Considering your blog entries are on Planet PHP, I don't think you should be posting your political opinions on there. I visit Planet PHP for PHP news, not to listen to someone's opinion on my President.

I do agree that the US acts like an alcoholic stepfather to the rest of the world and it makes me very angry at my country.

I am amused, however, about your closing remark "...we don't want you and your ideas here!"

It would seem that you share a common bond with the very same rightwingers that you rant against. That is, hatred and intolerance.

CK - grow up. Maybe I publish these comments on a "Don't mention Planet PHP" blog... so don't mention them.

OK, that made no sense. I am "grown up". I stay away from left-wing blogs because I have no use for this kind of tripe.

Your blog entry will enlarge the circle of your friends but also the cricle of your enemies. Especially some gurus from the php communtity circle. Dont make the mistake to ask them about there political opinion. It would be the last time you ever talk to them, not even about php.

You mention Bush is going the visit a large American cemetary in Holland. I find it disturbing that you don't seem to make the mental connection to the fact these people died to save Europe from a regime with rules somewhat more draconian than the Patriot Act. I thought Europeans are supposed to have a sense of history?

(My IP will testify I'm not American, BTW)

While I understand why you don't like Bush and even agree with some points I can't understand the scale of this critique - come on guys, Bush is not the biggest evil on Earth, USA is not a country of some regime, etc. And even if they did some things wrong (e.g. Patriot Act) I'm pretty sure USA still be democratic country (not 100% democratic - as this is impossible). World today have some bigger issues than who is and who is not American president, how much Bush's visit cost "poor" Netherlands and even war in Iraq. If you are so concerned about Democracy look at the east - look on Belarus, on Russia. Why you don't criticize Putin? Why you don't criticize China, North Korea, Cuba - the countries where torture, human rights violations and the death penalty are done on MUCH bigger scale than in USA?

@BugTomek: Because those countries do not insist on pushing their way of "democracy" onto other countries.

@ny: It was mostly Brits and Canadians that fought the war in the Netherlands. I'm not saying that it's a bad idea that he wants to visit it - not at all. But the arrogance with which he is arriving makes me sick.

@at: Make your hollow treats somewhere else please.

Derrick, I must say I'm truly confused... I respect you as a smart person, yet you claim that China/Russia/North Korea "do not insist on pushing their way of "democracy" onto other countries"... Are you for real? Taiwan? South Korea? Chechnya, perhaps? And do you truly claim that US rule is even comparable to any of these countries'? In North Korea there's no Patriot Act. Yet they are gassing people in death camps now, just like Nazis did in your homeland 60 years ago (and not without local support, mind you).

It's been 60 years to the end of WWII this week, and apparently Europe have not learned much.

@ny: China, Russia and North Korea (all very different governmental systems btw) are not democratic so they can't even push it and no, they are not comparable to the US. What I was refering to was the invasion of Iraq to put in a new democratic "puppet" regime. I've never seen any valid reason for invading Iraq yet, the whole WMD thing was a clever lie to get (a part) of the American people behind the war. (Yes, Saddam was a cruel man but that does not mean you can simply invade the country). I don't say why you mention why Europe did not learn from WWII, we definitely do - otherwise we would not be going for a European Constitution obviously.

Derrick, First of all, US != Bush. Anyways, when I said Europe had not learnt much from WWII, I meant mostly the pre-war events. Europe's 1st instinct was to give in to Hitler, sacrificing Czechoslovakia for "peace in our time". (I'll leave contemporary comparisons as exercise to the reader). With all due respect to Brits & Canadians "freeing" the Netherlands (whether the Dutch really want to be freed is still debated), it would be under Nazi regime today without US. For this alone, I think it's absurd to complain about Bush's visit costs.

I think the ironic bit is that people who share your opinion are precisely the reason such heavy security is necessary.

Furthermore, you can deny an Al Qaeda/Iraq link? Just who do you think Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is? And just who are these insurgents working for?

Very sad indeed.

The U.S. is the biggest evil in the world and Bush is its leader. The U.S. galavants around the world enforcing it's particular political idealisms on other countries; it is the only superpower and the largest dictator. It has f**ked up more countries than most of it's citizens can name. Most of its citizens do not realize what they are doing, and give their uneducated support to it's leader, Nazi style.

