The European Farce Vacation--How We Still Don't Get Other People!!

[DemocracyInaction]

Read a piece off of the news wire services in my local newspaper last week which pointed out what a farce Bush's trip was because of how we Americans still don't "get" the people we are dealing with. Since it rang so many "DU" type bells, I wanted to share it.

The article pointed out that the Europeans prefer diplomacy in solving these problems throughout the Mid East because their peoples refuse to let their governments spend a fortune on their militaries. This is because of the two horrible, devastating world wars that decimated Europe. Their people's have no stomach for arms races nor war.

We, on the other hand, cannot get enough of funding the military; and, thus, are always "itchin' for a fight".

Secondly, the article pointed out how much more intelligently the Europeans deal with the subject of terrorism. They are not only much closer to the hotbeds of terrorism but have been a target for much longer than us. They have had in place tremendous intelligence, policing and surveillance in order to protect their peoples as much as possible. BUT, they realize that terrorism can never be defeated and, therefore, it is part of life as much as a natural disaster is.

We not only did nothing prior to 9/11 to protect our people (even though warned and hit abroad many times); but we dragged our feet after and have really done next to crap to protect our citizens since. Yet, we are the fools who have declared our world wide war on something that can never be defeated (of course, that is the cover that a joyous corporate government uses to further it's unholy causes). We keep our people hyped up by making them think this can be defeated and they can be protected.

Just as a footnote because I saw this shortly after reading the article: Canada has expanded it's healthcare services and has a budget surplus. When will these morons in this nation realize all that they can have if they stop feeding the military pig. After all, after all that money we have spent, we still have any army that can't win shit and can be pinned down forever by people who are in essence throwing sticks and stones at it. Perhaps we would be much better off if we realize that we are the dumb country cousins to nations who have "been there, done that and become much more wise than us".

[achtung_circus]

1. Our budget

also includes an increase in military spending, needed, but tending to make us less dependent on the US umbrella and more able to react outside that umbrella, i.e. with UN and European allies.

[DemocracyInaction]

4. achtung--had to read your response over a few times

I now get it that you are a European. I believe that our little dictator is trying to get the European nations to spend a fortune on their militaries just like we are. I hope that the Europeans don't fall for bailing this bastard out of Iraq (though that is exactly what some of our newscasts seem to suggest). Keep pushing for diplomacy. After all, even people like Bob Woodward (saw him on Chris Matthew's today) are saying that we have no army nor materials nor money to invade places like Iraq. It's time for your governments to take over and show this clown how diplomacy works. Keep the pressure on your governments not to get into this money slide to hell. You are much better off than the average American (even though the average American doesn't know it yet). You, truly, are living in democracies where the government is responsive to the people. In this country, that doesn't even remotely exist anymore.

[achtung_circus]

6. Geographically, I am Canadian.

Philosophically, the bulk of Canadians are probably closer to Europe than The US. That is true in spite of the waves of American media washing over our border, perhaps because of it.

See here : <http://erg.environics.net/news/default.asp?aID=572> for one major difference between us. the author, Michael Adams of the Environics Research Group is a proponent of social values measurement. To determine which tribe: you belong to see here: <http://erg.environics.net/surveys/>

Adams' biggest point, in my mind, is the extent that our two culture vary in our willingness to accept authority. In his book "Fire and Ice" Adams makes an interesting point. He illustrates it with the regional response to one question. That question is "the man should be the head of the household". The variation is stunning. There is a certain expectedness in the regional response. The Northeast is less likely to agree than the Southeast. In Canada, Ontarians are less likely to agree than Alberta.

But the interesting point is that Alberta, fabled home of rednecks, cowboys and the bastion of the socially conservative provincial government, is less likely to agree than the liberal "Taxacheussets" that to some, symbolizes the American Northeast.

Adams point is that the US and Canada are moving in different directions. The subtitle of his book, "the Myth of Cultural Convergence" is taken from this point. The book should be required reading.

[applegrove]

2. Military people will never let it happen. They will blead the USA dry

until the military corporations can become completely independant. And then they will walk away from paying taxes, being corporate citiziens, being there for the people of your country. They are only out for themselves.

Meanwhile your schools go down the tubes.

[marmar]

3. Amen to all of that...

I thought the one positive from 9/11 would be that it would draw us closer to the rest of the world, and help us gain some perspective on terrorism and how our government's policies, unintentionally perhaps, encourage it. But the Bush administration has taken the country in the opposite direction, with more of this "Amurka for Amurkans" bullshit and this "we'll gun 'em all down" mentality to fighting terrorism. Europeans understand that doesn't work - I just wonder if Americans wake up to that fact before its too late. A visionary president who understood this could help drag the country in that direction.

[pretzel4gore]

5. a fact that 's kept hidden in plain sight!

The U.S. accounts for almost
half of all military spending in
the world.

Wealthy nations account for 75
percent of all military spending.

The majority of countries spend
less than $1 billion a year on
defense.

http://www.borgenproject.org/

this one statistic, that nearly half of humanity's military spending is by/for the US, seems to lay waste to every bushevik argument.....