NationStates Jolt Archive

Look what the US govt did:

I hoope this works now! (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4305287.stm)

f the Soviet Union had been responsible for this you'd hear about it on a daily basis. And it would be pointed at as a logical consequence of Communism/Socialism wouldn't it?

This is it:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4305287.stm

First of all, the link doesn't work.

Second, most people talking about communism and socialism don't know anything about it. This includes most Americans. (Americans, did you know that Cuba got a better and more efficient health care system than the USA or Canada?)

Most people saying that something originates from communism or socialism are among this group of people.

Third, I suspect besides me there are very few people who acctually read Marx' books. This includes most people who call themselves communists or socialists.

Fourth, I am very well aware of most things happening in the world in the name of "democracy", "freedom", "free market" and "globalization". They include horrible things happening in countries most people wouldn't find on a map, especially if said countries are in Africa, to be more precise, south of the Sahara.

Look what the US govt did:

Click here! (http://http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4305287.stm)

f the Soviet Union had been responsible for this you'd hear about it on a daily basis. And it would be pointed at as a logical consequence of Communism/Socialism wouldn't it?
You know what's rather funny?
That link takes me to www.microsoft.com

First of all, the link doesn't work.

Second, most people talking about communism and socialism don't know anything about it. This includes most Americans. (Americans, did you know that Cuba got a better and more efficient health care system than the USA or Canada?)

Most people saying that something originates from communism or socialism are among this group of people.

Third, I suspect besides me there are very few people who acctually read Marx' books. This includes most people who call themselves communists or socialists.

Fourth, I am very well aware of most things happening in the world in the name of "democracy", "freedom", "free market" and "globalization". They include horrible things happening in countries most people wouldn't find on a map, especially if said countries are in Africa, to be more precise, south of the Sahara.

Yeah will have to agree with this statement. Couldnt say it better than that. BTW Where are you from?

It works now.

Where are you from?

From the tiny, boring village of Amsoldingen, which is in the Kanton of Bern, which is in Switzerland, which lies on the continent of Europe, which can be found on the planet referred to as "Earth", the third planet counting from the sun, which is in the solar system, which circles the milky-way-galaxy in one of the outer arms, which lies itself in the local group which lies in our universe. I do not know how universes are classified, so I can give you no further information on this :D

About those chemical weapons:

The USA also gave chemical weapons to Saddam Hussein, which he successfully used against Iranian troops during the Iraq-Iran-War in the 80ies. Interesting, no one in the world said anything then. I wonder why... :rolleyes:

Shows again how hypocritical the western powers are.

From the tiny, boring village of Amsoldingen, which is in the Kanton of Bern, which is in Switzerland, which lies on the continent of Europe, which can be found on the planet referred to as "Earth", the third planet counting from the sun, which is in the solar system, which circles the milky-way-galaxy in one of the outer arms, which lies itself in the local group which lies in our universe. I do not know how universes are classified, so I can give you no further information on this :D

About those chemical weapons:

The USA also gave chemical weapons to Saddam Hussein, which he successfully used against Iranian troops during the Iraq-Iran-War in the 80ies. Interesting, no one in the world said anything then. I wonder why... :rolleyes:

Shows again how hypocritical the western powers are.

Absolutely westren powers are hypocritical. But in all honesty all powers are hypocritical at some point. But as far as the Chem weapons are concerned. Iraq was just fighting a proxy war for the US against Iran. The US gave him sat imagery and tactical advice. It wasnt until he went out on his own adventure did the world community get so upset. If the shaw would have never been overthrown in '79. The Iran/Iraq war would have never happened. The whole middle east would be different today. Funny how the whole world only hinges on a few key events at times.

Second, most people talking about communism and socialism don't know anything about it. This includes most Americans. (Americans, did you know that Cuba got a better and more efficient health care system than the USA or Canada?)
Based on what?

Country Life Expectancy (M/F) Infant Mortality

Canada 76.59 / 83.5 4.82

Cuba 74.77 / 79.44 6.45

Even using Cuba's government statistics - which may or may not be totally true.

http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/cu.html
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ca.html

Look what the US govt did:

I hoope this works now! (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4305287.stm)

f the Soviet Union had been responsible for this you'd hear about it on a daily basis. And it would be pointed at as a logical consequence of Communism/Socialism wouldn't it?

This is it:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4305287.stm

After reading the link. This was a bad thing that happened. I honestly dont think this was intended to do what it did. It affected US troops and kids also. But your other point about the Soviet Union. When was the last time you heard about Chernobyl?

Based on what?

Country Life Expectancy (M/F) Infant Mortality

Canada 76.59 / 83.5 4.82

Cuba 74.77 / 79.44 6.45

USA 74.63 / 80.36 6.63


The figures also however show Cuba having a higher male life expectancy and lower infant mortality rate than the USA which is a remarkable figure when compared with other Latin American countries and considering the US blockade which has been inflicted on the people of Cuba for the last 45 years. Cuba provides a very high quality health service for all people which although not as good as that in Canada is certainly better than the medical care the poor get in the USA and is far superior to the health services of any other country in Latin America. Cuba has also sent thousands of doctors around the world including in Venezuala where public services have long suffered from underfunding due to failed free market policies which were in place before Hugo Chavez became president several years ago.

far superior to the health services of any other country in Latin America.
Definition of far superior? Even using questionable figures from the government, Cuba's life expectancy isn't that far above some other countries in Latin America, such as Costa Rica or Chile. Perhaps if there was a report from a Human Rights organization, your claim would be easier to verify. Too bad Castro has some reason for keeping groups like Amnesty International out - perhaps because Cuba's more like North Korea than Canada.

