<p>In short, you can justify ANYTHING by calling it "national security"...search for an author named Cassel; she talks about it in a book of hers. Almost any foreign policy action can be linked back to homeland security if you try hard enough. The Bush administration justifies so many actions nowadays in the name of "homeland security", it's sick. </p>
<p>In any case, all of those possible uses of the satellite that you've cited are indeed potential uses - but what else could (and will) the United States do with it?</p>
<p>
[quote]
Or would you rather have Cuba, or some other terrorist country
[/quote]
Calling Cuba a "terrorist country" is blatantly ignorant and discriminatory. </p>
<p>
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Who can you trust? leave it to the u.s.
[/quote]
How is any other country supposed to trust us if we can't trust them?</p>
<p>This is really a ridiculous argument because all of the hypothetical situations will NEVER happen. Did America and USSR have a hot war? NO, so what the hell makes you think that decades later there will be a hot war with even more nukes and even better technology for delivering them? Not to mention so many other countries have nukes now; it's not as if just China and America have nukes. </p>
<p>However, we are entering the second COLD war right now. It is pretty evident. But, this war will NEVER get hot. Or at least if by some mistake it did, there would be no world left anyway...</p>
<p>Please clarify, who are the combatants in this "second COLD war"?</p>
<p>Hmmm...
USA and Israel and Japan and maybe Great Britain (depending on who is in power there) vs. China, North Korea, a lot of the arab states, and maybe the EU and Russia</p>
<p>Why is Russia not an Allie?</p>
<p>I think of the USA as world police; you can't punch a cop. Or argue against him; you'll get your ass kicked.</p>
<p>Why is Russia not an ally? It's pretty obvious that they are aligning themselves with the arab nations, China, and also some EU countries. You see the EU and Russia realize they are losing even more power to America. I'm not trying to start a debate about the war in Iraq, but France, Germany, and Russia obviously had ulterior motives other than "trying to solve the conflict peacefully" in the days leading up to the war. Interests/agreements/contracts in Iraq and the rest of the arab world, wanting to gain power and decrease America's at the same time, etc...</p>
<p>But, out of all the countries the EU and Russia could go either way. I think of them as fake-allies who are really out to gain power and weaken us. Obviously everything will seem fine, but they may be working against us in reality (as was seen in the days leading up to Iraq).</p>
<p>
[quote]
I think of the USA as world police; you can't punch a cop. Or argue against him; you'll get your ass kicked.
[/quote]
That is precisely why most of the world hates America.</p>
<p>
[quote]
USA and Israel and Japan and maybe Great Britain (depending on who is in power there) vs. China, North Korea, a lot of the arab states, and maybe the EU and Russia
[/quote]
I think you're exaggerating here. Just because there's a little bit of tension between countries doesn't mean they're in a cold war. There has never been a period in modern history in which every country in the world has been absolutely content with every other country; that doesn't mean the world is in a constant cold war.</p>
<p>Who knows, maybe ten or twenty years down the road this scenario could arise, but it's pretty asinine to say that it exists today.</p>
<p>"Why is Russia not an ally? It's pretty obvious that they are aligning themselves with the arab nations, China, and also some EU countries. You see the EU and Russia realize they are losing even more power to America. I'm not trying to start a debate about the war in Iraq, but France, Germany, and Russia obviously had ulterior motives other than "trying to solve the conflict peacefully" in the days leading up to the war. Interests/agreements/contracts in Iraq and the rest of the arab world, wanting to gain power and decrease America's at the same time, etc..."</p>
<p>Russia is certainly not alligning with the EU. There is considerable animosity between Russian and Western Europe as more Eastern European countires are added to the EU. Like NATO, the EU can be seen as removing much of Russia's Euroepean support by accepting nations such as Poland and the Baltic states. Everyone has ulterior motives; every nation and every person acts in his/her/its self-interest. The U.S. doesn't seem to be pursuing the Saudi royal family or Gen. Musharaff in the name of liberty either.</p>
<p>As far as a U.S.-China war, the concept is ridiculous. While small wars are frequently profitable, total wars are not. Such a war would have disasterous conseuquences for human civilization and will therefore not occur as long as their is any amount of sane leadership in those nations. Plus, as has been mentioned before, the U.S. and China are economically interdependent.</p>
<p>
[quote]
USA and Israel and Japan and maybe Great Britain (depending on who is in power there) vs. China, North Korea, a lot of the arab states, and maybe the EU and Russia
[/quote]
</p>
<p>The EU's jealous of U.S. power, but are you going to tell me that France is going to ally with Kim Jong-Il just because of that? And if France keeps antagonizing the Muslim minority in their country, one can easily foresee a terrorist attack akin to Madrid or London. The thought that France will get into bed with anti-West terrorists is laughable.</p>
<p>I do not think Europe is jealous of the US. I think Europe does not trust the US. According to annual polls conducted in France and Germany in the 90s, over 60% of French and German citizens had a favorable opinion of the US. I do not think they have become jealous overnight. It is probably the recent attitude of the US has has changed the feelings toward to the US, not jealousy.</p>
<p>And although I agree that Europe will never ally itself with any anti-western cause, you can be sure it is going to avoid allying itself with the US in the future too.</p>
<p>I'm still sticking with Command and Conquer: Generals...</p>
<p>although...there is a great possibility a USA v. China war could be fought be 12-25 year olds with sweet computers...and it will be the greatest game of Counterstrike ever witnessed! We will see who has the 1337st skyllyz, and Fatal1ty will be our general...</p>
<p>Now that this thread has shifted its focus to American foreign policy, I won't mind re-entering</p>
<p>
[quote]
I think of the USA as world police; you can't punch a cop. Or argue against him; you'll get your ass kicked.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>America is a sovereign nation, and so are the nations that America is "policing." Sovereign nation A has any right to interfere with the business of sovereign nation B as long as nation B is not sending its troops/missiles/whatever at nation A, hence the meaning of the word, "sovereign."</p>
<p>America can always be a symbol for freedom, liberty, etc. and I like that very much, which is why I live here.</p>
<p>However, denouncing other countries because they don't follow the western way, and trying to interfere with their human rights policy because they don't have the "right" type of democracy, is wrong because it violates the power that sovereignty implies.</p>
<p>command and conquer:generals is awesome...</p>
<p>the best defense weapon for the chinese is the gattling gun..but in the game, the chinese have nuclear missiles, while the americans have this ray-thingie..that operates from far-far aways..the terrorists (which you can also play) can blow themselves up to kill soldiers..and they have bio-chem weapons..though they can launch them via missiles..bleh</p>
<p>anyone know other similar games?pc</p>
<p>You guys are EXACTLY why the media choose to go crazy....Cuz they know that people will just fall and go OMIGOD for that kind of stuff. Yes, it's theretiacally possible. Will it happen? DUH NO.
The media like this kind of stuff...peoploe get all excited. your guy's just a bunch media-controlled freaks. Get over it. Find more ways to enjoy life than media stuff...haha you make me laugh/.</p>
<p>that might be the most incoherant post I have ever read on this board. I have literally no idea what you are talking about. Your grammer and spelling is atrocious and yet you somehow claim that people who have already posted make you laugh? </p>
<p>To clarify, what exactly are you talking about? The media chose to go crazy, over what? Has anyone even mentioned the media yet? Anyone?</p>