BS: Imperialism Past - King Phillip's Lesson

Subject: BS: Imperialism Past - King Phillip's Lesson
From: Amos
Date: 18 Mar 03 - 09:39 PM

I offer you an interesting comparison of the diplomatic skills and practices of George W. Bush, Saddam Hussein, and King Phillip of Spain -- the man who launched the Spansih Armada and dreamed of a global monarchy.

It is an interesting angle on some underlying patterns that may have bearing on what Mister Bush dreams about, and why he will not succeed at it.

The essay is here at UPI, and if the link doesn't work it is:

http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=20030318-021122-6714r

Regards,

Amos

Subject: RE: BS: Imperialism Past - King Phillip's Lesson
From: Ebbie
Date: 18 Mar 03 - 10:14 PM

I gotta wonder about reincarnation! I wonder about Bush's upbringing- were there early signs of megalomania?

At the very least, assuming we and the world survive all this, there will be some interesting books written post-Bush administration for a very long time. (How about you, Amos? Do you write investigative books?)

Subject: RE: BS: Imperialism Past - King Phillip's Lesson
From: Amos
Date: 18 Mar 03 - 10:17 PM

The problem with Bush, unlike Phillip, is that he was neglected by his peers in college. None of the hip cats wanted anything to do with him, so no one made him read Siddhartha, or Magic Mountain, or L'Etranger. And they let him fall into the evil ways of beer, whiskey and cocaine instead of getting him properly set up on LSD and mary jane. So we are inheriting our neglect. That poor rotter!! Forced to live through Waiting for Godot, because he never learned it!!

A

Subject: RE: BS: Imperialism Past - King Phillip's Lesson
From: Ebbie
Date: 18 Mar 03 - 10:25 PM

Does Bush fiddle? :)

The sad thing is that I think the man actually believes he has been chosen by history(?), God (?), the people (?) for this moment in time. What do you suppose his 'off' hours are like? Does he spend them in prayer, saying 'Oh, why me, God?' or do you suppose he pounds the table and says, 'Just wait. They're going to see that I'm a man to be reckoned with'?

Pretzels for Peace, indeed.

Subject: RE: BS: Imperialism Past - King Phillip's Lesson
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 19 Mar 03 - 08:16 AM

Our Little Johnny has the same kind of arrogance - he knows what's best for us - waggles his finger & draws his mouth up into a cat's bum of disapproval. Tho he would never have tried illicit drugs! Or even had too much to drink.

Back in the olden days he used to complain that his nickname Little Johnny was wrong, that he was taller than his political opponent, but Hawkie wasn't small minded, and was more likely to get drunk or grin that to purse his mouth.

sandra

Subject: RE: BS: Imperialism Past - King Phillip's Lesson
From: Amos
Date: 19 Mar 03 - 08:17 AM

"America will be the New Britain, perhaps the New Rome. Or, more likely, the New Spain. The Spanish analogy is not one most Americans will know, nor one the new Wilsonians will much care for. But it may prove apt.

   The quest to create the "universal monarchy," which was the earlier term for "the only superpower," began in earnest with the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, the father of King Philip II of Spain nearly 500 years ago in the early 16th century. Charles ruled virtually all of Europe, except France. His kingdoms included Spain, which had the first true world empire. Fueled with the gold and silver of the New World and possessing an army so successful that it went unbeaten for more than a century, Spain offered Charles and then Philip the potential of ruling the world.

   You may recall that Armada business in 1588, when King Philip decided to end the impudence of an upstart island, England, and its Protestant queen, Elizabeth I. That did not go quite according to plan -- somewhat like our current business in Afghanistan -- but no matter; so rich was Spain that when the Armada was destroyed, Philip just built another one.

   What finally stopped Hapsburg Spain and, later, France under King Louis XIV and Napoleon and Germany under Hitler from establishing the universal monarchy was a fundamental characteristic of the international state system: whenever one nation attempts to attain world dominance, it pushes everyone else into a coalition against it.

   That dynamic, not any love for Saddam, is what is behind German and French opposition to the Bush administration's plan for war with Iraq. That is what is drawing others, including Russia, into supporting the French and the Germans. The Dutch ambassador to the United States was recently quoted in the Washington Post as saying he is concerned about a "monopoly of power without checks and balances. Self-assertiveness and an arrogance of power, that is a troubling thing." "

Actually I think you'll find a large deal with Elfin, the French oil operations company, lies behind the accomodating attitude of the French.

A

Subject: RE: BS: Imperialism Past - King Phillip's Lesson
From: JennyO
Date: 19 Mar 03 - 10:20 AM

"a cat's bum of disapproval"! So descriptive, Sandra!

Trouble is, this "sorry little man" that we love to hate and make up amusing songs about, has gone and went and put us in deep doo doo this time. I'm actually feeling uneasy about living in Sydney now, thanks to him. No laughing matter unfortunately!

Jenny

Subject: RE: BS: Imperialism Past - King Phillip's Lesson
From: Gareth
Date: 19 Mar 03 - 12:32 PM

Thank God for Drake !

Gareth

Subject: RE: BS: Imperialism Past - King Phillip's Lesson
From: Amos
Date: 19 Mar 03 - 01:00 PM

And who will he be this time, then, Gareth? The French?

A