Who loves America?

[child of Thor]

Not sure if this is worth some quiet contemplation by our American cousins - or maybe its just anti-american propaganda, what ya think?

Article from BBC News

[Nubclear]

Commie propaganda.

[DanS]

The irony is that attacks of all kinds against US troops in Iraq enjoy less support among Iraqis than suicide bombings against US nationals in Iraq enjoys among Turks (31% versus 17%).

http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/bsp...iraqsurvey.pdf

Clearly, people in some Arab countries, such as Jordan, have some real f'ed up perspectives.

[child of Thor]

Do Americans care how the world views them, or thinks of them? I dont know many Americans well, i bump into them through work from time to time, but i get the impression that they are mostly nice well mannerd people who might be alarmed at the thought of such world wide opinion?

I might be totaly wrong about this - which might make these kind of polls more depressing.

[GePap]

You actually find that a surprise DanS?

[DanS]

I never said it was a surprise. Rather, that it was an irony. Iraq is a country that we've had 2 wars with in the last decade. Turkey is a country that has been an ally for several decades.

[GePap]

Originally posted by child of Thor
Do Americans care how the world views them, or thinks of them? I dont know many Americans well, i bump into them through work from time to time, but i get the impression that they are mostly nice well mannerd people who might be alarmed at the thought of such world wide opinion?

I might be totaly wrong about this - which might make these kind of polls more depressing.

Americans think the world should love them all, and are angry the world does not-so in that sense they do not care.

You would be surprised (probably not) by all the people who think foreign aid is some massive portion of the US budget ("we send all this money to foreigners") as opposed to a fraction of a percent.

[chequita guevara]

I'm more concerned about those huge numbers for bin Laden. Our image can be repaired, once that supreme idiot is out of the White House.

I'm not certain that even another 9/11 type event here would unit the world behind us again.

[Pekka]

I call BS om this. Ask anyone about other countries adn you will recieve negative or positive comments, but the fact is most of the care doesn't give a crap. They might have an opinion when forced to answer. But at the end, it really doesn't mean anything.

I'm tired of all the 'boohoo everyone hates us' crap. Because it's not true. There are lot of people 'hating' other nations too, it's not like there's something special about it. And disagreeing is not the same as hating anyway.

[Pekka]

I mean the overall opinions and all in the world. I wouldn't know about Turkey though.

[DanS]

I might be totaly wrong about this - which might make these kind of polls more depressing.

If Iraq is any indication, Americans care, but it hasn't changed their opinions.

Or you could take a condescending view toward Americans' opinions, like GePap does.

[DanS]

I'm tired of all the 'boohoo everyone hates us' crap. Because it's not true. There are lot of people 'hating' other nations too, it's not like there's something special about it. And disagreeing is not the same as hating anyway.

While admire your Supercitizen zeal , the underlying poll (and the previous ones done by the Pew Center) answers your criticism by looking at what foreigners think about other countries in comparison to what they think about the US.

[Tuberski]

Originally posted by GePap


Americans think the world should love them all, and are angry the world does not-so in that sense they do not care.

You would be surprised (probably not) by all the people who think foreign aid is some massive portion of the US budget ("we send all this money to foreigners") as opposed to a fraction of a percent.

There you are wrong, my friend. Americans don't think the world should love them all, Americans want the world to love them but know that the world doesn't.

ACK!

[oedo]

Ted Striker!
Gimme a Britney!


(I didn't read the article, I just want the obvious)

[-Jrabbit]

A sad statement. Sadder still that I find it difficult to doubt its accuracy.

When a powerful nation can't enlist the aid, trust, or respect of its allies, it's hard not to read it as a global indictment of its foreign policy.

Looking at record deficits -- both trade and budget -- while seeing my government drop a $billion/day to continue a questionable war while wasting months trying to come up with an exit strategy -- well, it doesn't inspire a lot of confidence.

One thing near the end of the article stands out...

Even the Bush administration accepts that they need some kind of multilateral support for its policies such as expanding international support for the military commitment in Iraq.

While the administration sees the problem per se, they don't seem to understand that the (lack of) content and forethought in their Iraq policy precludes most nations from even considering lending support.

Failure to buffalo world opinion into equating Iraq with Al Qaeda was expected. Making Bin Laden a hero-martyr to the Muslim world was easily predicted. But the seeming inability to react and do something about it in an election year is a continuing mystery.

[GePap]

Originally posted by Tuberski


There you are wrong, my friend. Americans don't think the world should love them all, Americans want the world to love them but know that the world doesn't.

