Catching up

Well so far I have spent the whole weekend doing exactly what I had planned on doing....nothing...and it was everything that i thought it would be. For the first time in over a month I got to sit around...catch up on all that has been happening all over the world. Read some ESPN.com and try to keep up with the twins. One thing that I did catch that is really the cause of this whole post was a quote by the Prime Minister of Australia. He has made some brilliant observations upon the terrorist problem that is plaguing the world. And i quote...

PRIME MINISTER HOWARD: On the issue of the policies of my government and indeed the policies of the British and American governments on Iraq that the first point of reference is, once a country allows its foreign policy to be determined by terrorism, it's given the game away to use a vernacular. And no Australian government that I lead will ever have policies determined by terrorism or terrorist threats. And no self-respecting government of any political stripe in Australia would allow that to happen. Can I remind you that the murder of 88 Australians in Bali took place before the operation in Iraq.
And can I remind you that the 11th of September occurred before the operation in Iraq.
Can I also remind you that the very first occasion that bin Laden specifically referred to Australia was in the context of Australia's involvement in liberating the people of East Timor. Are people, by implication, suggesting we shouldn't have done that? When a group claimed responsibility on the website for the attacks on the 7th of July, they talked about British policy, not just in Iraq, but Afghanistan. Are people suggesting we shouldn't be in Afghanistan? When Sergio de Mello was murdered in Iraq, a brave man, a distinguished international diplomat, a person immensely respected for his work in the United Nations, when Al-Qaeda gloated about that, they referred specifically to the role that de Mello had carried out in East Timor because he was the United Nations administrator in East Timor. Now, I don't know the mind of the terrorist. By definition, you can't put yourself in the mind of a successful suicide bomber. I can only look at objective facts are, and the objective facts are as I've cited, the objective evidence is that Australia was a terrorist target long before the operation in Iraq. And, indeed, all the evidence, as distinct from the suppositions, suggests to me that this is about hatred of a way of life; this is about the perverted use of the principles of a great world religion that, at its root, preaches peace and cooperation. And I think we lose sight of the challenge we have if we allow ourselves to see these attacks in the context of particular circumstances rather than the abuse, through a perverted ideology, of people and their murder.

Now, whether or not you agree with my ideology or any of my beliefs is a matter for another time, but it would be incredibly difficult to a degree of impossibility to disagree with any of the statements that John Howard just made. Many people of the press place the blame of these insane terrorists upon the victim country's leaders. How can one blame Bush or Tony Blair for some idiot suicide butchers. A reporter asked Blair if he believed that his policies have put these people in the position they are in to carry out such murders.

BLAIR ANSWERS SIMPLY: Well, I think I said to you before, that I feel that people who are responsible for doing these things are the people who do them.

It is as simple as that. I do not believe, as many do, that we have been the cause of many of these attacks. Is it not obvious that these people have hated us for much longer than we have been in Iraq or Afganistan? Was the Prime Minister of Australia, John Howard, not correct that there were bombings and threats long before we took any action? What did we do to provoke the bombings on the towers? The first or second ones? The bombings of our African embassies? There was no cause for any of these attacks except for the fact that we live in the most prosperous country in the world...and I refuse to believe that this is a good enough reason to kill thousands of inocent people. I think that before anybody even begins to blame either Bush or Blair for any of these tragedies they need to read again what John Howard and Tony Blair have said.

blake

First week

Well, this I finished my first week of school here in Norway without an incident. We went on a field trip yesterday to a humongous museum near Lillehammer called Maihaugen. It was pretty neat. We got to see how people lived here in Norway since the middle ages. This museum was in two parts. One part was indoors and just showed the progression from the stone age until today of Norwegian society, and the second part was outdoors and very cool. The second part we toured a few houses and a stave church and a school all from hundreds of years ago. We then came back here to school and threw a little party for everyone to attend. It was pretty fun. It was a rather late night. I managed to pick myself up a cold too. I think it is from the lack of sleep. Since we have a three day weekend though i think I will get all caught up. I also get to do some real homework on this weekend so mom can quit worrying. I also got to go watch a good American movie the other day...War of the Worlds. It was pretty good. Not fantastic by any means. But i guess that is all the news I have for now.

blake

Talk about busy

Hey everyone,

I know it has been quite a while since my last post...well only a few days but thats a while in my book, anyway it has been pretty busy. Got back to Norway and immediately had to start class the next day. I thought the class sounded pretty fun while in the class room but then I went to do the homework. Wow, really really boring stuff. And I am used to boring, I am going into political science after all, but this thing is ridiculous. We must read about about an agreement that was made between the Palistinians and the Israelis, but the majority of the talks happened here in Norway. Seems pretty cool right, WRONG. First of all, the deal only held out for like 2 years or something. It didn't work in other words. So what is the point of studying how to make a political deal that failed I ask you. (sigh). The amount of reading and the time I spend in class has been more than I do for 5 classes in UND. Yuck. Other than that...We are taking our first field trip tomorrow (and yes I do realize how juvenile and elementary that sounds) but I think it should be fun, if for no other reason that to get outta Moss for a day.

Well, I better be goin.

Hope everything is goin great at home,

blake

Home sweet Norway

Well we made it with the only oops being the lost gifts. No lost luggage...no lost passports...just one lil oops. I am back in Moss and class starts in the morning. What a scary thing to say. I have been traveling for so long it seems weird to stay here and rest...i even watched a little TV and a movie here. Like being back in the states. We got some good pizza and plopped down in front of the TV. We actually thought we were back in the states today when we stopped into a burgerking and saw baseball pictures on the walls, we got free refills and we didnt have to pay extra for ketchup...weird stuff. Well, I thought i would just update you on the final stint of our travels and now I need to go to bed because I have (add a shutter here) class tomorrow. Goodnight all and I will occasionally post for the next month at least. And hey drop me a message when you get the chance.

blake

Well back to business as usual

well after the whole train fiasco that i had in Berlin we did make it to Copenhagen. We met some English *mates* on the train yesterday and they decided to stay in the same hostel as us...it was cheaper. Anyway it was kinda cool walking around a city in Europe and, having already been there, show others around...weird feeling in when in Copenhagen. It felt good though, we are seasoned travelers now so we know what we are doing. I am currently awaiting a train to Oslo because unfortunately our travels have come to a close. We are going back to school and back to business as usual. I know that a few of you readers were really pumped about the new Harry Potter book coming out and I broke down and bought it because i needed something for the train. Um other than that I just want everybody to know that I will continue posting on this website from Norway and I am thinking I will even when I get home. I met alot of friends here in Europe and this is the best way to keep in contact that i can think of...plus I like to tell stories and opinions...so I figured lets write it down so that I can get some feedback on them. Especially from people like Phil who i dont see enough of...and whose opinion i really respect. Well i have takin enough time, the train is coming soon so this is where I leave you until i reach Moss and school.

goodbye for now
blake