Iraqis leave Sweden (- Migration minister responded positively to the development)

www.thelocal.se ^ | 05/31/2008 | TT/The Local

[WesternCulture]

300 Iraqi citizens left Sweden in the first four months of 2008. This represents an increase on the 233 Iraqis who returned home in the corresponding period of 2007.

Migration minister Tobias Billström responded positively to the development.

"Experience has shown that otherwise their situation could have become very bad. The situation in Södertälje and my home town Malmö is such that people live on mattresses," Billström told the Swedish public radio news programme Ekot.

Billström interprets the trend as that people are starting to consider the security situation in Iraq to have improved, and that they have realised that decisions to reject their applications for asylum are final.

[WesternCulture]

Why doesn't rich Saudi Arabia welcome these refugees?

Why do Saudi Arabia and the US consider each other as close allies?

Does America support the idea of Eurabia? I think, at least, CERTAIN Americans do.

Greetings from Europe and please try and prove me wrong in these assumptions of mine!!

[max americana]

Leave SWEDEN??

I visited there 2 years ago on my Euro trip, and bar none...per square mile, the hottest babes I;ve seen since I went to Texas.

BUT if you;re not wanted there, go somewhere else or go home to help your homeland.

Move to Germany or Spain, you know “Old Europe” where they were snotty enough to show us Americans how “tolerant” they are. (sarcasm)

[WesternCulture]

Over here in Europe, the part of the US most commonly associated with hot babes is California. But perhaps this all boils down to outdated remnants from the Beach Boys propaganda era?

Best places for drooling over blond Viking bombshells:

Oslo, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Helsinki, Reykjavik (the capital cities of the Nordic countries) in general.

Furthermore; “Avenyn”/the Avenue in Gothenburg and Tylösand beach in Halmstad - Västkustens tjejer är det bästa som finns! (”West Coast girls are the best thing on Earth - not talking California here...)

Best of regards from Sweden to America!!!!

[Clemenza]

Over here in Europe, the part of the US most commonly associated with hot babes is California. But perhaps this all boils down to outdated remnants from the Beach Boys propaganda era

Cali is now filled with Hispanics, Asians, Middle Easterners, etc., so it is now a "rainbow coalition" on the beach. Personally, I haven't seen anything in Malibu (especially of the non-silicon variety), to say nothing of the more declasse Hermosa Beach, that I haven't seen on the beaches in New Jersey.

[WesternCulture]

Over here in Europe, the part of the US most commonly associated with hot babes is California. But perhaps this all boils down to outdated remnants from the Beach Boys propaganda era?

Best places for drooling over blond Viking bombshells:

Oslo, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Helsinki, Reykjavik (the capital cities of the Nordic countries) in general.

Furthermore; “Avenyn”/the Avenue in Gothenburg and Tylösand beach in Halmstad - Västkustens tjejer är det bästa som finns! (”West Coast girls are the best thing on Earth - not talking California here...)

Best of regards from Sweden to America!!!!

[Operation_Shock_N_Awe]

“... home town Malmö is such that people live on mattresses....”

SO?!?!?! If he ever went to Iraq, he’d know that many of them live on mattresses there too.

They (Iraqis) also sit/crouch on their ankles and don’t show the bottoms of their feet. We won’t mention what goats are for.

I thought sheeple in Europe were supposed to be culturally enlightened? /sarc

[tbw2]

Maybe the Iraqi men were tired of the view, and of having to beat their women into submission when the saw so many free flowing beauties outside.
/sarcasm

[WesternCulture]

“Cali is now filled with Hispanics, Asians, Middle Easterners, etc., so it is now a “rainbow coalition” on the beach. Personally, I haven’t seen anything in Malibu (especially of the non-silicon variety), to say nothing of the more declasse Hermosa Beach, that I haven’t seen on the beaches in New Jersey.”

- Hate to say so, but that sounds really depressing.

I’m definitely not a racist, but some beaches on earth ought to forever belong to these sacred, unearthly creatures we men often disrespect by calling them names like “bimbos” and similar stupid things.

Women like that are out of this grey, old world full of strife - and just like beer it’s evidence God loves us (like Franklin said, talking of beer).

As long as beautiful, blond women exist here on Earth, I’ll be living in paradise. Remember; you and I are plain men, still these earth bound angels pretty much like us - a true blessing IMO)

Sincere greetings fellow freeper!!

[max americana]

**Oslo, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Helsinki, Reykjavik (the capital cities of the Nordic countries) in general.

