Stating the Facts (No Brag, Just Facts!). Go America

[Desertdog]

In my email today.

Stating the Facts (No Brag, Just Facts!)

When in England at a fairly large conference, Colin Powell was asked by the Archbishop of Canterbury if our plans for Iraq were just an example of 'empire building' by George Bush.

He answered by saying, "Over the years, the United States has sent many of its fine young men and women into great peril to fight for freedom beyond our borders. The only amount of land we have ever asked for in return is enough to bury those that did not return."

It became very quiet in the room.

 **************

Then there was a conference in France where a number of international engineers were taking part, including French and American. During a break one of the French engineers came back into the room saying "Have you heard the latest dumb stunt Bush has done? He has sent an aircraft carrier to Indonesia to help the tsunami victims. What does he intended to do, bomb them?"

A Boeing engineer stood up and replied quietly: "Our carriers have three hospitals on board that can treat several hundred people; they are nuclear powered and can supply emergency electrical power to shore facilities; they have three cafeterias with the capacity to feed 3,000 people three
meals a day, they can produce several thousand gallons of fresh water from sea water each day, and they carry half a dozen helicopters for use in transporting victims and injured to and from their flight deck.. We have eleven such ships; how many does France have?"

Once again, dead silence.

*****************

A U.S. Navy Admiral was attending a naval conference that included Admirals from the U.S. , English, Canadian, Australian and French Navies. At a cocktail reception, he found himself standing with a large group of Officers that included personnel from most of those countries. Everyone
was chatting away in English as they sipped their drinks but a French admiral suddenly complained that,'whereasEuropeans learn many languages, Americans learn only English.' He then asked, 'Why is it that we always have to speak English in these conferences rather than speaking French?'

Without hesitating, the American Admiral replied 'Maybe its because the Brits, Canadians, Aussies and Americans arranged it so you wouldn't have to speak German.'

You could have heard a pin drop!

[Perd Hapley]

All of that sounds pretty good.  I'm not sure if these exchanges actually occurred, but the sentiments are correct. 

[Creeping Incrementalism]

A Boeing engineer stood up and replied quietly: "Our carriers have three hospitals on board that can treat several hundred people; they are nuclear powered and can supply emergency electrical power to shore facilities; they have three cafeterias with the capacity to feed 3,000 people three
meals a day, they can produce several thousand gallons of fresh water from sea water each day, and they carry half a dozen helicopters for use in transporting victims and injured to and from their flight deck.. We have eleven such ships; how many does France have?"

Last I checked, which as about 15 years ago, France did have several aircraft carriers.

[RadioFreeSeaLab]

On the Colin Powell one, it's true, sort of.
http://www.snopes.com/politics/quotes/powell.asp

[jefnvk]

The thing about Americans speaking only one language always bothered me.  We only have a need to speak one language.  If every state spoke a different language, we would definitely be bilingual.

Can't help it we decided long ago it was better for everyone to speak the same language.  They do it out of necessity, not intellect.

[richyoung]

A Boeing engineer stood up and replied quietly: "Our carriers have three hospitals on board that can treat several hundred people; they are nuclear powered and can supply emergency electrical power to shore facilities; they have three cafeterias with the capacity to feed 3,000 people three
meals a day, they can produce several thousand gallons of fresh water from sea water each day, and they carry half a dozen helicopters for use in transporting victims and injured to and from their flight deck.. We have eleven such ships; how many does France have?"

Last I checked, which as about 15 years ago, France did have several aircraft carriers.

One - and Charles De Gaul : NOT = : Nimitz class

[Len Budney]

He answered by saying, "Over the years, the United States has sent many of its fine young men and women into great peril to fight for freedom beyond our borders. The only amount of land we have ever asked for in return is enough to bury those that did not return."

That's an awesome quote. Unfortunately, the statement is inaccurate. In pretty much every country whose "freedom" we "fight for," we demand garrisons. Overseas US military bases represent over 687 thousand acres, and include over 32,000 owned buildings and over 16,000 leased buildings. South Korea and Okinawa are particularly egregious examples, where the US presence actually dwarfs the local population and/or economy.

--Len.

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

He answered by saying, "Over the years, the United States has sent many of its fine young men and women into great peril to fight for freedom beyond our borders. The only amount of land we have ever asked for in return is enough to bury those that did not return."

That's an awesome quote. Unfortunately, the statement is inaccurate. In pretty much every country whose "freedom" we "fight for," we demand garrisons. Overseas US military bases represent over 687 thousand acres, and include over 32,000 owned buildings and over 16,000 leased buildings. South Korea and Okinawa are particularly egregious examples, where the US presence actually dwarfs the local population and/or economy.

--Len.

really  we outnumber either the okinawans or south koreans?

[Perd Hapley]

The thing about Americans speaking only one language always bothered me.  We only have a need to speak one language.  If every state spoke a different language, we would definitely be bilingual.

Can't help it we decided long ago it was better for everyone to speak the same language.  They do it out of necessity, not intellect.   

Very true. 

[Len Budney]

really  we outnumber either the okinawans or south koreans?

Note the weaselly escape clause: "and/or economically."

The Korean economy has, for most of the years since the Korean war, been propped up by US military expenditures plus US aid.

Okinawa is one giant military base whose economy is dwarfed by that of the military presence. Having just double-checked, servicemen represent less than 4% of Okinawa's population. I grossly overestimated their numbers based on the fact that about 75% of the island is used for USFJ facilities.

