the british
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Stevicus-2 — 18 years ago(March 03, 2008 07:47 AM)
Please ignore my double post.
Now that Ive read your post again I guess it could be taken as a statement about the end of Americas isolationist role in the world. Although its not 100% clear and could be taken as chauvinistic rhetoric, if I'm wrong I apologise.
Still, its redundant to compare or blame the actions of now to those that happened 100 years ago. Looking at every other country in the world and saying none of them have had their hands clean at some point or another makes no sense. That was then, this is now, we should have learnt from the mistakes and we should know better.
Well, to be honest, I was sort of joking. My comments were somewhat tongue-in-cheek, at least in the way I expressed them.
But my point was that America/Americans did not create the world situation. Sometimes, I get the impression that when people (particularly Europeans) talk about America, they speak as if our entire national existence is one big conspiracy theory, as if this is all something that we planned. But there's still a great deal of dissent in America. Many Americans are not happy with what their government is doing in their name, and they speak out about it.
Unfortunately, a lot of Americans are also easily led and lied to. They genuinely believe that America is like a knight in shining armor, freeing the world from tyranny and making it "safe for democracy." Just as the Brits were told that they were "civilizing" the world through their Empire.
I don't think we learned from our mistakes, and to be honest, they should have known better "back then," too. But it should also be noted that our current world situation is, in a very real sense, dealing with mistakes that were made decades or even centuries ago. Greed is still the overriding force in world politics, so in that sense, none of us have learned a damn thing. -
debrecenisrac38 — 9 years ago(January 19, 2017 10:45 AM)
As individuals, no you have not, and nobody should blame individual Americans for it.
Sadly I have to agree with you, the people in key positions don't learn from previous mistakes, heavily evidenced by a great deal of complacency, like trusting and arming people who constantly turn on you. Drug cartels from the Iran-Contra Affair (because of the War on Drugs), the Mujahedeen (because of supporting Israel and local Afghan groups more loyal to surrounding countries, than Afghanistan aka The War on Terror).
It's not your entire national existence that is a conspiracy, not even your public foreign policies, rather for what goes on behind closed doors. I give this answer like we're still in 2008, so I won't talk about things we didn't know then, but what we did know was still damaging. For starters, only hubris can suggest to a group of people in the Pentagon and the White House, that it's wise to open a second front in Iraq, when the current war isn't even won in a country that could never be occupied by anyone. Furthermore, bombings are strategic, but far from surgical precision. It's obvious, that through the military presence, and the general ignorance shown toward locals, regardless where people live, they'll think all Americans are like that. It's only being made worse, when yur military doesn't do what they did in Vietnam, and pull out local helpers. Leaving them there to die antagonizes even the strongest of allies. The question is, how on Earth can soldiers, who've been to Vietnam simply forget, that a war can only be won with local support. The appointed prime minister of Iraq proved to be a puppet of Iran, and the other guy feeding intel was grossly corrupt, and a pathological liar. Smaller allies of the Axis powers made such rookie mistakes, a superpower shouldn't. Many people hate the American military presence, because America is not subject to the International Criminal Court, their punishment (and it does happen) rely on internal investigations, offering little ailment to those, who have been robbed and/or raped by American soldiers. Then there are companies like Blackwater, who have private interests. In actuality most of the time the actual military has to escort private soldiers doing the job they should be doing.
Yet none of it excuses British conduct in Northern Ireland, Europe's on War on Terror (along with ETA and the PLA), as the British military did little to not antagonize locals.
I live in the Gordius Apartment Complex, my interior designer was M.C. Escher. -
The_Proprietor — 17 years ago(April 08, 2008 08:20 PM)
by
Stevicus-2
But I do have to admit that the movie "In the Name of the Father" does rile up some rather raw emotions. It does cause people to get mad at the British legal system. Moreover, even if it may sound chauvinistic, an American might see a movie like this and be glad that we kicked the British out over 200 years ago. This is how threads like this get started on the IMDb message boards, and I agree that, in many ways, it is laughable.
But don't forget that Hollywood does a lot of trashing of America as well, so don't get the idea that it's all one-sided trashing of the whole world.
Seems the Americans of late are the proponents of getting involved in matters that don't concern them. The troubles in Northern Ireland being a prime example. Thanks to many 'Irish' Americans, courtesy of NORAID plenty of arms, munitions and finance made its way into the hands and pockets of the IRA. So that they could kill, maim and bomb their way where they saw fit. Sure the loyalist factions were/are just as bad but luckily they confined their actions to NI.
Let's not forget how Hollywood pictured the armed struggle as a fight for liberation before 9/11. Whilst these thugs were bombing women and children. For what? That's why they call you Americans Septics. "Just like a septic tank, no one likes them" heh.
If impersonating a Police Officer is an offence, shouldn't actors be imprisoned? -
Stevicus-2 — 17 years ago(April 14, 2008 01:26 PM)
Seems the Americans of late are the proponents of getting involved in matters that don't concern them. The troubles in Northern Ireland being a prime example.
Not at all. I'm not involved in it, nor do I advocate anyone interfering in this whatsoever. Someone commented on the fact that an American started this thread, and all I was doing was trying to explain why. You can either take it or leave it, but you shouldn't interpret as a proposal to get involved in the Northern Ireland situation. You're taking this far too seriously.
Besides, I thought most of the troubles were over anyway. Didn't they sign a peace agreement or something? So, what is there left to get involved in? Nothing. The whole issue is moot at this point.
Thanks to many 'Irish' Americans, courtesy of NORAID plenty of arms, munitions and finance made its way into the hands and pockets of the IRA. So that they could kill, maim and bomb their way where they saw fit. Sure the loyalist factions were/are just as bad but luckily they confined their actions to NI.
That has nothing to do with me or most Americans. Even the Irish-Americans I know are not involved in it.
I do know that if caught trying to send arms to the IRA, they will be charged in U.S. Federal court. They had a court case here in Tucson several years ago. They chose Tucson because it was out of the way, but even then, they still had tightened security due to the IRA.
Let's not forget how Hollywood pictured the armed struggle as a fight for liberation before 9/11. Whilst these thugs were bombing women and children. For what? That's why they call you Americans Septics. "Just like a septic tank, no one likes them" heh.
Well, I'm an American, and I have lots of friends. Lots of people like me, because I'm such a nice guy.
I realize that, around the world, America has a poor reputation, but here's some news for you: Britain also has a poor reputation around the world.
But prior to World War II, America had a great reputation. Everyone loved America around that time and before. It's just that we ended up having to prop up what was left of the shaky world order which came about due to Anglo-French colonialism and their greed in World War I which led to the rise of both Hitler and Stalin.
It's easy for you to sit back and call us "Septics" (which is pretty juvenile and immature anyway), but just know that it's only because we had to clean up the mess left by YOUR greed and tyranny over on your side of "the pond." You make America the scapegoat for your own sins. I know it, and you know it. So get off your high horse.