wolf

By that I mean the international respect we once had. I am not saying that the United States was loved by all, but we at least could be respected. Our opinion counted, we were seen as a country that didn't just do things just to do them. The days of respectable presidents like Kennedy, Eisenhower, Roosevelt. These were a few among many great men. So I want to know what everone thinks. Do you think we can get back to those days when we were respected?

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pan6467

First just like in our own selves we have to respect ourselves.

It will be easier for countries to listen to us and respect us if we ever become united again and end the partisanship and hatred.

If other countries see us torn and infighting they won't have respect for us because we aren't respecting ourselves and as shown our policies toward them can change abruptly.

But if we show a united front and respect for each other then other countries can be more open with us and the lines of communication and trust will be there.

It's like if we're neighbors and I tell you and your wife to join us for dinner. So you come over and my wife and I are throwing dishes at each other and spewing hate.... and it's not of the sexual foreplay kind..... then it will make you feel uncomfortable and not too trusting. Now, if my wife and I get along and have fun and show you that we respect each other and you... then you'll stay longer and come around more often.

Very basic idea, but that's my opinion in a nutshell.

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I just love people who use the excuse "I use/do this because I LOVE the feeling/joy/happiness it brings me" and expect you to be ok with that as you watch them destroy their life blindly following. My response is, "I like to put forks in an eletrical socket, just LOVE that feeling, can't ever get enough of it, so will you let me put this copper fork in that electric socket?"

Nimetic

I'm just a tourist on this thread... but.. no I don't think that's it.

I can think of a large number of countries which have (best I can see) less political dissent than the US. North Korea would be an example. Burma. Cuba. China. Singapore.

Speaking purely for myself... a lack of internal dissent does not seem a good thing.

tecoyah

It will take many years but, Yes....I think we will become a respected country again.

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Holding onto anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned. - Buddha

Locobot

Yeah it's kind of freaky when they're burning U.S. flags in places like Argentina. Sure Palestine or Saudi Arabia you expect it, but Argentina?

alansmithee

We can't get the "respect" back until another world power steps up to divide attention. Before, the US was counterbalanced against the Soviet Union. But without the counterbalance, the world turns against the remaining power. It's always been the case.

And when they have a threat or disaster, I'm sure the "respect" will come flowing back in.

pan6467

There's a huge difference between dissent and divisiveness. We have great divisiveness where both parties are so power hungry and so sure they are right they are hurting the country more than helping.

Dissent in America, hopefully will always survive but the hatred between parties and divisive nature has to end, for this country or any other country to respect us again.

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I just love people who use the excuse "I use/do this because I LOVE the feeling/joy/happiness it brings me" and expect you to be ok with that as you watch them destroy their life blindly following. My response is, "I like to put forks in an eletrical socket, just LOVE that feeling, can't ever get enough of it, so will you let me put this copper fork in that electric socket?"

jimbob

On the contrary, after the IMF-led economic crisis of 2001 you can hardly expect much respect for the US in Argentina. The IMF and World Bank are basically extensions of US foreign policy - the US has a blocking vote at both institutions. So whenever a country is forced to privatise its healthcare, cut back on education spending, charge for water (even when people can't afford to pay) or grow export crops while its poorest go hungry, it happens because the US wants it to.

It's not just your government's lies and military aggression that everybody hates, the businessmen play their part too!


http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/st...675036,00.html
http://www.monbiot.com/archives/2005...ith-wolfowitz/

BigBen

Yep. That's my thought exactly.

Until the US is needed in the world-wide sense, don't expect any change in tone or timber.

When there are two bigbadguys, the little guys can choose sides and the "Respect" starts to flow to both of them; when one of the bigbadguys falls, what are the little guys who followed the fallen to do? What about the little guys who followed the victor and put up with his shit? They hated the bigbadguy, but at least they were on his side. They chose the lesser of two evils. Now what can they do, when there is no threat from a second bigbadguy?

Hey, I have a great idea, let's all gang up on the remaining bigbadguy and see what will happen.

The US will have to put up with the current state of disrespect until one of three things happen:
1. They change foreign policy to closely align with the ideology of the international community;
2. They are called upon by the international community to stop a greater evil than themselves;
3. They slowly change the ideology of the international community to align with thier own foreign policy.

Why should you guys worry about being respected? That's never stopped you before.

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Elphaba

Ben, some of us poor fools once actually believed that our country was worth *our* respect and, therefore, the respect of other nations.

