I didn’t want to go too long without another installment of my countries-of-the-world diatribe. So here goes…
Gabon – Gabonese Republic –
One of France’s former bitches on the African Atlantic coast, Gabon is blessed with abundant natural resources. Unfortunately, they have taken a page out of the US financing handbook and believe massive debt is the way to go. *sigh* At least their government is stable with “president for life” El Hadj Omar Bongo Ondimba at the helm. Of course, it’s a dictatorship masquerading as a democracy, but they did abolish capital punishment. So, you can’t get shot for challenging the government. Just jailed. Forever.
I won’t FAIL this country only due to its stable government and good income. It is close, though.
Gambia, The – Republic of The Gambia –
THE Gambia? How about THE little country, the size of two Delawares stacked on end, that is full of promise, but has a dickhead for a coup happy “president”, who has a free market but no free speech, and that should really just not worry about which kook is running the show but rather get on with life. Oh well. FAIL. Gambia could easily be taken over by a smattering of Rhode Island Coast Guard reservists, but insists that the military coup in 1994 was a great thing. It wasn’t. Just a bunch of asshats who got tired of being beat at the polls every year. Grrr. Rewriting your constitution doesn’t help. Senegal, which surrounds this country by the Gambia River in Western Africa, should just take it from them.
Georgia –
Georgia, Georgia,
The whole day through
Just an old sweet song
Keeps Georgia on my mind
I’m say Georgia
Georgia
A song of you
Comes as sweet and clear
As moonlight through the pines
Other arms reach out to me
Other eyes smile tenderly
Still in peaceful dreams I see
The road leads back to you
I said Georgia,
Ooh Georgia, no peace I find
Just an old sweet song
Keeps Georgia on my mind
Other arms reach out to me
Other eyes smile tenderly
Still in peaceful dreams I see
The road leads back to you
Georgia,
Georgia,
No peace, no peace I find
Just this old, sweet song
Keeps Georgia on my mind
I said just an old sweet song,
Keeps Georgia on my mind
I wish it was this Georgia. Unfortunately, it isn’t. USSR’s former bitch, Georgia continues to be Russia’s bitch. For some reason that I cannot fathom, Russia is just obsessed with messing with Georgia. I have already talked about Abkhazia and Ajaria, which are “autonomous regions”, but in reality, Georgia is splintered and will never go back together. Rife with the scars of a bloody civil war after the USSR fell, this region is full of racism and nationalism. They are prosperous only when Russia allows them, which has been less and less of recent. Russians can’t let the past go, and Russia hates to see former states do better than them. Georgia will eventually be dismantled and taken over by Russia in the next 10 years.
Germany – Federal Republic of Germany –
It’s funny. One of the reasons the National Socialist German Workers Party (Nazi) came to power in Germany before World War 2 is that the people felt humiliated and beaten after World War 1. They had lost their pride. After their defeat in 1945 and the subsequent rebuilding under the Marshall plan, they have evolved into the global powerhouse that they are today. They are proud now, and they should be. Tolerant social policies, a good economy, even with the constant rebuilding of the former East German areas, strong defense forces, and world renowned quality in consumer goods, Germany is greater than they have ever been. It goes to show that land accumulation does not a great country make. Kudos to you Germany and I hope to visit my ancestral homeland soon.
Ghana – Republic of Ghana –
Not much to say here other than that this Western African nation has figured out democracy works, has had several exchanges of power peacefully, and sits on a lot of natural resources. Not as poor as its neighbors, but steadily improving. Good job and keep it up.
Gibraltar (UK overseas territory) –
A nice little UK territory, Gibraltar is happy even though Spain isn’t. Oh well. Funny how the surviving UK territories usually prefer British rule. I guess the ones who didn’t aren’t under British influence anymore. So be it. I should visit some time as these folks seem downright friendly. One minus: Monkeys (Barbary Macaques).
Greece – Hellenic Republic –
I have been here once. I loved it. Greeks work harder and longer than any other Euro. And they know how to party when the day is done. I enjoyed every second I was there, and hope to return at some point in the future. I will always speak fondly of my Hellenic friends.
Greenland (Self-governing country in the Kingdom of Denmark) –
Well, this place should be a country by June 2009. Good for them. Not much to speak about this place. It is cold, rocky, and sparsely populated. May be fun to visit….once.
Grenada –
A nice island in the Caribbean, which almost always guarantees my favor, Grenada had a few coups in the day. Once they got rid of their Marxist ideas, they have become quite hospitable. A few hurricanes sure put the wallop on them, but they survived and are prospering.
Guam – Territory of Guam (US organized territory) –
Small, hot, and somewhat isolated in the Western Pacific, Guam should be paradise. Well, almost. The 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force is slated to move in in 2010, and that’s gonna add 25% more people. Great. Marines are great in a fight, but don’t necessarily the best visitors, which is partially why they’re leaving Okinawa. Oh well. Have/had some friends there, and they loved it at first, but miss the mainland eventually.
Guatemala – Republic of Guatemala –
Sounding more like a Tex-Mex dish than a country, Guatemala finally stopped its bloody civil war in 1996 and has gotten its act together. It still has a long way to go, as the highest source of foreign income comes from ex-patriot Guatemalans sending in remittance checks. Yes, they are a comically weird welfare state. Outside of that, and the hurricanes and earthquakes, it might be a nice place to visit. Keep working on it.
Guernsey – Bailiwick of Guernsey (British Crown dependency) –
Betcha can’t find this place on a map unless you are a WW2 buff. Actually, they are part of the Channel Islands which are islands off of the French coast in the English Channel., so it really isn’t too hard. A weird, independent-dependant state exists, although it looks like they are gunning for their own sovereignty. Nice place, very picturesque, but too hung up on their own histories to hang around too long.
Guinea – Republic of Guinea –
Equatorial Atlantic Africa…blah blah blah…military junta…blah blah blah…corrupt and disorganized…blah blah blah….rich in natural resources…blah blah blah…AIDS…blah blah blah…shithole…blah blah blah…Need I say more? I could probably copy this review and post it for most of Africa, ya know.
Guinea-Bissau – Republic of Guinea-Bissau –
Equatorial Atlantic Africa…blah blah blah…coup happy…blah blah blah…corrupt and disorganized…blah blah blah….extremely poor…blah blah blah…AIDS…blah blah blah…shithole…blah blah blah…You sense a pattern here?
Guyana – Co-operative Republic of Guyana –
Guyana is an agricultural state on the northern part of South America, right next door to Dumbo Chavez’s Venezuela. They FINALLY had peaceful elections last go around. Believe it or not, there is a movement inside that country that want to become a part of the United States. Wild. A poor country and it shows. Would visit, but not for very long.
L8rs-