NORWAY: World's most peaceful nation?
@redyellowblackdog (10629)
United States
May 31, 2007 7:20am CST
Would you believe a Peace Index has been formulated and 121 countries of the world ranked as to where they fall on it?
Norway came out as most peaceful. Iraq was ranked as least peaceful. The USA was 96th. Israel was near the bottom.
Also, in the top 5 were New Zeeland and Japan.
I mentioned the countries I did because each represents a special circumstance indicating the index needs modification. Let's consider them one at a time.
Norway, is a fine peace loving country. What is this getting them? Currently there is in Norway an absolute scandal as to the epidemic of rape being committed against the largely white population by Islamic immigrants. It very much seems that there are people in the world who feel that if you are a peaceful reasonable person you are "soft" or an "easy target". Don't take my word for the Norway rape epidemic. Google "norway, rape, islam". Is this what being peaceful gets you?
Japan and New Zeeland are both fine industrialized civilized nations. Who are both free loading on othrs for their national defense. Both live under someone else's nuclear umbrella while denouncing as war mongers their protectors. The hypocrisy of these 2 is beyond words to express.
Israel is listed as very unpeaceful. Gee, you do not suppose being surrounded by irrational, anti semite, genocidal nations dedicated to your death and destruction might have something to do with Israel being less than the most peaceful nation?
The USA has provided the leadership to stop the world's most dangerous despots for over a century. Of course, we are not the world's most peaceful nation, but we have done more than any other so that others may live in peace. When people like Saddam do not invade neighbors like Kuwait, or people like Osama fly airplanes into our buildings, then we'll be peaceful, too.
Here's the url for more info:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/6704767.stm
What do you say? Does this peace index need modification and improvement?
4 people like this
7 responses
@oldiebut (859)
• Canada
31 May 07
I am trying to think of a few of the despots that the US has supposedly been leading the fight against for a century. I am all the way up to 1. Care to actually list these despots? I can provide an exceptionally long list of despots they have propped up over the last century.
2 people like this
@redyellowblackdog (10629)
• United States
31 May 07
1) Saddam
2) Hitler
3) Successive Soviet Leaders
4) Mao
5) Pol Pot
6) Ho Chi Minh
These come to mind immediately. As to the USA supporting other dictators, you are right. There have been instances of the USA supporting some less than freedom loving leaders world wide.
Have you ever thought about why?
It is the case that there have been instances where choices had to be made between the lesser of two evils. Sometimes it is easy to make a mistake in such an instance.
Great question. I appreciate it.
2 people like this
@redyellowblackdog (10629)
• United States
31 May 07
I have listed specific dictators the USA opposed. This gave you excellant opportunity to be critical, as is fair.
Please, list the ones you say we supported so I can return the favor.
1 person likes this
@oldiebut (859)
• Canada
31 May 07
So, in your view, a different political outlook constitutes a despot? Odd that the popularity of these men was established by resisting the US demands on the area. As an example, who held China's security council seat until 1970 (little hint, it wasn't China), why? Minh was initially an ally of the west, why did that change? yet you expect them to be friendly to the US? And Pol Pot? The US was instrumental in supporting his guerilla campaign.
As for Hitler, you must have a completely different definition of leadership. Entering a war 2 and a half years after it started, and only then because Hitler declared war, is scarcely leadership.
I did enjoy the qualification for the US supporting despots. Apparently it is ok, if it is your despot. That doesn't square with historical reality of course. The best example is Iran, exactly what despot did they depose to restore the Shah (hint: there was no despot)? How about Marcos, or the Chilean dictatrship? What of the US support for South Africa's apartheid governments well into the 1980s? In most cases it is the US pathological fear of communism that created their despots, democracy was too fickle for Americans to trust elsewhere.
Of course, the article gives reasons for the US low ranking that has nothing to do with external factors and most pre-date any trouble with Islam. But they are the popular villain these days, taking the Soviet Union's place in the propaganda mills.
A final note about nuclear proliferation. You ridicule two nations affected by it. The very basic truth is that the cold war and MAD were created by two countries and the rest of the world dragged into their ideological war. It is unlikely that a missile was ever aimed at New Zealand. Targeted areas in Japan would have been the US military bases. These couuntries did not receive protection directly. The theory of MAD affected the entire world equally, regardless of size.
