NationStates Jolt Archive

Perhaps this fits in with Zep's thread "The View from outside.... "? I think as time goes by, more and more of these "views from outside" will come to light or expressed. I do fully realize that many Americans could care less but if you are trying to promote worldwide "democracy", then perhaps they should care and better understand the world around their country?

From the article:

http://entertainment.sympatico.msn.ca/Home/ContentPosting.aspx?contentid=29b431b59448429ba451b38b8995eece&show=False&number=0&showbyline=False&subtitle=&abc=abc

LONDON (Reuters) - For children's fantasy writer Philip Pullman, George W. Bush would make a perfect villain in his epic sagas of good and evil.

"He would fit right in," said the British author of the trilogy "His Dark Materials" which now looks set to follow in the cinematic footsteps of Harry Potter and The Lord of The Rings as the next blockbuster franchise.

"Bush has this baying certainty and has imposed this fervent zealotry," said Pullman whose books have been condemned by church groups for attacking organized religion.

"The Christian right in America is the mirror image of the Islamic fundamentalists," he added.

And in regards to the "coalition of the willing", it appears that another country (Hungary) is pulling out soon:

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20041103/hungary_iraq041103/topstories?s_name=&no_ads=

Hungary to withdraw troops from Iraq

Hungary will withdraw its 300 non-combat troops from Iraq by March 31, the country's new prime minister said Wednesday, contending that staying longer would be an "impossibility."

"We are obliged to stay there until the (Iraqi) elections. To stay longer is an impossibility," Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany said at a ceremony to mark the end of mandatory military service in Hungary.

The Iraqi elections are due to be held by Jan. 31.

The former communist country, which joined the European Union in May, sent the troops as part of the U.S.-led coalition, but the government has been under mounting pressure from citizens and opposition parties who oppose the soldiers' presence.

Recent polls show that about 60 percent of Hungarians wanted the government to withdraw the country's troops from Iraq immediately.

This reminds me of something former New York mayor Guiliani said recently. Someone asked him if George Bush and the US had to work harder to understand and work with other countries. His response was yes, but other countries need to do the same with Bush. This comment:

"Bush...has imposed this fervent zealotry,"

shows how much Guiliani was correct ;)

This reminds me of something former New York mayor Guiliani said recently. Someone asked him if George Bush and the US had to work harder to understand and work with other countries. His response was yes, but other countries need to do the same with Bush. This comment:



shows how much Guiliani was correct ;)
Perhaps it is more difficult to buy into that statement by Guiliani when Bush makes statements such as:

"Every nation and every region now has a decision to make," Bush said. "Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists."

The all or nothing solution only causes problems especially when dealing with the rest of the world that have divergent backgrounds and cultures?

Perhaps it is more difficult to buy into that statement by Guiliani when Bush makes statements such as:

"Every nation and every region now has a decision to make," Bush said. "Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists."

The all or nothing solution only causes problems especially when dealing with the rest of the world that have divergent backgrounds and cultures?

That statement was very appropriate and I'll tell you why. Regimes like the Saudi royal family and the Taliban were trying to have it both ways.

The Taliban had been stringing Clinton along for at least a year. Now it's impossible to say whether or not getting to UBL during the Clinton years would have prevented 9/11 (I'd say it wouldn't) but noone really knows. It certainly would have taken the wind out of their sails if the Big Three (UBL, Zawariri (sp), and another lieutenant that we eventually killed in Afghanistan) had been captured/killed prior to that.

As for the Saudis, the official religion is the Wahhabi (sp) branch of Islam, which has been accused of exporting terrorism across the world. In effect, while being an "ally", the Saudis have been supporting terrorism. They themselves finally came under attack by the same extremists so they finally started cracking down, but I've heard some analysts say it's just a matter of time before they get overthrown. Had they heeded Bush's words in 2001, would they be in the situation they are in now?

That statement was very appropriate and I'll tell you why. Regimes like the Saudi royal family and the Taliban were trying to have it both ways.

The Taliban had been stringing Clinton along for at least a year. Now it's impossible to say whether or not getting to UBL during the Clinton years would have prevented 9/11 (I'd say it wouldn't) but noone really knows. It certainly would have taken the wind out of their sails if the Big Three (UBL, Zawariri (sp), and another lieutenant that we eventually killed in Afghanistan) had been captured/killed prior to that.

As for the Saudis, the official religion is the Wahhabi (sp) branch of Islam, which has been accused of exporting terrorism across the world. In effect, while being an "ally", the Saudis have been supporting terrorism. They themselves finally came under attack by the same extremists so they finally started cracking down, but I've heard some analysts say it's just a matter of time before they get overthrown. Had they heeded Bush's words in 2001, would they be in the situation they are in now?
That may very well be the case with Saudi, but the situation with Iraq is a whole new ball game?

Many traditional American allies could not accept an invasion of Iraq as long as UN weapons inspectors were doing their job. Bush's impatience led to a boycott by some of those allies for any Iraqi operation.

As it turns out, those allies made the correct decision to keep their forces at home. The fact that the US is building numerous bases in Iraq and that the Iraqi economy has been hijacked by Bremer's Orders doesn't sit well either.

Iraq is now a festering quagmire and it appears to be getting worse not better. So as long as you have a leader that throws diplomacy by the wayside, then the world will wait in cautious apprehension for the next move by your my way or the highway guy.

That may very well be the case with Saudi, but the situation with Iraq is a whole new ball game?

Many traditional American allies could not accept an invasion of Iraq as long as UN weapons inspectors were doing their job. Bush's impatience led to a boycott by some of those allies for any Iraqi operation.


You're missing the point. His statement had to do with states that were trying to find some middle ground, but as demonstrated by Afghan War (and as was supposed by the US/British Intel, by the Iraq War) anyone who harbors and supports terrorist organizations with a worldwide range will be treated as if they are the terrorists themselves.