quote:

Originally posted by NeoPhono And where, praytell did we not support our allies? Bosnia...no, the first Gulf War...no, Somalia...no, WWII...no. So where was it that we didn't "support" our allies?

I was referring to the latest Iraq invasion and occupation.

quote:

Originally posted by NeoPhono Now you've made my day. What exactly does "worked" mean to you? Iraq obeying UN resolutions against it...that didn't happen. Iraq allowing unfettered access to weapons inspectors...that didn't happen. Iraq handing over *truthful* documentation of its weapons and weapons programs...that didn't happen. Iraq using the UN oil for food program for the good of its people instead of its leaders...that didn't happen either. I'm dying to hear where the "diplomatic success" took place in the decade after the first Gulf War, I'm really not finding any.

We havnt found the 200+ tons of mustard gas or any other WMDs, the reason we went in the first place.

Granted 'French War Heroes' is the thinnest book in the Library, but I do believe we should fully embrace their liberal views of the world with an appropriate and significant gesture of moving the UN Headquarters from New York to Paris, France!!! The UN would have a more appropriate atmosphere in the heart of their liberal indecisive society and America wouldn't have to foot the bill for their existence.


[[[smoke]]]

quote:

Originally posted by NeoPhono I cannot think of another place that enjoys what Americans do.

And what is it that you enjoy. Your education system? Your health care system? Your civil liberties?

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quote:

Originally posted by NeoPhono As fucked up as America is, I cannot think of another place that enjoys what Americans do.

Really?

Name one thing that Americans enjoy that I (as an Australian) do not. We have a democratic government, less influence of religion on government than in the US, a strong economy, a tolerant & peaceful society, need I go on? In fact, I would actually prefer to live here than in the US. If I was to be given the opportunity of being reborn in a country of my choice, I would probably choose here or New Zealand, followed by Canada or France. I'm not trying to nitpick here, but statements such as the one you made above really irritate me. Believe it or not, there are other western nations that enjoy the same freedoms and liberties that you do.

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quote:

Originally posted by Shakka First of all, Vietnam taught us something about France that was already extremely well known: The French DO NOT know how to fight! They couldn't punch their way out of a paper bag! (ah yes, a lovely stereotype that'll surely get Jean Claude Van Damme unleashed on my punk-ass).

Van Damme is Belgian, not French. So you are ok on that.

On the topic. I don't mind europeans in general. While I have never been to Europe I would like to go and see things (and be served a beer by a busty bavarian serving girl ).

I tend to see the American/European comparisons as diffficult and tend to find them unproductve.

A lot of people do not care for the French because they are protrayed in the media as being cultural elitists who look down their noses at any art/food/creative thing that is not French in origin (and many of the French people you meet will back up the idea).

I will say these things about Europe:

I prefer Scandanavian furniture design over other types for my home.

I think the lack of puritanical sexual repression in Europe is a good thing. (Seeing a boob on TV should not be considered an affront to society )

I prefer German beer.

That is my take on Europeans. I need more first hand evidence to really have a more informed view.

And Heinz.....you are in Florida. Do not make generalizations of all of the US by one state, especially one that is that screwy. I think both my list of places that "don't count" and occrider's probably include Florida. I cannot think of a single remotely sane person I have ever met who came from Florida. (A generalization of my own but it is backed up by experience). One thing you can be correct about is the deterioration of the American school system. But that is for another discussion.

MrS

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quote:

Originally posted by rizen ROFL , thanks you've made my day.

i don't get whats so funny.
I would think anyone who appreciates their homeland would give it all up to know it would secure a better future. this goes for the population of any country.

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quote:

Originally posted by Shakka First of all, Vietnam taught us something about France that was already extremely well known: The French DO NOT know how to fight! They couldn't punch their way out of a paper bag!

Unlike the mighty american forces who utterly defeated the Vietcong army, right?

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quote:

Originally posted by djSlain i don't get whats so funny. I would think anyone who appreciates their homeland would give it all up to know it would secure a better future. this goes for the population of any country.

Iraq or Vietnam were never a threat.

quote:

Originally posted by DrUg_Tit0 Unlike the mighty american forces who utterly defeated the Vietcong army, right?

We took out Saddam's super chemical equipped army

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Originally posted by dj adagnitio And what is it that you enjoy. Your education system? Your health care system? Your civil liberties?

Out post seconday education system is second to none. We have students from all over the world come to our colleges. Our health care system is the same. I work at a cancer hospital where our clientele is international. I have had patients from Saudi Arabia, England, South America and Asia that all say the same thing, the quality of health care in the USA is not found anywhere else. We may not have socialized medicine, but that does not mean anything as far as quality is concerned.

quote:

Originally posted by arctic Name one thing that Americans enjoy that I (as an Australian) do not. We have a democratic government, less influence of religion on government than in the US, a strong economy, a tolerant & peaceful society, need I go on? In fact, I would actually prefer to live here than in the US. If I was to be given the opportunity of being reborn in a country of my choice, I would probably choose here or New Zealand, followed by Canada or France. I'm not trying to nitpick here, but statements such as the one you made above really irritate me. Believe it or not, there are other western nations that enjoy the same freedoms and liberties that you do.

Your country may enjoy the same freedoms as America, I agree. However when it comes to world influence in culture, politics and economics, I am sorry but America is second to none. I would also agrue that the potential to achieve success in America is also higher. As I just said, we have the best colleges in the world, followed by more Fortune 500 companies, and more millionaires/billionaires then any other country in the world. You can argue the evils of our non-socialized system, but I can argue the benefits.

The US has always had about the same amount of religious influence on its government as it does today, and like it or not, America is the only superpower. If you're equating strength of economy to quality of life, its hard for me to believe that you could ignore the strength of the US economy. The US economy dictates the world economy, I cannot think of another economy with such weight. Sure, we may have our recessions, but our recissions are world recessions.



Other countries may share similar freedoms as America does, I will not deny that. What they do lack is the cultural, political and economic influence that the only remaining superpower has. Like it or not, there is a reason Americans are so ethnocentric, for most the rest of the world does not have much bearing on their daily lives. A new president in Canada or Australia will probably not have a noticable effect on the average American. However due to the influence of America, the election of a new American president I would argue has a much greater effect on other countries of the world. This is what other countries do not share, America's influence.

I think this is probably one reason we had so much international uprising during the second Gulf War. America has been in a position of solitary world dominance for two decades since the end of the cold war, but that was really the first time where America decided to act unilaterally on a large scale. I can see where for past world powers, with history rich in the kind of dominance that America now enjoys, this would be threatening and perhaps even humiliating. So when France and Germany decided to not support America, I can kind of empathize. They saw the world superpower, once content to act internationally, take it upon itself to act unilaterally when those lines of international communication failed. This again showing my difference between the two continents; Americans are not afraid to act, alone when needed.

35 million people living below the poverty level can't go wrong, america truly is the land of opportunity

quote:

Originally posted by tathi 35 million people living below the poverty level can't go wrong, america truly is the land of opportunity

35 Million people with cell phones living below the poverty line.

Where exactly did you get that statistic?