Well, according to treeman, you're stupid. That's all Rocket River was wanting to know. He put no political spin in his question.
He said this thread is stupid. Not that post. This thread. Before Deckard even posted. Nice try though.
treeman, I know about our programs to destroy our WMD's. I wasn't talking to you at all. I'm pleased to hear that you know so much about it... we're farther along than I expected and that's good news. But it wasn't a stupid question asked by Rocket River. It's astonishing to me how little so many people (and I'm including myself, depending on the subject, of course ) know about so many different things in their own country, the United States... whether it's about political goings on here in Texas, the direction of our foreign relations (or lack of direction), our history and the history of other countries and on and on. I learn things here all the time. I also get extremely frustrated at the attitude of some posters when they read something that doesn't fit their predetermined mindset and ideas about what's going on in a host of areas. I just don't think it's productive to dismiss others thoughts and ideas, their search for learning about something they may know little about, in such a cavalier fashion. It doesn't make you and some of the rest of the board look very good, imo. It doesn't promote good discussion. It encourages people not to post when they think they're going to get your kind of reaction. And it's just plain rude. But I suspect you know that. Such is life on the BBS.
If Rocket River truly did not know whether or not we had WMD aside from our nukes, then all he had to do was ask. A hundred people here could have told him the answer and I wouldn't have said a word. To frame it in the form of a poll stinks of accusation and controversy - it sounds like he already knew the answer to his "question". I am sorry if you thought my response was rude, but I just wanted to clear things up before they got really stupid.
According to the study I saw...which was admitedly over a year ago, the US has far and away spent the most, historically or per year, on WMD nuclear or otherwise, of any nation on Earth, and in total has more than the vast majority of other nations combined. I concede your point about this thread, and I apologize if I was dismissive. I hadn't actually considered that this information osn't common knowledge.
Oh, god... now I have that song buzzing around in my head. And we're all... so happy together! I can't see me lovin' nobody but you, for all my life... When you're with me baby the skies will be blue, for all my life! Arrgh. My whole mood has turned turtle. (I'm gonna go invest a dime and jumpstart the economy!)
Why do they ask us? Why do we comply? Do they ask any other governments? or do some just jump on the US bandwagon? Don't you have to admit that the US is uniquely positioned and uniquely viewed?
'They' ask several nations for help. COuntires appeal to those with more power all the time...Canada, for instance, while hardly in the same universe as any kind of power with the US is among the world's largest contributers to 'Peace keeping' forces. Etc. Being asked for help at times means only one thing: somebody feels they need it, and those in need tend to ask people who have the ability to help. But the fact that some nations occassionaly ask for US help in no way, hsape or form gives us the mandate to appoint ourselves Global Cop, let alone to use that self-appointed power as we see fit in spite of world opinion. If you're the biggest guy on the block, and as such the one who gets asked to help move things, resolve differences, etc. more than any other individual, where on earth would you get it that you are now in charge of the block, whether the block likes it or not? There's a word for people who think that way...
I nominate France to be the Global Cop. I say we hold an election in the UN to make it all legit, and when they are elected the world grants them "Extremely Cool and Powerful World Power in the Multipolar World" status, whereupon all US peacekeeping troops, all troops monitoring ceasefires or separating warring parties, and all occupation forces everywhere are replaced by French troops. I would really like to see that happen - I am being serious. It would be funny... And would probably utterly fail to show the French and their sympathizers - especially those who hold dual US-Canadian citizenship and teach history - the folly of their desires...
I put it in a poll because unlike yourself some of us do not have intimate knowledge of these things The point of the thread is perception. At Least 8 people are of the mind that the US did not have WMD So I was not alone in that assumption. Nor was I stupid to ask it .. .and see what others thought If we have them . .. they did not spring up in 2000 I figured we had some. . . but I was not 100% sure I *can* be a bit of a conspiracy theorist . . . so I sometimes ask other who are not as. . . Jaded as I. Rocket River Destroying them is a good thing . . . .
Admittedly there is a fine line between appropriateness and inappropriateness, but you are also the one who gets asked to punk down the bullies (and sometimes you just don't wait to get asked because it is obviously needed) as well as move the heavy furniture.
