According to BBC Poll: U.S. Number One Threat to World

[Foreign Devil]

Those same who condemn the U.S. expect it to intervene to relieve humanitarian disasters/conflicts all over the world. If america were to go back to isolation I think there would be many who would change their view after a decade or so.

 

[7.62FullMetalJacket]

FD

Wrong. If we isolated, they would belly-ache that we do nothing. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

 

[Zedicus]

If you ask me, if that's what they think, they aren't much different from the likes of al-quida.

 

[RealGun]

When you're on top, you get picked on

Foreign Devil:

"Those same who condemn the U.S. expect it to intervene to relieve humanitarian disasters/conflicts all over the world. If america were to go back to isolation I think there would be many who would change their view after a decade or so."

[RealGun]

That's fine, if you're a Democrat or are anti-American from afar. If you have to earn money as a capitalist, you will need a global vision. Sometimes you have to take the fight to the enemy rather than wait for your women and children and entire way of life to be threatened at your front door.

You have to earn money before you can give it away. There are ethical ways to do that. Capitalism is honorable. Some people are not ethical. Is it bad people or capitalism that is to blame, when things go wrong?

 

[10 Ring Tao]

Those same who condemn the U.S. expect it to intervene to relieve humanitarian disasters/conflicts all over the world. If america were to go back to isolation I think there would be many who would change their view after a decade or so.

Excellent point. Countries all over the world might vehemently oppose aggressive action by the US to protect its interests, but they sure do love all the free handouts and take them without hesitation.

 

[RobW]

Just a matter of time 'till the whole British nation is attending the Friday-Prayers in their new built mosques, demanded by Al'Queida.
Radical Islamists already claim Spain as their own country (Land of Tarik).

Agricola will feel very comfortable, I guess. Finally a government that tells you how to live your life in every detail and eases up the big burden to decide anything for yourself. They even help you to get rid of the degrading demands of freedom and liberty.

Brave new world!

 

[Ozendorph]

"The BBC has already shown itself to be a biased source. I have a hard time giving any credibility to polls when they aren't even willing to provide you with the questions that were asked on the poll."

Sounds like they're being a little dodgy in this instance, but I've found BBC News to be a good source of information in the past. If nothing else, it gives you a slightly different viewpoint than the stateside publications. Personally I like the "What do you think" comment sections attatched to hot stories...you can read opinions originating from a lot of different countries.

It's always interesting to read a story covered by, say, CNN, FOXNews, BBCNews, and An Phoblacht. Talk about differing perspectives!

 

[R.H. Lee]

The British "man on the street" has never approved of the activities of their former "colony". I think by and large they consider us uncivilized cowboys. Remember that they are "subjects" while we are citizens.

 

[Khornet]

Aaahhh

PHOOEY.

 

[moa]

So, let me think about this. Suppose the US never entered WWII. No US Navy patroling the western and North Atlantic. So, where does Britain get all the resources it needs to continue the war?

Good possibility Hitler would have conquered the Soviet Union. And then what had an isolated Britain got too look forward too, especially if Hitler got the A-bomb? And, if Hitler turned his attention of doing in Britain he had all of the resources of Europe and much of Asia at his disposal.

I doubt Britain would have survived. I think discounting the American efforts and assistance to Britain during WWII is not exactly realistic.

Also, even before the US entered WWII, America at Britain's darkest hour started the Lend Lease plan and started protecting convoys on the Atlantic even though we were not at war with Germany.

 

[flatrock]

It's always interesting to read a story covered by, say, CNN, FOXNews, BBCNews, and An Phoblacht. Talk about differing perspectives!

Very good point. However, too often these days all you get from different sources is the same AP wire story slightly restated.

As for the BBC... Several of their top people recently resigned after a British Judge came down hard on them for deliberately scewing the facts to make Tony Blair look bad about the weapons of mass destruction issue.

Like all news organizations they seem to have their good days and bad days. Lately they've had a lot of bad days. That makes me very susceptable of them when they make statements like they do in that article without backing them up with any details about the poll itself.

I agree that you should look at the news from different sources, but I also like to look at how they gained their info and look at the facts to evaluate them for myself.

 

[Michigander]

If the US is such a potential force, then certainly no liberal should ever be in control of it. You know how those liberals are when they hold a firearm: they think wicked thoughts like, "I could shoot everyone in this room right now."

 

[Angus MacDuff]

Of course we are the biggest threat to peace. No other country has policy of pre-emptive and illegal war. We are THE threat to world peace, aside from Israel's minor part in making sure the middle east will never be stable.

Historically the most dominant country has always behaved like we do now. It was only a century ago that Britain was top dog. We are simply top dog now and feel a need to dictate the terms to the rest of the world, as we do not respect the UN or even pay our dues to the UN.

So naturally the rest of the world should most likely not see us as a friend, but rather a threat.

 

[Gary H]

Angus MacDuff:

I thought that we were attacked.

I thought that a war without end was declared on us.

I thought that Israel's neighbors wanted to push them into the sea, kill with human bombs and that Israel simply reacted in order to survive.

What is your plan to end this war with Islamic radicals?

Now, make sure that it isn't illegal. Kill them legally... be good.

Top dog is always resented and sometimes feared. I suggest again that most of these people would be here if they could get a green card.

