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

[meenie]

I think it would be a good idea to placate these geniuses of foreign wisdom by getting our troops out of Kosovo and end our partnership with the extreme muslims called the KLA.

[fone]

"GAG"

It is after all todays "barfbag special."

"the vapors"

LOL! It's been ages since I've heard that one! You are a piece of work my friend!

[beckett]

The great thing about seeing liberal/leftist drivel like this in print at this moment in American history is that the absurd falsity of the premises stands out in stark relief.

I say let the left prattle on---let them gear up into a full roar, in fact. It will only show even moderately intelligent folk that their specious arguments have no useful connection to reality.

[Nuke'm Glowing]

Thank you. That's the way I shall feel as each coward steps forward for their 10 minutes of television coverage.

[anguish]

Sweden is noted for its refusal to join the Allies in WWII

Sweden would've joined the Allies under the same conditions as the United States - when attacked. Honorable? Maybe not, but declaring war on Germany would've been equal to national suicide.

provide trains for the Hitler's Legions to invade Norway

Nope. Germans in Norway were allowed to transfer through Sweden when on leave. They managed the invading part themselves.

the chief source of steel and iron for the German war machine

Not the chief source, but a source of steel and iron to Germany. Sweden also provided Allies with steel and iron, but the transport routes were shut down when Hitler invaded Denmark and Norway.

They were and are the a recalcitrant and arrogant people

It would perhaps make other nations happier if Swedes were more obedient.

this author merely is identifying his own country's beliefs and approach to international affairs

Are you sure the British feel this way? Jonathan Power is not a Swede but a British citizen writing articles for a transnational organisation (based in Sweden) from his London office. Knee-jerk reaction?

Sweden, by the way, does not rule out any sort of help in the war against terrorism (not even military, but what help could the US need there?) according to the foreign minister, even though she's from the Social Democratic party. All Swedish factories, schools, government agencies etc stopped for three minutes of silence in memory of the victims. Two Swedish surgeons even halted an operation to observe the silence. Perhaps it was yet another display of arrogancy and recalcitrancy by those pesky Swedes.

[Cannon6]

Why post this crap?

[Nuke'm Glowing]

Perhaps you should read post #5. We don't want their troops or their industrial help. We want them to relieve us of our peacekeeping duties in their part of the world (i.e., Europe, the Balkans). We have the military capacity to fight this war. IF we withdraw from all of the commitments the other cowardly governments want us to pay for in money and blood.

[subterfuge]

"Such sentiment is especially strong in Europe"

Heresay. Propaganda. Where is the proof of this strong sentiment?

[Valin]

Just to piss you off. :-)

[Nuke'm Glowing]

To remind us who are friends and enemies are. Sweden appears to be typical. Minnesota is what's worrying me....

[NMC EXP]

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.

You have no clue. Acts like this come from people you piss off for no damn reason other than arrogance. Call me a dolt, thats OK with me. I'll call you and those of like mind, worse. You are arrogant, empire building globalists. You and those of like mind bear part of the responsibility for all of the deaths.

Mark my words, it will get worse. Think about biological weapons and nukes. Just a matter of time.

If you want to do something about this, I'll loan you a rifle and a can of ammo, might even buy you a ticket to Afgainistan. Or would you rather send my son in your place?

Regards

J.R.

[Colosis]

Don't you just hate these people! Don't they realize what they are saying? This attitude is widespread here in Europe but when the hypocrisy of these people is challenged, they revert to some wooly condemnation of terrorism to shirk the issue. I can only point to the leftist media here for such ignorance. It's breathtaking!

[Valin]

Have you ever heard of something called sarcasm?

[anguish]

We don't want their troops or their industrial help

Fair enough. If help isn't wanted, I don't think Sweden will force help upon the US.

We want them to relieve us of our peacekeeping duties in their part of the world

Sweden has a whole lot of peacekeepers in Bosnia and Kosovo, especially when comparing their numbers with the size of the Swedish population. 751 in Kosovo as compared to 5,300 Americans, a number that adjusted to population would be something like 22,500. I'm sure Sweden could send even more, but Bush seems to have decided that the bulk of the American troops should stay (for now).

Sweden appears to be typical

In what way? Note again that Jonathan Power, the author of the article above, is a Brit living in London.

[Nuke'm Glowing]

You forgot to add the "sarcasm off" tag....lol

[WIMom]

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[Nuke'm Glowing]

In their historical response to conflict. Their national bird is an ostrich.

[Valin]

Much deserved fundraising bump
Freedom isn't free, and neither is FREErepublic.

[anguish]

In their historical response to conflict

Sweden has "minded its own business" and put its national interests ahead of certain occupation by Germany in the latest wars faught up north. Historically though, Sweden has had a different position. Think 'the 30-years war' or 'the Great Northern War' for example. If you're up to speed with European history that is.

Their national bird is an ostrich

Actually it's the Eurasian Blackbird.

[Nuke'm Glowing]

" Sweden has a whole lot of peacekeepers in Bosnia and Kosovo, especially when comparing their numbers with the size of the Swedish population. 751 in Kosovo as compared to 5,300 Americans, a number that adjusted to population would be something like 22,500. I'm sure Sweden could send even more, but Bush seems to have decided that the bulk of the American troops should stay (for now). "

I'm referring to Europe as a whole. At this time, we don't need to withdraw our troops as this would creat a public spectacle. However, we probably will in the future. Lastly, I really don't care if you object to hawkish attitudes expressed on this board. Any opinion that supports nations whcih are not with the program tells me that the poster is either an extreme libertarian (to which party I am a member) or a typical liberal. Either way, once you have bloodied us, on our own homeland, it's over. We will fight. We will fight to crush the left on our homeland (I'm talking the communist cells and their supporters which still operate in sympathy with these terrorist cells) and the enemy overseas. I'm not putting Sweden in the enemy camp. I'm putting them in the "we shouldn't give a crap ever again about them" camp.