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Originally posted by Atobe:
If you must print a wall of text, it is good if you learn to use paragraphing to highlight the difference in emphasis so as to avoid "mis-reading".
With South Korea being mentioned in the same paragraph written about Australia, as in your reply at the top of Pg 3, it could be interpreted wrongly when read too quickly.
Wall of text?? that's cute coming from you. I've scanned through my posts and the most i have in one paragraph is only 4 lines max, which is about the same as yours.
While I like to continue the debate, seeing your reply telling me to learn to use paragraphing when my posts have the same paragraph structure as yours smacks of hypocrisy.
I don't see the need to continue talking to someone who tries to blame others when he/she made the error.
Have a good day.
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unless Wenger can drum some steel and confidence into his players, I really don't see Arsenal challenging for the title this season. It's just 13 games and Arsenal has already lost 4. Definitely not title-winning form....
just hope that pool can maintain their form and be among the challengers or even better, leaders come april
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Originally posted by Atobe:
From what you have posted, it will reveal that you will need to do more research into the historical relationships of Denmark, Sweden, Spain and New Zealand with the USA.
These countries that you have named may have the highest standards of democracy that have brought them to First World Status for their citizens - not their political leaders only - but does that necessarily result in the best of political relations with the USA ?
Denmark and Sweden have never supported the US military adventures - from Vietnam to Afghanistan; the new Spanish Government almost immediately withdrew all Spanish support in the US led Iraq war; while Helen Clark's government pulled NZ out of the Defense arrangement with the USA and ban all US ships from NZ port if they do not declare their nuclear weapons.
US military force in South Korea and Japan is not to contain China, but more as a safety measure to respond to an unpredicatable North Korean leadership that started the war in the Korean Peninsular in the 1950s.
I am not sure how you manage to conclude that I should "think of Singapore's position in the World as being highly placed"; perhaps you should seek some help in reading and understanding the "Heading of this thread", and what has been posted todate.
If you think that Obama is not as knowledgeable or unconcern with the events in our part of the World, you may yet live to re-assess your position during his term in office.
One thing seems to be a certainty, Obama knows where he can get the most reliable and unadulterated help from - and for now, it does not seem to have included any advise from despots - who believe in the pseudo-science of eugenics.
Must i spell out everything. South Korea, as stated in my initial post and which i stated to refer to in my second post, was to provide a base for US troops to react immediately to any North Korean activities. Nothing was said in my initial post that US troops are stationed in South Korea and Japan to contain the Chinese. The containment of China portion is attributed to Australia if you had read carefully.
My point about Obama not including those countries is a response to your allegation that Obama didn't include Singapore because of our lack of democracy or despotism as you term it. As your response shows, not including these countries is entirely due to them not having close relations to the US and not due to them having a lack of democracy.
Everything i have posted can be easily explained or supported by the state of current affairs . But your point about Obama not including Singapore due to despotism, maybe you could cite some examples whereby Obama is concerned about our despotism to prove your point? (Bold here so that you could focus your reply on providing some concrete examples. Thanks)
And yes, Obama might be aware of events in our region, but would Obama prioritise despotism in Singapore over the war in Iraq and the state of the global economy? Over the state of Kim Jong Il's health and North Korea? Over the nuclear situation in Iran? Over the rise of Russia and China as powers that could rival or at least threaten the US?
I would really be happy if Obama did take an interest in Singapore politics, it would mean that he would have solved so many of the world's problem that he has the time to intervene in such an unimportant affairs. I sincerely hope that what you have attributed to Obama is true, that he is concerned about despotism in Singapore rather than because Singapore is just not worth mentioning.
Edited by pigsticker 17 Nov `08, 2:35AM
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Originally posted by Atobe:
It is simply too early for Obama to be "hard nosed" in his selective approach in responding to the deluge of congratulatory messages.
If you feel that China and Russia is more weighty than Singapore, can Austalia or South Korea be heavier in weight than China and Russia to warrant the call made ?
Clearly, the calls made by Obama were to countries that he see a common thread with his political principles of democratic practices, of hope and positive change for their respective citizens.
Governments that are realistic in their assumptions of their roles in public service instead of self-aggrandizement through inflated self-valuation must surely have gained Obama's respect.
For his character displayed in listening to the smallest and weakest person, remembering the elderly 103 year old who lived to see this day, the humility displayed in winning this momentous election - he will surely have called Singapore if only we had the shine in our politics that would have been befitting the aura in LKY's claim as the leader of a miracle country belonging to the First World.
I believe there are many other countries that have the excellent democracy in place that you crave for. Countries like the Denmark, Sweden, Spain, New Zealand. So why are they not on the list?
For South Korea, read what i have posted in my initial post. For Australia, they're one of the countries whose policies generally dovetail with the US and it's a good ally to contain Chinese influence in the region. While the US probably doesn't want to go to war against China, it doesn't mean that they agree with Chinese influence throughout the region.
It's just politics and foreign policy. Do you think so highly of Singapore's position in the world that you think Obama actually cares whether we have a democratic government, a socialist government or a dictator in place?
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