Readers’ Responses to Our Question (140)

hello
nice site yo

BobL

I am not poll driven or running for office. I realize where Bush is in the polls, but should I follow the polls if they are contrary to what I believe? You support Gay marriage, but because you are in the minority, should you change to the majority?

My point to Salamon, and the poll clearly showed this, was that terrorism drives American support for Israel. If the US is to play a more neutral role in the peace process, then the method employed to achieve peace must be diplomacy (for example, the Arab Peace Initiative proposed by the Arab League). That is why I supported South Africa meeting with Haniyah - diplomacy. Hamas, much like Salamon, believes in a one state solution i.e., the destruction of Israel. Thus far, they (not Salamon, hopefully) have undermined the peace process.

Except for the last line, your post makes sense. War is all about terror for civilians and combatants. The Geneva Convention was written to provide rules for warfare.

For myself, terrorism or a terrorist act is defined (not exclusively) as the "targeting (killing) of civilians for political gain". A good example is the "sectarian violence" in Iraq. That defines terrorism to me. Haditha is another example (if convicted).

As I have previously mentioned, Hiroshima and Nagasaki were also terrorist acts. Hamas has participated in numerous civilian assaults, and in my opinion, is a classic, modern terrorist organization.

You are always a terrorist or committed an act of terrorism if you target civilians, so that would include most radical Islamic organizations (some might say, conveniently).

You mentioned in an earlier post that you wanted me to define "war on terrorism" which I plan on doing, but not tonight (hopefully, in the next few days).

You also mentioned that Carter was a horrible President (or something to that effect). It's interesting that he resided over one of the most important peace agreements in the twentieth century (Camp David Peace Accords), but that agreement is, at least, in part, responsible for the formation of the radical Islamic groups present today. Many people in the Middle East do not view that agreement in a positive light.

I believe history will eventually say that the Camp David Accords paved the way for peace in the Middle East.

Tom, (not Tom Wonacott)

You wrote:

"Isn't it interesting, there's never any mention of how the USA and it's people always come forward with help and money when some other country faces a disaster. Our Military even provides medical assistance to the so called insurgents in Iraq when they are injured. Maybe next time there is a Tsunami or some kind of disaster in one of these countries America should sit back and tell these ingrates "You're on your own"."

Congratulations. You've won the "I can't string two logical thoughts in one post award" This award is saved for people who write really bad misleading and inaccurate posts and then play the "woe is America" card at the end. Your post is a blue ribbon winner of this award.

First, there are constant stories about America donating money, goods and services for natural disasters around the world. Second, Iraq is not a natural disaster, it is a man made one. Since we caused it we should treat the wounded. Third, I have no doubt the Iraqi people wish they could be on their own as you suggest. (Ah, those ingrates should be happy we blew up their country and now occupy and control it.

Tom Wonacott,

I don't have an axe to grind with Stan Greenburg. My point was you can't run around and use polls to justify a position in Israel and at the same time dismiss the overwhelming body of polls showing Americans are sick of Iraq and sick of Bush.

I've tried to avoid this upcoming discussion and have only skimmed over it in the past, but it is time to delve into the meaning of terror/terrorism and how it is used. For the purposes of this post terror is intense fear. Terrorism/terrorist acts are the implementation of policies and actions to invoke intense fear among people. I've dismissed natural acts like volcanoes, sunami's, etc. that can evoke terror and am only looking at acts committed by human beings.

The very nature of war/armed conflict is interwoven with the word terror. Both sides of any conflict are purposely trying to demoralize and terrorize the opposing side so they can impose their will. Recently, the US strategy of Shock and Awe was designed to terrorize the forces of Iraq. AlQaida's bombing of the world trade center was designed to terrorize Americans. Now, you could argue in the American case we were terrorizing military forces while Bin Laden was terrorizing civilians. Such an argument would be valid in it's own right, but it would also be misleading. Any time one side of a conflict is vastly superior militarily the other side will use the tactics they have available to them to attempt to impose their will. Al Qaida could never mount an invasion of the US and fight the US military in a conventional war. Hence, they choose the tactics their situation dictates.

It used to be revolution/revolutionaries were words that evoked terror. However, Wall Street Ad Agencies co-opted the word and now our washing machines are revolutionary. The word revolution is no longer a "bad" word. Trust me when I say before long laundry detergent will "Terrorize Dirt." We've also bastardized the word war. Today we have a war on drugs (we're losing) and a war on poverty (I'm not sure it can be won) and a war on selective terrorism (we've excused our own acts of terror from this war). It used to be wars could only be between sovreign groups and states now we have wars against concepts. Hmmm....I wonder why we have such a hard time fighting concepts?

So, who is the terrorist? The US for terrorizing the Iraqi's military and population or the Islamic Militants for terrorizing US citizens? Maybe, it's the Sunni's for terroizing the Shia's or the Shia's for terroizing the Sunni's. Just of curiousity do you find it odd when a Shia miltia blows up a Sunni market place we call it secretarian violence and when Al Qaida blows up an American we call it terrorism? Do you see the irony here?

People who have the means and the will to kill other people and follow through are committing acts of terror. It's that simple. Someone is being terrorized by their actions. Hence, the word terror has been so misused in the ME it has lost all meaning. "We're fighting the dreaded terrorists." No, we are not. We're fighting various Islamic militant groups who are dedicated to ridding the ME of Israel because they believe their land was stolen. We fought the Iraqi Army. We're not fighting a concept, we're fighting people. The present use of the word terror only confuses what is really going on over in the ME. It serves no purpose other then to motivate young men and women who need to believe the people they are killing are bad people. Bush/Cheney are guilty of co-opting the term and redefining it to include virtually any group that is willing to take up arms against us. Since they have certainly done that are we not also guilty of committing terrorist acts against anyone we pick up arms against? Of course we are.

Don't be to concerned Tom. Someday, a light will go off in your head and you'll say, "how could I have been so wrong, Bush really was an idiot."

Salamon,
"I do not think that there is anyone who needs tonet more millions per annum than the minimum wage earner earns in thousands." And that is where we differ. I don't begrudge anybody that legally earns billions (and just for the record i don't). How much is a Bill Gates worth? Or a Warren Buffett? Or Steve Jobs? Or Jack Welch? Or a Sam Walton? They had their ideas. They took the risks. They created millions of jobs and many products that help people all over the world do their jobs or allow people to support their families. I'm glad you think you know what people should earn and what you think is OK. Personally, i don't think anyone has the right to say how much people are allowed to earn.

