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I'm from the US, yes.
Are you telling me that you have no preconceived notion of how people from the US will behave. Are you saying that your experience from the past has no bearing on what you're first impression will be?
I will be affected by past experience and stereotypes. What I'm saying is that just because I have stereotypes of Americans, It doesn't mean that I will naturally dislike them if/when I meet them in person; they may turn out to become the best friends I've ever had. I will conicieve though, that I'm not the most travelled person in the world, so it may be different in other parts of the world, but it's certainly not my impression that Americans, as human being, are disliked more than other nationalities, at least not in Northern Europe.
The US military does represent US politics to a greater extent than the average tourist or expat, so that may be the reason why you've had different experience.
Like most of these situations its generally a misunderstanding.
Americans often have a limited knowledge of the world outside of American, and have a nationalistic zeal which comes across as a little mad to Europeans. The Religious thing is a bit odd as well. In fact, going to America in many ways, is like stepping back in time.
That said, my experience of Americans makes me like them, and I think thats mainly the problem, not that many Europeans spend a great deal of time in the USA, so they just see the tourists and foreign policy!
I will be affected by past experience and stereotypes. What I'm saying is that just because I have stereotypes of Americans, It doesn't mean that I will naturally dislike them if/when I meet them in person; they may turn out to become the best friends I've ever had. I will conicieve though, that I'm not the most travelled person in the world, so it may be different in other parts of the world, but it's certainly not my impression that Americans, as human being, are disliked more than other nationalities, at least not in Northern Europe.
The US military does represent US politics to a greater extent than the average tourist or expat, so that may be the reason why you've had different experience.
I find myself hoping (unfortunately, usually against hope) that the loud, clueless traveler won't be from the US. It was almost unbearable when I lived in Okinawa. Nice quiet sushi bar, in come a group of US people with screaming kids and no one taking care of them... in SE Asia, US kids climbing on monuments...
I'm probably more sensitive because I'm from the US, but it disgusts me that many US citizens act like animals when in other countries.
I find myself hoping (unfortunately, usually against hope) that the loud, clueless traveler won't be from the US. It was almost unbearable when I lived in Okinawa. Nice quiet sushi bar, in come a group of US people with screaming kids and no one taking care of them... in SE Asia, US kids climbing on monuments...
I'm probably more sensitive because I'm from the US, but it disgusts me that many US citizens act like animals when in other countries.
That is difficult too argue with, the few Americans I've met haven't behaved like that so I guess we've just had different experiences.
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.
I cannot believe it matters.
Western Policy is that which is the more or less the consensus of the West. America being the leader does not equate to being the dictator. America does not force countries to align with her interests. If, for example, the French really, REALLY found our (their) policy disagreeable, then they could simply declare themselves a neutral nation and proceed accordingly.
So sorry, but no, you cannot get around that and are factually incorrect on multiple levels.
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