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Post by Johnmcd on Oct 29, 2004 18:28:17 GMT -3
Gabriel, Bush, No Bush - no matter. The US voters will choose or as we see in our media (this side of the pond) US celebrities choosing for the masses, e.g., Bruce Springstien, Eminem and Arnie. Cheap sidetracking in my view while no serious discussion seems to take place. A bit like the forum at times!
I hope that the US voters will see through the unsound arguments presented by both sides and not get carried away by the joys of the hunt. If I were a US citizen I would not vote on race between 2 horses. The vote is too valuable to throw away.
Best wishes, John.
Also… I seen Kerry on the news tonight. He’s had his teeth bleached, or are they false…just like the rest him? Yeah! Let’s vote for Kerry - he looks after his teeth. Gawd!
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Post by Johnmcd on Oct 29, 2004 18:30:51 GMT -3
Noelia, I am sure you will want to know as much about the conflict as you possibly can in order to see both sides of the divide and to draw true conclusions. A difficult task.
You are right about one thing that we here in the UK know very little about the Falklands. It made news 22 years ago and all less knowledgably take reference from there. Your forum helps by allowing those more interested to see a wider contemporary picture. But invalid arguments will never help and should always be avoided lest the truth be destroyed.
I mentioned ‘Malvinas’ education to you for a good reason because I feel with reason that the truth has suffered. 22 years ago a young Argentine soldier, cold and hungry arrived in Stanley believing that he was liberating the islanders from British Imperial rule.
I quote briefly from Both Sides of Hell:
“We flew from Cordoba to Comodoro Rivedera then to the Malvinas…It was fxxxxxg freezing when we arrived. We had to walk from the airport into the town carrying all our kit. As we came close to the town (Stanley) we seen neat rows of houses. As we passed through the town we seen the people. They spoke English and not Spanish and they didn’t look too happy to see us. The place was like nothing he imagined and he thought that he was flown to the wrong destination”<br> He and his fellow soldiers were deceived, educated to think by state institution. We, on the other side, were no better educated and it would be wrong of anyone to proffer differently. “Argentina has invaded the Falklands!” Where the friggin hell is the Falklands?
Today is much different. We know dialogue, based on a sound logical outcome, is the ideal. Not ideal of course for those impatient and already persuaded. Spain and Gibraltar. This was a contest of arguments each with false conclusions. The premises of the arguments were tested and found unsound. This realised they have moved on. Nothing very diplomatically clever in this at all - it just made good sense to recognise the impasse and move round it - in order to move forward.
Now if you can’t see this Noelia then you will have little sympathy from me. Pride, history and such else, should be behind glass cabinets in museums. You can’t rescue the past - none of us can.
Best wishes, John.
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Post by Gabriel on Oct 29, 2004 22:23:11 GMT -3
John, If my vote can help stop the killing of one human being, it is not twrown away from my point of view. You are very right about the circus, but unfortunately that's all I am given to choose from. Serious discussions do take place, but they are certainly not the norm. I hear that explosives will be available (about 400 Tons) at very low prices in the near future. Yes, the world seems safer and safer every day... Gabriel
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Post by Johnmcd on Oct 30, 2004 4:32:22 GMT -3
Gabriel, ok, You believe Bush is a murderer and is no better than Hitler. You need then to qualify that
A weapons depot was found to be looted, 400 tons of explosive materials gone. Mulitply that figure by at least another 400 and may get close to the amount of military grade ordanance that is still unaccounted for. Also, not forgeting various grades of uranium and chemicals.
Very shortly the Iraqi army now 250.000 strong will open another offensive to get rid of the insurgents from their country once and for all. No doubt you will view that differently as well!
Best wishes, John.
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Post by Maquilishuat on Oct 30, 2004 7:26:02 GMT -3
Hello John:
Please note that some of the missing explosives might have actually exploded or been exploded by aerial bombing. That would turn the job a bit difficult to be achieved, I mean, accounting for every explosive.