2 people like this
@friendship (2084)
• Canada
1 Jun 07
I prefer to have an index showing what the most helpful nation toward other countries. Please don't get me wrong here. I don't mean an index that shows about interfering with other countries' internal business but I am saying about a rating related to their willingness when other countries needs help.
This index is meaningless if peace is only meant about not having war. I believe every country has their own internal problems that may not create a peace situation but currently, it won't escalate into the world stage.
@redyellowblackdog (10629)
• United States
1 Jun 07
"I prefer to have an index showing what the most helpful nation toward other countries."
Now, that's what I call constructive criticism! Excellent idea!
1 person likes this
@redyellowblackdog (10629)
• United States
3 Jun 07
"An index showing which countries are most helpful towards those that need aid is also available."
Thank you for the link putting things into perspective!
1 person likes this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
1 Jun 07
And the United States of America would probably be #1... on both indexes.
1 person likes this
@estherlou (5015)
• United States
4 Jun 07
Loved this posting. Loved the info. You find the most interesting things to share! Thanks. You made some really great points. Norway could teach the world a thing or two about dangers of immigration! Israel as unpeaceful? You made me laugh! Anyone with their backs against a wall is going to get aggressive! And the good old USA? Man...it is getting tiresome being put down, isn't it? I just wish people could see the good in our motives. It would be interesting to see who exactly wrote this Peace Index and whether you could call them unbiased or not.
1 person likes this
@redyellowblackdog (10629)
• United States
4 Jun 07
The article mentioned who came up with the Peace Index but I surely do not remember who it was. I do believe his intentions were good and in a certain sense it is accurate. A naive sense.
What it leaves out is that to stand up against evil in the world certainly lowers one's Peace Index.
Suppose the Norwegians had not been so peaceful or tolerant, or understanding, or good hearted, would they not have been less than number #1 on the Peace Index? But would they have perhaps been better off?
It is not a question with any obvious or easy answer.
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
31 May 07
I hope the "peaceful" nations appreciate the peace they enjoy because others are willing to fight for it.
1 person likes this
@redyellowblackdog (10629)
• United States
31 May 07
There is an old saying that, "Pacifists are the parasites of freedom." It applies here.
I think you will find that some of the peaceful nations would deny even that we actually are helping them out. Eventually, they will learn better, but it might take decades.
1 person likes this
@Debs_place (10520)
• United States
31 May 07
I'd like to have seen the whole list - for example where does North Korea come in on this ranking system.
I understand your point entirely, we are the world's police, what would the world be like if someone did not do this.
Let's think back a few years - Desert storm - Does anyone remember those images - the people in Israel taping up their windows and doors to keep out poisonous gases?
We all know that numbers lie and anyone can make them say whatever they want!
1 person likes this
@redyellowblackdog (10629)
• United States
31 May 07
The thing with numbers is that they can lead as you say to unending discussions without conclusion. It does get monotonous.
1 person likes this
@oldiebut (859)
• Canada
31 May 07
This is a little like Britain's old claim that it used to "police" the oceans during its heydey. It was about as truthful as the thought that the US "polices" the world today. For the last 60 odd years it has been the US peacekeepers that did the bulk of that work.
@Inky261 (2520)
• Germany
31 May 07
I see this index is by the BBC and I find it to be ok.
I am from Europe and I have different political view than you do. I see my country on rank twelve.
I am very glad we do have peace in Europe. Now if we can have peace in the world nobody needs to go home in a box.
2 people like this
@redyellowblackdog (10629)
• United States
31 May 07
Certainly, we agree that peace is preferable to war.
What happened in Kuwait shows us that if you are peaceful and prosperous with almost no military and live next door to a despot dictator, the result is not peace.
Throughout history there has been only one solution to the situation just mentioned. That is to maintain an efficient military ready to go. Then your neighbors will not attack. Otherwise, you will have war. It has always been so. There is no sign this has changed.
Like you, I'd like for the world to not be the way it is, but we must live the world as it is, not as we wish it were.
2 people like this
@Destiny007 (5805)
• United States
31 May 07
There is a problem with the rating since they said that crime is a factor.
Maybe the guy who came up with this system does not consider rape to be a crime.
The article also says that some data was unavailable so that would further skew the numbers.
When a country has to respond to violence, such as Israel and the US, then how the country is viewed in terms of peace is bound to tale a hit.
I think that as a country, we would like peace to be a reality, however that is not possible if we are to protect ourselves, and the same holds true for Israel.
I would say that the peace index needs some more work.
1 person likes this