Can we get back on topic.

Why is it that the chemical companies had to pay compensation to the American trops and not the government? Can anyone answer that?

It may well be, as Marrakech II said:
This was a bad thing that happened. I honestly dont think this was intended to do what it did.
but the absence of intent does not remove the responsability. I am fairly sure that these one million people that the group representing them claims to be affected by it today, did not intend to be affected either. The responsability for this surely lies with the US military, in their use of the chemical, not with the firms that manufactured the chemical according to the US military's needs.

About the only way Cuban healthcare is better than American is based on cost per capita (but then again, our GDP per capita difference more than offsets that cost difference).

Some of the good health of the Cuban nation is, paradoxically, the product of adversity. Food is rationed and meat is scarce, so much of the diet is fruit and vegetables. Because there is relatively little public or private transport, most people walk or cycle everywhere.

Suppose you come down with one of the big killer illnesses like cancer. Where do you want to be — London or New York? In Lincoln, Nebraska or Lincoln, Lincolnshire? Forget the money — we will come back to that — where do you have the best chance of staying alive?

The answer is clear. If you are a woman with breast cancer in Britain, you have (or at least a few years ago you had, since all medical statistics are a few years old) a 46 per cent chance of dying from it. In America, your chances of dying are far lower — only 25 per cent. Britain has one of the worst survival rates in the advanced world and America has the best.

If you are a man and you are diagnosed as having cancer of the prostate in Britain, you are more likely to die of it than not. You have a 57 per cent chance of departing this life. But in America you are likely to live. Your chances of dying from the disease are only 19 per cent. Once again, Britain is at the bottom of the class and America at the top.

How about colon cancer? In Britain, 40 per cent survive for five years after diagnosis. In America, 60 per cent do. With cancer of the oesophagus, survival rates are low all round the world. In Britain, a mere 7 per cent of patients live for five years after diagnosis. In America, the survival rate is still low, but much better at 12 per cent.

The more one looks at the figures for survival, the more obvious it is that if you have a medical problem your chances are dramatically better in America than in Britain. That is why those who are rich enough often go to America, leaving behind even private British healthcare.

If I can find statistics for Cuba on those ailments I'll post up thier survival rate... though as noted in that article MANY times American healthcare is first rate in the world when it comes to disease survival rates.

Further, many 'survival' rates are severely tainted. Take this for example, say you have a 7 year old daughter. She was born with Congenital Nephrotic Syndrome of the Finnish type (CNF.) Her chances of survival are about a 1 in 3 million shot here in the U.S. The published rate is about a 1 in 9000 chance in Finland. Do you know how Finland treats it with their government healthcare system? First, you have a mandatory amniocentesis. Then, if CNF is diagnosed, you get an abortion. Thank you very much, you can keep your government healthcare. I’m going to go home and play with my daughter.

Cuba's infant mortality rate is another example, almost all babies with marginal chances of survival are aborted, while in the U.S. there are often heroic medical efforts to save premature babies or those with low chance of survival. Cuba's abortion rate was running at 35-60% of all pregnancies in the last 10 years.

fist of all, i would like to point out that the vietnam war was due to french imperialism, not us imperialism. in fact, ho chi minh (sp) first came to eisenhower wanting aid in setting up a new governemnt and breakig free from the french opression. but eisenhower wouldn;t, because charled deguale was an old buddy of his. not many people remember that the vietnam conflict first involved the french.

The damage done with Agent Orange in Vietnam is still being done by America in other countries of the world to this day, though with different chemicals now.

America is responsible for the spraying of chemicals to destroy cocaine and marijuana plants in Colombia and other south american countries. These chemicals are indiscriminate though and destroy all of the plant life they come into contact with and leave the land poisoned and unable to be used again, whether it was for normal farming or not. People are left with no means to make a living and with health problems building which they have no means to combat.

Based on what?

Country Life Expectancy (M/F) Infant Mortality

Canada 76.59 / 83.5 4.82

Cuba 74.77 / 79.44 6.45

Even using Cuba's government statistics - which may or may not be totally true.

http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/cu.html
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ca.html
However, Cuban life expectancy is approaching closer to that of the US

The damage done with Agent Orange in Vietnam is still being done by America in other countries of the world to this day, though with different chemicals now.

America is responsible for the spraying of chemicals to destroy cocaine and marijuana plants in Colombia and other south american countries. These chemicals are indiscriminate though and destroy all of the plant life they come into contact with and leave the land poisoned and unable to be used again, whether it was for normal farming or not. People are left with no means to make a living and with health problems building which they have no means to combat.

I'm glad you mentioned this Trancers. I have a special interest in this issue too. I don't understand why the US govt. doesn't spend more on rehab. and education rather than dropping poison on poor farmers and lecturing them about growing bananas and coffee.

BTW, sorry about our earlier misunderstanding about fox hunting. :)

I'm glad you mentioned this Trancers. I have a special interest in this issue too. I don't understand why the US govt. doesn't spend more on rehab. and education rather than dropping poison on poor farmers and lecturing them about growing bananas and coffee.

BTW, sorry about our earlier misunderstanding about fox hunting. :)

If they'd just drop this insanity that they call the war on drugs it would free up so much capital for them and be a huge step towards stopping them being viewed as the most interfering bully of the world. The conceit of the idea that America should be allowed to poison the soil of another country, because its own people want the drugs produced there is ridiculous. Either lessen the demand or more to the point just allow the trade and get on with it.

As to the fox-hunting issue:

Bridge
Water :D