Since no one seems to have mentioned it........

[Stephen Biko]

It is weird that we are the most generous country in the world, yet our president has gone around apologizing and kissing the asses of other useless world leaders, take that political respect and shove it straight up their arse.

Because strong-arming is really effective at getting cooperation. It isn't about 'kissing asss' or 'acting tough' its about manipulating other countries to act in our best interest. It costs us nothing to play nice with the other kids on the playground - but it can yield enormous dividends, like Russia's change with respect to Iran as one simple example.

[circmand]

Because strong-arming is really effective at getting cooperation. It isn't about 'kissing asss' or 'acting tough' its about manipulating other countries to act in our best interest. It costs us nothing to play nice with the other kids on the playground - but it can yield enormous dividends, like Russia's change with respect to Iran as one simple example.

Being nice hasnt gotten the USA anything but contempt from other countries and bowing and apologizing has gotten us nothing but contempt either. All your morally bankrupt countries run by dictators are like their leaders they only respect one thing strength. Despite hollywoods attempt at brainwashing the masses that gathering in a circle and singing Kum Bay Yah will solve everything and treating your kids like friends will raise great adults its untrue. Every country has been invaded the USA is the only one that gives the country back and taxes its citizens to rebuild the defeated country leaving them better off than they were when they started.

[Stephen Biko]

Being nice hasnt gotten the USA anything but contempt from other countries

I'm surprised you say that when I've already given an example where diplomacy has been successful. It is no isolated incident either - for example even France has strongly endorsed the new "surge" in afghanistan with NATO troop counts expected to reach at least 47,000.

I'm not saying diplomacy is 100% effective, but I'm confident it is a whole lot more effective than trying to boss everybody around. And, its not like we have to act tough to scare anyone - everybody knows we've got the biggest stick in the world and have used it more than enough times since the end of WWII. Why do you think Iran wants nukes in the first place? We showed them what we will do to a country that we don't like who doesn't have nukes.

Every country has been invaded the USA is the only one that gives the country back and taxes its citizens to rebuild the defeated country leaving them better off than they were when they started.

Perhaps you can name an example where beating on a country that was down, or just leaving it to rot, ended up as a net positive for the USA in the long run? Or at least a case where rebuilding ended up as a net loss?

The kind of treatment you seem to be advocating really backfired with respect to the Weimar Republic. Yet rebuilding paid huge dividends with Germany and Japan after WWII. Maybe I've just got a big blind spot, but I can't think of a single case where determined rebuilding of a defeated country was not a massive net benefit for the USA in the long run.

[Marlin]

I'm surprised you say that when I've already given an example where diplomacy has been successful. It is no isolated incident either - for example even France has strongly endorsed the new "surge" in afghanistan with NATO troop counts expected to reach at least 47,000.

Do you honestly believe that countries are being nice to Obama because of his apologetic demeanor? How would it look if a country was "mean" to the first black president? They would immediately be marked as racist, and no politician wants that on their head, regardless what country they are from. No, the world is acting nice, and just like children, as soon as we turn our back/let our guard down, they will do whatever they can to hurt us or each other either financially, politically or other. We are the teacher on the playground, and the teacher is NOT friends with her students.

[Y33TREKker]

Do you honestly believe that countries are being nice....

Then again, when you a-s-s-u-m-e the worst, that's generally what you end up with.

There's not much a person can do about past mistakes other than realize they were made, admit they were made, try to correct them, and move on. Doesn't it show more character, being able to do that, than it would to ignore them and expect others to do the same?

It's all a matter of perspective of course, but some may say that attempting to open or maintain a dialogue as equals, regardless of financial/political or other levels of power, is the true indicator of strength.

It also seems curious that some are of the opinion that Obama won the election just because he was/is a good public speaker. I mean, I personally do think that he is, although I was also of the opinion that at times during his campaign his speeches had almost started to sound like they were being delivered by a tele-evangelist. But regardless of his public speaking skills, it was what he was saying (and more to the point...doing) that had me leaning more in his direction. (And I should at this time say that Obama didn't eventually get my vote, in case anyone is starting to think I'm saying what I am to justify any decision I made after the fact).