As far as Hedge funds are concerned, my undertanding is that they are unregulated, open to a select few wealthy investors and allow you to "hedge your bet" against current market trends (an idea that's been around for over 50 years). I'm not sure what is inherently evil about them although if big enough, they can affect the markets, in many cases to the detriment of many. But then again, so can a lot of money placed anywhere (regulated funds, markets, etc). But its an nice liberal boogeyman!

"Isn't it interesting, there's never any mention of how the USA and it's people always come forward with help and money when some other country faces a disaster. Our Military even provides medical assistance to the so called insurgents in Iraq when they are injured."

TOM, don't you think that's a bit much?

Given the US military (and innumerable "contractors"!) are the source of the disaster, let's just keep them all at home, and there won't be insurgents; hence, no need for our military to be there, no need for them to provide any medical assistance to insurgents.

By the way, you could ask that our military not maim children (loss of arms and legs). That would save our military and civilian medical teams the trouble to make a fuss over fitting those kids with artificial limbs which they never needed in the first place, before we got there.

Honestly, as I write this, more and more do I find your cynicism below contempt, as hundreds of thousands of victims is what this is about.

With comments like yours, one can understand people all over the world love us so much that they demand we "Go Home!"

What about making a difference between "America" and "Americans" ? The same for "Europe" and "Europeans" or "France" vs "French", "Iran" vs "Iranians" ...

Talking about "America" (or "anti-americanism") is "nationalism", and nationalism has as main contributors Milosevich, Franco, Hitler, Bush, Sarkozy, Gyurcsányi,... they reduce people, human beings, to stickers like "Sunni" or "Chiite" or "leftist" or "liberal" or "American" or "Hungarian", talking about the pride to be [insert-something-here]. It's b...sh.t !!!

I understand there are many different "americans" but when they (you) unite under a common umbrella ("America", "The Constitution", "The Flag", "Patriotism",...) they (you) CHOOSE to become part of a herd. It is this very notion of "herd" or "nationalism" that we (many here in Europe) oppose. Not only from americans, but also from serbs, germans, french,... As it happens, this movement is VERY strong nowadays in the US.

There is an unfortunate but old history of nationalism more or less every-where in the world, but you ("americans") don't have it and hence don't know the dangers that it can bring. You are only now experiencing the beginnings of it with Cheney and Co. Saying "Bush is OUR problem" is like saying "Hitler was Germany's problem": it was not.

And "capitalism" is a herd as any other.

what i want to know is when you come up with site and posted the question, did you type with one hand and have your pants around your ankles?

blame america for everything is the order of the day and those who are not american are doing their best to get here from all those other countries that hate america.

Chill out guys!
The past few years have been terrible for many of us. The U.S. has lost credibility in the eyes of the world, but so too, has Australia and Britain. There are many of us "down here" who disagreed with the illegal position taken by "The coalition of the Willing", yet our govt. went ahead anyway. History will not look favourably on our nations, yet hopefully we might all learn. The trick will be not to forget about the current foreign policy blunders of our governments and to correctly decipher future "spin".
Meanwhile the U.S. voters have done what they can with the mid-term elections and the British public have "kissed" goodbye to Tony Blair. Our P.M. John Howard is facing a hostile electorate in his run to the next election. I agree with Bobl-Va 5/18 , that the situation for us is repairable, but what about those poor Iraqis and our own troops who are still being injured and/or killed while the wheels of democracy slowly turn in our home countries. Before worrying about international reputations, perhaps we should fix this mess! But remeber U.S. You are not alone1 Australia shares your shame!

Isn't it interesting, there's never any mention of how the USA and it's people always come forward with help and money when some other country faces a disaster. Our Military even provides medical assistance to the so called insurgents in Iraq when they are injured. Maybe next time there is a Tsunami or some kind of disaster in one of these countries America should sit back and tell these ingrates "You're on your own".

BobL

Although I didn't spend a great deal of time looking, I didn't find anything to suggest that Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research (GQR)and Quinnipiac University Polling Institute (QUPI), in any way, lack credibility, or tainted the results for the benefit of AIPAC. As you can probably guess, for a company that provides polling on various issues, tainting results would be disastrous if caught. Maybe you have some other information.

"...Latest NPR Survey Finds Voters Still Angry at GOP, Pessimistic About Iraq
Greenberg Quinlan Rosner / Public Opinion Strategies
NPR
December 15, 2006 from US Politics > NPR Surveys..."

Do you believe this poll conducted by Greenberg Quilan Rosner was also tainted?

"...However, my personal favorite was when you responded with a pro-Israeli group running a bogus opinion poll showing most Americans favor Israel. I think I liked this one the best. Since when did you care about opinion polls? Your fearless leader (Bush) is at the bottom of every opinion poll taken in this country and you have the audacity to pick a tainted poll to further your agenda. That's intellectual dishonesty at best..."

Since I had to look up the polling institutes to check their credibility, it's fairly obvious I could have made a mistake, but I guarantee you there was no "intellectual dishonesty" involved. In some respects, I appreciate the compliment because when most people call me a name, it's rarely with "intellectual" in front of it.

This post was approved by the RNC.

Mike B et all :

Interesting analysis of torture /suicide bombing in USA's population White/ Muslim, attack Iran White /USA JEW et al [most scary results of PEW POLL]:

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/?last_story=/opinion/greenwald/2007/05/23/polls/

Dave:
I do not believe that you took my meaning in reasonable manner. I do not think that there is anyone who needs tonet more millions per annum than the minimum wage earner earns in thousands.

Moreover, the games played with borrowed money by the idle rich and their agents [HEDGE FUNDS PRIVATE EQUITY] is essentially a robber baron opertaional mode made possible by the arcane income tax laws of USA with the appropriate loop-holes to assure that this destructive game can keep on playing [ouitsourcing, rationalizing, reformulating, economizing etc] so that a few clear over a BILLION PER YEAR, many 100-s of MILLIONS. et all so that the bottom 50 percent can suffer for lack of medical treatment, etc.

I am sure that you are PROUD that the USA has the WRST HEALTHCARE in industrialized world [at largest cost] even tailing that poor {USA] abused country off your Florida Coast a.k.a. as CUBA.

BUT YOU VOTED FOR WAR PRESIDENT, and willed the bill to other people yet unborn -- your generousity is overwhelming.

AMviennaVA:

You apparently missed the main point of my post, which is that Americans will act in their own self-interest, the same as any other country. The world community is in constant flux, and truthfully, there are people and places that are really, really bad. It's not so surprising that some people would disagree with Americans, and it's also not surprising that a major power will do things that offends others. This is the nature of life and of history.

What is surprising is when good people turn their backs on good friends, and embrace bad people while ignoring the horrible things those bad people are doing.

If you really want to preserve the world comity, then it is probably a good idea to get rid of the stereotypes, the lying, and the rose-colored glasses, and start thinking more critically about these things.

