What our American Intentions

So well taken, Ron. The American empire is, by no means, like the once ubiquitous British Empire. Some individuals who visit foreign countries may have occasionally been obnoxious (Ugly Americans), but most of those visited have found our country to be helpful in times of trouble. I can't remember any or many other countries coming this way with help, can you?

Thanks!

Sam


----- Original Message -----
From: R A Sarbach


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Subject: You could have heard a pin drop!






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You could have heard a pin drop

When in England, at a fairly 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.'

You could have heard a pin drop.

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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?'

You could have heard a pin drop.

```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````

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,

whereas 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

it's because the Brits, Canadians, Aussies

and Americans arranged it so you

wouldn't have to speak German.'



You could have heard a pin drop.

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AND THIS STORY FITS RIGHT IN WITH THE

ABOVE...



Robert Whiting, an elderly gentleman of 83,

arrived in Paris by plane. At French

Customs, he took a few minutes to locate

his passport in his carry on. 'You have

been to France before, monsieur?' the

customs officer asked sarcastically.

Mr. Whiting admitted that he had been to

France previously. Then you should

know enough to have your passport ready.'

The American said, ''The last time I was

here, I didn't have to show it. 'Impossible.

Americans always have to show your

passports on arrival in France!' The American

senior gave the Frenchman a long hard

look. Then he quietly explained, ''Well,

when I came ashore at Omaha Beach on D-Day

in 1944 to help liberate this country,

I couldn't find a single Frenchmen to show

a passport to.'



You could have heard a pin drop.



If you are proud, pass this on!