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Old 10-19-2006, 01:25 AM   #8
rhertz
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Al Swearengen
As to the topic of this thread, the United States must stop trying to make democracies out of these countries that are ruled by brutal regimes, communists, whatever. Reform should come from WITHIN these countries. If reform has not occured, its because the people in that nation have not reached the stage where they're ready for it.
Very well said Al. I'm not sure what is behind our tendency to become the "world police". I am guessing it is the tendency to protect our econmy and world markets. (especially oil market) Or perhaps "capitalism" in general. We cannot isolate ourselves in a world of "protectionism". Like it or not, the world depends on us and we depend on the world. It's called the "global economy", like it or not.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Al Swearengen
I've always been astounded at the ability of just one man or a small group of people to enslave and terrorize their own countrymen.
Likewise I am often astounded at the ability of just one person to make a huge change in our lives. Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, Abraham Lincoln and Harry Truman, Wernher von Braun and Albert Einstein, and many others too numerous to mention. But my favorite would be Nikola Tesla, father of things that Bell and Marconi are often credited for. So the moral is all it takes is one good *or* bad apple....

Quote:
Originally Posted by Al Swearengen
Such things can never happen without the blessing of that nation's military, and any military's real power stems from the enlisted and junior officer ranks, which are composed of the average citizens. When the people have had enough, a coup takes place, sometimes with great loss of life, sometimes without a shot fired. And THAT is what will eventually happen in these countries.
True but using Castro and Cuba as an example, sometimes extreme patience may be required. How many decades or lifetimes is worth the wait? Isn't there something we can do in the meantime but wait? Especially if they start messing with our economy? (Bin Ladin) or putting out a hit on our President? (Hussein)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Al Swearengen
They have to want it for themselves, badly enough to risk bloodshed, badly enough to make that investment of blood equity.
And badly enough to admit their primary religion might need some "tweeking". I'm no Islamist scholar, and I have barely heard the word before 9/11, but one thing is clear, we are talking something WAY worse than rednecks here!!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Al Swearengen
OUR fathers, the fathers of this great nation, understood this. Nobody ever respects anything thats been GIVEN to them, anything that they have not EARNED with their own "blood sweat and tears". We simply can no longer police the globe. Its just not worth the life of even one more of our precious sons or daughters.
Excellent post AL! But in there..err... I mean their defense, Iraqi's are dying in at least as large of numbers as Americans. I certainly wish both could be avoided. I'm sure there are dedicated and deserving Iraqis fighting the good fight, but I guess it comes down to "numbers".. Stats, polls, majorities.. As a whole, they just don't want it bad enough I guess.. This is hard for an American to understand since I hold my freedom and liberty so highly.
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