We are a "Rogue" State/Nation

[max]

Hey, a question re US/Australia relationships. America has had the run of our backyard for decades, vis-a-vis Pine Gap, Narrungar, North-West Cape, Woomera & so on. So basically they know ALL the ins and outs here with respect to our energy/defence status and capability. We also lent them a battalion or two to fight their spurious wars. Not a bad input/contribution from us eh? So what's their friggin' problem?

[jimmy_c]

Nukes are old school. go the haarp !!

[nugget378]

Originally Posted by 4.9 EF Futura

Haha, yeah if you think GWB is a tool, wait until one of these blokes storms the oval office.

Four more years, please!

Im finding it hard to believe that there are people in this country that think he's not..The man is plain dopey,regardless of politics,I really cant see any redeeming features in this man..
Now before anyone calls me a lefty, for the record I am apolitical,neither right nor left,somewhere in the middle you might say depending on the issue..

[Sourbastard]

When you consider that a "Rogue Nation" seems to be anyone who doesnt like or agree with the US, after the responses in this thread... is this not an accurate representation?

[flappist]

How many here have actually been to the USA?

NB: California does not count. California is to USA what the inner southern sydney suburbs are to Australia.

If all of the information you have about USA, US politics and GWB is based on what you have seen in the media AND YOU BELEIVE IT then it is you who are the gullible fools.

In case you haven't noticed the media tend to lie a lot and are very agenda driven or do you really believe that:
1) All P platers are homicidal maniacs in 300km/h race cars
2) Exceeding the speed limit by 3km/h will cause instant fatalties
3) All Holdens are faster than all Fords
4) Ethanol will save the planet

If you want to know what is actually going on, go over there as see for yourself.
And if you want to have a bit of fun, get a few copies of foreign newspapers such as the "Straits Times" (Singapore) or any of the other asian papers and read about what is going one here. It is quite funny.

[Sourbastard]

Originally Posted by flappist

How many here have actually been to the USA?

NB: California does not count. California is to USA what the inner southern sydney suburbs are to Australia.

If all of the information you have about USA, US politics and GWB is based on what you have seen in the media AND YOU BELEIVE IT then it is you who are the gullible fools.

In case you haven't noticed the media tend to lie a lot and are very agenda driven or do you really believe that:
1) All P platers are homicidal maniacs in 300km/h race cars
2) Exceeding the speed limit by 3km/h will cause instant fatalties
3) All Holdens are faster than all Fords
4) Ethanol will save the planet

If you want to know what is actually going on, go over there as see for yourself.
And if you want to have a bit of fun, get a few copies of foreign newspapers such as the "Straits Times" (Singapore) or any of the other asian papers and read about what is going one here. It is quite funny.

I got out of the US/Canadia just before 1999 and all the lunacy, and was glad I did so. Quite true about believing the Media. I sometimes read arabic press to get the other sides propoganda of the week. It varies greatly from what we read in the west. The truth as always, is the first casualty and exists somewhere between the various sides Media releases.

That being said. George W Bush is still an idiot of the first order.

[max]

I have been in the USA four times. Plus I have family living there. My opinion of the state of that nation is not based on commercial media coverage.

[flappist]

Originally Posted by sourbastard

I got out of the US/Canadia just before 1999 and all the lunacy, and was glad I did so. Quite true about believing the Media. I sometimes read arabic press to get the other sides propoganda of the week. It varies greatly from what we read in the west. The truth as always, is the first casualty and exists somewhere between the various sides Media releases.

That being said. George W Bush is still an idiot of the first order.

Exactly. I was not supporting GWB or whatever, just pointing out that not everyting we read is true.

You and max have both been there, you understand what they are like.

I went back again last year and it the paranoia was amazing. Even in regional airports (cincinatti, vendalia, louisville etc) I was constantly checked for ID, tickets and "metal objects" sometimes 5 or 6 times going from the front door of the airport to boarding the aircraft.

This is not the sort of thing you see on the media

[Casper]

I was there mid 2002.. Chicago and Detroit. I've seen it first hand (not as a tourist) and I agree, the paranoia is stupid. After being pulled out of line for the "god-knows-how-many" time I cracked the shits and started asking them if they had any clue about Australia.

Apparently we are full of croc's and too close to asia.. I kid you not.

[Sourbastard]

Originally Posted by flappist

Exactly. I was not supporting GWB or whatever, just pointing out that not everyting we read is true.

You and max have both been there, you understand what they are like.

I went back again last year and it the paranoia was amazing. Even in regional airports (cincinatti, vendalia, louisville etc) I was constantly checked for ID, tickets and "metal objects" sometimes 5 or 6 times going from the front door of the airport to boarding the aircraft.

This is not the sort of thing you see on the media

Not surprising. North America consists of insular communities. A natural distrust of "outsiders" goes into overdrive when an insular community is attacked. Its likely this sort of Hysteria hasnt been seen since Pearl Harbour.

The US government are still in the dark over the reasons they are a target, essentially poor foreign policy and a true lack of understanding of the outside world. Trying to fix the problem with even more arrogant foreign policy and ignorance of outside cultures will just inflame the situation more.

