I still don't understand this 1/3 aid per capita thing. (?)

As for the Kyoto Treaty, I think only one country has signed it so far (Sweden?), everyone else merely expressed interest in it the last time I checked.

As for the Taliban, enemies change all the time. Iran used to be one of our biggest allies until the Islamic revolution. The USSR was our allies in WWII. Japan was our ally in WWI, enemy in WWII and now ally again. Britain was our most hated enemy in the colonial days but not anymore.

Hmmm...my printer is looking at me rather funny. Better be safe and smash it with a hamm....STAY AWAY...OH MY GOD...ARGHHH!!!

*silence*

Germany signed it in early 2002.

In order to become activated the Kyoto treaty must be signed by 55 nations producing 55% of the world's emissions. So far we have included only 49% and russia is what we need (with 17% of world CO2 emission).

The topic is very hot since the russian administration is supposed to take its decision very soon.

What is funny about the Kyoto treaty is that emission allowances can be traded amongst the nations. That means that russia, with a large percentage of forests has a huge huge emission budget. They could earn billions and billions by trading emission licenses.

The US refused to sign. No surprise, the US is producing 1/3 of the world's CO2 emission. But comparing this to your population it is by far too much. The reason is pure wastage. the houses are badly isolated. The fridges still work with FCKW, no renewable sources of energy are being used. All in all energy is wasted. But to change that would mean a huge influx of costs on the consumer. Of course no Republican ever want to do that. Rather telling the world that CO2 has no influence to global temperatures. (when I lived in Switzerland I saw ice melting in mountain areas (Saas Fee) that havent done so for thousands of years).

And guess what. Germany is world leader in production of renewable and eco-friendly energy. And guess what, one day this will be a highly competitive industry. And we will sell it to all over the world.


BTW: printers. Do you remember the times when we could keep printers untill their plastic cover turned from white to slightly yellow. Nowadays my printers are still shiny white when they end up in the garbage bin! (Uh..no recycling?)

You talk of empires like the USA is in the same boat. Like always you dont evolve ..you stay the same. Killing for the same crap and never learning. This country will be here untill the end of humanity. But you will disagree because you think some dumb religious uprising (oh no here comes ALAH!)is going to happen. Fools who should still be swinging from trees and eating berries from the bush.
Merc Dog

lol
This country will be here untill the end of humanity.

In times of the cold war I would have agreed with you! But it wouldnt have meant that the end would be very far.

germ stuff, your still new here so i'll warn you. Be respectful while your hear, or you'll quickly be booted. Snitchel, we have been tracking CO2 emissions for how long now? 50 years, maybe 60? Who are we to say what is causing longterm effects and what isn't. What do you think caused the recesion of the ice ages? What caused the earth to be so damn warm in the first place that dinosaurs where able to thrive. Do you know that volcanoes are responsible for 90% of the CO2 emissions into our atmopshere? Soon you'll want to start regulating how much those emit. Now I agree that here in america we waste a hell of a lot more then we should, but don't be so quick to blame all the problems on us. There has been a drastic decrease in CO2 emissions in our country over the last decade, and it is getting better. You haven't presented any viable arguments as to what will be able to take our country out anyways. No foreign power will ever to be able to succesfully invade the US. I'd love to see canada attack us. The Montana Militia would have a freakin field day. Maybe the mexicans? Well we have a convenient buffer zone called Texas. Who's Navy then would be able to beat ours and bring about ambphibious landings? Face it, no military power will ever take us out unless they just lay the country to waste with nuclear warheads, and no other country in the world would stand for that. Our constitution is to strong for the government to fold in on itself either. It was designed to prevent that from happening. So how will our mighty "Empire" fall?

I dont answer the question cause the answer is obvious. Noone wants to invade the US cause everything we want from your country we can buy it or visit it as a tourist. Does that answer your question. Now stop boring me with your cold-war point of views

Be respectful while your hear, or you'll quickly be booted.

Dont talk to me like you talk to your wife!

Dont talk to me like you talk to your wife!

So a double standard exists, eh shintz. Typical cryptonazi.

What's the point of that spit -or you just can't practice what you preach.

I dont get what you mean?

YOu know I wasnt exactly born with english as my mother tongue. Dont get me wrong...I just cant translate your statement into german.

Double standards? Why?
Cryptonazi? Does that mean Nazi sympathizer?
Why do you say that? My answer was totally legitimate. Why would I attack the US if I dont consider it as an enemy/threat, If I can buy all american products in the european stores too? And if I can travel the beautiful diverse american countryside as a tourist. Are people here looking forward for the next challenging war? Getting bored doing push-ups all day long? Need more action?

Psssst..Well I tell you what...the US is already invaded by foreigner. Didnt you have a look at how many of the victims of the WTC were actually foreigners?

