The US sucks right now?

[illbackyouup_03]

Who agrees with this statement?

[crosscg]

Its not a statement, its a question. France probably does... I'm betting a good portion of the world does. I don't. I think some of our leaders do and have made some bad choices. But the U.S. doesn't suck.

[sliver108]

We are however in bad shape. The founders of our great country are turning in their graves. They told us to be critical of our government and rise up if need be. But now people call the ones doing that unpatriotic. I will tell the people that think that to do some research about our history.

[Rob]

The US is not viewed well globally right now. You can come up with any reasons why we (the US) are right and they are wrong, but the fact remains that not every person thinks the same way or believes in the same things. The US is an arrogant nation- many people feel that the US way of life is the only way of life. They look down their noses at other ways of doing things. Some consider a way of life without electricity to be third-world.

The current administration reflects this way of thinking, reinforcing the belief that Americans, in general, are arrogant. Why shouldn't they believe that? Obviously, the person we chose to be our leader represents us. There is also the view that the general American public is uneducated and "stupid," in many ways, and the fact our president can't put together intelligent sentences reinforces that belief as well.

The US is the most powerful nation in the world. That alone is the reason that we haven't been treated harshly by others. Do you smack the bully that can beat you unconditionally? Of course not. That's what the US is right now- the bully that nobody can take down a notch.

This current administration has done more to destroy the US than any other. Their true intentions are transparent to the rest of the world. Unfortunately, many Americans can't see the forest for the trees.

[sliver108]

A lot of people in other countries are more pissed then a lot of the people in this country. Check out this article: http://piratescove.typepad.com/piratescove/2004/10/the_guardian.html

This guy wrote: "The world will endure four more years of idiocy, arrogance and unwarranted bloodshed, with no benevolent deity to watch over and save us. John Wilkes Booth, Lee Harvey Oswald, John Hinckley Jr - where are you now that we need you?"

[Rob]

I never agree with assassination in any form. It'd be even worse in this case, and Dick Cheney is the scariest man in the administration.

[bron]

Hmm...a lot of Canada probably agrees with that statement...of course, we've always felt that way.;)


I kid, I kid....love you!

[DMBSignGuy]

Hmm...a lot of Canada probably agrees with that statement...of course, we've always felt that way.;)


I kid, I kid....love you!

:lol Quiet America Jr. :p

[saygoodbye12]

A lot of people in other countries are more pissed then a lot of the people in this country. Check out this article: http://piratescove.typepad.com/piratescove/2004/10/the_guardian.html

This guy wrote: "The world will endure four more years of idiocy, arrogance and unwarranted bloodshed, with no benevolent deity to watch over and save us. John Wilkes Booth, Lee Harvey Oswald, John Hinckley Jr - where are you now that we need you?"
Dick Cheney for president!!!! :thumbsup

[Route_2]

The US is the most powerful nation in the world. That alone is the reason that we haven't been treated harshly by others. Do you smack the bully that can beat you unconditionally? Of course not. That's what the US is right now- the bully that nobody can take down a notch.

We're getting smacked around pretty good by the insurgants in Iraq, wouldn't you say?

[saygoodbye12]

We're getting smacked around pretty good by the insurgants in Iraq, wouldn't you say?
Because we're holding back. We could just blow the whole place up if we wanted to (and deal with the terrorists later....)

[clemson357]

Here is something that might come as a shock to some, everyone already thought Americans were obnoxious and over assertive way before Bush got elected.

[Rob]

If you re-read my post, I state that Bush is reinforcing the belief, not beginning it.

[eirikra]

Here is something that might come as a shock to some, everyone already thought Americans were obnoxious and over assertive way before Bush got elected.

I didn't. No one I know over here did. At least not in the same scale as today.

[Davenumber40]

We're getting smacked around pretty good by the insurgants in Iraq, wouldn't you say?

I don't think we are. We've lost 1,000 soliders ousting one government and replacing it with another over the course of about 18 months. We are having to fight in a manner that is civilian friendly.

[OSUturfguyWES]

We're no more disapproved of from the rest of the world now than during Clinton or previous to him.

