The Logic Off Topic list

Hendrik
You are obviously a very clever and educated fellow; and, your long 
letter seems very convincing. However, under the thin veneer of 
intellectualism is a basic dishonesty. You have misrepresented what you 
have said and what others have said. 

You didn't simply make a few comments about Bush. You called Americans 
"primitive" and "cowboys" and mocked our military, and spoke as if 
terrible civilian deaths have already occurred in advance. Rather than 
being childish innocent or god like, your comments have been sarcastic 
and insulting in a flippant smart ass way. 

I, and many others, basically agree with your point that innocents should 
not be killed. There are many in the US who feel the same. Why is it, 
that you feel you, and Europeans in general are somehow smarter or more 
moral than everyone in the United States? We are a diverse group, and I 
already gave several examples of the high level of morality shown in war 
time (such as not bombing the downed the stealth figher plane in 
Yugoslavia). Why don't you wait for something to actually happen before 
you complain about it, and second, have some trust that everyone in the 
US is not a cowboy or war mongerer.

You also misrepresent what some of us say, when you are not calling us 
narrow minded. No one ever said the US is right all the time about 
everything. I, and others, have pointed out that blunders have been made. 
We've also pointed out, that the US has taken on the role of policing the 
entire world, and maintaining stability through out the world, and its 
easy to sit back and criticize as you do, while your country reaps the 
benefits but doesn't take the risks. And those in the world who want to 
blame the US for all the ills of the world, need to re-evaluate their 
thinking too, to be a bit more realistic. Is the US really the worst 
country of the world? Is that an example of clever European thinking to 
simplify all of the complex issues in the world down to "the US is wrong 
about everything". Come on, I expect a little more intelligent attitude 
from you, Hendrik.

I think, you, although intelligent, have fallen into a mental trap of 
following the anti-American bandwagon that seems to be playing in Europe. 
This is the current fashion and you have mindlessly fallen into its 
grasps. If you truly care about civilian deaths, why don't you read about 
what is going on in Chechya right now! There are thousands of deaths, and 
disappearences. Similary, China is suppressing a Moslem minority known as 
the Uigars. Where is your Western Eurpeon morality when it comes to these 
innocent people being suppressed? Well, its no longer en vogue to hate 
Russia and China. After so many years of the US providing a security 
blanket over Europe, now that the USSR is no more, its now chic to hate 
the US. 

I also think you show poor taste. Even if all you say is correct and 
good. Right after 6,500 of our civilians have been killed is not the time 
to attack us. The US is in a state of shock. Give it a rest. Have some 
European class and dignity. You may see the American army as storm 
troopers, but we see them as our friends and neighbors who are risking 
their lives for our protection. I find it offensive that as they risk 
their lives, you should mock them and blame them for imaginery crimes 
that never occured. Please wait, then you can continue with your tirades.



Greg