ACK!

American's know the world does not love them-they are at a loss to know why the world does not love them becuase they can't think why anyone could not find them loveable.

[DanS]

they are at a loss to know why the world does not love them becuase they can't think why anyone could not find them loveable

Again, a very condescending view of Americans.

[GePap]

Originally posted by DanS


Again, a very condescending view of Americans.

Living now as an American, having lived with a lot of Americans not as one, I can say this is what I have generally seen.

Self-reflection by American's as to why, WHY!? someone outside the US might not like Americans, either for invalid or valid reasons is not an American strong suit.

[Pekka]

DanS, and that's exactly why I didn't read it!

Anyway, well someones gotta lose, no? It will be fine I promise *huggies*

[Whaleboy]

We simply cannot generalise about an entire nation like this. They're not all blind patriotic flag ****ers or mindless neo-Amish. They have the same thinking, critical, intelligent and diverse elements that any educated progressive nation has.

Yes, it has an image problem. I think that's more the fault of the government and Texas than anything else, and that can be easily fixed by an election and a chasm in the ground respectively jk.

[asleepathewheel]

If they won't love us, we will make them love us.

[Pekka]

well give me money, I'll love you.

[DinoDoc]

These polls are wierd. It's like we're running for office.

[DinoDoc]

Is there any other nation as seemingly obsesed by being loved by the world? It's like we have some sort of narcisitic need to have people say they love us.

[child of Thor]

Originally posted by -Jrabbit
A sad statement. Sadder still that I find it difficult to doubt its accuracy.

When a powerful nation can't enlist the aid, trust, or respect of its allies, it's hard not to read it as a global indictment of its foreign policy.

Looking at record deficits -- both trade and budget -- while seeing my government drop a $billion/day to continue a questionable war while wasting months trying to come up with an exit strategy -- well, it doesn't inspire a lot of confidence.

One thing near the end of the article stands out...


While the administration sees the problem per se, they don't seem to understand that the (lack of) content and forethought in their Iraq policy precludes most nations from even considering lending support.

Failure to buffalo world opinion into equating Iraq with Al Qaeda was expected. Making Bin Laden a hero-martyr to the Muslim world was easily predicted. But the seeming inability to react and do something about it in an election year is a continuing mystery.

Well i'm guessing you're american, and i know we get the odd hardliners from both sides here at poly, still being British and spending the time to look at all our foreign policy gaffs over the centuries(I mean like we killed a lot of maybe mostly innocent civillians all over the world in our 'empire' days) - it does seem to me America is basicaly doing the same, its been much more covertly done for the most part of the modern era, through finacial means etc. But its definately stepping up a gear.

I think its a bad move with predictable outcomes. The 'natives' (to coin a historical phrase) have got smarter and better trained(by America+Europe), so it just seems to be a no-win strategy - unless your trying to create an Orwellian(1984) ruled state(fear and terror keeping your populace maluable kinda thing).

On a personal note I want to love America - its just behaving like a rather flirtsome spouse at the momment

[The Viceroy]

I love America

But to love it, doesn't mean we have to agree with it all the time !!

As a Brit (and I speak only for myself as a Brit here) .. I see America as our younger brother, thats grown up and become a tad bigger and bolder than us. I love them as brothers, but will tell them straight when they annoy or irritate us.

My friend is married to a bolivian girl, who utterly hates America. She blames America for meddling in her countries affairs, and forcing the governments hand by threatening to pull out of investment etc .. The perception is, America uses its wealth to oppress the poor.

[GePap]

Originally posted by DinoDoc
Is there any other nation as seemingly obsesed by being loved by the world? It's like we have some sort of narcisitic need to have people say they love us.

No.

[Nubclear]

Originally posted by Whaleboy
We simply cannot generalise about an entire nation like this.

Those of us who actually live in the country can.

[Pekka]

DD, well it's like this. Americans loves the US. Other nationalities loves their countries. But I think often times Americans assume that others loves the US too. Why should they love it? The whole setting of this situation is so different, most often foreigners don't give a crap about other countries in a way that they'd love them at all. No one cares that much.

Besides the US makes headlines every day, it attracts attention, that makes opinions. If I was in the headlines everyday, I'd bet there would be record amount of people hating me for a good reason or for a bad reason.
That's it.

The US is great and Americans in general are very nice people, but get over yourselves already .

[DinoDoc]

Originally posted by GePap


No.

That's why I find these polls stupid.