A Child's Guide To United States Foreign Policy
SORRY TO HURT ANY BODY !!!!!
Q: Daddy, why did we have to attack Iraq?
A: Because they had weapons of mass destruction honey.
Q: But the inspectors didn't find any weapons of mass destruction.
A: That's because the Iraqis were hiding them.
Q: And that's why we invaded Iraq?
A: Yep. Invasions always work better than inspections.
Q: But after we invaded them, we STILL didn't find any weapons of mass destruction, did we?
A: That's because the weapons are so well hidden. Don't worry, we'll find something, probably right before the 2004 election.
Q: Why did Iraq want all those weapons of mass destruction?
A: To use them in a war, silly.
Q: I'm confused. If they had all those weapons that they planned to use in a war, then why didn't they use any of those weapons when we went to war with them?
A: Well, obviously they didn't want anyone to know they had those weapons, so they chose to die by the thousands rather than defend themselves.
Q: That doesn't make sense Daddy. Why would they choose to die if they had all those big weapons to fight us back with?
A: It's a different culture. It's not supposed to make sense.
Q: I don't know about you, but I don't think they had any of those weapons our government said they did.
A: Well, you know, it doesn't matter whether or not they had those weapons. We had another good reason to invade them anyway.
Q: And what was that?
A: Even if Iraq didn't have weapons of mass destruction, Saddam Hussein was a cruel dictator, which is another good reason to invade another country.
Q: Why? What does a cruel dictator do that makes it OK to invade his country?
A: Well, for one thing, he tortured his own people.
Q: Kind of like what they do in China?
A: Don't go comparing China to Iraq. China is a good economic competitor, where millions of people work for slave wages in sweatshops to make U.S. corporations richer.
Q: So if a country lets its people be exploited for American corporate gain, it's a good country, even if that country tortures people?
A: Right.
Q: Why were people in Iraq being tortured?
A: For political crimes, mostly, like criticizing the government. People who criticized the government in Iraq were sent to prison and tortured.
Q: Isn't that exactly what happens in China?
A: I told you, China is different.
Q: What's the difference between China and Iraq?
A: Well, for one thing, Iraq was ruled by the Ba'ath party, while China is Communist.
Q: Didn't you once tell me Communists were bad?
A: No, just Cuban Communists are bad.
Q: How are the Cuban Communists bad?
A: Well, for one thing, people who criticize the government in Cuba are sent to prison and tortured.
Q: Like in Iraq?
A: Exactly.
Q: And like in China, too?
A: I told you, China's a good economic competitor. Cuba, on the other hand, is not.
Q: How come Cuba isn't a good economic competitor?
A: Well, you see, back in the early 1960s, our government passed some laws that made it illegal for Americans to trade or do any business with Cuba until they stopped being communists and started being capitalists like us.
Q: But if we got rid of those laws, opened up trade with Cuba, and started doing business with them, wouldn't that help the Cubans become capitalists?
A: Don't be a smart-ass.
Q: I didn't think I was being one.
A: Well, anyway, they also don't have freedom of religion in Cuba.
Q: Kind of like China and the Falun Gong movement?
A: I told you, stop saying bad things about China. Anyway, Saddam Hussein came to power through a military coup, so he's not really a legitimate leader anyway.
Q: What's a military coup?
A: That's when a military general takes over the government of a country by force, instead of holding free elections like we do in the United States.
Q: Didn't the ruler of Pakistan come to power by a military coup?
A: You mean General Pervez Musharraf? Uh, yeah, he did, but Pakistan is our friend.
Q: Why is Pakistan our friend if their leader is illegitimate?
A: I never said Pervez Musharraf was illegitimate.
Q: Didn't you just say a military general who comes to power by forcibly overthrowing the legitimate government of a nation is an illegitimate leader?
A: Only Saddam Hussein. Pervez Musharraf is our friend, because he helped us invade Afghanistan.
Q: Why did we invade Afghanistan?
