Rotwang

The problem is that YOUR problem becomes OUR problem, given YOUR inherent compulsion to export them to the world at large. But as you asked, to some extent Australia has little choice but to be an ally of the US, or puppet if you prefer the term. However, its not like we dont pay for the privilege. Take a look at an atlas. One that has countries other than America, that is. Find Australia. Now look at the countries we are surrounded by, each one far more populous than ours. Would YOU feel comfortable with 250M muslims on your doorstep. So, we back you up, you back us up. Simple formula, really. Most Australians are quite kindly disposed to Americans. Americans can come to Australia and feel safe and comfortable. We're family, after all. Its the stupid things you do that make us see you as a recklessly irresponsible cousin. But family is family, and we stick together. Australia is vital to US security, and vice versa. Because we are less than 10% of your population, we're hardly going to be the string puller, now are we? But for a small population in a hostile zone, we do pretty well for ourselves.

See, this really pisses me off... By what leap of logic do you ASSUME I am American?? The world is NOT filled with Americans. The world, despite the rhetoric and propaganda of your politicians, does NOT rotate around an American hub. There are for more nations and cultures in existence than America. Your response typifies the attitude of many of your countryfolk - you are so sheltered and ignorant from the world that anything or anyone NOT American is beyond your feeble contemplation. I am not anti-American per se, and respect Americans in many ways. Kindly reciprocate that respect.

So enlighten us as to why we need firearms in Oz? For the canetoads?

The possession by individuals of firearms or other weapons designed to kill is an abhorrence. There is no justification for individuals to possess a firearm. Even hunting is unacceptable. By possessing a firearm, you contribute to the scale of violence in your community, and increase the chances of your own death by violence considerably.

Your failure to see the point for your own emotive perspective is tedious. The issue was NOT "if" it collapsed or didn't, and it didn't need the foresight of Nostradamus to predict it would fold. Nor is the issue its relative progress since. The POINT, you illiterate gibbon, is that had you asked anyone in 1992 if the the Soviet was going to collapse in less than a year, they would have regarded you as deranged. There was no hint or indication that the end was nigh. It occurred in the blink of an historic eye. THAT was the point. You never really know how close you are to civil collapse. Here's a tip. Before responding to my posts, PM me to ask what the point is before committing yourself to embarassment.

Take a look around, Phrick. New Orleans, Los Angeles, Chicago and Detroit. If one goes, all will go. And as long as America continues to try and fool itself into believing it is Nirvana, rather than accepting that it is a sand castle sitting on a fault line, the more likely a major social catastrophe will eventuate. New Orleans once again demonstrates that despite all its pontificating and self aggrandissement, despite its intrinsic belief that it is "a model to the world" (George Bush) America is a nation slowly but surely staggering to a precipice. Can't happen? If you'd have suggested to ANY scholar, politician or commentator in 1992 that the Soviet Union had less than a year to go, you'd have been laughed off as a gibbering idiot. And remember, the Soviet's population was under much tighter control, and more heavily indoctrinated that America's. I repeat, I hope it doesn't happen. I dont believe it has to happen. But I'm convinced it will while Americans blind themselves to the reality of the world and their role in it.

Here's a clue, fencepost. If, heaven forbid, America imploded upon itself and the citizenry rose up in arms against the military, it would last about a day. Whilst we speak of a hypothetical circumstances, a ragtag of civilians with Saturday Night Specials and hunting rifles would be no match for a well trained and disciplined military force, particulary when they also have the commensurate armour and air power. However, in the event that America falls into anarchy, the proliferation of firearms will ensure that the casualty rate will be catastrophic. America has waged war upon itself in the past, and it is still socially fractious and politically polarised. Recent events in New Orleans demonstrate how easily the descent into chaos would come. Although Mother Nature was to blame, when all options failed, looting, robbing and killing ensued. This is NOT the characteristic of a cohesive, dedicated, caring society. It is not symptomatic of compassionate people living in harmony regardless of race, creed and colour. Rather, it seemed to evidence the tendency of Americans towards selfishness and racism.

According to the history books, when Israel applied to join the UN (effectively legitimising their claim for nation status) the US was the first country to vote for them. Only then did other nations (western countries) follow suit. It strikes me as odd that the US would take such an interest, and so avidly support, a miniscule and irrelevant embryonic nation in a region that the US traditionally took no interest in. It strikes me as odd that the US would so vigorously sponsor and essentially prop up this fledgling nation, while at the very same time the Soviets were annexing the Baltic States, Taiwan was trying to become independent from China, and there was no accommodation for the equally valid claims for a Palestinian State. But, as you're a lazy bastard, here is the chronolgy of events from US President Truman leading up to the recognition of the State of Israel.

I'm sorry. I dont recall saying that. I made an assertion, which is what one does when one suspects something but either has no evidence, or cannot be fucked looking for it because he has other things to do. If you are interested, I recommend http://www.google.com.