[Sourbastard]

Originally Posted by Casper

I was there mid 2002.. Chicago and Detroit. I've seen it first hand (not as a tourist) and I agree, the paranoia is stupid. After being pulled out of line for the "god-knows-how-many" time I cracked the shits and started asking them if they had any clue about Australia.

Apparently we are full of croc's and too close to asia.. I kid you not.

that and youre a communist.

[Casper]

Originally Posted by sourbastard

that and youre a communist.

apparently so.

At least they dont think we are a small country in Europe bordering Germany where Hitler was born anymore. :

[Sourbastard]

Originally Posted by Casper

apparently so.

At least they dont think we are a small country in Europe bordering Germany where Hitler was born anymore. :

I was happier when I had a reason to wear leaderhosen and drink beer from a stein in the US.

[Casper]

Originally Posted by sourbastard

I was happier when I had a reason to wear leaderhosen and drink beer from a stein in the US.

Like you need a reason :

[Sourbastard]

Originally Posted by Casper

Like you need a reason :

i like to let out my inner hitler.

[flappist]

Originally Posted by Casper

apparently so.

At least they dont think we are a small country in Europe bordering Germany where Hitler was born anymore. :

Crikey...how did they work that out?

[Casper]

Originally Posted by flappist

Crikey...how did they work that out?

Exactly.

Who said the media was not useful? :

[4.9 EF Futura]

Originally Posted by nugget378

Im finding it hard to believe that there are people in this country that think he's not..The man is plain dopey,regardless of politics,I really cant see any redeeming features in this man..
Now before anyone calls me a lefty, for the record I am apolitical,neither right nor left,somewhere in the middle you might say depending on the issue..

It probably has something to do with the fact that he's not our president.

Aside from excercising our right to have an opinion on the guy, it's pretty much where the buck stops - in terms of "what can actually be done".

Have a laugh at George W's expense, then move on. I dont see the point in detailed criticisms of his policies, behaviour or mental capacity. Unless you're registered to vote in the US... you're not going to have much of an impact... (well he's a two termer so that's that innit?)

As far as finding any redeeming features... well, you just gotta look i guess. I've got the "bushisms" calendar on my desk, a stupid quote for every day... i see the jokes at his expense on US late night TV, pretty funny... i see what the left wing in the US has to say about him - not particularly flattering.

But then when flicking through the US news channels on a typical late night foxtel surf a few months back, i stumbled across a press conference with some association of journalists in washington D.C. He was being quizzed on a variety of issues - one of them being healthcare.

And i feel kinda silly saying this - but George W was actually pretty impressive. He knew the subject matter very well, was pretty well spoken and actually had some balanced views on the topic.... and was not being fed by a teleprompter (which is usually where he comes unstuck). I guess thats a side of him which the media doesnt find newsworthy - but i was absolutely gobsmacked.

I had genuinely been indoctrinated to BELIEVE that he was nothing more than a clown with the IQ of a 5 year old. As have a lot of people.

To see him making sense, getting his wording right - and actually KNOWING something.... it really is a bizarre thing, when so many people are telling you he is stupid. Haha, i wouldnt say it materially changed my opinion of him - but was one of those moments... i dunno, i was just shocked at how my opinion had been lead to a certain point - the point so many have reiterated here - without actually "checking it out" for myself.

[Psycho Chicken]

I can't believe half the people posting in here. Everyone is harping on about how stupid and ignorant the seppos are, yet we've got people posting opinions on what seems to be based only on the thread title. Has anyone even read the article?

Any excuse to hang it on them it seems.

[max]

Originally Posted by Psycho Chicken

I can't believe half the people posting in here. Everyone is harping on about how stupid and ignorant the seppos are, yet we've got people posting opinions on what seems to be based only on the thread title. Has anyone even read the article?

Any excuse to hang it on them it seems.

Yeah. I have. Like I answered to Flappists question, having been to the USA a few times and have family living there, I'm a bit aware of how things are. The content of the article is no surprise. The broader implication of it though is symptomatic of the paranoia and arrogant supremacist mindset in the corridors of power there. The question I repeatedly ask myself in my mind is this: What would the political landscape in the USA be like if voting was compulsory?

[red_hotxr6]

Originally Posted by EDXR65SPEED

This guy has no idea.
Americans are stupid.

You really need to qualify that statement, because of your statement i could say, Australians are stupid.If you see what i mean.

[Sourbastard]

Originally Posted by max

Yeah. I have. Like I answered to Flappists question, having been to the USA a few times and have family living there, I'm a bit aware of how things are. The content of the article is no surprise. The broader implication of it though is symptomatic of the paranoia and arrogant supremacist mindset in the corridors of power there. The question I repeatedly ask myself in my mind is this: What would the political landscape in the USA be like if voting was compulsory?

Ladies and Gentlemen, the President of the United States.

[Steffo]

Originally Posted by Uni

sure. it's great for them because it means they hold the only trump card.

then again, they're also the only nation who actually have the capacity to launch them with any level of effectiveness, so i tend to think it matters not.

That's not true. Both the UK and Russia are quite capable of launching effective nuclear attacks against... pretty much anyone. Especially the latter, considering they still pack the most potent, most powerful nuclear warheads in the world... and have the ICBM's to get them where they need to go.

[MO]

As has been said...they are not banning vegemite..its all a storm in a media teacup..lighten up ppl its a joke and most of you ducked and it went over your heads.