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Jason Henderson

Japan never knew democracy before 1945. We bombarded them into pacifism, so it may work for the Iraqis too. In the end, its all about what system can provide a better life for you and your family. Once they taste democracy, they'll never go back.

Jason Henderson
"You must be the change you wish to see in the world." - Gandhi

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Chris Meech

Jason Henderson wrote: Once they taste democracy, they'll never go back. Gee, I've never called it that before. ;) Chris Meech "what makes CP different is the people and sense of community, things people will only discover if they join up and join in." Christian Graus Nov 14, 2002. "AAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!! Those leaks are driving me crazy! How does one finds a memory leak in a garbage collected environment ??! Daniel Turini Nov. 2, 2002.

ColinDavies

Nice post, A lot I agree with. I often wonder why we think democracy is so darn wonderful though. Since I have lived most of my life in a country that is supposedly democratic, it was a shock for me when travelling to discover people lived ok in countries that were not democratic, but had good capitalism structures working. Ray Cassick wrote: Pardon the geeky part of me coming out, but this seems to sound a whole lot like the ideals behind the Star Trek rules of First Contact. I think we need to wait until the Iraqis develop Wrap technology before dealing with them. :-) Aren't the MWD's similar to higher technology, so now the USA and UK are going in to make contact ? :-) Regardz Colin J Davies

Sonork ID 100.9197:Colin

I'm guessing the concept of a 2 hour movie showing two guys eating a meal and talking struck them as 'foreign' Rob Manderson wrote:

Nemanja Trifunovic

Ray Cassick wrote: If the Iraqi people want democracy they will be willing to rise up and take it like we did when we wanted to be free from England. You didn't want freedom (England was a free country). You wanted a tax cut. ;P

Ed Gadziemski

In the end, its all about what system can provide a better life for you and your family. I like the Kuwaiti system. Every citizen is well-cared for from oil revenues. Free education, housing, annual stipends above the median U.S. wage. No unemployment. Oops, they don't qualify under your criteria. They are not a democracy. Those willing to trade liberty for security deserve neither - Benjamin Franklin

Jason Henderson

Perhaps you would like to live there?

Jason Henderson
"You must be the change you wish to see in the world." - Gandhi

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Jason Henderson

We had no representation in Parliament, therefore we were subjects.

Jason Henderson
"You must be the change you wish to see in the world." - Gandhi

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Doug Goulden

Give me your address I'm willing to kick in $10 for the liberate Ed fund, we can send yah to Baghdad, here they are about to have a remodeling party there:wtf: Uptight Ex-Military Republican married to a Commie Lib - How weird is that?

David Wulff

Yeah, aparently there a quite a lot of Briton's living in Kuwaite too for some strange reason...

David Wulff

"I feel inclined to blow my mind, Get hung up feeding ducks with a bun. They all come out to groove about; Be nicer than fun in the sun." - Itchycoo Park (Small Faces)

Jason Henderson

He wants to go to Kuwait, not Iraq. At least not yet anyway.

Jason Henderson
"You must be the change you wish to see in the world." - Gandhi

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Doug Goulden

If Ed and people like him had their way Kuwait would still be part of Iraq:omg: China and Korea part of the Empire of Japan, France, England, and the US part of Germany .... you get the idea;) Uptight Ex-Military Republican married to a Commie Lib - How weird is that?

Ed Gadziemski

Well, your bio here on CP says nothing about you, but based on Jason's birthdate I was serving in the US Army while he was still in diapers. Besides, my Uncle Ed, who I was named after, was killed fighting in Korea in '51 and my father was wounded fighting in Germany during WWII. Don't throw stones when you know nothing about me. Those willing to trade liberty for security deserve neither - Benjamin Franklin

Mike Gaskey

Ed Gadziemski wrote: Don't throw stones when you know nothing about me. The stones I saw thrown had nothing to do with your heritage just with your silly ideas. Since you're a technician by trade I assume you've done things like, "walk thrus" where your work product can be criticized and you are to understand that the criticism is not of you but of what you have created. Mike

Doug Goulden

Well for the bio if it matters, I served 9 years in the US Navy on board a ballistic missle submarine based out of Kings Bay, George. I was a Reactor Operator working on reactor control systems and operating the reactor. My education was as an electronics technician. After I got out of the Navy in 1990 I joined the UA (as a steam fitter) because I didn't want to work in the nuclear power industry (I didn't like the paperwork). Eventually I got back into electronics and now I work programming building automation systems. So I spent about a year and a half total underwater on strategic deterrent patrols so people like you and I could discuss out differences in a civil manner. The thing I would think you would get from your time in the Army was that war sucks, but sometimes its necessary. Uptight Ex-Military Republican married to a Commie Lib - How weird is that?

Ed Gadziemski

Good bio. You should update your page. Yeah, I got that out of the Army. This time ain't one of them. We're wasting time & money going on a personal vendetta against Iraq when there are so many clear & present dangers that need attending to first. Those willing to trade liberty for security deserve neither - Benjamin Franklin

Doug Goulden

I could agree with you if 9/11 didn't happen, baby Bush and all. But I think that the one thing we should have learned was if we are going to fight a war, fight to win... And its pretty reasonable to think Saddaam is a threat. And we definitely do have a war against terrorism. That guy is just nuts enough to decide he wants to make a name for himself and destroy the Great Satan. And if we just sit back eventually he might just manage to do it. IMHO that part of the world (the Middle East), seems to think a lot different than we do, the idea of MAD only works if the other guy thinks he has something to lose. The one thing I would like to see though is the US using the carrot and the stick theory. We can be your best friend or your worst enemy. We should try to help the countries like Afghanistan and Iraq that we attack, not necessarily to make them be the way we want them, but to try to remove the influence some of the nut have over others. Uptight Ex-Military Republican married to a Commie Lib - How weird is that?

Nitron

Ed Gadziemski wrote: I like the Kuwaiti system. Every citizen is well-cared for from oil revenues. Free education, housing, annual stipends above the median U.S. wage. No unemployment. That can't be any further from the truth! My friend's parents were Kuwaiti citizens before the gulf war. There is no financial security in Kuwait. No FDIC, nothing. When Iraq invaded, all assets were frozen, and they had to give all their money to Iraqi soldiers (they store more in their homes than an american keeps in his bank account). They lost everything, and went back to the UAE to live with family. Perhaps someone you know of is fortunate enough to have the wealth and security you describe, but I assure you, you must remove the "Every citizen" clause. - Nitron

"Those that say a task is impossible shouldn't interrupt the ones who are doing it." - Chinese Proverb

ColinDavies

Jason Henderson wrote: We had no representation in Parliament, therefore we were subjects. Do you really think any common people had representation in parliament back in those days ? If you consider even the average colonist of the time, they were very self reliant and taxatiion and representation policy had little effect on their day to day lives. Lets be honest, the whole Independence thing, was to make some fat cats even richer. Regardz Colin J Davies

Sonork ID 100.9197:Colin

I'm guessing the concept of a 2 hour movie showing two guys eating a meal and talking struck them as 'foreign' Rob Manderson wrote:

Ed Gadziemski

I wasn't being literal, dude. I was just poking a hole in Jason's "everything American is better" balloon. :rose: Those willing to trade liberty for security deserve neither - Benjamin Franklin