cactoblasta

Reply to U.S. needs to get out of UN NOW! in International PolMach Forums

There's a difference between cooperation and collaboration and doing what the US says before all else. The whole point of the UN was not to have one world voice on all issues but to be a forum for discussing problems and issues on a global basis. When the majority of the world goes against the US's decision, that should not be considered a failure of the UN. Just because the building itself is in New York does not mean that its member-states have an

Reply to Fahrenheit 911 aims to indoctrinate in Politics JoeUser Forums

And what bugs me is that Moore isn't really anything special. He'd be just another left-wing kook on this site. He just happened to be talented at film making. Surely you don't think that the talented should be pre

Reply to Choose Your Presidential Candidate in Politics JoeUser Forums

1. ideal theoretical candidate 100% 2. Kerry (66%) 3. Bush (8%) It's a good thing I'm not an American - noone seems to represent my views.

Reply to Exit Strategy in Politics JoeUser Forums

Why have an exit strategy at all? In purely geopolitical terms, and ignoring WMDs, regime change and the ilk, the US needed a new location for bases in the region. Saudi Arabia is falling apart, Kuwait is too small and putting bases in Israel is asking for trouble. Iraq is perfect. I don't expect that US troops will ever leave, whether Iraq is democratic or not. It just doesn't make any sense for them to do so.

Reply to Communist Party Endorses Kerry in Politics JoeUser Forums

Aren't Communist Parties illegal in the US? I always thought the whole McCarthy thing got rid of the last of them fifty years ago. What's the world coming to when even the most extreme crazies get a voice?

Reply to Is WMD really the deciding issue in the Iraq war? in Politics JoeUser Forums

Depends who you quote - the actual trigger-men (to use the cliche) claimed they were aiming at Americans and were disappointed with the low US citizen deathtoll. But according to most of the authorities (ie Indonesian and Australian) during confessions they claimed the attacks were aimed at Australians. Some Indonesian nationals and cynics also claimed it was the CIA, but I think we can safely say that that's a "wacko theory". In any case Je

Reply to Is WMD really the deciding issue in the Iraq war? in Politics JoeUser Forums

Yes, but Australia isn't as significant a target. Noone cares enough to attack - it'd be like someone attacking Denmark for its government's position on the war on terror. Foreign apathy is one of a "middle power"'s greatest defences.

Reply to Is WMD really the deciding issue in the Iraq war? in Politics JoeUser Forums

Madine: What sort of terrain were you expecting to deploy them to? The ocean? No. I can't imagine Australia ever deploying tanks unless the northern coast was overwhelmed, in which case we wouldn't be a

Reply to Philosophical Match-Making in Philosophy JoeUser Forums

1. Aquinas 100% 2. Spinoza 94% 3. Kant 89% 4. John Stuart Mill 87% 5. Jeremy Bentham 84% I'd never heard of Bentham or Spinoza, and never would have guessed that I had anything in common with Aquinas. This is a great quiz!

Reply to Senator Kennedy has caused Americans to DIE in Iraq. in International PolMach Forums

I'm fairly familiar with Machiavelli, and have read some Sun Tzu, and I find it difficult to believe either would characterize stepping onto a bus with a bomb to make a point "warfare". When you call them "Freedom Fighters", you just legitimize the practice. Perhaps they wouldn't call them warfare, but

Reply to Is WMD really the deciding issue in the Iraq war? in Politics PolMach Forums

My oil supply doesn't come from the MIddle East, and the bones thrown to my country from our involvement in Iraq have been meager to none - a dodgy and extremely ambiguous free trade agreement, a discount on tanks that aren't suited to any sort of deployment outside of grasslands/desert, a personal friendship with a President who might not even be there by the end of the year and the enmity of many in my own region. In realpolitik terms Iraq

Reply to Senator Kennedy has caused Americans to DIE in Iraq. in International PolMach Forums

Let me repeat my previous post addressing your very point - I'd agree with Gargolye - what does a terrorist care about some once-important man in another country? Kennedy doesn't provide funding, or protection, or any other kind of support to the terrorists other than an acceptance that they exist and are going to make

Reply to Is WMD really the deciding issue in the Iraq war? in Politics PolMach Forums

