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Do not be concerned about our arjay, he is very anti west.
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You are one sick puppy. You need help dude!

"We owe it to the very reasons we went, and our dead to stay."

The reason we went was to gain favor from the USA for the implementation of a Free Trade Agreement, a sense of grovelling endorsement plus for domestic political expediency.

Obviously the best way to honor our fallen dead is to pile even more bodies on top of them, and ultimately for what?

To bomb some sort of Democracy into some country or to lift the bottom line for corporations such as Blackwater?

Meanwhile those who actually finance terrorism - such as Saudi Arabia - remain well out of the public eye and the reasons for the actual terrorist attacks are never ever discussed, except as hollow slogans straight out of some Hollywood script, and those huge corporations who profit from war carry on.

Being anti West is not being anti America, let's get that straight. There are more Asians who are Western than Americans & Europeans combined. Hell, there are more black people who are more Western than the whole population of Australia. West does no equate to white. West means excess & getting much for nothing. Most of Academia is Western.
Most frivolous industry is Western. Pointless education is Western etc etc. Western is a mentality not Race and, it's taking a spiral dive. No opposite rudder to recover.

Good evening to you ARJAY...

Over time, I've read many of your posts on varying topics, and I've noticed that anything that remotely pertains to, or touches upon the United States of America, you seem to become very caustic and indignant just at the mere mention of the country. I was wondering why ?

I know in the last couple of decades, the US has had their fair share of economic and diplomatic stumbles, probably more so then most democracies, nevertheless there's much for us (Australia) to thank them for.

I've often heard (ad nauseam) many discussions concerning the Vietnam War, and how the US and her allies were beaten. At the risk of opening up another contentious topic involving disputable arguement apropos South Vietnam. I've got to say, we weren't ever beaten in country ! We were beaten in the environs of Martin Place , Washington, Times Square, and on the many University Campuses, all over the western world ? Also with the able assistance of the likes of Ms Jane FONDA, speaking with the North Vietnam Military, while her fellow countrymen were dying in the South of the country, doesn't help much either ?

I can't possibly count the number of instances that I know of personally, where US officials have given material assistance too so many deserving folk...!

ARJAY, I realize you must have your reasons, probably good ones, it's just that I find your resolute and tireless censuring and disparagement of the US, more than a little curious ? And I just wonder why, is all ?

Dear O Sung Wu
In defence of Arjay and the anti-american stance. It depends on how much effort you want to put in. I share the opinion that no world power has done so much damage and caused so much human misery in the history of humankind as this regime has in the last thirty-five years. This is one huge motion picture we are looking at and does take a lot of effort to comprehend. Arjay,s sources may be different to mine, however may I suggest that a reading of Naomi klein's "Shock Doctrine" and William Blum's historical record "Killing Hope" would be an illuminating starting point. These two books should be available at a local library; they certainly joined a lot of dots for me plus there is a huge and mounting volume of well substantiated written material available if one takes the trouble to access it.
Cheers Den71

o sung wo thanks, for nothing but a common sense post.
You will note I bought some fire on my self, but lets look deeper.
Deeper at what I think is of little help, even a danger to OLO.
Raw Mustard, wants us to think he is hot stuff, insulting but uninteresting.
He targets me, for reminding him the letter T is all that separates a Witt from a Twitt.
Arjay openly targets the USA, room exists to do so, on SOME ISSUES not every one.
We find our selves contributing,to a thread that perilously, attempts to link Bush fires to war.
And comments are strange IMO today houses will be lost land nearly destroyed, but I doubt ANY members of the armed forces will be put in to fight those fires,unless they threaten Military property.
Yes such and much more is done, for us all, by our military.
Review too, if posters will, Long time contributor INDIVIDUAL.
His contributions,if not in his own mind,are like raw mustards, to me and casual observers a SINGLE INTENT TO NEEDLE some other posters.
It may not be so, but can you see other in that post?