Tonto

wow!

Hi Gawain To quote Crocodile Dundee We're "like fleas arguing about which of us owns the dog we're on." I'm also tired of this. No one can be right all the time. Everyone makes mistakes. Blue Skies, t It's the year of the Pig.

Hi Gawain. Good post. Unless you're French, of course. SA 1992 - 1994....It was more like a blood basin. Is was way smaller than it might have been, and was initiated by a "third force" not involved directly in the negotiations. The US is now at the top of its game, and doing a good job of staying there. I think - and I've learned that I sometimes think a lot of shit, so its just an opinion - that the US and France are quite similar really, in that the French had their day at shaping History (Why else did I sit at school learning about the French revolution, Napolionic era etc) and the US is now shaping theirs. I'm pretty sure though, that no country can make it without the rest of the world if the world does not want that. Yes, The US has the power to end the game. To stop the world. But I can't understand how the US cannot see everyone was on their side a year and a half ago, and now that is no longer the case. England understands what it's like to be attacked at home. Bombed during the war on a nightly basis for years - and to a lesser extent as a result of the Irish struggle. They stand by you, because they understand your loss perhaps better than the rest of us. I suspect many people from the USA beleive this desire for peace is a simple lack of commitment, and while people's attention span is short if not touched personally by events, that is not the case here - I think. Its like surfing an exit. 3 seconds... cool.. 5 seconds maybe if its a fast jumpship. 15 seconds? That same once "right" body position is driving you away from the formation. Thanks for your input.

Good move on the decision to fix! Cats know where to put themselves when they need help. Yours made the right call. Blue Skies, t It's the year of the Pig.

Hi Josh. I can understand your being upset with my post. Being there makes you committed to the time and the place and the people. My comment on Somalia was a lack of disipline on my part. As I put that piece together it occured to me how expansionist the US was/is/ can be percieved to be. I've carried a rifle for my country - and was on the wrong side of the moral dividing line. Vietnam vets will know this feeling. Gulf war vets maybe not. I'm sorry man. There are times I feel we're all losers, and there are so many people rushing off to make mistakes I already have. I try and stop them on the DZ - but I can't stop them here. I'm aware of SA's involvement with arms export. It was the anti apartheid embargo which gave birth to our arms industry, and it hurts that some people who were protected by that embargo are using its offspring to spread more death on our own continent. Blue Skies, t It's the year of the Pig.

Hi. My post was inspired by the "French Military History" post which attacked one of your most significant historical allies, and many Americans went along with that. the Statue of Liberty is a gift from the French. Without the French your country may not even have seen its independance at the time that it did. We all have errors in our past - but we should strive not to engineer them for our future. I've lived in the US. I did my tandem and AFF ratings in the US. I jump US gear. I have a US girlfriend. I cried for hours glued to the TV on 911. But slowly - since then - I've been feeling "enough" or perhaps that your justifyable anger at 911 is becoming misdirected - and has reached the point that you're now getting angry at the world. You're a powerful nation, and that scares me. Who's next? I've had my own war. Spilt blood. Seen friends die. I'm just feeling that it doesn't HAVE to be that way here. Not now. Not yet. SA was on the brink of a bloodbath until 2 opposite leaders thought of their people and put them over their ideology. We're small, and we're new. We have a constitution and many rights we never had a scant 10 years back. We gave peace a chance. It's the year of the Pig.

Hi There, I've done a lot of reading and a lot of research on your history. Far more than I suspect many of the US contributers have done. The links are all to Military.com - A US Military site, and I've posted the links so that people can check to see if I've edited out of context. If people read more about the history of wars, they might be better qualified to deciede on whether or not the next one is just. Blue Skies, t It's the year of the Pig.

Just watched the movie, and the news... Can you point me to a link with more info? Or should I point you to links from the Institute of security studies papers on the impact US abandoned weapons are still having on Africa? t It's the year of the Pig.

It's the year of the Pig.