What he did was actually put into practice what most people said they wanted a candidate to do; have the ability to focus on the issues while NOT falling prey to the tactic of making the campaign process a big mud-slinging contest...(similar to what's happening now with current opinion polls). That fact alone showed that the man had character, and that he could maintain a more mature level of discourse even when it may have been easier to simply fight fire with fire.

In my opinion, it's all still a matter of having realistic expectations. It seems that the majority of people wanted change, it's just turning out that the only change that will be considered acceptable is the type of change that doesn't require the people who wanted change...to change.

[Stephen Biko]

Do you honestly believe that countries are being nice to Obama because of his apologetic demeanor? How would it look if a country was "mean" to the first black president? They would immediately be marked as racist, and no politician wants that on their head, regardless what country they are from.

I have no response for that. To believe that the leaders of multiple countries are simply unable to say "no" in a diplomatic fashion because they are afraid of appearing racist is not debatable. Either one believes it fervently, or one laughs at the face of it.

No, the world is acting nice, and just like children, as soon as we turn our back/let our guard down, they will do whatever they can to hurt us or each other either financially, politically or other.

Which is absolutely no different from the situation engendered by diplomacy through force. That's simply the nature of international relations.

[Marlin]

I have no response for that. To believe that the leaders of multiple countries are simply unable to say "no" in a diplomatic fashion because they are afraid of appearing racist is not debatable.

It happens everyday, look at Congress, they are asking Harry Reid to step down for comments made in 2008!!! that weren't even racist. World society has pitched this whole concept of P.C. that everyone is scared to say "boo" for fear of public destruction. So yes, I believe that other world leaders are afraid to say no to the "messiah" for fear of being incriminated as not supporting our nobel prize toting, promise breaking elected official.

[HOT_WASABI_JUNKIE]

I think it is pure ignorance to pretend the United States does not belong to the planet Earth, and to the world community. Your back yard, your town, and your state is not the way the world is . People live all over the world, have different values, different morals and different color skin.
Having more countries respect us can't be a bad thing. We all drive Japanese cars, 50 years ago were frying Japan with atomic bombs. Now we are friendly with them and all of us love cruising our cool VX's. That would have never happened if we did not heal old wounds like Pearl Harbor and move on to trade with them.
Obama did not deserve the peace prize, the American people do for electing him. The world was happy not only happy to see a black man finally pierce the good old boy's club,but one that was not part of the same republican policy mill as Bush.
The United States is #1, "we do what we want" attitude was what got us in the wars we have been in. We are like a Mansion in the middle of a ghetto. Somebody was bound to throw a rock through our window. We consume more than we produce. We spend more than we have. We bitch more than we should.

[Stephen Biko]

So yes, I believe that other world leaders are afraid to say no to the "messiah" for fear of being incriminated as not supporting our nobel prize toting, promise breaking elected official.

So, let's say your theory of extreme global political correctness is true.

Why aren't all world leaders affected by it? Why hasn't it been consistent since day one of Obama's administration - Russia's acquiescence on Iran only came after negotiations and Israel has been actively hostile to many of his requests. Or how about Merkel's sharp criticisms of many of Obama's policy decisions?

What is so special about germany and israel that they are not afraid of being labeled racists? And why did it take negotiations for Russia to come around, after all isn't the damage done, aren't they now world-renowned racists forever to be shunned?

And why is Sarkozy so enthusiastic about the "surge" in Afghanistan but at the same time he's criticized Obama in other areas for being ill-prepared and "not always up to standard on decision-making and efficiency." How is he able to make such obviously non-PC remarks and yet at the same time has been cowed by political correctness into partnering on the war in Afghanistan? Its like he's afraid of political correctness and not afraid of it at exactly the same time.

Or maybe your theory really is nothing more than completely laughable.

[Scott Harness]

Maybe I've just got a big blind spot, but I can't think of a single case where determined rebuilding of a defeated country was not a massive net benefit for the USA in the long run.

When we rebuild countries,we usually,conveniently build huge air bases and occupy them for then on! We still have bases in Japan and Germany.
If you look at the middle east,we have it totally encircled by bases.
We have our hand firmly on the oil spigot!! If it comes push to shove