RE: UN Ship Nomenclature

At 10:13 10/08/98 -0500, you wrote:
>You wrote: 
>
>>Hmm. Might just be that the major power made an unpopular decision 
>>(like not sending grain from Terra, or who knows what) and the locals 
>>decided to capture their embassy in response - so they could be good 
>>troops too. Then maybe the scenario is hold out for a few days 
>>against a few waves of attacks until Ortillery or Jump Troops from 
>>home come in to save the day and either re-align local power 
>>structures or evac the mission.
>
>Not likely.  Organized and recognized governments almost NEVER violate 
>the sanctity of an embassy.  Even Hitler and the Japanese left embassys

>and diplomats alone.  That is not a protest action, that is a 
>declaration of total war, and a violation of international laws that 
>cannot be ignored.  Only a pariah state would even consider that, and 
>even then I can only think of one occasion when embassys were violated 
>by an organized government--and Saddamn Hussein is so fraggin' stupid 
>it's a minor miracle he hasn't blown his own head off yet. (Duh!  I'll 
>piss off the Americans and then let them spend 9 months organizing a 
>response!  My only friends are the French, so I'll insult them on 
>French TV and attack their embassy too!).  Especially in a fairly 
>bi-polar universe (French&Chinese vs. English&Germans), there would be 
>strong pressure not to cross certain lines.
> 
>John M. Atkinson
>

I know this is once again dangerous territory but I don't remember the
French supporting Hussein.  Certainly they seemed to be on the wrong
side
in Rwanda (had supported the Hutu government for years).  Most of the
Western world supported Saddam for years against the Iranians. I don't
think anyone who could lose a war, cause crippling economic sanctions
which
have killed hordes more people than the war itself, and yet still remain
a
hero to a large proportion of the population could be called stupid
though.
 Insane but cunning.

I doubt anything other than a terrorist group would hit at an embassy
though.  It is the main route of diplomacy between nations.  Why cut
that
off completely unless you're so confident of victory you don't need to
talk
to your opponents.
--------------------
Niall Gilsenan,
DIT Cathal Brugha St,
Dublin 1,
Ireland.

ngilsena@indigo.ie
--------------------
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