Is it time for "the west" to accept responsibility

[Higgly]

  moderateamericain said:

This whole thing could be solved by just stop contributing to the tin pot dictators of the world. I feel absolutely no responsibility for Africans, or Middle Easterners, or any other member of any other country. If our humanitarian aid or our military presence are not appreciated and not welcomed, fine by me. I can think of other things to spend my hard earned money on besides increasing taxes. Just don't come screaming at us about Darfur or when Iran invades Iraq. You want to be BIG boy countries now. Fine, you can deal with that Revolutionary guard whos about to lop off your daughters head. Meanwhile, I'd recommend you stockpile food supplies and ammunition. When the Islamic countries are done with there genocide in Israel guess where they are going to come next? I hope you Canadians are ready to fight for mother England.

Yeah, that is a great idea. Too bad it didn't start with the Shah of Iran, Pinochet, Batista, Chiang Kai Shek, Marcos.... the list just goes on and on. Yeah, these people were propped up with western gold. But that was so they could keep feeding the great western maw.

No, the world would not be a worse place than it is now. It would just be a different place than it is now.

[Higgly]

  moderateamericain said:

Actually thats fountain head. Atlas Shrugged is a different story there chief. Atlas shrugged centers around Ayn Rand's perfect man, John Galt. Who takes all the "DOers" of the world and basically fucks the rest of us. (thats a very simplistic explanation but fairly accurate really) the chief motto of John Galt is "Im the man who stopped the engine of the world." etc etc etc.

Thanks. I have to admit I fell asleep a few times reading both of them.

[M.Dancer]

  Higgly said:

Thanks. I have to admit I fell asleep a few times reading both of them.

Which explains your hamfisted use of them as an analogies.......

[Higgly]

That was fast. You went straight from Federal politics to this thread. Am I really the apple of your eye, M.Dancer?

[M.Dancer]

  Higgly said:

That was fast. You went straight from Federal politics to this thread. Am I really the apple of your eye, M.Dancer?

Should I be flattered or weirded out that you track my movements?

[Higgly]

  M.Dancer said:

Should I be flattered or weirded out that you track my movements?

Thanks for the confirmation

[buffycat]

I've been following this thread, and pretty much both Higgly and JB_Globe have echoed my own opinions, so I haven't felt the need to comment.

That said - I have seen nothing constructive being offered as to what the 'West' can do towards those that we have exploited. How about some positive suggestions as to how we can get over the past and move together towards a brighter future for all?

Moderate American did touch on one idea, but I will take it further: How about stop sending aid with strings attached all over it? How about ceasing from messing about with other's soveriegn nations? Allow them their mistakes (God knows we have made our fair share). Even the playing field and instead of a hand up - give a hand OUT - out of the debt we burden them with, out with the World Bank and the IMF! If aid is needed - let it be humanitarian, and purely alturistic. How about cracking down on weapons sales?

Anyways - thanks JB and Higgly for at least attempting to address these issues.

I'll trot back to lurking now.

[bush_cheney2004]

  moderateamericain said:

And for the record I dont support an Imperalistic view of the United States, If I had it my way we would concern ourselves with protection within this country only and only import and export with other countries, no defense pacts, no humanitarian aid, no protection from US troops. Just straight up business.

We tried that already....but Europe and the Commonwealth still managed to dick things up. Gives a whole new meaning to "Don't make me come over there".

Edited October 2, 2007 by bush_cheney2004

[ScottSA]

  buffycat said:

I've been following this thread, and pretty much both Higgly and JB_Globe have echoed my own opinions, so I haven't felt the need to comment.

That said - I have seen nothing constructive being offered as to what the 'West' can do towards those that we have exploited. How about some positive suggestions as to how we can get over the past and move together towards a brighter future for all?

Moderate American did touch on one idea, but I will take it further: How about stop sending aid with strings attached all over it? How about ceasing from messing about with other's soveriegn nations? Allow them their mistakes (God knows we have made our fair share). Even the playing field and instead of a hand up - give a hand OUT - out of the debt we burden them with, out with the World Bank and the IMF! If aid is needed - let it be humanitarian, and purely alturistic. How about cracking down on weapons sales?

Anyways - thanks JB and Higgly for at least attempting to address these issues.

I'll trot back to lurking now.

Perhaps we can encourage you to bestir yourself to go over there and do what you can to releave them of the onerous burden we put on them by giving them modern medicine, teaching them how to triple food output, giving them modern technology, teaching them table manners, and lending them money? Perhaps you'd like to reacquaint them with the joys of frolicking freely in the sylan pre-industrial wilderness, three steps ahead of starvation and two steps ahead of various enemies, both human and animal?