An antiaircraft missile, ready for use, sits atop a federal office building near the White House. Devices that test the air for chemical and biological substances are positioned throughout the city. Subway stations are now equipped with "bomb containment" trash bins. A major highway that runs by the Pentagon is being rerouted several hundred yards away. A security wall is going up around the Washington Monument.

Day by day, the nation's capital is becoming a fortress, turning a city known for graceful beauty into a virtual armed camp. In response to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, federal security agents along with their counterparts in the Washington, Maryland and Virginia governments began a huge effort to build permanent safeguards for the capital area's most important buildings and monument....... http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/22/politics/22DIST.html

MisterNice

The failed bush adminstration has changed the face of the world and the opinion of the world of the USA. I travel overseas frequently and I have had foreigners spit on the ground when the name "bush" was mentioned. What has this man done to America and its once great reputation. He is a disgrace and I can't wait until November when we can elect a new president bring world respect back to America.

I suspect the bush administration is fortifying Washington like an armed camp because George Bush and Karl Rove have plans to launch several other wars if re-elected. Washington will then need to be like an armed camp because the outrage of the world will be extraordinary, and bush wants the capital secure. My God, I think we have a lunatic in the White House.

I'm not exactly a bushman, but it is only fair
to say that our reputation abroad has always
been mixed, a sort of combination of envy and
disdain. The only change that I see recently
is that they don't envy us as much any more.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by violist:
I'm not exactly a bushman, but it is only fair
to say that our reputation abroad has always
been mixed, a sort of combination of envy and
disdain. The only change that I see recently
is that they don't envy us as much any more.</font>

... and the word American has become more of often preceded by an abusive four-letter word or the like.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by GUWonder:
... and the word American has become more of often preceded by an abusive four-letter word or the like.</font>

------------

Birds of a feather.....

Simply not true, the vast majority of Europeans that I encounter through work or tourism respect America. Some may question the necessary of the war in Iraq, but they have just as bad things to say about France as they do about America.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by MacDaddie:
------------

Birds of a feather.....

Simply not true, the vast majority of Europeans that I encounter through work or tourism respect America. Some may question the necessary of the war in Iraq, but they have just as bad things to say about France as they do about America.</font>

First, that is not the crowd I hang out with; however, when you keep your mouth closed for a few minutes and listen, you would be amazed at what you hear.

See, most people are polite and caring enough not to want to personally offend someone in their presence, so they probably hear your accent and decide to keep from making any such comments. Once I open my mouth, they do the same. http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/wink.gif

People you meet in a business relationship or through routine travel are likely, on more than average, to keep to themselves their true and no holds barred opinion about our country and leadership. You can try and deny that, but all poll data shows that perception of the US has taken a big hit almost across the entire globe since 2002.

I see your perspective about the French is heavily influenced by our friends in the UK. http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/biggrin.gif

[This message has been edited by GUWonder (edited Feb 22, 2004).]

From my Swiss collaborators, I hear complaints about the Bush administration, their pet war, and their general lack of respect for other nations. However, at least for the moment, they still draw a distinction between our current leadership (for whom there is well-earned contempt) and our nation as a whole (which they still basically admire).

So, I think we still have a chance to re-earn our reputation abroad at the ballot box in November.

This is a silly thread.

Many who hate the US are liberal elitists who think the UN should control the world.

Next time someone criticizes Bush (whether it one of you, Kerry, Gore, etc.), tell me what your brilliant plan is to combat terrorism (which occurred often under Clinton). When Europeans criticize Bush, I ask them the same question. Of course, no one has any answer. They just want to criticize. Cowards.

So, who do you think should control the world? The big, bad US of A?

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by DrBeeper:
[B]This is a silly thread.

Many who hate the US are liberal elitists who think the UN should control the world.

B]</font>

Sorry to say it..but the only other candidate out there..Kerry..is no better than Bushie. He's a liar..He's hiding as a liberal when he's really just another politician reminiscent of a Republican.
He voted FOR the Patriot Act.
He voted FOR No Child Left Behind
HE voted FOR The War
I'll tell ya one thing. I'm not voting for this imposter. He belongs on the Republican ballot.
-AG

The problem is who can you vote for? Kerry is certainly no Clinton, but he is still better then Bush.
Simply not voting at all will only lead to a greater chance of Bush winning and 4 more years of ****.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by JBLUA320:
Sorry to say it..but the only other candidate out there..Kerry..is no better than Bushie. He's a liar..He's hiding as a liberal when he's really just another politician reminiscent of a Republican.
He voted FOR the Patriot Act.
He voted FOR No Child Left Behind
HE voted FOR The War
I'll tell ya one thing. I'm not voting for this imposter. He belongs on the Republican ballot.
-AG</font>

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by DrBeeper:
This is a silly thread.

Many who hate the US are liberal elitists who think the UN should control the world.

</font>

This is silly.

