From: werewolf@cwis.unomaha.edu (Eric E. Buckner)
Subject: Re: U.N. Rehash
Organization: University of Nebraska at Omaha
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1993 18:44:15 GMT

tim@iss.nus.sg  writes:
> werewolf@cwis.unomaha.edu (Eric E. Buckner) writes:
> : > Furthermore since our government has commited acts of aggression also, and
> : > we seem to have nuclear weapons, does this mean that any nation that disagrees
> : > with us has the right to bomb us?  
> : 
> : Maybe if we invaded Canada or Mexico or Cuba.
> Hey, two out of three isn't bad;
> the Alamo was the US grabbing Mexican territory
> (because Mexico wouldn't let the white trash who settled there own slaves)
> and the Bay of Pigs was Kennedy's finest hour.

I was considering Z.'s gripes about the UN.  I believe the Alamo occurred 
before the UN was founded, but I see your point (my error?) about Cuba...

However, I am unfamiliar with much history, and would like to know how far
the "Bay of Pigs Ivasion" went.  Did we take over Cuba, or just show enough
of our fangs so that Castro would send the nukes back to the USSR?

> Can somebody tell me how many Latin American countries the US
> has _never_ invaded?  Please distinguish between
> "never landed troops" and "never even sent a gunboat".

Depends, according to Z. we invaded Saudi Arabia.  Are you talking sent troops
to take over the rightfull government or invasion as in D-Day when we landed in 
France...There are some awfully fuzzy, grey lines around this area.

> What other parts of the USA were acquired other than
> by grabbing territory from tribal peoples or
> colonial powers, by force and biological warfare?

Biological warfare?  Sorry, don't know what you mean.  If you mean European
diseases, how are people that barely know that Earth is round going to produce
vaccinations for diseases which we only created (the vaccines) a few decades 
ago?

> Notice how events in Cuba etc. are always described in the US
> as "in our back yard"; a pathological inability to distinguish
> one's own back yard from the neighbour's garden.

Hmm.  I believe it's only 80 or 90 miles from Key West to Cuba.  If you want
an opponents nuclear weapons that close to you, you're welcome to it.

> This game of identifying assorted leaders with Hitler
> is pretty dumb; it's mainly a form of yelling,
> not a form of argument.

I disagree.  Comparing Hussein with Hitler is, IMO, adding emphasis that 
a)  Saddam is a loony
b)  Saddam can't be trusted
c)  Saddam must be watched like a fox in the chicken house, all it takes
    is one blink, and snarf! you're short a chicken.

Please see other postings I have made for further information.

> But once the game is being played,
> I wish that North Americans could imagine how easily
> Uncle Sam is seen by his neighbors as a landgrabbing killer.

But when is the last time we grabbed land?  Alaska, or Hawaii?

>   "Oh wad some pow'r the giftie gie us
>    Tae see ourselves as others see us."

You can give this gift to yourself if you know how.

Eric, Lord of Vengeance Beyond Death
-- 
"Why should I have nightmares?  I give them to you." -- Stephen King

SIC GORGIAMUS ALLOS SUBJECTOS NUNC -- We gladly feast on those who would 
subdue us. -- Addams Family Motto (as heard in the movie)