Bush is an Embarrassment

Published on November 30, 2004 By COL Gene In Politics

The reception President Bush received today in Canada is a true embarrassment to the United States of America. We have a president who was despised by our closest neighbor and by the people of most of the European nations.

I cannot remember a time when the world had so little regard for our nation. The story is the same no matter were you turn with very few exceptions -- the United States is not trusted and our president is looked upon as an arrogant go it alone leader. It is hard to see how the next four years will benefit the people of our country or mend the huge rifts that exist between the United States and much of the rest of the world.

Comments (Page 9)

121

kingbee

on Dec 04, 2004

It's from literature and way before our time

jeez ya mean i was ignorantly wallowing in my own ignorance again? just to show my heart's in the right place ill troll myself.

122

mismos

on Dec 04, 2004

dabe: what's so crazy about the concept of a country wanting to control other countries? Are you so naive as to think this can never happen? You don't think that American not only does, but needs to control other counties? Look around you. Control games happen at ever level of society, it has another name and it's called politics. Parents need to control there children, towns need to control there citizens, countries need to be in control of all of it. Life is one big power struggle.

If you can't even concieve that your county would exercise its power for the sake of exercising its muscle and that it doesn't desire to control it's own populace and it's surrounding neighbors then your quite dillusional and your country will be able to do what ever it wants without being questioned because its 'unconcievable'. You certain believe that you have 'the way' for the Iraqis to control themselves right? Democracy. And in that way you are definitely trying to control there very future.

Your right about one thing dabe, it is Barbaric.

123

dabe

on Dec 04, 2004

dabe: what's so crazy about the concept of a country wanting to control other countries? Are you so naive as to think this can never happen?

Your right about one thing dabe, it is Barbaric.

No, mismos, I'm not naive. But think of the quote from drmiler

The ability to destroy something is the ultimate form of control

It's just this side of adolescent ranting. And, although we do control certain aspects of other countries, I would surely like to think that we do it through diplomacy whenever possible. Bombing the shit out of another country "just because we can" will never cut it. Control through fear and intimidation is something I will always fight against. Democracy at the end of a gun is doomed to almost certain failure. And, bombing another country to control them is barbaric.

I dunno. Call me a romantic. Idealistic, even. But, I am not naive.

124

cactoblasta

on Dec 05, 2004

The ability to destroy something is the ultimate form of control

and there ya have it folks. my dad can kick your dads ass proving might does make right rather than the reverse.

What a clown. Did you not reconize the quote? It's from literature and way before our time.

What's the quote from? Is it from Clausewitz, Hobbes, Lu-Tze or someone else entirely? I don't recall ever hearing it before. I disagree entirely with the concept behind it (by destroying you remove your control over something; maintaining fear is much less efficient as a means of control than love or hate of the other) but I'd be interested to see the philosophical arguments behind such a ludicrous statement.

125

eieio

on Dec 05, 2004

Did anyone actually read the quote? The 'ability' to destroy something ..., not 'destroying' something. That is exactly what existed during the cold war.

There is an assumption being made that someone who has the ability to destroy something is prone to do so. Think of yourselves for a moment. You have the ability to destroy many things. Are 'you' prone to do so?

126

stevendedalus

on Dec 05, 2004

When Bush gets done with our budget deficit, trade deficit and the loss in jobs, we will be jealous not the other way arround!

Right on, brother!

127

cactoblasta

on Dec 05, 2004

A threat without action is no threat at all. Think about it. Would you be likely to take any notice of something who threatened to kill you and yet never did? If the threat is never carried out then there is no threat. The reason deterrence was effective in the Cold War relied on the fact that the US had already used nuclear weapons, and thus could be trusted to do it again.

128

drmiler

on Dec 05, 2004

Reply #131 By: cactoblasta - 12/5/2004 2:01:04 AM
Did anyone actually read the quote? The 'ability' to destroy something ..., not 'destroying' something. That is exactly what existed during the cold war.

There is an assumption being made that someone who has the ability to destroy something is prone to do so. Think of yourselves for a moment. You have the ability to destroy many things. Are 'you' prone to do so?

A threat without action is no threat at all. Think about it. Would you be likely to take any notice of something who threatened to kill you and yet never did? If the threat is never carried out then there is no threat. The reason deterrence was effective in the Cold War relied on the fact that the US had already used nuclear weapons, and thus could be trusted to do it again.

No *you* think about it. No threat was made. Pictoratus is correct. I said "ability" not going to.

129

COL Gene

on Dec 05, 2004

drmiller

I thought we went into Iraq to free them. How would your suggestion of destroying that country fit the Bush objective?

130

dabe

on Dec 05, 2004

drmiler, you still haven't come up with the source of your glorious quote. I can't wait to see what it is.

131

eieio

on Dec 05, 2004

Would you be likely to take any notice of something who threatened to kill you and yet never did?

Another assumption. There is no threat implied in the quote. Only a known ability. As an example directed toward your statement, I am a hunter and have been familiar with many if not all of the creatures in the woods, dangerous or otherwise. Now I have never been bitten by a venomous snake, but I am well aware their 'ability' to do me harm and, as such, I take appropriate precautions. I don't have to be threatened or harmed by a coral snake to know they are deadly. They are a known danger, not a 'threat'.

132

kingbee

on Dec 05, 2004

They are a known danger, not a 'threat'

ill bet you take equal notice of a scarlet king snake...for at least as long as it takes you to determine if the pattern is red black yellow or red yellow black? (just outta curiosity, when was the last time you saw a coral snake on the loose?)

133

T_Bone4Justice

on Dec 05, 2004

"jealousy is the main ingrediant of this..."

This conclusion is about as silly as "they hate us because we love freedom."

134

whoman69

on Dec 05, 2004

The reason deterrence was effective in the Cold War relied on the fact that the US had already used nuclear weapons, and thus could be trusted to do it again.

That's a bunch of crap. The whole world knew that the Americans starting a nuclear war would cause the extinction of the human race. The US and Russia had enough arms in that period to kill every person on the planet not just dozens of times, but hundreds and even thousands of times. The Russians had never used nuclear weapons, but everyone know that push come to shove, they would. The deterrent was that the possibility was there for humanity to end and that either side could use nuclear weapons.

I can show this is true by the number of tanks in Europe. The Russians needed tanks to control the territories they occupied so they had alot. The US did not have to subjugate the populace and they needed only sufficient tanks to hold the territory until their superior air force could bring forth the nuclear deterrent.

135

COL Gene

on Dec 05, 2004

If you destroy something no one controlls it. It no longer exists. War is the final step in diplomacy and when you go to War, diplomacy has failed!

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