Thread: Iraq, the French and the Germans and the Russians too

Roy,
Here is a simple one that showed it's face in Feb of 2003. I think you can agree that you must have been blinded by some bad liquor or someone had hit you on the head earlier in the day....
"God bless the French…something I would never had thought of saying as little as six months ago. BUT…God bless the French!…and the Germans and the Russians too! "

Yes, I have left out the context of this statement but even WITH context that statement is crazy....This is like the old picture of wearing a leisure suit where you just have to say "what was I thinking?"....:-)

Now we are getting somewhere. London got the point first, and so did DCC.

Jamie, it’s not making the money that is the factor in determining greed, rather it is what one does with it that counts. DCC knows I was “busting his chops” but seriously there are a number of very well off expats (me not being one of them) who do very well with their businesses here, and yet do nothing to improve Bali. I have been “preaching” (sorry about that) “giving back” to Bali since day one on this forum.

Just so you know Jamie, we don’t own much of what we sell on eBay, but rather we are brought things by folks who know of our good track record there and are looking to sell for one good reason or another. With those items, we make little, if any profit, yet we provide a good selling venue to these Balinese who have little other opportunity to sell, especially in the current economic climate.

Jim...round trip tickets too? Sorry about that, but I’m afraid not. But, this caught my eye...that quote of mine from Feb 2003, viz

"God bless the French…something I would never had thought of saying as little as six months ago. BUT…God bless the French!…and the Germans and the Russians too! "

If anything, that statement was prophetic, as the context was in relation to Bush Jr’s war in Iraq, and the courage of those particular world leaders to not be hog tied by this mad Texan. I also recall making statements back then along the lines of, “here we go, another Vietnam.” Funny how Senator John Kerry was recently lambasted for telling the truth about who it is that is most likely to end up there fighting this war. The same was true during the Vietnam era. Care to speculate on how many sons and daughters of members of Congress that have fought in Iraq, or are there now?

Since WWII, it’s America’s most unfortunate that fights her wars. Kerry’s comment may have been “politically incorrect” but at least he had the gonads to speak the truth.

Since you got me started on this, care to comment on the “hero of Iowa” Rush Limbaugh's recent comments relating to Michael J. Fox and his battle with Parkinson’s disease and fight for stem cell research?

While I sure have made my share of nutty comments on this forum, that my friend, is not one of them.

Anyway, keep it up. I’ll be seeing “Matts” tomorrow she can add her input as to further “ground rules” then. Have fun...as I’m following the quote DCC raised...”what, me worry.”

Daniel, we are posting at about the same time, so I'll read your post now.

Daniel, I “hear you” but I wouldn’t go so far as to claim any US “imperialist” views, or desire for world domination (aside from economic domination), as I really believe the vast number of Americans have a good sense of fair play, despite their often displayed ignorance of other cultures.

The idea, however, that all the world should be under some form of western style democracy is ludicrous, and the war in Iraq is making that very evident. The really sad part of that lesson is that Vietnam should have taught Americans that lesson over twenty five years ago.

Anyway, I can attest that Jim is a really great guy. He may be somewhat brain washed, but he thinks the same of me, which is why we get along so well! :P

In a few days we'll see exactly what many Americans think as we vote during mid term elections. This election is just as important for the world (including little Bali) as for the American people. Let's hope wisdom and common sense prevails!

My friends! Relax! This was not to start an Iraq war argument! It was to start a FRENCH bashing argument!

Tintin, I will invoke the 24 hour rule before I respond to your imperialism/Hitler claims and how I must be proud of them....Other than to say that once you compare anyone to Hitler you have lost any argument.

Roy, I think you are stuck in the past. The current military is all volunteer and the best educated it has ever been. I have a couple of well educated employees that are or have been in Iraq. I think this just shows the elitism of John Kerry to suggest that the american armed forces are all uneducated lazy people.
With regards to M. Fox. I guess you didn't get the entire content of what was happening. I am not surprised since CNN didn't tell it over here. Michael Fox, in his autobiography, said that he didn't take his medicine prior to his congressional appearance suggesting that his twitches would be more pronounced by doing so.... Rush, whom I don't support or like, said that Fox was either acting or not taking his meds which he had already admitted doing in the past. I don't think it was an appropriate thing to say but if you think Kerry was right to say what he did then I think Rush was right to call Fox out on this. If Fox wants to jump into the political pit, then he knows there are vipers in it....