The 250 k Iraqi army is still non existing, though it is a possible prospect. The hard part would be to put these soldiers to fight their own people, as already has been the case more than once.
Greetings from Muscat, Maquilishuat
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Post by Johnmcd on Oct 30, 2004 8:04:38 GMT -3
Otto, Muscat in Oman?
Beautiful country - terrfic beaches. Have you checked out the Brit Rugby Club in town? - if its still there of course. (You could get a pint of beer there)
Best wishes, John.
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Post by Sea Eagle on Oct 30, 2004 8:39:21 GMT -3
Everybody,
Sorry for my absence (even if you are not!!) Noelia has passed on her cold I think, virtual virus obviously.
Bush?...Kerry?... it will not make much difference to US foreign policy. Kerry or Bush have to see through the situation in Iraq whatever happens. Kerry has renewed his promise to fight terrorism in light of Bin Ladens latest missive, whatever that means. There will be little difference just as the differences are tiny on the home front. As my personal representative I would not vote for either of them. Kerry may get on better with France, he has family connections and indeed a home there. Do many people in the US know that? Just curious.
I supported and support the action in Iraq, I would like to see the demise of all dictators as I have said before. The handling of the post invasion situation is another matter however.
A friend of mine has recently returned from Iraq where he has been as an Army reservist on a tour of duty. He is giving a group of us a talk on his experiences next week. If there is anything of note I will pass it on.
The Argentine claim to the Falklands? Well to me as I view it it is an Argentine 'want' and not a 'need'. More of an obsession like an alcoholic or a compulsive gambler. It has no known outcome that is beneficial to anyone, simply the self satisfied gratification of an undefined desire to pursue a craving for its own sake. It doesnt seem to matter who is destroyed in the stampede.
Best wishes,
Ernie
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Post by Maquilishuat on Oct 30, 2004 9:52:31 GMT -3
Hello Ernie:
Yes, you are right, Bush or Kerry will mean very little for the US foreign policies, sadly.
I just wonder, you do not like dictators, so you feel responsible for getting the world free from them. Very interesting indeed, when these dictators were put in place by your country to achieve some gains. This would be the case recently with Venezuela, where there was no dictator and suddenly a cup was theatrically devised to put a dictator on place...
Sometimes we have to develop a critical thinking and verify these said reasons of freeing the world, maybe the truth is somewhere else, based on pragmatic views for optimizing resources gains and nothing else, leaving to the common people the task of finding reasons why you invaded a given country.
Sorry to be so direct.
Hello John:
Yes, Oman. Muscat is a beautiful and very clean city. I still did not visit it like I would like to do, as I just arrived here. I am really impressed by this city!
Saludos amigos, Otto
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Post by Sea Eagle on Oct 30, 2004 13:38:24 GMT -3
Otto,
Directness is always appreciated by me as sometimes I miss hidden meanings!!!
In the UK Venezuela seems a long way off to most people and I am sure that apart from a tiny minority most have no idea what sort of Government is in place there or even the name of the Dictator/President, never mind who assisted him to get there. In contrast the happenings in the USA is stuffed down our throats on a daily basis to the point of total boredom and disinterest.
I would not personally support putting a dictator in place, but to assist in preventing it happening I would first have to know about it.
I do not feel responsible for getting rid of dictators but would abhor having to live under a dictatorship as I resent any unjustifiable restrictions on personal freedom. Therefore I would generally give moral support at least to getting rid of them as a matter of principle.
Unfortunately the world is made up of back scratching arrangements as a matter of convenience where those in de-facto authority tend to be recognised and dealt with whatever their evil intent, unless they interfere with some powerful country's global or regional plan. When I say powerful I mean worldwide, regionally, or locally powerful there is no exception that says that the USA or UK are the only wrongdoers in the world. It often depends who you live next door to. Tibet and Kashmir come to mind but there are plenty of other examples even in South America.
Best wishes,
Ernie
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