Does America understand it's reputation yet?

Question

The Cuban's worry and fear over a US led invasion isn't based on anyting less than the US's own behaviour - a war and blood thirsty dictator on the loose with a military poised to strike with little or no reason but they saw a weakness.

That is the American reputaion and that is why your diplomats ussually don't get anywhere (welcome in Israel I know I know) and thats why you end up wearing Maple leaf's on your coats and bags when you visit most countires on holidays.

What can/will you do about this reputation - ?

GrapeApe33
4 minutes ago

How is the "Freedom fries" thing going?

Answer 1

Many of the more intelligent Americans understand our reputation only too well. Cuba's fears make sense to me. I really don't know what to do about it except vote this November and try to show people who are not American that we aren't all like the stereotype.

Answer 2

Unchallenged at the beginning of last decade in this unipolar world, US now does realize that it is slipping on diplomatic front, not earning any laurels on war efforts either. Most worrying aspect is that its reputation has been sullied beyond repair among the common Muslim masses, a billion strong, all over the world. That was to put it very mildly! Watch some of the fundamentalist Muslim nations and hear the slogans to understand the deep hatred for America, just for its policies in Palestine and Iraq and blind support to Israel.With the national debt mounting, the cost on oil spiraling even the economic growth is set to down slide as per analysts all over. How this derailed situation will be corrected and brought back on rails is difficult to predict. The solution should lie in bidding good bye to policies of preemption and adopt a more conciliatory approach.

Answer 3

If America has such a bad reputation:

1. Why do so many people immigate TO the United States as opposed to AWAY from the United States?

2. Why are American movies and music (culture) purchased in such mass quantities around the world?

3. Why are there no boycotts against American goods?

4. Why do so many foreigner's vacation in the US and spend their money here?

5. Why do all the people I know who have traveled abroad say they were treated well?

Answer: It is a very small VOCAL minority like you that whine about the US. These small-minded people (like you) always needs something to complain about and someone to blame for their problems and the USA is just a convienient target.

Answer 4

I assume the bloodthirsty dictator to whom you refer is The Maximum Leader (aka Fidel Castro)?

"What can/will you do about this reputation?" Nothing - I just spent seven weeks in five European countries and was well-received everywhere I went. I did stay away from politicians, journalists, academics and cultural types, though, so I don't know, maybe my experience wasn't really representative.

I think this so-called "reputation" is overblown and is being used by the political/chattering classes in this country to advance the interests of the far left wing of the Democratic party.

I heard (Tippy-Top Expert of the Moment) Tom Friedman interviewed two days ago and he was going on and on about this "reputation" thing in Europe. He pontificates about it without ever mentioning that he lives in the rarefied world of the intelligentsia that has nothing to do with the guy in the street.

Europe has more than enough problems of its own without us worrying about our "reputation" with them.

As for Cuba, it's a cipher and will only cease to be one once the murderous criminal gang that controls it has been eliminated (from power).

Answer 5

There were Russian Missiles being set up in Cuba and it came very close to a War, read your History, since you likely are too young to remember. What needs to be done is for you to learn and understand and the reason why this has happened. Either from history books or tapes shown on the History Chanel. Then your view will not be distorted as it is now

Answer 6

The United States does have a somewhat 'tarnished' reputation, but I don't blame that on the American people. I fully appreciate that the majority of Americans are decent, peace-loving people who deserve 'respect' no less than anyone else. It's just a damn shame that you have such a f-head as a leader, and for some reason, you keep re-electing him. Hey, I can't talk... I live in Australia, and for some reason, our f-head leader keeps getting re-elected as well. I sure as hell don't vote for him!

The invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq have tarnished the reputation of both of our countries, particularly in relation to the enormous number of innocent civilians who have been slaughtered. As long as innocent men, women, children and babies continue to be blown to pieces by coalition forces, the reputation of both of our countries will deservedly continue to be tarnished. The international community is screaming about the disproportionate use of force by Israel against Lebanon. That force is so very mediocre in comparison to the force used against the people of Afghanistan and Iraq.

I'm proud to be an Australian, but I carry the shame of knowing that the blood of those innocent victims is on my country's hands!

Want to improve your country's reputation?... Get rid of George W. Bush!!!