Furthermore; “Avenyn”/the Avenue in Gothenburg and Tylösand beach in Halmstad - Västkustens tjejer är det bästa som finns! (”West Coast girls are the best thing on Earth - not talking California here...)**

Ah yes, the “Avenyn” where my neck almost got injured from “head turning” and talking up these hot blondes. Oslo was great but helsinki, (drooool)

Er, I;m going off topic here....

twb2: you’re spot on.

[rlmorel]

Well, I am sure there are some who want bad things for Europe, just as there are those in Europe (but not all) who delight in our difficulties. The word is, I think...Schadenfreude. There will always be them in every country, just as there are gossips in every town or office. I will say that most of us here in the USA wish that you wouldn't let them step all over your governments. We are seeing that same problem here, it is mostly local, not on a government level (yet). In any case, we have our own issues with our own immigration and wouldn't wish it on anyone. It isn't good for the US if there are riots in the streets and governments are taken over by Sharia law (Not like it is going to happen, but you get the idea.) When things start getting unbalanced like that, the bad guys in the world start hunkering down and surveying the scenery. THAT is when the threat of war is greatest. Some dictator somewhere makes a miscalculation and grabs for some land. So, stable governments (rule of law) is what we all want to see.

There are some who want to see Europe crash and burn for their treatment of the USA since 9/11. I have made all the jokes about the French, laughed at most and felt some real anger at the lack of appreciation or even cooperation. But even though I may post pictures like this:

I do not wish for misfortune for France. Or Germany. Or Germany.

But, back to your first question: Why doesn't rich Saudi Arabia welcome these refugees? The dirty little secret in the Arab world is the countries over there all dislike Palestinians. In each of those countries over there, to a culture that does not place a premium on the manly appreciation of physical labor, the Palestinians are their servants. Both psychologically and literally. They all look down their noses at them. Saudis particularly. (If I am wrong on this, someone will correct me, but I think this is accurate.) I answered question 2 above. We consider the Saudis an ally because they control oil. Pretty simple. Otherwise, they might be as significant in our thoughts as Zambia. It is definitely an alliance of need. Is is good? No. Is it healthy? No. Will the relationship stay this way when the oil is gone (or the need for oil is gone)? No. But if being an ally has any positive connotation in trust, I don't buy it for a second. In a bad spot, I wouldn't turn my back on them. But there it is.

[rlmorel]

Ugh. Ugly. Sorry about that, forgot I embedded an image...here is my response in a better format.

Well, I am sure there are some who want bad things for Europe, just as there are those in Europe (but not all) who delight in our difficulties. The word is, I think...Schadenfreude. There will always be them in every country, just as there are gossips in every town or office.

I will say that most of us here in the USA wish that you wouldn't let them step all over your governments. We are seeing that same problem here, it is mostly local, not on a government level (yet). In any case, we have our own issues with our own immigration and wouldn't wish it on anyone.

It isn't good for the US if there are riots in the streets and governments are taken over by Sharia law (Not like it is going to happen, but you get the idea.) When things start getting unbalanced like that, the bad guys in the world start hunkering down and surveying the scenery. THAT is when the threat of war is greatest. Some dictator somewhere makes a miscalculation and grabs for some land. So, stable governments (rule of law) is what we all want to see.

There are some who want to see Europe crash and burn for their treatment of the USA since 9/11. I have made all the jokes about the French, laughed at most and felt some real anger at the lack of appreciation or even cooperation. But even though I may post pictures like this:

I do not wish for misfortune for France. Or Germany. Or Germany.

But, back to your first question: Why doesn't rich Saudi Arabia welcome these refugees?

The dirty little secret in the Arab world is the countries over there all dislike Palestinians. In each of those countries over there, to a culture that does not place a premium on the manly appreciation of physical labor, the Palestinians are their servants. Both psychologically and literally. They all look down their noses at them. Saudis particularly. (If I am wrong on this, someone will correct me, but I think this is accurate.)

I answered question 2 above.

We consider the Saudis an ally because they control oil. Pretty simple. Otherwise, they might be as significant in our thoughts as Zambia. It is definitely an alliance of need. Is is good? No. Is it healthy? No. Will the relationship stay this way when the oil is gone (or the need for oil is gone)? No. But if being an ally has any positive connotation in trust, I don't buy it for a second. In a bad spot, I wouldn't turn my back on them. But there it is.

[WesternCulture]

Glad you enjoyed “Avenyn”/”the Avenue”!:D

Welcome back!

