the real MEC army could happen

[big_sammy_b]

ah the 'american dream' well if what you say is true then how come George Bush is the son of an ex president?

If America was truly free and anyone could be president then what are the chances of 2 generations of the same family being president? So small that in truth its not possible if America truly is free.

And what about people who fail? What if the son of the dirt farmer can't do any better than his dad did? Why should he suffer just because he wasn't born super intelligent or a amazing salesman? We are what we are, to talk aobut the survival of the fittest to the extreme extent it is in America where theres no national health service for example is hardly what i'd call freedom or at least no closer to freedom than a lot of other ideals.

[imported_Rafterman]

As for what people like, well your looking at it from a western perspective how do you know what people like? The truth is you don't.

Well maybe you're right about that, but I know enough about human nature to know that people like what they see others having. This is true in the East, the West, and everywhere else -- they like their neighbors car, house, land, goat, wife, whatever. We all covet what we don't have.

With the internet and satellite TV, people in lesser developed areas who have never been exposed to economically strong cultures are now seeing what's out there.

And human nature being what it is......

[glaeken]

Well no one has every said you were guaranteed success -- what capitalism provides is an opportunity to succeed. In the US, the child of a dirt farmer does, in fact, have the opportunity to raise themselves up to a higher standard of living -- it's not easy, but he/she can succeed. In China, the child of a dirt farmer has one option -- to become a dirt farmer.

And you're right, it does fit with human nature -- which is why it can't be stopped once the seed is planted.

I am not so sure of the Chinese dirt farmers route to success. I am sure many of those with power had humble back grounds. Who is to say what they can achieve given the drive? I think the idea that you can only be successful and improve yourself outside of a communist system is just a myth.

Just where exactly did this new successful middle class come from exactly? Surely they must have improved their lot and so raised themselves from somewhere?

I am not a communist you understand I just don't like seeing capitalism held in too high esteem as it has many flaws for the majority that live under it.

[Dragonfire43560]

i believe it will happen. And Jerusalem, more specifically the Palestinian/Israeli conflict is going to be the center of it all. Not neccessarily the USA. Most arab countries are fond of the US cultrue. I know the Palestinians like them. Egyptions like them, and Lebenese like them. I think they will attack Israel sometime in the future. Especially if they dont give the West Bank to the Palestinians. Face it, tensions are rising over there and if Palestinians dont get their own country, there will be problems.

[JoeHova]

Ohhh A political post!

Well times are changing I think we're all seeing that. The potential of a real MEC yeah i can see that.
China up and coming? Yeah that's for sure.

I think that my generation will see the fall of the United States as the dominating force of the world. I believe that overall wealth in the US is greatly decreasing and will continue to do so; our standard of living will continue to fall.

We're in a global economy now it's much easier for corporations based in the US to hire work outside with cheaper wages. Eventually, in order to Americans to compete for these jobs they're going to have to work for less. Thus, driving down overall wages.

Combine that with the rising oil prices. Oil prices effect everything. If the manufacturer's bottom line rises so does the cost to consumers. You'll begin to see prices jump by the end of the year. The average 4% raise/person won't cover the rising cost of living.

[notbob]

If the Shiites in Iraq do get control there will be a stronger Iranian/Iraqi ties.
Who knows maybe that will become a little MEC like alliance.

The whole BF2 game is based on people fighting for oil. The scary thing is countries like India and China are comsuming more and more oil. World demand is higher than output and it will probably get worse. It's not like people go to war over oil, right?

[big_sammy_b]

i believe it will happen. And Jerusalem, more specifically the Palestinian/Israeli conflict is going to be the center of it all. Not neccessarily the USA. Most arab countries are fond of the US cultrue. I know the Palestinians like them. Egyptions like them, and Lebenese like them. I think they will attack Israel sometime in the future. Especially if they dont give the West Bank to the Palestinians. Face it, tensions are rising over there and if Palestinians dont get their own country, there will be problems.

I agree 100% in fact i'd say Israel is the route cause of all the problems America is having today with terrorism. The reason being is the rest of the U.N want sanctions put on Israel to sort the problem out and the americans keep vetoing them i think its up to about 20 or so sanctions now. And so it makes America look VERY bad.

[G3_PT]

Next .... think Iran

[Dragonfire43560]

America should just stay out of the whole Palestinian/Israeli conflict and should stop LENDING SUPPORT TO ISRAEl. Its only making arabs madder. Seriously, if Israel would stop being such a hog and give Palestine the country it deserves, the arabs would be cool with the westerners. Thankfully, thats becomming the case, as Israel just moved out of Gaza. IMO , Palestinians should get East Jerusalem, while the West goes to the Israelis.

[shadow_wolf]

who knows in the near future there will be some sort of of MEC army. what actually bothers me more is the fact that China isn't that poor anymore. their economie is growing everyday and with an rate like this they're gonna be a bigger threat then some MEC army (no offence it COULD be possible that such an amry will rise and will be a threat).

yes it is growing everyday...and it is worried that if they keep growing at this rate the economic bubble could pop. That would be a problem. So basically their economy is growing too fast.

[shortbus408]

I'm sorry, but that made no sense.

As far as I can tell from your post, you believe everything you hear from the media.

what media? its common sense. Trust me Iran is next on the list.

[Kleinzeit]

Pfft. The whole MEC army idea is ludicrous. Noone in that area would be so foolish as to field an army vs the US, when irregular warfare is so much more effective. Iran would quickly make the Persian Gulf untenable for shipping, and the US would have Buckley's chance of doing anything but bombing. They couldn't successfully occupy territory,especially overstretched as they are.

The day the US try and go to war vs China is the day hell froze over. Noone else would be so obliging as to buy US debt and keep their economy afloat. It's amusing that the US effectively borrows Chinese money to send weapons to Taiwan to threaten China. I expect that after a few more years this house of cards will fall.

The game is a fantasy, because it pits US soldiers in a stand up fight vs an evenly matched enemy of similar force/tech makeup and puts them all in uniform, and doesn't involve bombing civilians more than the enemy. (The TK levels might be a nod to the way Yanks do things, though). The US hasn't had a war like this since WW2, and is unlikely to have one again.

[shadow_wolf]

what media? its common sense. Trust me Iran is next on the list.

common sense nothing. People here are already sick of Iraq. If we go to war with Iran next there will be major open protest. Theres no reason to go to Iran.

[Ubermensch]

YAY! A POLITICAL THREAD!

let the retard information, and idiotic opinions begin!

[Ion]

I'm still trying to figure out the originating paragraph....