The Fearful Superpower

As an outsider, my experience with American may shed some light here. I have good feeling with American in the 60 and early 70 because there were young American teachers in our country. Although I didn't have a chance to learn under them, friends study under them have only goods word for their dedication and friendliness. In the 80's I work in one of the American company mushroomed during the semiconductor boom. Again I had good memory interacting with American bosses and coworkers in the coporation. I agreed to your move to protect US citizen after 9-11. But since I begin reading the internet and forum like this, and observed frequent paranoid reaction on things foreign in the US press, I fear that oneday friends will turn into foe because of agitation by deranged columnist or politician. In my opinion, American have too much misunderstanding with the outside world due to lack of opportunity to interact, and its citizen is easily coaxed into taking position without understanding the true issue. Sadly, freedom of press does not help you understanding the world better. Why not start afresh by giving up reading and viewing garbage and travel more to have first hand experience with the outside world.

Voting4ed08, if "Americans" are not afraid why do they keep electing public officials like Mr. Bush and Mr. Lieberman to high public offices? The only rationale for their existence (in public life of this country at least) is that "they will make us safe". I think Mr. Zakaria has hit the nail exactly on its head as it relates to the current psyche of the American public. Where he is somewhat mistaken is that he seems to be suggesting that the subject of our fears should be something other than what it is now. We should instead be afraid of India, China et al. Trading one fear with another? Not so smart. I agree with him that America needs to regain its confidence. And for that America needs a positive President.
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Voting4ed08, if "Americans" are not afraid why do they keep electing public officials like Mr. Bush and Mr. Lieberman to high public offices? The only rationale for their existence (in public life of this country at least) is that "they will make us safe". I think Mr. Zakaria has hit the nail exactly on its head as it relates to the current psyche of the American public. Where he is somewhat mistaken is that he seems to be suggesting that the subject of our fears should be something other than what it is now. We should instead be afraid of India, China et al. Trading one fear with another? Not so smart. I agree with him that America needs to regain its confidence. And for that America needs a positive President.
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Our so called financial aid is like a beating with a smile

Our so called financial aid is like a punching with a smile

Americans are not afraid, george bush and republicans are, the rest of us know better.

Americans aren't afraid of the world, george bush and republicans are afraid the rest of us know better.

Obviously ssbn777 is one of those scared individuals that you speak of.

I, on the other hand, disagree with your regard to the majority of the American people. Under the Bush administration taxes have declined (causing a HUGE deficit and fear about retirement), businesses have outsourced too many jobs to count to other countries (causing higher unemployment here in the US), and my husband (and other husbands, fathers, sons, and brothers) go overseas and fight for big oil (AKA old money). While most presidents have used their positions for monetary gain I don't believe any has been so bold as Mr. Bush Jr.

Our jobs have been lost yet we provide immigrants with jobs, income, loans, and security. We are not offered any of the above in foreign countries (that now have our jobs) and, therefore, I don't think it is fair for you to say that we are scared of globalization and that President G.W. Bush should not be held accountable.

WHY are we scared? EASY "How do we rule the world on our buck, while trying to make it, seem, like your just running your own country, to it's own people" not an easy task but GW pulled it off , and as long as we interfere Iraq will only be the first of many attempted invasions.

You must be a republican! I think that this story holds little truth. I am married to a service member, work for the state, and am a full time student. I have not heard anyone saying that they are scared of globalization. As a matter of fact if "Americans" are so afraid of it then why have jobs been being outsourced to other countries for several years now? Why would our businesses be helping other countries to prosper while ours declines? Our current president is the one who made that possible causing many Americans to become unemployed. Have you heard of any of those lost jobs migrating back to the states? Do you understand that under our current president we now pay the least taxes (meaning less money for our government that pays many "Americans' " retirements) and our country is in a terrible deficit. "Americans" did not do this. That would be our government's policies, which we "Americans" have little control over (at least those of us who work for a living and provide safety to your family). The average "American" cannot afford to lobby government officials for their job security. In conclusion, I think that you are mistaken sir. Americans are not scared of globalization but maybe feeling the same as other countries about of our current president.

