Do you remember any public protests against the first and the second war in Chetchenya waged by Russia?

So what you are saying is tha it was Russia, China, and Europe that invaded Iraq? Not the US?

I mean that rhetorically of course. There is a lot of truth in your post, but america has certainly earned some of its reputation don't you think?

Andrew

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Ethanol is a fabulous solution to our energy dilemma because it will provide more fuel for us to drive around and look for food.

-- Unknown

According to the danish Primeminister the war against Iraq or rather Saddam was not illegal, a statement I agree with.

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It all comes down to this on election day: Are you a racist, or do you look down on spastics?

Yes, Iraq war didn't do any good for the US reputation. But there had to be very good reasons and many global strategic thinkers in the White House who saw the global perspective and felt that it was imperative for US intrests in the long run to invade Iraq. US is the most powerful country in the world... at the moment. But who is to say about the future? I really don't see America as an Empire in the world, it simply isn't the only one out there, nor is it the worst nation as some like to present it.


We blame America for many things, but for example Russia's situation as a democratic nation is changing rapidly, internationally it is almost an autocratic country already. Chetchenya, trying to use oil as a force of political preassure, trying to buy energy distribution companies in EU... Russia is expanding its power economically, as is China and China is making oil deals in less than democratic nations. In the bigger perspective if the US would lose influence in the world and in the Middle East its definately not in our (EU's) interest.

I'm not sure if US is doing what it needs to do to remain the most influential country.. Iraq war was a bad PR move but was it an essential move in the wider perspective? This wider perspective is the only reasoning I can come up with for the actions of the US government and it could be behind the thinking in the White House which many of us (even me) are quick to critizise. The reasoning to go to Iraq, securing one of the main areas on the board. Now is killing civilians bad, of course it is and it will effect the US position at least on the PR side, how much, can't really say.

Exactly, there were no protests.

The Russian Army literally flattened Grozny.

No matter how they spin it Baghdad was left largely intact.


But you listen to people and well there's an obvious double standard.

Because nobody cares about Russia.

Dare I say nobody is jealous of Russia.

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One day, I will sneak across the border into Canada and be an illegal alien. It will be fun.

But we also have to look beyond Iraq to what americas military has done globally. In that they have no competition. They are active in dozens of countries around the globe. Take this for instance:

Pyongtaek, South Korea - South Korean riot police fought pitched battles with anti-U.S. protesters and farmers on Thursday, as authorities moved to clear two rural townships to pave the way for a new U.S. military base.

About 1,000 protesters, many wielding bamboo sticks, clashed with police armed with batons in an area about 70 km (44 miles) south of Seoul where land for the base has been allocated. http://www.boston.com/news/world/asi..._over_us_base/



IMO, these protestors are perfectly justified in hating america. Imagine if the US military was taking over small towns in your village, what a disgrace.

Can you say this about any other nation. I don't see china, russia, or europe building military bases all over the planet and displacing locals so that they can protect narrow interests. Read the PNAC documents, the white house security strategies, and the philosophical writings of Leo Strauss and Irving Kristol for an glimpse into the grand strategy of america. It is pure imperialism.

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Ethanol is a fabulous solution to our energy dilemma because it will provide more fuel for us to drive around and look for food.

-- Unknown

Frankly, you are in no position to be criticizing anyone about hatred. Your hated filled diatribe vs Bush and the neo cons says to me that you are an intolerant, embittered, zealot.

Any thinking person can see the gross hypocrisy on display on both sides--liberal or conservative, US or europe/canada. Really, the west is filled with loony tunes who live in an alternative form of reality, where peace is possible by singing protest songs and negotiating ad nauseum and where the US can change the middle east by invading countries.

This is a left-right world. The extremes are in control and we are in dire trouble. Until both sides are crushed, no hope for an everlasting peace is possible.

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You are entitled to your opinion.

But perhaps you should listen to the good Ductor and put things in a global perspective.

Americans troops are stationed in South Korea to protect them from the North Korean Communists who were supported by Chinese Communists.

38th parallel?

Ever heard of the Korean War? Canada was also behind stopping the halt of Communist agression and sent troops. I know what you are thinking. "What Communism?"

Do you know that under America's protection, South Korea has developed into a major Asian economy and democracy?

And North Korea is a dirt hole with the weirdest Dictator of all time.

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One day, I will sneak across the border into Canada and be an illegal alien. It will be fun.

Sorry, but that is bullshit. If countries really didn't want us there they would tell us so. For allthe bitching, what do they actually do about it? Uh, nothing. The truth is the world has benefitted by the US employing its troops all over the world.