A: Because of what they did to us on September 11th.
Q: What did Afghanistan do to us on September 11th?
A: Well, on September 11th, nineteen men, fifteen of them Saudi Arabians, hijacked four airplanes and flew three of them into buildings, killing over 3,000 Americans.
Q: So how did Afghanistan figure into all that?
A: Afghanistan was where those bad men trained, under the oppressive rule of the Taliban.
Q: Aren't the Taliban those bad radical Islamics who chopped off people's heads and hands?
A: Yes, that's exactly who they were. Not only did they chop off people's heads and hands, but they oppressed women, too.
Q: Didn't the Bush administration give the Taliban 43 million dollars back in May of 2001?
A: Yes, but that money was a reward because they did such a good job fighting drugs.
Q: Fighting drugs?
A: Yes, the Taliban were very helpful in stopping people from growing opium poppies.
Q: How did they do such a good job?
A: Simple. If people were caught growing opium poppies, the Taliban would have their hands and heads cut off.
Q: So, when the Taliban cut off people's heads and hands for growing flowers, that was OK, but not if they cut people's heads and hands off for other reasons?
A: Yes. It's OK with us if radical Islamic fundamentalists cut off people's hands for growing flowers, but it's cruel if they cut off people's hands for stealing bread.
Q: Don't they also cut off people's hands and heads in Saudi Arabia?
A: That's different. Afghanistan was ruled by a tyrannical patriarchy that oppressed women and forced them to wear burqas whenever they were in public, with death by stoning as the penalty for women who did not comply.
Q: Don't Saudi women have to wear burqas in public, too?
A: No, Saudi women merely wear a traditional Islamic body covering.
Q: What's the difference?
A: The traditional Islamic covering worn by Saudi women is a modest yet fashionable garment that covers all of a woman's body except for her eyes and fingers. The burqa, on the other hand, is an evil tool of patriarchal oppression that covers all of a woman's body except for her eyes and fingers.
Q: It sounds like the same thing with a different name.
A: Now, don't go comparing Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia. The Saudis are our friends.
Q: But I thought you said 15 of the 19 hijackers on September 11th were from Saudi Arabia.
A: Yes, but they trained in Afghanistan.
Q: Who trained them?
A: A very bad man named Osama bin Laden.
Q: Was he from Afghanistan?
A: Uh, no, he was from Saudi Arabia too. But he was a bad man, a very bad man.
Q: I seem to recall he was our friend once.
A: Only when we helped him and the mujahadeen repel the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan back in the 1980s.
Q: Who are the Soviets? Was that the Evil Communist Empire Ronald Reagan talked about?
A: There are no more Soviets. The Soviet Union broke up in 1990 or thereabouts, and now they have elections and capitalism like us. We call them Russians now.
Q: So the Soviets ? I mean, the Russians ? are now our friends?
A: Well, not really. You see, they were our friends for many years after they stopped being Soviets, but then they decided not to support our invasion of Iraq, so we're mad at them now. We're also mad at the French and the Germans because they didn't help us invade Iraq either.
Q: So the French and Germans are evil, too?
A: Not exactly evil, but just bad enough that we had to rename French fries and French toast to Freedom Fries and Freedom Toast.
Q: Do we always rename foods whenever another country doesn't do what we want them to do?
A: No, we just do that to our friends. Our enemies, we invade.
Q: But wasn't Iraq one of our friends back in the 1980s?
A: Well, yeah. For a while.
Q: Was Saddam Hussein ruler of Iraq back then?
A: Yes, but at the time he was fighting against Iran, which made him our friend, temporarily.
Q: Why did that make him our friend?
A: Because at that time, Iran was our enemy.
Q: Isn't that when he gassed the Kurds?
A: Yeah, but since he was fighting against Iran at the time, we looked the other way, to show him we were his friend.
Q: So anyone who fights against one of our enemies automatically becomes our friend?
A: Most of the time, yes.
