Trump will NOT address the British Parliament

[LONDONER]

[MENTION=18457]LONDONER[/MENTION] Ive hijacked your thread Im Sorry

No problem although it does seem to have wandered off topic now.

[princealbertofb]

I cant see why he would. I just don't understand why foreigners dislike him so much, what does it matter to you people? I couldn't care less who other countries elect as their leaders. You guys voted Brexit and nobody here really cared.

That's a position you can take when no one is looking up to you, when no one is counting on you, or when no one is expecting you to 'lead the free world'. It also annoys me when people use this phrase 'the leader of the free world' as if choosing some more enlightened country's leader might not sometimes be a better choice. The reason why we care, why we ALL care, is because the United States has such great power in many respects, but also the rest of the world imitates whatever America does within ten years, if it's seen as progress. Remarkably, you have not always been the leaders : Portugal abandoned slavery much earlier, then the British, then the French, then the United States, But in terms of capitalism, the United States must be the uncontested leader and so we are all influenced or at least affected by whatever happens in the States and whoever leads the States.

The fact is the United States is like the elder brother, or the elder sister, the one all the other kids try to emulate in the family. Should the elder relinquish the leader's job (and it can happen) then someone else needs to take up the lead, but then how are we to understand Donald Trump's words : 'make America great again', if that doesn't mean that he intends to lead and to continue leading? Therefore we are all interested, and all affected by whatever he, and his government, and the whole country do next. It won't necessarily affect all of our lives, but it will affect our lives, in one way or another. Global warming springs to mind...

To make an analogy, I am half British and half French, but my nationality is only French. I don't have dual nationality. I have family in Britain and, more to the point, my partner is British (and doesn't have French nationality). However, when the British decided for Brexit not only did I feel concerned, I also felt morally wounded by that decision. You can't come and tell us how to feel about something like this, even if you don't see why the rest of the world should care. I have to agree with Emiliano, that we no longer live in a vacuum. The isolationism we perceive in President Trump's stance is not going to go unnoticed, nor will it fail to affect some people. Just for the sake of giving you an example, the executive orders he's signed have already affected people around the world. I'm sure you can't be so blind as not to see it, nor so callous and selfish as not to consider it.

In the meantime, thank you for the explanations you've presented so far on the military life.

To be honest, I don't see much moral leadership in the things President Trump has said so far and how he seems to be treating not only foreigners but also at least half of the American population. It's time he realised that he's the president for the whole country. And since you've served in the military, maybe you should care who leads the other countries too, don't you think? Just a thought, otherwise what purpose would the American forces serve with all this might?

[princealbertofb]

You'd be surprised most guys have an open mind about homosexuality and don't hate gays at all, the big thing really is the most gays seem to be liberal and the military is largely conservative, the differences are more political.

The idea being oh no here comes the gay guy, no more gay jokes or we will all get in trouble, soldiers hate being pc.

I'm guessing the military only hate being politically correct because they are so policed all the rest of the time. It's nice to be able to let off steam. That's probably what it is. It doesn't mean that it has to turn into total homophobia or any kind of phobia... of course. So having to police their manners in a informal social setting too might feel like an extra strain.

[ShiftyNJ]

My personal issue with the man is not that he is politically conservative, it is that I don't believe a word that comes out of his mouth. He seems to live in some altered reality where he sees what he wants to despite plain evidence to the contrary and can't abide hard truths, preferring to live in denial. He has the self-control and moral foundation of a toddler and his position shifts with the wind depending on which will get him the most applause. Such a person is easily manipulated and I think we're already seeing that happening.

[princealbertofb]

This programme just came on and I found it very interesting. It's about Trump economics as seen by people analysing the field.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08cqqrh

[Doc]

I just dont get, everyone wants the U.S. to take the lead all of the time. Maybe the rest of the world should get its act together and lead themselves. We are tired of pissing away money and lives for everyone else's problems. I know Im part of the working class and I hate seeing my tax dollars go overseas. It seems that everybody hates us until they need us, and we are tired. If you need a leader so bad ask Putin, I bet he'd take the job. All the rest of world seems to want from us is a handout. Is it so crazy for Americans to want to put themselves first? Always falling back on the U.S. being the world leader is such a cop-out. This is why Americans dont think highly of the rest of the world (except for some reason Australia? We really like Australians, I like the Aussies and Im not sure why?)

