Posted on 03/22/2002 9:54:14 AM PST by codebreaker
No, I am not kidding. I am very serious.
Our global presence has made us hated throughout the world except those on our dole of aid or troops.
I respectfully disagree. America is the most admired country in the world.
1. The students at Tianamen quoted Patrick Henry and created a miniture version of the Statue of Liberty.
2. The government of Taiwan established their constitution mostly on the American constitution.
3. People I know in Asia, Latin America, and even the Middle East have great respect for America.
It is sometimes "fashionable" to be anti-american but they actually like America. Some of the resentment stems from the fact the Americans tend to belittle other countries. Some of their resentment is the fact the America is so young and yet so powerful.
If the world hated America, then people from all corners of the world would not be trying to come here.
We all calling our citizens home
Yes, it is normal for a country to downgrade their staff during a crisis. This has nothing to do with having a global presence unless you believe the US shouldn't have embassies around the world.
we have established a Home Defense entity
I tend to believe the Homeland Defense Department is more related to calming the fears of Americans than actually engaging in any useful homeland defesne.
we have a budget to fight one war
Yes, a budget to fight one large war. I would much rather have that large war far away from our shore than on our doorstep. If Ronald Reagan had let the USSR expand communism from Nicaragua to Honduras, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Grenada and Panama then America would have been much less secure.
we have exported essential factories
Yes, the US is a service economy. We are still a manufacturing powerhouse, but we will continue to move toward a service economy. Countries without a global miliary reach has moved from an Agriculural to a Manufacturing to a Service economy.
we would have to import steel for arnaments from China or Korea
There's also lots of steel plants in India and Venezuela. Nevertheless, the market will adjust if Asia doesn't sell their steel anymore.
we are fearful of countries without planes that use our own planes to knock down our buildings or nuke us.
I would be much more fearful if the US did not maintain a military infrastructure to attack anybody at anytime.
Our 'global presence' is a total f-up. George Washington was right (and Pat Buchanan) - end foreign entanglements
The oceans don't protect America like they did in Washington's day. If the US withdraws from Asia and other parts of the world, the power vacuum would possibly be filled by governments that are hostile toward the United States. God help us if the US ever stopped being a beacon of hope for freedom and democracy around the world.
Oh well, guess we will just have to bomb them all. Who should we shart with - Russia, China, Korea, all the Arabs?
You sound like a good man but I think you are mistaking our past from our present. People want to come here for the almighty dollar and keep their own cultural identity. Our only hope to not end up like other 'world empires' in the trash bin of history, is to build fortress America and encourage all those people who want to be Americans to come here. We don't have to be in their countries to achieve success.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
Worldwide Caution
March 17, 2002
The U.S. Government continues to receive credible reports that extremist individuals are planning additional terrorist actions against U.S. interests. Such actions may be imminent and include suicide operations. We have no further information on specific targets, timing or method of attack. We remind American citizens to remain vigilant with regard to their personal security and to exercise caution.
Terrorist groups do not distinguish between official and civilian targets. The March 17 attack on worshippers at the Protestant International Church in Islamabad underlines the growing possibility that as security is increased at official U.S. facilities, terrorists and their sympathizers will seek softer targets. These may include facilities where Americans are generally known to congregate or visit, such as clubs, restaurants, places of worship, schools or outdoor recreation events. Americans should increase their security awareness when they are at such locations, avoid them, or switch to other locations where Americans in large numbers generally do not congregate. American citizens may be targeted for kidnapping. In late January 2002, an American journalist was kidnapped and murdered in Pakistan.
U.S. Government facilities worldwide remain at a heightened state of alert. These facilities may on occasion temporarily close or suspend public services to review their security posture and ensure its adequacy. In those instances, U.S. Embassies and Consulates will make every effort to provide emergency services to American citizens. Americans are urged to monitor the local news and maintain contact with the nearest American Embassy or Consulate.
The Department will continue to develop information about potential threats to Americans overseas and to share with them credible threat information through its Consular Information Program documents. These documents are available on the Internet at http://travel.state.gov. In addition to information on the Internet, U.S. travelers may hear recorded information by calling the Department of State in Washington, D.C. at 202-647-5225 from their touch-tone telephone, or receive information by automated telefax by dialing 202-647-3000 from their fax machine.
This Public Announcement - Worldwide Caution supersedes the previous Worldwide Caution of February 1, 2002 to note the imminent threat of terrorist actions which may target civilians and include suicide operations. This Public Announcement - Worldwide Caution expires on August 17, 2002.
Department of State travel information and publications are available at Internet address: http://travel.state.gov. U.S. travelers may hear recorded information by calling the Department of State in Washington, D.C. at 202-647-5225 from their touchtone telephone, or receive information by automated telefax by dialing 202-647-3000 from their fax machine.
We can only hope.
Obviously something is going on.
The Moose Mamba
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