Q: And anyone who fights against one of our friends is automatically an enemy?
A: Sometimes that's true, too. However, if American corporations can profit by selling weapons to both sides at the same time, all the better.
Q: Why?
A: Because war is good for the economy, which means war is good for America. Also, since God is on America's side, anyone who opposes war is a godless un-American Communist. Do you understand now why we attacked Iraq?
Q: I think so. We attacked them because God wanted us to, right?
A: Yes.
Q: But how did we know God wanted us to attack Iraq?
A: Well, you see, God personally speaks to George W. Bush and tells him what to do.
Q: So basically, what you're saying is that we attacked Iraq because George W. Bush hears voices in his head?
A: Yes! You finally understand how the world works. Now close your eyes, make yourself comfortable, and go to sleep. Good night.
Thanks Mrs. its sad but so true
I would rather have one rose and a kind word from a friend while I'm here
Than a whole truck load when I'm gone
Very sad but 100% true. If children have started to know this policy, then some adults should also do!
Salute!
"Be strong but not arrogant
Be modest but not weak"
S.H
Our new arachnid's QL menber.
He reminds me of the ex-communist party members, yapping their mouths on how great was communism in the 80 and 90's. They use to make a lot of noise on how bad and corrupt the system was. Capitalism vs Communism.
Then when they grow old with solid careers, family and financial responsibilities, they will change sides and denied their Yapping ideological Words from the past.
That is If they survived todays violent world.
He is not a leader. Just a conflicted, revolutionary religious believer with his own terms.
He is just some spacial cadet, deprived emotionally, molested and mentally abuse foot soldier with a false pretext.
Who has being bombarded with wrong ideologies and mislead cruelly.
Never read or comprehended history properly and just claiming what intensifies his desire.
Surely, his mouth is Unrefined and full of arsenic ideas of deception.
The only new spin is 9-11, Iraq, Islam, Israel, Christianity, Alqaida, Taliban, Americans and what he forgets is the ENTIRE WORLD!
My confession Booth is sound proof and available for those YAPPING Parrots!.
The Red Pope of Qatar Living
Egomania goes with the territory of decoding your own genome.
Then it went!
I don't go to mythical places with strange men.
-- Douglas Adams, The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul.
i asked spidey where he was from...then speed comes on and tells me he doesnt disclose where he's from...hence my posts above...
I hear them coming out of the woodwork, their out to get me, you're all out to get me!!!!
I don't go to mythical places with strange men.
-- Douglas Adams, The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul.
that you are someone else now??? your comment dropped down below mine...interesting...
....
Ohh fiddledeedee.....
Ohh fiddledeedee.....
gosh! i lost interest somewhere in the middle...
I rather forgot about that point since I am from, dare I say it, AMERICA...
They don't slam their own cause they know they would be put to death...
You can't teach experience...
and I do take it personally...that is my country you are slamming and therefore all my friends, family and way of life. WE are what make a country..yes a leader makes the decisions..and no I'm not in favor of a lot of them...which is why I vote. BUT again...American is NOT the cause of ALL the world's woes...
and as far as why are neighbors peeping in others houses??? YOU seem to be doing just that...and accusing at the same time...
don't take it personal...pls
Ohh fiddledeedee.....
But i don't agree with your point of view ... Religion and Nation are two different thing in one country there are different Religion exists .. Yes if someone attack on my Reglion then i will defend (on the basis that my Religion is on the right path)
Same goes for the Country, I will never support my Country if my Government is doing worng thing ... .This is me !
Secondly, if neighbors are trouble makers then who will sit quite ? Even the peaceful people in that house will not support the trouble.
Why the neighbors are peeping in others house ??
[img_assist|nid=48625|title=Look|desc=|link=none|align=center|width=|height=0]
Do your own business ..
(again pls don't take it personal)
[img_assist|nid=48678|title=|desc=|link=none|align=center|width=|height=0]
sighhh...
