[Claire ex-ax]

This guy?

[jonnye]

Originally Posted by hullexile

That is exactly how the UK successfully handled the Northern Ireland situation. Officially saying there were no negotiations but unofficially doing just that.

The problem with saying you can't negotiate with some people is that you can not defeat them militarily either (limit perhaps but not defeat).

Not sure I agree with the above - something to muse over a quiet pint or three rather than on here though.

[hullexile]

Originally Posted by jonnye

Not sure I agree with the above - something to muse over a quiet pint or three rather than on here though.

Yep, way too simplistic a statement I agree. Could take many pints to argue, by which time we couldn't care less anyway

[worldsgreatest]

'America is one of the most — is one of the world’s leading democracies, '
i dont think america is a good example of democracy, how can someone who doesn't get the most votes in a country be the president?

'and we’re also one of the most religious nations in the world. More than three-quarters of our citizens believe in a higher power. Millions worship every week and pray every day..'....and u dont find this worring?


'In our democracy, we would never punish a person for owning a Koran. We would never issue a death sentence to someone for converting to Islam. Democracy does not threaten Islam or any religion. Democracy is the only system of government that guarantees their protection.' ....safe if your not dont belive in islam...Guantanamo Bay ? persecuting islamists, treating them like terroists? locking people up with no trial on suspect of being a terrorist? what a great democracy

[Hamton]

Originally Posted by hullexile

I think arguing that censoring the internet in China is worse than supplying the Nazi regime would take some doing.

The reasoning behind it; Ford were making trucks for everyone and their dog, not just the Nazis. They make a truck - which can be used for many purposes besides transporting troops - and people buy it, even the bad guys.

Google on the other hand, only censor the internet specifically for the Chinese government in China. Which is clearly against their 'do no evil' policy.

[Sleuth]

Originally Posted by worldsgreatest

'America is one of the most — is one of the world’s leading democracies, '
i dont think america is a good example of democracy, how can someone who doesn't get the most votes in a country be the president?

'and we’re also one of the most religious nations in the world. More than three-quarters of our citizens believe in a higher power. Millions worship every week and pray every day..'....and u dont find this worring?


'In our democracy, we would never punish a person for owning a Koran. We would never issue a death sentence to someone for converting to Islam. Democracy does not threaten Islam or any religion. Democracy is the only system of government that guarantees their protection.' ....safe if your not dont belive in islam...Guantanamo Bay ? persecuting islamists, treating them like terroists? locking people up with no trial on suspect of being a terrorist? what a great democracy

Oh please. Stop nit-picking.
America is one of the world's leading democracies. He didn't say "perfect democracy".
No, the fact that millions of Americans pray is not worrying. Please note that they do so without trying to kill each other off for doing it.
And I challenge you to find a single person in America successfully prosecuted for owning a Koran or killed by the state for converting to Islam. And freedom of religion is rather enshrined in America, so Islam--in America--isn't threatened and it is protected.

[worldsgreatest]

whos nit picking now?

[Claire ex-ax]

And there I was thinking the USA was a republic...

[Lammarite]

Originally Posted by Claire ex-ax

Dubya has forgotten his family history. Grandpappy Prescott Bush aided the Nazi war machine.

There are files in the US National Archives showing that a firm of which Grandpappy Bush was a director was involved with the financial architects of Nazism.

His business dealings with Hilter's Germany only stopped when his company's assets were seized in 1942 under the Trading with the Enemy Act. Based on the files, two former slave labourers at Auschwitz have brought a civil action in Germany against the Bush family for damages.

But wait there's more. He said this garbage against appeasement in Israel - a country which sponsors state terrorism and which the US has appeased for 60 years.

Funny how a lot of these things get forgotten.

[Sleuth]

Originally Posted by worldsgreatest

whos nit picking now?

Not me.
Nit picking would be criticizing the British democracy because their current PM wasn't actually elected.
Nit picking is taking isolated examples and attempting to tarnish an entirety.

A democracy and a republic are virtually synonomous. Both are power derived from the people, but a republic can not have a monarch or hereditary ruler. The US is a democratic republic, Britain is not.