Originally posted by mad scientist
Hell no. It's a natural side effect of being the best . Although I do think Australia's standard of living is better.

Also Norway, Sweden, Canada, Netherlands, Belgium and Iceland.

But it gets so cold in those countries why cant a tropical country have the best standard of living

Originally posted by ShadowXIX
But it gets so cold in those countries why cant a tropical country have the best standard of living

Here Here. Why freeze your cojones off when you could sit by the pool with a mai tai?

Originally posted by ShadowXIX
But it gets so cold in those countries why cant a tropical country have the best standard of living

There is Northern Australia - the great barrier reef etc. Hey if your American you should come for a visit. Your dollar goes a long way here.

Russia and the US are allies, I doubt it would happen. MAD anyone? China watch out, we will flash fry all that rice so fast it will give new meaning to the word fast food.

Originally posted by ShadowXIX

Originally posted by Otts
The interesting thing is, if the result of any agression against the United States was to trigger a nuclear war - a rather horrendous prospect - then it means logically that United States can pretty well do what it pleases with the planet. No one will step in to complain, because 1) it would trigger mutually assured destruction and 2) countries are growing too afraid of the United States to object. The only ones that really dared - France, for example - paid the price.

Russia had the same power and most likely still has more then enough to destroy the world. Russia was rumored to have a program called Dead Hand which could launch its nuclear weapons even if they were killed in a first strike. So the nukes would launch themselves even without orders from any humans.

The whole first strike thing was never really a option for either side there was only MAD

Yes it had a doomsday missle system in which, in the event all Soviet commanders were dead a computer system would take over and launch one missle. That missle would direct all others to launch simultaneously. The initial missle had a recording on it: God created the world in seven days, man can destroy it in one hour.

[edit on 27-8-2004 by TACHYON]

Originally posted by Samiralfey
With this global police matter and destabilazing, interfering and invading sovereign countries, should the World step in and pre-emptive US of A before US starts nuking countries on it's path to 'democratize' the world. A strike against the CTG's and perhaps a nuclear strike to major US cities to demoralize the people and army?

Would these pre-empts be justified since US is a major contributor to world terrorism and also constantly seeking new ways to develop WMD's?

Comment: What you say illustrates the folly of preemption, the current outwardly robust National Security doctrine of the United States. Since when do we talk loudly and carry a larger stick? Theodore Roosevelt was right.

What other Presidents simply did, with a convenient Hegelian Northwoods project, our current White House simply states as a product of mind. "We go to war when we feel like it." This may remove the sheer hypocisy of the matter, but as you suggest, top down dangers from others would copycat us too easily when using the same premise and presumption.

Such articulated public policies ignore secrecy essential to the affairs of state, and subject us to unnecessary dangers. It would be very sad to realize too late the implications and entanglements of this complete shift in policies as the wayward course into futures.

[edit on 27-8-2004 by SkipShipman]

Originally posted by mad scientist
There is Northern Australia - the great barrier reef etc. Hey if your American you should come for a visit. Your dollar goes a long way here.

Sure, come for a visit. But if your demeanour while visiting is anything like you display on these boards, my advice is to keep your mouth shut.

Sure, we may be friends with the US, but we don't suffer fools easily.

Originally posted by cargo
Sure, come for a visit. But if your demeanour while visiting is anything like you display on these boards, my advice is to keep your mouth shut.
Sure, we may be friends with the US, but we don't suffer fools easily.

Geeeze, take er easy. Did you get a bad load of Vegimite? Seriously though, most people will not act the same way as tehy do ont he boards. Its easy to flame away in cyberspace, but in person is a different matter. That being said, Australia is a killer place to visit and my wife and I hope to go back sometime soon.

BTW, what is the deal with Vegimite?

Originally posted by phyto
sry, but pre-emptive? as in...?

oh, btw, nah, usa ain't gonna start takin over the world or some other sh**t, i believe

So wahts this globalization drive with GATT and NAFTA etc then?

