Even the "drug-addled Dutch" are smarter

[Bluesplayer]

The Netherlands is 40% below sea level - even in choosing the name of their country, the Dutch recognized this! Since they prefer being dry and alive to being wet and dead, their number one national security issue is keeping the water out. In a country with an economy based at least partly on drug tourism, they are aware enough to understand that if they let the North Sea in, nothing else matters.

What would happen to a Dutch leader who even suggested taking money from the dikes projects to fund an invasion of, oh, let's say, Peru?

[dutchdemocrat]

1. Holland full of dope smokin' hippies man...

In a country with an economy based on drug tourism...

Amsterdam is not all of Holland and drug usage is actually lower amongst the Dutch than the rest of Europe. Not to mention teen pregnancy is lowest in the Netherlands - fine examples of how opening up and dealing with issues rather than burying reality works.

Prostitutes and "coffee shops" pay taxes in the Netherlands which admittedly contributes to the coffers which paid for the largest engineering project (the levees of Holland) in modern times.

In 1953, there was a breech in this country which caused the deaths of thousands of people - not unlike NOLA.

The government of Holland is more fragmented with more parties with their hands in the pie rather than the bipolar politics of the US. It's hard for them to agree on anything. Our current leader and Government supported the US in Iraq. Then again... Royal Dutch Shell is an oil company.

The Netherlands is an extremely wealthy country with the largest port in the world in Rotterdam, is the second largest exporter of agricultural products on the planet, and is slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey.

http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/nl.html

[izzie]

2. If they are so into drugs I guess we should take it up

From what I have read Holland is a pretty good place to live and lets just not look at their education, health. live births and all that. It is scary to see that, when we all know we are the 'best' in the world.