30-05-2005 17:30									#1
	U.S. of A: Savior of the world! Tired of ads?

Someday, when a meteor comes toward the earth, we will be waiting for someone to handle the situation. Imo, the U.S. will most likely take the job, not because they are such good folks but because they will not have faith in anyother country than their own. So last night, while waiting to fall asleep I thought about the results of such an outcome.

Lets say the US succeeds in stoping or destroying the meteor heading towards the earth. Will they take every other country into debt for saving the planet. Will everyone owe something to the U.S.? Would the U.S. use this situation to they're own advantage like they used 9/11?

I am asking this because the first reason why the U.S. would take the situation in their own hands is because they would want to save them selfs first and foremost but imo would likekly use the situation to "puppetrise" other countries. And they would also proclaim them selfs as saviors of the world and such and as of this day, everyone would owe something to the U.S.... and they would probably use this as propaganda....Imagine the U.S.'s public response and opinion after that...

Discuss.

	30-05-2005 17:34									#2
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They would go from heroes to bad guys. Because:

"Will they take every other country into debt for saving the planet."

Yes.

"Will everyone owe something to the U.S.? "

No.

"Would the U.S. use this situation to they're own advantage like they used 9/11?"

Yes.

	30-05-2005 17:35									#3
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dude, if the USA saves the earth from a giant meteorite about to destroy it, I think every country does owe the USofA.

	30-05-2005 17:36									#4
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Az, absolutely to a certain point. BUT only to certain point. But when it's used as carte blanche for few decades, it'll be a mistake.

	30-05-2005 17:40									#5
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quote: Originally posted by Az dude, if the USA saves the earth from a giant meteorite about to destroy it, I think every country does owe the USofA.

You think? How many countries can do this? What if China or Russia did it? Would the US allow it? What if everybody races to be the first one to destroy it to use the victory instead of working in teams?
I think the US would take the situation in their own hands before even looking if someone else has a better idea just to be in the saviors position. The US will not allow themselfs to be "saved" by another country.

	30-05-2005 17:42									#6
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What I mean by holding you owing about it is when you do something wrong, and then counter it with 'you owe me anyway so shut up'. 'You would be dead if it wasn't for my country, so shut up I can rape you'. That kind of thing.

Of course everyone would owe in a way, no matter who the one saving us all is. But to only certain point. When that point is crossed, it just became negative instead of positive.

	30-05-2005 17:44									#7
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Most likely case...

US helps put together a team of the few countries that still like us

Other countries will offer up money to help

If they save the world... people would still hate the US, and never pay up.

If they screw it up and the meteor hits, everybody will blame the US even though most of them did nothing

	30-05-2005 17:46									#8
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quote: You think? How many countries can do this? What if China or Russia did it?

Cheers to them for saving the universe. Everyone owes them a lot of gratitude, and they get plenty of political capital, very much deservedly. and just as with the USA, one hopes that this will change their own country for the better, as well.

If you think that people will start nuking each other so that the other will not be able to save the world in their stead, you're deluded.

	30-05-2005 17:48									#9
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quote: If they screw it up and the meteor hits, everybody will blame the US even though most of them did nothing

if there is someone left to blame or do the blaming

	30-05-2005 17:48									#10
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quote: Originally posted by Az [q] If you think that people will start nuking each other so that the other will not be able to save the world in their stead, you're deluded.

That's exactly what I said man!!

	30-05-2005 18:12									#11
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Okay, try this one:

A metor is going to hit Iran. It will cause massive local destruction, nearly the entire country. Millions of people would die. The US is the only country with the ability to stop this from happening (I am not actually saying that they are the only ones capable, I'm using it as a hypothetical). Do they do it? And if they do, what does Iran owe the "great satan"?

	30-05-2005 18:19									#12
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I think the world owes Iran a liberation from *******s.

	30-05-2005 18:19									#13
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Yeah they'd stop it. And Iran would have to drop the grudge and start appreciating it.

	30-05-2005 18:23									#14
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No - it would be EU that saves the world, while the USA falls further into backwater obscurity.

	30-05-2005 18:31									#15
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I know I'd send $20 to show my appreciation. 30 if it were a really big one.