Finally, I didn't say anything positive or negative about either Bush or Cheney. It may surprise you to know that not everything is about them.

Salamon, I agree with almost everything you post (as usual...it's depressing and makes for lousy debates on issues), except I do think that the coming economic collapse will be fatal. I have no love nor trst for India nor for outsourcing and thin that would be even more of a disaster. I am a Jeffersonian liberal and believe that good old fashioned free enterprise would bring the cost of health care down to affordable levels. Right now the U.S. spends 9% of GNP on health care while the rest of the industrialized world spends around 3%. This is because our government leaders from both parties refuse to enact legislation that would even allow for competition between pharaceutical companies and other vendors. The HMO model would work very well on a national level, as it has in Scandinavian countries. But money plays far too large a picture in this country and controls our political processes and I do not expect anything to be done as we slide into that long night.

Salamon,
Your last post was too long before you got to your list. It seems that the gist of it is that you think:
1) The Federal government should take care of all its citizens making sure nobody feels the results of their bad choices or risks that did not pan out. To accomplish this, government programs will be set up or expanded and patterned after the current successful, efficient government programs (whatever those are).
2) The government should take the money generated from the productive segment of society and give it to the "proper" political segment of unproductive people.
3) Cut the one thing the Constitution says the government is supposed to fund (the military).

I'd just prefer if the government would let me take care of myself and keep its hands out of my pockets. I'll do my part by taking care of myself, my family and friends and helping out in my community.

MikeB:

Do not despair, the USA's economic outlook is worrysome, to be sure, but far from fatal.

We in Canada went through this insane government debt issue, the readjustment was painful [especially for the lower classes, including our family] but managable.

With respect to military secrets being stolen by "others" - presumed to be enemies; it is perhaps just as well for the well being of the WORLD. IF the "other" can come up with defences against new USA armaments, then the USA has no edge, therefore will not start a war [attacking "defenceless" nations as Grenada, Panama, Afganistan, IRaq -esp after 10 years of SANCTIONS; is the modus operandi of the USA].

Possible "restructuring of the USA Economy" after the certain crash [year or two, or tomorrow] might involve the following:

1., National Single Player MEDICARE - saves approx 20-25% of present expenditure, though painful for insurance companies [and the outsourced data maintenenace in India] Saving in the neighbourhood of 400-500 billon per year - free for other measures [infrastructure construction to lower problems of transport due to reduction necessary in fuel use -- pl. read http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/20/magazine/20Curitiba-t.html?ref=magazine with respect to efficient city mass transit

2./, Cut in defence, defence industry etc -- the industry can be transformed to peaceful uses, eg has the knowledge of efficient and safe NUCLEAR POWER - to be used for power generation, etc.

3., Raise taxes on income over $150 -200 000 HIGH, though not necesserily as high as during WWII [when it was 90%]. Use funds to rebuild the slums of USA's big cities, to make decent housing affordable for the working stiff - and other "harmonious" -a.k.a. Chinese plan, social measures].

4., Use % of "efficiency gains in 1-3 above" to reduce FEDERAL DEBT. Consistent with this point pass legislation that the Federal Reserve can not print money to save investors from bubbles, the Federal treasury for deficit [except if USA is attacked by another State].

5., Make sure that there can be no cut in EDUCATION, SOCIAL WELFARE, PENSION etc as far as it affects the bottom 50% of the population.

6., A national effort [all states and Federal in unity] to establish "German/Japanese/Scandinavian VOCATIONAL EDUCATION IN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLS" to cut down on drop-out rate and to help those students who do not have interest in ACADEMIC EDUCATION. Will cost money, but will benefit the nation greatly in the long run.

There are other ideas, but this post is already too long.

GL

Bush's warmongering spoke to something deep in our national psyche. The emotional force behind America's support for the Iraq war, the molten core of an angry, resentful patriotism, is still too hot for Congress, the media and even many Americans who oppose the war, to confront directly. It's a national myth. It's John Wayne. To impeach Bush would force us to directly confront our national core of violent self-righteousness -- come to terms with it, understand it and reject it. And we're not ready to do that.

"The truth is that Bush's high crimes and misdemeanors, far from being too small, are too great. What has saved Bush is the fact that his lies were, literally, a matter of life and death. They were about war. And they were sanctified by 9/11. Bush tapped into a deep American strain of fearful, reflexive bellicosity, which Congress and the media went along with for a long time and which has remained largely unexamined to this day. Congress, the media and most of the American people have yet to turn decisively against Bush because to do so would be to turn against some part of themselves."

MATTE - Don't hold your breath, if you're waiting for the rest of the world to bail us out or worry as we sink. Europe's economies are going gangbusters and China has been dumping their dollars as fast as they can. I cannot believe that American's are so stupid as not ignore the foreign press...or get their tidbits of it via links on ther Drudge Report. The mainstream European and Asian press has daily features about the failing U.S. economy. Their worry isn't about us crashing, they are certain we will. No, their worry is how rapidly they can disconnect from us so that our crash will have minimal impact on them. That is why the Germans cut and dumped Crysler and similar disengagements are occurring in virtually every other sector of the economy. To be sure, the mindless consumer spending of Amercian's will hurt, but the rest of the world will go on very nicely with us in the dumper..just as it it did when Japan underwent a similar but nowhere near as disasterous collapse since the mid 1980's. We're in trouble and spouting Wite House economic advisor nonsense isn't going to fix it. What is needed is an end to the sorts of disasterous policies these incompetent fanatics have foisted off on us. And, it isn't just Bush to blame for this fiasco. The Clintons were the first ones on this neocon globalization bandwagon and the cheerleaders on this train wreck are Democrats like Richardson, Dodd, Hillary, Conyers, Kennedy, and Obama. Their nsane plans to dump 12 million newly legalized Mexican workers on the economy is just might make this disaster fatal.

dollarcrash: I was too lazy to read if anyone has responded to your post, but it is a cursory and uninformed look at the Chinese situation to say it has been unpegged from the dollar. It is officially unpegged, but in actuality remains pegged with a fluctuation of .25% i believe. China's currency is still for all intents and purposes pegged to the US, but is allowed to shift slightly to make up for any daily issues/problems that may arise. The US is not headed for a HUGE depression. that is one of those ideas that has been tossed around by second rate economists and people like you who pick up a few talking points you heard on the radio or read in the paper and suddenly you think you can accurately predict market trends...newsflash...whether or not anyone in the world is pegged to the US dollar, any depression in the US will be felt 10-fold in EVERY other country in the world.. so i'd stop hopnig for it if i were you.

