America’s Control Over the World Is Rapidly Eroding

[eridani]

http://www.nationofchange.org/2015/05/03/americas-control-over-the-world-is-rapidly-eroding/

Talk about a complete transformation: America, once the most respected nation in the world has now become the most feared and, according to independent international organizations who study and report on world opinion on key issues, it is viewed by a majority of the nations of the world as a great threat to world peace.

The people of the world watched as the U.S. invaded, occupied and fought bloody, prolonged wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, two relatively small counties with populations of less than 30 million; they saw how U.S. forces were held to a standstill by guerilla-style fighters in each of these countries. These rapidly growing militant groups in various Middle Eastern countries, such as ISIS and Al-Qaeda, have learned from the Taliban in Afghanistan and the Sunnis and Shiites in Iraq on how to go up against U.S. forces and prevail.

This U.S. government, former President G.W. Bush and now President Obama, have followed a policy that states that, in certain countries that are suspected of harboring terrorists, all males between 18 and (roughly) 54 years of age are presumed to be terrorist combatants “unless there is explicit intelligence posthumously proving them innocent.”

In other words, they are all guilty as charged and subject to being wiped out by drones unless they can somehow come forward and show themselves to be innocent before they are attacked. To think that these war-obsessed government officials could possibly come up with such a misguided, inhuman policy is beyond comprehension.

It’s not only these angry and oppressed nations who are turning against the U.S. In Europe, among the nations that have been a part of NATO for decades, just below the surface there is an undercurrent of growing resistance against the U.S government and its overly aggressive military agenda, which does not bode well for the future of that North Atlantic alliance, one that originally was a “defensive” organization.

[on point]

1. Absolutely predictable results from Bush War crimes and Bush Doctrine (Strike first)

Blow back from Project for New American Century (PNAC) to dominate the world.

Time for these people to be in jail already to improve our world standing

[NuttyFluffers]

6. a little prosecution goes a long way...

no justice, no peace.

some read that as a profit motive handbook. they also read 1984 and Handmaid's Tale as instruction manuals instead of cautionary dystopias.

[7962]

2. Nature abhors a vacuum.

Lets pull out of EVERYWHERE in the world. I wonder what would happen next? Russia or China would step in to replace the vacuum left. Then these nations that supposedly "fear" the US would be thinking a bit differently.

[on point]

5. The UN belongs here. Strengthen and fix it for proper role.

The U.S., Russia, Britain etc have been in league to keep UN weak and ineffective so they could continue to pursue their global power game.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

11. Republican neocons here in this country have not been very helpful in regards to the UN

They openly attacked, ridiculed, and flat out ignored it when it came to Iraq back in 2003. Many of them hate the UN and would love to see it further undermined, if not eliminated IMHO.

[7962]

16. Iraq=single worst foreign policy in our history

Most of the world was with us with our action in Afghanistan. Iraq squandered ALL of that because most knew it was a bullshit war. Those that didnt know it then know it now.

[hifiguy]

23. Future generations will see it as the definitive beginning of the end

for Imperial America.

[7962]

15. But the UN is toothless without the power of US

Other than humanitarian aid its tough to get other countries to actually put troops in harms way to enforce any resolutions

[on point]

17. Strengthen and Fix UN. Make it not toothless. Take US role out.

The US has wanted the UN toothless so it could do what it wanted. The UN does NOT have to be toothless.

Remove US from role as world policeman.

[7962]

18. And who steps up to replace us? How do you FORCE others to step up?

We've seen it time and again. Look at the 90s and Bosnia/Serbia/etc. Europe did nothing. Russia helped the Serbs. Only when Pres Clinton stepped in with the force of the US did the war and massacres stop. Should we have just left that situation alone and let them continue?

[on point]

20. Why not tax all the arms deals and armies in the world. Use it to build a UN force

ie Not using other countries armies. Then no need for US, Europe etc to step up.

Instead of carping on problems, why don't you provide ideas on how to fix problem??

[7962]

21. sure, that'll work. And who collects the taxes and enforces the policy?

