Why do we care so much about our "world opinion"?

Question

Who cares if France, Germany, and a bunch of Islamic crazies hate us? Who are we trying to impress? Since when have we bent to the wills of other nations? I thought America was the nation of hubris, jingoism, and interventionism.
Using that as a reason to pull out of Iraq (or to argue that we shouldn't ever have entered) is lame. Whoever came up with it must have been grasping for some new excuse to bash the President.

9/11 has everything to do w/ Islamics hating Americans. If you think Bush was behind it you are certifiable.

We aren't dependent on France or Germany, and we wouldn't have to be dependent on the Middle East if some idiotic representatives would let us drill in some barren wasteland or use nuclear power.

So, in the interest of making Al-Qaeda like us, we should immediately leave, and perhaps send bin Laden flowers and chocolate? That might work, until he acts like Hitler by making up completely different demands after declaring himself satisfied.
We are not responsible for what other people think about us.

Answer 1

We don't. They hate us but want to come here because they have a chance here. Jealousy. Peace

Answer 2

heh,

well that's your choice but if it wasn't for those other countries like France and Germany the US probably wouldn't be a country today (if so)


America is very young. although many countries don't have a continuous government for very long so it is mostly moot. The US has only existed in a smallest fraction of time to date. Because of it's lack of a real cultural identity - oddly taking on many characteristics of the nation it rebelled against - Great Britain - having a large historically german culture - it is a country that was largely founded by outcasts and people seeking a better life, due to persecution and a relatively poor and meager life in their home countries - their commonness did not much disapear in the centuries to come as the large poor class shifted to lower middle class where the bulk of "Americanism exists - largely unculture and not realizing of consequences or proper ettiqutte in civilized society" they keep it "real" but barely got a clue. It was founded on a rebellion and continued interfeering in the colonial powers affairs because they were threatened by the continued power of places like Spain. The US became imperialistic early on since it treated natives poorly and had no respect for the previous authority of territories. So I think you are largely right but the advantage of the US is that it was able to bully those with less technology or resources or capacity to fight .. that isn't so true with countries that have nuclear weapons and antimatter bombs.

Most countries follow their policy. The US has traditionally used it's military power in post war and prewar years to pick on small nations.

When was the last time the US actually was serious about going to war with france, germany - and the US didn't take on Iraq alone it was the weight of 10+ years of siege sanctions by the UN, as well as a 10+ year long war...

p.s. the reccent (15 years or whatever) start the first gulf war was a coaltiion

In Afghanastan (it ain't just Iraq) the US is involved with NATO.

"the forgotten war - afghanastan"

here is a link on "some of the dead - casualites and non lethal injuries are another
http://cryptome.org/mil-dead-iqw.htm (just us dead the other countries put that up a bit -- and casualties as opposed to dead is much higher--- also IRAQI dead and injured is yet a higher number) So the number of combined dead is much higher) not to mention displaced persons.

just imagine how many more would be dead if it weren't for US body armour

Answer 3

hhhmmm..... why would we care if every one hates us?? lets see here... BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT CAUSES THINGS LIKE 9/11 AND WARS!!!!!!!!! America can't just be in its own little world and pretend that others opinion of us doesn't affect us. Opinions lead to actions. Especially when that opinion is hate. We all live on the same planet, share the same resources, and are in this together! only an idiot can deny that an unjust war and invasion lead to countries all over the world hating us! "grasping for some new excuse to bash the President"? you clearly haven't been following the news, or you are hooked on FOX or something. WAKE UP!

Answer 4

How about the idea that we all live in this world--and no man (or country) is an island? We are interdependant! It is childishly short-sighted to think that the US can exist without allies. (And without the peons of other countries to do our scut work???)

America is now a nation of liars and thieves (at least as far as the government goes), and the hatred toward the leaders who have put us in that position is what causes others to target the "little guys" (like 3000 workers in the WTC).

Answer 5

Well and thats just it. A conservative will care about our image so long as it doesnt compromise our policys or certainly national security. If owning a gun offended every neighbor on my block, I would still own one. Id rather be safe, then put myself or my family in a vulnerable position.

A lib however takes popularity to an unhealthy extremes by doing stupid things like advocating our defeat in a time of war and policys that serve to appease nations that sponsor terror, and not punish them.

Right on about energy policy. Libs authored our dependency on foreign oil.

Answer 6

Who brought the Baath party to power? Who supported Saddam while he was killing his own people? Why did we suddenly see him as a tyrant when he was one even when he was our ally?
Who gave Bin Loudmouth his shoulder to airs when we called him Afghanistan's "freedom fighter" during the Soviet invasion?
Interventionism is why we're in the $*** we're in. If we'd left Iran alone in 1953, they would have a democracy and we wouldn't have those laundry heads to deal with.
We do things with only short term gain in mind, then we lose at the games we'd started.
That's why we need to stop making any more enemies. We have enough to worry about right here in the good old US of A. Your future kids and mine need the security and freedom we've enjoyed. We need to attend to our own for a change.

Answer 7

well... we do live in a world economy... and like it or not... if you don't like a nation... you may buy products from another nation...

and also... if you haven't noticed... THE VAST MAJORITY OF TROOPS IN IRAQ ARE AMERICAN... no one really wanted to help, MAINLY because Bush was acting like he didn't care what anyone else thought... and bottom line... that's American lives that could have possibly have been spared if a larger multi-national force could have brought more stability to the region...

we're living in a world now... and it's only going to become more important how people view us... if you want to sit on the sidelines while others make billions internationally go ahead... but those making the millions care A LOT about what "world opinion" is...

granted... there are better reasons why we shouldn't be in Iraq... but world opinion is important...

Answer 8

Because we live in a global economy.
Because we are part of the world.
Because we use to stand for what was noble and just, and now we don't.
Because once we tried to be isolationists and then Pearl Harbor happened.
Because you're posting this question on the WORLD wide web.
Because what benefit is there in making more people hate us?

Answer 9

quote you
"using that as a reason to pull out of IRAQ ...is lame"
I agree.
I got a better reason.
If the Iraqi government doesn't give a SH**,
Why should we?
They gonna be drinking and whoring in Jordan until Sept 4.
While Americans and Iraqi Civilians die.

Answer 10

Well, if France was a state in the US, it would be in 47th place for GDP. They wouldn't even beat Delaware.
Their president vacations in Maine.
Why would we care indeed.

Answer 11

Of course, no one cares if Islamic people hate you, the twin towers "accident" has nothing to do with Islamics hating you.