"I know we are the greatest nation in the world"

[DanS]

"Glad to see not all Americans think violence is the only answer."

Only answer? Shoot, the IRA was a total disaster. Britain could have claimed a right to occupy staging areas in Ireland. Then the IRA just moves on to another area, giving Britain the claim to a right to occupy the other area. Before you know it, Britain has reoccupied all of Ireland.

Anyway, in hindsight, it seems that the "deal" was in place ever since the UK agreed to give back Hong Kong. This is a slightly more troublesome issue, so that's why the referendum fig leaf has to be there, I guess.

"I really hope Scotland declares independence soon. When they do, NI will become their problem again. As an Englishman I hate my country having to be in the Province."

Interesting take.

You never know. Americans might be funding protestant terrorists in NI before too long. As AH is so fond of pointing out, there have been more protestant Irish emigres to the States than catholic.

[Solly]

I agree with Red_jon, Americans don't even realise that they are being arrogant and nationalist. They think those are two positive attributes anyway.

[Ethelred]

We learned that from our founders, the Brits. Now your just jelous.

[Solly]

Jealous of a banana republic?

[Ecthy]

God bless America.

[Ethelred]

Originally posted by Boddington's
Jealous of a banana republic?

We have companies that OWN Banana Republics. Well the United Fruit Co. once owned Guatemala anyway.

I have a nice photographers vest from Banana Republic. Does that count? (Its a clothing store assuming its in business).

[Dauphin]

Originally posted by Ethelred


We have companies that OWN Banana Republics. Well the United Fruit Co. once owned Guatemala anyway.

Having a company that ran India is a far better acheivement than having a company that ran Guatemala. America must do better.

[Ecthy]

Could someone finally explain me the relevance of United Fruit?

[Dauphin]

They liberated the banana from the shackles of slavery.

[Ethelred]

The United Fruit Co. was a large monoply (it was broken up I think) that owned a VERY large percentage of the bananna market. They controlled at least some of the governments of the nations involved. When Guatemala tried to regain control of some of their resources UF Co. asked Eisenhower for a small little favor. Thus started decades of civil strife and the death of at least tens of thousands of Guatamalens.

This summary is pretty much to the point. For more click on the link(I only glanced at it).

http://www.english.upenn.edu/~afilreis/88/united-fruit.html

A site specializing in the United Fruit Co.

http://www.unitedfruit.org/index.html

The main thing I remember about the company was the Chikitta Banana adds on TV.

[Ethelred]

I have always thought of the British East India Co. as more of a quasi Crown Governor than an actual indepent company. I suppose I could be very wrong on that since I haven't looked in to it. United Fruit was on the stock market.

[Verto]

God Bless America.

Seems to me that you foreigners just want to prevent the US from doing what you did.

Fearful of the day when the sun never sets on the U.S.?

Besides, everyone should be proud of his/her own country.

USA USA USA USA

[Kepler]

Originally posted by Sagacious Dolphin
Glad to see not all Americans think violence is the only answer.

But it is invariably the most entertaining answer.

[Dauphin]

In vino veritas

America is a the greatest nation presently on Earth. I only hope your descendants are more gracious in realising that you have been surpassed than the present generation of displaced Europeans.

[Ethelred]

I would guess that Americans would still consider the US the greatest country on Earth as long as we were suprassed rather than went the dumper. We didn't like it when it looked like Japan was passing us and it was because we weren't at our best.

Its not the nations present power that makes Americans think it such a great country. I suppose its at least partly self-brainwashing. Which is OK if we don't get complacent like we did in much of the 60's. Detroit is still paying for that error.