We are going to have a difference in opinions, I cant explain this better.

[ShiftyNJ]

I just dont get, everyone wants the U.S. to take the lead all of the time. Maybe the rest of the world should get its act together and lead themselves. We are tired of pissing away money and lives for everyone else's problems. I know Im part of the working class and I hate seeing my tax dollars go overseas. It seems that everybody hates us until they need us, and we are tired. If you need a leader so bad ask Putin, I bet he'd take the job. All the rest of world seems to want from us is a handout. Is it so crazy for Americans to want to put themselves first? Always falling back on the U.S. being the world leader is such a cop-out. This is why Americans dont think highly of the rest of the world (except for some reason Australia? We really like Australians, I like the Aussies and Im not sure why?)

We are going to have a difference in opinions, I cant explain this better.

I wonder if some of that responsibility comes with our needing these places to support our endeavors around the world. Remember we have big bases which we use to defend our interests, to some degree these things might come as a cost of doing business. Also we have an interest in keeping the middle east "stable" (as if it was) for the sake of energy prices, etc. If we did retreat from that kind of thing and playing the big brother on the playground we might lose some valuable loyalties along the way. Just a thought.

[Doc]

All Im saying is I just hate how everyone just bawls the U.S. out all of of the time. People seem to act like Americans are the biggest assholes in the world, how the fuck are we supposed to feel?

I know its seems like we just go around the world doing evil shit all day, but we do help people. Ask the Kurds how they felt about the invasion of Iraq and you will get a different answer than if you asked some cheesedick millennial with a man bun. It just seems like everyone gangs up on our country and Im tired of it.

The middle east is stable with dictators unfortunately we dislike them, sadly they were/ are the only ones brutal enough to do the job like Hussein and Assad. Democracy isnt for everybody. In my opinion is dangerous to let common people vote.

Getting involved in this thread is like a getting involved land war in Asia, it just keeps sucking you in until it drives you out of your mind.

I end it by paying a compliment to another country, please everyone else join in.

France thank you for smokeless powder.

[princealbertofb]

I just dont get, everyone wants the U.S. to take the lead all of the time. Maybe the rest of the world should get its act together and lead themselves. We are tired of pissing away money and lives for everyone else's problems. I know Im part of the working class and I hate seeing my tax dollars go overseas. It seems that everybody hates us until they need us, and we are tired. If you need a leader so bad ask Putin, I bet he'd take the job. All the rest of world seems to want from us is a handout. Is it so crazy for Americans to want to put themselves first? Always falling back on the U.S. being the world leader is such a cop-out. This is why Americans dont think highly of the rest of the world (except for some reason Australia? We really like Australians, I like the Aussies and Im not sure why?)

We are going to have a difference in opinions, I cant explain this better.

[MENTION=24108]Doc[/MENTION], you may find this particular point of view interesting, in fact.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08cvmhf

[meridannight]

I just dont get, everyone wants the U.S. to take the lead all of the time. Maybe the rest of the world should get its act together and lead themselves.

I agree completely. However, it is the US politicians who can't stop from sticking their noses into what is none of their business. Not the other way around. Don't throw this on 'the rest of the world'.

Also, in our contemporary world you can't be an isolated plot of land. Not really. You need to work with other countries and powers. US and EU are allies, as far as I'm concerned.

Other than that, US really should keep its nose out of other people's business (e.g. downing herbicides on Colombian agriculture just because the DEA thinks cocaine is responsible for all the evil in the world). It is the USA that seeks out ''problems'' in other countries that they can then manipulate to their advantage. (South America being the prime example of this). Other countries don't do that to US.


So, this is really funny text coming from an American.