"The free world must now prove itself worthy of its own past."
by:
Dwight D. Eisenhower
(1890-1969), 34th US President, WWII General
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 -- Michael, Sydney      
Projecting forward, where is the free world that it may prove its worthiness from its past? Where in the world is a representative republic that is a government of law (versus a government of men)? Where in the world are a free people not enslaved by compelled compliance, license, victimless crimes, or selected larceny with impunity? There was once such a land far, far away, in a time long forgotten. Such land was made up of sovereign individuals with a representative republic limited by a constitution but alas, no nation on earth has claim on any portion of 'the free world'. No nation with its current statist theocracy, tyranny, despotism, and/or organized criminal malfeasants can claim such a past (worthy or otherwise)
 -- Mike, Norwalk     
    		•  
    I agree with Mike...what past are we talking about here? It's a futuire of free people's we are trying to build, not a repeat of past tyranny's, despotism, failed democracies or socialism. In other words, evolving in a "forward" manner.
     -- J Carlton, Calgary     
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    Mike is not only a dreamer who is either a liar or more likely just totally ill informed. There never was such a land as he describes, I suggest not even in Camelot. As far as the free world every nation under that banner is now heavily in debt (Italy over 100% of GDP, Japan 170% of GDP, UK only 47% of GDP, Canada 62% of GDP). Strangely the non FREE world like China and Russia are like 0 and 6 % respectivley. The free world has proven itself worthy however in many respects, granting freedom and independence to the likes of Phillipines, Indonesia, India, Africa etc since WWII. Aid and technology etc to all the world etc, not to mention learning, capitalism, micro loan economics, and most of all DEMOCRACY especially in South America, Iraq, Israel, etcetera. Sometimes it is good to count our blessings and see the good that "We" have done. The US via its policies has kept the world from world war and kept the nations of Europe free from tyranny for 65 years and brought down the Berlin Wall. Mike never says anything interesting just repeats the same ole trite garbage, he is like that Manchurian man..
     -- Waffler, Smith     
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    I pledge to the flag of the united States of America, and to the REPUBLIC for which it stands....----Just so we don't forget Americas' form of government. There is no free world or country left on planet earth.
     -- Anon     
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    Good Point Waffler. And that said I guess it's just best if we all ignore the CIA installed "friendly dictatorships" who's citizens are now acting in a manner the same CIA describes as "Blowback". There is a book by the same name out...you should read it.
     -- J Carlton, Calgary     
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    How can the free world, and that's arguable, ever be worthy of its past
     -- RBESRQ     
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    Eisenhower could have expressed this much better. ___ Look at that Waffler, you have something in common with a US President. Consider your phrase "Aid and technology etc to all the world etc, not to mention learning, capitalism, micro loan economics, and most of all DEMOCRACY especially in South America, Iraq, Israel, etcetera". Despite its placement between an uppercase character and a period it is not a sentence, unless "learning" is its verb, which seems unlikely. Are you continuing the "granting" action denoted in the preceding collection of words? If so, "aid and technology etc to all the world etc" suggests we are granting aid, technology, and so forth to somewhere besides Earth. Also, certain South Americans, Iraqis, and Palestinians under Israeli domination might not agree with your definition of democracy, whatever that is. ___ You might reconsider before describing anyone as "ill informed". The debt figures you mention are inconsistent with the 2009 estimates posted at , which lists China at 18.20% of its GNP and Russia at 6.90%. No nation is listed as "like 0”, nor does the CIA's information suggest any clear correlation between the role of a country in the cold war and its current national debt. The “US via its policies” has not “kept the world from world war”, at least according to a statement made by G.W. Bush on CNBC, as reported at . Nor can the European regions once occupied by the former Warsaw Pact nations and Soviet Union, including the Baltic Republics, be considered remotely "free from tyranny for 65 years". ___ At least your closing avoids triteness, as you are unclear as to which Manchurian man you refer.
     -- A.WOODS, Gloucester     
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    The links disappeared. Second attempt: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2186rank.html & http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200605/s1632213.htm
     -- A.WOODS, Gloucester     
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    A WOODS, lol, thanks, good stuff
     -- Mike, Norwalk     
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    Yeah the granting action is what I meant Mr. Woods. I was simply gushing with a stream of consciousness. The 65 years of "freedom" to which I was referring was the cold war and the NATO action. The Warsaw Pact countries started towards freedom and democracy after the fall of the war. The success of much or many of the worlds countries financially and politically since WWII is often attributed to the policies and practices of the USA, I believe. From the management of post war Japan and Germany, the Cold War competition with the dictatorial communist regimes and the opening with the Chineese. The term "free" world may not be an absolutely correct construction but it was meant to define those nations who practiced DEMOCRACY as opposed to those nations that had some other kind of Republic like the Soviet Union. Democracy seemingly defeated those Republics and is still making some head way. I always thought I could have been President. I only know of one Manchurian.
     -- Waffler, Smith     
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    So Waffler, you do admit that we have a REPUBLIC though it may be called a democratic republic with this remark of yours -----"The term "free" world may not be an absolutely correct construction but it was meant to define those nations who practiced DEMOCRACY as opposed to those nations that had some other kind of Republic..." -----If taken literally as I'm sure you meant it to be taken, you admit that we have a republic first and its democratic function is the type of republic it is. Are you trying to have it both ways and when it suits you call our republic a democracy and when it suits you again it is a democratic type of republic. You are truly a hypocrite.
     -- Anon     
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    You're welcome, Mike. It's a dirty job, but what the hell. ___ Waffler, by "the nations of Europe" I thought you meant the nations on the European continent. What you mean by "the NATO action", "the fall of the war" is less clear.Still, "cold war" covers the same 65 year period you mentioned earlier during which much of Europe was not free. I like to think that Chineese is a typo, although it sits in another collection of words rather than a sentence.
     -- A.WOODS, Gloucester     
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    Weren't Americans surprised when after the Cold War the US increased its interference and control in other countries just like imperialist Britain, the USSR and China. From the perspective outside of the US, it is not hard to understand how citizens of other nations see the US as the new evil empire. I fear that we have confused power with liberty...
     -- E Archer, NYC     
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