JCT

Sir,
I wish that was allowed and that everybody had the maturity to do so without abusing the privilege. Unfortunately alcohol is one of the leading causes of disciplinary problems, making the best Marines raving idiots.

Djibouti is a majority muslim nation, but a significant portion of the population is not and therefore alcohol is available in the country. Camp Lemonier's cantina thus allowed three beers per day per person. Unfortunately this was not enough for everyone and people either found a way around the limit or smuggle their own alcohol aboard base. At least once a week there was an alcohol related incident. Thankfully, they usually did not involve the locals but sometimes they became involved.

Zeng

OOE Sir,

I agree with your historic context and have deep sympathy to those Chinese railway workers.

__________________
I am here for exchanging opinions.

Zeng

Ray Sir,

Thanks for your understanding.

Officer of Engineers

Zeng,

My apologies. The Chinese in Canada and the US have worked hard to overcome our stereotypes and I find it hard to accept that the new Chinese (ie, from the 80s onward) to our countries who do not realize the sacrifices made.

Hell, how many new Chinese even know the story of Bruce Lee?

__________________
Chimo

Ray

Chinese may not know, but I know of Bruce Lee?

Trying copying his style and you will have aches and pains all over your body as also a sore throat with all that yelling!

You won't be Chinese when you finish. You will be an INDIA rubber man and have to untie yourself from your legs and arms having gone over your neck!

__________________


"Some have learnt many Tricks of sly Evasion, Instead of Truth they use Equivocation, And eke it out with mental Reservation, Which is to good Men an Abomination."

I don't have to attend every argument I'm invited to.

HAKUNA MATATA

Officer of Engineers

Sir,

I think you should take up gun-fu, beretta-do, or Sig-jistsu and learn the ways of the 9mm PB round. It's a lot easier on your bones.

Ray

Albany Rifles

My recommendation is 2x4-te

__________________
“When the gods wish to punish us, they answer our prayers.” — Oscar Wilde

Ray

JAD,

I have just received a copy of the Ugly American from my brother.

I am reading it and I find it pertinent even today!

JAD_333

In what ways?

__________________
To be Truly ignorant, Man requires an Education. (Plato)

Shek

__________________
"So little pains do the vulgar take in the investigation of truth, accepting readily the first story that comes to hand." Thucydides 1.20.3

Ray

JAD,

You must read this book.

Used copies of the book sold by Amazon, I believe is $ 1 or some such real low price.

One of the issues is that instead of big projects that has long gestation period and which cannot be felt by the common man, projects like sewage, electricity, farming improvements etc should be done first so that it shows result for the common man and hence he realises that the Americans are hands on people, who mean the best for their country.

Just see Iraq.

Bremer, possibly with good intentions to get rid of Baathist loyalists, dismantled the total governance and security infrastructure. It possibly is one of the major causes that led to terrorism in Iraq. Obviously, deprived for income, these people and their families were deprived of their living necessities and comfort. It led to anger and Islam being a very arousing religion for the adherents, possibly used this misery to brainwash the deprived that it was a Christian and a western plot against Islam. In return, they must have given food and shelter to the families and the deprived adherents of Islam, was fired with a fire in their belly to take on the infidel. Of course this is speculative, but then the upsurge of terrorism that happened immediately after Bremer's action points to this fact. It reached its zenith almost immediately.

Then instead of bringing the country's social services back to at least Saddam's time, it was allowed to slide and instead big projects that could not be "seen" were tomtomed! If one does not have food to eat, live in unhygienic conditions and that too in darkness, then one is not concerned for Paradise that will come after 12 years or so and even that Paradise would be such a Paradise as it would not benefit the common man directly. Something like direct tax which hurts while indirect tax doesn't.

And things like that.

This book shows the bumbling of people and the excellent work by some of the other Americans that did good for the people and which were appreciated. A very balanced book and for non Americans, it is so realistic and has understood as to how other countries view issues.

Same thing is happening in Africa.

If you remember, there was a Chinese poster on this forum who worked in Africa. He said that he had been instructed to work shoulder to shoulder with the Africans and eat their food and have same living conditions.

Now compare the US personnel who come on Aid Projects and the Chinese in Africa and elsewhere.

The Ugly American bring out these types of issues.

JAD_333

I'd better read the book. I object to the title. It has engendered a tendency in many people to comment upon hearing of some boorish behavior by an American abroad...",ah, the ugly American!"

I missed that post. Thanks for linking it back into the present.

All those examples indicate troublesome problems, but can they be called ugly.

Ray

It does not stop at the Ugly American, it talks of the Ugly Sarkhanese (imaginary country).

I sure hope the Americans don't lose out to the Chinese!

But that hope remains a hope. Sadly.

You object to the title?

I never thought Americans could be so sensitive.

They can laugh at themselves is what I know!

A great quality, if you ask me.

S-2

Brigadier,

My experience suggests that each nation on earth is "ugly". While Americans have plenty to improve upon, until I see, sense, experience the same critical self-examination of others about themselves WE ALL have much to improve upon.

Your China-America comparison is very inaccurate, IMHO. My next door neighbor in Wisconsin who now heads GE-France lived in a Nigerian village for two years with his wife as a young college grad working for the Peace Corps. I've a very good friend working and living along the HCM trail in Laos today. American examples contrasting the "Ugly American" abound for those not prepared to accept smug and self-satisfying generalizations.

I won't worry about it unduly as it doesn't affect my nation one bit. All Americans can do is focus upon self-improvement. I think we do-in spades. Further, unlike others, we openly display our dirty laundry unlike any other nation on earth. Finally, I challenge you with this assumption of mine.

No single nation maintains a perspective as outward looking and global as the United States.

We'll continue to do our best. I wish others would also do so. The world would be a better place.

__________________
"This aggression will not stand, man!" Jeff Lebowski