A clear picture of American International Policy Errors

Éomer of Rohan

These "independent" voices are keeping Hong Kong from going completely communist.

Completely totalitarian.

Geromino

Originally posted by Blue Candrel
Epitah Of The World (Excluding America)

“Death to them all”, says the little plump figure standing at his podium. Surrounded by his subjects he makes bloodthirsty pleas to millions who watch. “Death to them all”, says the little plump figure standing at his podium. Surrounded by his subjects he tries to convince the millions to end the foreign threat to the great capital of our world America. “Death to them all”, says the great leader of our times. Surrounded by his subjects he tries to conjure hate against all brown, black and yellow skinned persons that do not live within America’s great shores. The little Texan has his say, retreats from the podium and leaves re-runs of CNN reports of 9-11 fill the screens. “Death to them all”, is the message which vibrates the speakers across countless countries – (How I’d like to stand at the sidelines but ‘No man is an island’.)

And you think Saddem was a great guy, huh. There is a time to fight and there is a time to pray. Knowing which one of these to do at which time is called wisdom. Apperantly you have none.

Éomer of Rohan

And you think Saddem was a great guy, huh. There is a time to fight and there is a time to pray. Knowing which one of these to do at which time is called wisdom. Apperantly you have none.

I find it fascinating how people can equate criticism of the warmongering of the Bush regime with being a Saddam Hussein supporter. This is ignorance of the fact that there are more ways than the troglodytic 'bash it over the head' solution.

Geromino

Originally posted by swiss
American foreign policy has always been a giant contradiction in terms. It's stance on Iraq has shifted from the removal of the WMD threat to "regime change", depending on which becomes the more plausible and acceptable excuse to start a war. On both counts, there are both other countries that either pose a greater threat to US security (namely N. Korea) and those that are guilty of human rights abuses (China, Zimbabwe etc). The US does not pursue war with these countries because it is not convenient to do so.

However, it is most especially the selective manner in which the US cooperates with the UN that makes me especially distrustful of their foreign policy. When Israel contravenes several UN resolutions, it should be treated in the same manner as Iraq, if the excuse of being in contravention of UN resolutions is what arguably precipitated the war in the first place. When the opposite is in fact the case, it is little wonder that the arab world in particular should look to this disparity and realise the hypocrisy of the United States administration. This is but one example of the litany of intervention and pseudo-imperialism of which the US is guilty.

And when you have Cuba as head of the UN Human Rights council, what are you supposed to expect?

UN resolution 242 is the typical political blunder by the UN. Besides, that was at a time when you had the Cold War. You either aligned yourself with one or the other. Now that the cold war is over, there are several camps including the US, the EU, Russia, China, or independent.

Contrary to what you may think or believe, there are no innocents in the world. They left when Adam and Eve left 'the garden."

tribble

Completely totalitarian.

Hong Kong is weird.

It's ultra cosmopolitan - totally multi ethnic (indian, chinese, english, korean etc). You can jump on the smooth MTR railway and be anywhere on the two main islands in minutes.
If you want you can go from the pinnicle of capitalism in Nathan Road or Wan Chai and be bush whacking through jungle on Victoria Peak within 15 minutes - not seeing a soul for hours on end.

This slickness is achieved by a very liberal regieme - Indeed mainland China can be regarded as quite liberal insofar as it has not implemented technologies such as CCTV, RFID, or biometric ID systems so common in the west.
Sure there are police on EVERY street (well, nearly) but the vast population makes inforcing a totalitarian system nigh on impossible.
Also you should not confuse the Chinese peoples complacancy (spelling?) with state oppression. For hundreds of years China has fought off aggresors by remaining united under one leader.
They think differently to westerners, less individual because there is not the room for 1.5+ billion individuals.

Don't get me wrong the Chinese government are not to be messed with but equally don't view the Chinese people as oppressed.

tribble

/slightly off topic i know...

Geromino

Originally posted by Éomer of Rohan
I find it fascinating how people can equate criticism of the warmongering of the Bush regime with being a Saddam Hussein supporter. This is ignorance of the fact that there are more ways than the troglodytic 'bash it over the head' solution.

There are more solutions, but those solutions have failed with reguard to Saddem. To not acknowledge this shows complete ignorance of the situation.

bonkey

Originally posted by Geromino
To not acknowledge this shows complete ignorance of the situation.

And to post content like that - and the following - shows complete ignorance of the rules here.

nowing which one of these to do at which time is called wisdom. Apperantly you have none.

Now either educate yourself in them, or be educated.
Stop attacking other posters, or I will stop you.

jc

The Corinthian

Originally posted by Geromino
Up until 1997, Hong Kong was. Now, it is a cross between a democracy and communism. The Chinese phrase is "one China, two systems." This has more relevance in the economic spectrum, but it also has influence in the political spectrum. The mayor of Hong Kong tried to push a refrendum through the governing body in Hong Kong. It was soundly defeated by the protests of various sub-groups that used to be recognized political parties. These "independent" voices are keeping Hong Kong from going completely communist.

Up until 1997, Hong Kong was a British colony. A number of limited (due to Chinese pressure) democratic reforms were introduced by her last governor, Chris Patten, but to say that she was a democracy would be a little fanciful.

UN resolution 242 is the typical political blunder by the UN. Besides, that was at a time when you had the Cold War. You either aligned yourself with one or the other. Now that the cold war is over, there are several camps including the US, the EU, Russia, China, or independent.

I would have thought that an international system of arbitration would be even more appropriate given the increased level of balkanisation in the World. Otherwise you are returning to the politics of the nineteenth century, marked by acts of imperialistic naked aggression and might is right, that ultimately ended with First World War.

There are more solutions, but those solutions have failed with reguard to Saddem. To not acknowledge this shows complete ignorance of the situation.

Still, to equate criticism of a nations foreign policy with support for its enemy, as you seem to have done, is a dangerously jingoistic position to take.

Vader

I find it fascinating how people can equate criticism of the warmongering of the Bush regime with being a Saddam Hussein supporter

did you see the dunphy show last night. there was this guy who interveiwed both Bin Laden and Bush. He said that they both had a one track mind: your either with us or against us , and that both were deeply religious. Bush's actions dont remind me too much of a humble savior who could have freed a nation but choose not to because the bloodshed and instability wasnt worth it. Freeing Iraq might have been the right thing to do but it wasnt christian or even done humanitarianly.

bloggs

Originally posted by Geromino
And you think Saddem was a great guy, huh. There is a time to fight and there is a time to pray. Knowing which one of these to do at which time is called wisdom. Apperantly you have none.

Was watching Fox News (the voice of reason ) and they kept going on about all the UN resolution he broke, the attacks he carried out on his own people and general how much he was a bad guy. I only picked up the last bit so I was surprised, as I thought they were talking about Sharon and Israel :rolleyes:

Does anyone find it strange that Israelis have keep going on about how much their people have been oppressed over the last 5,000 years, but now when they are in charge they are turning the Palestinian refugee camps in to the Warsaw Ghetto?

The Corinthian

Originally posted by bloggs
Does anyone find it strange that Israelis have keep going on about how much their people have been oppressed over the last 5,000 years, but now when they are in charge they are turning the Palestinian refugee camps in to the Warsaw Ghetto?

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,47806,00.html

You gotta laugh...

Éomer of Rohan

I just read that and it re-inforces what I have said all allong about the Israeli treatment of Palestinians; they do unto others as was done unto them.

Vader

"Officers in the field often scribble on their own arms...........it was meant as a deterant" oh god fox is great. Their explanations for things which to the common fool look like racism or war crimes(talking about more than just this one) are always good for a laugh