real news from middle east!the last sit.

[HyperBaja]

Originally posted by cuda
I say we should pull out of the United Nations and Nato. That would render them both irrelevant. Who would give a f@#k about what resolutions they pass without the United State's big stick to back them up.

And don't get me started on those stinking sissy French pole smokers.

I second that. If we pull out of NATO, pull our troops out of Korea, Kosovo, stop our Aid to Africa.... What would the world be? South Korea would be taken over within the first 20 minutes, And most of the rest of it would be in chaos.

Just my 2c from listening to the news. If anyone has reasons not to do this, (i know there are many) post them up, I would like to try and figure out why were not doing this.

Tommy

[JimV]

Excellent reading guys

[HyperBaja]

No, I was listening to the song "Bombs over Baghdad" as I wrote that, it just came out

But 13 countries either set to join the EU or in membership talks have signed letters supporting the United States.

Chirac said: "These countries have been not very well behaved and rather reckless of the danger of aligning themselves too rapidly with the American position."

"It is not really responsible behavior. It is not well brought-up behavior. They missed a good opportunity to keep quiet."

"I felt they acted frivolously because entry into the European Union implies a minimum of understanding for the others," Chirac said.
http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/europe...rac/index.html

Steve, you are 100% correct, and I understood the original point, I was just firing off about how protestors are typiclaly nothing more than hired hands and misinformed thugs

Hyper, you have great points, but in order to ensure the safety of our great nation, we need to keep an established presence in certain places. SOmetimes I have a hard time agreeing with that or understanding this idea. I am like 60/40 on this. Major instability and the threat of mass destruction weapons are the two largest factors as I understand it.

Anyone else care to chime in on this, what are your thoughts Steve and some of the more educated folks on worldy politics?? I'd like to hear more from both sides to help me uncerstand better what is the best thing for the USA to do.

Either way, priority one has to be our well being, PERIOD. Freedom and safety at any costs.

Remember, none of this stuff is new. All thru history there have been tyrants, opression, genocide and war. You just need to go in and "clean out the garage" every so often.

Later.....A4

[Playn]

Protecting this country's safety and freedom has to be the #1 priority of the Fed Government. In order to do so, we must maintain a stabilizing presence in other parts of the world to protect our interests and allies.

I know that nothing is black and white in politics between nations....seems like it's mostly gray, deals made, etc with countries that on the surface don't seem like they are who we should be alligned with however they are made I have to believe to protect our interests.

I will say that the UN is appearing to me to be more and more a paper tiger with diminiishing crediblility. I would like to see the US give serious thought to pulling out of the UN all together as it appears to be a huge waste of time and money to me right now. I keep going back to the Presidents speech where he said you are either with us or the terrorists. For me, that seemed pretty black and white, not a case of "we're with you if there is something in it for us."

sorry.....rambling...

Originally posted by timucin

timucin......what did your father tell you about talking to strangers regarding politics and religion!

[insptech]

I think that the reason we stay so engaged around the world is twofold.
1. We remember what happened when we were disengaged at the beginning of WW2. By not actively fighting sooner we allowed Hitler to take over most of Europe and gave the impression to Japan that we would allow then control over the entire Pacific rim. I will not even get into the politics involved but let's just say it would be Deja Vu all over again had the election rigging in Florida succeeded.

2. At the heart of it, we are a just and compassionate country. We are always first on the scene to fix things we feel are unfair or unjust. Unfortunately we are not perfect when it comes to foreign policy and we bumble along making some good things and some bad. Both political parties can take some of the blame for this and sometimes it is the compromises that are the worst blunders. But overall I think we have a pretty good track record and usually a country or group of countries is better off not worse when we have intervened(even if we have to kick their ass first-like Japan).

I AGREE WITH YOU GENTLEMEN THAT BACK THE GREATEST NATION IN THE WORLD..NO MATTER WHAT YOU THINK OF OUR PRESIDENT HE IS OUR PRESIDENT WE PUT HIM THERE SO YOU PEOPLE THAT ALL YOU DO IS COMPLAIN AND WHINE LIKE BABYS SHOULD MAYBE GET OFF YOUR ASS AND DO SOMETHING FOR YOUR COUNTRY."ASK NOT WHAT YOUR COUNTRY CAN DO FOR YOU BUT WHAT CAN YOU DO FOR YOUR COUNTRY!!"J.F.K.---WORDS TO LIVE BY.AS FOR THE U.N FORGET THEM FRANCE AND GERMANY KISS MY RED WHITE AND BLUE ASS I SAY IF YOUR NOT WITH US YOUR AGAINST US-LETS BOYCOTT THEM -NO MORE AID NO MORE HANDOUTS BECAUSE THEYRE QUICK TO GRAB THEM WHEN WE OFFER AND NOW WHEN WE NEED-NO-WHEN WE ASK FOR BACK UP FROM THOSE VERY PEOPLE THAT WE BASICALLY FEED ALL THEY DO IS CRITICIZE ---F@#K EM WE DONT NEED THEM..BUT IN THE END YOU KNOW WHAT THEY DOOO NEED US...WE ARE THE WORLD POWER ..THE TIME FOR TALKING IS OVER...AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DIS-AGREE YOU COULD KISS MY RED,WHITE AND BLUE ASS TOO!!!!!

[Tinkerer]

[size=20]AMEN[/size]