Us Military In Pataya

[Jingthing]

The world is changing. America is no longer the clear number one. In this new world, there will be numerous strong powers. Then we can share the bashing with the Chinese, the Indians, the Russians, the Pan Arabians, and who knows, the Brazilians. Please keep the Germans pacified with beer though!

Edited May 16, 2008 by Jingthing

[Ulysses G.]

Why ? Because, whether you like it or not, there are people in this world that are not exactly enamoured of Americans for what ever reason.

Mostly because it is fashionable again,and bunch of American rejects and dorks like Michael Moore help fan the flames.

[britmaveric]

Trust me there are places where you name the nationality arent liked, so its not just the yanks.

[Phil Conners]

Actually "dorks" like Michael Moore generally improve the worlds view of USA.

[Kerryd]

Trust me there are places where (you name the nationality) aren't liked, so its not just the yanks.

True enough.

When I was on a "peace-keeping" mission in Croatia back in 92/93, the residents in the area we were patrolling loved us (because as long as we were there, there was little chance of any more major fighting between the Croats and Serbs).

However, get outside the areas where the fighting had been, and the locals there had a very healthy dislike of us (and would even take pot shots at us, from hidden positions, when they thought they could get away with it).

Why did they dislike us so much ? Because we were preventing them from carrying on with their "ethnic cleansing". As far as they were concerned, we were almost as bad as the people they were trying to get rid of (and that attitude came from both sides).

Around here, many still harbour a deep dislike of the Russians. Turks hate the Greeks and visa-versa. The entire Arab world (pretty much) hates the Israelis. The Chinese still hold a grudge against the Japanese. Everyone hates the French, and not just for their aversion to soap !

So as britmaveric mentioned, it's not all about the Americans. Give us another story and we'll have a go at (insert nation here) instead !

(I vote for Lithuania, they're small, we can take them !)

[Jingthing]

I like the French. I love their language, their food, their literature, their worldliness, their art, their revolutions, their superior health care system, their paradoxes (smoke like chimneys). My dear old Dad used to wear a beret! Its silly to worry about being disliked. As long as they don't shoot you, its no big thing. I am so happy that the recent tiff between US and France has already warmed considerably.

Edited May 16, 2008 by Jingthing

[tropiccapricorn]

So yes, as hard to believe as it is, there are a couple of places in the world where Americans may not be as loved and respected as they expect to be !

Could VN, IRAQ and maybe a dozen other countries suffer of similar phobias?

Of course hel_l knows why. So without any America-bashing it would I suppose be nice to see a speedy hearty farewell.

[wilko]

Yank from Yankee - a native or inhabitant of New England - was an expression referring to the North in the civil war, which the Brits already used I believe in the end of the 18th century as a form of insult.

Actually it was the original nickname for the inhabitants of Staten Island who were Dutch.

Since most of these were named Yan and/or Kees (still popular christian names in the Netherlands) the name stuck.

So remember when you refer to the Yankees you're actually referring to the Dutch.

cheers

onzestan

yes ...OED describes that as "plausible" - the Dutch name was "Jan" or John in english

[wilko]

Then of course there was New Amsterdam in those days too!

[wilko]

Why ? Because, whether you like it or not, there are people in this world that are not exactly enamoured of Americans for what ever reason.

Mostly because it is fashionable again,and bunch of American rejects and dorks like Michael Moore help fan the flames.

That would be an opinion that shows how misled Americans can be about their own image...it is the very existence of people like Mr Moore that gives others a glimmer of hope for the country.

[Ulysses G.]

Most Americans realize that Michael Moore is a dishonest, insincere buffoon who can be highly amusing if you don't take him too seriously. For some reason, many Europeans look at him more as a modern philosopher. If you are American and you look up to him, you've really got problems!

The Lies of Michael Moore: http://www.slate.com/id/2102723/

Edited May 17, 2008 by Ulysses G.

[ilyushin]

I suspect jealousy of the troopers on this thread. Did one of them snatch your girl? Don't worry they won't take long to finish and move on.

