nice to know what we pay for oil goes to a good cause ......
02-17-2008, 08:29 AM
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nice to know what we pay for oil goes to a good cause ......
02-17-2008, 01:09 PM
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yeah! these people have the nerve to donate 14 million dollars to charity! what nerve....
i highly doubt some one paid 14 million for a liscense plate to get the actual liscense plate.
did you read the article or just look at the picture and generalize about turbans.
i highly doubt some one paid 14 million for a liscense plate to get the actual liscense plate.
did you read the article or just look at the picture and generalize about turbans.
02-17-2008, 01:58 PM
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The United States doesn't buy a lot of oil from UAE in the first place, so this thread topic title is pretty inaccurate. When Exxon made billions of dollars in profit, inaccurate assumptions about the Middle East like this thread is wrong.
http://www.eia.doe.gov/pub/oil_gas/p...nt/import.html
http://www.eia.doe.gov/pub/oil_gas/p...nt/import.html
02-17-2008, 03:29 PM
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Originally Posted by thwoom
yeah! these people have the nerve to donate 14 million dollars to charity! what nerve....
02-17-2008, 05:10 PM
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You can't blame the people making the money for making money. We made them that way in the first place, it is a Western influence. Not to mention they are giving money away, practically.
I hate when Americans put themselves on a moral pedestal because we think we help people. There are people within America that are receiving inadequate medical care, food, and shelter, and all Americans want to do is cut social welfare and save money on taxes. These people made their money, and now they're using it to donate to a charity. You can't expect them to take every dollar they earn and give it to the people of their country just because they're poor.
Not to mention clm2112 has like 4 vehicles listed there, I doubt you need all of them. The nerve you must have to own so many vehicles while people in your country are starving and homeless.
I hate when Americans put themselves on a moral pedestal because we think we help people. There are people within America that are receiving inadequate medical care, food, and shelter, and all Americans want to do is cut social welfare and save money on taxes. These people made their money, and now they're using it to donate to a charity. You can't expect them to take every dollar they earn and give it to the people of their country just because they're poor.
Not to mention clm2112 has like 4 vehicles listed there, I doubt you need all of them. The nerve you must have to own so many vehicles while people in your country are starving and homeless.
02-17-2008, 06:22 PM
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chromius, or whatever the heck your name is: You obviously have no understanding of this, but feel free to run your mouth anyways. When you've had the opportunity to read up on the history of the region, I'll take your uneducated comments seriously. Until then, chew on this:
1. ) The gulf states are monarchies, theocracies, dictatorships, or a mix of all three. Even the various muslim sects cannot agree on who qualifies as the leader of a muslim country, which is a 600 year argument that is not going to end any time soon.
2.) We did not impose western philosophy upon them, we were invited there and some of their leaders wanted the stuff a western industrial nation can offer. The only western power to have a direct influance over this region was Britain, as a result of the first world war. American companies, along with the Dutch, British, French, and Soviets were brought in there by these countries to explore for oil after the second world war. We did NOT impose our will, philosophy, or politics on these countries. We helped them explore for oil, drill for it, and we paid for it when we bought it. They wanted arms, we sold them. That'* normal business.
3.) What they did with the money is none of our business, any more than you have any say in how GM spent the profits from the car you bought from them. You might want them to do something usefull with it, but if they blow it, then it'* theirs to blow.
Now, if the general population of this region have a problem with how the revenue from their oil got spent, they should take it up with the people who collected it, not the western nations that bought the oil. That would be a rational western view of how things are done. Problem is, they don't subscribe to that rationale, they believe that we owe them something, like we are suppose to stop their own leaders from screwing up their lives. No, instead,it'* easier to externalize their problems and blame the US. It doesn't have to make sense, it just is what it is.
Now, as far as this charity auction goes, I'm more concerned about how that average citizen of the UAE (who is, in most cases, our ally) views this. If they see this as another western style excess, then we will have trouble. If they see it as a muslim fulfilling his duty to give charity, then it'* "all good". Unless you think like them, you can't guess which way the coin falls.
