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

To: Jacob Snyder who wrote (95423)	4/21/2003 8:52:56 PM
From: Neeka	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

Please be sure to consider making a few that take the occupation of Lebanon by Syria into consideration when you make those signs. M

To: Jacob Snyder who wrote (95423)	4/21/2003 8:57:16 PM
From: Doc Bones	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

"Colonialism is UnAmerican" The most powerful theme or meme of the last half-century has been anti-colonialism. It's what the U.N. is all about, it's what the poorer countries use to guilt-trip the richer. The. U.S. role in ending colonialism is something to take pride in. We basically let our WW II allies know that we weren't going to support them in it, said no dice to the Suez invasion, e.g. (One commentator claimed that French obstructionism in Iraq was payback for Suez - those guys have long memories: for the bad stuff anyway.) But the power of anti-colonialism has caused some real harm IMO once colonialism was ended. It's why the West has given hundreds of billions to the poorer countries, and not complained when the local despot pocketed most of it: to interfere in their government would be colonialism. That's why I earlier formulated my "Kick Ass and Take Names" (KATN) policy, in which countries are held responsible for what they do with their aid, and those that waste it don't get any more, that goes to the responsible ones. Now Bush in Iraq has carried KATN faster and further than I anticipated. In doing so he has shed world criticism, particularly cries of "colonialism," like water off a duck's back. It's interesting that now anti-colonialism seems to be exerting a more powerful force. Rummy picking up Arab Street vibes? It's partly because the shooting and danger and tyrant are gone. I also think the desire to avoid the financial quagmire is very strong in the administration. Thru their tax cuts they can basically transfer every dollar saved to the rich, and their will to help that class is never in doubt. I hope they, and the wealthier countries, don't do this one on the cheap, like Afghanistan IMO. Doc

To: Jacob Snyder who wrote (95423)	4/22/2003 5:59:55 AM
From: Maurice Winn	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 281500

Jacob, until the locals have voted, Colinisation Powell might indeed be desirable to Iraqis. A demonstration by 10,000 of a population of millions is a trivial bit of information. We the Sheeple demand to be Colinized; it's better than nothing and the UN is ineffectual for the purpose it was formed. If UnAmerican countries want to counterbalance the USA, then they have to offer something better than the dopey UN, which gets tied to posts by Serbs and pushed out of the way by Israelis in tanks [even when the UN is in tanks] and handles problems by wringing their hands. <like I need to get busy, and organize more people in the street with signs that say, "Colonialism is UnAmerican", and "No Iraq Colony". > What if Iraqis want the USA to be overall boss, but Iraq has their own elections and runs their own affairs. Having a USA Viceroy might be desirable to a lot of Iraqis. Hong Kong was okay with a Pom as the Queen's local governor [that was Chris Patten who is running around for Tony Blair now europa.eu.int ]. They didn't want to go back into China. All they got from that was a collapsing economy and Sars. Put your signs, banners and protests away until the Iraqis have had a referendum. It's presumptuous to speak for them. They apparently have some ideas on how their place should be run. I suppose it'll have a Moslem approach. If they vote to blow up the USA, then nuke them!! But if they want to be nice people, and want a USA governor, why not? Give Colin Powell some gold braid and a governor's hat and send him over to be Middle East Viceroy and bring Iraq up to supercharged economic levels. The middle east could be amazing within 10 years. A vast, booming economic region. That would be good for all of us. Though not Saddam and Osama. Mqurice