Condi rally.

[dcraig]

Quote from spike500:

For people not living in the US the image of the US has changed radically, and not in their favour i must say. Only, i think the americans are not aware of this change in tehe rest of the world.

This is very true and I think some Americans would be shocked to learn how far the perception of the US has fallen.

A couple of months ago, here in Australia (which Bush and the neocons would count as a close US 'ally') the results of an extensive public opinion survey on Australian opinions on foreign policy were published.

Here a few findings that I can recall -

Islamic fundamentalism and US foreign policy were viewed as EQUALLY dangerous to world peace.

Spreading 'democracy' was seen as the least important objective of foreign policy. Poverty and the environment were considered far more important issues.

Respondents were asked to rate their opinions of a number of countries/organisations/regions. Rating ahead of the US were New Zealand and Britain (no surprise there), Western Europe, United Nations, Japan, China (!) and Papua New Guinea (!!). The US rated just four percentage points above Indonesia. Considering the public outrage in Australia over events in East Timor the last figure is particularly revealing.

Not much to add to this other than to observe that if the perception of the US has dropped so far in Australia, it's dropped even further in most of the rest of the world. This is not 'anti-Americanism', it is reality and something that thinking Americans should be seriously concerned about.

 

[mhashe]

Quote from TorontoTrader2:

....................The airbase opened by the US at Khanabad is not essential to operations in Afghanistan, its claimed raison d'être. It has a more crucial role as the easternmost of Donald Rumsfeld's "lily pads" - air bases surrounding the "wider Middle East", by which the Pentagon means the belt of oil and gas fields stretching from the Middle East through the Caucasus and central Asia. A key component of this strategic jigsaw fell into place this spring when US firms were contracted to build a pipeline to bring central Asia's hydrocarbons out through Afghanistan to the Arabian sea. That strategic interest explains the recent signature of the US-Afghan strategic partnership agreement, as well as Bush's strong support for Karimov. ..................

A sad state of affairs indeed. Billions of taxpayer $ spent on war, death and destruction only to secure oil and gas revenue for a few well connected elite. The masses always forget that nations are run by the elite. An elite with their own agendas and interests. In the present case, the interest of the elite is making sure we keep on chugging oil and gas in perpetuity.

It's interesting to note that when this admin. talks about alternative energy, it's referring primarily to finding alternative methods of drilling through the Artic tundra.

 

[Perseus]

oh please, people always go too far with this oil crap. The uzbek bases were only after 9/11 to get to afghanistan, everybody wanted Afghanistan.

 

[kevinmclark]

Quote from maxpi:

Whatever, the previous admin ignored the terrorists, starved the US Military and the infrastructure in general and spent all kinds of future monies on programs that nobody wants except the welfare addicts that vote democrat. Then a real leader takes over and he has to spend money on the Military.... go figure.

The needs of the few (corporations) out way the needs of the the many! It's all welfare in one form or another; however, I'm with the people, because in the end they always win.

 

[kevinmclark]

Quote from wilburbear:

Bush is a good Christian man, and a fine president. I don't believe he will ever side with a non-democratic tyrant.

Did you look into his soul?

 

[kevinmclark]

Quote from maxpi:

Whatever, the previous admin ignored the terrorists, starved the US Military and the infrastructure in general and spent all kinds of future monies on programs that nobody wants except the welfare addicts that vote democrat. Then a real leader takes over and he has to spend money on the Military.... go figure.

This administration has never done anything wrong, it's always the previous administrations fault. They need to take responsiblity, when bad things happen during their watch. This has been the rule until these guys came along.

 

[areyoukidding?]

Continuation of the Condi Rally. "Hi guys, Im here because my president sent me to distract americans from the twin deficits."

And bankruptcies and credit ratings downgrades, just keep printing money guys...

 

[BSAM]

Quote from TorontoTrader2:

You have to ask yourself, why do people want that electronic voting that has NO paper trail and NO puplic audit procedures.\ allowed at all
Hotdog stands are more closely regulated.

I've seen fairer elections in 3rd world countires.
Funny how easily people can be led into slavery.

Good points. However, the people are already in slavery; and the kicker is most don't even realize it. It's called the IRS: The slickest form of slavery in the history of the world.

 

[BSAM]

Quote from wilburbear:

Bush is a good Christian man, and a fine president. I don't believe he will ever side with a non-democratic tyrant.

Just glancing over this thread. Wilburbear, I normally respect your postings here on ET, but this has got to be the dumbest post you've ever put on here.

 

[EdgeHunter]

Quote from wilburbear:

Christianity is a wonderful experience. It can't be erased with bitterness, or anything else!

Christianity would be a wonderful experience for all if only Christians followed Christ's teachings... they don't...