The war for independence. http://www.military.com/Resources/HistorySubmittedFileView?file=history_americanrevolution.htm This conflict contributed to the formation of the Continental Congress (which directed the American war effort) and to the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. The first years of the war saw major defeats for American forces, who were outnumbered 3-1 by the British army, but the tide soon turned as nations such as France, Spain and the Netherlands offered troops and assistance, elevating the conflict to the status of an international war. Eventually, George Washington's army and a force under the French Count de Rochambeau trapped Lord Cornwallis, the leader of the British army, in Yorktown. After a siege, Cornwallis surrendered his army of more than 7,000 men on October 19, 1781. However, it wasn't until the Treaty of Paris in 1783 -- a full eight years after the initial outbreak of violence -- that Great Britain signed the formal peace treaty recognizing the former colonies as an independent nation. Tripolitan War http://www.military.com/Resources/HistorySubmittedFileView?file=history_tripolitanwar.htm Since 1784, the United States had paid tribute to the Barbary States of Algiers, Tunis, Morocco and Tripoli in exchange for immunity from attack for its merchant vessels passing through the Mediterranean. However, when the pasha of Tripoli demanded a higher tribute in 1801, President Thomas Jefferson refused. War of 1812 http://www.military.com/Resources/HistorySubmittedFileView?file=history_warof1812.htm The United States failed to achieve a decisive victory over the British in the War of 1812, the conflict is considered the "Second War of Independence," as it restored confidence and nationalism to the burgeoning country. After the declaration of war on 8 June, the United States army attempted to besiege Canada while the navy moved to prevent British commerce from reaching the US. The invasion of Canada met with defeat. Mexican wars http://www.military.com/Resources/HistorySubmittedFileView?file=history_mexicanwar.htm As a result of the war with Mexico in the years 1846 though 1848, the United States gained territory that would eventually become the states of California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. The war was driven by the American notion of "Manifest Destiny"--a belief that the country's borders should stretch from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Another contributing factor was the Texas War of Independence, which resulted in the annexation of Texas to the United States, the exacerbation of preexisting tensions and the continuation of border fights. Open hostilities between the two nations began in May 1845 when General Zachary Taylor's troops clashed with Mexican forces near the Rio Grande. Not long afterwards, the United States declared war--it would last until American troops entered Mexico City in 1847. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo put an end to the fighting and required that Mexico cede two fifths of its territory to the United States. Civil War http://www.military.com/Resources/HistorySubmittedFileView?file=history_civilwar.htm America suffered its greatest losses in this conflict involving its own people. While the North and South were bound by a common goal during the American Revolution, the issue of slavery became increasingly divisive, culminating in fracturing relations between the two regions. Over the next five years, Americans would fight Americans in some of the most tragic battles in U.S. history. All told, over 600,000 individuals lost their lives by the time the Confederates surrendered in 1865. Although slavery was abolished and the Union was restored, the Civil War's legacy, and issues of racial inequality, continue to haunt the United States. Indian Wars http://www.military.com/Resources/HistorySubmittedFileView?file=history_indianwars.htm Some of the most famous events include the Battle of Little Bighorn, where Lieutenant Custer and his soldiers faced their last stand against a combined army of Sioux and Cheyenne warriors. The Battle of Wounded Knee, where the US calvalry defeated the Sioux in 1890, is considered to be the last battle of the Indian Wars. A century later, many Americans question the morality of the wars that nearly wiped out all of the country's native inhabitants. Spanish American War (Part 1) http://www.military.com/Resources/HistorySubmittedFileView?file=history_spanishamericanwar.htm As a result of what Secretary of State John Hay called "a splendid little war," the United States emerged from the conflict as a world power. Cuba became an American possession until 1903 and Guantanamo remains a U.S. Navy base. The U.S. also gained control of Puerto Rico and Guam, and both remain affiliated today. The Philippines were purchased from Spain for twenty million dollars. As a direct result of the war, the United States also annexed Hawaii, Wake Island and several of the Samoan Islands. Spain's colonial empire was no more, and the U.S. had become a major military power with a two-ocean navy. Spanish American War (Part 2) (The Philippine Insurrection) http://www.military.com/Resources/HistorySubmittedFileView?file=history_spanishamericanwar.htm For the U.S., the acquisition of a large colonial empire did not come without additional costs. Filipinos, tired of their colonial rule by Spain and hoping for independence, resented U.S. control. An insurrection broke out in the Philippines, and on February 4, 1899, the U.S. undertook a campaign to suppress the revolt. Casualties in this guerilla war mounted to over four times that of the Spanish-American War and cost the lives of over 4,000 American troops, 20,000 Filipino soldiers, and 500,000 Filipino civilians. The Philippine Insurrection lasted until July 4, 1902, when President Theodore Roosevelt declared the Philippines pacified. Like Vietnam, American citizens were ambivalent about this undeclared war and no parades were held for the returning troops. The Philippines eventually achieved independence shortly after World War II. World War 1 http://www.military.com/Resources/HistorySubmittedFileView?file=history_worldwari.htm The Great War in Europe raged for nearly three years before the United States chose to become involved. Repeated attacks on American merchant ships by German submarines forced President Woodrow Wilson in 1917 to abandon his