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TimothyR444

Listed below are comments made by TimothyR444 between Monday, 5th October 2009 and Tuesday, 6th October 2009.

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Airing the Afghan debate 08:19am on 06 Oct 2009 #86:

RomeStu:

"Sorry - British understatement. I must be more direct with some of our more obstreperous colleagues."

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I often find that British posters will congratulate themselves with simpering self-regard when it comes to stereotypical British character traits.

There is nothing remotely understated about your posts. So do not kid yourself.
Airing the Afghan debate 07:26am on 06 Oct 2009 David Cunard:

#83

"See above - if that's what you meant, then the post was ill-written. "

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And your interpretation was poor as well. There's no need to harp on it. It would have been preferable for you to respond.

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"I note that you make no response to Anglophobia, a pity because many of us here would like to know why it is that you feel the way you do. "

The comment about anglophobia did not deserve a reponse.

'Many of us here want to know.....?' Seems odd.
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"Have you ever visited the scepter'd isle?"

Yes, several times - but not in recent years. I grew up with an English grandmother - who moved from Kent to New York as an adult and brought England with her. My parents and grandparents were devoted anglophiles (no doubt amusing to you, but quite true and not unusual in that time on the east coast) and my family were extremely vocal about joining Britain during WWII, during the Blitz. I grew up with all of that.

I do not recognize the spiteful, malicious, bitter and unpleasant Britain I see here. That is why I post as I do.

The Britain I encountered would not mock American involvement in WWII or tell Americans they deserved to die on 9/11, as I have just read tonight - and that is only one night's reading.

Anglophilia dies hard. But it does, after a while.
Airing the Afghan debate 06:29am on 06 Oct 2009 David Cunard:

#80

"So you want to blame Britain for the problems that have been created by the US presence there? If her actions in the nineteenth century are to be considered then she must be responsible for almost all of the world's ills. I'm surprised you haven't posited this before since you appear to suffer from a bad case of Anglophobia."

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I wasn't blaming Britain. I was saying the inhabitants of the region are responsible for their own behavior. "They" refers to them, not Britain.

You misread my post.
Not so special? 06:27am on 06 Oct 2009 #71:

KingDouglasD:

"It was the Red Army whose descent on Berlin brought an end to the war. No one nation can take sole credit for "winning" the war, but the Soviet Union had a far bigger impact than the US, who were late-comers to the party and needed to wait for an invite from Japan. Without the Soviet Union on the Allies side, there is no "probably" about it - losing would have been a certainty. But of course, thanks to the daft Cold War and their over-inflated sense of self-importance, Americans like to pretend they rode in, like the cavalry, and chased those darned Germans right outta town. I'm quite concerned a senior BBC journalist seems to subscribe to this view."

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Usually the sacrifices of our ancestors in war are treated with a certain basic respect. I have the greatest respect for those in Britain - both military and civilian - who died, were wounded, imprisoned, bombed and served in so many ways.

I am very well aware of the stunning depth and strength of anti-American xenophobia in Britain today, but I should have thought that mocking and ridiculing those who served in WWII in tones of amused contempt is well over the line.

But it is evident that there are no lines here: no sense of respect or ordinary decency.

I am amused the by the mock-horror of those from Britain who claim I am being 'unfair' in my comments. If anything, I am being extremely mild and reserved.
Not so special? 06:14am on 06 Oct 2009 349:

whenyouarethemoon:

"The powerful emotions (anger, revenge?)that well up inside you when you think of what happened on 9/11 are the same emotions that other human beings in other countries feel towards America because of the infinitely greater destruction and carnage the States has inflicted throughout the world.

As Ashill & Fluffytale have both stated it is no real surprise that somewhere down the line some of these peoples were going to try to strike back. You are obviously very upset but to accuse myself and others of having lost our "moral anchor" is ridiculous and leads me to believe that you are a naive, ill-informed person who feels safer wrapping themselves in 'old glory' and closing your eyes, ears and mind to the overwhelming evidence that the USA is NOT the democratic, altruistic, loving, caring, compassionate country you so desperately want to believe it is."
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These comments defending and rationalizing the attacks on 9/11, combined with other smug, self-righteous and posturing comments elsewhere on this site that defend those attacks, are the clearest example one can find of the ugly prejudice and bigotry that are the very heart of anti-Americanism.

