Many people share your disdain for "America the World Police". But I'm aware of no unilateral "bully" action the US has taken to stop the Iranian Nuclear Arms program. Sure the US supported UN Sanctions (Resolution 1747) <http://www.globalpolicy.org/security/sanction/indxiran.htm> against Iran, but that can hardly be considered "bullying" or "bull-headed" or even unilateral. And in 2008 *Bush went so far as to (3 times) Reject <http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/01/11/iran.israel.nuclear/index.html> Isreali requests for special weapons and permission to airstrike the Iranian nuclear program and he urged "United Action <http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/13/AR2008011300342.html>" on multiple occasions*. With North Korea, the US did nothing militarily to keep N.K. from attaining nuclear weapons. The US supported Sanctions, but so did a multitude of other allies. And little good did so sanctions do. In response to N. Korea's latest missile launch, SecDef Gates responded <http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/2009/03/us-cant-stop-no.html> "We're not prepared to do anything about it". *Hardly the response of a bully.* And although the invasion of Iraq can be framed as that of a bully, it CANNOT be considered Unilateral by anyone with half a brain. Throughout the war, allied troops from nearly 40 countries have made up the "Multinational force <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multinational_force_in_Iraq#List_of_nations_in_the_coalition>" tasked in Iraq.
I disagree with you when you say "after Germany invaded its surrounding countries, we did nothing". Thats far from the truth. A year before Pearl Harbor Roosevelt setup "lend-lease <http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/time/wwii/81508.htm>" with 30 of our European Allied countries to provide them with US Military equipment, equipment many of them could not pay for. Churchill later said of the act, it was "*the most unsordid act one nation had ever done for another". *Of course Roosevelt's intentions were designed to defeat nazi Germany even though the US had not entered the war. And yes, despite frivolous lawsuits and a recession, the US still has the largest economy in the world and its citizens give more to charity than any other nation on earth. I believe my sources back up that statement. I agree about US Citizens losing their freedoms, whether it be personal property (income), 2nd amendment, right to privacy, etc...We're being attacked from all sides (at times) and the only thing slowing them down is the genius of the founding fathers in providing a written guarantee to those rights. As someone once said, I don't love my country because its great, I love it because its mine. Jarrad Jay Wilson wrote: > I wasn't referring to Al Qaeda or the Taliban when I said that America > needs to stop being the bully. I was referring to Iraq and Iran, South > Africa, and pretty soon North Korea. Sure, the end result has been > "better"... but what I was referring to was America's thoughts that > WITH OR WITHOUT the help of NATO and our allies, that we had the right > to swoop in and MAKE things better. > > Sure, its prudent and necessary for us to ask for help in defeating > our enemies. But when that help isn't offered, its bull-headed and > arrogant of us to assume that we should go plowing our way in anyways. > > Your Nazi example is a great one. After Germany invaded its > surrounding countries, we did nothing. After France and its Allies > were partially successful in thwarting the Nazi efforts, we did > nothing. Finally, after Russia, Japan, China, and half the middle-east > were involved in the conflict, America got involved. It wasn't a > situation where a dude was going around insulting people, America said > "lets stop this", and was told by the majority of the world to stay > out of it. > > Apologize for American exceptionalism? Never. > > But America is LOSING (if not already HAS LOST) its exceptionalism. > Those freedoms you speak so fondly of are quickly disappearing. What > is exceptional in discrimination of homosexuality (not Religious > shunning.... POLITICAL discrimination)? What is exceptional about > Guantanamo Bay? What is exceptional about National Security where we > can't even carry a toothbrush onto an airplane cuz somebody who hasn't > shaved in a few months looks a little questionable? > > Most Charitable? What is exceptional about lawsuits over spilt coffee > and short-changed orders? > > Largest Economy? What's so exceptional about a financial recession > (dare I say depression) second only to that of the 30s (and soon WILL > be second-to-none if things don't change) ? > > The only exceptional thing we have left are the thousands of men and > women who risk their lives everyday so that Americans can go about our > normal lives pretending we aren't even AT war becuase it's not > happening here. But those same men and women are serving a governent > so corrupted and so immoral that the term "human" barely fits, let > alone "exceptional". > > We have become so spoiled, so numb to the world, and so sheltered that > we are no longer an Exceptional country. And I think its about time > America.... not its president, not its government... but its PEOPLE > started apologizing to the world-community. > > ~Jay > > > > On Fri, Apr 10, 2009 at 10:27 AM, Jarrad Reiner <[email protected] > <mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: > > Magnanimity and Arrogance??? > > Stop assuming that Al Qaeda and the Taliban are US enemies only. > And that we want NATO's help to fight an enemy they do