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

[Sava]

Yeah man they should make pot legal man...

[Dauphin]

Originally posted by DanS
"How do you think the rest of Europe, the USA and the rest of the world would have reacted to occupation of the Republic of Ireland on the grounds of anti-terrorism."

Isn't it being occupied now?

I knew many Americans were ignorant of the situation in Ireland, I didn't realise you were one of them.

The Republic of Ireland (most of the island) is an independent country. The north part of the island is British territory - to which the Republic of Ireland has no legal claim.

The province is administered by Great Britain, and British troops are stationed there to maintain the peace.

How these facts can be construed as Britain occupying the Republic of Ireland (an internationally recognised country) is beyond me. If you were playing dumb, well done, if you really were ignorant, my condolences.

To clarrify my question, how would people react to British forces bombing Dublin, Cork etc, followed by a land incursion to depose the Irish government for there lack of help in apprehending IRA terrorists?

Or as BD thought, how would the world react if Israel sent the IDF to Ireland to occupy the country for harbouring IRA terrorists who helped Palestinian terrorists.

If you can justify a British incursion, I will forward your recommendation to Tony Blair, and George Bush Jr (for approval of course).

[Ethelred]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara


However, it irritated the heck out of me that NYE was talking about how great the US was compared to the Euros for their lack of particiaption when Canada is in exactly the same situation.

Odd since you also say it was the US that limited Canadian participation. All NYE was doing was taking on the Euro Trolls. Hard to understand how you could get irked over that.

[DanS]

"How these facts can be construed as Britain occupying the Republic of Ireland (an internationally recognised country) is beyond me. If you were playing dumb, well done, if you really were ignorant, my condolences."

I was doing neither. I just don't recognize Britain's occupation of Northern Ireland. It is rightly part of the Republic of Ireland.

[Dauphin]

The government of the Republic of Ireland disagrees with you.

[Ramo]

Perhaps you think that members of the Al Queda network are US citizens. They aren't and they aren't protected by the US Constitution.

Actually, SCOTUS has ruled that non-citizens have the right not to be indefinitely detained. See Janet Reno v. Kim Ho Ma.

[DanS]

The government of the Republic of Ireland disagrees with you.

So what?

[Dauphin]

The point - Are you going to answer my question about invading the recognised country of the Republic of Ireland, as opposed to your opinion of what the country should be?

[Dauphin]

Originally posted by DanS
I was doing neither. I just don't recognize Britain's occupation of Northern Ireland. It is rightly part of the Republic of Ireland.

Would you support an Irish invasion and attack on Britain to retake the Province?

[DanS]

Oh you mean occupying the parts of Ireland that aren't Northern Ireland?

It's really tough to say. If you would have occupied parts of Ireland that aren't Northern Ireland but were the staging grounds for activities in Northern Ireland or Britain, then you might have gotten away with it.

As I understand it, there were a couple of these areas, no?

"Would you support an Irish invasion and attack on Britain to retake the Province?"

No, no. Why do it forcefully, when 30 years from now (or whenever) a referendum will decide the issue once and for all anyway?

[Dauphin]

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

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.

[Loif]

Originally posted by DanS
Loif. You're basing your posts on a strawman put in place by che, not by anything said by NYE.

What is this? Tag team?

Not at all. I don't agree with a lot of what NYE said. Nothing against him personally, just a different way of viewing world politics.

[Ethelred]

Originally posted by Ramo


Actually, SCOTUS has ruled that non-citizens have the right not to be indefinitely detained. See Janet Reno v. Kim Ho Ma.

Good. I was largely talking about the claims that citizens were being detained indefinitly and that it was somehow Consititutional. This shows why Bush is holding the Al Queda members in Guatanamo.

[Loif]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
Not a strawman, DanS, hyperbole.

Loif, I was exaggerating for emphasis. The truth is, I'm well aware that Canada is contributing only what we will allow you to contribute, and that like most of our allies, you wished to contribute much, much more. Heck, if it weren't for our Allies, the Afgani government would probably already have fallen, showing the US "concern" about post-Taliban Afganistan for the lie that it is.

However, it irritated the heck out of me that NYE was talking about how great the US was compared to the Euros for their lack of particiaption when Canada is in exactly the same situation.

I understand. I think you have a great country and am glad that we are neighbours. Even though I say over and over again that I am Canadian, not American, we are more alike than any countries in the world. You can be sure that whatever Bush decides to do, Chretien will back him.

[red_jon]

To be honest I don't blame many - not all Americans for believing themselves to be superior (and not just in terms of the military or the economy).

In the US the stars and stripes fly everywhere. In a populated areas it is everywhere. And not just in flags - bumper stickers, t-shirts, posters. The phrase 'God Bless America' is everywhere. Though Americans most likely will not see a problem with this, Europeans are more likely to see it as arrogant blind patriotism. You will not see such displays in most other western democracies - and in most cases, where there are national flags there are the flags of other countries next to them.

To be honest Americans need to understand that to Europeans this looks incredibly closed-minded - and a painful reminder of where political carelessness and ultra-patriotism can lead. But then it must take an incredibly string-willed (or rebellious) person to not absorb the displays in America - all day, every day.