Iran next?

[cryout_yea]

Thank you for the compliment^^
I have rather grown fond of this place all of a sudden, it's quite fun!

incase it's difficult to type, pronounce or read the last part of my name GYU, call me hong or... yea, because that's my lastname...

yes my last name is YEA! Hong-Gyu Yea hmmm it feels very weird when someone actually calls me MR. YEA hahahaha!~

[Trumpetmaster]

Hong
It is certainly a pleasure having you on the BB.
The world would be better off with more communication like this.

[RC]

By the way Hong, your use of the english language is better than my own! For instance, check out my spelling above (bulleting?)...

[cryout_yea]

That is very true... the world does need more communication. Even with the spread of communication technology, no one country seem to understand another...

Well, back to the main topic of the conversation...
I some how think that if Iran is ever attacked... it wouldn't be directly by the US, but more through Israel, and the US supporting them... The tension building between the two nations (Iran and Israel) seem very vulnerable to somekind of a confrontation...

I wonder if the world could ever pass half a century without another war...-sigh-

[Marye]

Hong, You are very perceptive.

I am taken with your poetic telling of "The Sunshine Policy"

The "Sunshine Policy" that was implemented by Korea's ex-president Kim Daejung was named after the story in Aesope's Tale. When the sun and the cloud dueled to take the clothes off a passer by, despite arduose efforts and force by the wind, the clothes weren't blown off. Instead the man only grasped his clothes tighter. Yet, the sun, by warming up the man, was able to take the clothes off without much hardwork. Thus, I think the constant efforts to reconcile with North Korea through trade and "love" will one day prevail and bring forth the peaceful reunification of the two Koreas...

I believe...

[shostakovich]

Hello, Hong, and thank you so much for your input. I hope you have gone to bed now, and will return tomorrow, so you can talk to us while we sleep. It's quite wonderful to have your insights, and your command of English is remarkable.

"North Korean Human Rights Acts" which was passed not long ago by the US parliament.


I'm unaware of this act, since it caused no fuss over here. Was it connected to China's return of escapees from North Korea? Your reference to Aesop's fable was very appropriate. I'm sure similar sentiments can be found in writings of (or about) the Buddha, Confucius, and Christ. In fact such sentiments have gotten lip service around here, as our desert storm is not working as hoped. I don't see the transformation from philosophy to action coming soon, though.

Finally, what do your Polish friends see in our president? Do you think his support is widespread in Poland?
Shos

[cryout_yea]

Thank you for all your support!

Well, first of all, my Polish friends...
hmmm everytime I have an argument with them on the issues concerning the US (this shows on which side I am), I strongly get this feeling that the support is a socio-psychological thing.

We can understand this when we check out their history. They have been constantly invaded and harassed by neighboring countries, and finally they have arrived at a quite stable era, joining the EU and everything, but they still can't forget their painful past.

When a person is bullied for a very long time, it's a natural thing to stick to a powerful "being" who can actually guard you from being ever bullied again. Well, I THINK, this may be the case here with Poland.

My friend has a belief that if the Americans were the ones who entered Poland after the WW2, instead of the Soviets, they would be as developed as any West-European nations. Through this belief, he purports that the Koreans should thank the Americans for their contributions during the post-Korean War times...

In short, Poland finally got the opportunity to grow, and for them, sticking to a powerful nation would mean no more fear for another Sovet or Nazi Germany...

Well, this is my THOUGHT on the Poland issue...^^

(ah... mentioning about socio-psychology... I heard there is a terrific book by Erich Fromm, Esacape From Freedom... analyzing the advent of Nazism in Germany through socio-psychological properties...)

NOW, "North Korean Human Rights Acts" which was passed not long ago by the US parliament. Well, the ostensible purpose is to "help" the asylum seekers from North Korea, allowing all of them to enter America if they wish to. However, the real purpose is to dismantle the North Korean regime by inciting public up-roar... possibly a coup d'etat. Despite these efforts however, as I mentioned above, the Chinese government is not co-operating, only sending the asylum seekers back, without giving them a chance to ask for aid to the Americans... or the South Koreans...

This ultimately leaves the "up-roar" and the true part of the pupose. My thoughts are that if North Korea is dismantled very quickly induced by these "human rights acts", the two Koreas will fall face too many problems. These problems include culture shock and economic difficulties (it is thought that North Korea's economic situation is much much worse than how East Germany was before its reunification with the West.) Plus, it's still an open question whether the dictator Kim Jung-il will surrender without a fight once his regime has been breached...