Double standards?
For what? For who? All I did was hitting back on his provokation!

I respond to provocations as I see fit.
Since you made a issue of my responce to provications-you should practice what you preach.

I'm well aware of the 80 nations that were affected by the 9/11 attacks -They involve more than the WTC. If you bothered to read my 1800 plus posts you'd know that.

If you do not understand cryptonazi -figure it out.

You have proclaimed the German Democratic Tradition more than once. The German Democratic tradition only exists because the Reich surrenderred and the leaders hanged.

I met a German Border Police Officer in Chanouk Tru who told me
" We have the greatest techincal minds in the world, but when we get emotional..." and shook his head.

That about sums up the German mind.

He was an honest man.

And you sum up your own mind: Judging a nation by a single man.

A single man A German Border Police Officer that did his duty in the most dangerous town in Cambodia.

He spoke the from his heart to me.

He stands taller than you ever will.

Be respectful while your hear, or you'll quickly be booted

Snitchel, this was not in reference towards you, but maybe it should have been. You refused to answer my question. Why? It was what this topic was concerned with.

Another country invading or annihilating the U.S. would be illogical and wouldn't make sense regardless of whether not the general attitude of Americans are disliked. Other countries thrive on import and exports from the U.S. as well as other countries and so does the United States. Bringing war or the like would have a negative effect on that country as well as others. So, I really don't think another country would be that stupid.

The other possibility mentioned about nuclear holocaust is an extreme. I can see the thinking behind this considering the latest issues with North Korea and past issues with Russia. Although the likeliness of this happening is probably about 1 in a zillion. I think leaders of other nations use nuclear programs as a line of defense and scare tactics and don't actually plan on using them as an offensive action. They also have the fear of other leaders nuclear programs and have the level of thinking that if one gets thrown at them they will throw 10 back, which would ultimately not only end that countries and it's enemies lives but also most likely the entire worlds.

Another one discussed is the environment. As far as Co2 emissions goes and other environmental issues it won't end the world but all of that crap is seriously bad for your health and could even end a persons life or give an individual long term health problems. The United States is probably the unhealthiest when it comes to the environment for obvious reasons. On the other hand we are improving immensely. Ozone pollution has decreased in the past 10 years and it's still falling to this date. I thought I saw something mentioned about ice caps melting or something. Anyway when it comes to on a somewhat positive note the more water you have the more it helps absorb c02, which helps the air. Sea level has risen only 6 to 8 inches in a span of 100 years. The only way a significant rise could happen is if all of the Antarctic ice melted then sea levels would rise about 200 feet but Antarctic ice is in no danger of melting considering the average temperature is -37 degrees C. But the international panel on climate change did a study in 1995 and issued a report stating that by the year 2100 the sea level could rise up to 20 feet, which will have an effect on coastal cities.


In my opinion America will die along with everyone else, but anything is possible freak accidents happen all the time.



_STORM_
"it's always quiet before the storm."

Me too, I dont want to waste time counterarguing..but I wish would see that your nation is not always perceived as you see it. The Kyoto treaty, Nikes child-labour factories in Cambodjia,-

as far as c02 emissions go, i bet your country cant honestly say that it has more trees now than it did when it was first inhabited, which is a not very well known fact about the united states, thanks to the efforts of environmental friendly orginazations in the good ole US.

as far as nike goes, and this is a direct quote from you- Judging a nation by a single man. just sub group of men for man and youre on your way to enlightenment.

i know that you european guys all wish in your heart that you were americans, and im sure it brings a tear to your eye every time you play with your GI joes of why you only had third reich yohan action figures in your younger days.

the fact of the matter is if your county got attacked you would be begging us self righteous americans to come to your rescue.

when it comes to foreign aid, your 1/3 per capita extra doesnt do as much for planet earth as 1/10 of our foreign aid, while we are out building nations you are out buying bikes for vietnamese kids.

by the way the country that will defeat the united states will be ecuador. no one suspects ecuador. jk. sorry world youre stuck with us to the bitter end.

Schnitzel,

I think you should visit Cambodia. You obviously have had your fill of propaganda, so why don't you go and visit and see for yourself?

I believe, barring a nuclear war/catastrophe, the US will eventually fall prey to fragmentation and internal dissent.
I don't see anyone defeating us in battle at this point in time, but if the Chinese were to catch up in technology it might be a different story (although this would most likely end up as another coldwar-style situation anyway).
It is a simple fact that all great nations (or empires, if you prefer) must one day either collapse, fragment, or deteriorate to the point of not being considered a first-rate world power. I believe, in our case, it will be a matter of fragmentation, not collapse or defeat.

