[thechat] US Elections

Martin Burns martin at easyweb.co.uk
Thu Nov 7 16:37:01 CST 2002


On Thu, 7 Nov 2002, aardvark wrote:

> > From: "Martin Paul Burns" <martin.burns at uk.ibm.com>
> >
> > Sorry Hugh, I think that's just way too simplistic.
> >
> > There's also a 'neutral' category, and a category which says "Even
> > though you may be right in some matters, that doesn't give you carte
> > blanche in all of them, and I'll criticise where appropriate". Picking
> > sides in a binary manner is just such a macho, posturing thing to do,
> > don't you think?
>
> i think now we might as well branch into the discussion of
> neutrality...
>
> there is no true neutrality... if so, entities would be forced to
> inaction at all times... and that doesn't happen...
>
> even nations claiming to be neutral have consistently weighed in
> with their opinion on international matters, had citizens offer
> support one way or another, or continue to engage in
> trade/business with other nations...

...sounds like "We don't actually care one way or the other" to me. Which
is as near neutrality as makes little odds.

Neutrality doesn't mean you don't have an opinion, or prevent your
citizens from holding or expressing opinions, or play the numbers from
moment to moment in accordance with your own interests. It's absolutely
not the same as picking sides in the Bushian sense - "Join the forces of
freedom or be part of the Axis of Evil"

> criticism is allowed, and expected, from allies... nothing bush said
> indicated that everyone had to suddenly arm up, shut their mouths,
> and follow us wherever...

So when did he rescind the "You're either with us or against us" theory?
And which do you have to be to prevent the US illegally assasinating
people on your soil? I seem to remember the US being somewhat against that
when the Russians were doing it (cf Georgy Markov).

Double standards - how to lose friends and alienate people.

Cheers
Martin
---------------------------
"Names, once they are in common use, quickly
 become mere sounds, their etymology being
 buried, like so many of the earth's marvels,
 beneath the dust of habit." - Salman Rushdie




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