E.Macy and Corio, Thanks fo the support, I appreciate it. E.Macy, I agree that the US media perpetuates this ignorance but do you not think that on some level Americans understand the reality of their relationship with, for example, Saudi Arabia?
Jepel, Yes you're right, exactly the same could be said of France and Britain. Brad/Frogboy, "You simply stating the US doesn't prefer democracies doesn't make it true simply because you can provide examples of where the US hasn't supported democracies." What a strange, irrational argument: "What you say isn't true even when you provide evidence." I didn't "simply state" this, I wrote a whole blog on it.<B
OK we're on to the Second World War YET again. Fine. Neither Soviet Russia or Nazi Germany were democracies. One was a horrible regime which murdered millions. And Hitler was even worse. America did the right thing in that war, nowhere in my blog do I argue otherwise. The US does not "prefer" democracies. Which Chile did the US "prefer"? The democratic Chile of Allende or the autocratic Chile of Pinochet?
That's one strange looking octopus you've concocted in your mind (or what passes for your mind). It's ironic that you have this great hostility for the Bin Ladens of this world. Given your rampant homophobia, at least you and he have one hatred in common.
What does the US stand for? Ask your average American and I’m sure the answer would include the word “democracy”. From its foundation the USA has practiced some form of government by the people, though of course in the past the term “people” was interpreted more narrowly. Nevertheless, the notion that government legitimacy flows from the ballot box is as American as apple pie. For thi
Or maybe our entire existence is some Matrix-like illusion :) I read a few of his blogs, nothing amiss. Sir Peter, whoever you are, USE PARAGRAPHS!
No, of course he's not real, I'm saying the blogger is British. "I don't think a true Brit would slander and make such a mockery of his heritage as SPM does." British people, especially the young, are very open to mocking the aristocracy, royal family, imperialist past. Anyway, I'm going to read a few of his blogs again to see if anything doesn't ring true.
Having read most of Sir Peter's "work", I think it's clear that the writer is British. The spelling, the vocab, the cultural references, all point to a Brit.
"The new pope will then use what Europe has in common to bond the different nationalities of Europe together. And that common bond is Catholicism" Which Europe are you talking about? It's not the one I live in. The one I live in has millions of Protestants, Orthodox, Muslims, Jews, atheists etc.
"If Al-Qaida is in no way affiliated with Iraq, why do they care that Spain has troops in Iraq?" Al-Qaida was in no way affiliated with Saddam's regime. One group is Islamist, the other secular. Even Bush has admitted as much. However after the war, al-Qaida has used Iraq as a fresh grievance with the West. There's a lot of anger out there about the US invading Iraq and al-Qaida is tapping into it. It's a good recruiting card. As I made clear
Sometimes I want to kick the TV. Last night was one of those times. On a British politics programme last night the great and the good were discussing Sunday’s surprise election of the Socialist Party’s Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero as Spain’s new Prime Minister. The reaction of panellists to this turn of events was largely negative. The historian Timothy Garton-Ash lamented the fact that the Spanish electorate were marching to al-Qaida’s tune. Former Co
Let’s all be humble about this and admit that, at this stage, we don’t know for sure why Madrid was attacked last Thursday. Al-Qaida are yet to enlighten us as to their reasoning. Until they do, we can only speculate. Nevertheless it is possible to draw conclusions about al-Qaida's rationale in general. Al-Qaida has launched attacks against many countries, some Muslim, some Christian, some with pro-war governments, some with anti-war administ
Anthony, "Keep in mind that the action that toppled the Popular party was an Al Qaida attack" No, the action that "toppled" the Spanish government was the fact that a majority of Spanish voters didn't vote for them on Sunday. That's called democracy btw. "anyone who is pleased about Spain’s change of government is pleased for Al Qaida" This is a contemptible argument. So the 43% of Spanish people who voted for the
BulbousHead, couldn't agree more. Great news today that the first domino has fallen. The first member of the "coalition" to go before his people at the polls is out on his ear. Blaming ETA was clearly one lie too many for enough Spanish voters. Blair, Howard, Berlusconi et al - you're next.
