America's Image Abroad
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Foreign Policy? Bwahahaha!
In only four short months, our hero has amassed four year's worth of foreign policy lowlights. Here are just ten of them:
1. Personally offends German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder in a meeting just days into his Presidency by cavalierly dismissing world concerns about the environment.
2. In discussion with South Korean President Kim Dae-Jung, accuses North Korea of not abiding by all of their agreements with the U.S. (even though only one exists). He then breaks off talks indefinitely with the North, and single-handedly destroys years of diplomatic progress between the two nations. Relations between the two remain cool.
3. Gives some of his wealthy, Texas campaign contributors a joy ride on a nuclear submarine after his "selection". With a distracted crew, the sub plows into an unsuspecting fishing vessel, resulting in the grisly deaths of a group of Japanese school children.
4. Unilaterally stomps the Kyoto Treaty out of existence, personally standing against the will of 186 countries worldwide and destroying nearly a decade of work for the preservation of the planet. Outrage resonates from every corner of the globe.
5. Apologizes twice in a kneepad-delivered address to the Chinese, after they knocked our plane out of international airspace, stripped it, and "detained" our crew for nearly two weeks. We have yet to get our plane back, but next time out our entire crew will be equipped with a stockpile of Bibles.
6. In a bizarre, irrational reversal of 30 years of U.S. policy toward China, George the Lesser throws his support behind the Taiwanese independence movement in promise to do "whatever it takes" to defend them against China. It's amazing how he can de-stabilize an entire region with one inept comment. What an exercise of power!
7. Hours later, risks whiplash by abandoning new policy and re-instituting the old one-China policy: "Our nation will help Taiwan defend itself. At the same time, we support the one-China policy, and we expect the dispute to be resolved peacefully," he said. His comments were so baffling that even his human mouthpiece, Ari Fleischer, could not defend or decipher his boss' schizophrenic rants: "The President said what he felt about the issue," he sighed (translation: "I don't know what the hell he's talking about either").
8. CIA offers expertise in the international War on Drugs and helps gun down an American plane over Peru in broad daylight, killing a missionary and her child. Ari Fleischer summed up the Administration's position: "The problem is drugs grown in other nations…enter the marketplace of America," he said. Under our new policy of shoot first and let God sort 'em out, soon there will be no threat of anything entering any marketplace, ever again.
9. Alarms friend and foe alike by resuscitating plan for a nuclear defense shield in outer space. In a terrifying show of ideological solidarity, Pat Robertson backs this plan as a safety net in case a rogue nation decides to shoot asteroids and deflect the debris toward U.S. cities. That's good thinking Pat, but a defense shield will be of no use if a rogue nation uses its evil powers to stop the earth from rotating, causing us to fall out of the sky. Perhaps we also need to build ourselves an orbit stabilizer to stay one step ahead of those fanatical, extremist nut cases.
10. Sends message to the world through his ambassadorial nominations that he does not take them seriously. Rather than find qualified candidates to fill positions, he has chosen to reward his friends and campaign contributors with prime positions overseas. In fact, 22 of his first 27 nominees have political or personal connections to Bush, and have absolutely no diplomatic experience whatsoever. The most outrageous example is a major campaign donor who was tapped as the Ambassador to France, but who can't speak a word of French. I'm sure he'll be very effective, Jorge.
Sad, very sad.
In only four short months, our hero has amassed four year's worth of foreign policy lowlights. Here are just ten of them:
1. Personally offends German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder in a meeting just days into his Presidency by cavalierly dismissing world concerns about the environment.
2. In discussion with South Korean President Kim Dae-Jung, accuses North Korea of not abiding by all of their agreements with the U.S. (even though only one exists). He then breaks off talks indefinitely with the North, and single-handedly destroys years of diplomatic progress between the two nations. Relations between the two remain cool.
3. Gives some of his wealthy, Texas campaign contributors a joy ride on a nuclear submarine after his "selection". With a distracted crew, the sub plows into an unsuspecting fishing vessel, resulting in the grisly deaths of a group of Japanese school children.
4. Unilaterally stomps the Kyoto Treaty out of existence, personally standing against the will of 186 countries worldwide and destroying nearly a decade of work for the preservation of the planet. Outrage resonates from every corner of the globe.
