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The Mick · Feb 17, 2003, 03:35 PM

Originally posted by The Oracle:
large numbers of US troops in Europe are not needed. Getting many of them out of there should be an urgent priority.

However, Japan is still an important staging ground and strategic position for US forces in protecting Taiwan and deterring North Korean aggression. A reduction of personnel in Japan could probably be done, but not to any great extent.

Taiwan? And I care about Taiwan because....? Oh wait! All that sh*t I buy at Wal-Mart is made there! Yeah! Keep pumping those cheap transitor radios our way and we'll keep our military presence there to protect you! Please...
Bring our boys back home, that's my stance.

SimeyTheLimey · Feb 17, 2003, 03:35 PM

Originally posted by Mastrap:
Simey, mate. "Aldi" rocks. Very drinkable bottle of Rioja for about $2.50. Don't knock it

I notice you did not try to defend Kinder Eggs.

Mastrap · Feb 17, 2003, 03:37 PM

Originally posted by SimeyTheLimey:
I notice you did not try to defend Kinder Eggs.

Damn. Busted. Nothing escapes you, does it?
Ok, fair enough. I give you the Kinder Eggs.

roger_ramjet · Feb 17, 2003, 07:24 PM

Originally posted by theolein:
... However Rumsfeld is a loudmouth dumbfukk... take a second think about why Rumfukk...

<sarcasm>aren't you such a clever boy</sarcasm>

olePigeon · Feb 17, 2003, 07:34 PM

Waaaaah! No one wants to play with me! *stomps feet* I'm going home!

Lerkfish · Feb 17, 2003, 07:37 PM

Originally posted by Millennium:
So... um... what would you suggest they do?

One, they're hardly "taking the ball". Germany has no real enemies, and the Cold War has been over for more than a decade; they haven't needed the U.S. military there for a long time.

So, let's see. here. We don't agree with Germany. We're not allowed to leave. We're not allowed, apparently, to argue. So our other options are to either agree with them, or act like we agree with them even though we don't. Who is being the dictator here?

I'm sorry, but if Germany has a right to its own opinion, then so does the U.S., and neither one has any right to boss the other around. If we don't want to keep our troops in there then they have no legal right to order us to stay, and since there's no one they need protection from there's no moral obligation to stay either. This talk of "punishment" is frankly suspect, because aside from a few consumers who will no longer be participating in the German economy, there is no real impact. Never mind that unless I'm mistaken the soldiers pay taxes to the US rather than to Germany anyway, so indeed, a drain on the German economy is being taken away. I just don't see how this is going to hurt them. What is this metaphorical "ball" we're "taking"?

FWIW, I was only clarifying a misconception someone made about someone else's post...I wasn't necessarily saying I would choose to make the same point.

SimeyTheLimey · 08:54 PM

Originally posted by olePigeon:
Waaaaah! No one wants to play with me! *stomps feet* I'm going home!

Well, if you want to see childishness, how about Chirac threatening to block eastern Europeans from joining the EU if they support the US?

Link

"It is not really responsible behavior," he told a news conference. "It is not well brought up behavior. They missed a good opportunity to keep quiet."

Chirac was angered when EU candidates Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic joined pro-U.S. EU members such as Britain, Spain and Italy last month in a letter supporting Washington's line on Iraq against the more dovish stance of France and Germany.

Paris was further upset when 10 other eastern European nations signed a similar letter a few days later.

France argued that the moves aggravated splits in the 15-nation EU and backed the ideas put forward by U.S. Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld who had earlier spoke of France and Germany as "old Europe" in contrast to the easterners seeking to join the EU and NATO.

"Concerning the candidate countries, honestly I felt they acted frivolously because entry into the European Union implies a minimum of understanding for the others," Chirac told reporters after an emergency EU summit on Iraq.

He warned the candidates the position could be "dangerous" because the parliaments of the 15 EU nations still have to ratify last December's decision for 10 new members to join the bloc on May 1, 2004.

Chirac particularly warned Romania and Bulgaria, who are still negotiating to enter the bloc in 2007. "Romania and Bulgaria were particularly irresponsible to (sign the letter) when their position is really delicate," Chirac said. "If they wanted to diminish their chances of joining Europe they could not have found a better way."

Tut tut!

Lerkfish · Feb 17, 2003, 08:57 PM

Originally posted by SimeyTheLimey:
Well, if you want to see childishness, how about Chirac threatening to block eastern Europeans from joining the EU if they support the US?

Link

Tut tut!

yes, it is amazing how leaders of soveriegn nations behave no differently than kids on a schoolground at times.

makes one wonder...it does.

3gg3 · Feb 17, 2003, 09:50 PM

Holy Shite! Don't close Bitburg!! I'm still hoping to get back there to buy the rest of my stereo stuff (my Fisher gear is getting just a little obsolete), and a digital camera, too.