Once upon a time we thought we understood our ally, Iran. Then the people got a little fed up with the lifestyle of the elite and blamed the US for it. The theology types got everybody hyped up, next thing you know our ambassadors are held hostage for over a year. You haven't figured out just how crazy the world can be.
1. ) The gulf states are monarchies, theocracies, dictatorships, or a mix of all three. Even the various muslim sects cannot agree on who qualifies as the leader of a muslim country, which is a 600 year argument that is not going to end any time soon.
2.) We did not impose western philosophy upon them, we were invited there and some of their leaders wanted the stuff a western industrial nation can offer. The only western power to have a direct influance over this region was Britain, as a result of the first world war. American companies, along with the Dutch, British, French, and Soviets were brought in there by these countries to explore for oil after the second world war. We did NOT impose our will, philosophy, or politics on these countries. We helped them explore for oil, drill for it, and we paid for it when we bought it. They wanted arms, we sold them. That'* normal business.
3.) What they did with the money is none of our business, any more than you have any say in how GM spent the profits from the car you bought from them. You might want them to do something usefull with it, but if they blow it, then it'* theirs to blow.
Now, if the general population of this region have a problem with how the revenue from their oil got spent, they should take it up with the people who collected it, not the western nations that bought the oil. That would be a rational western view of how things are done. Problem is, they don't subscribe to that rationale, they believe that we owe them something, like we are suppose to stop their own leaders from screwing up their lives. No, instead,it'* easier to externalize their problems and blame the US. It doesn't have to make sense, it just is what it is.
Now, as far as this charity auction goes, I'm more concerned about how that average citizen of the UAE (who is, in most cases, our ally) views this. If they see this as another western style excess, then we will have trouble. If they see it as a muslim fulfilling his duty to give charity, then it'* "all good". Unless you think like them, you can't guess which way the coin falls.
Once upon a time we thought we understood our ally, Iran. Then the people got a little fed up with the lifestyle of the elite and blamed the US for it. The theology types got everybody hyped up, next thing you know our ambassadors are held hostage for over a year. You haven't figured out just how crazy the world can be.
02-17-2008, 06:23 PM
#8
Let'* keep the tone cooled down in this thread. I can already tell where this one is going. Turn it around, please.
Keep what some may view as a personal negative comment out of this.
Thanks!
Keep what some may view as a personal negative comment out of this.
Thanks!
02-17-2008, 06:27 PM
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Originally Posted by vital49
Let'* keep the tone cooled down in this thread.
02-17-2008, 07:19 PM
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Originally Posted by clm2112
chromius, or whatever the heck your name is: You obviously have no understanding of this, but feel free to run your mouth anyways. When you've had the opportunity to read up on the history of the region, I'll take your uneducated comments seriously. Until then, chew on this:
1. ) The gulf states are monarchies, theocracies, dictatorships, or a mix of all three. Even the various muslim sects cannot agree on who qualifies as the leader of a muslim country, which is a 600 year argument that is not going to end any time soon.
2.) We did not impose western philosophy upon them, we were invited there and some of their leaders wanted the stuff a western industrial nation can offer. The only western power to have a direct influance over this region was Britain, as a result of the first world war. American companies, along with the Dutch, British, French, and Soviets were brought in there by these countries to explore for oil after the second world war. We did NOT impose our will, philosophy, or politics on these countries. We helped them explore for oil, drill for it, and we paid for it when we bought it. They wanted arms, we sold them. That'* normal business.
3.) What they did with the money is none of our business, any more than you have any say in how GM spent the profits from the car you bought from them. You might want them to do something usefull with it, but if they blow it, then it'* theirs to blow.
Now, if the general population of this region have a problem with how the revenue from their oil got spent, they should take it up with the people who collected it, not the western nations that bought the oil. That would be a rational western view of how things are done. Problem is, they don't subscribe to that rationale, they believe that we owe them something, like we are suppose to stop their own leaders from screwing up their lives. No, instead,it'* easier to externalize their problems and blame the US. It doesn't have to make sense, it just is what it is.