Answer 7

Im not sure that most americans realize the full scope of what the rest of the world sees when they look at the US. Furthermore, Im not certain that most americans have pulled their heads out of the sand to realize themselves what their country does abroad that makes the global community go "what the f--k?!?" I speak to canadians, have spoken to israelis, Kenyans, and some US soldiers over in Iraq, and I just tell them that some of us are paying attention and some of us are trying to save america from being the boogey man it appears to be.

Answer 8

What can we do about our reputation.. Get rid of all the garbage that we have representing the U.S.(that includes MOST of the Ambassadors) and other FAT pigs that go over on joy rides at Public tax payer expense) and replace them with good people.. Americans.. You may laugh but I spent 30 years in overseas and I was shocked at the people who represented the U.S. It is shameful and I understand why the foreign government hates us.. It is our representatives of the U.S. Sickening degenerates.

Answer 9

I would rather have our reputation than many others out there. We are a generous people. Polls show the world believes that. They may have issues with our policy at any one time, but they all want us on their sides when they get in trouble.

Answer 10

The American Guilt
Nasim Zehra

We are witnessing real time unchecked killer machines at work. This is
all surreal. It appears that the world for the innocent seems no safer
today than when the Nazis and the Fascists were at work. Whatever the
explanations, the outcome of deliberate Israeli and retaliatory
Hizbullah
action is mayhem. Global paralysis is facilitating Lebanese and Israeli
deaths and colossal destruction of Lebanon. Innocent civilians fleeing
to
safety are being hit by Israeli bombs and missiles. Near 400 Lebanese
have
been killed and nearing a million rendered homeless. In Israel too
Hizbullah's retaliatory missile attacks have also tragically left few
innocent Israeli civilian dead. All this mindless killing of innocent
citizens is condemnable.

As Israeli bombs and missiles rain carnage on Lebanon world's major
powers still decry Hizbullah's provocation. The capture of two Israeli
soldiers and the subsequent deaths of six more as they entered Lebanon
to free the two, has been widely accepted as justification for
Israel's relentless air, sea and air attacks and blockades.

There are major holes in this justification. One, that there are
10,000 Palestinian and Arab prisoners, mostly civilians, in Israeli
jails and there is no way legal or political route to their release.
But the world doesn't care. Two, stonewalled by Israel's
intransigence on the
prisoners' issue the Hizbullah militia devised their own method for
the release of Lebanese prisoners. Use captured Israeli soldiers, swap
them for Lebanese prisoners. And it worked. Israeli Prime Ministers
Ariel Sharon and Ehud Barak both opted for swap arrangements. For
example in January 2004, Israel released about 400 Lebanese and Arab
prisoners while Hezbollah returned a reserve Israeli colonel and the
bodies of three soldiers under a German-brokered agreement.

Three, Israel was intent on destroying the Hizbullah at an opportune
moment. Israeli's military strategists have been claiming that
Hizbullah's rockets arsenal had been growing. Zvi Shtauber former
head of Strategic Planning for Israel's armed forces and now head of
Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies in Tel Aviv told the Economist
(July22-28)that, "It was clear we couldn't live with the missiles…the
question was when to do it." Israel opted to use the arrest of
soldiers as pretext to remove what it had concluded was threat to its
security.

In search of security Israel resorted to State-terrorism in Lebanon
that produced the carnage. However with language play Israel seeks to
play down the scale and the consequences of its horrendous actions.
They are terming it pin-point incursions; "limited strikes." But media
reports tell another story…Israeli bombs and rockets battering
innocent children and women. Instead of engagement and compromise
death and destruction of the opponent has been a key element of
Israel's security strategy. Palestinian and Lebanese guerilla
leadership is routinely assassinated, also causing death to innocent
civilians qualified as 'collateral damage.'

On July 23 BBC reports that Jan Egeland the Chief of UN Emergency
Relief shocked that in Southern Beirut "block after block" of
buildings had been leveled by Israel's bombings. England said Israel's
"disproportionate response" was a "violation of international
humanitarian law." Contesting Israel's repeated statements that it was
allowing safe access to humanitarian groups he said "So far Israel is
not giving us access." Moreover the mass scale destruction of roads,
bridges and trucks will make aid distribution difficult even when
Israel allows to dock at the Beirut port.

The world has facilitated Israel's continuing crime. As always the
muted Arab and Muslim response are inconsequential. UN's early
murmurings against disproportionate response, were initially ignored.
Led by the United States the international community has given Israel
a carte blanche to do whatever Israel considers necessary to promote
its security. This was conveyed by the mild worded G-8 summit
statement. Ironically it is a security-starved nuclear-state. It is
not held to any accountability; it is not expected to abide
by any international norms laid down for inter-State relations.

