US talking to all sides in conflict: Kenney

[Thai at Heart]

Whereas most Americans value the ideals of democracy and the rule of law, our government appears to value political expediency more. Since when has the right to self-determination of other sovereign states been high on our diplomatic agenda? Did we support self-determination for the Vietnamese? What about the Cubans? How about Iraq, Panama, Somalia, etc.? All the US government really stands for is access to markets and political stability to facilitate profit-making and global strategic positioning. There is no ideology in the equation. They are talking to "all" sides because they want to ensure they can do business with whomever comes out on top. They are not the least bit concerned about who that might be.

Precisely!!!

Whose self determination do you prefer, precisely?

In Vietnam the U.S. supported and fought with the Vietnamese whose idea of self-determination for Viet Nam was to ally with the U.S. and with Western values, i.e., the Vietnamese who fought against other Vietnamese whose own idea of Vietnamese self-determination for Viet Nam was to take Vietnam down the Marxist totalitarian road. Each side within Vietnam had its own Vietnamese idea of self-determination for Viet Nam by the Vietnamese, for Viet Nam.

Likewise in Cuba - the U.S. supports Cubans whose idea of self-determination are predicated on Western values versus the guys who won, namely Castro et al, whose idea of Cuban self determination is a Marxist totalitarian state. Each side consists of Cubans who have their own Cuban idea of Cuban self-determination by Cubans of Cuba.

In Iraq, Panama, Somilia - Thailand - Washington naturally aligns itself with the group(s) whose idea and programs of self-determination for their respective country are most consistent with our own.

In Thailand each side wants democracy - or so they say - and each grouping of Thais has its own Thai idea of precisely what Thai self-determination is for Thailand, what self-determination means for Thailand and where it takes Thailand. So which Thai created idea of Thai self-determination by Thais themselves for Thailand do you prefer? Or do you prefer the isolationist default mode, the ostrich school of foreign policy.

Any discussion of self-determination in U.S. foreign policy has to include mention of Woodrow Wilson and you guys have managed to completely avoid doing precisely that.

So you don't think that the US looks for solutions that are consistent with results that favour themselves and provides the most benefits to them (particularly regards energy security)!! They (America) also visualise scenario's that hold benefits for themselves without even considering the consequences on the countries involved.

The US should concentrate in putting it's own house in order and butt out of other countries problems!!

America prefers to make friends with democracies. It has to deal with some countries that arent , but would very much prefer that they were democracies. America and other countries try to actively punish countries that are dictatorial and exploit or punish their people for wanting democracy.

If that is actively pursuing your own interests , I am all for it. America rarely supports dictatorial or despotic governments.

[Thai at Heart]

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The yanks cannot even talk to the republicans (and viceversa) back home. What makes them think they can mediate Thailand's circus?

Where did it say that the United States was to mediate???

Nowhere in the article does it say anything about the U.S. wanting to mediate, somtam is just another ignorant thai visa poster who has "America envy" disease That illness seems to reach epidemic proportions here on thai visa frequently

"America envy' disease - somehow these two words don't fit together very well. Personally I could do without being diseased!!

Only Americans think that people envy them, I think that if you really found out what people think of 'the American way of life' I think that you would be more than slightly disappointed with the honest response!!

I am British and even I think you are talking out of your backside. America can rightly be proud of many things, but like any country it has many issues.

Would I trust America to still be standing proud with a vibrant real democracy and a good standard of living for its people in 100 years time, without having gone through revolutions, genocide or civil war? Yup.

Can that be said of all country's? Nope.

[Scott]

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