tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3195118970059599158.post7076696383823713926..comments2023-06-25T03:36:23.277-07:00Comments on The life of a pioneering photographer.: Take your weapons of mass destruction homeMichel Szulc Krzyzanowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01206870014691669677noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3195118970059599158.post-1643245409564601062009-10-25T04:32:22.539-07:002009-10-25T04:32:22.539-07:00The US is in all of those countries by agreement w...The US is in all of those countries by agreement with their democratically elected governments. We are not there by force and usually pay very heavily for the lease agreements. For many years we were in Spain and left when the new lease negotiations did not lead to an agreed price. I have to think that when nations agree to allow US military bases to be in their territories they must feel that for security and economic reasons it must benefit their people. Although I wish it otherwise, I recognize that the world seems to be ruled by too many people who overvalue the military. America would be better if almost all of out troops were home and we were not wasting so many of our resources around the world. Nations like Poland should be allowed to defend themselves like they have throughout history. America has no real stake in their foreign and domestic affairs. What did they do about the Vikings, Germans, and Russians before America?Maxcactushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10857360652180728338noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3195118970059599158.post-52644395489341687492009-10-24T11:15:04.228-07:002009-10-24T11:15:04.228-07:00A large majority of the Polish people were opposed...A large majority of the Polish people were opposed to the US missile shield that was planned to be put on their territory.<br />The Polish Government in favor of it has been voted out of office recently.<br />And when the Americans decided to put on hold the plan to implement a US missile shield in Poland the Poles were jubilant and relieved.<br /><br />Second, two issues are mixed up here.<br />The possible threat to democracies by autocracies and the way how to defend oneself.<br />The posting was not about autocracies threatening.<br />It was about how independent, democratic nations happen to have foreign armies based on their territory equipped with weapons of mass destruction they can use at occupier's will without involving the guest country.<br />That is the issue.<br />It is preposterous to believe that Europe would be unable to defend itself without the help of the USA.<br />And what is really naive is to think that American weapons of mass destruction based in Europe are responsible for maintaining peace.Michel Szulc Krzyzanowskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01206870014691669677noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3195118970059599158.post-38639670059975405672009-10-24T10:56:36.563-07:002009-10-24T10:56:36.563-07:00I am not a US citizen, so my comments are based on...I am not a US citizen, so my comments are based on objective observations of US and international politics and history.<br /><br />Obama was widely criticized recently for scrapping the missile shield project planned for Poland and the Czech Republic. Criticism cited the increasing threat to Eastern European nations of invasion by an emboldened Russia and the recent revelation of Iran's growing nuclear capabilities.<br /><br />The point here is that it is naive to believe that US nuclear missile bases throughout Europe protect only the United States. It is even more naive to think that the threats posed by Russia and Iran, North Korea and China do not warrant the stationing of DEFENSIVE weaponry around the world. All four of these countries are becoming increasingly threatening to their neighbors and western nations. Disarmament would, sadly, only serve to embolden them further.<br /><br />While your opinion that the WMDs positioned in Europe should be removed in the name of world peace, it is a sad fact that they are in large part responsible for maintaining the "peace."Dawn Pierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08968842635660628296noreply@blogger.com