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Esbee · 11-08-2004, 01:22 AM

a) The average person (in any country) can't comprehend policy beyond the headline found in their newspaper.

b) The US is dominant enough that it can make decisions in it's best interests without worldwide consent. That's a unique situation. We don't have to ratify stupid-ass treaties we don't really want to join but must as we need support to enter into some other organization (see Russia signing Kyoto to gain entry into the WTO). We can fight wars in multiple fronts sans any other support if need be. We are the only country on earth that can make our own decisions without fear of repurcussion. Don't like what we decided? Too fucking bad. What are you gonna do? Start a military campaign against us? Obviously not. Start a trade war with us? Good fucking luck. UN sanctions? LOL, without US support there is no UN. Boot us from the WTO or some other organization? Sure, the downside is that organization is no longer relevant. Ignore the U.S. entirely? Sure, you can do it... some countries have successfully done so for decades (Cuba, Libya) provided your prepared to watch your country evolve at a snail's pace relative to the rest of the world.

End result of b) is the U.S. doesn't always make decisions based on the lowest common denominator. It can set policy with worldwide effects based on it's own ideology... basically the only country that can do so. That breeds a natural resentment that in turn gets amplified by a) above. Citizens of other countries are completely mystified that US politicians elected by US citizens make decisions deemed in the best interests of the US rather than their own country.

Those who study policy can certainly understand US positions (Kyoto sucks for the US, terrorists are the only threat left to the US so we go perhaps overboard trying to exterminate it, etc.). They might not agree with US decisions but those who study policy aren't so ignorant as to believe the US is actually foolish.

By contrast those who study US policy by reading the 120 word column in their newspaper just conclude the US is arrogant, "dumb" and whatnot.

There's a shitload more of the latter compared to the former. End result is you see large chunks of the worldwide population naively believe the US is simply dumb and arrogant.

It'll be interesting to see what happens if the EU ever becomes a cohesive psuedo-government that approaches the impact of the US. I think it's quite possible in time, at which point Europe will get to enjoy some of this worldwide resentment and the Euros will say to themselves, just as US citizens do, "so what".

11-08-2004, 01:22 AM
Esbee Confirmed User Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Northern CA Posts: 109	a) The average person (in any country) can't comprehend policy beyond the headline found in their newspaper. b) The US is dominant enough that it can make decisions in it's best interests without worldwide consent. That's a unique situation. We don't have to ratify stupid-ass treaties we don't really want to join but must as we need support to enter into some other organization (see Russia signing Kyoto to gain entry into the WTO). We can fight wars in multiple fronts sans any other support if need be. We are the only country on earth that can make our own decisions without fear of repurcussion. Don't like what we decided? Too fucking bad. What are you gonna do? Start a military campaign against us? Obviously not. Start a trade war with us? Good fucking luck. UN sanctions? LOL, without US support there is no UN. Boot us from the WTO or some other organization? Sure, the downside is that organization is no longer relevant. Ignore the U.S. entirely? Sure, you can do it... some countries have successfully done so for decades (Cuba, Libya) provided your prepared to watch your country evolve at a snail's pace relative to the rest of the world. End result of b) is the U.S. doesn't always make decisions based on the lowest common denominator. It can set policy with worldwide effects based on it's own ideology... basically the only country that can do so. That breeds a natural resentment that in turn gets amplified by a) above. Citizens of other countries are completely mystified that US politicians elected by US citizens make decisions deemed in the best interests of the US rather than their own country. Those who study policy can certainly understand US positions (Kyoto sucks for the US, terrorists are the only threat left to the US so we go perhaps overboard trying to exterminate it, etc.). They might not agree with US decisions but those who study policy aren't so ignorant as to believe the US is actually foolish. By contrast those who study US policy by reading the 120 word column in their newspaper just conclude the US is arrogant, "dumb" and whatnot. There's a shitload more of the latter compared to the former. End result is you see large chunks of the worldwide population naively believe the US is simply dumb and arrogant. It'll be interesting to see what happens if the EU ever becomes a cohesive psuedo-government that approaches the impact of the US. I think it's quite possible in time, at which point Europe will get to enjoy some of this worldwide resentment and the Euros will say to themselves, just as US citizens do, "so what".