What are the most succesful songs worldwide?
What are the blockbusters movies these days in Asia?
What are the bestsellers books worldwide?
What is the favorite fast food in Europe these days?
And the list goes on.

When you see how succesful the American culture is worldwide. I have difficulties to accept that anti-americanism is such a problem.

I live in Europe. I love the American culture, it is even part of my daily life. The real problem is purely politic.

Salamon - And I enjoy your thoughtful posts, too. I do not think I misunderstood TB's post, however. He was attempting to disaparage the U.S. as a violent culture and it simply is not. To be sure, Bush and his lunatics have done us so much harm, that it will take years to undo the damage. My U.S. doesn't torture people, it doesn't lock people up indefinitely without charges, it doesn't murder innocent women and children, and it doesn't sponsor corporation that run about, looting the world and wrecking havoc and visiting evil upon others without very good reason. Bush and company were very adept at using the media to foster fear and paranoia with the soccer mom and NASCAR crowd and gained their temporary support for their wholesale discarding of normal Amercian values. But it has been done and great evil has been unleashed and I do not even pretend to know how we will ever make amends for it.

What is especially sad, however, is the unrecognized diaster Bush's economic policies will visit upon this country. Perhaps that is the p8nishment that awaits this country for permitting he and his henchmen to control power. Their "free trade" policies have resulted in the complete lose of Amercian technical superiority. We have even exported or permitted to be stolen, our most critical defense technologies. The U.S. dollar is so weak, even those that feed upon the carrion of U.S. consumers, are taking whatever money they get and converting it to Euro's and other more stable currancies. Once the twin winds of Bush's postponed war debt and oil prices pegged to the Euro sweep this country, our economy will disintigrate; foreign investment that props up our national and personal debt will exit and ranaway inflation and a dangerously falling dollar will wreck this country. I do not know if we can or will survive this. I think not, but even if we can recover, it will not be in our lifetimes. Weep for the shining light that once was American being extinguished.

A perfect storm of comments today. Some actually on the subject, but most way too long. Do try to remember that the probability that a comment will be read by anybody - except perhaps its author - is inversely proportional to the square of its length.

I've traveled some, not a lot, but some, and I read the European press frequently, and I do not see or hear much "anti-Americanism". There is, no doubt lots of it in the Muslim world but thats hardly to be wondered at given our - Republican or DEmocrat - knee-jerk support of Israel, but not a lot among europeans. They don't hate America. They hate Bush. But so do we!

Interesting take on terrorism vs resistance:

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/IE24Ak03.html

Joe Schmo: I agree that who is the leader of a country is an internal matter for that country. But with our constant talk of 'regime change', I believe, that we have opened the door. After all, if we can advocate regime change there, they can advocate regime change here.

But then again you are complaining about people who only say that they do not like Bush's policies. Perhaps you should have been particularly incensed when Cheney was talking about 'Old Europe' and the like.

BobL

You mean Salamon. I have already answered his question of what is terrorism in the last PG question. How many times do you want me to define terrorism? I have also previously stated that Israel has committed many acts of terrorism against the Palestinians (last PG question).

Also, reread my post. This is what I stated:

"...Israel responds with their typical barrage of bombs that always results in Hamas and civilian deaths which always greatly outnumber Israeli casualties..."

I guess, if I am reading your post correctly, it's OK if Hamas fires Qassam rockets all over Israel especially while Israel is in the process of looking at a peace proposal. To me, there are two possibilities:

1. Hamas must have the dumbest leadership in the world or,

2. they are not interested in peace.

The most likely is choice number two, since their charter calls for Israel's destruction.

"Are you getting paid to write these posts or are you volunteering for the RNC or another conservative group? If this is the case, which I highly suspect, be honest and tell us. That way we don't have to waste time reading your posts..."

Paid to write on Washington PostGlobal? I wish, but what a waste of money to try to push the RNC agenda on this sight. When have I denied that I am a Republican? Oh, it might be politically correct to say that I am an "independent", and that sure would be awfully easy, but given where the Dems stand on most issues (not all), I support the Republican Party. OK?

Hamas gunned down the children of a Fatah leader they were trying to kill (but couldn't find). I've posted it before, and will post it again whenever it's necessary to remind people why Hamas is a terrorist organization. I think it's interesting that you believe I am over the top considering they have been targeting and killing children and pregnant women for years. I apologize if the truth seems over the top.

"...However, my personal favorite was when you responded with a pro-Israeli group running a bogus opinion poll showing most Americans favor Israel. I think I liked this one the best. Since when did you care about opinion polls? Your fearless leader (Bush) is at the bottom of every opinion poll taken in this country and you have the audacity to pick a tainted poll to further your agenda. That's intellectual dishonesty at best..."

I guarantee that I don't want to use a "tainted" poll to make a point and if you would just give me something else other than your opinion that the poll is biased, then I will be more than happy to take back what I posted, but just for your information, the US, in general, is a pro Israel group.

Agenda does sound like I am being paid by the RNC. I would love for the RNC to pay me to write on this site, but until they do, "point" is more accurate.

Thanks for the scathing post.

To All,

Today, it is very popular to be anti-American and especially anti-George Bush. The two things are only somewhat related, but one provides a more socially acceptable excuse for the other. It doesn't change the fact that both are clearly wrong.

First, the person elected president or leader of any country is a matter of the internal politics of that country, and although it may impact other countries, they still should keep their mouths shut about it. After all, that is the polite thing to do, and you never know when the favor may be repaid. A democratic community, and I'm talking about the world here, should learn to accept differences and to be more tolerant of those they differ with. If you want America to accept you as you are, and to respect you as you are, then perhaps you should begin by doing so with us.

Second, the issue with anti-Americanism is more related to economics and overall power than anything else. Call it a quirk of history, or the result of unreasonable luck, or divine blessing, or whatever, but the reality is that the US is strong and wealthy, and the subject of a great deal of envy around the world. Also, if a particular country wants to do something, either good or bad, there is a strong probability that the US will ultimately be involved and that means having to deal with Americans. I can understand how this might get frustrating after a while, but it is what it is. We can't change it and neither can you, short of a world disaster. Suck it up and deal with it in a postive way.

Next, it is important to realize that Americans are going to do what is in the best interest of Americans, first. Don't confuse our natural altruism with either stupidity or weakness. And don't be surprised when you can't play us for the fool, or when we respond forcefully to your arrogant behavior toward us. We're not your puppets and we don't owe you anything at all. Grow up and quit complaining about one of the nicest peoples/countries on the face of the planet.