not share. > Nothing could be farther from the truth. Al-Qaeda and other > terrorist groups are at war with European democracies and have > staged attacks on at least 5 members of NATO: Denmark > <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Danish_embassy_bombing>(2008), England > <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7_July_2005_London_bombings>(July 7, > 2005), Turkey > <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2003_Istanbul_bombings> (Nov. 15, 20 > 2003), Spain > <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Madrid_train_bombings> (Mar. > 11, 2004), as well as multiple attacks against the US. > <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_al-Qaeda_attacks> > > And don't assume we're trying to force our allies to help fight a > common enemy, Obama asked them at NATO, they declined and thats > it. The US IS NOT FORCING anyone to help us defeat terrorism. > > Its not arrogant to ask our allies to step up the fight against a > common enemy, one that has attacked multiple countries in our NATO > alliance. Its prudent Obama do so, especially since he cherishes > the idea of the "world coming together" for the common good. > Before US entrance into both WWI and WWII, our allies in Europe > begged for military assistance and even though we had not been > attacked directly (or officially even entered the war) we sent > them the tanks, planes, guns, gear and equipment they needed to > fight off the Nazi menace. > And as was the case in both wars; once attacked we entered the war > with a full out effort and sacrifice of American blood that > ensured a victory against multiple enemies on several continents. > > Don't apologize for American Exceptionalism.... > > American Exceptionalism is what drives the largest Economy > > <https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/us.html>the > world has every seen, the strongest military > <http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Which_nation_has_the_strongest_military>the > world has ever witnessed, and the most charitable giving > > <http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/233106/america_the_most_charitable_nation.html> > the > world has ever known. What drives American Exceptionalism??? > Freedom. > > I'll boast all day long about the unique Freedom's our > Constitution and Bill of Rights grant the American Individual. > Those Freedom's are what set us apart and allow us the > opportunity to Excel. We are unique in that regard, and to > apologize for it, be ashamed of it, or even to take it for granted > is a crying shame. > > > Jarrad > > > > > > On Apr 10, 2009, at 11:35 AM, Jay Wilson wrote: > >> >> In our minds and hearts, most Republicans go straight to Reagan’s >> description of the shining city on the hill when we hear the term >> “American exceptionalism.” We see America as the solution to the >> world’s most intractable challenges. While we understand that we >> are not perfect, we see America as the nation that gives the >> most, works the hardest, and fights the fights that need to be >> fought to protect free people everywhere. >> >> >> Sure, we used to be. We used work the hardest, give the most, and >> fight the fights that need to be fought. But somewhere along the >> line, we started to work a little lazier, give a little less, and >> fight the fights that we WANT to fight. We migrated from >> protectorate to bully. >> >> Obama could have said to the Europeans: “We may be a young >> country, but we are a great country. We are not perfect. We make >> mistakes. But a whole lot of good has happened at the hands of >> generous and brave Americans over the last eight years. We have >> saved countless lives on the continent of Africa from senseless >> deaths by fighting AIDS and malaria. Despite ongoing challenges, >> a vibrant democracy is growing in Iraq. Women and girls have >> returned to school in Afghanistan. America has prevented further >> attacks at home and abroad. Yes, we face challenges. Our economy >> is in crisis, and America will do her part, but you must do >> yours. The threat of terrorism is dire. The fight in Afghanistan >> is at a crucial juncture. We need you to send troops to fight >> alongside our brave men and women. It is the only way to ensure >> that we will all be safe and free.” >> >> Yes, this is all true. But that doesn't give us the right to sit >> back and gloat. If nothing else, we must strengthen our resolve >> and continue to better ourselves. And who made America the >> "safety police" and gave us the right to say you (other >> countries, specifically allies) must fight to keep others safe >> and free. This is exactly the magnanimity and arrogance for which >> Obama is apologizing. >> >> Maybe next time America will have acted more appropriately for an >> "American Exceptionalism" speech. >> >> On Thu, Apr 9, 2009 at 5:28 PM, Joel Brauer <[email protected] >> <mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: >> >> Because someone needs to! >> >> Joel Brauer >> >> Only you can decide to be happy! The rest of life is in the >> details... >> >> >> >> On Thu, Apr 9, 2009 at 6:34 AM, Jarrad Reiner >> <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: >> >> >> >> http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-04-08/why-is-obama-apologizing-for-america/full/ >> >> >> Jarrad >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> > > > > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Politically Opinionated Outspoken People Expounding Religion" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/pooper?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
