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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Our illustrious leader continued

Hi Yawny,
sorry for the delay - I had hell in work this week and hardly went online at all.

I somehow have the feeling that you didn't quite understand what I meant when I said I was from the country that gave you guys two chances to save the world in the last century. I meant that I was from Germany.

The theory about Clinton and Bush agreeing on giving Hillary a shot at the presidency almost sounds convincing. I wonder if Clinton had any idea what he did to the world (and above all to his own country) by allwoing Bush jr. two terms. As for Condi as president, it's not easy to judge your politicians over an ocean but she seems quite a hardliner herself to me. Personally I would favour Hillary, she at least belongs to a more liberal party.

It would be a real progress for your culture and society if those two became the candidates. It would mean that you would have a female president for sure and that a black had a real chance to get to this position as well. It's really quite amazing what an influence gender and race still have on those important decisions. But I suppose that's political reality. I'm a bit worried that these aspects become too important. You know, it could turn out that based on positive racism Coni makes it just because she's black, not because of her political agenda. Six years ago Bush only got close enough to Gore to cheat him out of the election because Gore just doesn't have any personality or charisma. Voters (and not only American voters) tend to be fooled by those minor details.

But on a different note - I was suprised to hear that Jeb Bush has put a stop to all executions! Do you think he becames liberal in his old age?

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Our illustrious leader continued

No prob man! I figure this thread will peter out soon anyway until I come up with some new insults for the board.

Oh Germany, now I see. Actually I'm a big fan of the New German Cinema of the 70s-80s and imho there's a big affinity between Auster and the New Germans, esp Wenders and my personal god Herzog. I'm studying Attic Greek in my spare time and am always ordering books written by you Grecophilic Germans in the 1800s.

Hey, is that German chick president of yours as rightwing as they say? As bad as Thatcher??? I guess if a woman is elected president in Europe she has to wear iron underwear. It'll be the same in the US in '08. Watch, next year we'll see pictures of Hillary Clinton shooting fuzzy little bunny rabbits to a bloody pulp just to win over the hillbillies. My vote is for Hillary too of course. Although I'd like a black person of any gender in the White House, Condi is a little too weird. I'm not even sure she *has* politics. Do you know she grew up in Alabama in the 60s and in interviews has said she NEVER experienced racism? Not even once? Selma was like Beirut in the 60s, bombs in churches and lynchings. She must never have left the house.

As I understand the execution ban it's because of an error that happened where a guy took 45 minutes to die. No southern governor could ever end capital punishment as a matter of principle. It goes with motherhood and apple pie. My state joined the ban too by the way. Hint: We owe allegiance to an Austrian who clips his eyebrows here.

Now they're talking about a US "troop surge" for early next year. It's all over the tv news. This is what I'm trying to get across to you Karnkraft Nein Danke - brie-eating - organic beef Old Europeans. 90% of the US populace wants us to leave Iraq TOMORROW, ok? That's not my opinion, those are the polls. We just had a national election that turned into a huge nat'l mandate. And it didn't make a bit of difference, things go on just as before and US troop levels will spike to 30,000 a month from now. Russia became the US and the US became Russia. And worst of all we get insulted by people who drive cars with 4-cylinder engines. No respect I tell you.

Wir haben schpass schpass schpass.

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Our illustrious leader continued

Seasons Greetings!

Again it took me a while to get back to you, but what with all that Christmas madness I guess I have a rather good excuse.
Anyway, I don't doubt that the majority of the US population want your troops out of Iraq as soon as possible, but it's not that easy any more. You refered to your country as an empire and that's what it's all about, isn't it. Like the British a century ago you guys go into a country, conquere it and then want to leave without taking responsibility. Now, you took away the Iraqi (evi) government, then you fail in establishing a new one and that's it? If you had given a little more thought to the matter before taking out your bombs, you might have realized that it would become another Vietnam.
The other thing how easy you people can change sides. Now, this is actually about a conversation I had with a Brit when the War in Iraq started, but I'm sure the same statement could be heard of any number of Americans. Anyway, what he said (I quote): "I was against the war but now that our boys are down there, I'm for it to support them."
Being for a war does not actually support the poor sods who have to fight it, does it? And having been for that war, the American people can't just ask for their boys to be returned to home base now. It's all rather more of a Grand Slam than a Home Run, to keep up metaphor.

About our "beloved" chancelor, well she is quite right-wing but not as bad as Thatcher used to be. It's a bit like in your country, the candidates' politics for that office are rather similar so that normally it all comes down to personality or spite. And I'm afraid our former leader pushed through some rather unpopular reforms so Angie got into office because of spite.

Well, I hope you has some nice holidays.

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Our illustrious leader continued

No prob msfogg, and with the new year beginning if you'll allow we'll just let this thread drift and take things up in the future when time allows. And I still say that if there were a red button Americans could push to bring all US troops home today, most of us would push it. Every poll that allows for that choice (many don't even allow it in discussion) shows that's what Yankees want. Now we're constantly told we should stay, that it's the right thing to do etc but Americans are and always have been notoriously isolationist as a people. I assume you're belly laughing by now.

The hypocrisy of "support our troops" has been with us since war began. The "troop supporters" want them to stay and risk being killed, the liberals want them home and safe. But the US has no corner on that brand of hypocrisy. It's been around since the battle of Marathon.

Happy New Year and happy trails! I won't be checking here so much (I'll be back in the spring, like weeds) but if you want to yell at an American you can always send a shout out to egomet_bonmot at the big Y dot com. Cheers.