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The Koreans would like to see us out of their country.
There are protests regularly to get us out of South Korea.
What good things are we doing there? Really?
We're protecting our interests, not theirs.
If the (South) Koreans truly wanted us out of their country, then democracy would prevail and we would indeed leave. One of the sillier aspects of human nature is demanding something you know is unrealistic.
There are protests? Sure, because the US, as well as some others, made damn sure that they did not become part of the North, where protests would be met with exile in a forced labor camp. A protests rarely reflects the majority.
Yea, protests. Until you actually agree and then the protestors would quickly turn tail and protest that we were leaving.
What good things are we doing there? Is that a serious question? Well, here is a serious answer: We are upholding a UN Mandate and protecting the South from being swallowed up and raped by their despotic and oh so psychotic cousin across the 38th parallel.
That is not in their interests? Why does that sound a bit thick?
If the majority of South Koreans wanted our forces out, somehow I think we would have little trouble accomodating such a request.
Come on chielgirl. Nobody expects you love Don Rumsfeld. But those statements are pretty silly.
Americans as people are not hated by others overall. It is the political policy America pushes that is.
You can't go to Bosnia or any other place and pick a side, and expect the side that you sided against to not have ill feelings.
On this thread someone mentioned that others think that America's healthcare system is a joke. So what happens?, a proud American will get all defensive and use the words socialist and lazy back at them and say America has the best healthcare system because...because, because this is America and that is the only reason need be said. Heaven forbid some see it differently. Then these Americans will go on to say how other healthcare systems are failing yet those people still think America's is worse, how can that be?
Personally I talking or meeting foreigners have never been bashed as being a American. But I know my government's policies they often don't agree with, then again I don't agree with my government's policies sometimes either.....
We're the "ugly American". We expect to be catered to--they should all speak English. We don't take the time to learn what gestures mean in their country, and we're belligerent. We want things our way.
When you move to another country (or if you're going to be there for an extended period of time), you need to learn to speak language of that country. Some definitely don't seem to care about that when they move here....you'd think being here illegally would make it even more important. For me, it would be a priority to learn the language....how would you get anything done if you didn't.
If people are on vacation....they don't need to learn the language and of course they want things their way...they're on vacation, they want to be spoiled...that's a part of going on vacation in a lot of cases. If they want english speaking tourists to visit them and spend their money there, the businesses in that area ned to have english speaking employees.
My opinion on this (I live in Europe): The attitude towards Americans changed when the US decided to invade Iraq and this whole "You're either with us or against us" arrogant attitude. People here really hated George Bush. There is a reason he won't visit Europe. Most people don't hate American citizens, though.
I love it when the people in other countries and even some misguided Americans complain about us but we are the first ones they call when they need money or military support.
Wrong.
I lived in Germany for many years and traveled to France.
The Germans like Americans, they loved disco music, aerobics, and mountain bikes. American movies and TV programs are very popular. Many American TV shows are copied. The cultural exchange between Europe and America continues, although this is not covered in the US media.
I've met many Germans who have vacationed in the US. Most were very impressed with their trips, San Francisco is beloved. The same Germans also told me that America is a nice place to visit but not to live.
The US military has been stationed in Western Europe since the end of World War Two. Many Germans wanted the Americans out. The bases in Germany served America's interests in the Cold War.
The Marshall Plan was implemented to prevent Europe from becoming communist.
You think America did all that just to be protecting and generous?
I was in Germany as Reagan visited, made his dumb comment at the Berlin Wall and visited a cemetery for SS Soldiers near Bitburg.
The Germans didn't like him and ridiculed his narrow minded opinions.
Americans as people are not hated by others overall. It is the political policy America pushes that is.
You can't go to Bosnia or any other place and pick a side, and expect the side that you sided against to not have ill feelings.
On this thread someone mentioned that others think that America's healthcare system is a joke. So what happens?, a proud American will get all defensive and use the words socialist and lazy back at them and say America has the best healthcare system because...because, because this is America and that is the only reason need be said. Heaven forbid some see it differently. Then these Americans will go on to say how other healthcare systems are failing yet those people still think America's is worse, how can that be?
Personally I talking or meeting foreigners have never been bashed as being a American. But I know my government's policies they often don't agree with, then again I don't agree with my government's policies sometimes either.....
The inherent contradiction in that is that, more often than not, the country in question also subscribes to that very policy.
Therefore, American Policy, in most cases, should actually be called Western Policy. And even that term is too narrow. I mean, after 50 years, can any European country claim with any legitimacy that they are forced to be in NATO?
Of course not. They could ask our troops to leave in a minute. Some have (France, Libya, Philippines, etc).