A minimum of two generations with a less aggressive foreign policy just *might* cause a renewed respect among other nations. That is so extremely doubtful, given our lack of an alternative energy policy. I expect more of the same or worse in the coming years.

alansmithee

Our contry is worth respect. That doesn't mean we will get it. No sole superpower could ever be respected by the world at large, because a sole superpower is still potentially a threat. And it's in other countrys' best interests to try to do everything in their power to either a) become a superpower themselves or b) make sure that any superpowers are "brought down to size". No matter all the alliances, friendships, etc. that are proclaimed, all countries are still rivals. And it just so happens that currently certain elements in the international community have decided the best ways to combat America's "superpowerness" is to voice displeasure over everything America does. Part of this is because they have some innate respect-they know that even though they might not get total concessions, America will listen. That's why there's not the big outcry against China by the countries that trade with it-because those countries realize that it won't do much good. If China does indeed become a superpower, it will take different measures to deal with them than can be applied to America.

jorgelito

Damn, Alan, that's some really good reasoning you made there. There is alot of material written by a lot of respected scholars on this stuff. I think "balance of power" is the phrase used. The sole superpower status can cause asymetrical power issues and breeds resentment by others. Especially if other powers think the sole superpower is not prime. Once any weakness is detected, they will exert more effort to "balance" - balance does not mean only military - there are other ways - alliances, trade, etc.

Something like that I think.

Mojo_PeiPei

China will become a super power within a matter of time, I'd say by 10 years really. After that it is down hill. By and large things have changed in the world. Shit isn't ideal, I won't say it is, but by and large the climate of the world is different. One thing that drives the progression of the world is conflict and war. I know peace-niks will disagree with me, that's great, you're wrong, history is on my side. It seems right now conflicts don't so much lay between countries as they do idealogies. That's why we combat "terrorism" or whatever else.

I think a lot of this has to do with the fact of what other have said here, we aren't one super power, we (America) are the sole hyper-power. On the flip countries of the world have faded namely France, Russia, Germany, England (the big 4 no big surprise); and by and large those countries interests are not the same as ours read Iraq and energy, same with China, which energy issues with them in the future and our current energy choices/problems will lead to conflict.

Conditions of the world are bound to change and give way to conflict, and no Iraq is not conflict, WWI/WWII/KOREA was conflict. Right know nobody is crazy like Hitler, there are no conditions that have given birth or at best let a person raise to that place and power. And I'm sure people will assert that Shrub is the anti-christ next Hitler, we are all conservative and the evil empire, freedom is lost the world is doomed. Puh-leaze.

I think the next time conflict, war, the driving force of our species and civilization, we are all fucked. America will be crippled against China and clearly the rest of the world is too big on diplomacy and the notion that people are rational and that some don't play the game fair. I am ranting, so sorry.

No we can't get it back, until the next conflict. When we shed this pussified complex, I'm not talking in specifics or recent conflicts. America is a great nation, the best of modern times and a power that rivals all the great empires and powers in history. I don't care that our standing is bad right now, Shrub is out of office in 3 years, then it is someone elses chance to hold the most lonely job in the world. Maybe what I've failed to say, all I need to say, is this shit won't last for ever and in relativity to us, is only cyclical.

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To win a war you must serve no master but your ambition.

Min

Respect is a word I don't believe I could apply to how the U.S. was view by the rest of the world. Mayhaps it was because it grew so strong so fast after WWII and to have it as an ally was to garner some of that boon.
It feels, at times, that the self-glorifying monolith is crumbling and everyone is taking their hits now because the giant is less of a threat.

roachboy

thing is that the actions of the bush administration are not new--the united states has long supported regimes that engaged in practices like torture, was instrumental in many cases in training the folk who carried out these "interrogation techniques" (achool of the americas anyone?)---the history of american foriegn policy since world war 2 is very different from what many folk seem to prefer to think. i dont think that the credibility issues that the americans find themselves plagued with are simple functions of its relative power (in what sectors?) but rather follow from choices made by successive administrations--the cold war, vietnam, chile, argentina nicaragua panama bushworld--concerning HOW the americans choose to act on the basis of that position.

it could be otherwise, in principle.

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spinning dog. such faithfulness it hear

it make you sick.

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flstf

I think we should worry less about whether other countries respect us and more about how and if we can hold our country together. All governments fail, and unless you believe that we are so superior to all those that have come before, ours will surely break up as well. We have had a long run but it's just a matter of time. Our country is currently ruled by one major group, the Democrat/Republicans and they are milking it for all it's worth.

Since the growth spurt after WWII we have become more involved in international affairs. Trying to be the policemen of the world is not making us many friends in a lot of countries. After our break up I imagine we will be better liked around the world since our policemen days and economic dominance will be over.