[wilko]

Most Americans realize that Michael Moore is a dishonest, insincere buffoon who can be highly amusing if you don't take him too seriously. For some reason, many Europeans look at him more as a modern philosopher. If you are American and you look up to him, you've really got problems!

The Lies of Michael Moore: http://www.slate.com/id/2102723/

QED.......

[abcd22]

Most Americans realize that Michael Moore is a dishonest, insincere buffoon who can be highly amusing if you don't take him too seriously. For some reason, many Europeans look at him more as a modern philosopher. If you are American and you look up to him, you've really got problems!

The Lies of Michael Moore: http://www.slate.com/id/2102723/

The link doesn't work. Got another? It sounds interesting.

[Ungabunga]

I think that the 'bashing' is simply banter which perhaps has been taken the wrong way by some over-sensitive folks - Just don't take it all too seriously please

Let me also say that I have a healthy respect for those who serve in the military as I am a complete coward who would probably run a mile at the sight of trouble! So fair play to them, they deserve a break. I have a very good American friend here who served in Vietnam War (in fact I think it was him who started it after a game of dominoes went wrong). He is acutely aware that not everyone likes Americans in places, probably a a result of their foreign policies, so much so that in some places he says he's Canadian.

I would agree that it's not just our American cousins that sometimes get bad press. In Berlin, I was advised to say that I was Scottish or Irish (instead of British) as I would be received better by the locals (?)

On a side note: I have a rather interesting book called 'Empire - How Britain Ruled The World'. It's a frank account on how the Brits (and I am one) 'invented' slavery, concentration camps etc etc. It's not all good though, it highlights some bad things as well. Serioulsy, we were complete tw*ts in our day! If anyone would like to have it, please PM me.

[wilko]

I think that the 'bashing' is simply banter which perhaps has been taken the wrong way by some over-sensitive folks - Just don't take it all too seriously please

Let me also say that I have a healthy respect for those who serve in the military as I am a complete coward who would probably run a mile at the sight of trouble! So fair play to them, they deserve a break. I have a very good American friend here who served in Vietnam War (in fact I think it was him who started it after a game of dominoes went wrong). He is acutely aware that not everyone likes Americans in places, probably a a result of their foreign policies, so much so that in some places he says he's Canadian.

I would agree that it's not just our American cousins that sometimes get bad press. In Berlin, I was advised to say that I was Scottish or Irish (instead of British) as I would be received better by the locals (?)

On a side note: I have a rather interesting book called 'Empire - How Britain Ruled The World'. It's a frank account on how the Brits (and I am one) 'invented' slavery, concentration camps etc etc. It's not all good though, it highlights some bad things as well. Serioulsy, we were complete tw*ts in our day! If anyone would like to have it, please PM me.

Yes....very true....but in respect of slavery...they "invented" the slave trade with the Americas which resulted in the strong African influences in such Places as West Indies, Brazil and America....but it was the States that carried on the process of segregation into the 20th (and 21st??) century. It is a problem of self-perception with a large number of US citizens.

(BTW - My recent family come from Europe, USA and Australia)

[tropo]

(BTW, believe me, alot of those Navy boys would like to go to the gay bars ...)

You seem very sure about this. How do you know?

[wilko]

(BTW, believe me, alot of those Navy boys would like to go to the gay bars ...)

You seem very sure about this. How do you know?

Homophobe spotted!!!!

[tropo]

(BTW, believe me, alot of those Navy boys would like to go to the gay bars ...)

You seem very sure about this. How do you know?

Homophobe spotted!!!!

You must be a homophobephobe!!!

Edited May 17, 2008 by tropo

[Ulysses G.]

Sorry, this one works:

Unfairenheit 9/11

The Lies of Michael Moore.

By Christopher Hitchens

Slate Magazine

http://www.slate.com/id/2102723/

Edited May 17, 2008 by Ulysses G.

[wilko]

(BTW, believe me, alot of those Navy boys would like to go to the gay bars ...)

You seem very sure about this. How do you know?

Homophobe spotted!!!!

You must be a homophobephobe!!!

arai wa?