5. Apologizes twice in a kneepad-delivered address to the Chinese, after they knocked our plane out of international airspace, stripped it, and "detained" our crew for nearly two weeks. We have yet to get our plane back, but next time out our entire crew will be equipped with a stockpile of Bibles.
6. In a bizarre, irrational reversal of 30 years of U.S. policy toward China, George the Lesser throws his support behind the Taiwanese independence movement in promise to do "whatever it takes" to defend them against China. It's amazing how he can de-stabilize an entire region with one inept comment. What an exercise of power!
7. Hours later, risks whiplash by abandoning new policy and re-instituting the old one-China policy: "Our nation will help Taiwan defend itself. At the same time, we support the one-China policy, and we expect the dispute to be resolved peacefully," he said. His comments were so baffling that even his human mouthpiece, Ari Fleischer, could not defend or decipher his boss' schizophrenic rants: "The President said what he felt about the issue," he sighed (translation: "I don't know what the hell he's talking about either").
8. CIA offers expertise in the international War on Drugs and helps gun down an American plane over Peru in broad daylight, killing a missionary and her child. Ari Fleischer summed up the Administration's position: "The problem is drugs grown in other nations…enter the marketplace of America," he said. Under our new policy of shoot first and let God sort 'em out, soon there will be no threat of anything entering any marketplace, ever again.
9. Alarms friend and foe alike by resuscitating plan for a nuclear defense shield in outer space. In a terrifying show of ideological solidarity, Pat Robertson backs this plan as a safety net in case a rogue nation decides to shoot asteroids and deflect the debris toward U.S. cities. That's good thinking Pat, but a defense shield will be of no use if a rogue nation uses its evil powers to stop the earth from rotating, causing us to fall out of the sky. Perhaps we also need to build ourselves an orbit stabilizer to stay one step ahead of those fanatical, extremist nut cases.
10. Sends message to the world through his ambassadorial nominations that he does not take them seriously. Rather than find qualified candidates to fill positions, he has chosen to reward his friends and campaign contributors with prime positions overseas. In fact, 22 of his first 27 nominees have political or personal connections to Bush, and have absolutely no diplomatic experience whatsoever. The most outrageous example is a major campaign donor who was tapped as the Ambassador to France, but who can't speak a word of French. I'm sure he'll be very effective, Jorge.
Sad, very sad.
Texan
'nuf said
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geeez
When I dissagree with someone, it's in my nature to respectfully debate each point raised. In the case of your post, I searched to find one little thing that was not taken out of context, fabricated, exagerated, or slandered. I couldn't do it.... It only freightens me more that you probably believe what you wrote and someone else might also.
When I dissagree with someone, it's in my nature to respectfully debate each point raised. In the case of your post, I searched to find one little thing that was not taken out of context, fabricated, exagerated, or slandered. I couldn't do it.... It only freightens me more that you probably believe what you wrote and someone else might also.
Closet Desire
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I'd like to point out...
...that nobody has yet been assaulted, stabbed, or otherwise mauled in anything other than a gentle, verbal manner. Maybe that's why this thread had such a surprising number of posts (I was certainly surprised).
Now...about the French. I have to admit that I had all the stereotypes in mind when I first visited Paris. Imagine my shock when I found them to be unfounded. It's true, in tourist central the French are just like Americans who work with tourists, but in the other parts of the city the people were lovely. They were friendly, humorous, hospitable, and tolerant of my less than perfect French.
I've been back several times now, but one memory of my first trip is indelible and earns the top award for rudeness. We were checking out of our hotel when an American church group (Baptists from Idaho) (15-18 years old) arrived and pile into the lobby with their huge suitcases. I finished and was trying to get through the lobby with my family, when one of the girls dropped her camera directly onto my feet as I walked by. Of course it got kicked a few feet since it actually landed on top of my foot. She immediately launched into a filty diatribe against me, thinking I was French because I had been speaking French to the hotel staff and because my wife and daughter are clearly European. Everybody stopped, turned, and stared when I fired back in American English. Suddenly I was human being and it wasn't okay for her to be insulting me. Her chaperone, who had been standing nearby, then took her by her arm and led her away. It was okay when they thought I was French. Interesting don't you think?
We shouldn't forget that many of the values that America espouses have French names for a reason. The Statue of Liberty was gift from France to the fledgling US. I don't think we ever got anything in a bigger box than that. This is where our modern concept of "freedom" and "lassiez-faire" came from and it's still alive and kickin' in France.
