Is the U.S. all that bad?

[Red Spyder]

Is the U.S. bad? Not at all. Slavery was America's greatest sin but how long has it been since it was outlawed? And now after the sacrifices in both lives and treasure America has made to fight tyranny around the world during the last 100 years, as someone who grew up outside America, I do belive the U.S. has more than made up for that.

And about America's foreign policy, is it as destructive as, let's say North Korea's and their threatening their neighbors with nukes and nowadays probably leading us into WWIII? Iran's and their support for Hezbollah? The PRC and their threatening of Taiwan and invasion of Tibet? Libya and their support for terrorism including the Lockerbie bomber? How about Venezuela and their support for the FARC in Colombia? As someone who grew up in a country (Mexico) where America regularly was blamed for the wars in Central America, I'd say it takes two to tango, people. Was America sticking its nose in Central America? Sure, but so were the Cubans and the Soviets supporting guerrillas in Guatemala and El Salvador, how come they got a free pass? Now, America has been in Afghanistan for most of this decade but that country's problems started in 1979 when the Soviets invaded, had the Soviets never started it, who knows how Afghanistan would be today, maybe a peaceful country or maybe another not-so-smart bomb factory like Pakistan or Saudi Arabia.

 

[hotrod808]

Why stay in America? .....sports.

Soccer, cricket, rugby?? No thank you.Holy Fuck!! Men get pregnant outside of America?? I'm definitely not having sex when I go overseas.

good point. in germany its just soccer all day all night. HATE it . when i want to see my favorite sports like baskeball baseball or american football i have to go on searching in the internet for game summarys. or go to pay tv but even there we dont have the nba. ridiculous.instead we get soccer and horse riding wtf?

 

[emceeemcee]

Is the U.S. bad? Not at all. Slavery was America's greatest sin but how long has it been since it was outlawed? And now after the sacrifices in both lives and treasure America has made to fight tyranny around the world during the last 100 years, as someone who grew up outside America, I do belive the U.S. has more than made up for that.

And about America's foreign policy, is it as destructive as, let's say North Korea's and their threatening their neighbors with nukes and nowadays probably leading us into WWIII? Iran's and their support for Hezbollah? The PRC and their threatening of Taiwan and invasion of Tibet? Libya and their support for terrorism including the Lockerbie bomber? How about Venezuela and their support for the FARC in Colombia? As someone who grew up in a country (Mexico) where America regularly was blamed for the wars in Central America, I'd say it takes two to tango, people. Was America sticking its nose in Central America? Sure, but so were the Cubans and the Soviets supporting guerrillas in Guatemala and El Salvador, how come they got a free pass? Now, America has been in Afghanistan for most of this decade but that country's problems started in 1979 when the Soviets invaded, had the Soviets never started it, who knows how Afghanistan would be today, maybe a peaceful country or maybe another not-so-smart bomb factory like Pakistan or Saudi Arabia.

Generally speaking it's been more destructive than those countries you mentioned. In terms of bodycount I mean.


With the exception of WWII and Korea the US has never fought tyranny around the world, though it has fought plenty of conflicts under the guise of fighting tyrannny.

The US backs whichever side gives it's corporations the most access to things like natural resources and infrastructure projects, which is always the side with the least amount of popular support amongst a nation's people as (people don't take to kindly to seeing their wealth disappear overseas) and because of it's unpopularity needs to always be the more brutal and oppressive side.

 

[absolutehell]

Screw the haters.Every country has problems so does, USA, but USA rocks.
America, Fuck Yeah!!!

 

[hotrod808]

hehe just know the song from team America. crazy movie

 

[BioDefenseGrad]

I don't think many Americans are very clued up on their nation's foreign policy, which is what most foreigners have a gripe with.


It's been incredibly destructive.

Or it could be that they don't agree with YOUR opinion of America's F.P. and what it should be in your opinion.

 

[BioDefenseGrad]

:dito:

Its not the public's fault in america, but you're foreign policy stinks. I'm in the UK and our foreign policy stinks as well.
http://www.johnpilger.com/videos/the-war-you-dont-see-trailer

The U.S. has a rather extensive foreign policy, it doesn't all stink, some of it does. What happens is we have to weigh what we'd like to do with what we can do and what external factors force us to do.

I'm going to restate the obvious for effect; we're not the only country acting on the world stage and some of the actors aren't countries.


The most infuriating part about some of these discussions is that folks who are bleating the loudest about "american empire" and our FP often have a much more malicious and self-serving view of how the world should work.

