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January 22, 2009
Make Them Love Us
Mr. Obama has given the Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, a new mandate. Make the world love us. Hillary Rodham Clinton is taking control of the State Department with a mandate from President Barack Obama to step up diplomatic efforts and restore the nation's tattered image abroad.The Middle East has confounded every President since Jefferson. Although I must admit Jefferson did get some results by sending in the Marines. Too bad there were no pollsters back then to determine the effect the Marines had on our image in the Muslim world. So what can Hillary do to buff up our image abroad? I'm sure she will think of something. I can't wait to find out what it is. I keep getting the impression that the Obama Presidency is going to end badly. And here we are only into the second day. Cross Posted at Power and Control posted by Simon on 01.22.09 at 07:27 AM
Comments
Nobel - There has never been a time in the entire history of this nation -- from colonial times through today -- where the world has respected us. EVER. And there is nothing we can do short of self-destruction that will earn us the accolades of the rest of the world. brian · January 22, 2009 10:45 AM The world community is mean, nasty, opportunistic and backstabbing. No one is respected. Why should we be the special "respected" country? Phelps · January 22, 2009 11:00 AM brian
Dr. Nobel Dynamite · January 22, 2009 11:47 AM Dr. No, We seem to have exported our ideals rather successfully to Iraq (they wanted McCain to win by about 60-40) and yet the world hates us for that. Go figure. M. Simon · January 22, 2009 01:45 PM Our ideal better than the Taliban? Depends on who you are talking to. M. Simon · January 22, 2009 01:49 PM I gotta disagree, there has rarely been a time when America has not been respected. Ignorant fools and dictators hate America, but only ignorant fools don't respect us. Japan was just about the last country to not respect us. How did that work for them? I would suggest that in the aftermath of Vietnam, where we showed so little intestinal fortitude, we were less respsected and probably not trusted (by allies) but still mostly respected.
I'm going to kick myself for responding to Dr. Nobel, but I gotta. Bush has been trying to export our ideals (freedom, democracy, class), against everything you and your ideological brethren could do and yet, you bleat about how we're not "respected". You know the other time we weren't respected? By the Soviets during St. Jimmeh's terms. And they were right to not respect us. They invade a country and St. Jimmeh screws a bunch of 16-year-olds. Veeshir · January 22, 2009 02:38 PM Nobel - We don't attract scientists because of our moral authority or because some socialists in France like us. We attract scientists, doctors, engineers, and lettuce-pickers from all over the world because they will make more money for their efforts here than anywhere else in the world, and can do so more-or-less unmolested by capricious governance. Greed, for lack of a better word, is Good. brian · January 22, 2009 02:40 PM brian Did Einstein choose to come to the U.S. because he could get rich here? I agree that economic prosperity attracts more than a few to our shores, but you are absolutely wrong if you think that our standing in the world does not affect our ability to attract the best and the brightest. Dr. Nobel Dynamite · January 22, 2009 05:10 PM You need to work on your tenses there Dr. Nobel. "We attract..." I work in a place with lots of techy immigrants (they are all US citizens, but they're not born here), and they mostly came here for the money. A bunch show no loyalty, one of my lunch buddies is Indian and he's treating America like an ATM, he plans on going back to Asia after he makes some cash. I'll also note that even if we were as bad as you apparently believe, we would still be better than Europe in the 30s for any Jew. Veeshir · January 22, 2009 05:23 PM Simon
Dr. Nobel Dynamite · January 22, 2009 05:25 PM There appears to be an excess of fools in Afghanistan. M. Simon · January 22, 2009 05:42 PM Veeshir
Dr. Nobel Dynamite · January 22, 2009 05:42 PM "I believe our ideals to be superior to any other currently existing ideals in the world, and if we are able to distinguish ourselves from murdering savages by our own adherence to the rule of law and recognition of human rights, we will undoubtedly win the ideological struggle in the long run." and "rather than making endless, pointless war that grinds away our resources and keeps us in perpetual fear." LOL...Napolean, you are amusing. I'll give you that. Obstreperous Infidel · January 22, 2009 07:38 PM Dr. No, Islam has been at war with the rest of the world for 1400 years. Will the Islamics see the light soon? I hope so. I hope Mr. Obama can soft power them out of existence. If we get another large attack because he went too soft he will be a one term President. Tell you what though - let his first test be soft powering Hamas into recognizing Israel. They don't have to declare peace - just recognition. That would be a proof of soft power. Want to give me odds? M. Simon · January 22, 2009 09:01 PM Tell you what though - let his first test be soft powering Hamas into recognizing Israel. They don't have to declare peace - just recognition. That would be a proof of soft power. Want to give me odds?
Anonymous · January 22, 2009 10:47 PM the world isn't held hostage to the petty squabbles of Israel/Palestine bullshit, we can tell everyone there to piss off and/or grow up, and we can care more about places that actually produce something in the way of commerce/art/culture So are you making some sort of moral equivalency argument here between one nation that wants just to live and the other that wants to wipe the first nation and its people from the face of the earth? Tell me, how are the determined murderer and the resisting victim somehow equally to blame for your discomfort? Darleen · January 22, 2009 11:49 PM The Israelis do pretty good re: commerce/art/culture. Some very nice fiddle players. Intel has a design center there. Lots of medical discoveries. It is the Arabs who are the pits. M. Simon · January 22, 2009 11:51 PM Darleen
Dr. Nobel Dynamite · January 23, 2009 09:01 AM "I'm tired of it." Or in other words: "Oh woez! This stuff is a bummer! Why can't the whole world revolve around me and my dislikes!" Seriously, I do imagine the Israelis are a whole lot more "tired of it" than you are. After all, they actually live there on the receiving end of terrorist attacks as well as the unending chorus of whines from people like you. I suggest that if you're so "tired of it" you turn off the tv -- thanks to people like George W. Bush, you still have that privilege. Or why don't you tell us what can be done about the only people who don't seem to be "tired of it" -- organizations like Hamas who are just chock-full of energy? Andrea Harris · January 23, 2009 05:19 PM I'm tired of it. Don't watch. M. Simon · January 23, 2009 06:04 PM the rest of world must revolve around the Israel/Palestine conflict Oh? Somehow I don't remember China giving a fig about the Israel/Arab-"Palestinian" war. Or Poland or Lithuania or Ireland or Peru or Tonga ... what is this "world" you speak of? Or is this your figleaf for you own discomfort? Darleen · January 23, 2009 08:57 PM Post a comment
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I'm sure she will think of something. I can't wait to find out what it is.
You treat the idea of improving America's image abroad with contempt, but can you think of a more effective export than our ideals? If the rest of the world sees the U.S. as not only extolling its own virtues, but *abiding* by its own virtues, we will be better respected in the world, and better able to protect our national interests.
I believe our ideals to be superior to any other currently existing ideals in the world, and if we are able to distinguish ourselves from murdering savages by our own adherence to the rule of law and recognition of human rights, we will undoubtedly win the ideological struggle in the long run.