"Restoring American standing in the world"

the left has turned this into a pretty popular talking point in the last couple of years -- that Bush has hurt American standing in Europe, and that that standing and prestige must be restored. they keep touting European and ally anger.

well guess what: France and Germany's new elected governments are much more friendly with US than their predecessors. them being elected also shows that the electorates of the 2 countries think the same. same for Britain - Brown is popular and pro-America. he is pulling troops out of Iraq, but other than that, the cooperation between the UK and the US has not been scaled down at all.

Italy chose a more left-leaning president, but under him Italy's anti-terrorism efforts have escalated.

the damage the Dems are talking about is not as bad as they say it is. and if it was, then it's been fixed.

in fact, Europeans realize that they have a huge Islamic Terrorism problem of their own, and they would, in my opinion, prefer an American president who is stronger on anti-terrorism efforts. and it's pretty much a given that a Republican would be stronger in that area.

 

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Anti-Americanism is and always has been hypocritical and difficult to figure out. People "hate us" but lust after our products and snap them up whenever they can. Many of them also yearn to come to school here or immigrate here. I still can't forget the kid in his nikes trying to topple something at the WTO all those years ago in Seattle...

 

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I thought they dont care what the world thinks of them.

 

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Agreed. All it took was time for the head-in-the-sand Europeans to begin seeing more results of terrorism in their own back yards. As that reality sinks in, more and more of them will understand as France and Italy have finally done.

 

Back up that statement with facts if you expect people not to laugh.

 

Terrorism doesn't happen from nothing.
The US itself invited terrorism on its soil with its own illegal actions abroad.
Then it dragged other states into it, and those states got burned.
You can't fight terrorism with weapons, because that only creates more anger and suffering in the world. The heart of the problem is greed and it's mainly American greed and desire to control and own the world of which it understands very little.

Of course one must protect himself, but the way out of terrorism is not even more violence, it just puts all into a cycle of ever increasing suffering on all sides.

Friendship, compassion and understanding is the way out and violence should be the last possible mean. I thought you guys touted yourselves as Christian.

 

the left does. or at least it keeps emphasizing that Americans should -- to score political points as the Saviours of American Global Standing.

it's true -- it's completely irrational. i remember having the same feelings about America when i was a kid, before i was aware of politics. on the one hand i liked American products and died to visit. but on the other hand i was glad about 9/11. i had that feeling of "finally someone showed those arrogant assholes what it's like"

yes, i used to think like that. now my thinking has sobered up and matured so obviously i don't think like that at all. but i understand how others have that paradoxical feeling. to sum it up: it is jealousy. pure and simple.

 

Madrid and London got bombed as a result of their foolish decision to back the US on Iraq.

 

fact #1: the left is against stronger anti-terrorism measures
fact #2: the left is for extending more legal protection to terrorism suspects

conclusion #1: given facts #1 and #2, left would be weaker on terror.
conclusion #2: given fact #1, and given that the Democrats are the Left's party, you can conclude the Democrats would be weaker on terror.

i'm just stating the obvious here..

 

It was jelousy for you, but it doesn't mean, that everyone else in the world has the same reasons. It's error in critical thinking.

 

let's assume you're right. the European electorates decided not to punish US-friendly candidates but to reward them. what do you have to say about that? look how warmly Sarkozy talks about America

 

I'm totally expecting a Republican victory in the US elections next year. Americans live in die hard fantasies

 

That right wingers exist in Europe just like anywhere else. Sometimes they are in power, sometimes they are not. You think Sarkozy is universally liked in France for his pro-US stance?

 

Specifically what?

What, you mean they want to uphold the Geneva Conventions?

Violating human rights is not necessarily a great anti-terrorism strategy.

 

Agreed. But because of this:

 

i recently spoke to a visitor from France. he said that Sarkozy is looked at as a savior and a hero. imagine that -- an incumbent politician receiving such affection from youth...

he is VERY popular in France. and not just because he received the majority of the votes.

re: "rightwingers exist in Europe", that's true. but the "undecideds" have decided on a right-leaning candidate.

 

Yes, by the French right. Whats the surprise?

As they did with Chirac, who was a conservative.

 

Nope, its cos they cannot contemplate losing their standing.

 

Bullshit. Terrorism was around long before the US even existed. If you're speaking of Islamic terrorism, which gets all the headlines these days, you're full of shit, too. Groups like the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt started for essentially religious reasons that had nothing to do with the US. That is, they wanted to establish a new caliphate after the collapse of Imperialism. In many other areas, such as India, Afghanistan and Pakistan and Turkey, the terrorists group sprung up to resolve border conflicts that came about after the maps were redrawn at the end of the First World War by foolish European diplomats. The Peace to End All Peace is a good book to see about this, but you need to see several books if you want to correct your appaling ignorance.

While that all sounds sweet it typically ignores the fact that the religious zealot cares not a whim for comprmise or understanding. The Islamic sort want a caliphate pure and simple. They are religious extremists, interested in purifying eastern and western societies. Either you agree with them or you die or you are enslaved. I choose none of those options. I choose to fight.

 

^^^ exhibit A. Paranoia+US media = same thing they are fighting; ie. idoits who don't know that discretion is the better part of valour.