The Republicans run on fear a lot; it is true. But fear brings caution, and that's what we all need. The Democrats, liberals all, on the other hand are spineless cowards. They're more concerned with pacifying foreign and ethnocentric interests, than doing anything for the American people. If they have their way, all of the bleeding-hearts can have their warm and fuzzy feelings as we bond with the 3rd World, because it won't be long until we ARE the 3rd World....

We should pull every last troop from all of these ungrateful countries and let them duke out their problems on their own. Bring the troops home, put them on the border, and in the ports. If you???re not here legally, you get shipped back. Same with your kids, nomatter where they were born. If your company???s imported product doesn???t meet our safety standards, it gets shipped back. Repeat offenders get banned. Level the economic playing field with cheaters like China, or offer them no trade at all. Bring jobs back here. Stop welfare. I mean ALL welfare: corporate and social. Companies that can???t compete ??? too bad. So Big Oil might not have record profits next year. Boo Hoo. And if people can???t afford to take care of themselves, then STOP HAVING KIDS! If you can???t feed ???em, don???t breed ???em???. Stop kissing up to every minority. Equal rights means equal rights. Not affirmative action (aka special consideration for certain groups). If they don???t like it, they can leave. If you or I don???t like it, we can leave.

Impeach Bush because he effed up big time. Impeach 90% of Congress too, for a combination of inaction and sheer lack of common sense. Waterboarding isn???t nice, so we should stop. Instead, we should cut off fingers, and sentence people to lashings, like our more civilized Arab counterparts do. We need legalized gay marriage. Heck with it, we need people to be able to marry anything with a pulse! How 'bout we just automatically declare every American married!

No wonder the world hates us....

"Welcome to the post-American world." WTF does that mean?

Leave it to Mr. Zakaria to put in a few words for inclusive perspective. No one is at fault here except those who, regardless of their label or affiliation, allow worn out patterns of thinking to determine our choices. We are not going to get where we want to go by thinking that the world is still run by "us versus them" thinking. If your passport us not up to date, renew it and go take a look around out here.

Why can't we all just get out of the habit of blaming either the Dems or Repubs for all the ills of this world. Both parties, and I mean BOTH, equally share the blame so let's get off this once and for all. The world in general has always hated America and that will never change. We have given billions and billions over the years to the very same countries who villify us time and time again, and yet we continue to provide tax payer money to them. I say, screw them, let's pull ALL of our troops, charitable organizations, and everything else we send to them out completely and tell them... Hey! ... you are on your own... good luck to you.! Spend your own money and resources defending yourselves and improving the lives of your people. We tried and got nothing but hate in return. If they want to do business with us... fine ... but that's where it ends! The relationship will be strictly business. No more sending financial aid to anyone, no sending troops, no more, nada, zilch. This Country has the capicity and resources to exist on its own.

Good night. Elect Fareed Zakaria. Very insightful and true.

America the only superpower, yet the people who elects the officials are by far the weakest. We do not challenge our govt, we accept what is handed to us and say thank you very much Sir, for not giving us health care, education, social security, pension, after school programs, securing our borders, protecting our country, building our infrastructure, developing solar technology, better cars, protecting our coasts and wetlands, keeping factories at home, stop outsourcing, developing larger scale agriculture, protecting our identities, protecting our children, keep our service men and women at home....thank you very much for all that is not given to us...we will all continue to sit here and ask for nothing and hold you galactically unaccountable...sounds like a plan, dosen't it?

Good night. Elect Fareed Zakaria. Very insightful and true. The sooner we recognize the global environment that surrounds us for what it is, the sooner we will identify the means by which we can turn those shifting sands into a massive opportunity to retain and build on our strengths. If we keep our proverbial head in the sand, our power and role in the new global economy will wane rapidly.