Politics

[DukePilgrim]

Hi Stumpy

It would be nice to have all politicians on performance!

Mike

[Stumpy]

Hi Stumpy

It would be nice to have all politicians on performance!

Mike

Amen, Mike.

If the pols were graded on performance though, many if not most of them would end up in the hole.

Robbie made the statement that PM Blair was pretty popular in America and he's right. In fact, I would vote for Mr. Blair for president over any of the Americans who've announced they're running because IMO, he at least has the courage of his convictions whereas none of the current crop of American presidential candidates does. None of them would recognize principle if it came up and bit 'em in the butt.

[DukePilgrim]

Funny how distance can distort things.

I think you would find many who would pay you to take Blair away. As for his wife Cherie she makes Hilary look like a warm kind member of the human race
LOL

Blair would be known as having more faces than the Albert Clock a local expression for being two faced liar.

For George Bush's faults I would actually say he believes in what he is doing
and has a certain Irish/Scottish stubborness about trying to achieve his aims.


Mike

[Stumpy]

George Bush's has a certain Irish/Scottish stubborness about trying to achieve his aims.

You sure have that right. 'Specially the stubborness part.

In a way, I agree with his determination to resist the Islamofascist's announced goal of trying to spread Islam throughout the world. But as an isolationist, I'm sick of this country getting involved in crap that has nothing to do with our direct security interests. I could see the U.S. going into Afghanistan to take out al Qaeda and the Taliban since they were directly responsible for the attack in NY. But I just cannot accept that Iraq was a direct threat to this country.

I don't accept the left's charges that Bush lied the U.S. into Iraq. More than likely, he was given faulty intelligence information and decided to act on it.

I can even accept him sending in the troops to overthrow Hussein. Hussein was a Hitler clone who richly deserved to be overthrown. What ticks me off no end though is Bush's Wilsonian desire to "make the world safe for democracy". Hell, those ragheads wouldn't know democracy if it came up and bit 'em in the butt. Look at the way they treat their women....disgraceful.

Well, I'd better not get started on this rant because I could go on for days about political things that just irritate the hell out of me.

[Tbone]

Stumpy,

I agree with most of what you have to say on this point.

I too think we need to keep our nose in our own business.

Look what practiced democracy got us there in Iraq, a Shiite run country that is pursecuting the few Christians that remain there. Hussein was an evil (censored) but at least the Chaldean Christians who once lived there could live in peace.

But you're right, the Western concept of a Republic, which is what I think Bush was really hoping for, is completely foreign to the people of the Middle East. They are not loyal to the concept of a country but rather to a family clan.

We in the US really need to seriously take up a national study of our founding fathers, especially Washington, and understand the consequences of going against those ideals our country was founded upon.

[Stumpy]

We in the US really need to seriously take up a national study of our founding fathers, especially Washington, and understand the consequences of going against those ideals our country was founded upon.

Amen.

It's been almost a hundred years since anybody in D.C. paid heed to Washington's excellent advice.

“It is our true policy to steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world.”

George Washington

[Robbie]

Jim

Does that include the UK?

[DukePilgrim]

Hi Robbie

I think Washington made that statement because of the "British" and the "French" were trying to involve everyone in their war at the time and if US remained neutral they wouldnt be drawn into that conflict.

Mike

[Stumpy]

Jim

Does that include the UK?

There I have strongly conflicting feelings, Rob. As I've said, my ancestry is Scotch-Irish and I've been a lifelong Anglophile. I have a very soft spot in my heart for the U.K., or at least the U.K. as I remember it back in the forties and fifties. And the historical U.K. But how do I square that liking for Great Britain with my isolationalism? Believe me, it's hard to do. Let me put it this way, if Great Britain needs any kind of assistance, military or otherwise, I say we should go immediately to their side. Otherwise, we should keep our distance.

I am totally convinced that all the problems this country has in the Middle East is caused by our slavish devotion to Israel's security. But I'd better not get into that or somebody will accuse me of being anti-Semitic.

[Stumpy]

Hi Robbie

I think Washington made that statement because of the "British" and the "French" were trying to involve everyone in their war at the time and if US remained neutral they wouldnt be drawn into that conflict.

Mike

You're wrong, Mike. Washington's advice to avoid "entangling alliances" was in his farewell address and that was after this country won its' independence from Great Britain. The (North American) conflict between the British and French was long over by that time.

[DukePilgrim]

Hi Jim

I think the term conflict over was like five minutes in the ice hockey sin bin. They British finished fighting the French King before they started with Napolean.

Was Washington speech directed to avoiding alliances with either France or Britain and to maintain US neutrality?


Mike

[DukePilgrim]

Glad you like Scots and Irish.

The English and Welsh are not bad either.


Mike

[Stumpy]

Was Washington speech directed to maintain US neutrality?
Mike

I believe that was Washington's aim - to maintain neutrality.

That's my wish also. I've always wished the U.S. would adopt the Swiss model of strict neutrality. I'm not all that familiar with Swiss history but believe they've managed to avoid war throughout their entire existence.

[DukePilgrim]

Big mountains lots of chocolate and dont ask any questions were you got the money tend to sum up the Swiss success story

[Robbie]

Hi Jim

I understand your feelings regarding the link between the UK and USA. I have said before that I have been very unhappy with Blairs tenure as Primeminister but I am happy at the way he has attempted to maintain the special relationship with the USA.