Sauron,

I apologize, Canada is by far the nation most similar to the US, and vice-versa!! I was speaking in context of what European country the US shared the most similarities with ( I threw Austrailia in for fun)
I travel alot to Canada and I always have a warm spot in my heart for Canadians, I find it great that we are 2 different countries, yet we have sports teams that play regularly together and our societies are really almost the same. I sometimes think we are really one nation, as our relationship with Mexico is not anything as close as with Canada. I do note that you guys enjoy more government in your lives, I’m a republican and vote every year to get rid of government interference in my life. and I really don’t understand that whole Quebec sessesion issue, mostly because I could never contemplate wanting to align oneself with France. Not to French bash, but given the choice between English vs French culture its a “no-brainer ” You guys have a nice thing going up there, like the US we both enjoy a huge country with mountains oceans, deserts, tundra, skiing, climbing, great cities, great sports, etc etc. Europeans tend to feel Americans are isolated and don’t want to learn about different cultures, I think its not that we don’t care, its just we have alot going on in our own country and that takes up the majority of our thoughts. Take Care, and good luck in the Stanly Cup, it looks like you guys will win it this yaer now that Detroit is out. Happy Easter

Geforce,

I too am impressed by this sudden infusion of knowledge you have, Up until now I thought you were just some young snot-nose bashing the US!! As far as your opinion that the US owes much of its foundations to French thinkers, you have a point, but the majority of our institutions are derived from the English, I studied law for a year and alot of US law today dates back to English law of the 1700’s. Also the US is a mix of all the worlds cultures and philosphies, therefore America has a little bit of “every nation” in our blood.

Today, however the sentiment in the US is extremely anti-French, I’d venture to guess the lowest in 200 years!!!alot of Americans also remember when France closed its airspace to our F-111’s as they bombed Libya…Again France defends another Arab dictator at the expence of US. Personally I think England and Australia have the most commononality with the US, It seems we think alike, enjoy the same culture etc etc Now I’ll go to listen to some AC/DC and Zepplin!!!!!

Mixtec,

Nobody forces the world to watch American movies, TV shows or music, they just seem to enjoy it, Mexico is a nice country, though very poor, and I dare say there are probably more Mexicans in the US today than in Mexico, so explain that.

As far as animosity towards the US, Iremember reading a book about the Suez Crisis, in 1956, there was alot of anti-British sentiment in the mid-East, alot of “English go home” etc etc, They were the big power in the area back then so they were the target of much hatred. the biggest problem the US has is after the fall of Communism alot of countries that were more than happy to kiss up to us while we were protecting them, at US taxpayers expence, from the Soviets. Now after the fall of the USSR alot of these people are asking why we need the US here? the Younger generation does’nt even remember the USSR. So now the US is the sole superpower in the world, and hence we catch alot of grief from any number of groups/countries/organizations, we are an easy target for all the dis-enfranchised, downtrodden, people of the world due to our prosperity and power. Bin Laden doesn’t necessarily hate the US as much as he does the entire west, and since the US represents the west to many people we are the target……Just remember when Germany, France Russia, Red Chinese, were the worlds powers, the world was enveloped in HUGE WORLD WARS, with MILLIONS KILLED.. Entire continents were colonized and exploited, countries were cobbled together with little or no thought to the peoples wishes (Mid-East).for all your percieved faults with US policies we havent come close to the death and destruction of past powers…….Good day.

Keltic,

Your trying too hard! I can understand your desire to have England join the EU, but I defininately understand their reluctance as well. From an American perspective, a Huge part of our culture, laws, and institutions are derived directly from the British, I took a look at my music CD collection and there are more British bands than American!! the movie I rented the other night was English. So many aspects of our cultures are interchangable, for example the cinema, music, Ozzie Osbourne has the highest rated show on TV here, My local cable channel gets the BBC news, and so on……..Now lets look at some historical events,

US/British cooperation culminated in the VICTORY>>>in TWO WORLD WARS……
Anglo/British cooperation has brought the world, the P-51 Mustang!!
We are currently working on joint development of the Joint Strike Fighter!!! and I’ve personally worked with UK troops.
I’m not even getting to deep into all the arts, literature, legal foundationsetc etc the list goes on.
Oh, I almost forgot, the recent war in Iraq is an example of US/British cooperation, and decisive action while the EU debated and blocked any progress.

