You Really Want To Remember? Do You?
The following is excerpted from a real discussion on the Disciples of Zor (Robotech fan club), starting September 3rd, 2001:
ME: I hear the bizarre news out of South Africa about the "Race" conference and wonder what might happen next. If the United States continues to alienate the rest of the world over the Mid-East strife and the missile defense initiative, how likely is it that on the pretext of insuring the peace, our nation goes down the path to war?
[September 4th] MAD MIKE: Nothing bizarre about that. A lot of folks hate our asses.
That's okay b/c in the end the average American taxpayer shouldn't get too uptight about it. So long as the rest of the world respect that fact that if the dude in the Oval Office can turn West Bumfuckia into a radioactive parking lot by pressing a speed dial button.
Bottom line. Powerful states make enemies. Either others are jealous of that power. Or have been on the receiving end every time said power wants to expand its influence and/or physical borders.
Strong preys on the weak.
For a good deal of countries other than the US they can do two things A)Jack and B)Shit. And Jack left town a while back.
Those countries with ballistic missiles and really want to prevent Hollywood from making a sequel to Showgirls (wonder what that chick from Saved by the Bell is doing?) are obviously none too keen about it. But in terms of actually preventing the US from going ahead?
Not much unless they threaten nuclear war. And the US has a lot more firepower. You do not try to punk out the dude who has more things that go BOOM than a NRA bake sale.
Second Mid East.
That can actually hurt us. If Gulf Arab states decide to toss an oil embargo to show solidarity. This would be bad b/c it may force the US to abadon any and all commitments in terms of preventing these shiekdoms from being part of Saddamland.
Primarily though this up to the Israelis and to the Palestinian Arabs. IOW they can either decide to off each other or pretend to get along.
I suppose the United States can hurt one side or another by witholding loans and military hardware but I have a feeling that both sides have amassed enough on their own that this sort of day and day out CNN horseshit could continue on for the next twenty years. So the IDF/AF may run out Hellfires to use from their Apaches but the Israeli army can always do it the old fashioned way and send in their grunts to raze block after block.
Peace isn't normalcy. Conflict is.
People and states have agendas. And the only way to force one's views on people is just be that force.
Violence may not solve the Universe's problems but it's the only real way to start.
[September 5th] COMMANDER WES: You have to remember that, despite all foriegn areas we have tides with, we tend to care little of what they think of us. We're kind of like the French, but we have many reasons to be cocky. ;)
RICEBALL: Especially since the French haven't had much luck in war since Napoleon.
[September 6th] JDARR5000: to be honest how many of the european coutrys have been a big power besides russia in the military sense since like ww2.
most of them have turned in to a think tank and espinage lovers land.
COMMANDER WES: Yeah, but what I'm saying is that it's just policy as usual, we, like all other large groups, act like we're all special, and, because we are the most powerful country, it's easier for the others to hate us for what we do. The main reason there was a Unification War, by my understanding of the orginal Macross timeline, it happened due to the quick joining of countries under the UN when the Macross crashed. It was too big of a step, too soon. So their would have to be a MAJOR reason for such a war to take place past the usual "I'm-afraid-to-vape-them-'cause-they(or someone else will)-vape-me" philosopy that works so well. Not even a huge moron in power(c'mon no more Bush jokes, please) could mess it up. So they is no real theat on major war as of yet, unless Sadam and Beladin want to hook out on a little project.
RICEBALL: I thought that the [Global Civil War] was already under way when the Macross crashed. Its my understanding was that the crash of the Macross was responsible for the end of the war.
COMMANDER WES: In the orignial series, the Unification war happened after the landing.
REV PREZ: The threat of global war, as popularly defined by security and defense analysts a decade ago, has dropped significantly with the inability of the former Soviet Union to pursue a conventional campaign into Central Europe and the general stability of the nuclear situation between the US, China and the nuclearized former Soviet states.
Major war, generally defined as a conflict between a major power and a reasonable well armed minor power or more specifically a conventional conflict between two states, is still a huge problem. Right now, there are three main axes for major war -- in the Mideast between any of the usual suspects and/or the United States; East Asia between China/Taiwan, DPRK/ROK-US, and Japan vs. a number of small polities.