You can keep the costume for fancy dress parties and those special nights with Mr Scarlett. ;)
I don't go to mythical places with strange men.
-- Douglas Adams, The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul.
and i appreciate your comments...what i don't appreciate are the finger pointing tactics..
You say its the governments that are causing all the problems...not the people...well, guess what...it goes with the territory..as any national will tell you..they are PART of the government, whether its good or bad.Its rather like you getting all bent out of shape when someone says something about Islam and how they do (whatever) and someone else says, why bring Islam into it..we are all part of something..and I'm more than proud to be an American, even with its warts and all...I haven't even looked to see where youare from..but I'm sure you are proud to be from there also..but trust me..your government isn't lily white either....so why can't everyone just take a step back and clean up their own backyards before jumping the fence to scream at their neighbors???
and here I was..ready to leap tall buildings, or at least over City Center, in a single bound. but...ok..you are a bit right...I'll hand over the costume, but can you please wear the fuzzy red hat with it?? I do so like it...but plays havoc with aerodynamics.
Alexa hun u had posted some thread about some arab spitting on ur kid...NOw whats that that aint reality???
Scar... i do agree with you TCOM has intelligent conversations, i have been seening him in different threads... and i know almost everyone here .. I admire EVERYONE in QL including you.
[img_assist|nid=48678|title=|desc=|link=none|align=center|width=|height=0]
er hmm, don't get too big for ya wee colonial britches. We f**ked up the world way more than you lot have, and for a lot longer. And with so much more style in our plush red uniforms and white strappings.
If anyone's going to take credit it should be us... we invented the railways don't ya know!!!
No no, all you had to do is give us a gunboat, some diplomacy and intrepid gung ho attitude and we'd thrash the living daylights outa the wogs.
Credit where credits due but we got there first.
Regards
Brigadier Stanley Forbes-Hampster (Mrs)
I don't go to mythical places with strange men.
-- Douglas Adams, The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul.
I don't know why people take such things as personal matter.. as i mentioned in my thread that we should not support WORNG things irrespective of who is doing it,,, we all know that people of American, Bitish or any Nationality are not to be blamed ! we are critizing the Governments, the politicians WHOEVER THEY ARE, WHEREVER THEY BELONGS TO ... they are the people culprits, they are responsible for the trouble caused on this Peaceful Earth...
[img_assist|nid=48678|title=|desc=|link=none|align=center|width=|height=0]
tcom has intelligent conversations..
TCOM ... lol !! finally you broke the SILENCE ...
Well said "Reality bites"
[img_assist|nid=48678|title=|desc=|link=none|align=center|width=|height=0]
not just the US, mir...however, on here it seems that only the US can be criticized..because as everyone knows...they are the reason for absolutely everything...
*standing with hands on hips, dressed in red tights and blue cape...letter S square in the middle...* The ever powerful, the ones who cause ALL the strife in the entire world, and who are responsible for EVERYTHING bad in the universe...United States of America!!!! Tah dah!!!
That sound has followed you over here!
I don't go to mythical places with strange men.
-- Douglas Adams, The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul.
Yeah i knw that too...But bearing very well in mind that reality bites.. Its just a question of accepting it...Its just like the US foreign policy at times criticism prevails....
You mean TV is not reality???
My whole life is meaningless now...:(
You can't teach experience...
riiight...I've been around alot longer than you have and have seen quite a bit more...I deal in reality every day...and not just what's on Dr Phil...or Jerry Springer
Sadly very true
Hun the economy is heading for a recession.... Cmon...... Expose the Reality.... Lets start reality TV.... By the way where is Obama?
stopped posting on earlier. Tcom...tsk tsk...
You read that whole thing???
You can't teach experience...
"Q: So basically, what you're saying is that we attacked Iraq because George W. Bush hears voices in his head?"
And that how you start a suppressive religion :D taa daa!!! Thankyou and goodnight :D
I don't go to mythical places with strange men.
-- Douglas Adams, The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul.