More "great" news....

R

Roy

Active Member
:(

This from CNN....

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The U.S. State Department sent a cable Friday telling embassies to alert U.S. citizens living overseas to be prepared for possible evacuation, the department said.

A senior State Department official said the alerts will be sent to remind people to take routine precautions in the event of "all possible and various unforeseen" circumstances. He did not deny that a possible war with Iraq is behind the timing of the advisory.

"I didn't say it was totally routine," the official said. "I said we are doing this and have done it before. It's just that we thought it was appropriate to remind people to take precautions."

About 4 million U.S. citizens live overseas, and thousands more are traveling outside the country any given day, the State Department said.

The alerts will take the form of "warden's messages," sent out by embassies and consulates to Americans traveling or living abroad, with advice on "preparedness for emergency," said Susan Pittman, a department spokeswoman.

Pittman said the advisory summarizes steps Americans abroad should take "to ensure they are prepared for an emergency, whether it is a personal emergency or is the result of political or economic unrest, natural disaster or terrorist attack."

The advice to Americans will include keeping prescription medicines available, keeping passports and other travel and personal documents valid, and maintaining adequate food supplies.

"Americans citizens should always be prepared to depart a country quickly if necessary," Pittman said.

She said the advisory notes that in the past year the State Department helped evacuate American citizens for various reasons in many countries, including Cote d'Ivoire, Central African Republic, Israel, Indonesia and Venezuela.

The suggestions on being prepared in case of emergency, such as an evacuation, are the same advice given to State Department employees around the world, Pittman said.
 
prepair to leave ?

What do you make of this one, Roy ?
Up until yesterday, I had been feeling as if the USA was not going to go into Iraq. That it has been "leverage" and all smoke and mirrors. I read international news reports a few time a day, trying to gain perspective.
Sometime yesterday or the night before, my perceptions changed, and since that time I've been extremely ill at ease in this regard.
Innocent lives lost again ???? More hatred and hostiliy ???? Is this what we have to face, to an even greater extreme??? I can only begin to imagine the depths of horro this nightmare scenario can produce....
 
What do I make of all this?

I think it's pretty clear, despite White House denial, that the decision for war has already been made, and the only question now is when does it start?

There are a number of historical analogies to support this conclusion.

1) Never before in history has America deployed such a huge military force without it being eventually engaged in hostile action. One half of all active US Naval battle groups are either already in the Gulf, or are on their way there. Just to put this into perspective, had the Soviet Union ever attacked NATO forces in Europe, that is exactly what the deployment would have been...four carrier battle groups. The other four battle groups would be in the Pacific for defense of the US coast, or possible attack on the opposite SU front.

2) Never before has the State Department issued a warning to virtually ALL Americans living abroad to be prepared for possible evacuation. We're talking about several million Americans here! This is unprecedented!

3) Never before has the FBI or other US security agencies been called on to interview ALL the citizens of the potential enemy country living within its borders prior to the outbreak of hostilities. The FBI is right now conducting interviews with all 50,000 Iraqi citizens living in the US.

No one doubts or questions the evil inherent in this one man called Saddam. And no one has issues or problems with the people of Iraq. Why then, is it so necessary to engage in a war with the people of Iraq just to eliminate one man? Is American technology, which can read the numbers on a license plate from spy satellites, not capable of pinpointing this single man for elimination without thousands and thousands of lives sacrificed? I cannot believe that if the primary objective was only the elimination of this one man, with all the incredible resources available to the United States, that he would not already be dead if THAT was the ultimate objective.

Here we go again with ulterior motives and hidden agendas. Here we go again with American lives sacrificed for some unknown reason, unknown that is, to the American public. It amazes me that this crap, happening so soon on the heels of Vietnam is not producing millions of anti-war activists in Washington. What are YOU planning Mr. Bush as a suitable memorial for THOSE names? Another wall?

Short of a merciful heart attack suffered by Saddam, or a last ditch coup by those generals who realize just how expendable they are, I personally do not doubt one second that the US will launch a massive and incredibly brutal assault against Iraq. Moreover, US pressure to its allies will be so intense, that this assault will be under a reasonable coalition. It's no surprise to me that Australia is deploying some 1,500 troops to the Gulf. I'll bet more Australian deployments will be forthcoming.

