"Its * they hate, not the American people....."

[CrownPrinceBandar]

I've seen this statement, or something similar, being thrown about by folks since the beginning of the war, but I started critically thinking about the truth of this statement after the Irish interview flap. As another DU'er had said, Ireland has been a long time friend of the US, and * is content to burn bridges due to what he felt was a combative and overly-inquisitive interview.

During this administration, the powers that be in the US has attempted to play themselves as the policy makers of the world. Draconian foreign policy and a cocksure swagger of a cowboy we now call leader, has gladly turned his back on countries that refuse to tow the line, countries that we once considered friends.

And here at home, the attitude of international understanding is only being minimally cultivated. From the anti-Arab backlash immediately after 9-11 to the "freedom fries" issue, the US has culturally isolated themselves from the world at large. Some pundits, such as Bill O'Rielly and Michael Weiner have even advocated a "kill 'em all, let god sort 'em out" attitude in regards to the Middle East. They make no distinction between the leaders and the populace. "Forgiveness starts at home" doesn't seem to play well with some here.

The US had a golden moment of sympathy after 9/11. For a little while, we were at one with the rest of the globe. The world felt our pain as many in the international community were lost that day. Even after the beginning of the war, some folks (even in Iraq)felt like these actions were the result of a rouge regime and not a reflection of what America was about. However, with the continued occupation and "torture-gate", anti-American hatred seems at a zenith.

Considering this, how can we expect the world at large not to paint us in the same manner that we have done to them? Can we expect folks in other countries to see * as a rouge leader, not really speaking for all of the folks in the US? Or is our global credibility shot, and we can forget about global vacations without having to constantly look over our shoulders?

edit: poor grammar

[Fenris]

1. Sad thing is that if you read the Irish Indie's op/ed section

The Bush-loving population seems strong. :scared:

[mohinoaklawnillinois]

2. The Irish Independent is a right-wing newspaper.

Always has been, always will be.

The only reason I have it saved on my computer is that is the only Irish national newspaper on the net that doesn't require a paid subscription and my husband likes their sports section. We're both big hurling and Gaelic football fans.

[DebJ]

3. on our trip to Europe last year, the people we spoke with

seemed to very well understand that Bush is not 'our' president. And they said EXACTLY those words to us in several countries: it is not the US citizen against which they hold a grievance, it is very much Bush.

[graham67]

4. Thank goodness for that....

I hope that people in other countries realize that some of us were as against this war and Bush* as they are.