Posted on 11/24/2007 11:42:20 PM PST by Roberts
THE Archbishop of Canterbury has said that the United States wields its power in a way that is worse than Britain during its imperial heyday.
Rowan Williams claimed that America’s attempt to intervene overseas by “clearing the decks” with a “quick burst of violent action” had led to “the worst of all worlds”.
In a wide-ranging interview with a British Muslim magazine, the Anglican leader linked criticism of the United States to one of his most pessimistic declarations about the state of western civilisation.
He said the crisis was caused not just by America’s actions but also by its misguided sense of its own mission. He poured scorn on the “chosen nation myth of America, meaning that what happens in America is very much at the heart of God’s purpose for humanity”.
Williams went beyond his previous critique of the conduct of the war on terror, saying the United States had lost the moral high ground since September 11. He urged it to launch a “generous and intelligent programme of aid directed to the societies that have been ravaged; a check on the economic exploitation of defeated territories; a demilitarisation of their presence”.
He went on to suggest that the West was fundamentally adrift: “Our modern western definition of humanity is clearly not working very well. There is something about western modernity which really does eat away at the soul.”
Williams suggested American leadership had broken down: “We have only one global hegemonic power. It is not accumulating territory: it is trying to accumulate influence and control. That’s not working.”
He contrasted it unfavourably with how the British Empire governed India. “It is one thing to take over a territory and then pour energy and resources into administering it and normalising it. Rightly or wrongly, that’s what the British Empire did — in India, for example.
“It is another thing to go in on the assumption that a quick burst of violent action will somehow clear the decks and that you can move on and other people will put it back together — Iraq, for example.”
In the interview in Emel, a Muslim lifestyle magazine, Williams makes only mild criticisms of the Islamic world. He said the Muslim world must acknowledge that its “political solutions were not the most impressive”.
He commends the Muslim practice of praying five times a day, which he says allows the remembrance of God to be “built in deeply in their daily rhythm”.
Next, he'll be proclaiming "peace in our time". What a tool.
Grizzled Bear has said that the THE Archbishop of Canterbury should pull his head out from between his buttocks. His lack of clean air seems to have clouded his already questionable judgment.
Well, that explains a lot. Starting with why he's pandering to the islamists by slamming the US. He knows we'll just shrug if he insults us, but they'll cut off his head. Coward.
Liberalism is a mental disorder.
Well if you really want to puke, read the comments in the paper that follow the story...
Umm....Doofus....
The USA has never been an imperial power.
Unlike Britain, spain, france, portugal, japan...
whatever
Cranks like him harm Christianity by using their leadership role to denigrate one of the powers that assured they can spout mindless poppycock by helping to defeat the Nazis and by leading the defeat of the Soviet Union. Clearly, someone must do the same today against al Qaeda and its menace. The Archbishop is playing to the anti-American crowd and ignoring the real threats in the world.
So much nobler to live in Papua New Guinea (a french imperialist hell hole)
News to me. Granted there's a flair of arrogance/ignorance in foreign affairs...thanks to Ivy League policy wonks at Foggy Bottom.
Made better by the french
The Indian example is probably the worst of all possible excuses to use. The policy of divide and rule; the tragedy of the Partition; the way the Indian empire distorted British policy for long decades; how it led to the British involvement in Egypt to protect the Suez; it’s role in securing the Horn of Africa, once the sealane to India and that in turn possible to the Scramble for Africa and other catastrophes too numerous to mention. Iraq is one example that comes to mind. It was an Anglo-French Frankenstein created under Sykes-Picot. Whatever the Archbishop’s theology is like, I think his history is suspect.
But I don’t think his understanding will get better. Certain points of view are proof against facts. But such lead to consequences which none of us can escape.
Bingo!
Pompous English twit!
Sounds like a little mental masterbation from the Archbishop of Canterbury. Eh, its easy to declare the US is the ‘worst’imperialist, fascist, or empire. There is no risk in doing so. Its not like we’ll invade Canada or nuke the UK because of it.
We’ll, not yet anyway. BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! :-)
Rowan, you ignorant slut. Stop getting your news from the BBC.
More like “Archbishop of Panderbury”. Expect more as Muslim numbers in Europe increase.
Which head?
Oh, for Pete’s sake. Just convert to Islam already, you senile old fool.
Both America and Britain have left the world way better than they found it. I might add: Spain at least improved most of South America, though anglic norms of jurisprudence and property law would have made a big difference there too. Compare and contrast with the Belgian Congo, Russia in Afghanistan, and Islam anywhere.
Agreed. I think the Archbishop and his courtiers are immune to facts. At their core is self-loathing and guilt for western civilization.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.