Sometimes it's difficult to understand the French (like the Americans), but when you spend time there as a traveller and not a tourist you gain a new found appreciation. They are meticulous about certain things, the food is gorgeous, the prices reasonable, and the people actually warm and friendly. Almost like a Waffle House in Texas.
But I wouldn't tell them that...
[Edited by Closet Desire on 06-04-2001 at 01:00 AM]
...that nobody has yet been assaulted, stabbed, or otherwise mauled in anything other than a gentle, verbal manner. Maybe that's why this thread had such a surprising number of posts (I was certainly surprised).
Now...about the French. I have to admit that I had all the stereotypes in mind when I first visited Paris. Imagine my shock when I found them to be unfounded. It's true, in tourist central the French are just like Americans who work with tourists, but in the other parts of the city the people were lovely. They were friendly, humorous, hospitable, and tolerant of my less than perfect French.
I've been back several times now, but one memory of my first trip is indelible and earns the top award for rudeness. We were checking out of our hotel when an American church group (Baptists from Idaho) (15-18 years old) arrived and pile into the lobby with their huge suitcases. I finished and was trying to get through the lobby with my family, when one of the girls dropped her camera directly onto my feet as I walked by. Of course it got kicked a few feet since it actually landed on top of my foot. She immediately launched into a filty diatribe against me, thinking I was French because I had been speaking French to the hotel staff and because my wife and daughter are clearly European. Everybody stopped, turned, and stared when I fired back in American English. Suddenly I was human being and it wasn't okay for her to be insulting me. Her chaperone, who had been standing nearby, then took her by her arm and led her away. It was okay when they thought I was French. Interesting don't you think?
We shouldn't forget that many of the values that America espouses have French names for a reason. The Statue of Liberty was gift from France to the fledgling US. I don't think we ever got anything in a bigger box than that. This is where our modern concept of "freedom" and "lassiez-faire" came from and it's still alive and kickin' in France.
Sometimes it's difficult to understand the French (like the Americans), but when you spend time there as a traveller and not a tourist you gain a new found appreciation. They are meticulous about certain things, the food is gorgeous, the prices reasonable, and the people actually warm and friendly. Almost like a Waffle House in Texas.
But I wouldn't tell them that...
[Edited by Closet Desire on 06-04-2001 at 01:00 AM]
Andra_Jenny
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Yes, I am the people that were living here before. The English, French, Spanish, Dutch, and Portugese killed us off and displaced us and replaced us with black people. Then the true American patriots liberated us from the likes of you. There are few of us now, but we live in peace. Oh yeah, and lest you forget, we did declare war on the white man and we did try to exterminate him. Quess what? Picked the wrong fucking fight!
Andra_Jenny
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Question?
Why is Switzerland always the example?
And if they are so great and stable,
Why don't you turn your government over to them and then the rest of us can live in peace. I wonder why you never use the English, Frech, and Italians as supreme examples of how great Eurpoe runs things. I may be provincial, but at least I do not purport to tell you how to run a more beautiful world,
Because maybe with Kansans in charge, you guys would stop fucking with the rest of the world. you just cannot get it out of your system. The Hell with america being isolationist, EUROPE SHOULD WITHDRAW FOR A FEW CENTURIES!
Why is Switzerland always the example?
And if they are so great and stable,
Why don't you turn your government over to them and then the rest of us can live in peace. I wonder why you never use the English, Frech, and Italians as supreme examples of how great Eurpoe runs things. I may be provincial, but at least I do not purport to tell you how to run a more beautiful world,
Because maybe with Kansans in charge, you guys would stop fucking with the rest of the world. you just cannot get it out of your system. The Hell with america being isolationist, EUROPE SHOULD WITHDRAW FOR A FEW CENTURIES!
Andra_Jenny
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We have earned the right to be emamored of ourselves!
Problem Child said:
Shucks, I always thought that we had a few more differences than that. We don't have the death penalty, we don't have an NCAA run university system and we, somehow, have managed to send more crappy female pop stars to the world. But those are just some exampples, and I like our socialized medical system but I guess thats just because I occasionally give two shits about someone besides me and mine.
You are right about the fact that most of you guys are alright. Most of you didn't vote for Bush, most of you aren't committed to wiping out a Womans right to choose and most of you don't buy N' Sync albums.
But a lot of you do and thats what bothers the hell out of the rest of the world.
