An example.

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 23-07-02 AT 10:48 AM (GMT)]Yesterday the Iraqi minister of foreign affairs visited Belgium for a short chat with our own officials. It was not a ‘friendly’ visit, there weren’t any economical deals made, the only thing that came out of it was our gov’t asking Iraq to let the UN-envoy do their job, or else face more sanctions from the European Union. The EU never had good (political or economical) relations with Iraq, we don’t give aid to Iraq. Still, Europe first wants to see if there can’t be a diplomatic solution to this problem, before we risk the lives of our soldiers, sailors and airmen. The US didn’t like it, and said they were the ones who’ll decide when to use diplomacy and when to use military force. That’s arrogance. 100 %

RE: Euro bashing

Much of the criticism on Europe is justified, but saying Europe is a load of anti-semite BS (like some like to think, or even worse, say), that goes too far. Fact is Europe is not hated as much in the world as the United States, not because we are the better people, but because our gov’ts foreign policy is a lot more neutral. We don’t put Iran in the axis of evil list, just because they are not compatible with our western ideas of ‘democracy’. So is SA, but SA shares one big point with the west : oil.

Skythe mentions the Marshall plan again, which was truely necessairy for Europe to rebuild economy. Wheter this money was meant to help the poor Germans, English, Dutch, Belgians … or just to secure America’s largest trading partner is not of any importance. God knows what would have happened without the Marshall plan, Europe would look like Russia today, once communism would have been gone.

What also bothers me is the attitude of some Americans towards the continent, as if it were hostile, backwards. Whatever America looks like today, 80 % of it is based directly on European habits, culture, institutions, so I find a bit more respect justified. AFAIK the statue of liberty, symbol of the free world, was a gift from a country which some people now describe as the leader in anti-semitism and intollerance.

RE: Australia’s refugee problem

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 22-07-02 AT 07:36 PM (GMT)]Well, Immigration should be humane, which means if you don’t want more refugees to live in your country, the gov’t should act quickly. In Belgium, we don’t have the ‘camps’ (though we sometimes have to put them in normal prisons where they don’t belong), but the procedure to get the Belgian nationality is so slow, I consider it to be inhumane. People who have been living for 3 years in Belgium, paying taxes … can get a letter on a morning saying “you have 2 days to pack, say goodbye and leave the country”. People should be send home immediatelly if there’s no good reason to give them asylum, but not wait 3 years.

Problem is, nobody likes asylum seakers, even with socialists and greens in the gov’t, the laws remain very strict.

RE: Another dumb question

The US-bashing topic. Actually its always the same topics that get the most attention. US this, Europe that …

RE: ashamed of myself

Well I wouldn’t say I’m ashamed (after all I’m doing an effort to speak a foreign language), but my ultimate goal is to speak English fluently, but I don’t think this forum is the right place to do so.

However, one who has English as a native language will not try to correct your mistakes.

RE: Another dumb question

Indeed it’s true. Hmm SOF2? That’s about all I have

I don’t have much games either. If you don’t like SOF2 (or have it), just give me your banck account, i’ll pay you back the money

CU

Ben

RE: Another dumb question

There are no dumb questions, only dumb people 😀

RE: RED ALERT 2

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 19-07-02 AT 11:39 AM (GMT)]I really hate it when I’m playing (and winning) and there’s ##### ##### !!@#}#@!! connection error. ##### XP.

Goddamned, it would have been such a nice victory. But no. Stupid XP, stupid gates.

I’m not crying, I’m just ##### ##### @§(}!!##@ x( x( x( x( x( x( x(