Victor Davis Hanson: The Other Olympics – Why so little anti-Americanism?

VDH Private Papers ^ | September 13, 2004 | Victor Davis Hanson

[quidnunc]

Well apart from the obvious lessons of the recent Olympic games that the amazing Greeks really did pull it off at the eleventh hour without major terrorist incidents, there was another story that remained largely ignored.

Much of the truth of today’s global politics was as easily discernible in Athens as it was left unsaid. Americans, of course, are proud of the ability of the United States to outpace other nations in the medal count. It suggests that after the end of the Cold War — when there are no longer state-sponsored cheating, subsidized steroid use, and coercion behind the old Iron Curtain — America’s emphasis on individualism and meritocracy results in unrivaled athletic success.

Nowhere was that more evident than during the finals of the 200-meter race. The Greek fans, furious over the disqualification of their national hero, the sprinter Konstantinos Kenteris, directed their hoots toward the three American runners, Shawn Crawford, Justin Gatlin, and Bernard Williams — on the crazy premise that American conspiracies, not performance enhancing drugs, were somehow responsible for their own dashed hopes. After nerve-wracking boos, delays, and false starts, the Americans answered the crowd’s hostility by winning 1-2-3, in the first clean sweep of the 200 since 1984.

-snip-

But maybe a more circumspect world also realizes there is a weariness in the United States with knee-jerk anti-Americanism. The recent announcement of troop withdrawals from Europe and South Korea conveys the sober message to the world that the United States is ending the surreal past, when American soldiers subsidized allies’ defense, earning not gratitude, but more often envy and resentment from the classically dependent.

-snip-

[quidnunc]

FYI

[mrsmel]

Are we pulling all out troops from Europe and South Korea? I wish that we would. I even wish sometimes that we would withdraw from NATO,and let them see to their own defense,funding included,and I definitely wish that we would withdraw from the UN and make them move it to Europe or wherever they like,and keep on passing toothless or hypocritical proclomations to their hearts' content.

[Excuse_Me]

The Iranian judo champ refused his match with an Israeli athlete--to the cheers and cash bounties of the mullocracy in Teheran.

I heard that this athlete failed his weigh-in, by being too heavy for his class, and then "decided" that he would not compete against the Israeli.

[scoastie]

we are redeploying troops out of Germany to Poland...and out of S. Korea..reduction of the troop size at the DMZ....no need for them to be there....

[Mona Lisa2]

I thought I heard the Iranian athlete had gained 15 pounds. If this was true it sounds like he deliberately sabotaged himself to get bumped out of qualifing. An elite athlete at this level would certainly know better not to put on so much weight before a major competition. Maybe he was "told" or forced to say these things?

[mdmathis6]

"American soldiers subsidized allies’ defense,"

Try the American taxpayer....we have actually been tax slaves to the European socialists as we have payed for the nuclear cold war umbrella over them as well as pumping untold billions of aid all over the world. As a matter of fact...all those deficits that everyone complains about over the years....if we had no foreign defence and aid committments over seas we would have had no deficits! Some-one do the math and correct me if I'm wrong...!

[Tolik]

The world is in public denial, but privately knows the real score in this so-called war against terror, and beneath the Olympic hype we saw that all too well.

    Victor Davis Hanson Ping ! 

[Doogle]

The recent announcement of troop withdrawals from Europe and South Korea conveys the sober message to the world that the United States is ending the surreal past, when American soldiers subsidized allies’ defense, earning not gratitude, but more often envy and resentment from the classically dependent.


and it's about time..let them fund their own military.
Let their economies take the hit,they were always anti-American, but love the $$$$$. They can't have it both ways.
Poland deserves our "attention" with military expertise and
$$$$ backing. They have been and it looks like they will be supporters of the US for years to come.
Here's something to consider.....Poland has been a thorn in
France's butt in regards to activities with the EU. France has been actively seeking the leadership role and Poland,Italy Romania, and others have put the "whoa's" on that.....who do you think kerry would support?

Doogle

[Valin]

But maybe a more circumspect world also realizes there is a weariness in the United States with knee-jerk anti-Americanism.

I know I am.