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The Pioneer
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Germany
May 2002
time: 06:20
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quote:
Originally posted by moominparatrooper
Most Europeans, if not necessarily most of the Europeans who post here, are quite aware of what the US accomplished for Europe last century; it's stalwart defense of European democracy in WWII, the Marshall Aid, and not least the Cold War, during which America, and America alone, prevented the other half of this continent from falling into Soviet hands.
And most of us appreciate that. A lot. Really.
However, it's a sad fact of life that it isn't easy being grateful. The US is not the first benefactor in history to find out that graditude generates resentment. We've all experienced it on a personal level, right? Add to that the envy American superiority in every field - be it industry, science, culture or pure unadulterated might - generates and you get a lot of the kind of childish whining 'bout America we see so much of on these boards. That, of course, does not change the fact that the overwhelming majority of Europeans know, and know it well, what we owe the Americans for a service well beyond the line of duty.
Or knew. I'll be darned if I know whether the nanosecond attension span generation will even consider Bosnia before yelling "but what have you done for us lately"? That, however, is a problem you share with us, innit?
Let me just conclude on this day, the fourth of July, that you can rest assured that depite all the crud you hear from the rants and trolls here the vast majority of Europeans would happily join me in expressing their best wishes to the American people, who have done such peerless services to democracy in the past and who stand again at the forefront of the battle against the latest form of fascism to win popular support in the world.
As for me personally, I hope to see Pax Americana - and all that it entails - last well beyond my lifespan.
"This is downtown Judy Brown. God bless in America, and in Europe too!" |
It couldn't have been said better  .
By the way I think that all of us in the Continent should at least pay one visit as a pilgrimage to the various Cemeteries of US, British, Canadian and other allied cemetries scattered along the Road to Liberty (thankyou Gen. Paton). A lot of them are located in Normandy which is a stunning experience to visit. Not one day goes by without me thinking of all these people that made the ultimate sacrifice in order to ensure Liberty and Peace.
Last but not least I would like to note that although the situation may not be perfect and America's policy's may not be to everyone's liking but it was us (europeans and a lot of other places) that asks for US assistance in times of need. Nothing is perfect of course but I'll take the Status Quo as it is now rather than any russian, ottoma, german that could've been here.
So once again as we do every Memorial Day and Veteran's Day, let's thank the freedom fighters and USA.
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Tolls
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Hereford, UK
Jan 1970
time: 05:20
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Trying to ignore the ranting here, but that article in the Washington Post was a little sacharrine...some elements were also distorted to say the least.
There has been enough good stuff (even in relation to Poland) from the US that I really don't see the need to try and stake a claim on more.
For instance...
"If it had not been for Wilson, Poland might have disappeared forever from the map of Europe. "
Is completely untrue. If Russia had not have collapsed then there is no way Poland would have been given its independence, in much the same way that Eire didn't get its independence. Once Russia had dissolved into revolution a free Poland was a certainty with an Entente victory...in the same way a break up of the Austro-Hungarian Empire was.
It has already been mentioned that the US did little for Poland when Hitler threatened it...it was, after all, Britain and France that went to war to defend that country...we may have done a piss-poor job of it, but it's the thought that counts...
"Tragically, the defeat of Nazi Germany did not bring freedom to the nations of east and central Europe. "
Indeed it didn't...it was at Tehran in '43 that Roosevelt essentially sold Poland off to Stalin. Churchill (by that point sidelined) was dismayed that no attempt was made to ensure that Poland would be a free democracy...we had gone to war to save this country and no it was being handed over to someone as bad as Hitler.
"RFE destroyed the monopoly of the Communist public media and frustrated the efforts of the Soviet Union to isolate the satellite countries from the outside world. Citizens of these countries had only to tune in to the RFE frequency to learn what their governments were attempting to hide from them. People were able to get the information they needed to form their own views, even if they could not speak them. Their minds remained free. "
Say what you like, but the BBC had been transmitting its World Service (originally Empire Service) since 1932...
RFE was important, but it was hardly the first, and hardly the only one.
These are the sort of things that get my goat...there is absolutely no reason for them. There are more than enough great things to be happy about, and to thank the US for, but they just get trampled by an almost Hollywoodised view.
Chris62:
"Not so long as Churchill was PM, and he wasn't getting booted.
He only lost an election when the war was virtually over. "
Sort of...Churchill lost a major by-election in '42. One of the reasons for him sacking Auchinleck (a mistake) and replacing him with Montgomery (a bigger mistake). Churchill feared that without some victory he would possibly be ousted by Parliament. He wasn't invincible.
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Jon Miller
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quote:
Originally posted by Saint Marcus
I'm so glad you can put people on your ignore list. Just blocking one person made this thread so much less annoying. |
so you finally put yourself on your ignore list
I knew this day would come
Jon Miller
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Jon Miller
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quote:
Originally posted by Saint Marcus
I'm so glad you can put people on your ignore list. Just blocking one person made this thread so much less annoying. |
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05-07-2002 12:21
We could make this a real international effort with strippers from around the world. Call it Peelers for Peace.
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