And so you want to build a unique UN force. Made up of people from WHERE? And how dependable? Its a great idea that would never work. We cant even get Europe to police their own backyard. I'm not carping, just living in the real world. And the real world is that even with all our faults, we've done more to help the rest of the world than hurt it. There are 3 powers in the world, Russia China & the US. ONE of these 3 will always have influence on most of the other countries. Its not great but thats the way it is. China is expanding its military rapidly, as is Russia. I think more countries are worried about them than us. The UN security council is 5 countries. Do you think those 5 will vote to change the system? No.

[Demeter]

3. Hated, not just feared, and for good reason.

We have become what we hated in all other nations in history, and a delusional parody of what we were.

[deutsey]

4. It's mourning in America n/t

[Jester Messiah]

7. The world was under control?

Couldn't tell from looking at it...

[ananda]

9. Yeah.

The idea that people and nations can be controlled
is faulty on so many levels.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

12. It really kills me

to see Republicans blame Obama for any negative development in a country other than our own- as though he can control everything. Republicans would be in the same position unless they want to do regime change on every country when it doesn't do the "right" thing.

[Kablooie]

8. The Project for a New American Century is winning.

to be the most powerful, feared and reviled country is what they've always wanted.

[hatrack]

10. "Control"? Please . . . .

Influence, certainly, and substantial power, but "control"?

Whom Gods destroy, they first make mad.

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

13. "...they are guilty as charged and subject to...

...being wiped out by drones unless they can somehow come forward and show themselves to be innocent before they are attacked. To think that these war-obsessed government officials could possibly come up with such a misguided, inhuman policy is beyond comprehension."

This is not an exaggeration. How can we, knowing this, continue paying taxes, going on about our business as though we have no part or say in it? Responsibility for responsible governance ultimately traces to us, the citizenry, and there simply is no escaping this fact.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their DUTY, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

How brazenly criminal and barbaric do they have to get before we reach our tolerance threshold? Is it realistic to believe that meaningful change can be brought about working within the system when it has become so completely gamed by a very powerful cartel of ruthless criminal interests?

We shall remain powerless right up to the day we finally realize we're not.

[mr blur]

14. When was America "the most respected nation in the world", exactly?

Big difference between "respect" and "fear".

[Jackpine Radical]

27. Maybe in about 1947, with the Marshall Plan rebuilding Europe

and the OSS not yet transformed into the CIA.

[bobGandolf]

19. It's Obama's fault!

[hifiguy]

22. Stupidity has consequences.

So does hubris. They always have and always will. And together they are a suicidal combination.

And Americans never learn ANYTHING from past failures. EVER.

[cantbeserious]

26. ^^^ THIS ^^^

eom

[BrotherIvan]

29. ^^^'Twas ever thus

I guess nobody ever heard about the Romans.

[kickysnana]

24. When we eliminated trust, respect and good will we sealed our fate. n/t

[hifiguy]

25. People need to read Stephen Kinzer's "Overthrow"

and they will understand why the world thinks this way.

Nobody likes a big, stupid bully.

[Newest Reality]

28. But...

much of our wealth is heavily invested in the Military Industrial Complex and that means a threat to our jobs, or so it seems.

We do still make war and war toys here and we have some very powerful and politically influential contractors that sing to the tune of millions and billions. It seems important to our economy to have every reason, (or excuse) to continue to fund our peace making, (read: war machine) capabilities for various reasons.

Oh and: protect our interests, keep us safe...yada, yada, blah, blah.

How do we transition this, just from the economic standpoint, (which would help the people whose jobs are at stake get behind it). I am hoping that Bernie Sanders might have a good grip on this conundrum.

[BrotherIvan]

30. Exactly

As all of our manufacturing erodes, the only thing that is protected are military exports. I'm sure the TPP has lots of protections in there for them and its main purpose is to sell more weapons to countries.

[pampango]

31. With 5% of the world's population, that is not a bad thing. The world should be 'controlled'

by all countries and all people.