Cogito...once again you dont debate, you defend. Please go here http://www.mideastweb.org/briefhistory.htm It is a non-prejudiced historical synopsis of how Israel came into being. It makes a few points, including the clear fact that Israel is no more valid than Palestine as a nation. The formation of Israel was as a result of a Zionist movement that developed disproportionate influence over the British Government (gee, THAT sounds familiar) and exploited various circumstances arising from WW2 and its aftermath to coerce the British with both political pressure AND terrorism into vacating the area known as Palestine. The Jews then moved into the vacuum and formed a nation. The first country to recognise the nation of Israel was the US (I wonder why? Jewish influence perhaps?). As the most dominant nation at that time, this effectively placed Israel under US protection, and gave it a semblance of legitimacy. Up until that time, there had NEVER been a nation called Israel, nor had the Jews EVER lived under national sovereignty. The inarguable reality is that the Jews were more capable of exercising influence, and more resourceful than the Palestinians, thus allowing them to take control of that particular area of land. Now, I do not take the position that Israel has no right to exist. Likewise, a nation called Palestine has every right to exist for precisely the same rationale. However, if the US had NOT supported the creation of Israel, it probably would not exist. Hence Arab contempt for America, right or wrong. Once again, you look a fool with your clear bias and lack of knowledge. As to "historical" validations to occupying captured lands, why then has the US been so stoic and robust in denying that doctrine in Kuwait, Germany, the former Soviet Bloc, South Africa, Cambodia and East Timor. To call Australia a nation under occupation is to brand your own country with the same banner. In fact moreso, as the Australian Aborigines were not as developed socially as the American Native Indians. All you need is a big red nose to comlete your appearance as a clown.

Vortex, you are a gullible drone. Thats your devious little admin having fun abusing his privileges. Nice going, Phrick. The only people you catch in your asinine chicanery are you own peons.

Is that why Billy Connelly stated that if ever Australia needed an enema, they would insert it in Brisbane? I'd be careful with the parochial jibes, Bob. You rednecks dont have anywhere to run, but you've got a lot to hide.

Yawn. Pathetic obfuscation and evasion. I'll give you credit for being the best collective of cut and run twats on the web. I've laid out a challenge, and some remarkably clever chimp with mod status tries to be all clever and funny with the edit facility. Does that suggest that this forum has the collective fortitude of a goldfish, and the wit and intellect of a donut? See, while I am inviting you clowns without a circus to come and play in BH, I am still here playing your game in YOUR backyard. Do you see ME whining, crying and bleating like a sheep? Do you see me ducking and weaving. I'm here. I aint going anywhere. Your silly shit has as much impact as a feather on a bulldozer, and merely serves to expose your total lack of maturity and responsibility. Using mod status to try and "humiliate" me and modify my details and posts says a great deal more about the chumps that ride this train that it does about me. Take your best shot ladies. Wont change a thing. I'm OK, and you look like fools.

You mean this? ? Does this say America is a fascist nation?? Does it say it in the post a few pages earlier? It doesn't, does it. It says that America is heading in the direction of fascism principles and political ideology. You really are a complete twat. You bigmouthed yourself on age, and got trumped. You misquote my words, or contort them into a meaning to suit your own myopia, and you accuse ME of being of not having valid arguments. I stated my case, and provided the facts in support. Thats debating. You've just jumped up and down defending your nations honour with emotion and diatribe. Thats ignorance. Dont try to intimidate me with your criminal record, asswipe. I've stared down bucketheads like wearing sunglasses, and your tendency to argue and talk shit to your own detriment is patently obvious, requiring no further corroboration. I used to get paid to put opinionated, ill-educated rednecks like you in cages, laughing boy, and I LOVED my work. I repeat: If you want to impress with your he-man testicles, take it to BH. As Phrick says, this aint a bullring. OK. I can accept that. BH is. Come pay me a visit and show all the BH'ers what a sinister and indominatible foe you are. For now, America is mimicking some characteristics of fascism.

It was a reference to my intellectual capacity, or lack thereof. It seems it could equally apply to my lack of imagination. However, as you seem hell bent on personal slurs, please point your audience to any evidence that I am anything but a mindless dolt. Show me where that allegation is substantiated. I Embarrass me. I Humiliate myself. Prove my point, instead of mouthing cliches from the safety of my dingy den in Outer Nowhere. It's easy being a Keyboard Kommando. I can't show you what I got by myself, I need the safety of Brawl Hall. But I do have a list of complaints: Spelling errors, grammar, punctuation, and the Moderators tendency to actually NOT Moderate... ALL pet peeves of mine !! I also believe it is a waste of $12 just for my own private forum, an E-mail address, and the ability to have Semi-Mod type privileges. The Mods should be doing there job and BANNING ME so I have something else to bitch about. It's bad enough they stoop so low as to EDIT my original post, but geesh, I have better FLAME MATERIAL... I am God like in my own imagination, and I expect to be treated that way... IF YOU DON'T.... THEN SO HELP ME, I will go back to Brawl hall with my finger in my ass YET AGAIN, and BITCH SOME MORE to my alleged friends. BRAWL HALL 4 EVER !! http://www.brawl-hall.com PLEASE COME VISIT ME, I WANNA PROVE TO MY ALLEGED FRIENDS THAT I CAN FLAME TOO (with their help of course). I'll sleep better at night playing a bitch slap flame game. It makes me feel important. I just have yet to realize that people just want me to BE MYSELF here instead of making an effort to be an asshole. But since I have no way of making idle chit chat without talking shit about someone, I guess I'll never make any REAL friends, but I do appreciate your efforts to make me feel welcome, I'm just to hard headed to see that quality at this point in time.