Or they have none at all. They pop on their Green Day and Rage Against the Machine and think themselves "speaking truth to power."

 

[roronoa3000]

America seems to be obsessed with race. The US needs to drop that shit.

It wasn't ALL that bad until a nice, smart young black man aka "some uppity negro" decided to become president of America aka the most powerful man in the world.

Since then however....well, you know.

 

[BioDefenseGrad]

It wasn't ALL that bad until a nice, smart young black man aka "some uppity negro" decided to become president of America aka the most powerful man in the world.

Since then however....well, you know.

He's not the most powerful man in the world.

 

[DJCowboy]

He's not the most powerful man in the world.

No shit, not even in his own country. I'm certain he got castrated before taking office

 

[Galactic]

It's a product of the horrendous racial history of the US.




The US should be ashamed of itself.

Oh there are sop many examples I could give here that show Europe has just as, if not more so, a bloody oppressive past.

Belgian's King Leopold and what he allowed to happen in the Congo, the Armenian and Grecian genocide, numerous bloody, long, dragged out revolutions that turned on the people themselves.......

Don't even bro. Just don't.

 

[Straight Shooter]

It's a product of the horrendous racial history of the US.




The US should be ashamed of itself.

The problem with healthcare in the U.S is affordability not quality. In terms of quality there is no question that the U.S. has the best quality of healthcare in the world, just think about how many people from around the world want to come here to get surgery or treatment for their illnesses. The problem is affordability, it's just so damn expensive and even if you do have healthcare there is no guarantee that you'll have it forever.

 

[roronoa3000]

He's not the most powerful man in the world.

Hows that.

 

[alexpnz]

I think this is a pretty good opinion on the subject...

http://www.vexen.co.uk/USA/hateamerica.html

 

[BioDefenseGrad]

Hows that.

It's been said many times in the last 2 years, but as for the most famous ranking system for "powerful people" Hu Jintao of China
comes in at number 1.

http://www.forbes.com/wealth/powerful-people#p_1_s_arank

I know it makes you mad.:1orglaugh

 

[roronoa3000]

It's been said many times in the last 2 years, but as for the most famous ranking system for "powerful people" Hu Jintao of China
comes in at number 1.

http://www.forbes.com/wealth/powerful-people#p_1_s_arank

I know it makes you mad.:1orglaugh

Why would I be mad? I don't even consider Chinese as people.

 

[BioDefenseGrad]

Why would I be mad? I don't even consider Chinese as people.

Because you brought race into the discussion of Obama, as many folks like yourself love to, and it backfired.

Obama is not a particularly good President (not the worst) and he's presided over the weakening of America. On top of that, other world leaders know it and have no problem punking him when given the chance. Lastly we are told there's serious talk of a primary challenger in 2012. I don't know if he'll get primaried, but that's the sign of a very weak President if his own base is looking to oust him.


The best part is that folks saying it can't be allowed to happen because black people will stay home in droves, contradicting those who deny blacks are voting based on race. We also have folks like you who love to bring it up randomly, so I'll be laughing when he's headed back to Chicago in 2012.

You'll be weeping.

 

[georges]

US has it strenghts and its drawbacks. Have been there 9 times and liked it, you have to be very independant, hardworking and very strong willed to succeed. It is also a very individualistic country where everyone must rely on him/herself, this is not for everyone.

 

[Rey C.]

US has it strenghts and its drawbacks. Have been there 9 times and liked it, you have to be very independant, hardworking and very strong willed to succeed. It is also a very individualistic country where everyone must rely on him/herself, this is not for everyone.

That's actually a very good summation, Georges. :thumbsup:

 

[Mr. Hyde]

I think it's a little much to say that Hu Jintao is the most powerful man on the planet. That is a mere magazine article that is trying to rile people up. The plain fact of the matter is, the president of the US is the most powerful man on earth. Why?

The US economy, despite it's recent falter, remains the most powerful economy on the planet. GDP of the US is larger than the next three largest economies combined.

Of large countries, those with more than 50 million people, the US has the greatest GDP per capita.

The US military is easily the most powerful on earth and is the only military with a global reach.

The US has the greatest number of allied nations in the world.

The actions of the US affect more people on this planet than any other.



I'm not trying to be an ugly American, but it's disingenuous to claim that Hu Jintao is more powerful than the POTUS. That's like saying that Steve Jobs is more powerful than Bill Gates.