Picture of the Day - "Progress" in Iraq / Update

Absolutely, especially when it comes to foreign policy. And I have repeatedly stated this in my previous posts, but some people choose to have a different opinion and to think that if Kerry is elected president, the US will change into a big fuzzy teddy bear in international relations. As you said, the differences are mainly cosmetic.

If anything, the parties differ most in internal affairs, with the democratic party leaning towards big-government, higher taxes, and affirmative action, while the republican party adopts a more purely capitalistic philosophy according to which low taxes and a smaller government encourage development of small businesses, while success is based on individual merit rather than belonging to a certain race.

The "big fish" control and dictate Hollywood's behavior, regardless of whether they're actors or producers. The bag is mixed, for instance, Spielberg, Larry David, Katzenberg, Geffen, Tom Hanks, Streisand, Baldwin, etc....as you can see, it's made up of both actors and producers or studio owners. But if you're a regular actor and you disagree with Spielberg and criticize the democratic party or openly state you are a republican, your chances of getting a job in Hollywood drop to zero. There are only a few big, big actors and directors who have the luxury to criticize someone like Spielberg and still get roles: De Niro, Al Pacino, Scorsese...
The rest just go along with the flow and assume what's expected of them: to adopt the same liberal views of the guys who control the studios.

This post has been edited by mabadesc on October 01, 2004 02:55 am

Thanks for the info over the draft situation. The European press don't gives a shit about it so my (admittedly limited info) came from what I could snatch in the US press ;-)

My comments however were not hinting at which side, Reublican or Democrats pushed for it or not. Fact is that, if the military enveloppe becomes stretched, (as military adventurism could dictate), then the probability of the draft will increase. The simple fact that the issue is being discussed at all is indicative of troubles ahead.

You're welcome, and I thank you for reading it and not dismissing it.

Yes, you are theoretically correct....it is possible that the draft will return in the future if things go really bad, although currently it is a minuscule possibility.

God forbid, if there are other conflicts the US becomes involved in, you never know. But the wide consensus is that the White House and Congress, as well as the military leadership do not want a draftee army. They prefer a professional army from all points of view.

I understand that. It's also remarkable how fast western European armies shifted from a draftee basis to professional armies as soon as the Warsaw Pact threat vanished. Until then only the British had this long tradition of a professional army.

A professional army can be dangerous if you don't have a deeply ingrained democratic tradition in your country. Even so I feel always a bit uneasy : if push comes to shove, will the soldier obey the constitution .. or the boss who put the money on his bank account ? I have nagging doubts at times. Only the British can sleep quietly on that

looks like a conspiracy to me!!!!!!!!!!

should we be afraid?

It's not a conspiracy, it just illustrates the strength and importance of the jewish lobby in US politics. Also, it underlines the fact that Republicans have been generally less influenced by this lobby and less generous to Israel than Democrats have been.

It's not a conspiracy, it just illustrates the strength and importance of the jewish lobby in US politics. Also, it underlines the fact that Republicans have been generally less influenced by this lobby and less generous to Israel than Democrats have been.

I'm not sure we see the difference so clearly, Mabadesc. For a foreign observator it seems all US governements behaved with remarkable consistency regarding Israeli policies, must be indeed a tribute to the Jewish Lobby. But, no matter how harmfull to the collective body, lobbies are tolerated in democratic processes. I'm sure you could list tens of other lobbies in the US, some far more powerfull than the Jewish lobby yet you rarely hear anything about them (except when a president gets assassinated). Again this sick fixation on "the Jews" , "the worldwide conspiration", bla bla. Give me a break.

Check the following...

http://kevxml2adsl.verizon.net/_1_27EPTO10...=&feed=ap&top=1

...while is still there.

What are you all talking about the US, Britain and Romania should all be supporting Israel no matter what; they are our allies! How can you fight a world wide war on terrorist; and even think of not supporting your own allys, which by way are being terrorized every day. Sorry if come off a little harsh its just how I feel.

Thank You

Well, Stephen. I would never give support to allies "no matter what ". If the allies in question start indulging in policies close to state terrorism, ethnic cleaning or whatever despicable behaviour that I don't agree with, I'm no going to support them unconditionally.

This post has been edited by Chandernagore on October 16, 2004 02:46 pm

Well, Stephen. I would never give support to allies "no matter what ". If the allies in question start indulging in policies close to state terrorism, ethnic cleaning or whatever despicable behaviour that I don't agree with, I'm no going to support them inconditionally.