--Len.

[RoadKingLarry]

He answered by saying, "Over the years, the United States has sent many of its fine young men and women into great peril to fight for freedom beyond our borders. The only amount of land we have ever asked for in return is enough to bury those that did not return."

That's an awesome quote. Unfortunately, the statement is inaccurate. In pretty much every country whose "freedom" we "fight for," we demand garrisons. Overseas US military bases represent over 687 thousand acres, and include over 32,000 owned buildings and over 16,000 leased buildings. South Korea and Okinawa are particularly egregious examples, where the US presence actually dwarfs the local population and/or economy.

--Len.

And every time the US military starts talking about closing the base and pulling out the locals start crying about what it will do to their economy.

[El Tejon]

jefnvk, that year was 1917.  Until then the school where I am taught in German.

Darn Dutchies!!!

English nur Police=>

[Len Budney]

And every time the US military starts talking about closing the base and pulling out the locals start crying about what it will do to their economy.

No idea. But it wouldn't be surprising. Whenever the government extends a teat, it creates two classes: the ones who suckle; and the ones who don't. The sucklers always lose it at the terrifying prospect of being weaned.

--Len.

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

i was wondering i lived  on okinawa

[jefnvk]

jefnvk, that year was 1917.  Until then the school where I am taught in German.

Hmmm....

I wonder what caused them to switch in 1917 

[Scout26]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_de_Gaulle_(R_91)




When I was stationed in Baumholder Germany from '87-'91, there were ~20,000 Americans and around 5,000 Germans, and the Germans spoke better English then most of the Americans. 

Here's the current numbers:  http://www.baumholder.army.mil/sites/local/FactsFigures.asp

[Dannyboy]

The Korean economy has, for most of the years since the Korean war, been propped up by US military expenditures plus US aid.

Considering it's been 50+ years, yeah, that's true.  However, for the last 20 or so, I'd say that things have, um, changed a bit.  The mid-80's being when Korea hit the 1st world and started paving roads and going high tech and stuff.  Losing bases in TDC or Uijongbu may hurt the local economy but not the national economy and there aren't really enough troops in any one are anywhere else in the country to affect it either.

[Bogie]

Okay. We're looking at 1,073 square miles (minus the decimal stuff) that we have outside the US.

Fine.

That's an area 10 miles x 100 miles (ish, okay?).
 
Ain't all that much.

[CAnnoneer]

To me, the problem is the expense, not the territory. A $500B annual military budget is bankrupting. It is silly for a country to spend more than all others put together, unless it has quite unhealthy ambitions or unreasonable tasks. It is even sillier to borrow and spend.

[Finch]

Over the years, the United States has sent many of its fine young men and women into great peril to fight for freedom beyond our borders.

I think it is time they start fighting for freedom within our borders....

Let other nations be responsible for themselves for a change.

[K Frame]

The French have one aircraft carrier, the Charles De Gaulle, and two amphibious assault ships (helicopter and assault craft carriers, really, not unlike the American USS Wasp class)

The de Gaulle can, in many ways, hardly be called a serious aircraft carrier. Even the French have called it a "half-carrier."

[Len Budney]

The Korean economy has, for most of the years since the Korean war, been propped up by US military expenditures plus US aid.

Considering it's been 50+ years, yeah, that's true.  However, for the last 20 or so, I'd say that things have, um, changed a bit...

Nothing to brag about. They wouldn't have stagnated for half a century without our occupation--or, if they did, it would at least be their fault and not ours.

That's an area 10 miles x 100 miles (ish, okay?). Ain't all that much.

I was only pointing out that it's considerably more than "nothing except a place to bury our dead."

But "not all that much" is pretty subjective. Supposing you're worth a million bucks, and I only steal $1,000 from you, I'm taking less than 0.1% of your net worth. "Not all that much." You might still object to being robbed, greedy pig that you are.

--Len.

[Scout26]

And some/most/maybe even all of that 1,073 Sq miles is either leased or loaned to US FOrces under SOFA (Status of Forces Agreements). 

In fact up until we turned it back over to the German Government, we rented the IG Farben (aka Gen Abrams Complex) Building in Frankfurt Germany for a buck a year.   

I know that we pay more for "rights" in other areas, in addition to the economic benefits we bring.  Anyone ever stationed (and even most of the Germans) in Baumholder will tell you that it would dry up and blow away if and when US forces ever leave.

[Perd Hapley]

Over the years, the United States has sent many of its fine young men and women into great peril to fight for freedom beyond our borders.

I think it is time they start fighting for freedom within our borders....

Let other nations be responsible for themselves for a change.   

What do you want them to do, exactly?  I thought our founders were pretty adamant about the military being subject to civilian control, rather than enforcing freedom on us. 

[Finch]

What do you want them to do, exactly?  I thought our founders were pretty adamant about the military being subject to civilian control, rather than enforcing freedom on us. 

Our founders were pretty adamant about avoiding foreign entanglements too, but that hasn't seemed to stop these asinine wars. And I wasn't talking about "enforcing" freedoms on us, those who want freedom will take it in a heartbeat (Hint Hint Iraq). Freedoms don't need to be enforced on anyone except the government. By the way, it was somewhat of a joke; I was suggesting that it would take military force to correct the injustices that our own government has perpetrated against us. "PATRIOT" Act, Military Commissions Act, etc; you know, all that ballyhoo and tomfoolery.