And have you forgotton that the Soviets had bases all over the world, that che helped insurgencies in multiple countries, the soviets had an organization(comintern) that was set up to undermine capitalism. What the US has done is not unique nor is it always a bad thing.

Has the US done dumb, bad, and even evil things? Yes. But any honest analysis that isn't colored by an irrational hatred like you hold vs the US, will show that the many nations have benefitted from the US's presence.

Now, this isn't a "isn't America great" response. We aren't. We are, like canada and europe, a deeply flawed nation that is all too unaware of its sins. Of course, UNLIKE canada, the US is constantly being told how evil it is by its alleged friends. I will be the first to criticize many of our decisions, but neither will I sit by and allow some canadian to demean my country. That isn't happening.

TO be blunt, I am sick and tired of the anti-american diatribes on here. The writings I read on here are incredibly arrogant, self righteuous, display a lack of historical perspective, ignore the realities of the world we live in, and totally lack nuance.

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Oh like there wasn't anti-Americanism before Bush. My wife was in England in 99 and got harassed by English dimwits who knew everything about America from watching Jerry Springer episodes. (Right down to asking her if she's slept with a relative, and chanting Jerry Jerry Jerry and runnign around her and her English friend)

But I guess I can just blame that on Clinton.

Now that's funny! But Americans in England shouldn't take things like that personally, since the Brits are some nasty fuckers when it comes to bashing foreigners. They do it to to Germans just as much, believe me.

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It all comes down to this on election day: Are you a racist, or do you look down on spastics?

There are a great number of US military bases around the world, no question about that. (I’d like to see a comprehesive map of ‘em myself). But if a country decides that it doesn’t want US bases on its soil it can make a political decision on it and tell the US to leave, it has happened for example in Uzbekistan. Protestors in other countries can make their voices heard in the media, but they don’t have the majoritys support in their country. I can remember from the Cold war history that for example NATO had made decision not to build permanent bases in Norway, but the leaders in Norway insisted to get bases on their soil.

Europe in general has been under the “umbrella” of the US. A big reminder of that was the Kosovo war, where EU didn’t have the military to deal with Serbias aggression, all we had were peace keepers who weren’t enough. Some said that Kosovo war was illegal.

Thank you for the reading tips, I'll have to look into those.

Pure imperialism would be exploitation of foreign nations with forcing those nations to heel with military strenght for purely your own interest. Putting forces into countries where they were not wanted. Many countries want the US forces to be there (as noted by other posters too). In Germany many local people didn't like the removal of certain US bases, because they had brought cash in to the local businesses for decades. How did we get the democracies of Germany and Japan? Do you think Germany and Japan are being economically exploited by the imperialistic US? I think those countries are doing very well in the global markets. Baltic countries are another good example, 60 years being truly exploited by an imperialistic power, and within 10 years of freedom their economy is booming and they are a part of NATO and EU. Are they now being exploited by the US?

Are the US actions aimed to exploit resources by taking them by force? I think if Iraq is truly developed into a democracy and becomes a part of the global economy, sells its own oil for the benefit of its people, then how is that considered as imperialism? If the US wanted more cheap oil to flow into the global market it could use political, economical, and military pressure (force) to influence oil producing nations to increase production, to act like a true imperialist power. As we have seen OPEC pretty much does what it wants.

Your post is just obnoxious glock. No wonder Americans aren't well-liked internationally. You're also wrong about WW2 and GW2 as anyone with a modicum of knowledge about those events would be quick to point out.

I understand the 'global perspective' and there are protests against other nations all the time. In fact just yesterday Cindy Sheehan led a protest against the Canadian government in Toronto. People protest the chinese leader no matter where he goes. And the French protest against their leaders all the time.

I really do not care what america says about protecting South Koreans from a pathetic North Korea. That is besides the point. Im talking about how obnoxious america is, seriously, imagine destroying the lives of people in two villages so you can build yet another of the dozens of massive military bases you seem to think you need around the world. This is a crime.

And you are welcome to your myths about the protection of america over NK. NK just needs a nuke, they do not need america. Their economy got to where it is by ignoring tenets of american capitalism.

I have not seen any communist aggression coming from the north koreans since the end of the war, nor do they have the ability anymore to do this. Canada does not kick south koreans off their land or this weak justification.

And this is only south korea, we could move on to the eastern europe, the middle east, africa, indonesia, and study the rise of anti americanism in relation to americas aggressive global policies if you like. And no other nation does this outside of their own regional sphere of influence to near quite the extent that america does. This is empire, and people righlty hate empires.

Andrew

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Ethanol is a fabulous solution to our energy dilemma because it will provide more fuel for us to drive around and look for food.

-- Unknown