Finally, if you don't like Americans or who we are, or our way of living or thinking, then I invite you to leave us alone. Avoid us. Go away. Go mind your own business. But don't complain to us about how miserable your existence is, nor how lonely it is on your side of the field. Don't use America as a scapegoat for your stupidity and misery. And most of all, don't threaten us, nor come running to us for help.

Joe Schmo

As a Lebanese, I am always careful to distinguish between American foreign policy in the Middle East, and the American people.

We have no grudges against the American people. Many of us are graduates of the American University of Beirut, where we learnt and experienced firsthand the true values of democracy, tolerance, diversity, secularism, and freedom of expression. Indeed, some of the most successful men and women in our community are a breed of American culture. Most of us would love to visit and spend time working or studying in the USA.

When Arabs speak out against Americans,they are usually attacking American foreign policy in the Middle East.

First, I would like to begin by telling the Arab world to stop blaming the US and Israel for their state failures. It is time for our governments to take responsibilty. It is time for our politicians to unify their ranks and build stable democractic regimes without foreign intervention. It is time for the youth to play a role in shaping the future.

As a super world power that exerts much influence in the region, the USA must also take responsibility.

The US support for Israel's disproportionate attack on Lebanon last year, left us with a country in ruins, political stalemate between the government on one hand and Hezbollah supporters on the other, thousands of civilians dead and security challenges that continue to have repercussions for the region as a whole.

The attack on army soldiers by Fateh el Islam outside Nahr el-Bared camp three days ago is very disappointing. Innocent civilians and army soldiers pay the price for regional agendas developed by terrorits to fight non-Lebanese wars on Lebanese soil.

THe US will not save Lebanon by sending troops to Lebanon. Have they learnt nothing from Iraq?
By strongly and publicly supporting the government of Siniora, they are actually bringing about the downfall of this government thats is already seen as pro-American and Israeli.

The US must leave the people of the Middle East to fight their own battles; develop their own versions of democracy; and build their own futures.

From Iraq to Iran to Syria to Lebanon... How much worse off could we possibly be???

By now we should have all learned that recourse to violence can lead only to destruction and death, and that the destruction of the ‘other’ will only lead to the destruction of oneself.

We should have no doubt that Christians and Moslems, we are bound together for better and for worse by the same destiny.

It's a sad commentary on the state of our international affairs when we continually choose to intervene in the government and politics of other countries when it is neither indicated nor wanted by them. The invasive imposition of our will on the world is the crux of the issue. We should be more concerned with matters at home and less compelled to mind the affairs of international neighbors, particularly when it has become painfully obvious that our intelligence gathering mechanisms prefer to manufacture rather than obtain a complete set of facts prior to an action.

All empires fall someday. Bigger the empire, harder it falls. Americans have no one to blame but themselves for allowing their "elected" governments to commit crimes around the world for decades if not for centuries. Bush is just finishing the job now. Mission accomplished. He ruined United States of America to the point of no return.

Tom Wonacott,

Are you getting paid to write these posts or are you volunteering for the RNC or another conservative group? If this is the case, which I highly suspect, be honest and tell us. That way we don't have to waste time reading your posts.

MikeB asked you a simple question. He asked you to define terrorism/terrorists. Not only didn't you respond to his question you replied with totally fallacious arguments. Case in point, you wrote:

"Can you imagine living under Islamic rule where if you don't like your political opponents, you gun down their children?"

A little over the top, don't you think? The point is MikeB doesn't have to worry about what it's like to live in the ME because he doesn't. That is unless you are trying to infer the dreaded "Islamo-Facist Terrorists," which you have have been unable to define up to this point, are going to invade the US.

However, my personal favorite was when you responded with a pro-Israeli group running a bogus opinion poll showing most Americans favor Israel. I think I liked this one the best. Since when did you care about opinion polls? Your fearless leader (Bush) is at the bottom of every opinion poll taken in this country and you have the audacity to pick a tainted poll to further your agenda. That's intellectual dishonesty at best. One one hand you dismiss Bush's poor ratings and on the other the best you can come up with is polls by QUPI and GQR?

608 days left in the Bush/Cheney failed administration and counting. Thank God.

Alot of the world does not hate America - in fact they love America - and envy America - many would do almost anything to become citizens.

However, many Anti-Americanists - lack ethics, and integrity and honesty - in fact I believe that many Africans interact with some Americans to rob us of any kind of dignity..

The case in point is Southern Africa - many Africanse in Southern Africa have very little respect for truth and justice - Southern Africanse have wielde racial epithets and gotten away with it. Fred M'membe the Editor of the POst Newspaper, has gotten away with his paper calling the ancestors of Black Americans "monkeys"

Zambians - Like the Idea of Black American women as "wenches" and slavery products. They are threatened by Educated, black American women - and have sought to prey upon and exploit these women.

Other Africans in Southern Africa - particularly South Africa - and part of the Southern African Government have defended African bigots in Southern Africa.

So what I have found is that anti-americanism is alot of rhetoric - but at the end of the day, many in Southern Africa deeply admire the white man - one makes one wonder what was their independence and freedom struggles really about ? To come to America, and have the white man give you and job and tell you that he likes you better than the the "locals"?

President Mwanawasa and his Wife and fueled bigotry and antiamericanism and racism against black Americans - and have suported Lucy Sichone who referred to black Americans' ancestors as "monkeys" taken to the West by Colonialists.

Salamon

This latest round of violence is so clearly the fault of Hamas (and Islamic Jihad) that no one has even condemned Israel yet.

While the Arab League applies diplomatic pressure on Israel to accept the Arab Peace Initiative, Hamas gives Israel an out by firing Qassam rockets into Siderot over the past several months until Israel responds with their typical barrage of bombs that always results in Hamas and civilian deaths which always greatly outnumber Israeli casualties. In affect, Hamas has undermined the Arab Peace Initiative and, clearly, by design. We all know who gives Hamas their financing, training and orders - Iran.

Of course, Hamas's charter calls for the destruction of Israel and just like you, they want a single state solution. Can you imagine living under Islamic rule where if you don't like your political opponents, you gun down their children?

American support of Israel:

1. "...The US House of Representatives authorized a sum of 205 million dollars for financing joint US-Israel missile defense system projects, Israel Radio reported early Saturday morning..."

These are being developed to counter Iranian ballistic missiles.