I get sorta ticked off when I see posts like this. But, then I realize that I'm on an international conspiracy website, and it pulls me back to reality...lol

Seriously, given the current state of international affairs, The U.S. can do nothing right in the eyes of the world, and will be criticized regardless. In a day where american athletes are advised not wave flags at the olympics, Michael Moorer is considered cool(E-ghad!), and the President of the United States is considered the most evil man on the planet, I start looking for plane tickets to the most remote places on earth to sit this all out.

I wonder if we should just go totally isolationist, lock up the borders, cut back trade, and say to hell with the rest of the world. I mean, if we are the cause of most of the world's problems, shouldn't we? I mean totally isloationist. Force multinationals out of the country, pull all our troops AND companies back inside our borders(Let you guys mess with Linux, we'll keep Microsoft and Apple), block foreign trade in and out of the U.S., and block tourism and immigration. Put up the walls at the borders. Drop foreign aid(I bet we could balance the budget just with that). Put up missle defence, and sit on the wall like that French guy in Monty Python. If any country can truly become self sufficient, it is the U.S.

Sure, It'd drastically reduce our standard of living in the U.S., and put the world into depression, but the world really hates our interference, so We'd be doing what the world wants us to do.

I bet someone could run on this platform and win...

Originally posted by soulforge
I get sorta ticked off when I see posts like this. But, then I realize that I'm on an international conspiracy website, and it pulls me back to reality...lol

Seriously, given the current state of international affairs, The U.S. can do nothing right in the eyes of the world, and will be criticized regardless. In a day where american athletes are advised not wave flags at the olympics, Michael Moorer is considered cool(E-ghad!), and the President of the United States is considered the most evil man on the planet, I start looking for plane tickets to the most remote places on earth to sit this all out.

I wonder if we should just go totally isolationist, lock up the borders, cut back trade, and say to hell with the rest of the world. I mean, if we are the cause of most of the world's problems, shouldn't we? I mean totally isloationist. Force multinationals out of the country, pull all our troops AND companies back inside our borders(Let you guys mess with Linux, we'll keep Microsoft and Apple), block foreign trade in and out of the U.S., and block tourism and immigration. Put up the walls at the borders. Drop foreign aid(I bet we could balance the budget just with that). Put up missle defence, and sit on the wall like that French guy in Monty Python. If any country can truly become self sufficient, it is the U.S.

Sure, It'd drastically reduce our standard of living in the U.S., and put the world into depression, but the world really hates our interference, so We'd be doing what the world wants us to do.

I bet someone could run on this platform and win...

well, bush did run on a semi-isolatonist platform and "won"... then decided war was much more profitable. the thing is, america may have a lot of natural resources, but our economy would go down the drain if we did this. foreign countries own about 40-50% of our public debt.

-koji K.

Yes, the world owns a large protion of out debt, but, that doesn't mean we have to pay it. What would they do to an isolationist country to make us pay it back, short of military conflict?

We'll forgive third world debt, and not repay first world debt. Only Euope and asia will suffer. I'd make that deal. Sort of a new U.S./third world Millenium Jubilee.

[edit on 8/27/2004 by soulforge]

Originally posted by soulforge
Yes, the world owns a large protion of out debt, but, that doesn't mean we have to pay it. What would they do to an isolationist country to make us pay it back, short of military conflict?

We'll forgive third world debt, and not repay first world debt. Only Euope and asia will suffer. I'd make that deal. Sort of a new U.S./third world Millenium Jubilee.

[edit on 8/27/2004 by soulforge]

it's not what they'd do (although military conflict is certainly a possibility, and one problem with being completely isolationist). it's what WE'D do. we depend on foreign loans to support our economy. federal revenues would be almost halved if we weren't able to borrow from the rest of the world.

-koji K.

I get sorta ticked off when I see posts like this. But, then I realize that I'm on an international conspiracy website, and it pulls me back to reality...lol

I don't see why you don't want to admit that US is the most harmful of all nations. Sure France ain't that innocent, but since the entire world is run by US (by your claims), isn't then the US responsible for the world's problems?