Many who hate the US are right-wing hardliners (political and religious hawks as well as staunch or extreme nationalists) who think their nation has as much of a right (if not more) to exert its influence or be left alone as the US. http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/wink.gif They too rarely like the UN or other multilateral international organizations when it comes knocking on their door too.

[Note: Now I have had my fun... time to call it a night. http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/biggrin.gif ]

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by MisterNice:
An antiaircraft missile, ready for use, sits atop a federal office building near the White House. Devices that test the air for chemical and biological substances are positioned throughout the city. Subway stations are now equipped with "bomb containment" trash bins. A major highway that runs by the Pentagon is being rerouted several hundred yards away. A security wall is going up around the Washington Monument.

Day by day, the nation's capital is becoming a fortress, turning a city known for graceful beauty into a virtual armed camp. In response to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, federal security agents along with their counterparts in the Washington, Maryland and Virginia governments began a huge effort to build permanent safeguards for the capital area's most important buildings and monument....... http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/22/politics/22DIST.html

MisterNice</font>

That's funny coming from the New York Times, published in the same city that has barricades to keep people from crossing on the wrong side of the street and can't even keep the trash bins empty, let alone bombproof.

I suppose last New Year's Eve in Times Square was just an informal get-together? For God's sake, they had snipers with their sights on the tourists, er, terrorists!

Don't get me wrong, I think the walls we're putting up is overkill. However, Washington, DC isn't the only city where the politicians have the balls to say "Leave it up to the people whose job it is to worry about these things" (that is a direct quote from my recollection of 12/31/2003). Translation -- bend over in the name of safety. http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/mad.gif

In may I'm doing a touch-and-go into IAD as part of a 7-segment mileage run. Will be on the ground for 42 minutes (same plane in/out).

Wonder if I'll get any special attention....

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Billiken:
In may I'm doing a touch-and-go into IAD as part of a 7-segment mileage run. Will be on the ground for 42 minutes (same plane in/out).

Wonder if I'll get any special attention....</font>

You will be fine. Just be aware that DC-National passengers are more closely scrutinized.

I thought this was why we had OMNI.

Mike

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by DrBeeper:
This is a silly thread.

Many who hate the US are liberal elitists who think the UN should control the world.

Next time someone criticizes Bush (whether it one of you, Kerry, Gore, etc.), tell me what your brilliant plan is to combat terrorism (which occurred often under Clinton). When Europeans criticize Bush, I ask them the same question. Of course, no one has any answer. They just want to criticize. Cowards.</font>

Wow. Nice to have another person join the minority of us in FT who don't bow down to liberal popularism. http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/thumbsup.gif

[This message has been edited by Analise (edited Feb 23, 2004).]

Is this TravelBuzz????

OMNI more like it.

Political discussions are not travel related.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Oceanbound222:
The failed bush adminstration has changed the face of the world and the opinion of the world of the USA. I travel overseas frequently and I have had foreigners spit on the ground when the name "bush" was mentioned. What has this man done to America and its once great reputation. He is a disgrace and I can't wait until November when we can elect a new president bring world respect back to America.

I suspect the bush administration is fortifying Washington like an armed camp because George Bush and Karl Rove have plans to launch several other wars if re-elected. Washington will then need to be like an armed camp because the outrage of the world will be extraordinary, and bush wants the capital secure. My God, I think we have a lunatic in the White House.</font>

Troll.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Analise:
Wow. Nice to have another person join the minority of us in FT who don't bow down to liberal popularism.</font>

Analise, hint, hint:

DrBeeper talks about liberal elitism and you talk about liberal populism. Care to tie the two for all of us -- after all elitism and populism are generally somewhat exclusive? http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/wink.gif

[This message has been edited by GUWonder (edited Feb 23, 2004).]

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by pinniped:
Troll.</font>

Nothing trollish about this. A locked-down DC is not as fun or pretty as before for all sorts of travellers. http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/wink.gif

I still cannot understand why in the world I cannot drive my car down Pennsylvania Avenue past the White House like I used to back in the early 90s. [Clinton ok'd that stupid rule.]

[This message has been edited by GUWonder (edited Feb 23, 2004).]

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Analise:
Wow. Nice to have another person join the minority of us in FT who don't bow down to liberal popularism. &lt;IMG SRC="http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/thumbsup.gif"&gt;
</font>

Yes, but, I honestly wonder why we bother? We're only screamed out of existance on this board. It's somewhat depressing but I guess that's what Other message boards are for. I stay out of it here 'cause this is a travel forum and conversations like these have very little to do with that.

This subject matter has virtually ruined rec.travel.air and if we aren't careful, the same thing'll happen here.

------------------
Best regards,
Dairenn Lombard
Los Angeles, CA

well, it's been fun. I would keep this in TravelBuzz were it not political and no longer TravelBuzz-worthy, so off we go to OMNI-land and I'll see y'all over there!

--richard, moderator