What happened in Iraq? The whole world said they were going to participate in exactly what we did, except when we stepped up to keep our word, they mostly put their legs between their legs and ran away. It's easy to be a coward, not stand by your word, and then make fun of or complain about those who are courageous enough to follow through with what they said they would do. So it's tough luck that most of the world are pussies and too afraid to stick with the UN ruling.

Outside of that, I'd like to see the rest of the world if we didn't help them out the way we do. Several countries would probably be completely unpopulated at this point because every single person in those countries would have either died of starvation or from AIDS or some other disease. I know some of the liberals will deny, while others know it's the truth and just call it part of our responsibility as the strongest and most powerful ...and most able country in the world. Wherever you stand, it's the truth. This country has kept dozens of countries from going bankrupt and falling into poverty and becoming a third world country. Note, basically all the losing countries in world war 2. I could keep going, but the people who are smart enough to understand the reality of the situation already know that even though some of the world may not agree with every decision we make or want to live the same way we do, that we are still the best country in the world and right now, we're showing we have the balls to do what we say.

Truth for change is the most hypocritical campaign slogan ever though ...I don't know how Kerry can sleep at night.

[Rob]

Ummmm... No. There is so much garbage in that post it's not even worth dismantling point by point. Just go back and check out your comments on the UN- that'll be enough for me.

[marco j]

Because we're holding back. We could just blow the whole place up if we wanted to (and deal with the terrorists later....)

that's always been how we bring democracy! :thumbsup go USA

[System]

Because we're holding back. We could just blow the whole place up if we wanted to (and deal with the terrorists later....)



yep, we could wipe Iraq of the face of the planet, the only reason we don't is not to piss off the rest of the Arab world....

[barefoot]

I love the U.S., and Rob by the way, what would the U.N. be without us? Do me a favor count the number of casualties the U.S. has suffered compared to all the other nations in U.N. "approved" conflicts. No matte what decisions we make there will be countries that always resents us, but how come everyone wants to come here to live?

[System]

oh, and who cares what the world thinks....

I don't, I am going to do what is best for my country and if other countries don't wanna participate...they can't bask in the warm glow of the big ole button that controls the possible destruction of any country we choose

[Rob]

Well, people want to come here because, comparitively, it's easy to get in, it's easy to make a living, and it's easy to leech. Our open door is an open invitation.

It works both ways with the UN. We're a major part, but there will come a day when we are not the major world power. Period. It's inevitable. We don't want to be known as a country that defied the UN when we're not the power.

[Rob]

System- perfect example of the arrogant American.

[barefoot]

I agree with the cycle of power, I do also believe we owe the security of our country and people first.

[Rob]

Iraq is not, and was not, a threat to our security. We have a greater threat to our security now than we did before, as we've pissed off extremists further and allowed terrorist cells to be born and grow elsewhere.

[marco j]

Iraq is not, and was not, a threat to our security. We have a greater threat to our security now than we did before, as we've pissed off extremists further and allowed terrorist cells to be born and grow elsewhere.

...and don't forget let the most explosives in Iraq go into the hands of terrorist's!!!

[nonewdirections]

yep, we could wipe Iraq of the face of the planet, the only reason we don't is not to piss off the rest of the Arab world....
compassion isn't one of your strong suits, is it? how is your statement any more justfied than a similar one from arabs that think american civilians should be targeted because of the perceived wrongs of their government? glad to not have anyone as harsh and inhumane as you in office! you basically just said that we are not exerting our military force to kill civilians because it would be unpopular internationally. have i got that right?

[OSUturfguyWES]

Rob, glad you didn't even try to make up any stories to refute my facts because you know I'm right.


Look at what the UN said. They said for years that if they couldn't send in their inspectors, then military force was going to be used. No arguements yet, right? Good.

Next, Saddam didn't let the inspectors in, so the UN said ummm... and while the UN was trying to come up with another pussyfoot excuse to give Saddam more time, the United States and a handful of other countries finally said, screw this, we're enforcing the UN ruling by going in there and checking this crap out.

There no denying that terrorist camps were destroyed in Iraq, as well as some funding cut off when Saddam lost power. Did I say funding FROM Saddam, no. Funding though was absolutely taking place by organizations storing money in banks in Iraq. Saddam new what the money was for, but that only made him happier to not cut those bank accounts out.

