We have little credibility. It seems like everyone knows that we have supported or ignored corrupt & evil regimes, our motivations are always labeled as part of some secret, imperialistic economic agenda and many people hold the U.S. to a double standard in regards to human rights or support of dictators. It seems sometimes like hardly anyone trusts us to ever do anything constructive, that all our acts are part of some conspiracy theory, or that we are the root of all evil.
Will the US’s reputation ever recover or are we pretty much finished in regards to being considered credible or trustworthy? Will it ever be possible again for a US president to make a speech without most people responding to it with double standards or conspiracy theories of empire building?
I’m guessing no, not really. Not unless there is a major overhaul in regards to foreign policy where we actually promote democracy or human rights for their own sake, with or without our own economic benefit being considered and we become alot more transparent about our motivations and actions. This would make it harder for theories that we are evil or acting out of money to hold water, and it would build trust and respect for our actions. But i don’t know if that will happen.
The world doesn’t revolve around the United States. Other countries don’t base their diplomatic policies on what the US does; they base them on what best serves their own countries. The countries that supported the United States over the Iraq invasion did so because they thought it would help them; the countries that denounced the US did so for the same reason. Next week or next year, if their circumstances change, so will their policies, regardless of whether their has been in change in the US.
Problem is the American public, which I belong to, is ignorant. They only believe what they’re told, and in today’s world, the government is doing all the telling. Ari Fleisher comes on TV and tells us everything is super and America saved the world again, and sadly, everybody believes it. Why? Because we’re America, dammit, and we are never flawed. Those who prove us to be flawed (France) shall forever be known as Saddam-loving bastards.
It’s going to take at least another president. My taxes paid for a big fat war to take out a nasty guy. So far, so good. But the Big Reason was the weapons of mass destruction. No such WMD have been found. So either; (a) we look really stupid, or (b) there was big money in it for the folks who made big campaign contributions. Folks such as Halliburton and Bechtel, who stand to make billions in the rebuilding. My country’s leaders look ruthless and corrupt, or worse. I love my country, so I’m not very happy about that.
I’m going to bed now; it’s been a long day. All you loyal Bushies can throw brickbats at my post now. No rat’s a$$e$ will be given; you can’t have 'em. Go buy your own.