Fixing Uncle Sam’s Image Problem

There is a global awareness now on the need to fix Islam - but darkness prevails on the best method - a solution that is simple and sure will evolve from here.Sounds far fetched ? Just consider the peculiar case of 1 million deaths in the Iran Iraq war- this was no Jihad with Kafir and hence all those dead went to hell for no fault of theirs except that they had Saddam as "boss" - in the post Lehman world we all agree that this is very unfortunate & avoidable case of bad direction by leadership , which brought ruin to followers!

A nuclear attack on middle east from either US or Israel canoot be ruled out at all - it appears to be very central to planners of Islamic life. As all muslims prey 5 times a day for death in jihad and seat in heaven ; this is the most practical way for a benevoilent kafir to delivery a heavenly martyrdom in jihad to all muslims on equal footing.... so that at the Allah's brothel - stock of 72 goats/ martyr can be enjoyed equally by each muslim.

This is an excellent article, but I would like to elaborate a little on one point you make.

You correctly note that we Americans tend to see the world through a prism that leads us to believe we're Masters of the Universe. You also note the economic crisis seems to be snapping Americans out of that daydream -- and that, too, is correct, but with a caveat: there are, unfortunately still some Americans (too many, in my view) who still believe in Fortress America. I have lived aborad since 1985, in Asia (except for a brief stint 1988-90 when personal circumstances took back to the U.S.), so my perspective is decidely different from most of my countrymen of all stripes. Nowhere is this more noticeable than when contrasting me with the Fortress America Americans.

Some of my own family and friends in the U.S. believe we should abandon the world, close the shores, ban foreigners generally speaking, and other such stuff. While it's true that not all of them are all highly educated and well-informed about international affairs (including the realities of cross-dependencies), some *are* quite educated -- yet a portion of the educated ones (some of whom who've traveled a fair amount abroad)whom one might reasonably expect to transcend such a narrow view do not. They blame the "damned foreigners."

I'm not criticizing, just mentioning a point that you didn't. Perhaps you were being TOO polite by glossing over that fact!

May I invite Mr./Ms.Niibrocvet to read a story in Newsweek under the caption A TEAM OF EXPATRIATES by Jeffrey Bartholet and Daniel Stone published in the issue of January 17,2009. The impression of people mentioned there shows why many people in other countries looked unfriendly to Mr./Ms.Nibrocvet?

Mr./Ms Nibrocvet I am afraid is most probably wrong in his assesment. The people in general worldover love Americans.I am sure Mr./Ms.Nibrocvet must have come accross friendly people during his visits abroad. As common people are like doves they get worried when a hawk gets in the flock. I am previleged to visit inner american many times and I found them as friendly as people elsewhere.

As the US paper dollar cites <in God we trust> would be a good principle to follow as the militaristic domination of US world policy has botched up almost any attempt in the past decade to acheive world-wide respect for US foreign policy.Any government must strictly hold in check their defense ministry both for political AND economical pursuits, but especially in the US today.  Since President Eisenhower who even as a US Army General found it difficult to swim in the rocky waters of US Foreign Policy during the British overtake of Iranian oiil resources, 3 decades  and 2 republican administrations later, Obhama will find himself neck deep with this chore of resizing and retaining US Foreign Policy's 'spoiled military bullies' to acheive new habits in all our foreign dealings. So I repeat 'IN GOD WE TRUST' should be on the lips of every law abiding and decent American citizen for it is only through His help -and lots of it - that we may some day become the nation that every American wants to hand down to his decendents. Kathy Schmitz (Barcelona, Spain)

Thank God, Bush's reign is OVER! "King" George has been the biggerst embarrassment this country has ever seen!
Not having to listen to his marginal I.Q "rants" any longer, is a blessing. Because of "W," our standing in the eyes of the rest of the world, has fallen to a new low. We can only hope that Obama has what it takes, to restore our place in the world.

I WANT TO KNOW WHY THERE ARE CONCENTRATION CAMPS IN THE UNITED STATES. I ALSO WANT TO KNOW IF OBAMA WANTS TO HAVE A NEW WORLD ORDER

hello Europe, was it not the U.S. troops who landed on your coast of Normandy to free you from the Nazis?
Or should the U.S. have remained vigilant and non-judgemental?

Also another way to improve the image of the United States is to accept that America is a continent, not a country, so stop calling your country America, that's why many latin americans hate the "gringos". I'm from ecuador so I'm also American...

Greetings,
I think today's Americas is more about corporate greed. I study and live in US for about seven years. However, I see a total denial of what I learn from its' institutions and its scoiety in general and in specific by US Government in the last two hundred years or so. I think Amercians must accept the fact that they are directly and indirectly responsible for their government. Moreover, US is encourage by it allies becuase naturally they have thier interest palyed in too. US is a repeat offender as there is enopugh evidence on US going to wars on avergae every ten years or so. Broken promises and whatever it takes deception to reach its goals is the name of the game for Americans starting from poor red Indians to devided muslims. I think the author has suggested a utopia. To simply put, it is about imbalance of power.

I agree with elcindo. i would like to add that, respect is something America needs to apply in its foreign policy. The right to life liberty and the pursuit of happiness?, they are not , and shouldn't be just for americans, but for everyone. If these rights are attacked in thw muslim world, than muslims all over the world will fail to sympathize with america.

Seems to me that America's problems come from to much multilateralism, not the opposite. With Obama's election the U.S. has now tried every pathetic gimmick that can be thought of to get other countries to love it. Maybe America's reall problem is not realizing that most nations would give anything for the wealth and power America has. And that nothing, not even destroying that wealth and power, will make other nations love America. Just look at the reaction to a minor economic problem. Maybe Americans need to realize that nationalism is common and if more people are against America it is because A) More people know that America actually exists than say Turks and Caicos and B) Because when people burn American flags Americans don't respond by doing the same. However, I think Americans have indeed been affected by the years of Anti-Americanism. I think the question that will soon be on every penny pundit's lips will not be "Why do they hate America?" but "Why does America hate them? The United States is not a nation of saints and it seems to be inevitable that all the Anti-americanism that has been tossed at the United States will be tossed back into the world, for better or for worse. Soon your kids from Singapore might find that studying in the U.S. will get them lynched. Actions often cause a reaction. Think of all the Anti-Americanism there has been in the world and then think of what an American backlash to that might look like. I don't think America's reputation is what people should be worried about.