It might even be more interesting to speculate the outcome and "fallout" of this second Gulf War with Iraq.

1) Long standing allied countries with the US will have strong resentment and anger for the arm-twisting methods used by the US to gain their support. Money (trade and aid) is of course at the heart of this capitulation that will literally force this "agreement" by some allies.

2) Our alienation among the Muslim world will be at an all time high, not seen since the days of the Crusades...and well before America was even a dream.

3) Years of hard diplomatic work, especially under the Nixon and Carter administrations will be flushed down the toilet as trust in America is all but eliminated in most all quarters of the world.

4) North Korea will burrow as never before. Who will be unable to understand their fear and distrust of American intentions? It is highly feasible that North Korea could become a truly "loose cannon." South Korea will be more vulnerable than at any time since the end of the Korean War. Reunification with the North will become increasingly attractive, if not inevitable.

5) China, (PRC), will have an unprecedented opportunity to replace the US as the predominant trading and security partner throughout all of Asia and SE Asia. Obviously, the PRC will seize this opportunity.

6) Taiwan, (ROC), will be likely have no other choice than to become a second Hong Kong as PRC power in this region radically increases.

7) The world as we know it today, will change forever. America will have abdicated its role as a leader in the world. It will take decades of work by Americans yet to come to power and influence to repair the damage done by one President. The timing of all of this could not be worse.

Obviously, this is all speculation. The most important issue to decide is if this one man, Saddam, poses such a threat to world security and peace that potentially changing the course of world history is warranted. I think not...and growing numbers of other free thinkers are coming to this conclusion as well.

"Prepare to leave?" Sounds like acknowledgement from the State Department that such military action against Iraq will really "piss off" a whole lot of folks that just hours ago, were smiling at me. The really scary thing is that I can understand that. But...I'm not leaving my home. I could take my boys, but unless I could take my Balinese wife...no way. If push comes to shove, hell I've done it before.

Anyway, that's my take on current events, delivered to you from the peaceful, simple village of Bunutan, Bali.
 
If

anything goes wrong, you & family are always welcome here in Malaysia, and I'll care for you Roy.

Besides of that, you've made excellent speculations, which are true - therefore not speculations, but true likely predictions.
 
Terima kasih banyak!

What can say, except thank you! As you, and your family pray, we do the same...that none of this will become reality. Many thanks for your kind offer. I'm sorry, but I'm not able to write much more. Melam my friend, and terima kasih banyak!
 
Repercussions in Bali

Roy,

In the twenty years (now more than half my life) I've been out of the U.S., I must admit I've lost my sense of nationality. My girlfriend complains because I speak Japanese in my sleep, and my native accent has become so corrupted the English ask me if I'm Irish. But I must say this is the first time I'm really ashamed of my roots. It certainly makes me think that Vietnam was a much more just cause, if there is such a thing. Anyway, what do you think the repercussions in Bali will be? I know that Malaysia is warning that it could cause trouble for "us" there. The Krabi area is 40 or so percent Muslim, but I can't believe my friendly neighbors would burn us alive in this house (of course, one of them owns this house).

Wishing it were a bad dream,

Richard
 
Richard

I think there's no reason at all to be ashamed of your roots. Americans are great people, and they live(d) in a great country. You've got a strange administration right now over there, but that will change as well, in due time.

I think Bali will most suffer from even less tourists than there already are, as people of the world will be more and more afraid to travel. I don't think that being in Bali is of any risk. Also being in a Muslim area (like I am) is of no particular risk. I'd say that 95% or more of all Muslims in this world are just nice people, people like you and me, who want to live in peace and harmony.

And we have a duty, as Westerners, to live among them and show them that we are just nice people too.

