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Wednesday, March 13, 2013

The View From Abroad By Fred Reed

TSA I bet this won't surprise you.

The United States is the most hated country in the world, followed closely by Israel, and then by nobody. Why? Why not Ecuador? China? Russia? East Timor? The hostility puzzles many Americans, who genuinely believe their country to be a force for good, a pillar of democracy, a defender of human rights.

To the rest of the world, none of this is even close.

If you have lived abroad, as so very few Americans have, the explanation for the hatred is obvious: Meddling. Relentless, prideful, uncomprehending meddling, frequently military, often with horrendous death tolls. Americans, adroitly managed by a controlled press, historically illiterate, incurious, decreasingly educated, either have never heard of the American behavior that angers others, or believe it to have been inspired by virtuous motives. Nobody else thinks so. Add to unfamiliarity with the wider world the constantly inculcated assertion that America is the greatest, most wonderful nation ever to exist, a light to the world, a shining city on a hill, and you get a dangerously delusional state. Especially now. In the past, American economic and military supremacy were such that the US didn’t have to care what others thought. The times, they are a-changing.

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12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Then why is the US always the first one other nations call for help from when there is any sort of trouble? I don't buy this author's reasoning.

Anonymous said...

Then why is the US always the first one other nations call for help from when there is any sort of trouble? I don't buy this author's reasoning.

March 13, 2013 at 2:10 PM

Who told you that, the government and/or the media?

I think you missed the whole point of the article, Billy Bob.

Anonymous said...

They don't call!
Our Government forces the situation!

Unknown said...

In the past, American economic and military supremacy were such that the US didn’t have to care what others thought.

Media Monitoring

Anonymous said...

Name ANY other country that has done more for the nations, good and bad, of the world?
Screw Lew and screw those who hate us.

Anonymous said...

I'm quite well traveled & I know people in the UK, Iraq, Japan, India and parts of Africa and it is the US they call for help -- 2:10's reply

Anonymous said...

i too am well traveled. i found the french (paris) did not like americans but the countryside was totally different; very kind and friendly. england, italy, mexico, many of the carribean islands, scotland, israel, south africa, asia and many more countries liked americans.
i don't see very many leaving, but still see many wanting to get here.
we have always helped when needed, but unfortunately we have meddled a bit too much at times.
we're not perfect. our population has become increasingly illiterate and dumbed down by our government schools and broken families, but this can be turned around.
in the "last days" it states in scripture that america will be irelevant; no longer a super power and looked up to. this is unfortunate, but it's because of the moral decay and leadership. some of you won't like to hear this, but it's true.

Anonymous said...

I'm quite well traveled & I know people in the UK, Iraq, Japan, India and parts of Africa and it is the US they call for help -- 2:10's reply

March 13, 2013 at 4:03 PM

But do you know the leaders that supposedly call?

I don't think so. And I sure wouldn't take a tourist' word for it.

Anonymous said...

Name ANY other country that has done more for the nations, good and bad, of the world?
Screw Lew and screw those who hate us.

March 13, 2013 at 3:28 PM

Who would know that? And if you found who, how would you know it would be true?

YOU are the problem, or rather an example of the problem.

Going through life screwing everyone who hates you sounds reasonable to you?

Then when they screw us back, like flying planes into the World Trade Center, you are okay with that correct?

I knew some of you would not like this article. Some people just simply can not handle, or believe, the truth.

It is those illusions that got us to where we are today.

Some peoples will hate us no matter what. But to actively work towards increasing that hate is just irresponsible and self defeating.

What is your favorite film, Rambo?

Have another beer and some chicken wings and leave diplomacy to adults.

And PLEASE, do not reproduce!

Bullard Construction said...

Ron Paul tried to tell us about "Blowback", but our wonderful MSM in cahoots with the Republican and Democrat Parties Poo Poo'd this, called his foreign policy stupid, and ran him out on a rail! One fact still remains, though, Ron Paul is right, and we were told to be stupid, and we obeyed. (Well, I didn't).
So, we are left to deal with blowback, and are still in denial as a Democratic controlled nation. You get what you pay for, you get what you vote for, until you vote to give up your rights to the government trough. Then, you are a communist slave like the rest of the world, and have no place to go.

I love my Constitution, and will fight to the death for it.

Anonymous said...

Very interesting article. I knew there was mineral wealth in Afghanistan but never made the connection to the resources in the Caspian Sea and the need to move gas and oil to the emerging market in India.

I also knew the Brits were heavily involved in colonization in the region but didn't realize it was an attempt to acheive hegemony over the Russian Empire.

So I have a better understanding now because I googled several terms mentioned in the article "The Great Game", TAPI pipeline and Caspian hydrocarbons.

Anonymous said...

So I have a better understanding now because I googled several terms mentioned in the article "The Great Game", TAPI pipeline and Caspian hydrocarbons.


March 13, 2013 at 10:22 PM

Good for you. That's what everyone should do. They might learn something and can offer more meaningful content to the conversation.