Is the Bush Administration incompetent in international affairs?

[Alexander's Horse]

Originally posted by Drake Tungsten

In the last 100 years they have mostly tolerated your money. Care to bet how long it can go on for?

We have the largest economy in the world by a large margin. I'm confident that this will be the case for quite some time.

Its really this kind of arrogance that is bringing America down. And for what?

[Drake Tungsten]

Its really this kind of arrogance that is bringing America down. And for what?

How is stating a fact about America's economic position vis-a-vis the rest of the world "arrogance"? You're going to have to do better than that to get me to bite, AH...

[Alexander's Horse]

Originally posted by CerberusIV


The average "man in the street" in England in the 1860's thought much the same. I expect to see the US cease to be a dominant global superpower in my lifetime, Bush is just accelerating the process.

The parallels with Britain are very strong.

[Berzerker]

Agathon -

Not you again, you lunatic. I thought you would have been locked up by now.

Your minions got the wrong address.

If you bothered reading the first post you would have noticed that all the criticisms are about Bush's handling of events, not about the justice of his aims or the moral right of the US to do these things.

I did read it and quoted the part showing why your stated request for a non-partisan discussion is bogus.

Even a chimp could understand the difference.

Then take some lessons from your chimp, because you can't tell the difference.

Let me be very clear, I am not a person who sympathises with Republicans or conservatives of any brand. I think they are in most cases slightly mad and in many clearly deranged.

Because that is not a non-partisan statement.

Sava - who said Agathon was a Democrat? Not me, but if you can read what Agathon said and conclude he is non-partisan, better ask if his chimp will tutor you as well.

[Spiffor]

Drake :
It is arrogant in the meaning that you're convinced of the natural superiority of America, and do not question it. For example, do you know that EU is economically on par with the US now, and is as strong as the US in commercial negociations ? The only economic superiority the US still has over the EU is a much bigger high-tech sector.
"We have the largest economy in the world by a large margin." is now a false argument (the margin is small or tiny), but you still brag about it, and don't question it.
Maybe it is not really arrogance per se, but sure it is blindness.

[CICSMaster]

Originally posted by Spiffor
Drake :
It is arrogant in the meaning that you're convinced of the natural superiority of America, and do not question it. For example, do you know that EU is economically on par with the US now, and is as strong as the US in commercial negociations ? The only economic superiority the US still has over the EU is a much bigger high-tech sector.
"We have the largest economy in the world by a large margin." is now a false argument (the margin is small or tiny), but you still brag about it, and don't question it.
Maybe it is not really arrogance per se, but sure it is blindness.

EU GDP - 6.5 Trillion
USA GDP - 8.3 Trillion

Not exactly similar!

Furthermore, the EU always has the French in there backstabbing the rest.

[Chemical Ollie]

The way Bush is handling the economy will make US bankrupt if it goes on for another term.

[KrazyHorse]

Originally posted by CICSMaster


EU GDP - 6.5 Trillion
USA GDP - 8.3 Trillion

Not exactly similar!

Furthermore, the EU always has the French in there backstabbing the rest.

Neither of those figures seem right.

[KrazyHorse]

And I wonder if that's PPP or not.

THe last time I saw an estimate it put them within a half trillion or so IIRC...

[Sava]

Berserker, my chimp tells me that if you mock Agathon for being "non-partisan" it would only be logical if you explain which party he is speaking for. But you're obviously more concerned with trolling and insulting people.

[GePap]

After some addition, using the CIA:

For 2001, GNP in US$, using PPP:

The US: 10 trillion
the EU: 8.8 Trillion
China: 5.56 trillion
Japan: 3.45 trillion

Now, as far as I am concerned, any system which puts the Chinese economy 2 trillion above Japan's seems awefuly strange to me.

[TheStinger]

PPP is incredibly flawed, it as an almost PC way of making developing econimies look like they are doing better than they are.

[GePap]

NOw, if I understand the workings of PPP correctly, then the very high cost of living in Europe (Europe is expensive) is what brings the EU down, specially the UK, which comes out behind france and only 70 billion ahead of Italy according to PPP. Ditto for Japan, while China's very low cost is what so greatly inflates its economy.

[KrazyHorse]

Originally posted by TheStinger
PPP is incredibly flawed, it as an almost PC way of making developing econimies look like they are doing better than they are.

Not at all. It simply takes into account the fact that the nominal exchange rate on currencies often does not reflect the actual relative values of these currencies in their home countries.

If it costs 6$ US for a hamburger and some fries in the US, but you could buy 10 hamburgers for the same price in Nigeria then why should both 6$ of output be measured equally?

[TheStinger]

But the problem is it doesn't take into account that the Nigerian currency can't buy didly squat internationaly.If you make loads of widgets you get a high value economy, compared to a country which makes 1 or 2 mainframe supercomputers