Why can't people just let some threads die!
Former Moderator
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 52,827
Likes: 17
From: State of Confusion
The reality is that America has a reputation as an extremely arrogant society. Since we splashed onto the scene in our tuxedos and prom dresses to crash the party known commonly as WWI we have been in a position of international power.
That power has caused us to be the envy of many...and our sometimes arrogant use of that power has led to resentment. Partly that can be blamed on the reality of "to the victors go the spoils." Some of that is also attributed to the steroetypical attitude of America that we don't need to adapt to the rest of the world, but they should all willingly adapt to us.
On a small scale, I'm guilty of this at times, so I can understand why some societies would resent this.
Another aspect is that we believe that every country on the face of the earth should be a democracy just like us. Rather than searching for a "simple" goal of peace, we seem to insist that it be peace like WE would like peace.
Again, this fosters resentment.
The question is how do we overcome it? How do we utilize the power and influence that we obviously have in a responsible manner?
The reality is that we will NEVER make everyone happy. Given that constraint, how do we gather information and make an appropriate determination of what is right?
I think it is right for Saddam to disarm. I think it is right to put a great deal of pressure on him to do so...both diplomatically as well as more forcefully. The question is timing and method. I think THAT is the argument that we face...not whether or not something should be done...
That power has caused us to be the envy of many...and our sometimes arrogant use of that power has led to resentment. Partly that can be blamed on the reality of "to the victors go the spoils." Some of that is also attributed to the steroetypical attitude of America that we don't need to adapt to the rest of the world, but they should all willingly adapt to us.
On a small scale, I'm guilty of this at times, so I can understand why some societies would resent this.
Another aspect is that we believe that every country on the face of the earth should be a democracy just like us. Rather than searching for a "simple" goal of peace, we seem to insist that it be peace like WE would like peace.
Again, this fosters resentment.
The question is how do we overcome it? How do we utilize the power and influence that we obviously have in a responsible manner?
The reality is that we will NEVER make everyone happy. Given that constraint, how do we gather information and make an appropriate determination of what is right?
I think it is right for Saddam to disarm. I think it is right to put a great deal of pressure on him to do so...both diplomatically as well as more forcefully. The question is timing and method. I think THAT is the argument that we face...not whether or not something should be done...