Personally no amount of NBCs in Iraq would convince me that the war was good for me; Australia is so far away that the fallout would have dissipated before reaching me, and the destruction of the US and continental Europe by an immense and overwhelming Iraqi nuclear stockpile would merely remove trade rivals. However on a less flippant note I feel that a proven ability to actually use the weapons

Reply to Only Whites can be Racist? in Current Events JoeUser Forums

Does anyone know if this guy makes a point of his facepaint in his act? It sounds strange to me that he would choose to appear black anyway unless he thought he could get a cheap laugh out of it. Surely anyone who saw him would be able to tell from his facial features that he wasn't an African American/Aborigine/Pacific Islander/etc. Personally I would have considered it more of a weird gimmick than a "racist" move, but then I've never heard of the

Reply to Please! No Constitutional Amendment against Lefties in Politics PolMach Forums

I think it's a bit rich to assume that homosexuality could serve absolutely no purpose in Darwinian science. The sole purpose of life is not necessarily to procreate. Look at bees for example. The vast majority of them will never, ever be capable of reproduction. And yet that doesn't matter because what is most important is the survival of the species. You see, that's the key. Gays can serve a useful purpose in keeping population growth down. As

Reply to Senator Kennedy has caused Americans to DIE in Iraq. in International PolMach Forums

I'd agree with Gargolye - what does a terrorist care about some once-important man in another country? Kennedy doesn't provide funding, or protection, or any other kind of support to the terrorists other than an acceptance that they exist and are going to make things difficult for US forces. Blame the Saudis who fund the rebels/freedom fighters/contras/whatever, or the unprotected arms stockpiles which arm them, or the farming collectives which make

Reply to Bush has made the world a better place.. in International PolMach Forums

What about Southeast Asia? SInce his policies in the Middle East, Islamic and Christian extremists in countries like Indonesia and Malaysia have experienced a revival in support. During the last few decades, and especially with the slowly progressive policies of the major religious groups in the region, fanaticism and bigotry had been declining steadily. However over the last few years violence and extremism have become far more common. Admittedly

Reply to Micheal Moore urges regime change in International PolMach Forums

I used to like the Democrats until they dropped Natasha, but now I'm old enough to fully understand their policies, I can't support them any more. the Labor party isn't fit to govern Australia, no matter who is heading it up I wouldn't go so far as to say the Labor Party isn't fit to lead Austr

Reply to Voter turnout in the United States in International PolMach Forums

Hey, Australians don't fondle sheep - we fondle your women. It's the Kiwis (New Zealanders) that fondle the sheep. Seriously, I don't think voting numbers in Australia would be very high if voting wasn't mandatory - everybody complains about it and noone really cares too much (apart from the bleeding hearts and the war nazis).

Reply to Voter turnout in the United States in International PolMach Forums

I think you pay $50 or $150 if you don't turn up to the polling booths in an Australian election. It's not a great deal of money. And you can turn up, get your name crossed out and then not vote. There is no requirement to actually vote, merely to turn up.

Reply to Micheal Moore urges regime change in International PolMach Forums

disagree, a withdrawl now might diffuse alot of anti-american sentiment by denying people a target. I seriously doubt that the Iraqis dislike the American soldiers because there are Australian troops in Iraq. Outside of Howard's and possibly George Bush's mind I don't think anyone, anywhere would car

Reply to Frogboy, did you already talk about The Spaniards? in Politics PolMach Forums

I doubt it was fear. The Spanish have never been a cowardly people. I think disfavour is more likely.

Reply to Anti-Semitism in International PolMach Forums

There is still a threat of nuclear warheads. There is no hard evidence, but going off the US's track record with arms development and the viability of the technology, there is probably at least one "world-destroying" nuke in existence, and Israel is rumoured to possess one as well. Basically this is a nuke sufficiently large that when it goes off Earth will be blown out of orbit, freezing/burning everything. So it is in everyone's best interests to

Reply to Micheal Moore urges regime change in International PolMach Forums

I don't like Australian troops in Iraq because I think it's a total waste of money. We have troops there that don't leave the US compound and perform no noticeable function. The funds needed to keep them there would be better spent on other things; if the US won't be allies without our presence in Iraq, I think sending in AusAID rather than our overstretched SAS will give a better return on the investment.

Reply to What? I'm a Liberal? in Politics PolMach Forums

I got a 10, but I'm not too fluent in US politics, so some answers I had to pick at random. It was a bit of surprise though to be as liberal as Hilary Clinton.