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Reply With QuoteFunny thing is, that's the way I see them... now.Originally Posted by scotsboyuk
But why trust them after that?
-dale
Funny thing is, that's the way I see them... now.
No man is free until all men are free - John Hossack
I agree completely with this Administration’s goal of a regime change in Iraq-John Kerry
even if that enforcement is mostly at the hands of the United States, a right we retain even if the Security Council fails to act-John Kerry
He may even miscalculate and slide these weapons off to terrorist groups to invite them to be a surrogate to use them against the United States. It’s the miscalculation that poses the greatest threat-John Kerry
If you're a scum bag, I'm likely going to point out why. It was wrong, and it certainly put people in bags that wouldn't have been there before.
No man is free until all men are free - John Hossack
I agree completely with this Administration’s goal of a regime change in Iraq-John Kerry
even if that enforcement is mostly at the hands of the United States, a right we retain even if the Security Council fails to act-John Kerry
He may even miscalculate and slide these weapons off to terrorist groups to invite them to be a surrogate to use them against the United States. It’s the miscalculation that poses the greatest threat-John Kerry
Yes Sir, something on the order of 1.95-2.10 depending on where you purchase it.
This is merely for my little corner of Florida. Some cities around the country are probably in the 2.50+ range.
It certainly appears that you are suggesting that I am using the term 'barbarians'. A far better term would be 'savage', the term 'barbarian' is more properly used to describe those who 'are not of us'.But you're right in that the barbarians have the advantage over us in that they are barbarians.
The tactics employed by terrorist organisations are really nothing new, what is new is the media coverage we have that allows ordinary people to see such things. The main reasons terrorists employ such awful tactics is because they have very little else in their arsenal to strike at their enemies with and because they know that the Western audiences who see that sort of thing as they sit in front of the telly at tea time will be horrified. In many respects it is similar to the threat of bombing before WWII, Westerners are afraid that suicide bombers may strike in Western countries just as they were afraid of fleets of enemy bombers pounding their cities. Perhaps the lesson for the terrorists is that the waves of bombers did little more than make public resolve all the stronger to defeat the enemy.
Incidentally, the 'body count' would not be anywhere near comparable. Most colonial engagements were not epic battles, and the limited weaponry of the period meant that most of those who died on such campaigns were usually the victims of disease. There were actually relatively few major battles in the colonial era, most of the time it was Pax Brittanica.
"I may be drunk my dear woman, but in the morning I will be sober, and you will still be ugly." WSC
True enough. Great Britain got a tiny taste of what 20th Century warfare would be like during the Boer War but did not get the full meal until WW I
Because the more people who stand against terrorism the better. If one starts to cause insult to anyone that does something you do not agree with or dislike then rather soon you are left with a lot of people who do not want to help you anymore. Of course the U.S. doesn't actually need European help to fight terrorism, but it would certainly help to save the U.S. not only money, but far more importantly, lives.
"I may be drunk my dear woman, but in the morning I will be sober, and you will still be ugly." WSC
Agreed. Far better to hang together, even if we won't exactly hang seperately
The Boer caused quite a bit of alarm because many Britons were found to be unfit for military service due to such diseases as rickets, polio, etc. This prompted the introduction of free milk for children and greater governmental control over health standards. Most of the actual policing of the Empire was conducted by natives.
Last edited by scotsboyuk; 20 Feb 05, at 04:38.
"I may be drunk my dear woman, but in the morning I will be sober, and you will still be ugly." WSC
Yes, I recall a lot of what you said from Volume One of The Last Lion.
(I love to read Manchester's biographies for the history as much as the subject)
Well if my usage is incorrect I apologize. I am not suggesting that you think that or that you typed it. I am the one that introduced that term into the discussion. Maybe I'll start calling them "savage barbarians".
The tactics aren't new, no. Neither would rule by Divine Right, or confining menstruating females to a taboo hut be new. "Not new" </> "not bad".The tactics employed by terrorist organisations are really nothing new, what is new is the media coverage we have that allows ordinary people to see such things. The main reasons terrorists employ such awful tactics is because they have very little else in their arsenal to strike at their enemies with and because they know that the Western audiences who see that sort of thing as they sit in front of the telly at tea time will be horrified. In many respects it is similar to the threat of bombing before WWII, Westerners are afraid that suicide bombers may strike in Western countries just as they were afraid of fleets of enemy bombers pounding their cities. Perhaps the lesson for the terrorists is that the waves of bombers did little more than make public resolve all the stronger to defeat the enemy.
Granted, I should have used the term "casualty ratio".Incidentally, the 'body count' would not be anywhere near comparable. Most colonial engagements were not epic battles, and the limited weaponry of the period meant that most of those who died on such campaigns were usually the victims of disease. There were actually relatively few major battles in the colonial era, most of the time it was Pax Brittanica.
-dale
But it was the Spanish that reneged on their agreement. That is my only point. Not that we don't need them, or that we should refuse their help. But the facts are the facts, and they are the ones who are responsible for that act.
-dale
What is done is done, there is no point in moaning about it. Best bet is to keep a stiff upper lip and try to get on with the task at hand. The Spanish people did not want their troops in Iraq and their new government enacted the will of the people as any good democratic government should do, for that I applaud the Spanish.
It is the same principle as when President Bush decided not to sign up to various treaties that Clinton had given his support to. Bush thought the treaties weren't in America's best interests, fair enough; the new Spanish government didn't think Spansih troops in Iraq was in Spain's best interests. When a new government comes into power it may have different policies, so it may very well break with the policies of the old government. This is what democracy gives us, the potential for change.
Not that I think our troops should be pulled out of Iraq just yet, but the British public overwhelming support our troops being brought home too. The problem with Blair is that he acts far too much like a President for our liking, he doesn't seem to realise that it just doesn't do for him to commit troops all over the place, the army are certainly against it as they are overstretched as it is and the public are certainly against it.
Last edited by scotsboyuk; 20 Feb 05, at 06:21.
"I may be drunk my dear woman, but in the morning I will be sober, and you will still be ugly." WSC
Hey, I was just responding to someone's point about why some of us comment disparagingly about that particular move by the Spanish. We feel we have a reason, I explained the reason. I don;t spend a lot of time each day thinking about the Spanish. Except for their women, that is.
-dale
I was just responding to that response.
I prefer to think about Italian or Scandinavian women.
"I may be drunk my dear woman, but in the morning I will be sober, and you will still be ugly." WSC
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