HISTORICAL AND POLITICAL BACKGROUND
When I was a young man growing up in western New York State I had several Seneca Indian acquaintances who jokingly remarked on occasion, "White man speaks with forked tongue." They called the U.S. American flag, "Old Gory." These remarks were made with a wide smile. I would laugh as well. After all, we were acquaintances playing on opposite high school basketball teams, and all our conversations were light and friendly. Their remarks were not to be taken seriously.
September 1, 2001 – 5:08 pm
Introduction: Ancient Historical Origins of Korean Culture
Though this introductory section ostensibly has little to do with the contemporary situation in Korea, in fact it is very important for understanding the rich history and unity of the Korean culture. For as we are beginning to realize more and more, the presence of the past is always here. Everything is related to everything. We can only ignore this principle at our own peril, which in turn robs us of the incredibly profound input of a vast sea of indispensable wisdom.
January 1, 2000 – 2:23 pm
"We do not have any defense treaties with Kuwait and there are no special defense or security commitments to Kuwait."
–U.S. State Department, July 24, 1990
"We have no opinion on Arab-Arab conflicts, like your border disagreement with Kuwait….We have many Americans who would like to see the price go above $25 because they come from oil-producing states."
–April Glaspie, U.S. Ambassador to Iraq officially conversing
with Saddam Hussein, Baghdad, Iraq, July 25, 1990