Did we find big horrible weapons, other than the terrible people on Saddam's side, no. But guess what, Saddam's cabinet was so set in it's lies and cover up's to make people think they had these weapons that even Saddam himself was fooled into believing it. Saddam for the whole time he was in power wanted these things. At one point, they were either close or actually had some, and they got greedy which led them to attack other countries ...at which point the US stepped in under the first Bush. If we had let them go, then you don't even want to imagine where gas prices would be right now.

After that, Saddam was forced to pull back, but was left in power. He would tell his cabinet members to either make sure he had nuclear weapons in the making, or he would kill them. It was quite clear that through the killing of dozen of thousands of his people each year, that this wasn't a blank threat. So these cabinet members had developed such elaborate schemes that they were even able to fool Saddam. They had fake empty shells. They moved trucks around as if they were hiding nuclear weapons. They had laboratories stocked with weapons experts. They did everything necessary to fool Saddam into believing he had the power to use these weapons, even though they didn't actually exist.

The problem is, while they were fooling Saddam into believing he had these things, he also fooled the UN, including the US into thinking he had these weapons. Now did we think he would actually be able to use them against us directly on our land? That would be rather unlikely, and almost impossible. It was take coordination with a very carefully planned secret terrorist attack, with say Osama teaming up with an enemy for a joint cause.

However, what was very likely was the use of these so called weapons against the same neighboring countries that he attacked last time. Saddam was a greedy man and wanted control of that oil, among other things. Financially, that directly affects the United States. With far less oil available to the free world for a time, prices would have skyrocketed and not only devastated the United States, but much of the modern world. Unfortunately, ignorant people like you Rob are too oblivious to looking past the first sentance or headline, and don't understand the reality behind a threat that Saddam actually posed.

Regardless of the lies you try to use to give some fictional arguement against these facts, it's simply the reality that existed.

Most other countries are afraid to go into fighting, even with the backing of the United States, because most countries have far more to lose in far less time than the United States should something go wrong. The US is currently more resiliant than any other country for many reasons, not to mention heads and shoulders above anyone else from a military standpoint.

People don't have much patience, and so many people, both here and overseas, don't understand and ahve failed to look at the details of what we did and are continuing to do. Not only did we attempt to remove a threat to allies and neighbors of Iraq, but we also are trying to give them a new chance at life. Regardless of whether or not that was the initial reason or claim, it's a portion of exactly what's happening. The hard part is that there are three different sects of Muslims in Iraq and neighboring countries, and so we're having one hell of a time trying to help the three compromise on who will get leadership and how the land will be split up among them. The sect that was continuously being massacred year after year by Saddam's sect will have none of Saddam's former sect having any power in the future, and understandably so. And then the third sect steps in and wants their own share of everything. So it's a very difficult situation to fix, and I don't think anyone will deny we still aren't quite sure how to do that. But we're trying, and that's more than most people and countries around the world can say.

It's almost funny how hypocritical the liberals are, because if those thousands were being killed still in Iraq, they'd be the first ones complaining about us not stepping in and trying to stop the genocide. It's certainly not the first country we've helped out in that manner, and it won't be the last ...there are still plenty of them in today's world that are experiencing this.

The hypocritical liberals say that we don't help out other countries enough against disease, yet when try to give tons of relief to devastated countries, they complain that we're not doing enough at home first before we try helping other countries. It never ends. The examples are unending. So tell more lies. Go back on your word more. Do whatever you want. But realize the truth.

[illbackyouup_03]

oh, and who cares what the world thinks....

I don't, I am going to do what is best for my country and if other countries don't wanna participate...they can't bask in the warm glow of the big ole button that controls the possible destruction of any country we choose

If only the world thought entirely opposite of what you think. We co-exist on this planet. Think of the earth in larger terms, we are nothing but animals on this planet with extraordinary intelligence, but all it has led to is a lot of war, a lot of pollution, the destruction of natural habitat and countless species of other animals.

Our population is continually increasing, and as it does resources are going down. More people are going to be living below the poverty line than ever. It's time we start looking out for eachother and not ourselves. The fact remains however, that this will NEVER happen. The human race has a lot of momentum in the area of selfishneses, and it is a cycle that I don't believe can be broken.

