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Interesting thread. My job puts me in touch with people from all over the world, especially Western Europe. Most of the governments in the developed world seek alliances with us for business purposes, and also for security reasons. That doesn't mean that they don't have reservations about some of the foreign policy initiatives enacted over the last decade. The world overwhelmingly reacted sympathetically after the 9/11 attacks, and most of the nations of the world 'had our back'. Some of you are not going to like the following analysis, but it's based on many conversations with business travelers from the developed world, and a personal quest to find out what it all means.
We apparently squandered our international support after the invasion of Iraq in 2003, and we further lost the respect of the civilized world after the bizarre sexual tortures inflicted on the war prisoners at the Abu Graib prison in Afghanistan. Most Americans don't realize the damage this caused to our reputation around the world. This really shocked people overseas, especially since we were considered the 'gold-standard' for human rights in the world. Whether you think it's fair or not, our reputation for civil behavior is gone for the time being. It's probably going to take a generation or so to recover their trust alone, but I fear that people will never see us in the same light again. Most people overseas have a love/hate relationship with us. They love our movies and music and our form of government, and frankly they like us as people; at least that's been my experience both here and overseas. They want us to live up to their ideal of us as a people and a nation. They want an example to follow, and I think that's why Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize so hastily (the civilized world breathed a sigh of relief when he took torture off the table straight-away after he became president). Yeah, I voted for the guy, and I'm glad I did, and so is most of the rest of the world.
Regarding the question about our strongest ally right now? I'd say Poland or South Korea
Certainly a preferable role to India, being America's chemical dump.
ahh, I'm just kidding, Antlered. I'm sure Indians are pleased with that step forward.
India is not an ally to the US. The Indian people are, not the government It's still run by socialist idiots from the freedom struggle age.
Otherwise, India and the US are similar countries. Both countries must have been twins from the same mother. The rich exploit the poor. I don't think other countries share this wonderful ideology
The rich get richer and the poor get poorer. The American rich love the Indian rich and vice versa, don't get me started about Bill Clinton's secret money affiliations in India, to boot. But this does not get reported in the mainstream media
But technically, the UK is the most useful and most useless ally. An emasculated ex-superpower, happy to share intel and happy to second a vote in the UN in exchange for doggy biscuits LMAO. And there's nothing else the UK offers in terms of natural resources or markets, except some strength in the FTSE and big titted girls on Page 3
Israel is certainly the country to whose interests we're most subservient, although we aren't technically allied.
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It's still run by socialist idiots from the freedom struggle age.
