Global warmth for U.S. after 9/11 turns to frost

USA TODAY ^ | 8.14.02

[CJ Wolf]

"Why," she blurted out, "does everybody hate us?"

If you read the foreign papers you can see why, it's rife with anti-american propaganda. They are victims of their media, they, like most sheep, believe what they read.

[PhilipFreneau]

Last night on the PBS McNeil/Lehrer report one of the panelists stated that the European people support the U.S. War on Terrorism. However, he clarified, the elites (which includes the highly anti-American leftist European media) do not. Note that is the same lack of support we get in America from our leftist media and 'intellectual' elites. Leftists band together, and they hold a lot of propaganda power; but they are not the majority by any means.

[Semper Paratus]

The Euros thought W.Clinton was a swell and dandy leader.
That's all I needed to know about them.

[elephantlips]

Agree. Their whole concept of deveolping into the "sophisticated" EU neglects a minor point: without the USA riding herd on the warring factions around the world, there would be no EU! You can argue, pontificate, gesticulate, rationalize, justify or whatever, the truth is the truth. Without question the USA will sooner or later have to pull their bacon out of the fire, again and again all the while, having them "spit" in our face. They are disgusting.

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

In the popular Straw Poll BBC radio show July 26, Kaldor debated with Washington Post reporter T. R. Reid whether "American power is the power of the good." She argued that the U.S. role as the sole superpower was a danger to the rest of the world.

Would they have been more comfortable with the Soviet Union as the world's sole superpower?

Europe's history is replete with centuries of war, some started because of ego or small areas of land.

[Chi-townChief]

bump

[tet68]

As though we CARE!

[rudypoot]

"In April, the German news magazine Der Spiegel reported that less than half (48%) of Germans consider the United States a guarantor of peace in the world, compared with 62% who did in 1993. Nearly half ? 47% ? rated Americans as aggressive rather than peaceful (34%)."

Europeans just don't get it: The US defends freedom at all costs, not peace at all costs.

"He says bin Laden has "gleefully exploited" the United States' poor public image."

And thus terribly misjudged our character and strength.

[Timocrat]

One real problem is that visiting Americans tend to interact with the chattering classes( media,academics,show business etc). Imagine the situation if a European only talked to the Dan Rathers, Martin Sheens etc in this country.

Also remember their grand plan for a unified Europe that would rival the US and Russia in Economic and military terms has proved to be a paper tiger that isn't working.

Their real problem is they want the benefits of a free market society without the risks and hard work in building it.

The US has nothing to apologise to them about, they overspend on Social programs, spend nothing on defence, they are swamped by third world immigrants, take massive vacations and they still keep electing the same socialists who got them into their mess in the first place. Their economies are not producing new jobs and their manufacturing base is shrinking.

Europeans are facing a world where economic and social flexibility is at a premium and they have little or none.

[Mr. Jeeves]

"Why do people attack Americans?" asks Tiny Waslandek, a social worker in Amsterdam, Netherlands. "Because they have a big, big mouth and they mind everybody's business."

Maybe if you would stop smoking pot and mind your own business when it comes to European security, we wouldn't have to do it for you.

[chimera]

Its just the usual whining. The old line about leading, following, or getting the freak out of the way is truer now than ever. And those who follow or are left in the dust will naturally take potshots at the leader out of frustration at their own impotence and self-hatred because they know their own weakness.

Leaders always take their share of shots from the peanut gallery. The important thing is to take the heat and remain true to your ideals. Reagan did it and he won the cold war and defeated, without firing a shot, what was then the most dangerous geopolitical rival this country has ever faced. Bush now has to deal with a slimier and shadowy and potentially as deadly an enemy. I think he is up to the job, but the Eurocrats will be there at every turn to try to tear him down. Like Reagan, he has to keep on keepin' on.

[nravoter]

"Why do people attack Americans?" asks Tiny Waslandek, a social worker in Amsterdam, Netherlands. "Because they have a big, big mouth and they mind everybody's business."

Oh, yeah, as opposed to people like our friend Tiny here, who don't insult others, and keep their opinions to themselves.

[Hazzardgate]

They crap on America, then go eat lunch at McDonalds, catch a matinee screening of Star Wars, then go home and watch Friends while drinking Bud and smoking Marlboro Lights. Yup, they hate America alright!

[moyden]

As Europe grows more socialist and anti-Christian, they will hate the U.S. no matter what we do.

[Saundra Duffy]

Yawn.

[GnL]

"the seeping influence of American popular culture."

You nailed it, Hazzardgate. There would be no "seeping influence" if the Euro-weenies didn't buy the products and watch the movies. They complain about it and then go out and consume it.

As for the war on terror, sometimes I think the best thing for us to do would be to sit back and let Osama or Saddam lob a Scud full of biological nasty into a European city. But then, that is a horror I don't want to see, and it would probably still not convince the pacifists.

[vikingcelt]

I bought that book in England (Cambridge I think....that trip was such a blur) when I could truely relate to "Holidays in Hell"...a 26 day bus tour of England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland. YUCK!!!! Never, ever take a bus tour.

[DrDavid]

"Around the world, from Western Europe to the Far East, many see the United States as arrogant, hypocritical, self-absorbed, self-indulgent and contemptuous of others," Peterson says...

I think one of the reasons the rest of the world hates us, is that they read our Press and believe it! This quote describes the US Press more than the US People.

[meandog]

Yeah, plus there is the fact that we are incredibly and obnoxiously arrogant. Read the posts in this thread if you don't believe me--or any thread dealing with foreign affairs, for that matter. Many Americans, including most Freepers and the entire Bush administration, think we are far and away the greatest nation in the history of the universe and that the inhabitants of other countries are members of a fundamentally different, inferior species. I'm not necessarily disagreeing, so spare me the deluge of eagles and flags, but let's call a spade a spade. We are an arrogant nation. We opt out of international treaties whenever we feel like it. We annoint the champions of our national sports leagues "World Champions." And we talk loudly amongst ourselves, in our movies, TV shows, print media, and forums like this one about how we think we're superior. Of course people are going to dislike us for our arrogance. Arrogance is an ugly, unlikeable trait, on the world stage as much as at a cocktail party. I'm not saying we should stop being arrogant--though I do think we should. I'm saying that you can't in the same breath trumpet America's infinite superiority andexpress contemptuous disbelief that the rest of the world considers us arrogant. If arrogance is the way we want to go then let's be upfront about it, and be prepared to accept the consequences which in my experience, as a single human being, tend not to be pretty.

Unfortunately, I cannot disagree. There are far too many "ugly Americans" giving our great nation a bad name...our arrogance seems to have no boundary in certain quarters.