Fixing Uncle Sam’s Image Problem

I'm happy that we had the balls to do something after 911, even the wrong thing was better than doing nothing. As far as what the middle east thinks of us ,maybe they need to take a closer look at them selves. They have proven that almost the intire area is populated by ignorant intolerant religous finatics that are living in the past . They remind me of a fight I witnessed as a child of kids fighting over who was real , santa clause or the easter bunny . The reality is that religon in this part of the world has caused more death and distruction than the rest of the world is willing to tolorate. They have put every one at risk in the selfish desire to make the world a one god place . If god had wanted that way he would have made it that way. The middle east as a region needs to grow up. Even if the life we live now is just a way to the next life it has gifts given by god and those gifts need to be apricated , not thrown away like some spoiled child who did'nt get the gift they wanted.

Who cares waht the world thinks of America. We have helped every one of the major countries of the 'world and they turn on us or do not pay their debts that they owe us. Another problems is the liberal anti American democrats that do nothing bur complain obout how bad Amierica is and had been in the past. If we do not like ourselves how can we expect the workd to like us. The first step be to tell the liberal democrats to either love and honor the country or leave. Leave would be the best answer. We have elected a Muslim loving socialist that the demorcrats ran for president. And enough of the American voters baught into the lies and distorions that this anti American put on them. America is great it has save the world from disastor many times and the weak countries of Europe will need us again when they have to fight the Muslim on their own soil. By the way liberals Muslim bombs donot know a liberal or a conservative. Your liberal anti Americans will die just as loyak Americans thanks to you and your Muslim loving president elect.

Do not be so naive 0Bachrach, our gun toting pre-emptive policy did not help us gain consensus with the world. Our president and current administration is the laughing stock of this country. How do you think they are perceived abroad?

American foreign policy is arbitrary, inconsistent, and arogant, and lacking in any adherence to "higher ideals". This was true long before the current administration took over. While claiming to promote democracy, American foreign policy tends to support despots while punishing those who make real strides in promoting democracy. Americn foreign policy is the reason such movements as the Iranian religious revolution, Hugo Chavez', Daniel Ortega's and Evo Morales' "socialism" can gain a foothold. One day Americans supply arms and aid to Osama Ben Laden, the next they want to murder him. One day, the Americans elevate Manuel Noriega to power in Panama, only later to invade his country to remove him and send him to prison.
I am an American ex-pat living in a Latin American country. I once was a devout patriot (Viet Nam vet). I see nothing in the attitudes of the coming administration that promises a fundamental change to American foreign policy. Continuing to punish your friends (Mexico, Columbia, Panama) will only help promote your enemies...

How dare you?!?!?! How dare Newsweek to allow an artical be printed in their rag that tries to directly lay the blame for 9/11 at the steps of America?!?!?! Lets start with the so called facts in this artical shall we? The so called image problem that America faces is because we were forced to stand up and take a stand when no one else would. Prior to 9/11 the focus was internal and trying to continue the upswing that we were enjoying. 9/11 occured, not because we turned out backs on a bunch of people that needed our help to fight the Russians in the '80s, but because of a religous extreamism that exists in a population that NEEDS religous extreamism to continue it's woes me attitude.

You mentioned the Bush administrations failure to act on the Koyto accords, only you forget to mention that it was the Clinton administration and a Democratic congress that refused to ratify the treaty. Yes, the Bush administration backed out of the SALT II treaty, only after it became clear that countries like Iran and North Korea were working on weapons capable of reducing American cities to ashes and their supporters (i.e. Russia and China# were doing nothing to stop them. This is a proxy war by any definition.

You mention our policies in Pakistans territories. We don't have policies towards other countries territories, we deal with the politicol infrastructure of the country as a whole. Your suggestion that we deal with the territories would amount to Russia dealing with individual counties or states within the US and ignorning the federal government if they so chose too. Can you clearly see how this would NOT work? If not, perhaps a lesson in global politics in order.

