cardinalblue Posted September 22, 2006 Report Share Posted September 22, 2006 Cent, I agree with most of your post except on maybe two points... Being american and now living out of the country the last 7 years, I tend to believe american policy and americans in general are much more arrogant than ignorant. I think american policy makers do have a pretty good understanding of what is happening in other places (because they study and analyze it to death) yet always reach the conclusion we know the best route/choice. Point one: I would change it from "many" to "few" americans. The vast majority of the american public just goes along with wash D.C. policy makers or worse yet just don't care/aren't interested. The average american knows so little about world affairs/other cultures' traditions and current affairs, other countries' history etc., because we are so wrappped up in our own society (extremely ethnocentric) and already know "right" way of doing things.. The second point: Now you made me forget it... CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuck6660 Posted September 22, 2006 Report Share Posted September 22, 2006 Cent, I agree with most of your post except on maybe two points... Being american and now living out of the country the last 7 years, I tend to believe american policy and americans in general are much more arrogant than ignorant. I think american policy makers do have a pretty good understanding of what is happening in other places (because they study and analyze it to death) yet always reach the conclusion we know the best route/choice. Point one: I would change it from "many" to "few" americans. The vast majority of the american public just goes along with wash D.C. policy makers or worse yet just don't care/aren't interested. The average american knows so little about world affairs/other cultures' traditions and current affairs, other countries' history etc., because we are so wrappped up in our own society (extremely ethnocentric) and already know "right" way of doing things.. The second point: Now you made me forget it... CB You are right on one point! The US does know the "right way" to do things "It's my way or the Highway" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elef Posted September 22, 2006 Report Share Posted September 22, 2006 Can some of you americans contact state department and remind them about Allende and Chile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BadaBing Posted September 22, 2006 Report Share Posted September 22, 2006 Can some of you americans contact state department and remind them about Allende and Chile. No disrespect Elef...... but " most " of us have lives here , jobs , investments for retirement , we go from GOP to GOP , they do their world thing , and we do our's. I can pretty much control where my life and money is going , I cant say that about " my " government. I only speak for myself here , as for the other's , .......... Bada Bing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elef Posted September 22, 2006 Report Share Posted September 22, 2006 Just surprised by the surprising support of Thaksin by the US. The old american doctrine was (at least in Latin America) better to have a military junta than a democratic elected president who certainly will be socialist and anti-american. In the name of war against terrorism the US decided to support all states that support USA dictatorships like Saudi Arabia and quasi-democratic countries like Pakistan. OK, maybe we can place Thailand in that category but actually the democracy in LOS is IMO at a higher level. I start to get tired of that old bin Ladin family agent in USA, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BadaBing Posted September 22, 2006 Report Share Posted September 22, 2006 Don't be surprised by any statement from the US Guv'mnt , Let's say tomorrow there were coup's in Cuba , Iran , Venesueala (sp?) No. Korea , would you expect " outrage " from the US... Don't listen to us , we have too much money , which equals " clout " we are just pissers , sad to say i'm one of them... Bada Bing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khun Hunter Posted September 24, 2006 Report Share Posted September 24, 2006 The American government does not insist that every body have an identical government as we do. However, they and we are dedicated to the belief that democratically elected governments are more responsive to the citizens of their country, that written constitutions provide more protections against tyranny, and that the ability to remove rulers who are no longer adhering to the people's will is essential to providing peoples of a nation with the necessary freedoms to enjoy life, prosper and maintain stability. That being said, there are always continguences that a pragmatic person must confront; such as although I do not agree with Saudi government, I must continue to business with them in order to provide the essential goods that are needed for my country. However, that does not mean that we would agree or condone the actions of a tyrant but we may for a time endure it. For many decades the US and indeed the West in general has been critized for not taking a more definitive hand in bringing democracy to the middle east. The best and perphaps only way to proceed towards the US goal of a more free and democratized middle east is to encourage and assist in the development of democratized governments in the region, to surround the theocracies and facist states with free ones, expose the indigenous populus to the benefits of democracies, as well as its pitfalls. This process takes a long time, particuarly among cultures where democracy has never existed. The US has of course always received the lions share of such criticism, first for not acting secondly for acting. This subject really deserves a far more indepth discussion but this forum is hardly the place for it. However, in closing, while the USA has appeared to behave in an eratic fashion at times, ie condemning one nation while ignoring the actions of another, attacking one while giving quiet license to another there is a very descernable object an direction that the US is traveling on, and that is that all nations should be governed by the will of all of the citizens of that nation (Woodrow Wilson illucidated this much better than I can and I invite those of you so interested to review his treatise on plebisite)and that nations should to the best of their ability live in peace with their neighbors, that peoples regardless of their natural origins, can and should be able to live, work and share many of the same goals in live and share the rewards of their labors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khun Hunter Posted September 24, 2006 Report Share Posted September 24, 2006 If you will please recall, Mr. Paine while a brilliant pampleteer, and propagandist for the American Revolution; he was indeed a dismal failure at everything else that he did. Mr. Paine, for example failed to comprehend the American Articles of Confederation were inadequate to run a country and left the country to live in France, in protest. Mr. Paine failed in each and every business venture that he entered and slipped out owing his creditors much money with his businesses in bankruptcy. There is much more but a simple review of American history would be more instructive than my reviewing it for you. Cordially, Khun Hunter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khun Hunter Posted September 24, 2006 Report Share Posted September 24, 2006 Americans are neither more arrogant or ignorant than those citizens of other countries in fact the exact opposite is true. Americans have always and continue to come to the aid of countries in trouble or who have suffered calamadies, a simple review of charitable contributions, NGO organizations, US government aid given, etc etc will elighten you in this regard. As to just going along with government, yes we do at times aquiese to government actions, even those that we do not completely agree with or completely understand. However, this does not mean that we give our government carte blanc to do whatever it pleases. Election trends are prime examples of what happens to US officials who stray too far from our intrensic goals and or beliefs. We do have our lives to live, mortgages to pay,bills, education, retirement to provide for etc. and we can not devote 24/7 attention to all actions of our government. It has been my observation from traveling the globe over many years that Americans were NOT the people's that I most often observed engaging in untoward behavior, or showing disrespect to others. In fact if anything Americans are too damn enamored with politically correct behaviour to speak up and defend themselves. I have frequently observed citizens of nations other than my own, they shall remain nameless but you all know who you are, acting like complete asses, with or with out the benefit of drink. In closing, you are living abroad and given your present belief in your native country may I please encourage you to either come home and pay more attention to your fellow citizens or by all means renounce your citizenship and join them. Cordially, Khun Hunter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickfarang Posted September 24, 2006 Report Share Posted September 24, 2006 "There's no justification for a military coup in Thailand or in any place else," said State Department deputy spokesman Tom Casey." I apologize for using such an old cleché. The pot calling the kettle black. Of course a military coup to bring democracy is analgous to military invasion from the outside to bring democracy. Do these guys even listen to themselves talk? :rotfl: :rotfl: Man, am I looking forward to 2008, and hopefully the beginning of stabalization or oil prices and strengthening of world economies. At least there won't be that smell of sulphur around the whitehouse anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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