Yes, we're an imperfect country...and some of the media delights in that,
pointing it out to us repeatedly. But here's a pleasant read about America
and our unselfish motives around the world. Enjoy.
When in England at a large conference, Colin Powell was asked
by the Archbishop of Canterbury if our plans for Iraq were just
an example of empire building' by George Bush.
He answered by saying, 'Over the years, the United States has
sent many of its fine young men and women into great peril to
fight for freedom beyond our borders. The only amount of land
we have ever asked for in return is enough to bury those that
did not return.'
It became very quiet in the room.
**************
Then there was a conference in France where a number of
international engineers were taking part, including French and
American. During a break one of the French engineers came back
into the room saying 'Have you heard the latest dumb stunt Bush
has done? He has sent an aircraft carrier to Indonesia to help
the tsunami victims. What does he intended to do, bomb them?'
A Boeing engineer stood up and replied quietly: 'Our carriers
have three hospitals on board that can treat several hundred
people; they are nuclear powered and can supply emergency
electrical power to shore facilities; they have three
cafeterias with the capacity to feed 3,000 people three meals a
day, they can produce several thousand gallons of fresh water
from sea water each day, and they carry half a dozen
helicopters for use in transporting victims and injured to and
from their flight deck.. We have eleven such ships; how many
does France have?'
Once again, dead silence.
*****************
A U.S. Navy Admiral was attending a naval conference that
included Admirals from the U.S., English, Canadian, Australian
and French Navies. At a cocktail reception, he found himself
standing with a large group of Officers that included personnel
from most of those countries. Everyone was chatting away in
English as they sipped their drinks but a French admiral
suddenly complained that, 'wherea s Europeans learn many
languages, Americans learn only English.' He then asked, 'Why
is it that we always have to speak English in these conferences
rather than speaking French?'
Without hesitating, the American Admiral replied 'Maybe its
because the Brits, Canadians, Aussies and Americans arranged it
so you wouldn't have to speak German.'
You could have heard a pin drop.
