Ecuador trip

[AlexG32]

... in response to Re: Why Buuddha Why?..., posted by littlebhuddha on Oct 31, 2002

Why the double standard?  Iraq is DEVELOPING WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION..........NORTH KOREA ALREADY HAS THEM!!!

[El Diablo]

... in response to Re: Why Buuddha Why?..., posted by littlebhuddha on Oct 31, 2002

Traveller writes a page long trip report and you zero in on one statement that he made in a not overly serious tone.  Reread his post, he didn't say anything about wiping out a nation but what he did say is that we're killing Iraqi's for what ultimately comes down to oil.  If you consider this an ignorant statement fine but realize that it's an opinion held by many people and one that IMO is not without some merit.  I think his statement was honest and I hope that Travellor will continue writing about his adventures in Ecuador and elsewhere.

El Diablo

[Pete E]

... in response to Why Buuddha Why?..., posted by El Diablo on Oct 31, 2002

I think Traveler was just toying with them to get their reaction.Nobody thinks we are going to wipe out Iraq literally,but a certain leadership and its protectors better watch their a-s.Better stay out of the way while we get the SOB if you don't want to be toast.I think when its over we are going to hear lots of horror stories from the past and many people being glad to be liberated from it.
As far as fighting for oil,this is a simplistic cynical idea that doesn't start to deal with the whole situation.Yes oil makes the region more important,but this fight is not about oil but terrorism and tyranny.Nail Iraq real hard and Iran and North Korea will get the message.
I have to laugh about the French position here.They would be speaking German if we didn't  deal with another
murderous dictator for them.If anybody should have learned about the dangers of appeasement it should be them.
But I digress in to politics again.I wonder if there is a web site for political discussions.

Pete

[Traveller]

... in response to Re: Why Buuddha Why?..., posted by littlebhuddha on Oct 31, 2002

Ah, controversy is a grand thing, isn't it. Isn't it fun to have different views on everything? Even though littlebhuddha was apparently in the Gulf War too, he has a different view of why we were there than I do. Sure, get rid of SH, but my humble opinion is that it was more for the oil interests of the US. I got no problem with that or the little piece of shrapnel I got while was there. First Battalion, 5th Marines. Weapons Co. 81mm Mortar Platoon. Task Force Ripper. There is my "ID" card.
As far as my comments about the Protest group here, I based my opinion on observations and conversations I had with them. First hand knowledge. You got to understand, I lived with these people for a week before they turned into protesters. Until that time, they were vacationers. Perhaps, I didn't write every little thing we talked about and the different individuals I had conversations with. I just percieve them as not being too sincere about what they are doing. That, once again, is my opinion. Nothing more. I don't know, I think it is kind of funny that some of these people are being sponsored by Universities with grant money, so they can participate in protests. Just struck me as funny.
As far as what this has to do with what it has to do about the board. OPINION ALERT: There is more than simply going to another country to find a bride. There are other considerations. Following that line of thinking, is it not a good idea to know about local Guerilla groups that occupy a country. Or, what disease you might get, that isn´t too common in the States or a particular restaurant that serves something that might not be to good for a visiting foreigner. (You have to try the guniea pig here. No serious) Or, where it is good to exchange money at a better rate.  The bride situation is a small part of the overall picture.
In Ecuador, eco tourism is a huge part of the economy ad with it comes the people that I described. You can't avoid them. Of course, there are many people here just kicking it on vacation. For example, you might be at your hostal, you wake up to find 40 people downstairs, you have to walk over to get to breakfast, that are making signs. Now, you have to remember, there are only 13 people staying in the hostal, so you might think to yourself, how are all these people? Then you hear them talking about going on a march in Old Town. Ok. So, you ask them what is up and they tell you they are going on a march to protest the inadequacies of health care and social programs in Ecuador. So, when you come here and stay in a Hostal and you see this, you won't be surprised, because a guy on Planet-Love wrote about it. It's just side info from a latin american country.
My intention wasn't to tick anyone off. I just found a sub culture that is odd to me, that's all. So, I get bored and write it down on this board because it pertains to a latin american country, that one day you might visit.
As far as expressing opinions, hey we all do. You can't write anything without adding your own perceptive to the piece. In my case, this is what I did. I have a request to "shut my mouth." Fair enough. This of course won't happen, because everyone has their right to express their opinions. Mine is unpopular, fine write what you have to to get it off your chest and move on. There are, I'm sure, threads that you maybe more interested in. But, someone might be interested in this thread, you never know? I have written numerous threads and never really got any "bad press" for it and in most cases, people thought it was helpful or insightful. So, I write something that is controversial, big deal. In about 2 days, it'll be down at the bottom of the page and forgotten. This isn't life and death on these boards.

