[Specop_007]

It seems, both abroad and domestically, all eyes seem to be on America. Why is that? Why is the world so concerned with who are President is, and our actions in the Middle East. It doesnt seem like Europeans or Canadians should much care one way or the other. How can America President and his actions directly affect foriegn countries such as Canada, Britian or Germany? Why does it seem in this end game that America is such a key player?

[Jack]

Probably because we are the largest economy in the world, with the most powerful military.

Have you noticed how China is more in the news? If they supplant the U.S., you'll see them get a great deal more attention.

[duff_beer_dragon]

because back when Britian and Spain were building up Navy's, the 'New World' was the goal - securing that, conquering it, etc,

same again from the Third Reich - USA was the prize,

(France) Canada - from the North

Japan - from the West

Brazil, etc, - from the South

Europe - from the East

See how the USA is slap-bang in the crosshair ?

[Licho]

Because of your foreign policy. People here do care about Iraq and about what US military does. People are concerned about US refusal of Kyoto treaty, violation of human rights, christian fundamentalism and aggresive foregin policy..

And btw. USA is not the largest economy anymore, EU is..

[Oiltanker]

Firepower.

[clv101]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('duff_beer_dragon', 'S')ee how the USA is slap-bang in the crosshair ?

[marek]

The US is NOT the biggest economy. The 2003 US GDP is 11,000 trillion dollars while the EU-25 is 11,017 trillion. This is very close yet it shows that the US is no longer the only economic superpower.

[trespam]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('marek', 'T')he US is NOT the biggest economy. The 2003 US GDP is 11,000 billion dollars while the EU-25 is 11,017 billion. This is very close yet it shows that the US is no longer the only economic superpower.

[marek]

In this sense, I totally agree. The US is important because it is the "importer of last resort," driving global economic growth. I just wanted to point out that it is not the only economic entity with a GDP above 11 trillion.

[marek]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'I')t doesnt seem like Europeans or Canadians should much care one way or the other.

[duff_beer_dragon]

That's fascinating, you living on a globe. Small world isn't it, I was just posting recently that we all live on a globe, or that the earth is round.

Want to explain what your living on a globe has to do with what I wrote? What did you imagine that I had pictured about what I wrote, when you chose to comment on it like that?

[Creek]

I would say that when one walks through the woods, he always keeps his eyes open for snakes, bears, mountain lions, etc. It always makes sense to keep an eye on the dangerous ones, so I guess this tells you what the world thinks of the USA.

[trespam]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Creek', 'I') would say that when one walks through the woods, he always keeps his eyes open for snakes, bears, mountain lions, etc. It always makes sense to keep an eye on the dangerous ones, so I guess this tells you what the world thinks of the USA.

[MonteQuest]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Specop_007', 'I')t seems, both abroad and domestically, all eyes seem to be on America. Why is that? Why is the world so concerned with who are President is, and our actions in the Middle East. It doesnt seem like Europeans or Canadians should much care one way or the other. How can America President and his actions directly affect foriegn countries such as Canada, Britian or Germany? Why does it seem in this end game that America is such a key player?

[khebab]

One word: Imperialism

From an European point of view, American imperialism has always been perceived as a threat. I'm talking not only about ideological but also cultural and economical imperialism. American Imperialism was ok when USSR was still in the game but now it is perceived negatively by 90% of the world. The last Iraq invasion and a texan cowboy in the white house had just reinforced that feeling.

[Licho]

Yes Khebab, ordinary people don't know/care about financial problems or dollar value much. But they do care about aggresive foreign policy, about attempts to force them something, about warmongering and selfishness/hypocricy/arrogance and about ignorance of worldwide ecological problems..
This is why Bush is disliked across whole world and why US elections were so important for whole world..
It was not always this way in general public, Bush started it. In Clinton's era, USA and Clinton himself was generally accepted very well despite his minor affairs and liked.

[gg3]

As I've said before, in the post-WW2 period, America was a kind of "beacon of hope" in the world, acting as a force to promote democracy and oppose tyranny. During the Cold War period the primary axis of ideological competition was between democracy and market economies, vs. totalitarianism and command economies.

To the extent that this overall mission has been successful, we have seen the rise of democratic governance structures and market economies all over the world.

We are therefore presently faced with a new and interesting kind of ideological competition: Europe, Japan, etc., now provide their own alternative models of democracy and market economies, which compete with each other and with the USA version. We are now one among many, and we are judged accordingly. (The other axis of ideological competition, between civilization and barbarianism in the form of terrorism, is beyond the scope of this posting.)

Our success has given us the paradoxical reward of being held up to closer scrutiny. It is a reward because it is the logical outcome of our primary goal during the Cold War. It is paradoxical because, as with any form of competition, it does not allow us the luxury of resting on our previous accomplishments.

Our historic ideals have become the modern world's ideals. To the extent that we live up to our ideals, we gain favor in the world. To the extent that we fail to do so, we are subject to criticism. This is as it should be.

[MonteQuest]

khebab, Licho, gg3,

All very good points. The big picture as I see it, is that America took more than it's share and set it up as a standard of living. Then we went about proposing that everyone "model" us. And as gg3 pointed out, we have succeeded in helping them to do just that. We have even gone so far as to export our technology and our factory base as well. Now, American quality production comes back to us by way of ChinaMart, Nissan, Sony. etc. It used to be Montgomery Ward, Chevrolet, and RCA Victor. Trouble is, they now have the ability to produce quality goods at low prices, and low wages. $1- $5/hour for factory workers in China. They have a 150 million rural labor pool to draw from. We borrow their savings and spend it on goods they produce. If we had to compete with their production, how many Americans would work for $1 to $5 an hour?

Suddenly, we are going to have to share with the rest of the world our standard of living. And guess what? There isn't enough to go around. Guess it will have to come off the top of America's big, bloated, wasteful piece of the pie. We are going to have to give some of it back. The world fears we won't share, and with our latest imperial adventure in Iraq, is it no wonder?

[Kingcoal]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Licho', 'A')nd btw. USA is not the largest economy anymore, EU is..

[Jack]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('MonteQuest', 'W')e are going to have to give some of it back.