policies of neutrality and to declare war on Germany. . By the end of the war, the United States proved it could mobilize a large army and act as a major player in international affairs. Unfortunately, President Wilson's plan (the "Fourteen Points") for the armistice was never realized, and its absence would contribute to the conditions necessary for another great European conflict twenty years later. World War 2 http://www.military.com/Resources/HistorySubmittedFileView?file=history_worldwarii.htm When the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, the United States of America was forced to emerge from years of isolationism and enter the worst conflict in world history. The statistical results of World War II were stunning: all told, approximately 61 million people lost their lives, with the Soviet Union (over 25 million) and China (11 million) suffering the most fatalities, most of them civilians. As a result of the war, the United States emerged as the world's leading military and economic power, and geopolitical boundaries changed radically, with the Soviet Union controlling most of Eastern Europe. Korean War http://www.military.com/Resources/HistorySubmittedFileView?file=history_koreanwar.htm Ultimately, the U.S. would send over five million soldiers to the Korean theatre before the conflict ended three years later, but the war also involved service members from a large number of other nations, including the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, South Africa, India, France, The Netherlands, Belgium and Luxemburg, Colombia, Greece, Ethiopia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Turkey. The UN and South Korean forces suffered a final casualty toll of 200,000 people, including 37,000 U.S. servicemen, before the independence of South Korea was restored. (Look at your list of allies…) Vietnam War http://www.military.com/Resources/HistorySubmittedFileView?file=history_vietnamwar.htm During the ten years of America's commitment to the Vietnam war, 55,000 servicemen would be killed or listed as missing; the presidency would change hands three times; and the American people would wage their own war at home against the United States government. The conflict's roots took shape in July 1954, when France was forced out of Vietnam after one hundred years of colonial rule. In the peace process, the country was partitioned into northern and southern sections, with a U.S.-supported government in the south and a communist republic in the north. On December 20, 1960, the northern Communist Party formed the National Liberation Front (NLF), with the ultimate goal of reunifying the country. In response, U.S. President John F. Kennedy began supplying military equipment and advisors in 1961. Despite superior U.S. firepower and technology, the North Vietnamese forces were successful in fighting a protracted, guerilla-style conflict. American fortunes changed for the worse with the Tet Offensive in 1968, in which major South Vietnam cities were attacked. So divisive was the conflict in Vietnam and America's involvement that relations among the government, the people and the military would be strained until they were reunified by the Gulf War 25 years later. As evidenced by numerous documentaries, books and films about the war, the hard lessons the U.S. learned in Vietnam are still very much in the public consciousness. The Invasion of Granada http://www.military.com/Resources/HistorySubmittedFileView?file=history_grenada.htm In 1983 the United States invaded the island of Grenada and Overthrew the communist government in favor of a pro-Western one in a span of less than two months. During the fighting, the US suffered from lack of sufficient intelligence data, which made it difficult to find the medical students who needed to be rescued. The Grenadian Army and its Cuban allies also offered greater resistance than the Americans expected. Invasion of Panama http://www.military.com/Resources/HistorySubmittedFileView?file=history_panama.htm On December 20, 1989, the United States broke both international law and its own government policies by invading Panama in order to bring its President Manuel Noriega to justice for drug trafficking. Following the shooting of a U.S. Marine, President George Bush ordered Operation Just Cause, an invasion consisting of over 25,000 soldiers. The mission was controversial due to the resulting loss of hundreds of Panamanian lives and the subsequent damage to Panama City and El Chorillo. Gulf war (Part 1) http://www.military.com/Resources/HistorySubmittedFileView?file=history_gulfwar.htm U.S. involvement in the situation was immediate, as Sheikh Jaber Al Sabah, the Emir of Kuwait, met with then-Secretary of Defense Richard Cheney to request U.S. military assistance, and President George Bush condemned Iraq's actions. While U.S. military commanders and strategists formulated offensive plans, the United Nations passed a resolution calling for military action if Hussein did not withdraw his forces by January 15, 1991. Iraq ignored all demands, and in response, a coalition of UN forces began immediately to build in Saudi Arabia. On January 12, Congress granted President Bush the authority to wage war. Hostilities commenced on January 17, as the 36 members of the coalition forces, under the direction of American General H. Norman Schwarzkopf, initiated an air campaign to disable Iraq's communications, air defenses, and early warning radar installations. After five weeks of air and missile combat, ground troops began their campaign in Kuwait. On February 27, coalition forces entered Kuwait City, forcing Iraq to concede a cease-fire after only 100 hours. The Gulf reunited the American people and the military, helping to mend the wounds from the Vietnam War. Returning service members were welcomed back and faith in the military's effectiveness was restored. Still, the war was not without controversy -- friendly fire accounted for almost a third of the over 200 Americans killed, raising doubts about the advances in military technology. Somalia 1992 Blackhawk Down. Losers. Ran home before the final whistle. Kosovo For the first time in modern history, a completely airborne force was able to inflict massive damage while suffering no hostile fire casualties and still achieved peace on its terms. Gulf War (Part 2) Will doubtless win – but at what cost of international opinion? It's the year of the Pig.

