If America helps, or doesn't help, it still gets criticized?

Question

I feel like this is the case with America's reputation. If we don't help other countries, we get criticized for being selfish, and not caring about the world. If we do help other countries, we get criticized by saying that we only care for the resources in the other country.

So whats the deal. Although countries may be divided, we all share the same planet, so we must help one another.

Answer 1

Please list some US interventions other than WWII that has done the world a great good?

We are citicizied because we havent actually done any good.
Half a million Iraqis have died as a result of this war. 3,500+ Americans have died as a result of this war. How has this intervention helped anyone?

Answer 2

I would disagree. This is symptomatic of the Bush administration, which does things to an extreme such as invading a country that should not have been invaded (Iraq) and doing essentially nothing in a country that desperately needs intervention (Sudan). This is breaking with the great American tradition of a foreign policy that was a model for the world and led to our nearly constant praise and adoration. Take for example under FDR and Truman the intervention in WWII that helped to defeat the Axis powers, followed by the Marshall Plan to rebuild Europe. Also under John Kennedy the establishment of the Peace Corps, rallying of the world against communism (see JFK handling of Cuban Missile Crisis and speech in Berlin in 1963) and signing of the world's first nuclear test ban treaty. We also can recently remember how Bill Clinton led the world through NATO and the United Nations to resolve the conflict in Bosnia and Kosovo without even one U.S. soldier dying (genocide was halted and a brutal dictator was overthrown and captured). Bush has introduced the botched foreign policy and failed strategy as commander in chief which has painted a new bleak picture of the US as regarded by the world. Once we get a new president in the White House in 2009, hopefully a Democrat, the hard work will begin to undo the disastrous Bush presidency.

Answer 3

Yes and when they do help two warring parties for instance, both sides usually end up mad at the USA if they don't get exactly what they want and are made to compromise instead of seeing the other side annihilated.
I beg to differ with Mumbogumbo, us Europeans were pretty glad to have the USA keep the USSR from invading us during the cold war.
Naturalized citizen born and raised in Europe

Answer 4

I heard an interesting summary of this:

"The third world countries complain to US (us, in the united states) that they're starving or whatever, so we send them money. They then claim its not enough. Then they start telling other countries how selfish the U.S. is, even when we sent them money already".

We should really just stop sending other countries money. Lets fix our national debt problem or whatever, unless they can be grateful for what we send them.

Answer 5

The best way America can help the world is to stay at home within its own borders and quit bombing and killing people. What goes on in another country is none of America's business whatsoever. If America wasn't picking on and bullying so many people around the globe, we wouldn't have to watch our backs so much.

Answer 6

It depends on what your definition of "Help"is.If it is killing many more of that countries citizens than the brutal dictator we deposed by invading it,then we kinda deserve some criticism.If it is allowing a government to kill about as many as we have killed in the first example and do nothing for years because their oil goes mostly to China,then we kinda deserve some criticism.

Answer 7

Yep! America the worlds Scapegoat!

Answer 8

Yep, and it will always be that way as long as we're the top dog. Kind of makes the rest of the world seem immature, huh?

I'm still waiting for Canada and Italy to take care of that Darfur problem.

Answer 9

the american is viewed as self-righteous by those of other nations. the view is well-earned because americans are just that- self-righteous and many consider themselves better than others. though we give aid to others, it is often with strings attached which other nations don't like but have no choice but to agree to.
the ugly american is a well-deserved name. that is why so many nations hate america, and add to that that it is also so wealthy compared to them that their jealousy is very great. america flaunts its wealth like a banner, and other peoples can only wish to be that way.

Answer 10

If we do not deal with our debt, entitlement programs, and our dependents on foreign oil, we will not even be able to help ourselves