[September 11th] ME: Welcome to the major war, Prez. You made the call.
ME: I hear the bizarre news out of South Africa about the "Race" conference and wonder what might happen next. If the United States continues to alienate the rest of the world over the Mid-East strife and the missile defense initiative, how likely is it that on the pretext of insuring the peace, our nation goes down the path to war?
[September 4th] MAD MIKE: Nothing bizarre about that. A lot of folks hate our asses.
That's okay b/c in the end the average American taxpayer shouldn't get too uptight about it. So long as the rest of the world respect that fact that if the dude in the Oval Office can turn West Bumfuckia into a radioactive parking lot by pressing a speed dial button.
Bottom line. Powerful states make enemies. Either others are jealous of that power. Or have been on the receiving end every time said power wants to expand its influence and/or physical borders.
Strong preys on the weak.
For a good deal of countries other than the US they can do two things A)Jack and B)Shit. And Jack left town a while back.
Those countries with ballistic missiles and really want to prevent Hollywood from making a sequel to Showgirls (wonder what that chick from Saved by the Bell is doing?) are obviously none too keen about it. But in terms of actually preventing the US from going ahead?
Not much unless they threaten nuclear war. And the US has a lot more firepower. You do not try to punk out the dude who has more things that go BOOM than a NRA bake sale.
Second Mid East.
That can actually hurt us. If Gulf Arab states decide to toss an oil embargo to show solidarity. This would be bad b/c it may force the US to abadon any and all commitments in terms of preventing these shiekdoms from being part of Saddamland.
Primarily though this up to the Israelis and to the Palestinian Arabs. IOW they can either decide to off each other or pretend to get along.
I suppose the United States can hurt one side or another by witholding loans and military hardware but I have a feeling that both sides have amassed enough on their own that this sort of day and day out CNN horseshit could continue on for the next twenty years. So the IDF/AF may run out Hellfires to use from their Apaches but the Israeli army can always do it the old fashioned way and send in their grunts to raze block after block.
Peace isn't normalcy. Conflict is.
People and states have agendas. And the only way to force one's views on people is just be that force.
Violence may not solve the Universe's problems but it's the only real way to start.
[September 5th] COMMANDER WES: You have to remember that, despite all foriegn areas we have tides with, we tend to care little of what they think of us. We're kind of like the French, but we have many reasons to be cocky. ;)
RICEBALL: Especially since the French haven't had much luck in war since Napoleon.
[September 6th] JDARR5000: to be honest how many of the european coutrys have been a big power besides russia in the military sense since like ww2.
most of them have turned in to a think tank and espinage lovers land.
COMMANDER WES: Yeah, but what I'm saying is that it's just policy as usual, we, like all other large groups, act like we're all special, and, because we are the most powerful country, it's easier for the others to hate us for what we do. The main reason there was a Unification War, by my understanding of the orginal Macross timeline, it happened due to the quick joining of countries under the UN when the Macross crashed. It was too big of a step, too soon. So their would have to be a MAJOR reason for such a war to take place past the usual "I'm-afraid-to-vape-them-'cause-they(or someone else will)-vape-me" philosopy that works so well. Not even a huge moron in power(c'mon no more Bush jokes, please) could mess it up. So they is no real theat on major war as of yet, unless Sadam and Beladin want to hook out on a little project.
RICEBALL: I thought that the [Global Civil War] was already under way when the Macross crashed. Its my understanding was that the crash of the Macross was responsible for the end of the war.
COMMANDER WES: In the orignial series, the Unification war happened after the landing.
REV PREZ: The threat of global war, as popularly defined by security and defense analysts a decade ago, has dropped significantly with the inability of the former Soviet Union to pursue a conventional campaign into Central Europe and the general stability of the nuclear situation between the US, China and the nuclearized former Soviet states.
Major war, generally defined as a conflict between a major power and a reasonable well armed minor power or more specifically a conventional conflict between two states, is still a huge problem. Right now, there are three main axes for major war -- in the Mideast between any of the usual suspects and/or the United States; East Asia between China/Taiwan, DPRK/ROK-US, and Japan vs. a number of small polities.
[September 11th] ME: Welcome to the major war, Prez. You made the call.