It's always clean until its not and then its not its dirty. t

t It's the year of the Pig.

I am proud of South Africa. I served/fought/bled for her - but that doesn't make apartheid right. t It's the year of the Pig.

Good post. t It's the year of the Pig.

Hi Suz. As a friend, support her. Don't judge, just be there when she needs you. (and she will.) t It's the year of the Pig.

Define "Those fuckers" I thought they all died when the planes hit the buildings. t It's the year of the Pig.

We communicate. We share. Last year I made her dinner and we stayed in. This year it's her turn. We're both looking forward to it. Life is good. t It's the year of the Pig.

Wow. I admire your patriotism but don't you think that response was a bit strong? Who would be doing all this anal raping? Do you have someone in mind? Chill Dude. I'm sorry your nice buildings got scrunched by maybe 100 people, but I think you got even on that score by killing 1000's of innocents in Afganistan - in error of course - these things happen. Be cool. The wheel turns. Everyone was on your side 1.5 years ago, but now - people are tired. Let it go. Blue Skies, t It's the year of the Pig.

My Dad. He's 72 now, and when I read your passage, I felt we were talking about the same man. If I have one ambition, its to be more like him. t It's the year of the Pig.

Wow. All that attitude and only 600+ dives? What's the + for? 5? So at 2000 dives a year.. does that give you 3 months of experience, or a whole 2 years as a shmo? Chill... t It's the year of the Pig.

Just looking to see what kind of support there is for people trying to get a spaceball operation going at their DZ. Votes please, t

So what's the deal with spaceballs? Are they cool, are they over regulated, are they dangerous, should the pilot know, should you ask permission from the DZ management? Your views, please. t It's the year of the Pig.

Yeah Gerb... and the day was spoiled by a naughty girl and 2 bad boys... t It's the year of the Pig.

Well you can see by the numbers I've taken my time getting somewhere. Its been a weekends only thing. I guess with full time DZ's there you'll have the edge in a few years! t It's the year of the Pig.