As we are in the liberation mood...

[sarah_webinc]

Should we maybe help a country we have a direct historical link to ?
http://www.boston.com/dailynews/084/world/...long_f%3A.shtml (http://www.boston.com/dailynews/084/world/Many_in_ravaged_Liberia_long_f%3A.shtml)

[Almighty Colin]

There are dozens of places in the world like this right now. There always are. History shows "we" can only afford - economically, politically, and psychologically - to be involved in a few such situations per decade. It is usual that in such places we have ideological, economic, and defense interests.





Last edited by Colin at Mar 25 2003, 06:09 AM

[sarah_webinc]

and us having created this nation doesn't give us some sort of special connection to it?

[Almighty Colin]

There are many reasons why one may or may not get involved in a conflict somewhere in the world. There were more than 50 such conflicts by one count world-wide last year (42 by another organization). I think the US (from my ameri-central point of view) already has been involved in too many conflicts world-wide since WW II. Note that I am a strong supporter of the current action against Saddam though.

I don't think having a "special connection" to a nation has been a primary motivating factor to getting involved in such conflicts. Liberia doesn't fit any criteria that I personally would be in favor of action in but i can understand if it fits someone else's. Even by this "special connection" criteria this is ancient history. The founding of Liberia in 1821 is four times closer to 1776 than 2003.

[spanno]

Originally posted by sarah_webinc@Mar 25 2003, 10:24 AM
Should we maybe help a country we have a direct historical link to ?
http://www.boston.com/dailynews/084/world/...long_f%3A.shtml (http://www.boston.com/dailynews/084/world/Many_in_ravaged_Liberia_long_f%3A.shtml)
they got any oil ?

[Mike AI]

HAHA Spanno, I was thinking the same thing.

The sad truth is without oil, without being in a strategic part of the world, and without creating terrorist and sending them the the US to kill our civilians - the most you will get from us is some economic aid.

Unfortunately we CANNOT be the worlds policeman, we can only act when our interests are in jeapordy. Which in Iraq is a growing threat from terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, stability in a strategic region ( yes due to oil).

Maybe the Liberians can start trying to build a nuclear reactor....

What is wierd in Liberia is the names of all the guys. They are all Lincolns, Johnsons, Washingtons, Jeffersons etc....

This is something that can be pointed out to blacks who live in the US who complain about slave reperations. They are doing much better here in the US then these guys in Africa....