Andra_Jenny said:
So it was Europeans who broke treaties with Sitting Bull? Was it the Swedes who obliterated the Nez Perce? I'm not even sure you're reading what you're writing any more.
People like me? I don't think I was there. Or my ancestors. I'm Irish. We had our own shit to deal with, thank you
I'm not 100% sure you could be any dumber than you showed in your last few sentences. First off "we" declared war? There wasn't one singular nation who could have. Many nations did, no doubt, declare war on the people who were raping and stealing lands that the Natives owned but also many, like the Nez Perce, signed Treaty after treaty hoping that the trecherous fuckers could leave them alone. If you are an Indigenous person you need to read a history book.
Re: Question?
If you were anything but a closeminded bigot you might see that Switzerland wasn't the only example I used. I used many examples.
I don't turn my government over to them because mine does a very nice job, thank you very much. Not perfect but we try. Besides the idea of me turning my government over to anyone is fairly ridiculous. Remember, I'm from the UN recognized #1 country in the world.
What, pray tell, does Europe should withdraw for a few centuries mean? Withdraw from what?
Andra_Jenny said:
If you were anything but a closeminded bigot you might see that Switzerland wasn't the only example I used. I used many examples.
I don't turn my government over to them because mine does a very nice job, thank you very much. Not perfect but we try. Besides the idea of me turning my government over to anyone is fairly ridiculous. Remember, I'm from the UN recognized #1 country in the world.
What, pray tell, does Europe should withdraw for a few centuries mean? Withdraw from what?
Andra_Jenny
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Yes I am dumb!
I know everyone here is smarter than me which is why this is so much fun. Everyone here is smarter and they prove it but rather than win me over to their side with intelligent argument which they should be easily able to do since I am so fucking stoopid! But instead they seek to alienate me. Make me an enemy. Far out! I get to keep at playing Diogenese!
I know everyone here is smarter than me which is why this is so much fun. Everyone here is smarter and they prove it but rather than win me over to their side with intelligent argument which they should be easily able to do since I am so fucking stoopid! But instead they seek to alienate me. Make me an enemy. Far out! I get to keep at playing Diogenese!
Closet Desire
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A.J. dumb?
...I think not.
Everybody has a special skill, a gift. A.J. is an antagonist who can distract you away from the point at hand. You've heard the adage "When you're up to your ass in alligators it's hard to remember that you set out to drain the swamp"?
A.J.'s the alligator...maybe several of them. If AJ can draw you down to name calling and becoming defensive then AJ has won whatever game AJ is playing.
I hate to be terribly juvenile and draw a word of wisdom from a dated movie, but here goes. In War Games (Matthew Broderick...wasn't he a darling?) the computer learns that the only way to win at thermonuclear war is not to play.
With AJ the only way to win is not to play.
(I have something worse that involves teaching a pig to sing, but I'll save that one for some truly global destruction)
...I think not.
Everybody has a special skill, a gift. A.J. is an antagonist who can distract you away from the point at hand. You've heard the adage "When you're up to your ass in alligators it's hard to remember that you set out to drain the swamp"?
A.J.'s the alligator...maybe several of them. If AJ can draw you down to name calling and becoming defensive then AJ has won whatever game AJ is playing.
I hate to be terribly juvenile and draw a word of wisdom from a dated movie, but here goes. In War Games (Matthew Broderick...wasn't he a darling?) the computer learns that the only way to win at thermonuclear war is not to play.
With AJ the only way to win is not to play.
(I have something worse that involves teaching a pig to sing, but I'll save that one for some truly global destruction)
Closet Desire
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say...
...wernt he the fella what kilt a bar by that tree?
(also seen later wearing a t-shirt that said "I kicked Santa Ana's butt at the Alamo?" I understand there was a fire sale on those.)
...wernt he the fella what kilt a bar by that tree?
(also seen later wearing a t-shirt that said "I kicked Santa Ana's butt at the Alamo?" I understand there was a fire sale on those.)
Closet Desire
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or...
...wuz that danel boon? I get my sixties tv mixed up all the time. Maybe Gilligan?
...wuz that danel boon? I get my sixties tv mixed up all the time. Maybe Gilligan?
p_p_man
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Re: say...
He kilt him that bar when he was only three (3) not by a tree..
mind you tree's good, s'pose he could've done it by a tree when he was three.
