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 | | From: | Robert | | Subject: | unfounded speculation | | Date: | 23 Jan 2005 22:12:16 -0800 |
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 | The Americans went to war in Vietnam, killed an estimated 4 million
Vietnamese and poisoned their country with chemical weapons, on the
basis of the domino theory. This theory was sheer speculation at the
time, and subsequent history has shown it to be complete crap.
The Americans are now in another war as a result of more false
speculation, weapons of mass destruction in this case.
Can anyone explain this American tendency to believe passionately in
unfounded speculation? I realise many put this down to Americans being
stupid or mad. But lets face it, there are hoards of American tourists
here at present, and, frankly, they are no stupider or madder than us.
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| | From: | Tarla | | Subject: | Re: unfounded speculation | | Date: | Mon, 24 Jan 2005 20:07:26 +1300 |
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| On 23 Jan 2005 22:12:16 -0800, robt@free.net.nz (Robert) wrote:
>The Americans went to war in Vietnam, killed an estimated 4 million
>Vietnamese and poisoned their country with chemical weapons, on the
>basis of the domino theory. This theory was sheer speculation at the
>time, and subsequent history has shown it to be complete crap.
>The Americans are now in another war as a result of more false
>speculation, weapons of mass destruction in this case.
>Can anyone explain this American tendency to believe passionately in
>unfounded speculation? I realise many put this down to Americans being
>stupid or mad. But lets face it, there are hoards of American tourists
>here at present, and, frankly, they are no stupider or madder than us.
Can anyone explain to me how 300 million people can be given the same
label?
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| | From: | Graham | | Subject: | Re: unfounded speculation | | Date: | Mon, 24 Jan 2005 20:50:08 +1300 |
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| Robert wrote:
>
> The Americans went to war in Vietnam, killed an estimated 4 million
> Vietnamese and poisoned their country with chemical weapons, on the
> basis of the domino theory. This theory was sheer speculation at the
> time, and subsequent history has shown it to be complete crap.
Haven't you heard of the "killing fields" of Cambodia?
Needless to say, Vietnam is now a Communist country. Burma (whatever
it's called now) is nothing more than an extension of Red China. There
are newly communist or pro-communist countries in Africa and South
America (Congo, Zimbabwe, Venuzuela), and other communist movements
around the globe funded by Russia and China.
In short, communism has spread more now than it ever has. Anyone that
thinks Russia is totally different simply because of an administrative
change in 1991 is deluded. Russia now works in military partnership with
China.
There are those who think this is a good thing: it "balances" the threat
of the US. Obviously anyone who equates the US and Russia/China as being
somehow "equivalent" is a waste of time. Those people don't realise that
the US doesn't go round conquering and colonising other countries with
its superior military might. Just about the only country in history not
to do so. A country like Red China has been belligerent with virtually
all of its neighbours.
> The Americans are now in another war as a result of more false
> speculation, weapons of mass destruction in this case.
WMDs was only one reason. The reason they were discussed so much was
because that was the reason the UN and literally everyone else had been
most interested in for years with respect to Saddam's Iraq. In short, it
was the best way of getting those do-nothings at the UN on board to
actually get something done.
> Can anyone explain this American tendency to believe passionately in
> unfounded speculation? I realise many put this down to Americans being
> stupid or mad. But lets face it, there are hoards of American tourists
> here at present, and, frankly, they are no stupider or madder than us.
Your premises for this question are unfounded. Back to the drawing
board...
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| | From: | Nicolaas Hawkins | | Subject: | Re: unfounded speculation | | Date: | Mon, 24 Jan 2005 22:44:00 +1300 |
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| On 23 Jan 2005 22:12:16 -0800, Robert wrote in
:
> The Americans went to war in Vietnam, killed an estimated 4 million
> Vietnamese and poisoned their country with chemical weapons, on the
> basis of the domino theory. This theory was sheer speculation at the
> time, and subsequent history has shown it to be complete crap.
> The Americans are now in another war as a result of more false
> speculation, weapons of mass destruction in this case.
> Can anyone explain this American tendency to believe passionately in
> unfounded speculation? I realise many put this down to Americans being
> stupid or mad. But lets face it, there are hoards of American tourists
> here at present, and, frankly, they are no stupider or madder than us.
Is that complimentary or condemnatory ... and of whom?
--
Regards,
Nicolaas.
.... We are only as free as we believe we are.
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| | From: | John Cawston | | Subject: | Re: unfounded speculation | | Date: | Mon, 24 Jan 2005 23:13:11 +1300 |
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| Robert wrote:
> The Americans went to war in Vietnam, killed an estimated 4 million
> Vietnamese and poisoned their country with chemical weapons,
Crap. NZ has sprayed relatively much more of the same
chemicals on its land and people than the Yanks over Vietnam
and did so for decades, not a handful of years.
on the
> basis of the domino theory. This theory was sheer speculation at the
> time, and subsequent history has shown it to be complete crap.
Crap again. Its not what you believe thats important, but
what people at the time thought. To them the Domino Theory
was right, and subsequent to Vietnam, the dominoes fell in
Vietnam, Cambodia, South America, Iran and Palestine. Around
the world terrorism rose in Europe, Japan, Africa and many
other places. Terrorism slowed and Freedom rose when Reagan
became President in the 80s and used US might and will to
stop Communism.
> The Americans are now in another war as a result of more false
> speculation, weapons of mass destruction in this case.
More crap. WMD was a critical component in the decision to
go to war, but there were dozens of other reasons. Read the
Resolution approved by the Congress and Senate giving the
President the right to go to war.
> Can anyone explain this American tendency to believe passionately in
> unfounded speculation? I realise many put this down to Americans being
> stupid or mad. But lets face it, there are hoards of American tourists
> here at present, and, frankly, they are no stupider or madder than us.
They simply put a higher value on freedom than most nations
do. That principle wobbled after Vietnam and damn near
collapsed under Clinton, but its come back under Bush. Lets
hope that the Yanks can retain a clear moral duty that NZ
lost years ago.
JC
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