tw - you have a very keen knowledge of these conflicts, and the principals involved. Is this an area of academic study, a hobby, or political interest? Where are you located, if I may ask [ha! no I do not want map co-ordinates!]? I am afraid to say I know very little about the smaller conflicts mentioned. I can point out the parties on a World map, describe the climate, and the countries main export, but that is about it. I've made a point to not watch any news broadcasts of any kind nor to read the paper, but to get reader's digest versions of the more important issues. I oppose the glitz and the campy, irresponsible way that news is delivered.
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Good presidents first let a problem resolve itself. That happens most often. However ...
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I think good Presidents will use a carrot and stick approach to this. Redaction and Coercion. I have to admit that George is not about subtlety. No sir. I don't think letting both sides of a conflict massacre each other is the best course of action. Rwanda is something I'd rather forget. Everyone abandoned those people. The UN and Belgians couldn't leave fast enough. Predsident Clinton went there after the conflict and offered a token apology for being absent. Air Force One's goddamn engines weren't even powered down; I think he was there for about 3 hours. No fucking oil there; no damn colonials.
The US most definetly has supplied both sides of a conflict. The biggest that comes to my mind is the Iran-Iraq war, although support was not offered simultaneously.
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Bad presidents want to storm in like a world policeman and bash heads ... such tactics are classic of low intelligent leaders and create long term unresolved problems.
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It seems the US has taken that role, yes. Sometimes a head bashing is what's needed. But the aforementioned carrots and sticks are preferable. Low IQ leaders and unresolved problems lead me to consider Al Quaeda. Jung-Il is not stupid, but he's not thinking clearly either. The man is as much of a basket case as Bush.
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Did we go charging in to East Timor...
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East Timor was a mess, from what little I know. I do know that we were involved in some manner, either directly or through support of one of the parties. Vietnam was ... yup. That about sums it up. Lebanon ... do you mean the 200+ marines killed by a terrosit bomb? I don't recall an ass whupping. I recall that at the time Israel was finally not on the receiving end, and were not garnering the sympathy they once had. Yugoslavia ... that was something that no one should have waited on. That was Rwanda in the Balkans. Richard Holbrooke was chief negotiator for the Dayton Peace Accords [that's great, really], according to my brief Googling. He also fulfilled various ambassadorial duties to the corrupt South Vietnamese government in the late 60's. Slovenia is safe, and for that I am grateful.
The British were there because the UN was so fucking inept. It's a former British colony, so I think their motives are a bit suspect. [see "fucking oil and damn colonials".] Am I looking at the same thing you are?
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I keep asking the reader if he knew about ...
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I believe that can be condensed to "Uryoces, you ignorant fuck". You are 1/2 right. See "not watching the talking heads". See also "Carrot and Stick".
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But then Saddam. Is he a threat? No. He is a threat to no one ...
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I personally disagree on that one. His neighbors, probably not, if you discount the Kurds. You can discount Kuwait, too. The Kuwaitis are almost as bad. Ignoring Sadam post-9/11 is a very dangrous thing. I am against military action against Iraq, but I am all for a mysterious and terrible death for him and his cadre. When the dust settles, Saudi Arabia and the other Arab nations need to be there to step in and assist the Iraqi people. I don't see that happening. After all the posturing and Koran-thumping, they're more than happy to ignore Islamic nations in need.
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George Jr even hyped a silly China spy plane incident into possible war ...
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Huh-wha?! Senior Abusto pequeno told China it was a silly little spyplane, and showed photos of the jackass pilot inches away from the fucking plane! Wong-wei. I laughed hysterically 'til it hurt. China had an absolute fuck-fit over that. Bush aplogised humbly, and we got our spyplane back. China is the largest capitalist nation that America has to trade with. Yes, I said capitalist. We aren't going to screw that up. China collects taxes from Hong Kong, but have done very little else in that region. Hong Kong is anathema to "Communism", but you don't hear one peep from Beijing. They are very savvy, but prone to fits that makes Joan Crawford look tame.
tw - you have many good points, and I am not disputing them, but it seems that your take on world affairs is that if a few thousand people are raped, tortured, and murdered here and there, it's alright. Some eggs will get broken to ensure peace. Isn't this exactly what you are accusing Senior Abusto pequeno, and indeed the US of doing? Please tell me I have this wrong.