Nah could'na been he woz born on a mountain to in Tennessee (that should get AJ going!) and they don't have trees on mountain tops (do they?).
Davee, Davee Crocket, King o' the Wild Frontier...
Closet Desire said:
He kilt him that bar when he was only three (3) not by a tree..
mind you tree's good, s'pose he could've done it by a tree when he was three.
Nah could'na been he woz born on a mountain to in Tennessee (that should get AJ going!) and they don't have trees on mountain tops (do they?).
Davee, Davee Crocket, King o' the Wild Frontier...
Closet Desire
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dangnamit...
...now I'm gonna be hummin' Daniel Boone was a man...such a big man...
Aw shit, there I go again...
I always wanted one of them Kentucky flintlock doodads.
...now I'm gonna be hummin' Daniel Boone was a man...such a big man...
Aw shit, there I go again...
I always wanted one of them Kentucky flintlock doodads.
boo woo, my commentary wasn't pithy enough for p_p_man. aww shucks. maybe my blaise, blaise attitude of what the rest of the world thinks of America rubs yah the wrong way, but you know what, there is NO, let me repeat, NO way in hell, that the States are losing allies. Yep, sure is a big line of countries lining up to piss us off, stretches for miles it does. it will always be politically expedient for politicians to rail against the US, but when pushing comes to shoving the line is towed. a combined Europe is less potent, and more importanly, less willful then the States, a fact that the average American citizens shouldn't feel compelled to apoligize for. hell, i for one don't. is American omnipotent? no. is American benign? no. is American perfect? no. But i'll tell you one thing, its doing a whole lot better as hegamon then -- lets see, Egypt, Rome, the Visigoths, the Monguls, the Holy Roman Empire, colonial Europe (including Portugal, especially Spain, England, Belguim (nice job in the Congo), Italia, and Dutch), and more recently Empirial England or Japan, Nazi Germany, or the USSR.
In a world of Good and Evil, is America a paragon of good? hardly, but in a world of good and bad, ill take the States thank you very much.
In a world of Good and Evil, is America a paragon of good? hardly, but in a world of good and bad, ill take the States thank you very much.
WriterDom
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Would you not say that the majority of Europe is perhaps even <<< left of the democratic party? I don't think they were fond of Ronnie either. All the concern is nothing more than another angle for liberal demons to claw at Bush's image.
G
Guest
Guest
Re: geeez
I'd hate to see you frightened. Show me where I'm factually wrong and I'll retract that portion.
Texan said:
I'd hate to see you frightened. Show me where I'm factually wrong and I'll retract that portion.
G
Guest
Guest
WriterDom said:
Forget the world, the U.S. of A. is left of Bush. When you get to a point where you are far to the right of everyone else on the planet, it's time to admit that perhaps you aren't a moderate and don't represent the interest of moderates.
Closet Desire
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I...
...really enjoyed that...helped get the Daniel Boone song out of my head...just kidding.
I grew up in America thinking the same way that lots of people do and didn't really start to learn different until I served in the Navy and travelled around Europe. Europe is anything but impotent both economically and militarily. Because many different nations have started to work together toward common goals they are achieving milestones in rapid succession. Transportation systems are becoming faster and more efficient (the French TVG can transport you faster that the air system in the US and I can fly from London to Madrid for less than it costs from Dallas to Houston), communications systems are actually beginning to lead the US in a number of areas like mobile phones (the most successful mobile phone companies are now European), heck they even have digital hi-res TV already (on which to watch reruns of Friends). Europe most definitely isn't third world.
Love to say more but gotta go...
...really enjoyed that...helped get the Daniel Boone song out of my head...just kidding.
I grew up in America thinking the same way that lots of people do and didn't really start to learn different until I served in the Navy and travelled around Europe. Europe is anything but impotent both economically and militarily. Because many different nations have started to work together toward common goals they are achieving milestones in rapid succession. Transportation systems are becoming faster and more efficient (the French TVG can transport you faster that the air system in the US and I can fly from London to Madrid for less than it costs from Dallas to Houston), communications systems are actually beginning to lead the US in a number of areas like mobile phones (the most successful mobile phone companies are now European), heck they even have digital hi-res TV already (on which to watch reruns of Friends). Europe most definitely isn't third world.
Love to say more but gotta go...
G
Guest
Guest
Andra_Jenny said:
What are you talking about? I really hope you're joking.
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