Maybe this is my depressive nature manifesting itself, but...

Why bother?

In my young life, it's basically been a constant that:

1. The world hates us. (Us being America, Americans, so forth) This is unlikely to ever change, because even if we did accede to some demands, what is being demanded is, in a lot of cases, changes to the way the American people think and believe - seemingly to be imposed from Washington. (One sees this in the way Europeans deal with the US, in the way Middle Easterners deal with the US...In the way everybody deals with the US.)

2. The world would like nothing better than for us to pull back. Except that when we do, they freak out.

3. We're damned if we do, damned if we don't. In all cases.

So, maybe it's just me, maybe it's a generational thing, but...Why bother?

Europeans or Arabs think we're some bullying superpower?

Hell, they hardly know what one looks like. If we're going to be prejudged, may as well actually be the bully.

Y'think we're in a war to (destroy your religion/steal your resources/steal your markets/dominate the planet/impose Christian fundamentalism everywhere)?

No, we're not...But if you insist, we can certainly do that.

Way I see it, we're screwed already, so what have we got to lose in making the world be careful what they wish for?
--

And after that venting, I will note: I don't believe that. Not completely.

I'd be saddened to see the US actually follow that path, of "You have absolutely no idea what fear is".

But when I put a finger to the pulse of American opinion, I do sense that sort of hopelessness, of "Oh, screw it".

And I've not seen anybody here address that - that we're feeling even more hopeless and gloomy than even an Israeli strategy, hopeless and gloomy enough to have a strategy of "To hell with the world, you can all go FOAD."

Maybe it's the weather lately...But I see no point in even a hint of optimism.

Yeah, the world hates us. Yeah, they want us to go away.

But we're assailed if we actually ponder doing so.

And we're screwed no matter what we do, so why care anymore?

John
Sitting off in the corner, hugging himself and rocking, wishing he was as blissfully ignorant as his peers.