From: Spudboy100@aol.com
Date: Sun Jan 26 2003 - 10:19:08 MST
Kai observed:
<<Exactly. That's why I don't buy any "we have to bring freedom and
democracy" arguments regarding the Iraq. I'd gladly accept a worldwide
campaign for freedom and democracy, and I would praise the US if they'd
lead that campaign. After the middle-east, North Korea would be on my
list, as well as several regions in Africa. Such an initiative could
perhaps even push China - if we could achieve a worldwide embargo for
example. Unfortunately, not many regimes care for moral, when profit is
at stake. Together with my impression that there's no real present danger
yet (see my other mails), I therefore tend to look for other reasons for
Mr Bushs war monging.>>
Well, a lot of conservative politicians like to wrap themselves in the flag.
This is pretty well known in the USA and to be expected. Honesty is more
refreshing and important, I believe. Had Bush stated: "we are in this for
revenge, punish, and a warning"; with some convincing, the vast majority of
the American people would have come along anyway.
Also it seems that if one waits until a clear and present danger arrives; the
ONLY solution is war, because negotiation is out the door.
<<IIRC, Morgenthaus plan was to knock down all industrial equipment in
Germany and make it a agriculture-only country, so that no military
infrastructure could ever be developed here.>>
I am guessing that 2/3rds of Germans would've have enjoyed it, nevertheless.
A bucolic lifestyle might have been more therapeutic, especially right after
a murderous and murdering war! But since the Marshall Plan was chosen, we
might be talking about an alternate history fiction.
<<That's clearly not the way Schröder thinks :-) He's also not overly
pacifistic. In the evening of 9-11-2001, he officially announced that
Germany would provide "unreserved solidarity" to the US and AFAIK, he has
kept his word.>>
Such throw away statements by politicians, from whatever nation, must be
familiar to everyone. The are not to be taken seriously.
<<The socialdemocratic/green coalition has been the first
government of Germany who send german soldiers into actual battles, first
in former Yugoslavia, then in Afghanistan. That wasn't easy in a land,
where grantparents and even parents narrations about war times don't
tell about heroism, but about death, hunger, displacement and the loss of
friends and belongings.>>
The world changes and we all must change with it. I voted for Al Gore, in the
last election, and now, because of foreign policy events; will not soon
consider voting for the Democrats again.
<<Isn't this more a problem of information? We know there's plenty of money
in that region, but it's in the hand of a small elite. But what do the
people there know? Remember the very limited sources of information in
Iraq. You'll meet 23mio. people who think you are the spurce of all evil,
because you have deprived them of food, medicaments, etc., because the
official propaganda says so. How many Iraqis know about the UN, the ABC
weapons? According to a german news program last week, many Iaqis still
believe than Iran had attacked them in the eighties, because propaganda
says so.
Kai >>
The best propaganda is the truth. The DE-Nazification program, and the
demilitarization program in Japan; worked only because these were conquered
nations.
One the original governments were defeated; people could decide for
themselves based on news services. My guess is such news services
intentionally, and unintentionally, provide propaganda; but that post WW2
propaganda was much, much, closer to the truth then the previous regimes.
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