Thus my thoughts on this issue is that the two Koreas need more time and effort for a gradual and peaceful reunification.

[hal 9000]

This is a link to 108th Congress, 2nd Session H.R. 4011, which is the act I think Hong is referring to. It was passed last year.

[cryout_yea]

WOw thank you hal9000, I my self was not able to get the very details on this bill until I read your link!

thank you!

[hal 9000]

Originally posted by Hong Gyu:
WOw thank you hal9000, I my self was not able to get the very details on this bill until I read your link!

thank you!

My pleasure.

Oh, by the way... welcome to the Beethoven Bulletin Board!

[hal 9000]

Originally posted by Haggis:
Hmmm, many of you believe the president lied, fortunately (for me at least)I and a majority of American voters decided that the president didn't lie.

I guess this is one of those juncture where we say something about reasonable people sometimes disagreeing with each other and move on.

The fact that 51% of the voters chose Bush in no way clears him of being a liar. They way I see it, it only shows that he is a VERY GOOD liar.

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<small>[ 01-28-2005, 10:45 PM: Message edited by: hal9000 ]</small>

[OperaTenor]

Hi Hong,

I have been away since I asked your opinion this morning(for us here in the U.S.). I certainly hope you've gotten some rest!

First, please make no apologies for your command of the English language. You seem to have better mastery of it than the majority of Anglos, certainly better than mine!

[OperaTenor]

Hal,

AMEN!

[analog]

Mr Hong Gyu -

Thanks for your most insightful observations and thoughts. And for the link to Noam Chomsky - he is always stimulating. I find Chomsky is too critical of western society's imperfections. However he is widely respected and has a large following here in the USA. My son idolizes him.

You expressed interest in psychological-social writers. Are you familiar with the American author Eric Hoffer? His little book "The True Believer" is regarded here as a classic work on the psychology of mass movements. Hoffer was a contemporary of Fromm... Also, Zbignew Breszinski's "Out of Control" is a more recent look at the world through the eyes of a western thinker. But his writing is not nearly so smooth as Chomsky and Hoffer.

"Gahm samidah"(thank you?), if you'll excuse the phonetic.

<small>[ 01-29-2005, 10:09 PM: Message edited by: analog ]</small>

[cryout_yea]

Eric Hoffer... I actually have not heard of him... however, thank you for mentioning his book I think I will check it out!
(AH~ so many books to read and so little time darn!^^)

^^ I am getting rather fond of these Korean phonetics hahahaha~ they some how look quite cryptic! but, I can understand them, and thank you too!

[piqaboo]

Hong Gyu, aka Mr Yea [ ],

I think your take on the sunshine policy is a good and valid one. We've tried "storming" Cuba with sanctions etc, and lo Castro remains strong and Cuba remains communist, at least officially.

China, who has most favored nation trading status with the US, is still a big nasty giant with a mean-streak and a will of its own, but as the individuals get better off, it seems China gets more cooperative internationally. Although it is nasty of China to return "escapees" / "refugees" to N. Korea, you can sort of understand their point, what with the shared border. Its a good idea to stay on good terms with nuclear neighbors....

People will fight to protect what they have. So, if they HAVE "stuff"/rights/etc, then they want to protect them - even from the government. Hence the Magna Carta in England ~ 1200 something-ish. And I think that would work in N.Korea.

Its starting to happen in Iraq and my hope is that enough folks defend what they are starting to have, to defeat those who just want to make trouble in any name and for any reason.

Its terrific to get your input, thanks for sharing on the board. May I ask what lead you to live in such a diverse variety of places?

I shall have to add Chomsky's non-linquistic writings to my reading list. I only know of him as a linguist who made a big diff in how we understand lanquage acquisition.

[Dvorak]

>"I think it was the UN that had the UN mandate, not the US."<

What mandate did the US have in bombing Serbia?
It's ok for a democratic president to begin hostilities as long it's for a good reason like fighting against 'ethnic cleansing' and there's no lost of US life. What other nation would do the heavy lifting, France, Germany, Canada? Who forced Iraq out of Kuwait, Iran, Russia, China?
No, my friends, the UN is the US.
Bobby

[hal 9000]

Iraq invaded Russia and China? :confused:

[OperaTenor]

[quote]Originally posted by hal9000:
[b] Iraq invaded Russia and China?

[hal 9000]

:p