Christine,
A lot of 'the rest of the world' do not appreciate what Bush has done. It is not that they don't like the US. No one likes to be out of the loop. Its Iraq today, it could be France tomorrow. The only thing is that they have nukes as does North Korea! ;) And North Korea is most irresponsible! Being Asiatic they would rather nuke than cow down and instead fire them and take a few along! There is difference in the cultural mosaic. That is what is happening in Iraq. They are not sad that Saddam is gone. They are concerned if the price to pay is US vassalage! Honour and saving face is a big deal East of Suez.
The Americans can't understand the difference between 'liking for the US' and 'actions by the US Administration'. If any action of the US is not supported without reservations, it is taken as being 'anti US'. This is very untrue. The dilemma of Christine's friend that if one doesn't support the US action, that person is not a patriotic American. That's nonsense. It is as if those in the US are in USSR. Support the govt or you are a traitor. No individual thoughts at all! Same is what is being applied to us.
Saddam is a scoundrel and of that there is no doubt. However, what was and is the BIGGEST threat? Islamic fundamentalism. It was and is personified by Osama. None complained when Clinton cruise missiled the chap or when US unilaterally took off for Afghanistan and started clearing it from the scum Taliban that tortured in the name of 'born again Islamists'. Everyone (including Islamic states) agreed a vermin was being cleared and while all (most) would have liked to clear that vermin, they did not have the wherewithal to do so. If the US did it for them, good enough. We ALL said 'God really Bless America' - beyond the rhetorical ritual! Weak that we are, at least there is a Protector against a scurge that had the genetic makeup of multipying like galloping cancer cells and hold the world at ransom.
But before that scoundrel could be eliminated, the US went for Iraq. That made no sense. Oh yes, he was a person who had seen his parents wedding i.e. born out of wedlock. Yet, he was the most secular of the Islamic countries. That confused most non Americans. He at least ensured a country with no internal strife. You can now notice the ugly head that is rising in Iraq which neither the US nor the interim govt can handle and what is more dangerous is that Iran is now more bold and cocking the snoot!
What was more confusing was how come Saudi Arabia, the foundation of the blasted wahabis encouraged by the Royals were 'good guys'? The root of the evil that the US embarked on with Crusadic zeal was being spared and deliberately being ignored!
Threfore, the question taht perplexed rational minds was - where is the US headed? Against Islamic fundamentalists or meandering rudderless pursuing person agendas? That is a question that is most perplexing.
(Who is taking the brunt? The US soldiers. The remainder are gleefully shouting 'go man go', including the rest of the world. This is most painful at least for a retired soldier like me. As a soldier I can say for the political agendas of our leaders, we die and the worse thing is that we don't know whats up. Soldiers die because we have our duty).
If is very nice of you to feel that while you ride an SUV, a large majority of the world is deprived. We don't grudge you that. You have earned it. We also desire it, but we must earn it. We also want to own SUVs, but we know, we have to work hard if we really want that. And much that one may feel we are 'bums', we have our dreams, aspirations and we will work towards achieving it. Maybe one day we will succeed.
Now, regarding who is a better candidate. It make no difference what we (non US) think. Yet, at least we know Bush. We don't know Kerry. Both are honourable men. We like to see international leaders who 'mean business'. Kerry somehow is turning out to be a damp squib. Barrack Obama was more appealing. Not because of his colour but because of his rhetoric. Very appealing. -'There is no white US, or black US, there is only the United States of America!' Very forceful and very true.
Oh yes, he is black. It will be a long time for them to even think of being the US President! it makes no difference how larger than like the US channels make him out to be. He has to resurrect from his grave if he wants that post.
Yet, thank you Christine. Though we are not material to the US election, we thank you for indicating that US is also 'caring' about others.
It is a different matter that Bush will win.
Remember Bush has an agenda (right or wrong). We are yet to know what Kerry is desiring. Personally I prefer a decisive person than one who speaks mere English!