Washington has emerged as the core accomplice in Israel's devastating
and illegal war on Lebanon. It gave Tel Aviv the green light to
continue the bombings. Bush has defended Israel's battering of
Lebanon. It is Israel's right to act in "self-defense", he says.
Washington okays Israel's bid of seeking security by inflicting mayhem
on another people. Surely this is disservice to a close friend. Yet it
continues. The attempt to discuss the Lebanon situation in the UNSC
was vetoed by the US. The US Congress, the House and the Senate both,
passed resolutions supporting Israeli action. The US is reportedly
rushing precision-guided bombs to Israel. By preventing any concrete
action taken at the UN to censure Israel's war on Lebanon, Washington
has ensured that Israel can continue the illegal one-sided war
unfettered.

In handling the Lebanon crisis US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
is at her weakest. bout Israel's relentless bombing
and land attacks killing hundreds of Lebanese civilians, displacing
half a million plus and reducing parts of Lebanon to rubble, she says
it signifies "the birth pangs of a new Middle East, and whatever we do
we have to be certain that we are pushing forward to the new Middle
East, not going back to the old one." Her words would make for parody,
if the backdrop wasn't unstoppable blood-spilling in the region
stretching from Afghanistan to Palestine.

Another Rice statement that "a cease-fire would be a false promise if
it simply returns us to the status quo" conveys Washington's position
that the problem with the "staus quo" is the presence of an armed
Hizbullah. History lesson is different. The primary problem with the
status quo is the unresolved Palestinian problem. Rest are the
inevitable 'secondaries.' But this truth gets drowned in the ballot
logic.

For the Bush administration a fair and swift settlement of the
Palestinian issue is not a priority policy concern. If Washington has
talked of a two-state solution, it has certainly not worked
judiciously to make it happen. Taking punitive action against groups
and states it has dangerously labeled as terrorism-related is. In
giving Israel the green light to destroy Lebanon, Washington
erroneously believes that Israel's military might will wipe out
Hizbullah, Hammas and Islamic extremism, help take punitive measures
against Iran and Syria, structure Lebanese politics according to
Israel's security needs and drive fear into the Palestinian hearts.
This is hubris. It is sheer stubbornness that makes Washington believe
that military force, the very policy tool that has produced a disaster
in Iraq will produce success in Lebanon and Palestine.

America's promise of a brave new Middle East is increasingly being
reduced to a ghastly joke. The list of blunders is endless. The Iraq
invasion, based on untruth has turned Iraq into a death zone. No less
than dozens of Iraqis are now dying daily. Yes daily. US has lost 2000
of its own men too. In Afghanistan, the New York Times has finally
conceded, all is not well. Its more than Pakistan mischief, there are
problems within Afghanistan. Meanwhile all these American operations
are costing the US army more than just the lives of America's best
men. Its honor is taking a battering. The gruesome stories of some US
soldiers torturing prisoners, many of them innocent, in Iraq,
Afghanistan and
Guantanomobay just don't end.

It turns out that 'Project democracy' in the Middle East too has gone
sour. Washington welcomed the first democratically elected government
in the region, the Palestinian government, with sanctions and
censures. Lebanon the other country with a democratic government is
being pulverized by Washington's key ally.

In the Middle East, Washington's proverbial 'ostrich with its head in
the sand' attitude will solve nothing. No matter what their problems,
countries including Syria and Iran and groups like Hammas, Hizbullah
and the talibaan, will have to be engaged. They constitute part of the
current reality. Washington will ignore them at its own peril.
Similarly on Palestine there is no substitute for a just solution. A
nuclear armed highly militarized Israel, a 'pacified' Arab elite and a
Palestinian people under constant siege can only provided the illusion
of a 'solution.' And also the mere illusion of peace and stability.

Diplomacy was forsaken by the US for the use of force. How many more
blunders will it take the US to realize that its ways are wrong.
Banishing and vanquishing governments, political groups and militias
doesn't work. Engagement, adjustment and compromises are ways towards
genuine multilateral security. Nothing else will work. The road to
Israeli security runs through the creation of a legitimate Palestinian
homeland.


Nasim Zehra
Harvard Fellow
Harvard University Asia Center
625 Mass Ave,
Cambridge Mass.02139