Lastly, I apologize if you think my post was about your opinion of the war. My posting should have been clearer. It was jokingly referring to anyone saying thank God for the French.

Actually Daniel, we totally agree. I was just trying to tone down the rhetoric a little bit. You might enjoy reading this letter I wrote that was published back in 2002 in the Jakarta Post.

This letter was originally published in the Jakarta Post, September 17, 2002 issue. It was pertinent at the time I originally wrote it, and it is perhaps even more pertinent now.

America’s New Colonialism

For the first time in history, be it unrecorded, ancient or modern, the world as a whole has no balance of power. Since the fall of the Soviet Union, there is only one “super power” left, and it is the United States of America. This should be an opportunity for the United States to embrace the world community in an unprecedented fashion, considering that the major threat to world peace, the cold war, has ended. But this has not happened. Rather, the US has shunned virtually every world community effort to limit pollution, eliminate poverty, and embrace a world judicial body. At the very point in time that America could truly shine as a beacon of freedom, espouse democratic governance, and be a truly God blessed land, it has failed most miserably. This is the ultimate tragedy of 911. The terrorists have won, as America has changed.

I imagine that my colonial ancestors, who fought so hard, and sacrificed all to achieve independence during the American Revolutionary War, are rolling in their graves, desperate to return to life and shed once again their light and vision of democracy and good governance, which now is so clearly obscured by greed, so often and revoltingly called, “American interests.” But even this is now overshadowed by what is clearly seen by the world at large as American revenge.

I am even more convinced that these venerable men of ages past would literally shudder with the realization that the United States has undertaken a resolute foreign policy of what I term, the new colonialism. After all, the right of self governance was at the core, the heart, and soul of American ideology at its inception. So, why is it then that American foreign policy seems so much to demand “being like Americans” then what it should be, which is “being freely yourselves?” Does it strike Americans so odd that we may like to buy your Mac Donalds hamburgers, but not your political ideology? Have American interests within the world transcended the economic and militarily strategic to become ideological, cultural and political? It seems so to me, an American, so you can surely bet it seems so to large numbers of the ASEAN population.

This “new” colonialism is not defined by literal occupation, but is just as real as the colonial days long past, as it requires agreement, capitulation, and subjection. The new colonial empire does not launch hundreds of ships loaded with armed men to conquer and subject. Rather, the new empire launches threats of trade embargoes, pressure on allies to join in the “fight” and engages in covert operations designed to undermine what I would call, the right to self governance. In other words, what right does the US have to prevent any country in this world from earning its own independence by struggle, or fighting its own civil war? How can the US deny anyone the right to walk the same path towards freedom that it walked itself?

President Bush’s recent speech to the UN was a most embarrassing and a painfully obvious example of a Super Power run amuk. Frankly, I was surprised he didn’t bang his shoe on the podium to emphasize his points! If you have the historical perspective I allude to, you might enjoy the irony that only history provides! But, what audacity is this? In essence, President Bush delivered an ultimatum to the United Nations! In reality what he said was “do something I like and agree with, or I’ll do it myself.” Can you imagine such a statement delivered to the world community by what is supposed to be the leader of human rights, freedom and governance “by the people, and for the people?” I can’t, and I am certain my ancestors could not either.

Thanks Roy for sharing your letter published in the Jakarta Post. I share each and every statement you made. Yes, let's hope that "common sense" will prevail this upcoming election.

The French at least are not resposible for the death of 200,000 Iraqis over the last 3 and a half years.

For Bush, the hatred he has been spreading across the world is coming home with the elections. Guess who's gonna get his ass kicked.

France's politicians and businessmen were so in bed with Saddam that had the country undertaken any military action, it would logically have been against the U.S. They chose the easy - rather than the ethical way out.

At present, they've got their hands full trying to figure out what to do with their own home-grown jihad.... :!: