Axis of evil expands!

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by Chris 62
Bet you will have forgotten all this when bombs fall on Havana and Pyonyang, and Bush will do that at some point, he's wacky enough.

The MTV generation sure has short attention spans.

[Ned]

Originally posted by Saint Marcus
Ned: You still haven't answered why Cuba and North Korea are "evil". You are only explaining why the US doesn't like them, but that doesn't make them "evil".

Saint Marcus, I have never been comfortable with Bush's choice of words since 9/11. "Evil" puts the whole question of "them" against "us" into a religious context. The mere fact that they, al Qaida, have declared war on us should be sufficient.

Adding states such as Iraq and Iran to the equation further amplifies a the first mistake because nations are not "evil." They may be enemies, but "evil" is simply not the right term. Ditto adding Cuba and NK to the "axis."

Another thing I didn't like was Bush labelling the 9/11 hijackers as "cowards." This really is not an apt desciption. Kamakazi is far more apt, but the choice of that term may have offended our current ally Japan. Clearly, the 9/11 bombers are the same, exactly the same, as the suicide bombers in Israel. They are religious fanatics who truly believe that what they do will grant them a place in paradise. This is exactly what the Pope told the Crusaders and the Japanese told the Kamikazi's. The Pope, the Japanese and the moslem religious leaders are all wrong. But are they "evil?"

No.

But even so, they are a threat, and must be taken seriously.

Ned

[Ned]

Originally posted by Arrian


Umm... the thing about sovereignty is that the US people don't get to vote on whether or not Cuba should have nukes. The fact that Cubans can't vote about it either... well, the world isn't perfect.

-Arrian

Arrian, Regardless of whether we have a right to vote on specific issues of war and peace, we did elect Kennedy. And he did keep us informed on what was going on and why we were threatening war over nukes in Cuba. You really can't get more democratic than that.

As to the MTV generation, it is remarkable how uninformed they are. 52% could not answer the following question: Which was a ally of the U.S. in WWII?

a. Germany, b. Japan, c. USSR, d. Italy.

Ned

[Saint Marcus]

As to the MTV generation, it is remarkable how uninformed they are. 52% could not answer the following question: Which was a ally of the U.S. in WWII?

I'm ashamed to be part of that generation.

[Saint Marcus]

Thanks for your responses, Ned.

"Evil" puts the whole question of "them" against "us" into a religious context.

Does this thing really live in the US? Is religion really a part of this conflict? If our governement would ever say a thing like that (if something similar would happen) I doubt anyone would take them seriously (at least, after the first shock has passed).

[Ned]

Originally posted by Saint Marcus


I'm ashamed to be part of that generation.

But let me say that I am also impressed with their intelligence and genuine good will. You, Saint Marcus, are a good example.

Ned

[KrazyHorse]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara

I second that. Either he's trying out an extra-dry form of sarcasm, somebody's hacked his account, or he's gone MAD MAD MAD!!!!

[Saint Marcus]

But let me say that I am also impressed with their intelligence and genuine good will.

I'm not, and I'm around them every day...

You, Saint Marcus, are a good example.

Thanks. I appreciate it.

[ahenobarb]

Evil:


The people in the cellar were panicked. They had fled downstairs to escape the
bombardment, and it was difficult to abandon their shelter. Only splinters of light penetrated
the basement, but the dark provided a strange comfort. "We wanted to stay in hiding, even
though we were getting sick," Nasreen said. She felt a sharp pain in her eyes, like stabbing
needles. "My sister came close to my face and said, 'Your eyes are very red.' Then the
children started throwing up. They kept throwing up. They were in so much pain, and crying
so much. They were crying all the time. My mother was crying. Then the old people started
throwing up."

Chemical weapons had been dropped on Halabja by the Iraqi Air Force, which understood
that any underground shelter would become a gas chamber. "My uncle said we should go
outside," Nasreen said. "We knew there were chemicals in the air. We were getting red eyes,
and some of us had liquid coming out of them. We decided to run." Nasreen and he relatives
stepped outside gingerly. "Our cow was lying on its side," she recalled. "It was breathing
very fast, as if it had been running. The leaves were falling off the trees, even though it was
spring. The partridge was dead. There were smoke clouds around, clinging to the ground.
The gas was heavier than the air, and it was finding the wells and going down the wells."

http://www.f24.parsimony.net/forum58919/messages/13260.htm

[Stefu]

Oh my God! Chris said something that could be interpreted as critique of US administrative foreign policy!

Okay, who is the hacker?

[Immortal Wombat]

Originally posted by Ned

As to the MTV generation, it is remarkable how uninformed they are. 52% could not answer the following question: Which was a ally of the U.S. in WWII?

a. Germany, b. Japan, c. USSR, d. Italy.

Where was this survey conducted?

[KrazyHorse]

c&d are both proper answers...

[Immortal Wombat]

a b c and d are proper answers. c and d are correct answers.

[KrazyHorse]

Blah blah blah. Language nazi.

[Ned]

Originally posted by Immortal Wombat

Where was this survey conducted?

I saw this on CNN's site last week, I believe. You may find it with a little searching.

I believe the story is about American kids.

No doubt, EU kids are better educated than this. At least I hope so.

Ned