Thread: About the United States...

Hey all, new poster, long time lurker I enjoy reading other people's views, but I decided to register and post, because I see tons of hate being directed at the United States by certain posters on these boards (not going to name any names), usually followed up with links to dubious and most often, obviously biased news content to back up their claims of all the evil the great Imperialist American Empire perpetuates in the world, all the while blatantly ignoring the good that comes along with us. Will be a long winded post

I'm certain my posting won't change anyone's mind or opinion about Americans in any way, but maybe I can open some eyes. Granted, I'm nobody famous, I don't have my own political website, I've never spoken at rallies or held any political offices.

I'll tell you what I have done.

I served in the U.S. Navy for ten years, seven of those years as a CB. The vast majority of those seven years was spent in third world countries attempting to provide humanitarian aid, all the while fully armed, "locked and loaded" as we called it, because of the nature of those areas and whatever state of conflict they happened to be in at that time. I have been shot at, stabbed, blown up, beat up, spit on, cursed, etc, and all the while our specific purpose was to help people. We weren't there to kill anyone, to establish any zones of control, to replace or topple any rulers..we were there to build bridges, sanitariums, piers, hurricane clean ups, train civilians how to build, to provide medical and dental aid, etc. I have seen far worse atrocities commited on people by their own countrymen in some of these places than most of you can imagine, certainly nothing you will ever see in the news even remotely relating to an American action.

The United States spends billions of dollars each year in humanitarian aid around the globe, and millions of man hours doing it, at the expense of the American taxpayer and the American soldiers doing the work. Yet, I never hear about this. All I hear about is how much bad the evil American empire causes around the world. But I know for a fact that we provide this aid..I spent seven years doing it by order of the U.S. Government.

Some of you spew your hatred with blind disregard to all the facts, and that's disturbing to me. At least, before you attempt to label us and utterly condemn us, take into account all the facts, and not just those that support your particular rant.

Thanks,
Trip

Thank you for your sevice and your perspective.

It occured to me as I was reading that the funds that supported your work are probably not counted in the figures when people measure humanitarian aid. These funds are counted as part of the military budget instead.

Originally Posted by Trip

Hey all, new poster, long time lurker I enjoy reading other people's views, but I decided to register and post, because I see tons of hate being directed at the United States by certain posters on these boards (not going to name any names), usually followed up with links to dubious and most often, obviously biased news content to back up their claims of all the evil the great Imperialist American Empire perpetuates in the world, all the while blatantly ignoring the good that comes along with us. Will be a long winded post

I'm certain my posting won't change anyone's mind or opinion about Americans in any way, but maybe I can open some eyes. Granted, I'm nobody famous, I don't have my own political website, I've never spoken at rallies or held any political offices.

I'll tell you what I have done.

I served in the U.S. Navy for ten years, seven of those years as a CB. The vast majority of those seven years was spent in third world countries attempting to provide humanitarian aid, all the while fully armed, "locked and loaded" as we called it, because of the nature of those areas and whatever state of conflict they happened to be in at that time. I have been shot at, stabbed, blown up, beat up, spit on, cursed, etc, and all the while our specific purpose was to help people. We weren't there to kill anyone, to establish any zones of control, to replace or topple any rulers..we were there to build bridges, sanitariums, piers, hurricane clean ups, train civilians how to build, to provide medical and dental aid, etc. I have seen far worse atrocities commited on people by their own countrymen in some of these places than most of you can imagine, certainly nothing you will ever see in the news even remotely relating to an American action.

The United States spends billions of dollars each year in humanitarian aid around the globe, and millions of man hours doing it, at the expense of the American taxpayer and the American soldiers doing the work. Yet, I never hear about this. All I hear about is how much bad the evil American empire causes around the world. But I know for a fact that we provide this aid..I spent seven years doing it by order of the U.S. Government.

Some of you spew your hatred with blind disregard to all the facts, and that's disturbing to me. At least, before you attempt to label us and utterly condemn us, take into account all the facts, and not just those that support your particular rant.

Thanks,
Trip

Spreading "humanitarian aid" while locked & loaded? Sounds like you were forcing it. BTW, were you involved with Gitmo at all? That's a great humaitarian effort there I tell ya....

