Xref: utzoo alt.flame:1760 talk.politics.misc:8020
Path: utzoo!dciem!nrcaer!cognos!crcmar!steve
From: steve@crcmar.crc.uucp (Steve Ardron)
Newsgroups: alt.flame,talk.politics.misc
Subject: Re: Bullet-proof passports?
Message-ID: <631@crcmar.crc.uucp>
Date: 7 Mar 88 16:00:46 GMT
Article-I.D.: crcmar.631
Posted: Mon Mar  7 11:00:46 1988
References: <3184@bloom-beacon.MIT.EDU>
Organization: CRC, Ottawa CANADA
Lines: 28

From article <3184@bloom-beacon.MIT.EDU>, by lazarus@athena.mit.edu (Michael Friedman):
> US troops are meant to protect the country and the citizens. Perhaps
> you have heard of the war we had with the Barbary pirates? That's the
> origin of the slogan "Millions for defense, but not one cent for
> tribute.". The European nations paid off the Barbary pirates. We
> didn't. They kidnapped American citizens and attacked American ships.
> We went to war and kicked their butts.

  Sorry, I haven't heard of the war. I would appreciate it if you could fill
me in (objectively please, none of this we're the States, we're the best crap),
honestly, since I don't know which war you mean, perhaps it has another name?
But, my aren't we a bit right-wing? Ever thought that other nations might have
a right to determine their own fate? I'm not refering necessarily to Lebanon,
but if a nation makes it clear that Americans aren't welcome, and a travel
advisory is issued, I don't see how the government is obliged to risk many
"innocent" people in a war (most of the deaths would be soldiers, who I will
admit, waive much of their "innocent" status if they aren't drafted) for a
few who disregard such dirrectives. Possibly, the Nation can't do anything
about it, ever heard of the war of 1812? This was a blatant land grab by the
U.S., trying to conquer Canada while Britain had it's hands full with a
real nation of the time. The U.S. went to war with Britain and got it's
proverbial ass kicked all over the place. Obviously, military solutions
don't work to everything, and while the U.S. has risen to slightly more
stature than before, there are still a couple of nations that would have
a good chance to win a conventional war with it, and many nationst that
would win if they allied with one or two others. 

						 Steve Ardron.