What has happened to U.S.?

Me | 10/2/2002 | Me

[UnBlinkingEye]

What has happened to our image as a beacon of freedom, opportunity and the right way to live?

Much of the world fears or hates us. We have a proclaimed policy of attacking any country whose policies or regimes don't follow our dictates.

Why have we become the biggest bully in the world?

[ArneFufkin]

There can be NO attack in Middle East without Saudi Arabian help. Period.

The Saudis are like the Roger Miller character in "King of the Road" ... they know "every lock that ain't locked when no-one's around."

We need them. The Jordanians and the Saudis know more about Iraq than Hussein does, they have to so they live.

The U.N. is bogus. Daschele is bogus. Bush has the nod of the Saudis, Egyptians, Jordanians and Syrians to kill Saddam and take that country over.

[Stavka2]

???? Last time I checked Guilliani cleaned up the cesspool of NYC and made it respectable. He also tore up Saudi blood money, which is a lot more then anyone in power in America has done since Reagan. I have respect for him, not for people that kiss arse to the very people who sent their sons on a holy mission to kill mass amounts of civilians.

[Stavka2]

Never said he was safe...quite the contrary...but in truth he is sane, sane as a fox. He can be bought out, like he was before. Better him then a fractured hell hole the area will become. As for giving weapons to terrorists...keep in mind that Al Quida was also against Iraq and Lybia (Quidafi is also a socialist...why all his body guards are women)...Saudi Arabia would be a lot more likely a candidate for that. As for shooting into Isreal, it was an attempt to break the coalition, and even then he knew the threshold he wouldn't dare cross. Even Hitler wouldn't cross that threshold. But the Wahhibists would.

[Stavka2]

Well, lets see, he was on every debate with other Republicans and he has a more conservative agenda then Bush ever did. He also won those debates and I watched as the media interviewed everyone except for him, and walked around him and left. What he said about racism is true...he didn't fit the liberal media image of a black man...how can a black man be conservative? He was criticizing Bush for whom he had sold out before and the favors he would owe for that $76 million.

As to the rest, whatever. I didn't start putting him down, he started, so what ever. Your opinion is yours...and Bush and company sold their souls to big oil and the Arabs just like Klinton did to the Chinese...there someone had to say it.

[Stavka2]

Hay disrupter, finally you said something other then insults...good, now lets see....how helpful were they with Afghanistan....oh that's right, you are not allowed to use Saudi bases to attack other Muslims...yup, that's what they said. As for your other comments....maybe you should open your eyes and read a little, the Saudies have stated flat out, no US use of their airspace or anything else on Iraq...maybe you've hybernated for the last year? The Saudies have done nothing but put up road blocks to everything....maybe because they are the true snakes supporting all the extremists? Hmmm? Oh and the Syrians have a joint defense pledge with Saddam.

[Stavka2]

Would love to choose this over London or Paris or Rome, any day...sure:

Don't tell me there are not some seriously ignored poverty problems in America....fix your own backyard then lecture others or show by example.

And one more for the road.

[IronJack]

You're a real piece of work. Racist, imperialist, holier than thou opinions.

First of all, there's nothing racist about anything I said. No "race" was even mentioned. Your reliance on that stale criticism says more about YOU than me.

Secondly, I AM imperialistic. We have a right to be. As I've said repeatedly, our system works. Theirs doesn't.

Finally, I'd rather embrace my "holier-than-thou" opinions than stand before this assembly and apologize for the success of our nation. I'd rather be a snob than a coward.

[verity]

Exercising your 1st Amendment right to be an anal orifice?

[IronJack]

The corruption has nothing to do with Socialism. Sorry to inform you, but you can't blame it all on Socialism.

On the contrary, I can and have.

Much of the corruption is inherent in Capitalism...called special interests...

Special interests exist everywhere. It is only when power is concentrated in a few hands that those special interests can leverage their influence into public expense and private detriment. That concentration of power is a hallmark of totalitarianism, socialism's illegitimate brother.

sorry to bust the bubble, but most big corps don't really give a rat's arse about the people...only about profit...and maybe it should be that way...

Yes, it should be that way. That way works. Socialism doesn't. It is the hybrid monster that is killing us, not capitalism.

but when the government is set up so that bribery is easier then pissing on your fingers...don't expect much in the way of protection.

So the problem is in the GOVERNMENT, not in business. In other words, smaller government, less power. Less power, less corruption (or at least less ability to wreak havoc with the corruption that does exist). There's an old saying: "You don't have to own the sheep if you own the shepherd." If there is no shepherd, you have to own the sheep. And that's a lot harder than it sounds.

[IronJack]

I thought all men were created equal. Who are you calling inferior?

All men might be. Not all societies are.

[ArneFufkin]

Hey Mensa, 25 U.S. Warplanes leveled an Iraqi industrial center near the Jordanian border during the week of September 10. 25. Warplanes. All took off from Saudi air bases. Shazzam!!!

The little fact that is eluding your space age analog radar is that the Saudis are now competing with Qatar for our military infrastructure businesss.

It's amazing, whenever Bush says "**** the UN, we're rolling " ... we seem to just stumble upon these Al Qaida guys all over the world. What a coincidence. No Saudi influence there, I'm sure.

You're a baboon looking intently, but cluelessly at a chess board in match.

[ArneFufkin]

Hey, sorry for the b.s. last weekend ... I went over the top on the trash talk, you didn't warrant the onslaught. My apologies.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

Breaking out the family photo album, I see. Thanks for sharing.

[ArneFufkin]

and Bush and company sold their souls to big oil and the Arabs

"Big oil". They're oily. They're big.

Big shipping. Big fashion. Big Waste Disposal. Big wheat. Big lumber. Big law. Big Reality Television. Big big big.

[ArneFufkin]

Oh and the Syrians have a joint defense pledge with Saddam.

They pledge to smoke a joint and hide if we attack the Saudis.

[Olydawg]

Why have we become the biggest bully in the world?

I'm very curious to hear your thoughts on this. Why do you think we are bullies? Who have we bullied? The Taliban? Pakistan? This bothers you?

[ArneFufkin]

He's right, unlike the Europeans, these Americans have bathed this year.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

The difference between poverty here and in the Communistic society he is promoting, is that
1) Here the Govt and its citizens are doing things to help them, and
2) the poverty is not a result exclusively of Govt oppression, and we are a free people.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

Maybe we bullied 3,000 people in the WTC's by not becoming a Muslim society.

[ArneFufkin]

Olydawg, Michael Medved nailed it today ... our ancestors WERE citizens of the world, they risked their lives, left the "World" and crossed the oceans to be citizens of America. America's interest is our interest.