[littlebhuddha]

... in response to Re: Re: Why Buuddha Why?..., posted by Traveller on Oct 31, 2002

Traveller, I must apologize for my reaction to your post. I had a problem with what you said or at least how you said it. However my request to shut up was not a good choice of words. I made a couple assumptions and reacted to what I thought was just "some idiot" shooting off his mouth. And I agree with you that perhaps these students motives in going to Ecuador was not that altruistic. However I have to give them their props for at least not sitting around the campus drinking and smoking dope. They have at least expanded their worlds. I still have a problem with your terminology. I just don't think that an international forum is a good place for Americans to talk about wiping out anything. We do not have a very good rep with the world. Most of the worlds population already hates us and the rest are just looking for a reason to put us down. Most of the time I wouldn't give the north end of a southbound rat for what they think but we are trying to get the sane world to understand that we want to go to war to make the world a safer place. It doesn't take much to make the rest of the world think that we are blood thirsty and willing to lay waste to anybody who disagrees with us. Also I take a great deal of pride in our armed forces and that someone would suggest that it be used to "wipe out Iraqi's" just didn't set well before that second cup of joe this morning. I believe that you weren't serious because anyone that has been to war could never seriously suggest wiping out people. As an intelligence officer I seen first hand during the Gulf war the havoc wreaked by the implements of war. It was tough enough going through bombed out bunkers and pushing around chunks of bodies in uniforms. The thought of mass numbers of civilians in the same condition is not a good one. IMHO, I think that we should be careful about how we present ourselves to the world, at least for the time being.

[Traveller]

... in response to Re: Re: Re: Why Buuddha Why?..., posted by littlebhuddha on Oct 31, 2002

Dude, you don't have to apologize for anything, I kind of brought you in half way through the story in regards to that.
I agree with you, that it's good that they are getting out and doing what they think is a good cause. Don't give them too much credit about not smoking dope, yeah they reek of the stuff when they come in at night. Trying out the local recipes, I suppose. So here, there, wherever.
No, the comment I made about "wiping out Iraqis for oil" was not to be taking totally serious. But, after a few sessions of "America Bashing" and all that is wrong with the world is America's Foreign policy, yadda, yadda, yadda, you get a little tired of it. Especially when you hear this from students, who admittely have never held a job. One of these guys is like 27 years old. I was in the miltary for 11 years and I am proud of the US, so I struck back in some small way by telling them something they didn't want to hear. Yah know, all the Marine "brainwashing." LOL!
By the way, pulling bodies out of tanks hit with sabot rounds is not my favorite pastime either. Messy.
Ok, can I go have some drinks now. Geez! Halloween, ya know.
Later GATORS!

[littlebhuddha]

... in response to Clarification, posted by Traveller on Oct 31, 2002

Hey, I've never been known to hold back my opinion just because I didn't have the facts. I think I understand now. They may have raised my cackles too.

[Traveller]

... in response to Re: Clarification, posted by littlebhuddha on Nov 1, 2002

Cool. We cool.

[burbuja2]

... in response to Re: Why Buuddha Why?..., posted by littlebhuddha on Oct 31, 2002

I appreciate your intelligent response.

[Andean Condor]

... in response to Ecuador trip, posted by Traveller on Oct 31, 2002

Traveller, traveller, traveller...
This post is highly discouraging to me.  I find it amazing that you can blast people for trying to make a difference on their planet.  "They are all laughing and having a good time making their signs, like they are going to a party."  So you mean that they are not a bunch of stuffy headed folk?  Damn... these crazy liberals.  And then, they go on nature walks and rain forest trips!  The nerve of these people!  To think that someone may actually *love* the planet that they live on.  
Personally, it sounds to me as though these people are living a much more colorful existence than yourself...
Maybe one day you'll find that there's no "right" way to live life and just simply enjoy what's around you.