Discuss.

Wow... who let the psychotic conspiracy theorist in here?

What conspiracy are you talking about?

You apparently have the opinion that the US is comprised of mindless redneck citizens with no thoughts of their own, and an evil dictator as President hell-bent on screwing up the entire world just so he can laugh (the conspiracy). All the while this evil madman who wants to rule the world is a complete idiot as well. It doesn't make much sense, I don't think.

Actually CK is an excellent example to our friends overseas of the problem we are facing in the US. Just carefully read the description of what he/her believes that those who criticize the US think. Note that there is no conception that there could be any rational opposing thoughts. Only these cartoonish ideas like "evil madman" and "just so he can laugh." If it wasn't so scary it would be hilarious.

The "you can deny an Al Qaeda/Iraq link?" part shows the how CK is trying to create a reality that can support any belief she/he has. Don't you really mean the "Al Qaeda/U.S. link?" Al Qaeda wasn't in Iraq until the U.S. invaded. Al Qaeda was funded by the U.S. in Afganistan to oppose the Russians. Al Qaeda has been very consistent in their opposition to non-Arabs forces in Afganistan, Saudi Arabia, etc. and now Iraq. I dislike Al Qaeda, but I am pretty clear on their goals.

If you invent your truths and brand any who disagrees as "psychotic conspiracy" theorists, then you can easily disregard any criticism of your own country. These are essential ingredients for nationalists.

CK shows that the only news channel he watches is Fox News (80% of Fox News channel viewers have a major misconception about the Iraq war).

#1 Al-Qaeda had a link to Saddam Hussein.

The truth is that Al-Qaeda began flooding into Iraq after the United States invaded. So much for making it a safer place.

We're in Iraq rather than Northern Pakistan hunting Al Qaeda because there is a crapload of money for US contractors. France and Germany opposed the war so strongly because they stood to lose a crapload of money when Saddam's regime fell, not because a large percentage of their population opposed the war. None of the "coalition of the willing" leaders were thrown out of office even with tremendous popular anti-war sentiment, and they knew it would be that way. It's not rocket science, folks.

The astute observer would note that Derick is not alone in his sentiment. How did we come from extreme world support on 9/12/2001 to this? I'll bet there's a "W" in the answer. It matters only because larger wars start with unresolved, small grievances that fester and multiply. Oh well, I voted for the other guy :).

What else is one supposed to think about someone who uses words and phrases like "biggest evil", "galavants", and "uneducated support to it's leader, Nazi style"? I'm not jumping from "disagrees with me" to "must be a psycho". His own exaggerations speak for themselves.

And FYI, I've watched about 3 hours of FOX News in my entire life. I formed my opinions on my own supported by my own research in public government documents and discussions with both conservatives and liberals.

If the actions in Iraq were so horrid, why did Al Qaeda have to "stream" in there? If the Iraqis were so opposed to it, then why aren't THEY fighting back?

"If the actions in Iraq were so horrid, why did Al Qaeda have to "stream" in there?" Huh? Are you really unclear why Al Qaeda are in Iraq supporting insurgency against the U.S.? Supporters of Muslim fighters against non-Muslim forces is why they were formed and what they have been doing for the past twenty years. "If the Iraqis were so opposed to it, then why aren't THEY fighting back?" Huh again? They did oppose us and continue via insurgency. Perhaps you don't understand how to fight a superpower that spends half a trillion dollars conquerering you, but they certainly do. The daily death toll continues.

Right...aren't babies being "euthanised" in NL? It's only apropos that the NL licks the US's "ass". WTF else is the NL good for?

I think you are right about the National League. They are a bunch of "ass" licking baby euthanisers. If it wasn't for the Marlins getting lucky a couple of times they would have shut the NL down long ago. ;)

my dream has been always to visit your country, and boy oh boy i will be visiting there next year, 2007!! i agree with what you said.... maybe the united states should stop pushing their nose into other countries affairs and start taking care of their own... don't you think... can't wait to visit your country... oh how i would love to live there.... and now i suppose i will get alot of hate mail for that one... take care... peace