In addition: It seems that peace has a new chance as well:

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld ... Dheadlines
 
Doctor Lothar and Richard,

<<And we have a duty, as Westerners, to live among them and show them that we are just nice people too.>>

Lothar, those are probably the most insightful, if not "to the core" words I have read in almost three years. Those words go directly to the question, "who are the REAL diplomats" here? Who can possibly make a difference? If only our voices were heard by our governments?

Richard, you certainly know this too. But I agree with Lothar, neither of us should be ashamed of our roots, even though I am also ashamed. However, the real fact is, we have been Asianized. None of us will ever become Asian, and none of us can ever go back. Let's face facts. Lothar will never be Malaysian, I'll never be Balinese, and you Richard, will never be Japanese. Yet each of us have made commitments, unique to our own lives, to find Asia our home. There are thousands of us, just like us. Each of us makes our own little mark on the people we encounter within the land we call home. THAT is the essence of being an expatriate.

What should we do in the weeks and months ahead if war again comes to Iraq? Does our years of living here have any meaning if we flee to our home countries? Or, does our resolve to stay in our chosen homes, unwilling to flee, speak louder than words? Again I ask, who are the real diplomats? Of course it's a rhetorical question. We all know the answer. Richard murmurs Japanese in his sleep, Lothar converted to Islam to marry his wife, and I converted to Bali/Hindu to marry my wife. We all made these deeply personal choices for our own individual reasons. I highly doubt any of us regret it...and I highly doubt any of us are leaving any day soon.

The optimum segment of the word expatriate, is patriot. It may serve us all well to remember that in the weeks and months ahead that will confront us.
 
And, here it is...

The official US State Department release disseminated through its Embassies and Consulate offices. This received by e-mail from the US Consulate office in Denpasar, via Dr. Andrew Toth:

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman

Public Announcement

January 24, 2003

General Advice for Americans Resident Overseas


Among the highest priorities of the Department of State and our missions
abroad is the safety and security of locally-resident Americans overseas.
In the past year, the Department has intervened to assist in the evacuation of Americans from half a dozen countries throughout the world as a result of serious political or economic unrest, natural disasters, and terrorist attacks. Hundreds of expatriate Americans each year are forced by personal emergencies (e.g. death or illness in the family) to return to the U.S. on short notice. Evacuations, especially under crisis conditions, are inevitably very disruptive and distressing for those involved.

The State Department routinely provides standard advice to its employees on prudent steps to take to ensure they would be prepared in the event of such an evacuation. This and other advice on crisis preparedness is available on the Department's Web site at http://travel.state.gov, and we are summarizing the principal points below. The Department commends these elementary steps to you for your careful consideration.

-- Assemble all vital documents such as passports, birth and marriage
records, vaccination, insurance and bank records in one readily accessible
location;

-- Check to be sure your passport and any necessary visas and exit/entry
permits are valid and that you are registered at the Embassy/Consulate with your current address and phone number. If you need to obtain a new passport or to update your registration, please do so at the Embassy as soon as possible (fill in the times and days). Visa processing can take several weeks. Immediate family members should keep their U.S. visas current and apply for visas with as much time in advance of planned travel as possible.

-- Make or update as necessary a complete inventory of your household
effects, in duplicate.

-- Maintain an adequate supply of food, water, and necessary medications in your home. Make sure your car is in good working order. Keep the gas tank full and check oil, coolant, tires, and battery.

We do not want American citizens to become unduly alarmed. These are
precautionary measures only. Given the potential for acts of violence,
terrorism, or anti-American demonstrations, we believe it is important for
all citizens to maintain readiness for all possibilities in case of an
emergency. We will promptly inform you of any significant developments and advise you accordingly.

The Department of State encourages all American citizens residing abroad to register their presence and obtain up-to-date information on security
conditions at the nearest American Embassy or Consulate.
 
yes Roy

you're sure right. We are patriots, the international type. Patriots of the World we are - as all people 'should' be. It needs lots of tolerance and willingness to learn, sometimes anew every day. But I always feel that I'm getting richer, in my heart and in myself.
Leaving? Never, and to where. I'll leave to heaven one day, if it exists, and if I'll ever return - if there is a return - it would be this world again :)
...no need of governments for that, hehe :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top