity.  In order to acheive that, it's my job, with some help, to make sure people who are only here to mock and abuse those who they don't agree with, are kept in line, or kept out completely.  There are plenty of other groups that allow much more freedom to insult each other... that's not welcome here.  If you have an axe to grind about Islam, Israel, America or whatever else... make your point without being rude about it, please.  Without wishing to single anyone out, can we not have provocative titles on posts, either?  The fact that you have x or y viewpoint is already respected - but not everyone will agree with you.  Please understand that.  And one post on the same subject is usually enough per person, per day... it takes more than a day for a post to become a quality 'thread', with replies.

Theology and religion, too... some discussion is unavoidable if you're talking about Kashmir, Afghanistan, Israel and the like.  Religious differences are at the very heart of the matter, but there is one aspect of religion which makes it unsuitable for a forum like this.  This is the fact that 'God' or 'Allah''s law is more important to the religious adherent than any ground-rules laid down here.  If you are so strictly religious that you are unable to abide by some basic standards in debate, you're not likely to fit in here (I don't think this has been much of a problem thus far, but bashing and baiting in general are, by common sense, not helpful).  I said right at the beginning... ok, so you don't like Muslims / Jews / Christians / Atheists / left / right... fine, say so. But don't expect everyone to like it.  Personally, I'm an atheist and I think you're all going to get us killed if we carry on the way we are.  But that's just one opinion.

'Attack the idea, not the person' is a standard that works well elsewhere - I've seen some threads getting a little too personal, which is alright if it clears the air and we achieve better understanding.  But not if it doesn't.

So... what about 'Spies & Lies'?  Well, lies and politics go hand-in-hand, I think we all understand that perfectly.  'Spies' refers to the intelligence agencies and covert ops, secretive groups working behind the scenes, the general topic of 'espionage', I suppose.  This could extend into 'corporatocracy' and some economics, just as the geopolitical / tribal issues might extend into the realm of 'anthropology'.  'Lies' could equally be about debunking myths... there are a few here who I know love taking conspiracy theories apart.

Also, groups like the United Nations, military alliances such as NATO, developments like Iran's alleged nuclear program (is it just for energy?) or Kim Il Jong's persistent sabre-rattling.

What is not needed here are links to adult friend-finders, reviews of toy robots (though that was quite funny) or discussions about whether Noah let a raven or a dove go first during the Biblical flood.  I anticipate some UFOs and stuff like that... but if you start on about Ancient Sumeria and Atlantis, you will be asked for evidence.  On your head be it  :)

I don't enjoy coming across like I haven't got a sense of humour, but it's how it is in these groups... anyone here now or in future who I find just taking liberties and testing to see what they can get away with, I will smite their souls with my wrath.  I'm not daft - I can tell the difference between someone having a joke and someone being nasty about someone else's religion etc

I have one last question... for the members to decide.  'Demographic' topics, such as abortion rates among different ethnic groups, China's population control, cultural matters such as the role of women in Indian society... shall we expand the scope to things like this?  I can see how that fits...  just not the results of last night's 'baseball game', as Gurcan eloquently put it yesterday.

I hope that's everything, and the last time I need to say this for a long while.  I'm sorry if you've had something of yours deleted, but that's how it has to be.  I hope nobody leaves after reading this, and of course, if you know anyone who might like it here, please invite them.