Barry,
re: If the other guy's standards happen to coincide with mine, then we can get along, but if and when the other guy's values differ from mine in a significant way, then we have a problem.
Your justifications for the war differs from the Bush administration. They see this as a defensive action, not primarily a humanitarian effort. Do you think we should attack, defeat and occupy every country that abuses their citizens? Is that our role in the world?
The UN, NATO, many of the institutions that have provided stability to the world over the last 60 years are being minimalized, at best. The rest of the worlds citizens are firmly against us.
It's easy, with an American perspective, to admire Bush's devil may care, John Wayne attitude towards the rest of the world. As the only remaining "super power", it's easy to become arrogant, and suppose we have the right to impose our will where ever we feel that we need to impose "democracy".
But if in the end, the world turns against us, because of our power and arrogance, then we will lose more than we gain. That's been the fate of every country that tried to dominate the world before.
And, in the meantime, lots of folks are dead. Good American and British kids, Iraqi civilians. That will never change, a done deal.
John |