Originally Posted by Trip

Hey all, new poster, long time lurker I enjoy reading other people's views, but I decided to register and post, because I see tons of hate being directed at the United States by certain posters on these boards (not going to name any names), usually followed up with links to dubious and most often, obviously biased news content to back up their claims of all the evil the great Imperialist American Empire perpetuates in the world, all the while blatantly ignoring the good that comes along with us. Will be a long winded post

I'm certain my posting won't change anyone's mind or opinion about Americans in any way, but maybe I can open some eyes. Granted, I'm nobody famous, I don't have my own political website, I've never spoken at rallies or held any political offices.

I'll tell you what I have done.

I served in the U.S. Navy for ten years, seven of those years as a CB. The vast majority of those seven years was spent in third world countries attempting to provide humanitarian aid, all the while fully armed, "locked and loaded" as we called it, because of the nature of those areas and whatever state of conflict they happened to be in at that time. I have been shot at, stabbed, blown up, beat up, spit on, cursed, etc, and all the while our specific purpose was to help people. We weren't there to kill anyone, to establish any zones of control, to replace or topple any rulers..we were there to build bridges, sanitariums, piers, hurricane clean ups, train civilians how to build, to provide medical and dental aid, etc. I have seen far worse atrocities commited on people by their own countrymen in some of these places than most of you can imagine, certainly nothing you will ever see in the news even remotely relating to an American action.

The United States spends billions of dollars each year in humanitarian aid around the globe, and millions of man hours doing it, at the expense of the American taxpayer and the American soldiers doing the work. Yet, I never hear about this. All I hear about is how much bad the evil American empire causes around the world. But I know for a fact that we provide this aid..I spent seven years doing it by order of the U.S. Government.

Some of you spew your hatred with blind disregard to all the facts, and that's disturbing to me. At least, before you attempt to label us and utterly condemn us, take into account all the facts, and not just those that support your particular rant.

Thanks,
Trip

Welcome to PH, Trip...

First things first, though. You don't want to see criticism of US foreign policy because US troops are sometimes used to provide humanitarian aid. I doubt anyone with any knowledge would dispute that US troops are used at times to provide humanitarian aid, for example the tsunami, but if we're not supposed to criticise organisations for the shit things they do if they do provide humanitarian aid, then that'd also apply to Hamas when they were carrying out suicide bombings against Israeli civilians, coz their non-military arm provided social services and aid to Palestinian civilians..

Originally Posted by Inkslinger

BTW, were you involved with Gitmo at all? That's a great humaitarian effort there I tell ya....

Hey, I got told by a few Americans on another board that Gitmo is a resort where the spoilt and pampered guests are really rude and nasty to their hosts. In such a tropical location with all the mod cons at their fingertips, all they and whining liberals with bad cases of BDS can do is bitch and moan and not show any gratitude for the fantastic way that holiday resort is run!

Originally Posted by Trip

I see tons of hate being directed at the United States by certain posters on these boards (not going to name any names).

Hey Trip - thanks for joining in ....

Do you really think people that post here hate America? Does criticizing American foreign policy mean you hate the country?

Originally Posted by Inkslinger

Spreading "humanitarian aid" while locked & loaded? Sounds like you were forcing it. BTW, were you involved with Gitmo at all? That's a great humaitarian effort there I tell ya....

Being in the Navy myself, I have been involved, on numerous occassions, in situations where we had to be "locked and loaded" while providing assistance to foriegn countries. It's not because the people there don't want the help, but because many of the countries that we help in are in really bad shape and the security situation is minimal at best. We do a lot of work in Africa that no one ever hears about and it is not exactly a safe place to be.

Originally Posted by Latherty

Hey Trip - thanks for joining in ....

Do you really think people that post here hate America? Does criticizing American foreign policy mean you hate the country?

Usually not. But sometimes it does.

This country does a lot of great things, its just sad that is does so much evil you can't even give credit for the positive things it do...For example say a man kills everyday but goes to church and gives donations everyday too..does that make him less evil?

Originally Posted by HAZENDRO

This country does a lot of great things, its just sad that is does so much evil you can't even give credit for the positive things it do...For example say a man kills everyday but goes to church and gives donations everyday too..does that make him less evil?

By this standard, every nation is evil.