Now, as far as this charity auction goes, I'm more concerned about how that average citizen of the UAE (who is, in most cases, our ally) views this. If they see this as another western style excess, then we will have trouble. If they see it as a muslim fulfilling his duty to give charity, then it'* "all good". Unless you think like them, you can't guess which way the coin falls.
Once upon a time we thought we understood our ally, Iran. Then the people got a little fed up with the lifestyle of the elite and blamed the US for it. The theology types got everybody hyped up, next thing you know our ambassadors are held hostage for over a year. You haven't figured out just how crazy the world can be.
1. ) The gulf states are monarchies, theocracies, dictatorships, or a mix of all three. Even the various muslim sects cannot agree on who qualifies as the leader of a muslim country, which is a 600 year argument that is not going to end any time soon.
2.) We did not impose western philosophy upon them, we were invited there and some of their leaders wanted the stuff a western industrial nation can offer. The only western power to have a direct influance over this region was Britain, as a result of the first world war. American companies, along with the Dutch, British, French, and Soviets were brought in there by these countries to explore for oil after the second world war. We did NOT impose our will, philosophy, or politics on these countries. We helped them explore for oil, drill for it, and we paid for it when we bought it. They wanted arms, we sold them. That'* normal business.
3.) What they did with the money is none of our business, any more than you have any say in how GM spent the profits from the car you bought from them. You might want them to do something usefull with it, but if they blow it, then it'* theirs to blow.
Now, if the general population of this region have a problem with how the revenue from their oil got spent, they should take it up with the people who collected it, not the western nations that bought the oil. That would be a rational western view of how things are done. Problem is, they don't subscribe to that rationale, they believe that we owe them something, like we are suppose to stop their own leaders from screwing up their lives. No, instead,it'* easier to externalize their problems and blame the US. It doesn't have to make sense, it just is what it is.
Now, as far as this charity auction goes, I'm more concerned about how that average citizen of the UAE (who is, in most cases, our ally) views this. If they see this as another western style excess, then we will have trouble. If they see it as a muslim fulfilling his duty to give charity, then it'* "all good". Unless you think like them, you can't guess which way the coin falls.
Once upon a time we thought we understood our ally, Iran. Then the people got a little fed up with the lifestyle of the elite and blamed the US for it. The theology types got everybody hyped up, next thing you know our ambassadors are held hostage for over a year. You haven't figured out just how crazy the world can be.
1) That is a pretty obvious point...
2) We exposed them to our ideologies. They may have wanted it, but that isn't to say they're ready for it. Your first point proves the fact that we shouldn't have allowed this, or at least done this willingly.
3) It seems like you were complaining with how they spent their money. Maybe I misunderstood?
Most people would say that America prescribes to the capitalist ideology (at least somewhat). Now, under that same ideology, the power is under the purchaser. The problem with that is we have no care whatsoever what happens to the people in the Middle East where we buy our oil. Our apathy towards their treatment is why we continue to buy from these people. Now, since the people have no influence over the economy they belong to, they blame the people that support that economy. If we are the market, then we dictate how the company can most efficiently operate. If our buying behavior doesn't take into account the ethics of the seller or producer, then we are responsible for their actions. We are supporting those actions by buying their product. Now, if you think that these nations should be socialist, where the people can actually have a government enforced control of the economy, then that'* different. Really, the people have no choice in the situation. Most of the economy relies on oil, so those are the only jobs they have (with UAE as an exception). Those huge oil drilling companies would have no power and money if we didn't buy it.
I don't need your patronizing psuedo-worldly insights. And I don't think it'* very becoming to question someone'* intelligence on the internet (considering you could be a high school dropout and I could have a PhD, or the other way around). I have read up on the history of the region, and have discussed it with a professor from my University (who actually happens to be from the region and studies it), and it would seem to me that I'm rather qualified to participate in this conversation. So I guess now you can take my uneducated (read: educated) comments seriously. Now it'* easy to understand why people think we're so arrogant, when we have our own citizens thinking we're victims because people hate us for our lifestyle. Entire countries aren't stupid enough to think what you're proposing.