2. Polling conducted after Israeli war in Lebanon

"High Opinion: Polls Find Strong American Public Support for Israel in Wake of Lebanon War
9/25/2006
Israel's standing in the United States has improved following the recent war in Lebanon, according to two polls-one by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research (GQR), and the other by Quinnipiac University Polling Institute (QUPI).
According to GQR's poll, 53 percent of respondents considered themselves supporters or strong supporters of Israel. Only five percent said they were supporters or strong supporters of the Palestinians. GQR's Stan Greenberg said his findings showed that Israel's disengagement from Gaza and the Lebanon war brought Israel increased support from the American public. He said that since the withdrawal from Gaza, people believed that Israel was more willing to make sacrifices to advance peace than were the Palestinians or their leaders.
The GQR poll also showed that the war in Lebanon focused attention on the connection between Hizballah and Iran, the terrorist army's chief state sponsor. Only 38 percent of Americans were aware of the link during the first week of the war, in contrast to 53 percent after the fighting ended.
Most significantly, Greenberg said, there was an increased awareness that Islamic extremism, not the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, is the source of instability in the Middle East. In the United States, 63 percent of respondents said that Islamic extremism is to blame for the region's instability, while only 15 percent blamed Israel.
QUPI also concluded that the recent conflict between Israel and Hizballah deepened already strong American support for the Jewish state. Completed shortly after the end of the Lebanon war, the QUPI poll asked respondents to rate countries on a "friend versus foe" scale of 1 to 100. Israel received an average score of 65.9, placing it third among the nations tested.
The GQR and QUPI surveys are not exceptional. U.S. polls have consistently found strong support for Israel, and that Americans across a range of demographic groups identify with the Jewish state."

American support of Israel will never diminish as long as terrorism is the preferred method to move Israel either back to the 1967 border or to destroy the Jewish State (single state solution).

MikeB :

"I pretty sure it passed everyone notice. It sure did mine. But this moron TB posted an aside that sums up very nicely how anti-Amercianism (and, incidently, ignorance and bigotry function everywhere): "...And one irrelevant tip - you’re more likely to be killed by a criminal in the U.S. then a terrorist from another country..."

I think you have erred in analysing this quotation. The same idea was expressed by Mr. Zbigniew Brzezinski Advisor to Kennedy and Johston administration.

the central point of the above's ideas is that Mr. Bush and Co. have managed to increase the insecurity of many USA citizens by constasnt yapping of TERROR and YELLOW & RED ALERTS before the elections. The Argument is Valid:

Total killed by terrorism within the USA's 50 States is below 3000 in the last 20 years. The number of Murders in the same period is far larger. Probably the carnage on the roads of USA in the same period exceed 500 000 [in 20 years]. YET THERE IS NO CHANGE IN ROAD SAFETY, no political fuss.

Though I mostly enjoy your posts this time you erred, no doubt you will not repeat the same error.

Next time your hear stories of why people hate America, please cite this story, at least 100,000 times.

I am a Somali immigrant who came to the US on Wednesday, August 14, 1985 at JFK Airport in New York City. I was driven and I had three very simple dreams: (1) attend college, (2) play pick-up basketball games, and (3) go back to Somalia and show off the basketball moves picked up from US’s playgrounds. I did the first two and but never the last one—going back to Somalia and showing off my basketball moves. Although more than two decades had past, I still dream of my idyllic neighborhoods and how I could never go home again.

I put myself through college by mowing grass at my University, collecting trash from parking lots, washing dishes at Roy Rogers, Hardees, Bobs Big Boy, etc. and now I am a US citizen with three kids and a million dollar home. Proud and grateful not only becaue of what I had achieved, but of who made it possible, besides God Allmighty.

US allowed me to stay and also helped the rest of my family (three brothers, four sisters, and my parents) join me as refugees being resettled into the US. No other countries—not the African countries, not the Arab countries did that. All my brothers and sisters who had been resettled are all US citizens and their gratefulness to US is unmatched.

While my “Hoop Dreams” will never be realized, one thing is certain. This country was there for my family and me in our time of need. Now cite this story 100,000 times for all the Somali refugees that have been resettled to America from Somalia. No other country did that. Or cite for all the immigrants from all over the world.

Holding aside political grievances, this country, by and large, has done more to help the downtrodden of the world than any other country. Of course, it has its social troubles and skeletons in the closet. Of course, its reputation has been sullied and all its prior good deeds have been clouded by the recent events, but it is not fair to judge a whole nation by just recent events. We have to look at the totality of things and how it scores on it. On that scale, the US is second to none.

Now, this county is as much of my mine as those who came on the Mayflower and it is incumbent upon us to see to it that we spread the ideals that made it great and not let bunch of zealots who have myopic agendas of their own high jack it.

daniel -'...we still lack the artist {here} in the New World....' Was that a quote from Mark Twain or Edger Allen Poe or Oscar Wilde or Hemingway? Or, perhaps something once said by the most collectable modern artist in the world today, Jackson Pollack or Frank Lloyd Wright or Cass Gilbert or O'Keeffe or Remington or Whistler? Or, perhaps it was something an American bumpkin like Edison or Morse or Franklin said? Or, some of our embarrasing political writers like Thomas Jefferson or Jame Monroe or Lincoln said? I am being cynical here, but the fact is, this country has produced more exceptional artists and writers in the last 200 years than the rest of the world combined.

I am an American and I would like to address a misconception people seem to have about America. In addressing this misconception I would like to also point out a big problem about America which however the rest of the world seems totally ignorant of and must address if serious about world peace.

The misconception (despite all evidence to the contrary) the rest of the world seems to have about America is that it is some sort of arrogant, all consuming, monolithic beast as if a single people run amok at the expense of all the rest of the world's inhabitants.

The truth is more that the U.S. is composed of a great many people of different racial, ethnic and religious background. In fact taking white people alone I believe there are more people of German descent than English. The point is the U.S. has been struggling to create something new out of precisely virtually all the rest of the world now criticizing America. America has been a project toward resolving racial, ethnic, religious, etc. differences. I just wish people would feel it their duty to marry a person of another race, religion, etc. and close differences as soon and as cleanly as possible.

Along with the above--and in fact extremely necessary for it to be successful--we have separation of church and state, democracy, a meritocratic society in which we strive to get at various talents people bring to the nation and put them into operation. We seek identity above traditional notions of identity.

But a very grave problem is that in putting racial, ethnic, religious, etc. differences aside and striving for some type of new path to identification we have wandered into overconsumption, frivolity, etc. to make up for the loss of traditional notions of identity. We are not overconsuming so much because we are pigs (in fact we are something of all the rest of you dear world!) but overconsuming to fill the void of loss of tradition in our lives and in our struggle to create a new world, one beyond race, religion, ethnic struggle, etc.

And the big question is if America were to fail...What would the rest of the world do to resolve all the ethnic, religious, racial differences, etc.? In fact in criticizing America there is no getting around the question of well what world in the absence of America?

To be absolutely clear, if America were to disappear now, how can the rest of the world not pass through what America is now experiencing and struggling with?

