@ gemby! - To summarise:
I accused US leaders of having no
integrity or
dignity. My 'crime' is that I didn't make the "leaders" bit clear in my first post. I did it intentionally, because I knew it would make Busy bite. Sure enough, he did.
Busy says my original words (yep, all 2 of 'em, they're in bold up there in the first paragraph) were aimed at
all Americans. No matter how many times I've explained the leadership bit to him, he stubbornly refuses to accept clarification, saying the addition of the word "leadership" is just a "convenient" way out.
As a result, we've both engaged in a rather childish "you are - no you are" argument about who's being arrogant and hypocritical.
The only point we both agree about is there's corrupt politicians in most governments, no matter where you go.
I've told Busy exactly how rude and abusive he's been with people here in this thread and in TDR.
He's made his mind up that I'm a

so he's become deaf and blind to facts and reason. His excuse for his rudeness is "it's only the internet", so he thinks he has some God given right to behave like a thug and he's not worried if he loses people's respect.
[Note: This is my take on the situation. Busyman will probably have a completely different view.]
/Summary ends
(Personally, I've come to think that telling Busyman to be fair and objective is exactly like carrying toxic waste uphill in a collander - there's never any progress and the fallout is terrible.)
@ j2 - My apologies to you and the rest of the US membership for all of this. You're right, it isn't fair to you guys, so for your sakes, I'll get to the point.
@ Busyman - So in a nutshell you think I'm a

and so on and so forth - and when it comes to arguing with you, yes, I have been a git... totally.
You've been thoroughly asking for it for months. Over time, I've come to the same conclusion about you as you have of me.
What you don't realise is that I've known, right from the outset, how you would react all the way through this overlong charade.
Right from the time you bit at my 2 worded hook, throughout your follow up of post after post of retort and rebuff attempting to discredit me, I've had your number. You've acted in the time-honoured manner of the classic forum flamer.
But not once have you bothered to find out why I said what I did at the start.
Contrary to what you may believe, my motives are not driven by a need to prove non issues like who has the best country or the higher moral ground.
It's your particular brand of patriotism and
self rightousness that's the problem, pure and simple.
manker said back near the beginning that I said what I did because I'm patriotic. But the truth is, I'm not.
Patriotism is okay, if tempered with tolerance and objectivity.
Self rightousness is just another form of arrogance. Mixed with
closed minded patriotism it's a recipe for disaster.
Patriotism is what made you reply as you did at the start of our stoush, and self rightousness and intolerance kept you going - you couldn't help yourself. You've used every means at your disposal, both fair and foul, to defend your countrymen from a perceived insult, even though (a) nobody asked you to, and (b)
no such insult existed, except in your own mind.
Even though I tried to warn you many,
many times, you failed to employ objectivity. You read 2 words, prejudged, and then refused to listen to anything else. Whether you care or not about my opinion, or that you've lost face and respect is immaterial. This is an international community. You are
not the only one here, and you don't hold the monopoly on being right.
If it's any consolation, I am human, so yes, I too can be arrogant sometimes, but you've got me thoroughly beat in that department.
At least I've got the balls to admit it.
Have you?
Can you? Has your self proclaimed "army of one" got enough
intelligence now to realise it's time to retire from the battle?
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