U.S. pays price for arrogance (A barfbag special)

St Paul Pioneer (de)Press ^ | 9/18/01 | JONATHAN POWER

[Valin]

STOCKHOLM -- As Americans stagger in shock over the deadly terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, many Europeans believe the United States is the author of its own security woes.
I have talked to a range of ordinary Europeans and they all say, in the face of the earnest shoulder-to-shoulder rhetoric of their leaders, that America got itself into this hole by its arrogant disregard for what others think.
This is not what Americans want to hear at this time of grief and anger. Yet they have to know that their actions produce reactions. It is not for nothing that anti-American resentment is on the rise all over the world.

Such sentiment is especially strong in Europe, where there is astonishment at the way the new Bush administration has plowed ahead with its unilateral agenda of national missile defense, ignoring the rest of the world's opinions and concerns.
Outside the United States, people have heard Washington's mantra on the need to seize upon this special post-Cold War moment to gain global militarily superiority, and they don't like what they hear.
But international perceptions of American arrogance didn't begin with President George W. Bush. Under Bill Clinton, America began the new millennium as the most heavily militarized nation on Earth. Despite the end of the Cold War, Washington provocatively expanded NATO toward Russia's borders and made only paltry efforts to reduce superpower nuclear arsenals.
The Bush administration, with its determination to abandon the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, now seems unconcerned that such steps will torpedo international arms control agreements and provoke a dangerous arms race. This American administration has even hinted it would understand if China increases its nuclear forces and tests new nuclear weapons.

These are not the only holes the United States has created for itself. After the 1967 Middle East war, Washington never firmly spoke out against Israel when it began its illegal policy of building settlements on occupied land. Amazingly, the policy continues, with what Arabs now see as Washington's tacit approval. Such perceptions have bred a sense of powerlessness and hatred of America across wide swathes of the Muslim world.
The arrogance of power has now produced its inevitable reaction. America is threatened not by nuclear missiles from rogue nations, but by small groups of angry men whose frustration, if not their methods, have struck a chord with ordinary people around the world. To deal with these emotions effectively, Americans had better find a new way of looking at the world. After all, the first law of holes is to stop digging.

Power is an analyst with the Stockholm-based Transnational Foundation. Distributed by Knight Ridder-Tribune Information Services.
© 2001 PioneerPlanet / St. Paul (Minnesota) Pioneer Press / TwinCities.com- All Rights Reserved copyright information

[Valin]

I'm sorry! I'm wondering if we all join hands and sing kumbia maybe dolts like this will like us and give us their stamp of approval.

[Bikers4Bush]

Hey Power, shove it.

Now go sit in the corner and cry like a good liberal. The Americans have work to do.

[Vigilanteman]

If the Eurotrash thinks Americans are arrogant, they are free to boycott our products. They are free to spend their tourist dollars elsewhere. They are even free to stop immigrating here. But try to justify hijacking our planes to use as missiles against our people and you've aroused an unquenchable wrath that won't rest until those who supported and abetted this crime have their heads mounted.

[shrinkermd]

Sweden is noted for its refusal to join the Allies in WWII and to provide trains for the Hitler's Legions to invade Norway. They also were the chief source of steel and iron for the German war machine. They were and are the a recalcitrant and arrogant people and this author merely is identifying his own country's beliefs and approach to international affairs.

[Nuke'm Glowing]

Dear Cowards of Sweden,

Where were you while Nazi Germany slaughtered millions?
Neutral, trading with the enemy of the world.
Where were you while the Soviet Union opressed much of Europe, and slaughtered millions inside their own border?
Hiding behind your skirts as usual.
Where will Sweden be while we fight this war?
Harboring peaceniks, socialists and the scum of the earth, all in the name of neutralism. Good. We don't want you, your help, or your opinion. If I never heard the name of Sweden again in my lifetime, it would not matter. You may continue now to profit from our sacrifice, leech off of our defense of freedom around the world, and suck the blood of the American worker through your war profiteering. WE, the American people, do not care. Not about Sweden, nor Norway, Germany, nor Italy, France nor New Zealand. These are the nations whose governments have elected to become the coward's paradise. This is fine. WE did not and have not asked you to fight for us. WE did not and have not asked you for a handout like your little pissant nations are prone to do when bad times hit. No, we just ask everyone to assume our peacekeeping and patrol duties throughout the world as we re-allocate our assets to fight this war. Never worry about us again. But every time I see a SAAB, I shall think quite strongly about releaving myself on it. Just as I would on your pathetic cowardly citizens.

[Steve_Seattle]

If we had to rely on Sweden to protect our freedom, we would now all have pictures of Adolph Hitler on our walls. Jonathan Power is just another dickless pinhead.

[Steve_Seattle]

"I have talked to a range of ordinary Europeans."

He must not have talked to any of the 200,000 Germans who demonstrated in support of the victims.

[Valin]

But how do you really feel? :-)

God Bless AMERICA

[Physicist]

To deal with these emotions effectively, Americans had better find a new way of looking at the world.

I agree. Time to see whether the world's nations will stand with us or against us. Those that do not should have their sovereignty revoked by the American military. We should invade their countries, disarm the populace, and enforce civilization at gunpoint. Eventually they will learn to behave.

It worked with Japan, a much tougher opponent.

[Nuke'm Glowing]

PISSED.
Does it show?
WWJWD???

[SES1066]

What gets me is that this is not coming to us directly from Sweden, but is instead from the Minnesota paper, "© 2001 PioneerPlanet / St. Paul (Minnesota) Pioneer Press / TwinCities.com". Obviously, with the ancestral connections to Scandinavia, Minnesota pays more attention to the area than the rest of the country. Still, there is a limit to what is news versus propoganda that I am willing to stomach. The average 'European' (how many had Mr.Power personally interviewed?) gets their news from a generally liberal press. Mr.Power's use of the usual liberal dogma phrases, "as the most heavily militarized nation on Earth", displays his probable bias and worth. PIPSQUEAK!

[tracer]

Note to Power:

I would strongly advise against dropping by to see the governor of your state the next time you're in town.........

[Valin]

Does it show?

Well I thought I did detect just a hint :-)

God Bless AMERICA

[Nuke'm Glowing]

The funny thing is I read the "Winnie the Pooh" letter to the editor posted several days ago here, also from Minnesota. Has our great northern state become the Sweden of the north?????

[NoClones]

Could it be this bungholer only wants to have a nice, fat share of the taxpayer pie?

And, could it be he is only passing along the whining jealousies of a few of the foreign pinks & reds who are his acquaintances who would also like to have their own cut?

[fone]

"that America got itself into this hole by its arrogant disregard for what others think..."

YOU GOT THAT RIGHT! Now buzz off Mr. Power!

[GeorgeWashington777]

I'm so tired of seeing & hearing this "Its the U.S. fault crap"! How does this in anyway condone what was done to so many innocents?

President Bush took an oath to the American People! The so called Kyoto protocal was Crap and they all know it! And would have hurt the U.S. and the working people and was just a Power play on the U.S. The Missle Defense like wise, and anyone who has a problem with wanting to work on defending the U.S. with the stupid arguments of we're antagonizing our enemies is an idiot.

These idiots all need to just move to another country! I know let's start emptying our prisons. A massive drop on Afghanistan. :)

[fone]

#5Right on!

[Snuffington]

I would strongly advise against dropping by to see the governor of your state the next time you're in town.........

Don't buy Jesse Ventira's PR image. He's a liberal without the courage to call himself one.

[Valin]

He's probably going to get the vapors when the first strike happen. I can hear him now, Just because they killed 5,000+ americans that's no reason to cause them harm. GAG