"Imagine these same terrorists with nuclear weapons? Weapons supplied by say someone like Saddam Hussein either today or in the future when sanctions get lifted?" Sorry to disappoint you but the bombings in Madrid aren't, in my opinion, going to shift anyone into the pro-Iraqi war camp. Most Europeans are and were against the war. Most Europeans believe, as I believe, as Bush himself believes, that Saddam and al-Qaida had no connection. <
Yeah you're right, people get a bit competitive around here. Take me for instance, I'm hovering around the 50 mark at the minute so the points I get for posting this will help out :)
When I heard of the bomb attacks in Madrid yesterday morning, there were 30 confirmed deaths. On hearing this news, my immediate reaction was: “ETA”. Thirty killed in one day would be a huge number by the standards of the Basque separatists, a “successful operation” in their own sick minds. When I learned more details of the attacks I realised my immediate assumption may have been mistaken. Thirty, I soon discovered, was not the final death t
BakerStreet, you're wrong, terrorism exists for political reasons not financial. "How long do you think it would take the people in Gaza to starve if it wasn't supported by terrorist organizations?" Let's get this clear, the current intifada has had a terrible effect on the Palestinian economy. Hamas has stepped into this breach to provide some relief. If the violence stopped, the economic situation of the Palestinians would improve
BakerStreet, "Terrorism is a business" Huh? What do you mean? Terrorism exists for political reasons, not financial. Certainly some people have got rich off terrorism but you cant use these untypical examples to make such a sweeping claim. The average working-class Belfast man joining a paramilitary group effectively condemned himself to the prison yard or the graveyard. Either way, he was pretty much guaranteed to spend his life in p
John Kerry recently took time out from his busy schedule of Botox injections to clarify his position on Yasser Arafat’s credentials as peacemaker. Obviously hoping to pre-empt Republican allegations that he’s soft on terrorism, the senator from Massachusetts has let us all know that, to his mind, the Palestinian leader is no longer the statesman he once was. No, apparently Yasser “blew it” in 2000 and is now an “outlaw to the peace process”. Kerry is n
Interesting piece shadesofgrey, especially given the day that's in it. Some thoughts on the IRA. Firstly, never, ever make the mistake of thinking that the IRA are the nationalist people of the North, they aren't. While their campaign was at full tilt their political party, Sinn Fein was outpolled 2 to 1 at elections by the non-violent SDLP. Sinn Fein have only now overtaken the SDLP in the polls, ten years after the first IRA ceasefire. The
As one teacher to another, I have to say good for you Angloesque. Dont give it a second's thought. Apart from anything else, if you didn't fail this cheater you would've been cheating all the other students who did their own work. As for the whole expulsion issue, if this student realised that expulsion was the price of plagarism and still plagarised then I say fair enough. I hope it seves as a warning to others. God, I sound really right-win
Lunaticus, I don't hate the US at all, as I made clear in my post. If you'd bothered to quote the next two sentences: "I don't hate America but I do hate what your govt is doing. Others dont make that distinction." that woul've made it abundantly clear. Some people in Europe hate America, not just your govt. This is dehumanising and stupid because it ascribes one set of characteristics (basically arrogant belligerence) to 2
Brad, "And that was also not the reason the US went to war. It was one of the many reasons why the US went to war." It was presented as the casus belli to the international community, as the reason for going to war. This is undeniable, it is a matter of fact. I agree, WMD was not the reason the US went to war. The US went to war in order to dominate the Middle East militarily, to gain access to Iraqi oil, to re-orient the r
Dynosaur, "Mark my words ( as you hedged yours) WMD will be found" Well fair play to you, if nothing else I've got to admire your boldness. Everyone else has thrown in the towel but you still keep the faith. BakerStreet, "Did they claim it was going to be a 'cakewalk'?" Yes they did, if by they you mean the Pentagon (the State Dept. was much more pessimistic). Chalabi and his supporters in the Pentagon pain
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