If I may air my opinion: First I'd like to point out that I consider myself rather pro-american, so whatever comes next is just pure speculation and/or objective considerations.
1. America is the most powerful nation in the world, all-round. As such the US can do mostly what it pleases. Most of the time US-moves benefits the rest of the world, but what if some day it decides to make moves which only benefits the US? Other countries can comment but never control US-actions and because of the vast American influence all countries feel some sort of effect whenever American politicians make decisions. 2. Some times the USA demands special treatment. One example of this is the current situation where the US threatens (perhaps this word is a bit strong - "attempts to influence diplomatically" might be a better phrase) Belgium to change national legislation so that American war-criminals may not be apprehended in Belgium, since the US immunity for it's citizens in matters of warcrimes. This, even as a US-supporter, I feel is hypocrisy since the US itself is bent on dealing with the world's dictators and terrorists. I'd like to point out that I support the current policy of dealing with these very dangerous people, but US-forces aren't always perfect in their actions (My Lai - Vietnam, round-up of US-citizens of Japanese backgound in WW2, manipulation of intelligence reports in connection with the recent war against Iraq). 3. Coming to the World's rescue? By thrice I assume you mean WW1&2 and the cold war? If so perhaps I should point out that the US's global strategies didn't always turn out as one might hope. One example might be the decision to covertly support dictators and military juntas in some countries in the hope of halting communism (Chile, Afghanistan, ect.). It has even come to a point where the CIA assisted South American drug-cartels in smuggling narcotics to the US-market in order to help them finance their private armies. No wonder some countries might feel suspicious of the US government's motives from time to time. 4. Finally America has aquired some muslim countries as enemies (not least by supporting the Israeli - which again I support). This means that something like a billion humans around the globe will automatically take an anti-american stand point (as directed by their religious leaders). Unfortunately in islam there is no real separation between policy and religion. Now, why some or all of this may come back and effect the USA as a nation, I too cannot understand why that makes American civilians targets for terrorists (Well, ok, I *do* understand but I find it highly grotesque). BTW: In Denmark we still make the French. So I won't mind if you do. Knock yourselves out. -----Oprindelig meddelelse----- Fra: Jan Coffey [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sendt: 20. juni 2003 08:54 Til: David Brin Mailing List Emne: It's not just Bowie, or is it? So....I asked if it was cool for me to post this question on the COOL list version of Brin-l, and I got the ok so...... JvB, In previous discussions you have had ...[snipped - see original post] [Sponsored by:] _____________________________________________________________________________ The newest lyrics on the Net! http://lyrics.astraweb.com Click NOW!