	30-05-2005 18:39									#16
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Most likely case...

All the countries capable of destroying the meteorite think about doing so - USA, Russia and probably China. They don't trust each other, they all do stuff separately. So, three separate and confusing programs exist.

Now it would be fun if all three missiles collided in space before getting to the meteor...

	30-05-2005 18:45									#17
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It wouldn't be fun when fire erupts for hundreds of miles and a blastwave capable of flattening anything circles the earth a few times

	30-05-2005 19:55									#18
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quote: Originally posted by Donegeal Okay, try this one: A metor is going to hit Iran. It will cause massive local destruction, nearly the entire country. Millions of people would die. The US is the only country with the ability to stop this from happening (I am not actually saying that they are the only ones capable, I'm using it as a hypothetical). Do they do it? And if they do, what does Iran owe the "great satan"?

The kinds of asteroid strikes we are talking about would cause too much damage to everywhere else to be allowed to happen.

We'd probably try to make a push to knock over the Mullahs then.

	30-05-2005 20:12									#19
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quote: Originally posted by Az I think the world owes Iran a liberation from *******s.

When all you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail.

	30-05-2005 20:22									#20
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No matter how big and beautiful a house you build, there will always be small dogs pissing on it.

	30-05-2005 20:43									#21
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Let's be realistic here. Even though we spend the lion's share of all space spending worldwide (3/5ths or 4/5ths), the Russians are more capable for the task.

	30-05-2005 20:46									#22
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quote: Originally posted by St Leo quote: Originally posted by Az I think the world owes Iran a liberation from *******s. When all you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail.

When all you have is a bunch of peacenik sayings, you try to stick them everywhere you can.

	30-05-2005 20:51									#23
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I find it strange that the author would seem to prefer death in the situation he describes than be "puppetrised" by the US if they saved the world.

	30-05-2005 20:53									#24
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quote: Originally posted by DinoDoc I find it strange that the author would seem to prefer death in the situation he describes than be "puppetrised" by the US if they saved the world.

You didn't understand the point of the thread.....It's not about what I prefer, it's about the political implication of such an event.

	30-05-2005 20:59									#25
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Stupid hypotheticals based on Holywood movies (Where is Bruce Willis in this scenario?) don't normally inspire me to read closely. You might as well ask what would the geo-political implications if the US were the one to repel an alien invasion a la Independence Day (a much better movie than Armageddon IMO).

	30-05-2005 21:05									#26
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The chances of alien invasion are unknown, but the chances of a devestating meteor hitting earth are a lot higher than you might imagine. The chances of death by meteor impact and/or its aftermath are estimated at something like 1 in 6,000. It's a lot better hypothetical than most that come to Poly.

Last edited by DanS on 30-05-2005 at 21:16

	30-05-2005 21:17									#27
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quote: Originally posted by Az When all you have is a bunch of peacenik sayings, you try to stick them everywhere you can.

An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind.

	30-05-2005 21:28									#28
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Eh, surely it was yanks who took out the big mothership, but It wasn't the US, who took out the saucer in Egypt, was it?

Anyways, we'd owe them nothing. If they could build a giant spacecraft to house their entire populace, and send it to Alpha Centauri, OR take out that asteroid, then were talking. They have no choice, if they mean to survive, and nobody else is up to the task.

	30-05-2005 22:13									#29
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quote: Originally posted by St Leo quote: Originally posted by Az When all you have is a bunch of peacenik sayings, you try to stick them everywhere you can. An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind.

And thus you prove it

	30-05-2005 22:14									#30
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quote: Originally posted by Tattila the Hun Eh, surely it was yanks who took out the big mothership, but It wasn't the US, who took out the saucer in Egypt, was it? Anyways, we'd owe them nothing. If they could build a giant spacecraft to house their entire populace, and send it to Alpha Centauri, OR take out that asteroid, then were talking. They have no choice, if they mean to survive, and nobody else is up to the task.

Nice to know you'd be grateful

Maybe we should just cart off ourselves, if that's what you guys'd think... or perhaps deflect all of the asteroid except for a piece that would hit Finland. Actually, that's a very good idea.