[matilda] Re: Rumsfeld declares US pull-out

[mark cohen]

atw wrote:
>The US never withdraws from anywhere.

They withdrew from Mexico in 1848 because they figured out better ways of 
controlling it but kept a chunk of it any way

They withdrew from the nacent Soviet Union in 1919 because they lost sight 
of thier aims and at the time after WW1 were fairly isolationist and so let 
Churchill take over the debacle of the War of Intervention.

They withdrew from Nicaragua in 1933 (having been in occupation since 1912) 
after a guerilla war and revolt forced them out, but not before arming the 
Guardia Nacional to do their dirty work for them.

They withdrew from the Phillipines in 1942 because the Japanese kicked them 
out but then returned only to withdraw again leaving that lovely Ferdinand 
Marcos to rule in their place.

They withdrew from Cuba in a drawn out process during which their troops 
that arrived in 1898 were replaced by a variety of local bully boys who were 
eventually removed in 1959. Again they kept some parts of the island, which 
they now use for torturing kidnap victims.

They withdrew from Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos in the 70s because they had 
their arses kicked.

They withdrew from Iraq in 1991 but clearly decided they hadn't made enough 
of a mess so went back in 2003.

Sadly as previously pointed out they have not withdrawn from UK, Germany or 
other western European outposts even though most of the local governments 
seem quite happy to do their bidding. The exception being France who stopped 
playing the game, under De Gaul, didn't tow the line on Iraq and lost the 
naming rights on thin bits of spud as a result!

_________________________________________________________________
Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today it's FREE! 
http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/