So what you are calling for is boycotting German and French products. But already in the past calls for much more worthy causes - eg the apartheid issue in South Africa - boycotts led to nothing. I also seriously doubt it that a US boycott of German and French goods would really hurt those economies. With the even more advanced integration of the European Union - see the successful introduction of the Euro - the EU internal market carries much more weight than the relatively small US market. And in the light of globalisation I have to ask the question again: are there still companies that can be called "German" or "American" or "French"? Is a Ford car built in the Cologne factory in Germany more or less American than a Mercedes or BMW built in the US? You stop buying BMW and you kill American jobs: that's the reality of globalisation! In contrast, a German or French led boycott of products which stand for the US, eg McDonalds or Levi's Jeans is likely to be much more successful than anything American shoppers will ever be able to achieve. And it will hurt the US where people like you least like it, because apart from the negligible economic effects they will be seen as a political slap in the face. Let's face it: the US may be right in their battle against terrorism and other enemies, but hardly anywhere in the world are they perceived as "the good guy", even in matters which are much closer to the hearts and minds of people in US and elsewhere. Take for instance that other side of the globalisation coin, the global drug trade. How do poor farmers in Northern Thailand feel when their opium crops are just destroyed without creating other more acceptable opportunities for them? Do you think they are happy with the fact that they have been picked to be removed from the drug traders' shopping list and that the opium now comes from Afghanistan? Or look at the never ending so-called anti-American outbreaks in South Korea: Two girls are run over by a US military vehicle, and the perpetrators are not dealt with in a Korean court, but in a US military court. You think that helps destroy the general feeling of US-arrogance? Just imagine this scenario: a German (NATO!!!)soldier on duty in the US runs over two kids in Mississippi. All that happens to him is that he is ushered away into a German military court, and the local people will never hear of him again. Finally I think it is unbecoming of US citizens to talk about "Germans" and "French": is Mr Rumsfeld not German? His name sounds German or Dutch. Even the name Bush could be German or Dutch.
Rumsfeld´s German Relatives http://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/0,1518,233926,00.html Rumsfeld Heinrich (0 42 03) 65 78 28844 Weyhe, Heidstr. 43 Rumsfeld Margarete (0 42 03) 66 12 28844 Weyhe, Heidstr. 18
Fairplay we have a big difference of opinion as to the relative worth of the U.S. luxury car market to the German car manufacturers and the unions over there. I have seen articles in the past that asserted the U.S. market is massively important to the profits and margins of BMW and Mercedes. (I read these articles about the time Chrysler was taken over.) I also understand that the U.S. market is a big part of Siemans growth strategy. I assume they are German (still). Also from my perspective and again (from things I read in the past) the boycott in S.A. contributed to the end of white rule. When multinationals no longer put capital into South Africa the economy and government began to unravel. I could be wrong but I thought I read articles about Coca Cola and others pulling out because of public opinion here in the states. So while I agree it is doubtfull the U.S. consumer would act in concert, if they were to effect a boycott I know there would be consequences. Again, I may be wrong because I am just remembering things I read. I do not claim to be 100 perecent right or even 70 percent, just more likely than not.
How would you prefer US citizens refer to the countries their ancestors came from? Instead of "I believe the Germans ought to..." should Rumsfeld instead say, "I believe the citizens-of-the-country-in-Central Europe-bordering-the-North-Sea-and- the-Baltic-Sea-between-the-Netherlands-and-Poland-south-of- Denmark-the-land-my-ancestors-came-from ought to...."? What is "unbecoming"?
Wow msfe, you finally posted a link worth clicking on! Congratulations! Man am I CUTE! But, it is a tad worrying that you've scoured the web looking for some info on me. This isn't going to be a stalker situation is it?!? You're not going to try and pull a Scott Ritter-ish date or anything are you? Methinks you have too much free time in that remote valley in the Swiss Alps......
hapaboy: `Methinks you have too much free time in that remote valley in the Swiss Alps......´ far less than you, unfortunately. that´s why i do not fill page after page with nonsensical insults but give you the occasional internet link to interesting viewpoints, like this one - http://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/0,1518,234547,00.html
ROFL! Your links are "interesting" in the sense of information to exactly three people: yourself, Candle, and Fairplay. But as a source of entertainment, they are a gift to this entire board. Now go scour the internet for more baby pictures, you sick Swiss you........
No argument - America's inability to rally support over Iraq is partly due to its diplomatic shortcomings but also because it has not made a convincing case for going to war, says Mark Tran http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,893489,00.html
Oh, since it comes from such a legitimate source, it must be true. "No argument" - ROFL! So hey Wild, you really need to become a salesman for the guardian. You're doing quite well trying to spread their gospel.