Cheney is barking: what does this mean?

[Azure]

Originally Posted by Juventus3

As unrealistic as the movie was, "The Kingdom" actually did a great job exposing the American public to the lies they hear from the media in general.

Fixed for you.

A media that is too lazy to hold themselves to the highest standard of reporting....well, you get the problem you have now.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

Agreed. Next to the U.S. and Russia, France is probably right there with England as a country that can most easily project power. They have a very well equipped and trained military like you said, which includes nukes, aircraft carriers, and several foreign bases around the world. It's not a coincidence that the U.S. tried very hard to get France on board for the Iraq invasion.

The idea of France as a weak and insignificant country militarily is over done.

But the idea that France is weak as a political power regarding military action is not over done.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

I think you'd be hard pressed to find more than a handful of 'bigger' players.

India, China for sure....especially in the future....Japan if they re-construct their military from a defensive force to an offensive type military.

France, Germany, Britain....I put those 3 in the same boat.

[Juventus3]

Originally Posted by peter12

How do you know?

Are you serious? Are you suggesting fox news doesn't have an evangelical, right wing pro bush agenda?

Here's a piece of writing from the fox news analyst on the middle east:

Is America in prophecy? Yes, it is. As a Middle East analyst and minister who has worked closely with leaders in that region for decades, I tended to be skeptical of attempts to come up with schemes to plug America into prophetic interpretations. I have often referred to such teachers as "Pop Prophecy Peddlers." But, after thousands of hours of research, I am totally convinced that America is found in prophecy, and I believe you will, too, after reading [my] book.

Here's a video of him talking:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-47B...istian_preache
That's how I know.

[Juventus3]

Originally Posted by Azure

Fixed for you.

A media that is too lazy to hold themselves to the highest standard of reporting....well, you get the problem you have now.

Very true. The US news filter is actually unbelievable.

[Agamemnon]

Originally Posted by Azure

India, China for sure....especially in the future....Japan if they re-construct their military from a defensive force to an offensive type military.

France, Germany, Britain....I put those 3 in the same boat.

I suppose it depends on exactly what you're measuring. If it's the ability to project force around the world then France is currently 'better' than India, Japan, or Germany.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by Agamemnon

I suppose it depends on exactly what you're measuring. If it's the ability to project force around the world then France is currently 'better' than India, Japan, or Germany.

Very true.

They just don't have the biggest mouth these days....but with a recent transfer in power....that could change too with the new government.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by Juventus3

Very true. The US news filter is actually unbelievable.

Its not the news in general....because that IS being reported.

Its HOW its being reported....and how each news service is using their own bias to try and dictate reader understanding and belief.

[Agamemnon]

Originally Posted by Azure

Very true.

They just don't have the biggest mouth these days....but with a recent transfer in power....that could change too with the new government.

Well... it's not like India, Germany, or Japan are taking lead roles in international conflicts (militarily or verbally). They're playing some pretty minor supporting roles in most engagements their involved in. France went into the Ivory Coast 3 years ago by themselves and fought (briefly) with the Ivorian army there... something I can't see India/Germany/Japan doing. They also sent 18,000 troops to the 1st Gulf War. I think sometimes people equate France's unwillingness to play along with American international gaffs as 'weakness' or 'cowardice'. I'm betting the UK wishes they were a bit weaker, then maybe they wouldn't be trying to pull out of the Iraqi quagmire now.

[Lanny_MacDonald]

Originally Posted by Azure

A media that is too lazy to hold themselves to the highest standard of reporting....well, you get the problem you have now.

Originally Posted by Azure

Its not the news in general....because that IS being reported.

Its HOW its being reported....and how each news service is using their own bias to try and dictate reader understanding and belief.

That's actually highly inaccurate. The media is not lazy, per se, but is instead restricted in how and what they can report. Media used to be extremely independent and had the voice of their region. Reporters used to be from the regions they reported on, and knew the communities and issues from their market. That has changed. The small market reporters have disappeared with a centralization effort cause by profit hungry corporations.

Most people do not recognize this fact but media outlets have been snapped up and consolidated to the point where SIX corporations control 98% of what we see, hear and read in the United States. Many of those corporations have agreements that use each other's programming. For example, News Corp has an agreement with Clear Channel to provide content (news and opinion) on their radio stations. Clear Channel gives Fox News personalities access to a second medium to proclaim their position. The same erroneous information resonantes through the zeitgeist via a secondary medium, which lends more credence to the position. Even though it is the same person, saying the same thing, because it is from two different media sources people tend to give the information that much weight while evaluating the data.

What has happened is that the media has been restricted in the ability to cover events because corporate interests view the collection effort as too high and refuses to properly cover events because of costs. Where regional reporting was picked up, and sent through to the network, the central network now sends "on air personalities" to cover only the major events. It breaks down the ability to cover the number of events that need covering. This is a corporate decision, one that Fox News started, and all the others picked up as media was purchased by the mega-corporations. This has hurt journalism and why the news media have become less credible and appearing to be lazy. The departments of people that used to support the news gathering effort in America do not exist, because they are not profitable entities (news departments never were) so they have been eliminated for bottom line profitibility sake. Sadly, that has hurt American culture and intellect more than anyone wishes to acknowledge.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

I think you'd be hard pressed to find more than a handful of 'bigger' players.

There's an excercise that if you interpret information in the right way, every war in the 20th century was either started by or shaped by French intervention.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

There's an excercise that if you interpret information in the right way, every war in the 20th century was either started by or shaped by French intervention.

Anti-Frenchite

[Ozy_Flame]

There has been talk around the political circles about having the Security Council represented by each continent, in addition to the current five permanent and ten temporary members. The new members would rotate on a term of four-five years, and represent their respective continental region.

http://www.globalpolicy.org/security...0201modelx.pdf

I would personally like to see Japan, Germany, India, and Brazil all included as permanent members given their size, economies, and military strength. However, the Coffee Club countries such as Mexico, Argentina, Pakistan, Korea, Italy, and a host of others have been vehemently against ascending the G4 to these seats.

Another such reform would be to remove France and Britain, and replace their status with an EU seat. I personally support this move as it better represents continental Europe. However, a fifth member would be needed to gain majority consensus on issues, and that would be open for debate.

Still, the pandering and indecisiveness of the Security Council on major issues will still hang heavy on whoever claims SC seats.

[LChoy]

Another measurement of power projection (conventional) is through the number of aircraft carriers and long range weapon platforms a country has. Without google, I know France has 1 carrier for sure, and there were plans to have up to 3. They also have a handful of nuclear subs. I don't remember anything about their airforce. That'll put them roughly the same as the UK and GER (do they have a carrier?)
China is still working on their navy (they bought a lot from Russia), and modernizing their airforce (by numbers is the world's largest). They are the dominant military in the region, but their projection of power into Euope and beyond is shakey at best

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by lchoy

China is still working on their navy (they bought a lot from Russia), and modernizing their airforce (by numbers is the world's largest). They are the dominant military in the region, but their projection of power into Euope and beyond is shakey at best

Actually, if I'm not mistaken, Japan has the most dominant military in East Asia, and especially the most modernized. China is working vigorously to modernize their military might, but is nowhere as advanced as Japan's. Their soldiers are disciplined, highly trained, and well-equipped.

China definitely has more men fit for active service though, conscripts if you will.

[LChoy]

Oh yeah, Japan has a lot more toys and better trained men. The problem is that Japan is constrainted by Constitutional barriers, so they are mostly a defensive force. Only for that reason is my opinion that China is the dominant one. However, US has a lot of military there, so if you include the Americans, Japan wins