dreamdancer 0 #1 May 13, 2011 interesting comparison... QuoteOur wars and their impact are kept in remarkable isolation from what passes for public affairs in this country, leaving most Americans with little knowledge and even less say about whether they should be, and how they are, waged. In this sense, our wars are eerily like those pursued by European monarchs in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries: conflicts carried out by professional militaries and bands of mercenaries, largely at the whim of what we might now call a unitary executive, funded by deficit spending, for the purposes of protecting or extending the interests of a ruling elite. Cynics might say it has always been thus in the United States. After all, the War of 1812 was known to critics as “Mr. Madison’s War” and the Mexican-American War of the 1840s was “Mr. Polk’s War.” The Spanish-American War of 1898 was a naked war of expansion vigorously denounced by American anti-imperialists. Yet in those conflicts there was at least genuine national debate, as well as formal declarations of war by Congress. Today’s ruling class in Washington no longer bothers to make a pretense of following the letter of our Constitution -- and they sidestep its spirit as well, invoking hollow claims of executive privilege or higher callings of humanitarian service (as in Libya) or of exporting democracy (as in Afghanistan). But Libya is still torn by civil war, and Afghanistan has yet to morph into Oregon. http://www.alternet.org/world/150915/how_america_is_like_18th_century_europe%3A_our_imperialistic_attitude_has_led_to_endless_wars/stay away from moving propellers - they bite blue skies from thai sky adventures good solid response-provoking keyboarding Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
futuredivot 0 #2 May 13, 2011 Small problem-The USA doesn't take the land and resources of the places it fights. Personally, I think it would make more sense if we did. Defray some of the expense of being the world cop.You are only as strong as the prey you devour Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airdvr 210 #3 May 13, 2011 Is this you dumping on Barry?Please don't dent the planet. Destinations by Roxanne Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shropshire 0 #4 May 13, 2011 But No One asked you to be Sheriff. You mossy into town, take the job on .. Then moan about it. SIUCC (.)Y(.) Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Butters 0 #5 May 13, 2011 QuoteBut No One asked you to be Sheriff. Actually, we've been asked numerous times."That looks dangerous." Leopold Stotch Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mnealtx 0 #6 May 13, 2011 Quote But No One asked you to be Sheriff. You mossy into town, take the job on .. Then moan about it. SIUCC Bullshit - need I bring up the many times that questions like "why isn't America helping here" or "why isn't America helping there" to prove the point? The rest of the fucking WORLD expects America to mosey in and take the job on....then moans about it when we do. SUICC, yourselves.Mike I love you, Shannon and Jim. POPS 9708 , SCR 14706 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mnealtx 0 #7 May 13, 2011 QuoteSmall problem-The USA doesn't take the land and resources of the places it fights. Personally, I think it would make more sense if we did. Defray some of the expense of being the world cop. "What did we do? We built them up. We gave them democratic systems which they have embraced totally to their soul. And did we ask for any land? No, the only land we ever asked for was enough land to bury our dead. And that is the kind of nation we are. - Colin PowellMike I love you, Shannon and Jim. POPS 9708 , SCR 14706 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
idrankwhat 0 #8 May 13, 2011 QuoteSmall problem-The USA doesn't take the land and resources of the places it fights. Personally, I think it would make more sense if we did. Defray some of the expense of being the world cop. One could argue that we don't take the land or resources but we often do open up the latter to some (still subsidized) free market entrepreneurs. $0.02 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dreamdancer 0 #9 May 13, 2011 Quotewhite man's burden n. The supposed or presumed responsibility of white people to govern and impart their culture to nonwhite people, often advanced as a justification for European colonialism. http://www.thefreedictionary.com/white+man's+burdenstay away from moving propellers - they bite blue skies from thai sky adventures good solid response-provoking keyboarding Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
idrankwhat 0 #10 May 13, 2011 Quote "What did we do? We built them up. We gave them democratic systems which they have embraced totally to their soul. And did we ask for any land? No, the only land we ever asked for was enough land to bury our dead. And that is the kind of nation we are. - Colin Powell "I'm not reading this. This is bullshit," - Colin Powell 2/4/2003 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
