Visit Beautiful Afghanistan!

Seriously... When are people going to learn that war zone does not equal vacation destination?

Between multiple people trying to do one man protests, Journalists thinking they can get the scoop, and the doorknobs hiking in Iraq[n], the State Departments of the world are being run ragged just trying to rescue their citizens from their own actions.

Now there is a Scotsman trying to set up a vacation company (bbc) that will take you mountain climbing in Afghanistan. Don't get me wrong, its in a relatively safe part of Afghanistan, and they sure could use the tourism, but... ...

All I'm saying is that anyone gets abducted on one these vacations, their home government really needs to let them stay hostages. If someone really wants to climb a mountain on their vacation, there are a whole bunch of mountain ranges that are NOT IN A WAR ZONE!

Rescuing mis-guided citizens from their own actions...

THIS is whyipaytaxes.

Trading down

I was afraid of this. I've been complaining of the dolts who accidentally hiked into iran a few months ago. The fact that our State Department has to spend the time, money and political capital to get these assholes back blows my mind. There's a reason I've never accidentally hiked into Iran: Because I know better than to put myself in a position where that might happen.

Now, in addition to being a strain on State, there is a very likely chance that there will be a prisoner swap to get these people back. Iran'll get important comrades-in-arms, we'll get three douchebags who will end up writing books about the ordeal, having launched themselves into the spotlight.

THIS is whyipaytaxes.

North Korean Tourism

Why is it American citizens insist on illegally entering countries who would sooner arrest and torture us while using us as both propaganda and bargaining chips?

An even better question: Why is it our government takes the time and makes the effort to 'rescue' these morons?

Take the guy who crossed a frozen river from China into North Korea on Christmas day to 'protest against repression.' What did he think was going to happen? A personal visit from Kim Jong Il who will listen to what this guy has to say and do a complete about-face on his and his fathers life's work? Didn't he realize that a one person protest isn't so much a protest as much as a loudmouthed moron aching to disappear?

Not only is our State Department forced to deal with him, but another guy got busted yesterday. This is on top of the pair of journalists we sent Bill Clinton to get. And the 3 morons who hiked into Iran.

Saving people going to places they should be going to...

THIS is whyipaytaxes.

Department of Photoshop

Guess who this is.

Go ahead, guess...

Did anyone guess a figment of the US State Departments imagination? If so, you're absolutely right! * SEE COMMENTS FOR AN UPDATE*

Yes... State was feeling lonely and hadn't received any pictures or videos from their pen pal Bin Laden in quite some time so they decided to imagine what he might look like today.

Hey... Its easier than actually looking for the guy.

THIS is whyipaytaxes.

And just how lost is our government in the *ahem* 'hunt' for Bin Laden if they resort to this as a way to flush him out? Apparently, by the image, they wonder if he's been hiding in plain site, far away from the caves of Afghanistan.