Why do so many countries hate the United States?

Question

I never understand this. I would think that the world would love us Americans. I mean we help countries, we are the leading food nation and we send food to other countries, we help other countries in wars, we aid other countries in tragedy, we contribute to so much in the world, we try to make the world a safer place.

Okay don't get me wrong. I know as an American that our government interferes with outer nations, but I think that is for ther own good. Like when countries want Nuclear weapons. They have unstable governments and if they need to, they WILL use those weapons. Thats why we have tried to stop North Korea and Iran. If we have to, I know sometimes we may use force but still. I don't think we need Nuclear weapons in the world anyway, too dangerous. I know we are the only country to use a nuclear weapon with Japan, but that was to END the war.

I think my country is a great country despite the things we have done in the past. What do you think?

Answer 1

Don't try to make this point to the libs, they blame America first.

Answer 2

As an outsider, an Australia i can tell you directly what the image of the US is, because i am suround by it. As you said the US does a lot of good in the world, it is the largest donator of aid. But over the last twenty years the US has more increasingly tightened it grip on world affairs. In Australia there is less than 45 of the population below the poverty line, and recently we have been the target of world anger of the low living standards of our indigenous population, but did it ever occur that 12% of the American Population are below the poverty line, 30% servely under educated? This is the problem i in Australia have, is the corruption of the US. You guys do a heck of a lot of good and have done some fabntastic things for the world, (WW2) but recently your latest conservative Administration has made it obvious to the rest of the world they must conform to the US way of acting or else. Our gracous leader has lead us into Iraq with you guys on faulse pretenses and thats what wrong. If the US was truely a free country you would be having a look at your selves, how can you tell people you are goig in to show others how to live when your society is on the brink of desolation. The US is no longer seen as the land of Opportunity, you can't get health cover, you can get a very third rate education and their is no socail saftey net, basic social requirement that any truely free society need to thrive. For the Us to regain it's image you need to have a good look at the way you, the average citizen, are controled by corporations, your government and the freedom you actually have.
You guys need to make the US into what it was, a thriving land where anyone, no matter where they started could become great. you need to turn back to capatilism, not this corporation rubbish where Walmart and Halibourtan have control over entire markets, thats as bad as facism.
Simply put, the US is hated because you contradict everything you say. you say uyou fight for democracy, but you have the worlds dogyiest presidental elections where vote are not counted? you fight for freedom yet you pass legislation like the patriot act that reduces personal freedom/?
I just Hope the US turns around or you guys need to be prepared for a lot more hate

Answer 3

Partly because so many in the USA dismiss other countries as insignificant, and mostly because the USA supports the Israeli military that oppresses Palestinians.
Your remarks reflect the fact that you're subject to a lot of propaganda in your country. The USA not the leading food aid provider and not the only ones to help out in times of tragedy. "Help other countries in wars"? Wrong, it helps itself by backing up fascist regimes against popular uprisings, to keep a fascist puppet dictator in power.
As for who 'deserves' to have nuclear weapons, most people see the USA as the unstable government, the rogue bully who's throwing his weight around everywhere. Most of the world is afraid of the huge nuclear weapon arsenal that the USA has. Also you've got a president who's like a cross between a monkey and a clown, and to think that he could push the nuclear button is very frightening to the world. The USA used nuclear weapons once, and will do so again. They bombed civilian targets, creating mass genocide.
Where is there real hatred of the USA? In the Middle East, and the reason for that is obvious. While the rest of the world condemns Israel's aggression, the USA is their lone supporter. Arab people are in solidarity with occupied Palestinians, while the USA supports their occupier. If not for this, there would be no Al-Qaeda attacks.
Lastly, some are not impressed by American behaviour abroad. American tourists abroad have a notorious lack of respect for other countries. They come across as an ignorant loudmouth, expecting everyone to speak English and generally belittling them.

Answer 4

Not that many countries 'hate' the US. Far more are disappointed in the current administration. The US is supposed to be the leader of the free world. Since the advent of the Bush administration that leadership has been lacking. Basically this administration is a good friend of trans-national corporations and the Oil Mafia. It was supposed to be the friend of the Jesus freak right, but it hasn't done much directly. Indirectly it's managed to get two reactionary justices on the Supreme Court, so maybe the wet dreams of the holy rollers will someday come true. As far as the american wage-earner is concerned, the Bush Junta doesn't know those people even exist. The people of the world see what's going on here and they're well aware how a fascisti government slowly gains power...they've seen it happen. External enemies...internal enemies...an unholy alliance between the state, industry and the church. If that doesn't make you uncomfortable, it should. It sure makes people in a lot of other countries uncomforatble.

Answer 5

We have a short attention span. Other countries know about our politics however Americans don't make the effort the learn about other nations culture or politics. Perhaps you should go to an international yahoo answer and post that question. I'm sure they have tons of reasons. Other countries have hated us long before Bush. why, in my opinion...we are selfish, self absorbed, non educated, war starters,capitalist nation. when the sh#@ hits the fan we all come together. To sum it up we think we're the best, when in reality, the important things that matter and make a nation great lack in this country; such as, health care, social services, education, and a strong financial backbone. Americans don't try to educate themselves about other cultures.This obviously makes other countries look at us like drooling idiots. Americans think all Latinos/Hispanics are Mexican, or don't really care to know the difference. They think all Asians are Chinese, or don't really care to know the difference. So on, and so forth...