Next time you come here, please allow me to take you on a deranged tour in my 200 hp Volvo V70:D

We Viking men are spoiled, but perhaps our women are too.

We work hard to keep them satisfied (on the other hand, conditions are more or less like this worldwide, except in Russia were men are allowed to be drunk on cheap vodka all day and disillusioned women try and find a man in Sweden through the Internet)

[WesternCulture]

Sincere thanks for your response.

You are a honorable American.

While I am open to well thought out criticism from my brothers and sisters across the Atlantic and expect a corresponding attitude on behalf of true American patriots regarding good natured European “advice”, I fail to see the point of what France - a country my nation once rescued from being encircled by Habsburg regimes - was up to before the Saddam was dismissed.

Likewise, the Saudis are not a true friend of Western Civilization. There is a reason why we Europeans shun them.

Greetings from Gothenburg, Sweden

[max americana]

“Next time you come here, please allow me to take you on a deranged tour in my 200 hp Volvo V70:D”

****

The Volvo X70 was my 3rd car in college after I totalled my Civic VX...right after my Chevy Silverado (which i also wrecked)

Did You say ‘deranged’? :)

[WesternCulture]

Correction:

“was up to before the Saddam was dismissed”

My brain tends to read the name of Saddam in a kind of backward fashion, therefore I thought I’d written:

“was up to before the maddaS/mad ass was dismissed”.

The road towards Iraqi freedom is a long one, but all of humanity ought to understand the need of continuing down the path.

Whoever was wrong or right, we all owe little boys and girls growing up in post-war Iraq something:

Growing up in post-war Iraq.

Remember; Spreading civilization never was an easy task.

[WesternCulture]

Perhaps I’d better hand you the keys to my car..

[max americana]

“Perhaps I’d better hand you the keys to my car..”

LOL! (I’ll take your keys if you have a hot blonde neighbor chick...)

Sorry for being off topic FReepers...:)

[rlmorel]

And likewise to you in return.

I was simply using France as an example, that’s all. It could have been a number of other countries.

[WesternCulture]

“Sorry for being off topic FReepers”

“off topic”?????

- Pardon me, isn’t this the one and ONLY topic Swedes and Americans are able of seriously discussing?”

“hot blonde neighbor chick”

She’s married and unfortunately her husband is a karate expert

[WesternCulture]

“I was simply using France as an example, that’s all. It could have been a number of other countries.”

- I’m convinced you mean no harm, but why take things to areas where angels dare not tread?

But OK. I’ll give you my opinion as a Viking used to hard work ever since my grandfather taught me Scandinavian standard of living comes with a price tag reading “Lutheran work ethics”.

Over here in Europe, no one dares to make fun of France.

France is the harsh, over-sensitive, crazy old bitch of Europe.

25% of the French are unemployed, 25% are retired, 25% study sociology, 25% are on strike. Vive la France!

You Americans laugh at it.

Over here in Europe, we have to cope with it.

[rlmorel]

"...Over here in Europe, we have to cope with it..."

Which is indicative of the reasons our forebears left Europe to come to the New World.

France is an example of what America is not (we all hope)

According to the UN statistics, American workers stay longer in the office, at the factory or on the farm than their counterparts in Europe and most other rich nations, and they produce more per person over the year.

This is what made America a place of riches where even the lowliest person in the lowliest station in life can aspire to be whatever they want to be. Makes no difference what country you came from, what color you are or what religion you observe.

If you want to get ahead in this country, all you have to do is be willing to work hard and want to do it badly enough. We ARE the most classless society.

There is a book by a fellow named Dinesh D'Souza titled "What's So Great About America?" I love this book, because his perspective is illustrative of the American Immigrant experience. This statement by him in his book (which I will paraphrase) captures it in a heartbeat. "Being American is a way of life. You can come to America from ANYWHERE and BE an American. There is no way a European could go to India, get their citizenship and be an "Indian", it wouldn't make sense to anyone there. They would think it is silly to say such a thing. Or a Danish person going to live in France could never be "French". But anyone who comes the USA and becomes a citizen IS an American, even if they have only lived here for a week."

Dinesh D'Souza was born and grew up in India, coming to the USA as a teenager with his family who became US Citizens. He observed, as an example, the the USA is probably the only country in the world where people who go to a restaurant call the waiter "Sir", and is one of the few places where no matter how expensive or exclusive the restaurant is, a billionare CEO of a company could see his secretary having dinner there, and nobody would think that is unusual. The point being that we ARE for all intensive purposes, a classless society.

