Amigos,
Well, America is going to war! Remember, if you see any suspicious towel heads about the building to call security immediately. ha ha
Seriously though, all the world is against the war without the backing of the UN security council. Then on Japanese T.V. they showed some Americans being interviewed on the street saying they were all for it. As I’m sure you know, Americans aren’t always seeing in good light around the world and Bush just made it a hell of a lot worse. I know Bushy keeps talking about WMD but they never presented the proof. From what I’ve read, the proof was: one taped telephone call about one modified vehicle, one drone plane, and a few missiles that flew a little farther then they were supposed to. If they would have showed a few Nukes, I would be convinced, but from here I can only guess that Bush wants either oil, or to implement Democracy in a backward part of the world (Arab lands) while the ball is still rolling (Afganistan). I don’t think anyone can guess what the consequences will be. Hopefully the war goes well and is quick, the French help out, and democracy is established without too much chaos and the West is united again. If not, I fear that it is going to seriously damage America’s image in the world. After all it is the first time we have attacked first (disregarding Latin America) and the first time a state has told the head of another state to leave his own country.
As I’m sure we all know a large part of our countrymen are idiots. I have the feeling if Pres. Bush told them that China was breeding Green Dragons to take over the world and that we had to attack to stop the Dragons he could garner at least 50% of support. I also have the feeling that the people interviewed who supported the war on the T.V. don’t know where Iraq is and think that the Middle East is somewhere in the Northwest next to Canada.
Don’t get me started about Freedom Fries, and toast. And to think that the Rep. is from Ohio just makes me want to cry. You said Liberty Fries.. did they change the name again?
Ok, enough of my rambling. Let’s talk about Japan. There have only been modest protest here in Japan and I saw one on the street yesterday. Oops that’s talking about war again. About Hiroshima and Nagasaki. I think that if you are going to come all the way to Japan you should definitely go to one of them. My advice is this. You take the bullet train from Tokyo to Kyoto (the old capital of Japan). There you can see “old” Japan and the many many temples and Shrines. Spend a day or two there since Kyoto is the most important city for tourists. It takes maybe 4-5 hours to get there on the bullet train. Then it will take another 3-4 hours from there to Hiroshima (your heading South the whole time). You can see Hiroshima in one day since the main site is the bombed out “Peace Dome” which is a building blown out by the A-bomb. There is also a museum near there and some various monuments of importance. You will also be interviewed by Junior High School girls who hang out there to interview foreigners for their class projects. They will ask you what you think about peace,……….so um,, maybe you should tell them you are from New Zealand. I’m not sure if I will go or not yet because I have already been to both places. But you two should definitely go there because damn, you’re coming a long way.
About the Foreign Service exam, I thought I’d take it just for the hell of it. It’s offered only once this year and it’s can’t hurt to take it. I really don’t want a position now though since I’ll be studying Japanese for another year and a half. But I want to keep my options open and it’s a good idea to see what the foreign service is about. However, the events of recent have made me not want to work for the American Gov’t at this time.
Alright guys, I’m off. Let me know if you need any info about Japan. I seriously recommend getting to Kyoto and Hiroshima regardless if I go or not. Everyone speaks English around here and all (most of) the signs are in English.
Laters,
Mateo
