The USA under anybody's direction is a "big giant bully" in the eyes of most who aren't American. We will assume this role as long as we are in the position we have been for the last 50 years, and bet your ass as much complaining as there is outside of our country - none of them would have it differently.
As a 12-15 year old in Germany from '85-'88, I can tell you from personal experience Europe's attitude wasn't then "Oh you're from America, I LOVE that country." In the course of 1 waking day i could travel through four different cultures (France, Belgium, Lichtenschtien, Germany) and go from being treated like a Leper (France in a particular - they're reputation precedes them, they'll never like us), to being treated like a king. Fact is, we are and never will be "just Americans". I felt this as a 12 year old. Adults treating ME, at 12, like i either personally liberated them or have come to Europe to personally kill their leaders and run their country.
One thing is for sure however, those that respected us were almost exclusively the older generation. The younger generation of Europeans want to hate us. Iraq, Bush, etc have nothing to do with it. We are who we are and we play the role we play. Our purpose hasn't changed in 50 years. We protect the world, and the world would have it no other way.
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