Sorry if some are offended by my post. You win some and you lose some. ;)
A lot of 'the rest of the world' do not appreciate what Bush has done. It is not that they don't like the US. No one likes to be out of the loop. Its Iraq today, it could be France tomorrow. The only thing is that they have nukes as does North Korea! ;) And North Korea is most irresponsible! Being Asiatic they would rather nuke than cow down and instead fire them and take a few along! There is difference in the cultural mosaic. That is what is happening in Iraq. They are not sad that Saddam is gone. They are concerned if the price to pay is US vassalage! Honour and saving face is a big deal East of Suez.
The Americans can't understand the difference between 'liking for the US' and 'actions by the US Administration'. If any action of the US is not supported without reservations, it is taken as being 'anti US'. This is very untrue. The dilemma of Christine's friend that if one doesn't support the US action, that person is not a patriotic American. That's nonsense. It is as if those in the US are in USSR. Support the govt or you are a traitor. No individual thoughts at all! Same is what is being applied to us.
Saddam is a scoundrel and of that there is no doubt. However, what was and is the BIGGEST threat? Islamic fundamentalism. It was and is personified by Osama. None complained when Clinton cruise missiled the chap or when US unilaterally took off for Afghanistan and started clearing it from the scum Taliban that tortured in the name of 'born again Islamists'. Everyone (including Islamic states) agreed a vermin was being cleared and while all (most) would have liked to clear that vermin, they did not have the wherewithal to do so. If the US did it for them, good enough. We ALL said 'God really Bless America' - beyond the rhetorical ritual! Weak that we are, at least there is a Protector against a scurge that had the genetic makeup of multipying like galloping cancer cells and hold the world at ransom.
But before that scoundrel could be eliminated, the US went for Iraq. That made no sense. Oh yes, he was a person who had seen his parents wedding i.e. born out of wedlock. Yet, he was the most secular of the Islamic countries. That confused most non Americans. He at least ensured a country with no internal strife. You can now notice the ugly head that is rising in Iraq which neither the US nor the interim govt can handle and what is more dangerous is that Iran is now more bold and cocking the snoot!
What was more confusing was how come Saudi Arabia, the foundation of the blasted wahabis encouraged by the Royals were 'good guys'? The root of the evil that the US embarked on with Crusadic zeal was being spared and deliberately being ignored!
Threfore, the question taht perplexed rational minds was - where is the US headed? Against Islamic fundamentalists or meandering rudderless pursuing person agendas? That is a question that is most perplexing.
(Who is taking the brunt? The US soldiers. The remainder are gleefully shouting 'go man go', including the rest of the world. This is most painful at least for a retired soldier like me. As a soldier I can say for the political agendas of our leaders, we die and the worse thing is that we don't know whats up. Soldiers die because we have our duty).
If is very nice of you to feel that while you ride an SUV, a large majority of the world is deprived. We don't grudge you that. You have earned it. We also desire it, but we must earn it. We also want to own SUVs, but we know, we have to work hard if we really want that. And much that one may feel we are 'bums', we have our dreams, aspirations and we will work towards achieving it. Maybe one day we will succeed.
Now, regarding who is a better candidate. It make no difference what we (non US) think. Yet, at least we know Bush. We don't know Kerry. Both are honourable men. We like to see international leaders who 'mean business'. Kerry somehow is turning out to be a damp squib. Barrack Obama was more appealing. Not because of his colour but because of his rhetoric. Very appealing. -'There is no white US, or black US, there is only the United States of America!' Very forceful and very true.
Oh yes, he is black. It will be a long time for them to even think of being the US President! it makes no difference how larger than like the US channels make him out to be. He has to resurrect from his grave if he wants that post.
Yet, thank you Christine. Though we are not material to the US election, we thank you for indicating that US is also 'caring' about others.
It is a different matter that Bush will win.
Remember Bush has an agenda (right or wrong). We are yet to know what Kerry is desiring. Personally I prefer a decisive person than one who speaks mere English!
Sorry if some are offended by my post. You win some and you lose some. ;)
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