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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Noel de Leon who wrote (49776)	10/6/2002 3:26:20 PM
From: spiral3	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 281500

The result of a war with Iraq, who knows? downside scenarios China missile attack, takeover of Taiwan Iraq missile attack on Israel Sharon kicks Arafat out, goes on a bit of a killing spree, goes overboard, Palestinian retaliation with massive bombs War on Israel's Northern borders, Hizbullah, Lebanon, Syria Attack by al Queda somewhere Putin invades Georgia, goes on a bit of a killing spree, goes overboard Assassination of Hamid Karzai, Civil war in Afghanistan Pakistan turns up the heat in Kashmir, Afghanistan Environmental disaster in the Gulf US gets bogged down, use of chemical, biological weapons what else ?

To: Noel de Leon who wrote (49776)	10/6/2002 3:38:39 PM
From: quehubo	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

"The dominate culture in the world today is that of the US." What you call the dominant culture is really the universal culture. The success of our melting pot here is the envy of the globe and you want make it an active imperialistic plot by the US. The documents developed with our nation laid the path and we have been improving our implementation of the concepts laid out in these documents. The Arabs, Indians, Africans, Native Americans etc. can either learn to adapt & thrive or they can continue on their present course of disaster.

To: Noel de Leon who wrote (49776)	10/6/2002 8:01:56 PM
From: Hawkmoon	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 281500

Which is exactly what happened as far as Europe, Central and South America, and much of the Arab world goes. Oh?? And how about how much US CULTURE HAS BEEN CHANGED since WWII by the presence of a multitude of different cultures who have come to live in the US?? Including Philipinos.... America markets ideas... It markets brands and products... When was the last time you drank a Coke or a Pepsi?? When was the last time you watched an Arnold Swharzenegger movie? (who is a native Austrian).. When was the last time you put on a pair of Levis?? And what about folks like Jackie Chan, who's movies I LOVE?? And what about Soccer, a sport which is growing in popularity in the United States?? People buy into American culture because it's about individuals themselves, not monolithic "traditions" which are normally only beneficial to the prevailing elites in your own, or another, country. And they bring the best (and sometimes the worst) of their culture here to be tested in the marketplace of ideas. And if accepted by the masses, it succeeds.. Not by being the best product, but by being the one that they are able to convince people to buy for whatever reason (being cool.. individualistic.. etc).. Try as you would like, America is NOT an homogenous culture. However, overall, it possesses a homogenous set of values that people around the world find appealing. And those ideas have been the cornerstone for almost every democracy which has been formed since the American Revolution (INCLUDING THE PHILIPINES). That's why we have people trying to smuggle themselves in the US and don't find many Americans smuggling themselves into the Philipines (or anywhere else for that matter) B*tch all you want about "American Cultural Imperialism", but it exists because people ACCEPT IT. We don't force it upon them... They VOLUNTARILY EMBRACE IT. Just as it's quite likely that the Iraqi people will embrace many qualities of American life if given the opportunity. So I'm sorry if somehow you believe that billions of people yeaning for a "piece" of American Imperialism at their local McDonalds (splashed down with a coke or pepsi) is so bad... I just think its about giving people what they want, or at worst, marketing the idea in such a way that they are convinced it's what they want... Obviously you need to spend more time trying to convince people that what you have for sale is "cooler" than American stuff.. Good luck!! Hawk