pipsil

BTilke, Not only do I appreciate the information you so readily supply I always feel I can rely on its reliability. Thanks.

pipsil

Rely on its reliability? Oh no! I must have been into the bottle a bit too much. Contrary to all appearances I am really not an illiterate.

elle

"Horni Benesov"???

He sat behind me in junior high.

Clifton

LOL Gardyloo. You know, I was about to speculate something or another about what Crawford was close to, when I looked at a map and found it inconveniently located very near Clifton, TX. Beyond disturbing...

Borealis

<The displaced Sudeten German's have already earmarked the opportuinity to get their greviences back on the international political agenda. . .>

So just who started WWII in a fit of expansionist policy and slaughtered millions of innocent people, got millions of dolllars of aid from the US (Marshall Plan) after it was over - and THEY have a grievance??????

Clifton

Borealis, the Sudeten Germans (decendents of German emigrants of the 1400's) are an ethnic minority in what is mostly within the Czech Republic. While they have had conflicts with the Czechs since well before WWII, they were hardly in the position to have expansionist policies. Could you be thinking of Germans that were living in Germany during that period?

Clifton

Well, reading my own post, I suppose they did have a mindset to incorportate their lands into Germany, so that would be expansionist. But I will still say that this group wasn't part of Germany proper at the time of WWII and that the grievance, whatever it's merits, predates the war.

BTilke

Dr. D., as far as the AUSTRIANS are concerned, *at the time* when Kerry's grandparents lived there, they were in AUSTRIA and, according to another web site, held Austrian citizenship, which makes them Austrian. They can be something else as well, of course, considering themselves dual nationals. What the town is now or whether their heritage was from another country (i.e. Germany) is irrelevant to their view.

Dr_DoGood

BTilke:
(please take this in the matter of a friendly discussion, I'm not trying to start an arguement in any way)
Isn't that like saying that anyone born in Dublin prior to the formation of the Irish Free State was in fact British because Ireland was a part of Great Britain and all citizens were British citizens.
Quite clearly that's ludicrous!(IMO)

Borealis: The Sudeten Germans, whilst part of Czechoslovakia were certainly agitating for incorporation into Germany proper, and Hitler took this as an opportunity to annex the Sudetenland (whilst Britain, France and the USA wrung their hannds). At the end of the war the Czech summarily kicked out all the Sudeten Germans and seized all their properties and assets.
I make no judgement to wrongs and rights of this act merely state that this in unfinished business in the eyes of some Germans and Czechs and has long been a continued source of friction between the two nations. I believe I'm correct in saying that the German government officially (though not participatorily [is that a word?]) backs the Sudeten Germans in their claims for compensation against the Czech state, companies and individuals, whilst naturally enough, the Czech government refuses to countenance anysuch thing and presses it's own claims for reparations and compensation for terrors inflicted upon the nation during the Nazi occupation of their country.

Dr D.

BTilke

I guess I'll go on being ludicrous in your opinion, but apparently many others are just as ludicrous (perhaps we're just plain ignorant IYO), as numerous sites have noted Kerry as having Austrian and German heritage. I'm curious why you continue to dismiss out of hand the idea that his ancestors could be considered both Austrian AND German, that is German for their ethnic background and Austrian because they were a) born in Austria (at the time) b)lived in Austria and c) held Austrian identity papers. My father in law was born in East Prussia, which is now Poland. I suggest you NOT try telling him he's Polish! He considers himself East Prussian, because when he was born, that part of Poland was East Prussia. What the area was before or after he lived there is irrelevant to him, as is the fact that his family came from the Baden-Baden area of Germany. Guess he is ludicrous too.

LN

I've enjoyed this thread immensely!!

If Bush does come to Ireland (and I still believe it to be if) it will entail much more security and entourage than Clinton had with him. Primarily because of the terrorist threats that are popping up everywhere. I would have tossed something else in here but somehow I'm still giggling so much over the thoughts of Dubya visiting County Kerry that I best keep my thoughts to myself.

Better yet - would you like to keep him?

Glyn_Williams

It was this week that Europe is to become more terrorism focused following the Madrid attacks last week. There has been increased security across London, including the Underground where plain officers have been patrolling the network looking for anything suspicious.

The whole of the UK is on high alert at the moment - the country has been told that any city could be targeted.

But, looking at it logically, the UK is an incrediably safe country and has been living with a terrorist threat for at least 30 years.

Be aware, but not afraid.

jody

<Primarily because of the terrorist threats that are popping up everywhere. >

Or it could be he hasn't paid ANY attention to the Irish problem and he certainly doesn't want to see any protests of any kind anywhere near him...we even have that problem in the US ..he only meets and greets supporters and donors..most especially donors. Maybe the Irish aren't into "Protest free zones" that are never shown on the news.

Big contrast from when Clinton visited and was warmly received and waded into the crowds, shaking hands are listening to the people!

cailin

Just heard that Bush is going to be staying at Dromoland when he arrives on the 25th of June

http://www.online.ie//news/viewer.adp?article=3100252

eurotravler

If Bush gets the credit for all the problems we have i.e the week dollar who gets credit for my stock porfolio which had an average value of $24.50/share in Jan 2001 and now is at $38.25 allowing me to take two trips to Europe this year?

SoBeTraveller

It's the GOP mantra, alright; compassion toward stockholders, and expanding job exports. Check colume W in November.

NEDSIRELAND

cailin writes: "Just heard that Bush is going to be staying at Dromoland when he arrives on the 25th of June"

That's according to the NY Post (not as reliable a news source as the NY Times, for example). I would have thought he would stay on the south side of the Shannon estuary, maybe Glin Castle, for the EU Summit which will take place in County Kerry.

Dromoland will present some logistical problems but I guess he will have Marine-1 (Helicopter) with him to cross over to Kerry (he most assuredly will not take the Killimer-Tarbert Ferry); and Dromoland Castle can be isolated for his Security Detail.

If he wants to play golf, he's close to Doonberg.

khepps

I hear Bush arrives June 25. Does anybody know when he leaves? We arrive in Shannon June 27th. Any word on disruptions? We had hoped to have lunch at Dromoland June 27

MaryZ

The latest I've read is that the summit is scheduled for June 25-27, with Bush arriving on the 25th. I haven't seen anything about the length of his stay in Ireland, though.

Neil_Oz

As a resident of Canberra, Australia's capital, I can tell you that I was wishing I was somewhere else when Dubya came to town. The Royal Progress consisted of about five 747-loads of aides, journos and assorted hangers-on; armed police prevented residents from using streets in their own city; Australians were not allowed to approach their own Parliament House; Australian Air Force FA-18s patrolled the skies for two days; and extraordinary steps were taken to shield the Royal Presence from the unseemly sight and sound of demonstrators protesting against the invasion of Iraq.

It didn't help that our own craven government was complicit in all this, to the extent that a Green Party senator who interjected during Bush's address to Parliament was ejected.

I expect the president of the United States to have adequate security, and none of us expected Bush's visit to be as relaxed as the Clintons'. But much of this nonsense was arranged purely to ensure that GWB was not affronted by evidence that not all Australians were greeting his presence with ecstasy.

Ireland, be prepared, if not alarmed.



I