Osamas fled... Why are they still supporting a civil war?

Typedef

Originally posted by bonkey
As for "too many people died to gain our freedom" - I suppose this doesnt apply to any other nation? Or are you implying that we are somehow more nationalistic than the other member-states and that this is a good thing?

Nationalism is a double edged sword, it will help protect and espouse Irish industry but when the Irish are on the other end of it, it will mean an inner-core, or two-tier europe, where in old-boy imperialist countries(Uk, France, Germany, Spain, Italy) take all the real important decisions, decisions we(Irish, small countries in Europe) don't participate in and will not be favourable to us. Just like Nice, Irish negotiators were against the effective disenfranchisement of small countries but the big countries were/are trying to force it through, how does this help Irish prosperity and consequently my prosperity living in Ireland?
It doesn't that's the answer, slippery slope, first the franchise in europe, next "Tax harmonisation", none of this is in my interests or the macro interests of the Irish economy IMO.

This is a small country, while I accept that nationality is a tool that is often used to repress the very people it seeks "supposedly" to defend, it would be easier for example for Germans in Europe to be all cuddly and un-nationalistic as there could be upwards of 110 million German speakers or 1/3 of the current EU to 1/5 of the enlarged one. In a Europe with one ethnic group(or whatever you want to call it) being so large, the interests of such a group are served automatically, a group such as the Irish would need all the support it could get, if nationalism is the tool then yes why not? I live in Ireland so what happens here matters to me, but life did not originate here and if I moved to the US or UK then my affiliations would have to change.

As for a federal Europe....do you believe we have this now? If so, then can you clarify what you mean by a Federal Europe, cause I cant see it at the moment.

Of, relating to, or being a form of government in which a union of states recognizes the sovereignty of a central authority while retaining certain residual powers of government.

Of or constituting a form of government in which sovereign power is divided between a central authority and a number of constituent political units.

If you're replying to this, please try and keep the vitriol to a minimum. While its entertaining reading at times, it does get a bit tiresome....

Maybe I'm not being explicitive enough.
BTW
Vitriolic aspersions and ravings suitably curtailed.

bonkey

Originally posted by Typedef
favourable to us. Just like Nice, Irish negotiators were against the effective disenfranchisement of small countries but the big countries were/are trying to force it through, how does this help Irish prosperity and consequently my prosperity living in Ireland?

I think its interesting that the Irish negotiators were against it, but once it was agreed, the govt wants to ignore the voice of the public and have one referendum after another until it gets accepted.

Interestingly, a lot of European *people* were apparently against it too, but seeing as their constitutions dont require referenda for their govts to make these decisions, they never had a real say.....

It would be easier for example for Germans in Europe to be all cuddly and un-nationalistic as there could be upwards of 110 million German speakers or 1/3 of the current EU to 1/5 of the enlarged one.

Please dont tell me that you think that the German-speaking nations are all cuddly with each other just cause they speak the same language? No way dude - they are as fiercely nationalistic (in my experience living over here) as the Irish are.

In a Europe with one ethnic group(or whatever you want to call it) being so large, the interests of such a group are served automatically,

Again, they wouldnt consider themselves "a group", no more than we would consider ourselves and England to be the same "ethnic group" because we share the same language.

a group such as the Irish would need all the support it could get,

I'd agree, but in fact this has always been the case. Being a small nation in a big oraganisation has been the primary concern since we even thought about joining the EU, or whatever it was called way back then

BTW Vitriolic aspersions and ravings suitably curtailed.

LOL. Nice one.

jc

Typedef

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Magwitch

As far as I know America showed little interest in hanging around to clean up after OBL is caught. Britian however, perhaps sensitive to future negioations with Islamic nations, did insist that the Allies would sort out an interim adminisration before they left. However we do see the Allies as America and co, but it is in fact Russia that is ahead in the "Great Game" in Afghanistan (again), and who will ultimitly benefit from any pipeline.

American

Originally posted by Typedef
There are millions of Iraqi children dead/dying right now because of American "interests".

What is Saddam Hussein spending all the money on? The U.S. is sending him billions every year, and these children still are dead, dying, sick, starving, shivering with cold? What's the matter with their leader?

Perhaps we should follow the a new suggesion, that we don't give Hussein money in exchange for the oil he wants to sell us, but we give him food and medicine for the children instead.