For those who think Bush is the problem...read.

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Originally Posted by anthonyvop

You don't get the point.

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No, please explain.

We are serious about our neutrality. We don't take kindly to threats like "you're either with us or against us".

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Originally Posted by anthonyvop

That you proudly fly the flag of a people who willingly used Government repression, Terror and Genocide. A people who never willingly gave up the practice but had to be forced.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Fl...1933-1945).svg This is the flag of a people who willingly used Government repression, Terror and Genocide. They were indeed forced to give up the practice.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Flag_of_Germany.svg This on the other hand is the German flag.

Nazi Germany perished 65 years ago. Ask any German about the actions of their forebears, their nation's actions in the 1930's and 40's and the reaction you get is muted. One generally of shame. There is a cultural 'joke' in the UK when discussing Germans - "Don't mention the war" is said in jest.

Not because there was a winner, but because of the godawful things that human beings did to one another in that time.

The rest of the world has moved on and respects Germany for the peaceful, tolerant and immensely successful nation and culture that it is. The fact that you feel the need to (innaccurately) dredge up the second world war in reaction to someone flying the German flag (if I recall correctly, Ben is domiciled there?) to try and make the point that America was more respected under Bush, displays the frankly breathtaking arrogance and ignorance of the rest of the world that the Bush administration displayed in reducing what was a global superpower to little more than a global laughing stock which is essentially owned by China.

(Have you any idea how screwed the American Economy is if China relinquishes it's American investments? Debt is owed to someone....I suggest you practice the phrase nǐ hǎo....)

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Originally Posted by anthonyvop

That you proudly fly the flag of a people who willingly used Government repression, Terror and Genocide. A people who never willingly gave up the practice but had to be forced.

So why would anyone expect you to think that Iraq is better off now than when they practiced Government Repression, Terror and genocide?

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You're ridiculous. No one can take you seriously for ridiculing a modern German for WWII. Talk about a can of worms! Also, you're always whining when someone insults you, but you easily dish out a load of crap. The give-it and can't take-it crowd (see: coward).

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Originally Posted by anthonyvop

It is you who is using revisionist history. The Only reason some European countries were working with Libya is because of Oil. Libya continued down the anti-western path while selling oil to you people.

Europe has a terrible history of turning a blind eye to evil governments that continues to this day.

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Right, which is the same reason America is in Iraq. Thanks for gracefully illustrating that point.

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Originally Posted by Mark in Oshawa

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...p_mostpop_read

If people from places like Syria and North Korea can respect what George stood for...why cant others? Maybe it is because they never lost their freedoms?

Dubya may not be the greatest politican by any stretch, but I think in standing up to dictators, he didn't do as bad as people think...

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I haven't seen anyone under the Obama administration lose any of their political freedom. If anything he's trying to rectify it by using Federal laws (speaking about Arizona's illegal immigration law). Seems like these guys are just G.W. Bush brown-nosers trying to make a big issue out of nothing.

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Originally Posted by Eki

... Syria and North Korea only bully their own...

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This is an incorrect assertion. The last 2 times that I visited the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon, it was dominated by the Syrian military.

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Originally Posted by Mark in Oshawa

So the stability of a country run by a meglomaniac who killed thousands of his own citizen for sport is superior to a country with a democratic base being formed, but is still fighting interethnic conflict?

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If one wants to go down that road, it is worth noting that the internal situation in Iraq had largely been becalmed for several years by the time the invasion took place. But say that, and one is immediately lumped in with the view that one supports Hussein, which is patently nonsense, but doesn't stop right-wingers of little intelligence putting two and two together and making five.

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Originally Posted by anthonyvop

That you proudly fly the flag of a people who willingly used Government repression, Terror and Genocide. A people who never willingly gave up the practice but had to be forced.

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I think your knowledge of flags is sadly lacking. Germany then used a different flag to Germany now. Indeed, the name of the state of Germany is different. But this may be a little too nuanced for you. (Sorry about the number of syllables used there, as well.)

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Originally Posted by Mark in Oshawa

My point is, you can be mad as hell about Bush and Blair going to Iraq all you want, it is water under the bridge.

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Tell me, at what point does something become 'water under the bridge'? When talking about it starts to become inconvenient or embarrassing? Do you have a set timescale for this? Again, say that all you like, but it won't be forgotten. Sorry.

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Originally Posted by gloomyDAY

You're ridiculous. No one can take you seriously for ridiculing a modern German for WWII.

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I should maybe say that I am not actually German, though I can understand why someone not using the flag of their own country on an internet message board is tantamount to treason as far as someone like anthonyvop is concerned.

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Originally Posted by Eki

No, please explain.

We are serious about our neutrality. We don't take kindly to threats like "you're either with us or against us".

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A statement that was only deemed appropriate or effective by those of spectacularly little brain.