OMG - I hope this conspiracy threory is a load of rubbish...

[Socci]

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I think these conspiracy theories detract from the real scandal, which is that Thailand at least did have at least an hour's warning but did nothing.

Family friend lives there and said something about a govt spokesman saying that they didn't put a warning out because it would be "impolite" towards the tourists. I hope that was a mis-attribution by the press.

Yes, senora. It was in the papers that a 10 year old girl, dont know if she was british or american saved a lot of people because she had learned about tsunamis in school. She said to her mom, that she had learned when the water pulls out like that, that a wave is coming. she was right. So despite all the technology we have a 10 year old girl outsmarted them. I suppose we should put 10 year olds out in bouys along the pacific as a warning system. Seems to be better practice than what they have now. And yeah, many papers cited that they didnt warn because they werent sure, and they didnt want to disrupt the height of the tourist season. No tsunami had ever happened in teh area before and they didnt think it could happen.
Finally in terms of conspiracy theories, I am sure the original inhabitants of diego garcia never thought that the americans would come onto their land and displace them to put in place a military establishment. Much nuclear testing in the bikini islands as well and many inhabitants "displaced" read, booted off.

hmb, I agree with you, on almost everything. This conspiracy is indeed rubbish. (As are most conspiracy theories, popular though they are.)

But nuclear tests can trigger earthquakes. And, interestingly, the best link I could find on the subject makes that clear and also says that the tsunami earthquake was certainly not caused by a nuclear test. here .

Oh yes, I knew that! But what I can say is that if this one had been, the world would know about it. A grain of 'truth' is always at the centre of conspiracies, it helps to make them seem credible. But a little analysis shows them to be deliberatly misleading.

As an aside, I also think that the trend to blame everything on the Americans, however tenuos a link is hysterical and counterproductive as it detracts from the real problems that the US has caused. It is a bit like crying wolf, if we blame them for everything people will eventually stop believing that they are resopnsible for anything

I know what you mean. It depresses me to see Diego Garcia mentioned as part of this - that's a genuinely horrible thing, but if people only hear about it in this sort of context, they'll hardly take it seriously!

Well, a few people agree with each other on this thread and a few people disagree with each other on this thread. "There are more things in heaven and earth horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy".

What is "depressing" to hear about an american military establishment?

I mean, the fact the American military establishment displaced many people, removing them from their homes and making them refugees - this fact is generally underreported. And it depresses me to see references to it as part of this sort of conspiracy, but not in regular news media. (I'm not saying Diego Garcia shouldn't be covered!)