Even Iraq, which I would agree was not the right thing to do was supported by more than a few countries, many who sent troops as well.
If American, scuse me, Western Policy is so abhorrent, then why are there always new counties joining NATO or waiting to join? Why do Japan and South Korea, more or less, happily host our forces and train with them? Good grief, even Vietnam wants our warships to at least visit.
I have visited Europe and even lived there. Of course, I heard this silly claptrap in abundance. Most of the time, I simply asked them why they remained allied with America? Why not declare yourselves neutral? And all I received were blank stares reeking of confusion. I have even asked it on this site and others and never, ever received an answer.
Its WESTERN POLICY. Let's drop the silliness and call it what it is.
Americans as people are not hated by others overall. It is the political policy America pushes that is.
You can't go to Bosnia or any other place and pick a side, and expect the side that you sided against to not have ill feelings.
On this thread someone mentioned that others think that America's healthcare system is a joke. So what happens?, a proud American will get all defensive and use the words socialist and lazy back at them and say America has the best healthcare system because...because, because this is America and that is the only reason need be said. Heaven forbid some see it differently. Then these Americans will go on to say how other healthcare systems are failing yet those people still think America's is worse, how can that be?
Personally I talking or meeting foreigners have never been bashed as being a American. But I know my government's policies they often don't agree with, then again I don't agree with my government's policies sometimes either.....
Exactly, there are a lot of things I don't like/understand about the US. However that doesn't mean that I will dislike an American when I meet one, that will entirely be based on that person. And as stated earlier I really don't recognize Americans as being hated because of their nationality(well maybe in Palestine). If people have had bad experience when travelling abroad, chances are it might have been for other reasons.
Moth, western policy is in a sense American policy because America has taken the lead in most of it. Bosnia being one of the few exceptions where Nato countries actually put more stake in it.
Going to the trouble with the middle east, I'd say a lot of it started after the Gulf war when we knew the Arabs as a people didn't want us to keep forces on their land after Sadam had been pushed back but we did anyway. Their government allowed us, but their government is often disliked by the people and we side with the government over there.
Korea. Not to long ago when the north shot a few shells I read or heard certain Americans taking it personally calling for war against the north, quote "are we Americans gonna sit back and take that?". No thought to what would happen to the south with a full war or what the Koreans wanted, it was a direct attack on America in some of the warhawk minds.
Some of the same that cry out against "nation building" specially when it was during the Clinton years are ok with it otherwise when under the guise of a "strong military".
You are correct however though that in some instances we left when we were asked to like the Phillipines. Though we are engaing "terrorists" there even still actually.
Exactly, there are a lot of things I don't like/understand about the US. However that doesn't mean that I will dislike an American when I meet one, that will entirely be based on that person. And as stated earlier I really don't recognize Americans as being hated because of their nationality(well maybe in Palestine). If people have had bad experience when travelling abroad, chances are it might have been for other reasons.
EDIT: spelling like a champ!
Think about this though. The media in Germany and other euro nations are often biased and presented in a limited view, a lot of europeans only ever hear that point of view. During the Bush years the european media was at war with Bush and truth or reporting two sides to the story was often not done.
There is stereotyping done, both in America and other countries and sometimes the people of these various countries get a false perseption implanted, but that's nothing new. I recently chatted with a Russian one to one for the first time ever and was surpised to find out a lot of things I didn't know or had it wrong and I'm sure he felt the same way.
Go to the Middle East with a big american flag on your back and walk freely in their streets or any other Islam country. Go to Europe and see how they welcome americans compared to, say, Japanese or latins whatever. You'll see the difference.
Well, some of the countries have state run media and in those cases, they're being fed anti-American propoganda....they're definitely not going to be saying anything positive about us if they're the kind of country that controls the news their citizens hear. They probably come in contact with few Americans, if any.
I think our own media outlets now do pretty good job of creating negative sentiment towards our own country. The countries with free press pick up news from our media and it's extremely biased now. The Internet is worse with blogs that are filled with a bunch hearsay, political tit for tat arguing and name calling, that some assume is fact. Maybe the journalists in those countries understand what the media has turned into over here but, I'll be willing bet, many are not aware of what goes on here now.
It used to be Walter Cronkite...the news was the news and nothing but the news. In what ever way there may have been biased back then, would be insignificant compared to the way it is today. The news was done by the networks, the spend a lot of money accurately investigating it...the same way a police detectives did and some times they helped each other. It was an expense for the network and not a money maker. Now there are cable channels that do nothing news that have make a profit to exist and rely on ratings to do it....they have a completely different reason for reporting the news and it gets influenced by what they need to report to get ratings to make money.
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