Eventually "nature" will run its course on us just like every species. We will no longer have enough resources to support the worlds population, and the growth rate will decrease, more people will die than are born. I don't know how long it is going to take until this happens, but it will happen, and your attitude is not helping the process.

[Daevian]

I don't think we are. We've lost 1,000 soliders ousting one government and replacing it with another over the course of about 18 months. We are having to fight in a manner that is civilian friendly.
:haha Oh wow! Do you know how many Iraqi civilians have been killed since the war?

[Marxist54911]

I am very angry at america right now. The Iraq war is destroy all respect for america and england too. I hope with all of every part of my body that all americans are not like george bush but so far, from fox news on the satellite, i am seeing they are just the same as george bush, which is a terrible person.

I am sorry to offend you, but I felt responsible to say something.

[Dancing Ants]

i'm offended!

not really. we're all different.

are all russians communists?

[Marxist54911]

no. only a few are (the good ones).

[Dancing Ants]

no. only a few are (the good ones).


:lol.

honestly, it's cool to meet someone from russia. if you ever want to discuss why communism doesn't work, hit me up.

[ss10mets]

No the U.S. doesn't suck but can you say we are better today then we were after WWII?? I bring up WWII because that was probably the climax of American love from the world, we were seen as the saviors. Then during the cold war, we had another "evil" to fight and prevailed and now that we are the only super power, we are using it against what many people believe is right.

In my eyes, this question is irrelevent, it doesn't matter if we suck now because what we do today echos for all eternity.

[opiskelija]

The US is on somewhat of a slippery slope as far the whole planet goes. The foreign policy is becoming more and more transparent. There has always been this premise that even though the US always justifies intervention and policy in general as a means of political or economic or social salvation for people, there has been some other motivations behind it. This shroud is becoming more and more transparent. Overseas, there might have been some level of caution when discussing the US, but now you meet someone and the first thing they ask is what do you think of Bush when they find out you are an American. Much of the policies make it difficult for scholars and low-level State dept. people to promote the US, we're very much on the defensive. People walk up to you and ask for you to justify the fact that you are shaking up the entire world because 3000 people died on one day in September of 2001, when in the year 2003, over 16,000 people were murdered in the country? It is quite difficult. I'm not downplaying the significance of 9.11, but you get the point.

Yesterday I was on a panel discussion concerning Russia and Terrorism, and during the q/a portion, naturally one student got off track of the subject and had to bring it back to the US. Just for clarification, there is a lot of misinformation abroad, and is a difficult challenge everyday to put this into perspective. But I was asked about why people in the US would re-elect Bush despite everything. I said that it is democracy, and many people ideologically agree with him. Also you have to put this into historical context, that is isn't anything new in America concerning policy. After certain events there is a bit of fearmongering and reactionaries take over, look at internment camps for Japanese citizens, McCarthyism, etc. eventually things will normalize in the America.

[TwoStep2888]

The US is on somewhat of a slippery slope as far the whole planet goes. The foreign policy is becoming more and more transparent. There has always been this premise that even though the US always justifies intervention and policy in general as a means of political or economic or social salvation for people, there has been some other motivations behind it. This shroud is becoming more and more transparent. Overseas, there might have been some level of caution when discussing the US, but now you meet someone and the first thing they ask is what do you think of Bush when they find out you are an American. Much of the policies make it difficult for scholars and low-level State dept. people to promote the US, we're very much on the defensive. People walk up to you and ask for you to justify the fact that you are shaking up the entire world because 3000 people died on one day in September of 2001, when in the year 2003, over 16,000 people were murdered in the country? It is quite difficult. I'm not downplaying the significance of 9.11, but you get the point.

Yesterday I was on a panel discussion concerning Russia and Terrorism, and during the q/a portion, naturally one student got off track of the subject and had to bring it back to the US. Just for clarification, there is a lot of misinformation abroad, and is a difficult challenge everyday to put this into perspective. But I was asked about why people in the US would re-elect Bush despite everything. I said that it is democracy, and many people ideologically agree with him. Also you have to put this into historical context, that is isn't anything new in America concerning policy. After certain events there is a bit of fearmongering and reactionaries take over, look at internment camps for Japanese citizens, McCarthyism, etc. eventually things will normalize in the America.
I just hope it all settles down soon. I don't know if I can take too much more of this.