Answer 6

The major problem with world opinion of the US, I think is that we are highly irregular and inconsistent in our policies. So, while we give substantial foreign aid (although as a percentage of GDP we are fairly low compared to other countries), we do not give this based on need.

Israel and Egypt get the most amount of foreign aid from the U.S.; even though neither particularly needs it. Likewise, we support authoritarian, abusive governments around the world (for example, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, etc.) at the same time that we are supporting "democracy" elsewhere. We cut off foreign aid to countries that democratically elect governments we don't like causing massive starvation with the sudden cut off of aid (for example in Nicaragua and Palestine).

The problem then isn't that America interferes, but that it is not consistent with its foreign policy. We should take a very serious stand for democracy around the world. This means cutting off any support for violent authoritarian countries like Turkmenistan and Saudi Arabia. This would present a clear and consistent value that the rest of the world, I believe, would support. It is time for the U.S. to be less pragmatic and more idealist in its foreign policy.

Answer 7

I realize some people condemn America for using the atom bomb in Japan,But, even some Japanese agree it saved lives and a lot of peoples homes etc, But, not all,
the reason other country's hate America is because of their meddling into other country's internal affairs, when it doesn't concern us, an d the worst scenario is America's unconditional support of Israel against the practically helpless Palestinians, America gives Israel $billions of dollars in aid, and more $billions in military supplys , weapons to slaughter those people and the world knows how evil the Israeli's are when they kill women , children, the elderly, and even drop cluster bombs in civilian residental areas to kill and cripple children, their contentionis mice make rats, or if you like the babies will become suicide bombers, yet I see many of our people still support this in America, when we should be at war with Israel for many reasons including this one, who else can bomb our ships ,kill our soliders, steal our secrets, bribe our politicians thru Aipac, and god only knows what else all with impunity,

Answer 8

I have learned that international politics is just like relationships within a family.

Teens routinely hate their parents. They pointlessly rebel, even when it hurts them most. They act out their frustrations and hurl every invective imaginable at their parent.

The U.S. is like the world's parent. Countries like France are the sassy, rebellious teen, and Iraq is the infant democracy, crying and lashing out in an attempt to understand the big, confusing world they now participate in.

I now live in Europe, and people all tell me the same thing: they don't like the United States because they think we shouldn't act without consulting other nations. This is really crazy, because if you suggested to some Italian that his government should get world approval before making some decision, he would bristle with indignation. However, everyone seems to have this odd notion that, since the decisions of the U.S. can affect other nations so directly, the U.S. should act more in consultation with other nations and not unilaterally.

This is absolutely nutty. Can you imagine the arrogant French asking world opinion before selling more of their weapons to terrorist countries? Or Russia, cutting off gas to Europe during the middle of winter to flex its political muscle?

One good piece of news is that the legendary generosity of Americans is a reputation that is still very much alive. Even people who don't care much for the U.S. will agree that Americans are the most generous people on earth. I've met a lot of Europeans who visited the U.S., and almost everyone was amazed that Americans will give you something for nothing, no strings attached.

The U.S. has done more to help humanity than the rest of the world combined. We have worked tirelessly to prevent wars, to stop genocide, to feed the starving, and to direct the nations that should probably reconsider having demanded an end to colonialism, because they are perpetually basket cases without Western guidance.

You're totally right about the U.S. having to interfere with some other nations for their own good. Imagine North Korea successfully completed a nuke, and then lobbed it across the border at South Korea, or even to Japan. The people in North Korea would have to carry the same kind of guilt that Germans carry for their Nazi past.

Answer 9

america is the best result of the "capitalist experiment". not only that, but america led the whole "freedom movement" with its constitution, which allowed for freedom of religion and the right for individuals to stand against the government. even the states had and still have the right to secede from the union. many countries hate this type of independence.

Answer 10

One of the other answerers made a great point when mentioning jealousy played a part in the world's view of us. But I tend to think it's the arrogance that we so often exude as individuals wherever we go. So many of us forget our roots from Europe or Latin America or Asia, etc........and we show very little interest in learning about or accepting other cultures. When I travel, I do my best to speak the native language, eat the local foods, etc. I don't want to stick out like a sore thumb like so many other Americans do when they travel. All that being said, however, my mother is born & raised in Germany. Therefore my exposure to another culture is greater than many other Americans. My Oma(Grandmother), aunts, uncles and cousins all remain in Germany and speak little English. I must speak German to them. I understand part of their lives and culture and don't shove my culture down their throat.

Answer 11

In general the people of other countries like the people of America, it is the government interference 'for their own good' that they don't like. Also other nations don't like the flip-flopping in support of other nations...like we used to like Saddam and then we didn't. Many other nations also help nations in trouble, it isn't only the US that does this, when Katrina happened several nations offered help, but we said no, we don't need charity...I would think that the people of those nations took that as a bit of a slap in the face.

The People of America are 'great' maybe someday the politicans will be also. (this goes for most countries)