The examples are countless, really. The US

1) puts taxes on imported steal
2) puts taxes on imported agricultural products; let the poor countries die!
3) won't sign the Kyoto deal
4) buys pollution percentage from smaller countries
5) produces more than 50% of the world's weapons
6) consumes more than 25% of the world's oil
7) caused all major war activities in the last 30 years (vietnam, cyprus, iran-iraq, gulf war, bosnia, kosovo, iraq) and many others either directly or indirectly
8) supports most dictatorships (pinoset, contras, saddam, indonesia, musaraf, greece 67-74, etc) and corrupted governments (saudi arabia, etc)
9) 5% of its population has 90% of the world's wealth
10) one of the few countries that won't accept the international court of Justice in Hage
11) is the only country to have dropped an atomic weapon in war
12) has more than 36 poor people (living under the minimum wage)
13) has the highest percentage of urban killings and rapes
14) has the largest amount of citizens with debts
15) has the highest number of citizens in jails relative to its population
16) has one of the highest percentages in school drop outs
17) has one of the lowest standards of education
18) has one of the largest differences in capital per head amongst the world
19) has armies in more than 120 countries worldwide
20) is one of the few countries that has a law that allows the government to put in jail one person without any accusation
21) has Guantanamo; violates global signed policies on human rights
22) demands 1 milion as deposit in order to participate in the elections
23) has the highest number of TV channels
24) has the highest number of school killings
25) the only country to have the privilege of kids passing through gun/metal detectors in schools

Really, what's so great about your country? that you can work at McDonald's for 1 dollar per hour? that you can buy a car, a stereo, a TV and a computer? that your kids go to school? Well, guess what: all these things are available in most countries, more or less. Tell me one thing that you can do in your country and I can't do in any other country.

Most of your scientists are foreigners; most of your athletes are blacks; most of your workers are blacks and Mexicans; most of your service men are blacks;etc etc

Originally posted by TACHYON

Yes it had a doomsday missle system in which, in the event all Soviet commanders were dead a computer system would take over and launch one missle. That missle would direct all others to launch simultaneously. The initial missle had a recording on it: God created the world in seven days, man can destroy it in one hour.

The system is real. It does indeed launch a few missiles that carry transmitters instead of warheads. This is considered the only reliable way to deliver a message when the communications are completely down and radio doesn't work over large distance because of high radiation levels and the attendant ionization of the atmosphere.

When such missile flies directly over the actual silos, it broadcasts the launch sequence key. The rest is "history".

I can't imagine what it feels like to hate like this...

Ok, ok...The US sucks... We are evil... We are big headed... We cause most of the world's problems...we own most of the world's wealth...We abuse, hate, rape, kill, pillage, and take...

But...sit down, shut up, and take it...or do something about it...

Don't just complain and rant...Yeah, terrorists are bad, but at least they do something about what they believe in...Too many in the world complain about problems in the world to make themselves feel better. Then, they drive home from work, in their car, to their home, and eat dinner. Passing the church, homeless shelter, and begger on their way...Not stopping and helping all the while...

It's not about what you say...it's about what you do...

[edit on 8/27/2004 by soulforge]

Soul,

You do have something there. We dont like it, but we put up with it.
Why do we put up with?

Originally posted by masterp

I don't see why you don't want to admit that US is the most harmful of all nations. Sure France ain't that innocent, but since the entire world is run by US (by your claims), isn't then the US responsible for the world's problems?

etc, etc, etc

Sounds like a party to me!!!!

Seriously, I love posts like this! As if the US is acting any different than the other nations in the world! Give me a break. Where are you from masterp, lets take a look at the things your country has done over the years. Or are you one of those mea culpa US citizens? Whichever, The majority of your points could just as easily be said about any nation of your choice at some point in time.

Humans will be humans, no matter where they live. I don't see this changing anytime soon.

Masterp's list has more disinfo, European styled anti-US propaganda, half truth's, misleading stastics, and out-right lies then anything I've read in a very long time. I wouldn't even know where to begin. Wow. This propaganda stuff goes both ways, and some of the garbage that people believe about the US is friggin out there.