Now, lets look at the EU,
Fighting for 15 years about building an Airlifter A-400 that will most likey be fielded by 2015,
Even though the Euro-fighter is part English, I had a picture of it pasted on one of my college books, in 1985!! still not in service, and already essentially obsolete, due to lack of stealth,(Though it is a fine aircraft)
Also if the EU plans on becoming a true force in the world the member countries should ask the US to leave NATO/european military committmnets. If this does occur, how will the member states PAY for a credible defence???? You guys can’t even airlift troops where needed, You have to RENT russian AN-125’s!! If the EU does pursue a leading edge military, each country would probably have to cut back on all your “cradle to grave” social welfare programs, and I don’t think many Europeans are willing to do this, So will you then tax your citizens at 70% or 80%?
Finally, European manufactured goods are excellent, highly advanced, and some of the best in the world, but because of your high labor costs, due to the aforementioned social programs how can you compete with Asian goods, Third world labor, or even US products that are manufactured at much lower costs, Your only markets will be the US, and Middle Eastern Kingdoms.
I’m not saying it can’t be done, but it looks like a long road , and If I were British I’d opt out too.

Jonesy,

Thank You!! Don’t confuse these guys with the facts!!!!

SOC,
C-141’s East Coast, All I said after taking boatloads of crap from some of these guys, was to tell GarryB that maybe some of intense Anti-US views were because an American in his past may have stolen his girl/boyfriend!!!
I thought it was funny!!! though judgeiing from this thread I’m a homo-phobe, a disgrace to the Air Force etc etc…Your a better man thamn me if you can debate with these guys, it takes alot of patience, and lip-biting. I came on this forum because I love the old war-birds and end up fighting with 19 year old Churchill wannabees from planetX
As far as the homo-phobe issue, I think I may have accidently hit a sore spot with GarryB ……..
Sauron, Your eloquence and well written posts are appreciated, Good luck SOC, I’ll lurk on the aviation sections, gotta work anyway for the next few days….keep up the good fight.

GarryB,

I never said the SU-35 was crap, I said that I’d travel to Brazil to enjoy their gorgeous women, You on the other hand would enjoy their potential SU-35’s, By the way You have mis-read and distorted my entire post concerning Pearl Harbor….Debating on this forum is quite fatiguing! And as far as my posts, for all the US bashing going on here it is quite hard to sit back and take all your pompous diatribes without jabbing back…..Garry, my assessment of you still stands, I’ll be glad to chat with you about aircraft, but your political views are way over the top, I don’t think everything the US does is right, but as an A,merican I feel compelled to defend her when ******s like you spew your mis-informed venom. Example, all African Americans are discriminated against? If it were so bad why don’t they all go to New Zealand???? Your view of the US is by and large unsubstantiated, simplistic, and just factually wrong……like arguing with my 6 year old…..later, I’m outta here!
PS I’m serious about any aircraft questions etc I’d be glad to dialouge with you, as you seem to have deep knowledge in this area.

GarryB,

Sorry to be picking on you today but you deserve it,

Let me get this straight,

“The japanese attcked Pearl Harbor under the guise of Pre-emptive self Defence”
What crack are you smoking!!!! Exactly who attcked them that they had to defened themselves from?? Did the US attack them on Dec 6th. They had been attcking the Chinese since the mid 1930’s raping their women (rape of Nan-king) etc but they attacked the US for self defence?? Before World War ll the US military was ranked 12th in the world behind Portugal!!!This is a fact.

I bet your one of these guys who believe the Atom Bomb shouldn’t have been dropped on Japan,
I’m not in intel I’m a pilot in the USAF but we recieve intel briefs prior to every mission so I get alot of info that way……..and my father didn’t recieve an education in Italy, read the post!!!! So now your envious because someone was a financial sucess without a formal education? Your psyche is becoming clear, a lonely sad man, pissed off at anyones sucess or nations sucess.