CombatParatrooper-It is an economic fact that Texas is the only state in the US that is presently capable of operating independantly, due primarily to it's wealth of natural resources. This is no boast-but a fact. It is also the only single state to have once been an independant republic.
ajhiddel's Texas comment is not unfounded and entirely possible. Whether Texas would choose to go it alone is an entirely different thing, though.

I think that America will not collapse for a long time, if at all. Throughout history many countries have had their positions as the worlds superpower, England, Italy, France, Greece, Germany, Japan etc, and in every single instance these countries tryed to literally conquer the world. Each time one of these countries had their chance on top, they've tryed to pillage the world and put it under their command. Germany and the Nazis, Italy and the Roman Empire, France and Napoleon, all tryed to dominate everything. America however, while being in perhapes the best position in history to conquer the world, has not expanded its territory through invasion once since taking its position as a super power in 1945. After defeating Germany and Japan in 4 years of war, America rebuilt these two ruined countries into thriving modern states. Russia, the other super power of the day held onto its claim in Germany for nearly 50 years. Since taking its position as #1 America has focused on making improvemtns within its own borders. Civil rights, enviormentalism, charity, and numerous other things. While other super powers throughout history have looked to conquering other lands to improve themselves America has looked at itself. I believe that one of the main reasons all of these other empires failed is because they refused to look at their own faults. In nearly any debate, be it political, social, or economic, Americans are usually the first to critize themselves. No one in Rome would have dared to critize the government and certainly not in Nazis Germany. Thats what makes America unique and thats what will make it last.

The reason America has been able to critque itself is largely because it is made of people from all these former "imperialistic" countries. Its as if the small number of people from these countries realized what was wrong and immigrated to America to do it the right way.

The international community gives America so much Flak because it is easier for them to sit on their asses and critize instead of looking in at themselves and their own problems. America is the new kid in town with the new ideals and ways of doing things. All these other countries have had their chances and have blown it, now there jealous of us and will do anything to stop us from doing what they couldn't.

Don't get me wrong, America has its many faults, but at its core it is unique and good. Where other Super Powers were based on pillaging the weak and raping other land, America is based on justice, freedom, and improvement at its core. Although America does by all means like to be successful,it does it by making thoose around it successful, not by stealing from them.

When America moves into a foriegn country it does not enslave its people and destroy their land and cultural, it employees its people builds on the land and blends its culture into others. This is another thing that will ensure America lasts forever. No longer is America one people, one country, or one idea, it is many people, numerous ideals, spread across hundreds of countries. A popular argument for Americans trying to explain how important they are, is one in which they say that when America collapses the world will collapse becuase of America's role in the international economy. This is marginally correct.But America's economic role is only superfical in comparison to its many other roles. America is the world, the world is America, when America dies the world will die. The land between Canada and Mexico and that government that rules it may and probaly will be gone in the future, but America will not be dead then. America, American, Americans, has become so imbedded and important to the world that the only way to extinguish America completel would be to destroy the world itself.

PonceD......
I know a bit about Texas too, since I was born and raised there. I still call it home between assignments.
I'm a Texan, but I'm an AMERICAN first and foremost and any topic of sucession sickens me.

What can topple us? Socialistic ideas... Our kindness to enemies... Politics... Fat people...

There are plenty of problems in America, granted nothing that can't be fixed.

"when it comes to foreign aid, your 1/3 per capita extra doesnt do as much for planet earth as 1/10 of our foreign aid, while we are out building nations you are out buying bikes for vietnamese kids."

lol, yeah? Realy? Ignasi Carreras writes in El Pais (Spain) that the EU contributes 55 percent of total aid to world development. As for the degree of contribution by the different member states, there is great disparity - four of them contributing over 0.7 percent of GDP, while others, such as Spain at 0.22 percent, or Greece and Italy at even less, bring up the rear.

More to come

USA's aid, in terms of percentage of their GNP is already lowest of any industrialized nation in the world, though paradoxically in the last two years, their dollar amount has been the highest.

Most of the United States' increase in 2001 was due to a $600 million disbursement to Pakistan for economic support in the September 11 aftermath.

Commenting on the latest US pledge, Julian Borger and Charlotte Denny of the Guardian (UK) say Washington is desperate to deflect attention in Monterrey from the size of its aid budget. But for more generous donors, says the story, Washington's conversion to the cause of effective aid spending is hard to swallow. Among the big donors, the US has the worst record for spending its aid budget on itself - 70 percent of its aid is spent on US goods and services. And more than half is spent in middle income countries in the Middle East. Only $3bn a year goes to South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.

SEE WORLDBANK GROUP

And dont even start to talk about the UN. Funny enough the US is the country wiht the largest depth (also in %relation to their contribution)

have a look at the chart at the bottom of this HIGLY RELIABLE source. And you will be embarassed. Mr. "america is the charity of this world".

WORLDBANK Stats on foreign aid