Personally, I give a rats butt if most of the world doesn't like us. We give countries like Indoneisa Billions of US taxpayer money to help with various things and unfortunately some of that money is in turn used to further hatred of the US. I would suggest this - stop giving them money. Let them sink back into such a state that they are forced to come begging to us for handouts, and still turn our backs on them. Only when they are so bad off and clearly see that they can't stand on their own two feet without the support of the US do we provide assitance. Cruel? You bet! But you know what? It teaches a lesson and that's what much of the world needs.

You want China and India to become powers? Fine, let them take on some of the burden that the US has been faced with. Let China address places like Darfur #Oh yeah, I forgot they do. The support the government that is kiling it's own people). Let India with it's fastest growing population of Millionares give billions to starving nations in Africa and address the AIDS crisis there. Oh yeah, I forgot that too, they can't even address the issues in their own country of starving people and AIDS.

Why should we care if we are loved, or not. The way I see it, the rest of the world is jealous. In fact, people are waiting in line to come here. Maybe we could make room if all American citizens who hate our country, (Libs) would move.

Grumpy Gramps needs to wake up and realize the fact that it's obvious to me that the vast majority of the dumbest people vote Democrat. Have you visited any projects in the big cities across this country...they are all filled with your Democrat base voters. Are you too stupid to realize that 99% of all people on welfare programs vote Democrat so they can get more hand- outs from the providers in this country - (also known as Republicans). If you didn't have Republicans to support you lazy ass Democrats, this country would have collapsed by now, or you Democrat slugs sitting in the wagon would have to actually get a job. Conservatives are sick of oaying huge taxes, without thanks from the leaches, and then getting treated like crap. Excuse me, but I have to get back to my job...I don't have time to post comments all day like all the free-loading Democrats in this country!!

I don't disagree on bit with this. I do see a gaping hole in this diatribe. What of American attitudes towards the poorest nations? You know, like the ones in Africa and Latin America. What should we be doing about Darfur, Cuba, Venzuela, Zimbabwe? Cooperation with Brasil on Energy Technology would be a significant first step to restore the world's faith on the nation's ecological responsabilities.

As usual the responses by the Republicans reveal that the are blinded by their ideollogy to the facts. Their message of hatred and division has destroyed the credibiity of their racists based party. Who cares what they have to say. They represent the dumest 20% of the American electorate.

1) Myth#1 - Freedom vs Jobs
Do Mexicans come here for the freedom? They come here for jobs. Now that our economy is tanking, what are a lot of them doing? Going back!
2) Myth#2 - US as great benefactor Want to know WHY Pearl Harbor got bombed? Because the US forced the Japanese into a corner with an ultimatum & an oil embargo without giving them a way to save face. Then we LET Pearl Harbor get bombed (curiously our carriers were out at sea) so we could go to war. Nobody debates the Japanese or Nazis as being nice people, but I debate our motives and timing for going to war.

We entered World War I because of German uboats sinking supposedly "civilian ships" (which were probably also carrying munitions for British). US "neutrality" was ineffective because of the British Naval blockade of trade to Germany... people were starving in Germany but nobody sees that. We go into wars because they are very profitable.

Read up on "War is a Racket" by Brigadier General Smedley Butler (1 of only 7 people to get TWO Congressional Medals of Honor). He is a credible source in the 1930s and tells it like it is.

FIxing our image is not about touchy-feely singing-Kumbaya cr*p. It is another form of power. I was tough enough in junior high to hold out against 1 or 2 kids. One time I had 4 kids picking on me. I quietly left, and came back with 6 football player friends who's homework I helped them with, and sat down and enjoyed the show (bullies being off of the ground, etc) Its funny that I as an 8th grader understood a principle that Bush didn't. (I love his coalition of the willing, by the way, 5 people from Estonia etc---compare that to the Desert Storm coalition under Bush 1)

When I was growing up in Bombay, now Mumbai there was a gentlemen I V Mahbubani who used to write very informative letters in Times of India. Is Kishore Mahbubani related to him?

I don't want to live in Indonesia... I want competent leadership HERE. Is THAT too much to ask for?