Re: The History of Latvia

On 29 Apr., 05:57, Vladimir Makarenko <vmak...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> P=E7teris Cedri=F2=F0 (Peteris Cedrins) wrote:
>
>
>
> > On 28 Apr., 13:13, Anton <anton.use...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> >> MTRP(tm) kirjoitti:
>
> >>>>>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DLVNZf9H5mHA
> >>> ... But hey, where is his new white
> >>> massa Uncle Sam?
> >> The reason it's funny is because it is based on actual events. Adding
> >> fiction to it would completely spoil the idea.
>
> >> --
> >> Anton
>
> > Anton said it perfectly -- but let's look at this carefully.
>
> > The relationship to Uncle Sam is quite clearly depicted at the end of
> > the movie, when the flag is thrown out the door -- so what are you
> > complaining about, Topolski?
>
> > As to a "massa" -- please explain how the US might be a "massa" to
> > Latvia.
>
> Iraq. Kosovo.
> Period.
>
> VM.

Period? Sorry, Volodya -- but I don't see how Latvia's positions on
and/or actions re/in either Kosovo or Iraq indicate a "massa"/slave
relationship, no matter what your views on either are. Nobody _forced_
Latvia to back the invasion of Iraq or recognize Kosovo. The main
reason for backing the invasion was the Realpolitik of the time, sure
-- the US is the leading member of NATO and backed Baltic membership
in the Alliance. Backing the US on Iraq meant receiving backing from
the US in return. That's not a "massa"/slave relationship, though --
that's the Ellemann-Jensen doctrine, which has been the cornerstone of
our foreign policy. Here's Wikipedia on the subject --

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellemann-Jensen_doctrine

The constant attempt by many a Russian (and not a few Latvians) to use
another cartoon -- "Latvia licked Russkie ass and now it licks
American ass" -- does not compute, Volodya. Entering alliances and
taking positions in accord with others isn't slavery. The fact that so
many Russians can't tell the difference says more about their
inability to see what slavery is (being suffocated by their own slave
mentality) than it does about the Baltics, obviously. Denmark is also
a slave to the US, perhaps?

One of the principal differences between our historical relationship
to Russia and our historical relationship the great democracies is...
democracy, you see. It didn't exist here until 1920 -- the basic law
of the Republic was adopted after free elections. Latvia never _chose_
to lick Russian ass, in other words -- as soon as we could hold
elections again, we chose to join the West.

The Wiki I linked to above: "the notion that a small country can gain
influence by supporting those greater countries that share the same
values and ideas, which the small country itself embraces." That's not
slavery -- that's developing relations with countries that have a free
press, democratic systems, and rule of law.

We make the decision to do so democratically -- and I already pointed
out an instance that proves that we're _not_ an American lackey;
despite American pressure, we didn't sign an agreement to exempt Yanks
from the ICC.

Kosovo? Here's a list of countries that have recognized Kosova --

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_reaction_to_the_2008_Kosovo_decla=
ration_of_independence

Switzerland's an American lackey? France, perhaps -- mais oui, the
French are so well known for kowtowing to the Americans, eh? Sweden,
famously neutral?

Small countries always have trouble playing hardball -- with the West,
and that includes America, the game at least has rules... even if the
rules get broken at times.

Regards,
/P

http://lettonica.blogspot.com/