As iI have stated several times here, the gulf between the US and Britain is a chasm that grows wider by the day. The idea that Americans are unquely and profoundly evil - in comparison with a pure, victimized and unsullied world - is sheer fantasy. But it is out of such fantasies that prejudice is born.
Airing the Afghan debate 06:07am on 06 Oct 2009 #67:
AndyPost:

"Historically, American theater commanders have been required to communicate with the American people directly, mostly because the American people won't have it any other way. These guys are putting our kids in harm's way. We need to know what they think.

However, that arrangement can be problematic. MacArthur's public insistence on bombing China cause Truman a great deal of embarrassment and led to his firing. This is a rebuke from the White House. I'm sure the Joint Chiefs are none to pleased either. Still, I think it's wrong to take it as any indication of a lack of confidence in his command abilities.

In this case, I appreciate the General's candor. It is ultimately after all, our decision to make. We bear the responsibility. We take the consequences."

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I think this is quite a good post covering several issues. I am in agreement on this.

I would like to have heard similar candor and forthright communication from the Bush administration.

I take it you are from the US. I have not seen almost any coverage of this story. Have you?
Airing the Afghan debate 06:03am on 06 Oct 2009 #42:

RomeStu:

"You seem to fall into a dichotomous world where things are black or white, "for us or against us" etc .... whereas many of us see in shades of gray."

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I find it fascinating that you feel the need to address my posting style and my presumed presuppositions and assumptions. My understanding is that this site is for discussion and analysis, not for amateur character study.

You are in fact entirely wrong in regards to your assumptions about me. I have no wish or interest to pursue comparable speculations regarding your motives or assumptions. But it is necesary to set you straight regarding myself.
Airing the Afghan debate 05:57am on 06 Oct 2009 #37

squirrelist:

"If the US does not treat Afghanistan and Pakistan differently, and does not also quickly start distinguishing between the various philosophies of Islam instead of confounding them all into some glib 'fundamentlist/Taliban/al-Quaeda' single mould, then the serious risk is that the whole of the region will be made fearful and unstable. And we will have one enormous 'Chaosistan'. A prospect I think McChrystal is well aware of, but frankly, much of the civilian administration, its advisers, the US media, pundits and public, seem blind to."

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I agree with the absolute necessity of determining and understanding the nuances here. Both the regional and the specific religious differences must be grasped as well as the complexities.

You do go rather too far on blmamng everything on Americans. Surely even we are not responsible for every aspect of the 'fearful and unstable chaos' of the region? It seems to me that Britain faced similar confusion and chaos through the nineteenth century. Surely they are responsible for at least some of their behavior and responses?

And Americans in general are far less blind to this than you would assume, although this will not be accepted as true here.

Although I agree with your choice of words, your focus of blame reflects a sweeping hyperbole that is highly characteristic of this site and which I cannot accept.
Airing the Afghan debate 05:47am on 06 Oct 2009 #56
Simon21

"If it meant not having to witness the US armed forces blundering around again, it could be an effective strategy"

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This open insult of tens of thousands of military who are putting their lives on the line seems a bit much even for this site. Usually they are above the more obvious and tasteless insult - however strongly one opposes a policy or a strategy or indeed an entire nation.

It would be unimaginable for me to insult the military of Britain. I would never think of doing it.

But I am well aware that such concerns and standards are not an issue here.
Airing the Afghan debate 10:08pm on 05 Oct 2009 I had not seen this story before. Interesting. It's surprising that this speech would be given to a London audience, considering the view of Americans in Britain.

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#11 colonelartist:

"Make afghanistan one of the states of usa, and all your problems are solved,no need to think about troops withdrawl or staying there indifinetely. and they are as fragmented as the republicans and demoracts. and as primitive as your average american..No more and no less."

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Average Americans are indeed primitive. Very perceptive remark.

No doubt Britain would take care of the situation with their eyes closed.

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