 

[7.62FullMetalJacket]

I'll second GaryH's supposition. The British Empire was one of colonialism. The US has not colonized foreign nations. We are not the occupier of ME countries. We do act in our national interest on occoasion, but generally disengage.

 

[Ozendorph]

"we do not respect the UN or even pay our dues to the UN."

Interesting. I know it doesn't stand up to your scathing critique of our country, but here's a little tidbit to consider:

The United States gives $13.3 billion tax dollars in direct Foreign Aid annually. The United States is above and beyond the single most generous benefactor of the United Nations, donating $2.4 billion dollars of OUR money, to primarily third-world dictators.

This amount is 25% of the United Nations budget. In addition, the United States also gives another $1.4 billion tax dollars to United Nations' programs and agencies. The American taxpayers fund more for the United Nations than ALL of the other 177 member nations COMBINED.

Oh, and here's a little something from the United Nations Population Fund:

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has expressed appreciation for the funding increase the U.S. Congress has approved for international family planning activities in 2002. In the foreign aid bill approved December 20, the U.S. Congress authorized a $34 million contribution for UNFPA, an increase of $12.5 million over the 2001 appropriation of $21.5 million.

Know your stuff.

 

[c_yeager]

sorry, but this thread comes along every two months or so, its best to nip it in the bud early on.

Are you sure you didnt mean to say "plant the seeds of lunacy"?

Europe is RIGHT to be scarred of us. We stand as a single nation that will not allow itself to be pushed around by their silly 'world government' ideas.

 

[Michigander]

I thought that we were attacked.

Yes we were. By Saudis and Egyptians. Not by Iraqis.

I thought that a war without end was declared on us.

Yes it has. By Al Queda, not Iraqis.

I thought that Israel's neighbors wanted to push them into the sea, kill with human bombs and that Israel simply reacted in order to survive.

Yup. Some would say that is the simple view.

 

[idd]

Those same who condemn the U.S. expect it to intervene to relieve humanitarian disasters/conflicts all over the world.

Not true. See Lew Rockwell's site.

 

[Gary H]

Michigander:

You suggest a better way to put a cap on this war.

I suggest that attempting to change the rules in the Middle East, by introducing some degree of freedom and democracy is our best bet of reducing poverty and eventually reducing the number of fundamentalist converts.

Iraq was our entry into the long term solution to this war. It won't be easily won.

Again, suggest a better approach.

 

[Stand_Watie]

I can't say it surprises me. You have to take people's foundations of understanding into account when you judge the validity of their conclusions. For example

a) A sizable number of Africans believe AIDS was started by Americans (or whites or Jews) to kill them.

b) A sizable number of Europeans believe American "globabalization" is root cause of poverty and starvation in the world.

c) A sizable number of English believe that the IRA is tacitly and knowingly supported by a huge proportion of the American public - "800,000 bleedin' pounds a year!" they roar, apparently oblivious to the tiny fraction of America that that figure would represent (the BBC ends it's segments about IRA fundraising in America with the statement "there are forty million Irish-Americans in the US"), some of them even believe that there is an IRA deduction on American payroll checks to support terrorism.


These things may seem laughable to Americans, but to the folks who wear these particular tin foil hats they are quite reasonable.

 

[Stand_Watie]

Sounds like they're being a little dodgy in this instance, but I've found BBC News to be a good source of information in the past. If nothing else, it gives you a slightly different viewpoint than the stateside publications. Personally I like the "What do you think" comment sections attatched to hot stories...you can read opinions originating from a lot of different countries.

Perhaps on some issues. If the topic is anything about America, and especially anything about American crime/guns ratchet the BS meter up to high. I've seen them quoting bizarrely innacurate international homicide comparisons, and referring to the US having a homicide rate of 9 point something per capita as recently as a few months ago.

 

[Werewolf]

Travis Magee opined that:

Wait until Big Ben goes down in a heap of rubble and dust, they'll wake up.

IMO that's never going to happen but if it does the standard appeasment attitude that has come out of europe of late will work to the islamists favor not against it.

European culture has been self emasculated over the past 58 years. Having their defense responsibilities taken care of by the US for so long and not having to concern themselves with reality they've become like the children of the obscenely rich who grow up with no knowledge that the streets they walk in have people on them that would just as soon slit their throats for a dime as look at them. The Europeans no longer have the stomach for war and will do anything and everything including self delusion to stay out of it.

We're most of the way to full emasculation ourselves here in the US but not quite - not quite. There's still hope for us albeit a miniscule amount.

The world is in the first stages of a major cultural/religious war between Democracy/Christianity of the west and Autocracy/Islam of the east. The islamists understand that - the secular and oh so politically correct west doesn't (or with it's head in the sand refuses to). :banghead: Cultural/Religious wars are historicaly the bloodiest and most decisive of wars that mankind fights.

Unless the west scores some major testicular growth - and soon - I believe that in the long run - 50 years or so - the islamists will win, western civilization will fall and civilization will enter a new dark age. The west no longer has the political will nor the collective courage to do what is necessary to eliminate the threat that islam represents.

 

[Gary H]

Werewolf:

There certainly would be some sense of symmetry should the Islamic fundamentalist push us into a new dark age. It was the Muslim incursion into Spain that reintroduced forgotten Roman technology and lit the fire of the renaissance.

 

[a random jerk]

This poll does not surprise me. People fear power.