Korean Job Discussion Forums

[n3ptne]

[koldijk]

americans often think that they can go it alone... but they're learning that it ain't so easy....

i've had americans say "thank you" when i tell them that back in the day the netherlands, and friesians not only colonised large parts of america but were the first to recognise them as a nation, diplomatically and provide them with a lot of financial help...

230 years later, the dutch air force flew planes over new york and the dutch army was digging them out of new orleans...

over 230 years of friendship and support and the gratitude from americans is ... underwhelming...

"americans hate europe, because they are european"

p.j. o'rourke

[pastis]

[pastis]

[Yaya]

[On the Brink]

[SPINOZA]

Pastis,

any particular reason why you use Brit-isms (like 'daft' and - in the past - 'minger') if you're American?

As much as I enjoy many of your posts, I suggest you're a British troll pretending to be a Yank.

[Yaya]

Okay, let's get back to the topic: how does it feel to be American?

Well, the secretary of state is an African-American woman, the predecessor of Transportation Secretary Mary Peters was a Japanese American, the labor secretary is a Chinese-American woman and so on. Granted, I no longer believe that you can be anyone you want in the United States, especially if you're a minority, but the United States comes closest in my opinion. Despite a lot of anti-Americanism around the world, why do so many people want to come to America and pursue that American Dream?

[Yaya]

[Ya-ta Boy]

[pastis]

[pastis]

Ya-ta Boy, assuming you're not as bleeding insane as the other guy on here (and I gather you're not), by all means feel free to your opinion. I was mainly contradicting him to prove his stupidity.

I will maintain though, that it's rather fruitless to compare our situation in Iraq with the Romans etc. or even the British. They didn't have to deal with modern nationalist states overrun with fundamentalist guerillas armed with bombs. This is far different from Caesar conquering a bunch of nomadic tribes or whatever IMO.

To suggest we could "win" the war by upping the brutality and perhaps indiscriminitely killing more people, I can't agree with even on a logical level. The fact is the insurgency kills and kidnaps normal Iraqis too. The main population in any country (our own included) are mostly just sheep who will respond to fear etc. but the radical elements have grown so strong there, there seems to be no way to counter them effectively. We spend countless billions and get nowhere. And anyway, I think we really are doing all we can, and don't beleive those in charge are "holding back" at all. I don't think nukes are even an option, because the political fallout (no pun) would be too dire to fathom. At least I hope Bush et al. know this... And the more of them we kill conventionally, the more of them are just gonna start strapping bombs to their chests and blowing our sh*t up even more. Plus we'd bankrupt ourselves (which we're pretty much doing...) before we even came close. I think we're on our way out, but I guess we'll have to see...

[Ya-ta Boy]

Mr. pastis,

I would hope I'm not a blithering idiot like the other guy, but that is not 100% certain.

My point is that he was right in that the US could do much more IF the public would let it. Fortunately, we regular people won't permit it. And Bush knew that going in. In fact, I don't think he would do it even if he thought he could get away with destroying 25% or so of the population. I think he's a fool, but not evil--although this recent stuff with legitimizing torture is making me question that belief.

I agree with you that modern nationalism makes things harder for a would-be conqueror, but I see nationalism as very much synonymous with Jewish religious feeling ca. 70AD. It just requires more ruthless measures to defeat. The Romans killed or exiled pretty much the entire population.

I don't mean this to be as flippant as it sounds, but in a few centuries or so, people will forget.

[Summer Wine]

Its amazing how many troll this forum without really adding facts.

[n3ptne]

Iraq is a non issue militarily. It never was and never could be a threat to US national security. Our current problems stem not from a lack of ability but from a lack of conviction. We are trying to "maintain peace", as opposed to ultimately subjugating a group of people.

The same tactic was employed in Vietnam, and failed The height of the war saw 500,000 servicemen stationed in country and never once was a plan of invasion realized. A classic comparison can be made to the Civil War, where an inferior force instigated a war and ended up winning because of the unwillingness of its opponent to invade.

If the American population were behind the war. If we presented a unified front, sent women to work in factories to make armaments while drafting every able and willing man, the war would be over in the blink of an eye.

I'm not trying to brag about what America can and can't do, but it strikes me as appalling that the average international citizen doesn't realize the true nature of the beast they are dealing with. They don't seem to grasp that the UN means nothing. That the US will do whatever it pleases, whenever it pleases, and use economic and military force to cojole others into supporting it's broad aims.

Mod Edit: Removed flame.