American Empire Building

[PaulN]

 When in England at a fairly large conference, Colin Powell was asked by
the  Archbishop of Canterbury if our plans for Iraq were just an example of
empire building by George Bush.

He answered by saying that, "Over the years, the United States has sent
many of its fine young men and women into great peril to fight for freedom
beyond our borders.  The only amount of land we have ever asked for in
return is enough to bury those  that did not return."

[patch900]

"February 27, 2003, was the 70th anniversary of Dutch terrorist Marinus van der Lubbe's successful firebombing of the German Parliament (Reichstag) building, the terrorist act that catapulted Hitler to legitimacy and reshaped the German constitution. By the time of his successful and brief action to seize Austria, in which almost no German blood was shed, Hitler was the most beloved and popular leader in the history of his nation. Hailed around the world, he was later Time magazine's "Man Of The Year."

Most Americans remember his office for the security of the homeland, known as the Reichssicherheitshauptamt and its SchutzStaffel, simply by its most famous agency's initials: the SS.

We also remember that the Germans developed a new form of highly violent warfare they named "lightning war" or blitzkrieg, which, while generating devastating civilian losses, also produced a highly desirable "shock and awe" among the nation's leadership according to the authors of the 1996 book "Shock And Awe" published by the National Defense University Press.

Full article : http://www.bushwatch.net/miscellanea.htm#germany

[Manc Man]

Patch

Do you actually have a point?

[Joseph27]

Must admit i dont know where this particular thread is going???

It was however usefull that that building was burnt - dont know how relavent my addition is but hey lets make this the irrelanent thread

[PhilM]

PaulN you must have had your tongue firmly in your cheek when you posted that souns bite; as an ex tanker navigator you know Colin Powell’s statement was a crock of fertilizer.

In every major overseas campaign the USA has been involved in she has won the right to set up military bases within other countries. Just consider the units still in Europe and the Far East following the Second World War, then consider the units now based in Saudi Arabia etc following the first Gulf War.

The attached web site lists 467 USA  military bases including many overseas, I am willing to bet there will be a few more to add based in Iraq after the current attack. Then listening toRumsfeld it will be on to Syria, Iran, ……..
http://www.globemaster.de/  

P.S. I still support the USA, UK, and Australian troops in carrying out the task democratically given to them – it is the politicians who made the choice to go to war who I believe are a bunch of rectums.

[This message has been edited by PhilM (edited 31-03-2003).]

[patch900]

Manc Man, yes I do: The thread was titled "American Empire Building" Follow the link and read the article.
Now ,as usual, whats yours?
 

[Joseph27]

Okay well since this is the Empire Building threat - what is your collective feedback on Gore Vidal's concepts.  

1.   Do you believe that America purposely denied opposition forces within pre WWII Japan any means of dialogue with the US in order to facilitate a more aggressive Japanese military posture – which of course led Japan towards instigating a first strike policy?  I realise that they were already at war with China and some of Asia however that is still along way from an isolationist America.  Did Roosevelt know of the Japanese plans (given that the US had broken Japanese naval codes long before any attack) and did he simply use this act as a trip wire to bring about the birth of the American empire?

2.   Post World War Two – the USSR was strong though in comparison with the US – was very vulnerable.  Did the US help build an enemy through a deliberate set of foreign policy choices?

3.   Was Sep 11 a pre emptive strike – ignored to facilitate a new trip wire in public opinion?

4.   And finally (though not from Vidal) – if the Taliban had allowed US gas pipe access in their country – would the WTC still be standing?  Would the US have removed them from power because of their ‘evil administration’ – and would the Americans currently be waging war against Iraq???