Are saying that Israel is doing these horriable things? As far as I know it is the Arabs who would like to erase Israel from existence! If Israel were that why they clense all of So-called Palestine, and even if all the arab nations try to help they would be defeated. Israel is that strong we need allys like that; futhermore what good are the arabs as allies, sense they would only hold oil from us. They would never dare touch Israel if the US, Russia and the EU made clear that no matter what they said or did, Israel had their 100% backing. They would be forced to exept Israel's existence and lasting peace could finally be in the middle east.
Those encourge the Arabs are therefore partly to blame for the volence!

Thank You

Strictly considering his last post, I have the same ideas like Chandernagore.

By the way, Stephen... The United States is the only country which support Israel, no matter what... And the result? International political isolation of America. Even United Kingdom, our closest ally, condemned the last actions of Israel.

Our founding fathers, when they waged a 8 years war against Great Britain, never dreamed that 200 years later we will become a colonial puppet of another country.

So, in my opinion, what should be done? Just do not let ourselves involved in that mess. Both the Jews in Israel and the Muslims have fanatics, both have enough members thinking that they are the chosen religion to rule the Earth, and both have enough followers wishing to see the other side wiped out. They want to fight each other to death? Good for them! (Of course, the serious answer is bad for them!).
But it would be useful for the political leaders to learn an old Romanian proverb: "Cine se amesteca in tarate il mananca porcii." (Who get himself surrounded by husk, will get himself eaten by pigs.")

Thank you for reading it.

This post has been edited by Florin on October 16, 2004 02:08 pm

Wow. Rule Barbaria ! No matter what.

We're quite lucky as western Europeans the Roosevelt didn't think one second about allying with nazi Germany in 41. Imagine that. He could have made it clear to Europeans that we should better accept German racial domination or we would be held responsible of the resulting violence,

This post has been edited by Chandernagore on October 16, 2004 02:57 pm

Chandernagore
I respect what you are trying to say, however how can you compare Israel to Nazi Germany? What I was trying to say is that Israel is potentialy a good choice of an ally, because they have a lot to offer in military expertise, advanced technology and a strong economy. Nazi Germany sought to control the entire earth, Israel simply is fighting for its right to exist. How would you react if you were surrounded by enemys and were by subjected to daily terrorist attacks! If you wanted to surive at all you would have to be rather tough, would you not? Finally wouldn't Romania who has repeated screwed by its allys whenever it suited them, should realize the value of finding allys who can trusted.

I am sorry if what I am saying angers anyone, that is not my intention. I am simply trying to the strongest case that I can.

Thank You

This post has been edited by Stephen on October 16, 2004 06:54 pm

Yes! Things are yet again a bit active here!

First of all, let's consider this:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3749862.stm

Mr Bush also announced that he had signed into law a bill by which the US the state department would rate countries annually on the way they treated Jews.

"We will make sure that the ancient impulse of anti-Semitism never finds a home in the modern world," he said.



Now, it might just be me, but this doesn't sound like an anti-Semitism measure (I don't know any country in the world that has inscribed in its laws measures against jews) but more like an anti-Israel policy (how states view a foreign state, made up by Jews). And while I agree that anti-Semitism is wrong, I cannot agree to support a terrorist state like Israel, which is in no way the heir of the people who died in Auschwitz.

The state of Israel was not founded from necessity, it didn't just fight for its right to exist. No state has a divine right to existence just because we say so, and the Israeli settlers knew that while providing example for the later terrorists in the late 40s. Because when you have such a history of violence against Great Britain, palestinians, egyptians, syrians, arabs, you hardly can claim that your purpose is fighting counter-terrorism.

Now this "terrorist" threat we've been hearing about from september 11 is nothing new. All sorts of terrorists plagued the world before and all sorts of terrorists will plague the world after. They are from the same material as the early jewish settlers and they all want the same thing: an independent state (which, of course, has the right to exist). But after their independence, most states denounce terrorism and begin a "peaceful" existence under the same sky. Israel couldn't do that, and all its troubles are well deserved. What? Arab organizations declared the Jihad against the americans? Well, Israel did it against the arab states in more than one occasion. What? The World Trade Center got trashed and thousands of people died? Turn on the TV and see what is happening in Israel on a daily basis. Not Iraq is the problem, but Israel and the policy against palestinians.

What is the difference between Israel and Milosevici's Serbia? Serbia was certainly more humane...

Finally, I want to answer to a question:

If you wanted to survive at all you would have to be rather tough, would you not?

Using its own logic (As Israel does it), Nazi Germany did just that....