Originally Posted By ChurroMonster It's time to invade and take over Saudi Arabia. Their repeated refusals to increase oil production are a slap in the face to the nation that protected them from Iraq in 1990. Nearly all the terrorists from 9/11 were from Saudi Arabia. The nation has as deplorable track record on human rights as Afghanistan and China. If our nation is serious about its rationalizations for invading Iraq and Afghanistan, or possibly eventually Iran, then a Saudi invasion would make even more sense.
Originally Posted By X-san ***Nearly all the terrorists from 9/11 were from Saudi Arabia.*** So if the terrorists were all from Canada we could invade our neighbors to the North? Stupid justification if you ask me. But what the hell, we're already on track to be the next big expansionist empire...might as well stop tiptoeing around about it. Hopefully the inevitable downfall won't happen til after my grandkids grow old and die (never seems to work out that way though...*sigh*).
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo >>>Hopefully the inevitable downfall won't happen til after my grandkids grow old and die<<< Due to idiot George, seems like the American empire is already in decline. Churromonster - America's human rights record is not exactly sterling (state sanctioned torture, little aid in New Orleans etc.). Lastly, I don't see America lowering the price3 of movies, or computers or software. The oil companies are companies. Also, America has a number of religious zealots and violent behaviours. Maybe Europe should invade the US. This is almost as stupid a thread as my buddy X's sin one.
Originally Posted By DouglasDubh Instead of asking Saudia Arabia to increase oil production, why don't we increase our own?
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Even better. Or how about government and industry work together to find better, cheaper, more environmentally friendly power sources.
Originally Posted By dshyates I like how the oil companies trot out the old, "The LIRERALS won't allow us to buid new refineries. The gas prices are the liberals fault." When was the last time a refinery proposal was shot down? The last I found was 1978.
Originally Posted By X-san ***This is almost as stupid a thread as my buddy X's sin one.*** Sorry you felt that way, but I in no way felt that my thread was stupid. I guess all I can say is that I'm sorry you felt that way. And I wonder why you have such a strong reaction towards what is, in fact, a very intriguing question (lots of others called the idea "stupid" as well, and they, too, tried to hide the anger lurking behind the words...interesting to say the least). Anyway, I will wholeheartedly agree with you that this thread is stupid. Or, more correctly, simply a means of provocation. Mine was too, but there was a purpose behind the provocative comments. This is just...well...it is what it is.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan >>Maybe Europe should invade the US.<< I'm all for it! The last British Invasion gave us The Beatles and The Stones! ; )
Originally Posted By fkurucz Last time I checked Saudi Arabia (and most OPEC members) were sovereign nations. As much as dislike high oil prices, why should they increase extraction of a non renewable resource to lower the price? Anyway, 3 years from now we will remember the "good old days" when gas was $4 a gallon. Increasing production today will only delay the inevitable.
Originally Posted By fkurucz <<Hopefully the inevitable downfall won't happen til after my grandkids grow old and die>> I think that there is a real possibility of the US dissolving like the USSR did, and that it could happen within 20 years. My prediction is that it will disolve into several smaller confederations, which in turn will unite with Canada and Mexico to form a North American Union.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan >>I think that there is a real possibility of the US dissolving like the USSR did, and that it could happen within 20 years.<< Anything's possible, I guess, but I don't see that happening, surely not within 20 years. The U.S. still generates much of the world's wealth and food, the same couldn't be said of the U.S.S.R. Also, there were many other internal and external contributing factors that lead to the downfall of the U.S.S.R. that simply are not present here.
Originally Posted By ecdc Agreed. I don't see the U.S. fracturing, but I do see it potentially losing its status. Like some European powers, we might go through an identity crisis period where we have to cope with no longer being number one. Then we'll accept that and start to just enjoy being ourselves and doing our own thing. Right now we seem to want the benefits of being the world power but none of the responsibility.
Originally Posted By DyGDisney Yeah, let's invade foreign countries and kill innocent men, women and children so we can have cheaper gas!! I didn't know Bush was an LP member.....
Originally Posted By DyGDisney Ya know, it scares me that some people in our country have the mentality that if we don't get what we want from other countries, we should just go over and kill 'em. Even more scary is that our president thought if he declared war with a small country it would boost his political standing in history. Scary, scary stuff.....
Originally Posted By DyGDisney We are a country full of elitists. Someday a country will come along who wants to knock us down off our high horses.
Originally Posted By BoyStory >>I think that there is a real possibility of the US dissolving like the USSR did, and that it could happen within 20 years.<< Okay, this is the 2nd time this week I've heard this theory... (although the other person's theory was that it would happen within a shorter time frame; after Obama is elected and a chain of events that follows)... Should I be hoarding food?;| I do believe we are a very Blessed Nation, but just as God has blessed us for coming to the aid of others, I wonder how long it will take before we TRUELY suffer for the transgressions of this current administation. "Take over" Saudi Arabia? You mean take over the men, women, and children of Saudi Arabia, right? Haven't we had enough blood-shed?
Originally Posted By fkurucz <<The U.S. still generates much of the world's wealth and food>> Last time I checked we consume a lot more than we produce (hence our nearly 900 billion $ trade deficit). Once our collective Visa card is maxed out, what will happen? <<Okay, this is the 2nd time this week I've heard this theory... (although the other person's theory was that it would happen within a shorter time frame; after Obama is elected and a chain of events that follows>> I think that it will take longer. The Federal gov't have to become insolvent first. Default on debt, etc. As long as we can continue to borrow money the party will continue. After that we will resemble all those subprime home buyers who can't service their debt. We will be the world's deadbeat.
Originally Posted By fkurucz IIRC davewasbaloo mentioned that after his last vacation here that the US looked run down and dirty to him. I have heard this comment from other foreigners as well. We aren't what we used to be. We don't generate wealth, we borrow it. Ours has become a very hollow economy, as the recent housing bubble (and burst) is clearly demonstrating.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<We aren't what we used to be. We don't generate wealth, we borrow it. Ours has become a very hollow economy, as the recent housing bubble (and burst) is clearly demonstrating.>> Poppycock!! The U.S. public debt as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product is not much higher than long term lows and is lower than it was during the go-go years of our great presidential god William Jefferson Clinton. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:USDebt.png" target="_blank">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I...Debt.png</a> Our monetary standard of living is still among the highest on earth. Our technology is unsurpassed. Our military, in spite of being horribly misused by Dubya, is the most elite fighting force on earth. Our housing bubble burst is nothing compared to what Japan experienced a few years back. There are very few areas in the US where homes are not worth at least as much as they were 5 years ago. Those that are currently declining the most had previously gained the most. Dave maybe thought we looked a little run down but where was he looking? Newark, New Jersey? What was he comparing us to? Most cities in the US still look better maintained and are cleaner than any other country on earth with the possible exception of a Scandinavian country or two. The worst thing about your statements is the fact that you undoubtedly believe they are true. And believing crap like that will leave you making terrible decisions that ARE truly destructive to our country. <<I think that there is a real possibility of the US dissolving like the USSR did, and that it could happen within 20 years.>> Congratulations!! Hyperbole reaches a new peak on Laughing Place!!
