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To: Rockingham
We are in agreement -- which is why I took note of and explained how the US could dismantle Saudi Arabia if we had a desire to do so.

Why bother? What could we do that they don't do to each other? They are their own worst enemies.

The best solution for all sides is to see this as a business relationship. Period. If they want to sell to us, fine. If they don't, fine. If we want to trade expertise with them, fine. If not, fine. They need to keep their money and quit trying to buy people over here. It's tacky.

28 posted on 10/24/2013 12:52:55 PM PDT by GOPJ (Self-respect is the root of discipline...dignity grows with the ability to say no to oneself-Heschel)
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To: GOPJ
Unfortunately, despite the attractiveness of the idea, countries never quite have just a "business relationship." Closeness in trade inevitably fosters mutual cultural and political influence.

For example, after Hitler came to power, for the sake of the German market, several major Hollywood studios run by Jewish executives altered their films to meet actual and potential objections from the Nazis. Today, Hollywood similarly tailors their product to avoid giving offense to Muslim financiers and pressure groups like CAIR and to Chinese government censors.

More ominously, trade tends to make business elites in places like oil industry Texas advocates for Muslims and Asia trade reliant California sympathetic to China. Thus we get otherwise hard bitten Texas oil men blathering about terror spewing Islam as the "religion of peace," while libertarian minded Silicon Valley tech executives are credulously agog about China's rapid development without taking stock of its lack of freedom and rule of law, brutal labor camps for political dissenters, and forced abortions for poor peasants.

In the end, the only business and trade partners whom we can trust are those with our values. Thus, despite vital commercial relationships, we have cold eyed strategists who rightly see the Muslim world and China as potential military opponents.

29 posted on 10/24/2013 2:03:27 PM PDT by Rockingham
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