Instead of criticizing us the rest of the world should be studying exactly what we have been doing (it is not arrogant to ask that. It is not arrogant to ask the rest of the world to seriously examine the greatest power of the time). Somehow though the rest of the world seems to think we are a nation exactly like any one of them except somehow a little stronger. Not exactly. We are something of a point of fusion in the world--a meeting place and fusing of race, religion, ethnic group, etc.

If this point of fusion does not exist here on the North American continent, then where?

Recently I listened to some Elvis Presley and Little Richard and enjoyed immensely clear evidence of the possibility of a new world beyond the starkest differences. And they existed fifty years ago--the recordings I listened to were fifty years old. And here we are now...and has any other place in the world made such a jump in bridging race, religion, ethnic group?

The question is of the bridge with a minumum of violence--and this is imperative as weapons just seem to be getting more and more powerful. Somehow crossing the bridge without using weapons and overconsuming...But I have just described something of an artistic and scientific imperative--culture creating power.

We still lack the artists of the new world....

How appropriate that the Washington Post is fostering discussions on Anti-Americanism...This is the kind of thing they revel in....If its anti-american...its ok with the Post.

I think it's naive to think that the current wave of anti-Americanism is purely because of Bush and his policies. There's no doubt that his administration precipitated these feelings but our double-standards in the middle-east (one one hand cozy with the Saudi/Kuwaiti Royal Families for oil and on the other with Israel for the money and power that the Jewish lobby wields in Washington) have been causing the tension to simmer for many years now. We turn a blind eye towards the fundamentalist social policies that the Saudis have in their own country and then turn around and condemn honor-killing in Iraq. No wonder nobody trusts America in the middle-east or pretty outside of NATO. There seems to be no long-term principles or pillars upon which American Foreign policy is built. Each administration pretty much does what it think is right.
Any time we have taken sides in wars in Islamic countries, it has come back to bite us. Afghanistan where we once supported the Taliban to fight against the Russians, Iraq - whom we supported in their fight against Iran, Lebanon - where we supported the fight against Hezbollah/Syria ; they all have come back to haunt us. It's time we stayed out of these conflicts and started to play a purely negotiating rule (see Norwegians in Sri Lanka).
And Oh, by the way - Take realistic and concrete steps to reduce our dependence on middle-East oil. That's really the only way to build any credibility out there.

I pretty sure it passed everyone notice. It sure did mine. But this moron TB posted an aside that sums up very nicely how anti-Amercianism (and, incidently, ignorance and bigotry function everywhere): "...And one irrelevant tip - you’re more likely to be killed by a criminal in the U.S. then a terrorist from another country..."

Now, what on earth is that supposed to mean? In the U.K. some twits blew themselves up and killed what? 20 people. In tiny Luxembourg 159 people died from homocides the same year. So, should we note that "..."...you’re more likely to be killed by a criminal in Luxembourg than a terrorist from another country...". Just stupid...and ignorant beyond belief, a blatent and transparent attempt to mislead and to foster ignorance and hatred. TB is the sort of igorant and bigoted swine that is riding some "political cause" that they believe justifies their lies.

A couple quick fact, that will not persuade any of the ignorant clodhoppers who choose to hate Amercia, but they facts nonetheless: The U.S. doesn't even make the top 20 list of Western countries for violent crime in terms of percentage. That "honor" belongs to England with a rate that is three times high than the U.S. Neither does the U.S. have the highest homocide or suicide rate. Again, it doesn't even make the top ten for "civilized" Western countries. The highest suicide rates are in the Baltic countries, followed by the Scandinavian countries. The U.S. is dead last on the list. For homocides, Denmark and Sweden have HIGHER homocide rates (so does CANADA!) and it is rather difficult to interpret the statistics published by the British Home Office in this regard becasue they don't classify nor publish homocides using the same statistical basis we do. The U.S. rolls police shootings, certain categories of automobile accidents, and actual "muders" into our homocide rates...7.3 per 100,000, while countries like Germany and France do not. We can make a pretty good stab at it, though, by using the Department Of Justise figures and rolling into those figures the excluded statistics for automotive, police, and other homocides and we get....a homocide rate in Framce that is 7.9 per 100,000 and a German rate that is 8.0 per 100,000.

None of this is meant to do more than point out that homocides, violent crime, suicide, and the like, appear to have underlying social causes and remain constant in spite of legislative or psychological remedies. Do not go tossing around the ignorant and just plain wrong notion that the U.S. is a violent country. It is not and the repeated nonsense that it is is nothing more than bigoted igorance spread widely. You are as safe in the U.S. as you would be anywhere in Europe. On the other hanbd, if you feel the need to be mugged, head for the inner city in New York or Chicago or the *suburbs* (where desparate minorities are housed in Europe) of Paris or London or Gothenberg.

Before you ask whether anti-americanism is still rising, you have to say, what you would call
anti-americanism ?
Is it anti-americanism,
- when you don't stop thinking and when you come to different conclusions ?
- when you don't think the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are the proper answer to 9/11 ?
- when you don't believe the Bush admin is really representing all of America ?
If yes anti-americanism is worldwide at top levels and will be unless the american politics is changed completely.
But would you stop calling a friend a friend, simply because he/she has different opinions
about some things ?

if your people hate america so much why do they want to come here? doubt the truth of that - tell them that they can get a free ticket to america and citizenship and watch the line form.

recently the dollar has dropped 5% vs the euro and pound in only 3 months. china and kuwait are no longer pegging their currency to the dollar and are planning on diversifying their foreign currency reserves. the gig is up for the american dollar and we are headed toward a major depression. the corporate dictatorship which has ruled america through washington has stopped cold any policies that would make a america a less consumerist more efficient country. that spending has resulted in astounding debt that will crush our credit, our buying power, and our economic production all lowering our quality of life. the iraq war and terrorism served these corporations as a 4 year distraction from our fundamental problem.

Zoltan :

You may have thrown those things around at a bar with your semi-intellectual friends..claiming that American capitalism and the military industrial complex has destroyed the world, but there was MASS destruction and death before the US, and there has actually been a steady world-wide rise in life expectancy since the US was founded. You might want to ask a person from South Korea if they would rather the US never stepped in, and they would rather have Kim Jong Il as their president before you decry our actions as illegal or wrong. You should also ask why our military has bases in (NOT 130 countries by the way) other nations, maybe because we were asked to remain in Germany when they were scared the Russians would roll over them from 1950 - 1991, or that someone would take Japan after they surrendered post-WWII..your comments are uninformed and the worst kind of ignorance, that of a pseudo-intellectual who points to Microsoft and McDonalds as the root of all evil, when in fact Microsoft and its founder do more good than you at your computer could ever hope to.

