Well the Patriots went 16-0 and many fans outside of New England hate them.... Many people hate us because of our political leaders and also due to some jealousy of our national wealth, but many more people love us. I guarantee you more people would die to move here than die to kill us. Most people in the world can understand politics of the leaders versus the actual people who are from that country. Plenty of people from Iran like the U.S. as do plenty of people from the U.S. like Iranians and I have met afew Iranians and Americans who are not proud of the image their leaders have put on them. We are smart enough to not be brainwashed by the stupidity espoused by our leaders. Calling us most despised just shows your biased. we have our faults but for many people in the world this is the only place where they can come (legally) and earn some money for their family and enjoy more freedoms and with that comes the good with the bad. If we truly thought of ourselves as the world's policeman we would have been in so many more disputes that involved genocide but we did not for one simple easily understandable reason. We simply go where we think we can best protect our interests that are most important and that is a selfish act that all countries do. Just that the U.S. is large enough to do this on multiple fronts with little opposition and the strongest nation will always have that power. So it is not true we think of oursleves as the global policeman because we do not act like it. We simply selfishly protect our own interests, wheter it is right or wrong to do so and regardless of what other people think. All countries do that sadly but few have the power to do so on our scale. If the world did not have US dominance than another strong country would simply do the same thing. It is not an American thing, it is what the strongest kid on the block will always do. Why are we in Iraq and Afghanistan and not in Rwanda or Darfur? Cause we can, and still do, choose to do whatever we want. I am not saying it is good or bad, it just is. Russia did the same thing within its sphere of influence and so did Japan. Takes another power to put the other one in check but as of right now, U.S. just happens to be at top of food chain. The election in 2008 will not change any of this as it has not changed since the beginning of time.
LOL if you think Obama or anyone else is so much better you are just as brain washed. How is Obama or any other DEM or REP any better??? What facts do you hang your hat on with respect to Obama who has only served in Congress. Face it, there is no experience that can prepare anyone to do the job of President and right now the next President is inheriting a shitty assignment and none of them can do anything with an opposite Congress.
This is very enlightening to read. Personally, I think there is money to be made from war, and that is the main reason for all this fighting. Eisenhower before he left office warned about the creeping militarism....in the movies, all you see to day is violence, same with games our kids play. I worry about a world dominated by the Chinese...talk about human rights violations. This is where the money is shifting to, and with it, the power.
Given what you have at the top level at the moment, it would seem that a little bit of 'experimentation' might be a fine idea.
I have an MBA, work full time and take home 6 figures PLUS run my own private investment company. I can look after myself thanks. The US spent $530B on the military in 2007. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_budget_of_the_United_States If they spend 1 days worth on alternative energy each year the US could probably cease being totally reliant on crude and the Middle East in a reasonably short period of time. What if they spend 2 days worth? $2.91B? I think you get the drift. pneuma
THat's like saying that if we didn't create the Fed in 1913 then we never would have created the Internet... Who knows? I do know this: We are in a recession...
Nah, without the US the moon wouldn't come out and the Sun would be rising on the West. About the recession, sure seems like it. So much for a inflationary rally.
Personally, I think its got very little to do with the things you mentioned such as financial markets or food etc. Its more to do with the double standards, the spin, and the aggressiveness of the foreign policy over the last decade. Its a real shame that those in power have governed with such an attitude and agenda.
Look overall you make some really valid points which I agree wholeheartedly with. Don't take my post the wrong way. Personally as i mentioned in my post just above this one, it is virtually all to do with your leaders and the spin that they spew. Most people outside the US are just so disgusted with the lies, the spin and the clear agenda of the current administration, and especially the three 'amigos' Dubya, Dick and Donald. I'm not putting the country down mate, the world owes the US many things and that is why for so long the whole world wanted a peice of the 'American dream'. But all that good will has been abused with such arrogance over the last 2 decades that it is all gone. I've got no agenda here, I'm just an aussie who has travelled lots and keeps up with current affairs, but I can tell you that I think many of you would be amazed at the general opinion that the rest of the world now has of the US and the extent of the change that has taken place over the Bush administration's time in office. Its not just that you have more enemies than ever in places that you've never had good relations with (Middle East, Russia etc), but it extends to the average person in the western world who ranges from being disgusted to just plain dissapointed in the deception and double standards the country engaged in when it spent so many years championing freedom, democracy, poverty reduction etc. You've got to expect that if your leaders are going to make decisions to "selfishly protect our own interests" as you say, those negatively affected by those decisions have every reason to despise. Everyone hates those who dictate