With all of this comes a price, which those of us who pay attention to such things realize. The social fabric of the USA between people and neighbors is very thin. As Dinesh D'Souza observed, we don't spend much time with our neighbors. And we spend too much time and energy at work. All very true things.

But the fact is, in the USA, "A rising tide lifts all boats..." We enjoy a level of comfort and prosperity here that is astounding. Another observation in his book, Dinesh D'Souza said his father told him "I want to go live in a country where the poor people are fat!" Which is true enough, and does make a statement. While we do have poor in this country, even the poorest people nowadays have things like televisions, microwaves, cars and even cell phones.

The USA isn't perfect in any way, but we do have the capability to aspire to our dreams and the only thing holding us back is ourselves.

That is no small thing.

I contrast that with your perception of France as "...25% of the French are unemployed, 25% are retired, 25% study sociology, 25% are on strike..."

I don't know if that is true or not, but the humorous statement probably has a nugget of truth to it.

This is one of the MAIN reasons American voters such as many you will see on Free Republic are so up in arms over Socialistic tendencies of many of our politicians, the concept of government run healthcare, government run schools, cradle to grave welfare and benefits and so on. We see the burden that places on not just countries like France, but many others as well, and we see in them small versions of our upcoming problems with our "Social Security" system when the Ponzi Scheme that it really is will come to fruition and the people who have paid into it their entire lives won't be able to get anything out of it.

In a nutshell, that is a similar danger to many European countries whose relative workforces are shrinking (workers to people being supported by those workers) but someone has to pay for all those benefits and pensions, and will will fall on the relatively smaller number of workers making money.

Believe me, I would LOVE to have the shorter working hours, less stress and more paid vacation a year. But that is a price to pay for living in a highly competitive American workforce. It is why capitalism has done MORE good for MORE people (not just in the USA, but by extension with countries we trade with and buy goods from, but also countries who benefit from our largesse.

According to how you look at the statistics, America does not fare well as a "giver" when you look at the amount of money given per Gross Domestic Income (GDI) because that is a percent of government money collected through taxes. However, in many European countries, they are taxed at a higher rate than the USA, and their government dispenses the aid and are "ahem" supposedly more "socially conscious". So in this metric, America rates lower.

But when you look at the money donated as a fraction of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) the USA rates highly, and when you look at absolute amounts of money, we are the highest of all. This is because this figure reflects both governmental AND non-governmental charitable giving (including individuals, churches, etc.)

The fact that some in Europe and the UN don't like that we attach political strings to the money we give as aid is also indicative of another difference in attitude. SUPPOSEDLY our tax money is OURS, not THE GOVERNMENT'S. Though our representative government, we should, as taxpayers, have a say in where the money goes and how it is used. (This is in theory, in reality it doesn't work so cleanly)

The point is, we EXPECT our government to dole out money to foreign countries with strings attached. If we give money, we want it to be an investment in something, a typically capitalistic way of thinking of it.

But hey...that is America...:)

[WesternCulture]

“If you want to get ahead in this country, all you have to do is be willing to work hard and want to do it badly enough. We ARE the most classless society.”

- This is something very true. I totally agree, fellow freeper.

Personally, I see no conflict between being a proud Viking/Swede/Scandinavian and being a warm friend of the US.

I don’t hate France, Germany and Italy, but these “leading” European nations have a lot to learn in terms of Capitalism from both America and the Scandinavian countries.

One thing that seldom is realized is that the US and the Nordic countries have a very important thing in common:

Although our societal concepts differ, we put a great deal of trust in the individual.

[rlmorel]

Agreed...what prouder heritage than the Vikings!

If you tell someone you have Viking in you, it can only be a good thing...:)

[WesternCulture]

“Agreed...what prouder heritage than the Vikings!

If you tell someone you have Viking in you, it can only be a good thing...:)”

- Sincere thanks for these words. We northmen have been somewhat violent in history and my country, Sweden, hasn't been all that nice to Germany, Poland and Russia but we are also a people who know how to distinguish between right and wrong, good and evil.

In the WOT, the Scandinavian countries give full support to USA and we also send troops - Swedish soldiers have died in this war.

We can not afford to let evil emerge victorious in this battle.

There are a lot of sissy quarrels between Scandinavia and America that I find rather pointless.

The Scandinavian countries and the US have much more in common than most Scandinavians and Americans actually realize.

Best of regards from Gothenburg, Sweden

[rlmorel]

And to you...:)