TOM W:

Notwithstanding your professed support for the invasion of Iraq, the USA has no business either invading a sovereign state, nor occupying the same, nor installing puppet regimes therein.

Whether it is Sadr, or someone else, there would be always a leader who could lead the forces against occupation - assissinating one while setting up "peace meeting" [unsuccesful assissination attempt] would just cause another to arise.

You as a great supporter of Israel's inhumanity to Palestinians should know this well, for notwithstanding numerous targeted assissinations versus numerous Palestinians of various sects, various military alliences, neither the security of Israel, nor the military resistance to Israel has improved one iota in the last 50 odd years. After all it was just last week that Israel tried to assissinate a meber of the Hamas "parliament" and succeeded in killing his dad and seven other non-politicians. SUCH EVENT OF INTENTIONALLY KILLING CIVILIANS IS TERRORISM ACCORDING TO YOUR PREVIOUS POSTING [re Iraqis]

So pray tell what is the difference between the Israeli Government and the Sunni Terrorist aside form their nationality [Or President Reagan when he tried to Assissinate the President of Lybia, succeeding in killibg his infant -baby - offspring??

This is a very important issue, so no doubt you will clarify what is terrism vis-a-vis all the above named actors.

This racism and anti-americanism is quite selective. Let's take Thabo Mbeki - from South Africa - he even engaged in it - when he made racist comments about HIV/AIDS in the West - he stated that this was a disease of white homosexuals when he knew full well, that this disease disproportionately affects black people in the US.

The extent that some Africans will go to dehumanize black Americans - insist that we are inferior merely because we descend from enslaved Africans - and then to spin the story around and blame the Victim. Is very disgusting.

One must ask, why does not the whole southern African region critique Editors like Fred M'membe who have called the ancestors of black americans - "monkeys".

If you notice - Fred M'membe and many Africans support white Americans - and Westerners and insteitutions - such as the Catholic Church and the Pope - and Adventist Folkenburg - even if these people are crooked - yet they will seek you out to dehumanize you.

In my view - being approached by many of these people is very dehumanizing.

Zambians have referred to black Americans as "slavery products" and "wenches" - and they have celebrated some of the most disgusting, persons with ill motives.

Envy is what drives anti-americanism in Africa - 9 times out of 10 - Many Africans will support white Americanism and will support racism against Black Americans.

THe extent of the AIDS epidemic in Africa and corruption is also routed in their ideas about slavery, black America, and integrity.

When you have presidents such as Zambian Mwanawasa and his wife spreading racism against black America and celebrating their own citizens who refer to black Americans as "monkeys" - this is very disgusting and indefensible.

Of course many institutions such as the adventist church support this type of Anti-Americanism which is kind of neocolonial. They did it Rwanda and they are still doing it.

I find that Anti-"Americanism" is quite fickle - especially in Africa. Africans are anti-black american but they are pro- White Supremacist.

For example, many Africans are very racist - and interact with Black Americans for the sole purpose of pulling these people down to their level.

Zambians in the Adventist church and outside of it - have referred to black merican women as "wenches".

Fred M'membe - the Editor of the Post Newspaper had a journalist - Lucy Sichone who referred to the ancetors of black Amerians as "monkeys" taken to the West by colonialists. Zambians now laud Lucy Sichone as does the Zambian President and his wife.

Many Africans are very racist - and they seek black Americans out - for the sole purpose of tearing at our dignity.

For a long time - now - in their media - Africans insiniuate that black Americans have an inferior culture and are inferior because black Americans descend from enslaved persons.

Meanwhile, Zambians and other Africans - seek to form alliances with white persons who oppress black Americans.

It is a fickle anti-Americanism.

For example, Zambians have estolled Slaveowing George Washington - while meanwhile denigrating black Americans as "wenches".

Many of these anti-Americanists are disgusting people. I find many Zambians and their African supporters to be very disgusting in their racism and their vulgarity.

They almost have a trashiness about them which allows them to call black American women "wenches" and to seek them out to exploit them.

I find that Anti-"Americanism" is quite fickle - especially in Africa. Africans are anti-black american but they are pro- White Supremacist.

For example, many Africans are very racist - and interact with Black Americans for the sole purpose of pulling these people down to their level.

Zambians in the Adventist church and outside of it - have referred to black merican women as "wenches".

Fred M'membe - the Editor of the Post Newspaper had a journalist - Lucy Sichone who referred to the ancetors of black Amerians as "monkeys" taken to the West by colonialists. Zambians now laud Lucy Sichone as does the Zambian President and his wife.

Many Africans are very racist - and they seek black Americans out - for the sole purpose of tearing at our dignity.

For a long time - now - in their media - Africans insiniuate that black Americans have an inferior culture and are inferior because black Americans descend from enslaved persons.

Meanwhile, Zambians and other Africans - seek to form alliances with white persons who oppress black Americans.

It is a fickle anti-Americanism.

For example, Zambians have estolled Slaveowing George Washington - while meanwhile denigrating black Americans as "wenches".

Many of these anti-Americanists are disgusting people. I find many Zambians and their African supporters to be very disgusting in their racism and their vulgarity.

They almost have a trashiness about them which allows them to call black American women "wenches" and to seek them out to exploit them.

“The Roots of Violence:
Wealth without work,
Pleasure without conscience,
Knowledge without character,
Commerce without morality,
Science without humanity,
Worship without sacrifice,
Politics without principles” (Gandhi)

Jim Hill,

Easy answer. I'm astonished after your well written post the answer wasn't obvious to you. We (the US) have no history of peace. Hence, if you want peace I suggest you move to Sweden or Switzerland. As you so aptly noted it really isn't fare that selfless Americans should die for other people while expecting nothing in return. If you explain this view to the Swedes they may allow you immigrate. However, I'm not sure the Swiss will as they have tighter immigration controls. Good luck in the land of the midnight sun. I hope you find the peace you seek.

Jim Hill: "What I would love someone from outside my nation to explain to me is ..."

You cite WW1 and WW2 as nice contributions to the world, but what about Vietnam, Korea, Pinochet, the Shah of Iran, Guantanamo, Nicaragua, genetically modified food, McDonalds, Micro$oft, patented drugs against AIDS, farm subsidies (yes, we have them here too, I'm against them), Israel/Palestine, unlimited printing of $$$ when others have to WORK for it, 25% of the world pollution with 5% of the population, military bases in 130 countries,...

Does this help ? You might also want to read the excellent post of "dumb american".

"And one irrelevant tip - you’re more likely to be killed by a criminal in the U.S. then a terrorist from another country. Now that's a very, very sad state of affairs!"

What, are you a terrorist? Why is it sad that crime outdoes terrorism