[wileycoyote]

My experience is that the first sign of trouble in Asia & the US moves in quickly & evacuates all Europeans.

Wiley Coyote

[wilko]

It took them about 7 years before they evacuated Saigon...did they not notice the signs? .... were they looking the other way?

Edited May 17, 2008 by wilko

[Kerryd]

Yes....very true....but in respect of slavery...they "invented" the slave trade with the Americas which resulted in the strong African influences in such Places as West Indies, Brazil and America....but it was the States that carried on the process of segregation into the 20th (and 21st??) century.

What many people, and perhaps even history itself tend to forget, is that the slavery and the "slave trade" existed long before anyone ever dreamed of Britain or America.

Slavery existed (and thrived) back in the days of the earliest Pharoahs of Egypt, over 5,000 years ago.

Slavery existed in Asia (notably China) thousands of years ago.

Slavery existed in North America amongst the natives, long, long before even the Vikings first set foot on the continent.

From what I've read about the "slave trade" (admittedly not that much), it started in Africa when Portugese/Spanish/British trade ships noticed that the locals had corrals full of men and women from other tribes that had been captured in battles. Upon finding out that these people were most likely just going to be slaughtered, the traders offered to buy them. These slaves were then shipped across the ocean to various parts of the Americas.

A lot of people seem to think the whole business of slaves and slave trading started with "the white man", when in fact it had been going on long before the Greeks were anything but a collection of small villages fighting amongst themselves.

Meanwhile, Back on Topic !

I just remembered that if anyone thinks about it the next time they are speaking to a sailor/marine/uniformed service member, the Tahitian Queen (I and/or II) offer discounts to military personnel when they show their ID. (Don't think that works on soi 6 though, except when checking books out of the library !)

[wilko]

Yes....very true....but in respect of slavery...they "invented" the slave trade with the Americas which resulted in the strong African influences in such Places as West Indies, Brazil and America....but it was the States that carried on the process of segregation into the 20th (and 21st??) century.

What many people, and perhaps even history itself tend to forget, is that the slavery and the "slave trade" existed long before anyone ever dreamed of Britain or America.

Slavery existed (and thrived) back in the days of the earliest Pharoahs of Egypt, over 5,000 years ago.

Slavery existed in Asia (notably China) thousands of years ago.

Slavery existed in North America amongst the natives, long, long before even the Vikings first set foot on the continent.

From what I've read about the "slave trade" (admittedly not that much), it started in Africa when Portugese/Spanish/British trade ships noticed that the locals had corrals full of men and women from other tribes that had been captured in battles. Upon finding out that these people were most likely just going to be slaughtered, the traders offered to buy them. These slaves were then shipped across the ocean to various parts of the Americas.

A lot of people seem to think the whole business of slaves and slave trading started with "the white man", when in fact it had been going on long before the Greeks were anything but a collection of small villages fighting amongst themselves.

Meanwhile, Back on Topic !

I just remembered that if anyone thinks about it the next time they are speaking to a sailor/marine/uniformed service member, the Tahitian Queen (I and/or II) offer discounts to military personnel when they show their ID. (Don't think that works on soi 6 though, except when checking books out of the library !)

I think most people are aware that slavery per say has an almost endless history...however it was the British or really the English who developed the cycle of trade from Africa to the Americas to the British isles and back to Africa...and several major cities owe their original prosperity to this. Eve though slavery was officially illegal in britain from the reign of QE1.

[wilko]

I must say that terms like "these people were most likely just going to be slaughtered" and including other nations as "just as bad" is really not substantiated and the language of apologism.

[skydiver1]

U.S.A. still and always #1

[wilko]

U.S.A. still and always #1

a brilliantly thought out and highly persuasive argument.....

....................1 at what BTW?

[onzestan]

U.S.A. still and always #1

a brilliantly thought out and highly persuasive argument.....

....................1 at what BTW?

At allowing the media to criticize every aspect of its functions, including the president.

BTW I'm not american.

cheers

onzestan

[Jingthing]

....................1 at what BTW?

HUBRIS