Notwithstanding, you may have lived in the Orient and I cannot speak for the Orient, but in India, we look at the US as a storehouse of opportunity, but more importantly a huge store house of intellect and wisdom. Therefore, even if we may not be pro US as Dulles may have wanted us to be, we still think that US is a lodestar for democratic ideals, justice and a bank where we can hone our education and intelligence.
Maybe that may not be true, but then that is how we perceive the US.
Therefore, more than you, we hate that the US loses out to anyone and it has nothing to do with the China phobia.
There was indignation and resistance, but it was dfrowned out in the post 9/11 fervor. There was a brief post 9/11 period in which the US populace would have bought into practically any military action aimed at Muslims who could be even vaguely and remotely connected to terrorism, anti-US sentiment, or just generally not being nice... an astonishing number of Americans actually believed that Saddam was somehow connected to 9/11.
That sort of obsession is powerful, but it does wear off, and when it does people start asking questions... especially as casualties run up, expenses soar, and the domestic economy tanks. The first question asked is typically "what exactly are we in this for", and if no good answer is posed, popular opinion turns very quickly. So far, dobody has been able to give the American public a clear and acceptable reason why it is so necessary to keep Karzai in power. Certainly there's no significant strategic or economic motive, and "deny AQ" only goes so far, especially with AQ well established elsewhere and OBL gone.
9/11 not only affected the US, but it affected the world. Indignation was there everywhere; maybe with the exception of the Muslim world or even the Muslims of India.
That there was no indignation when Afghanistan was attacked, proved the point that the international community realised that the US reaction was not only natural, but totally justified.
Iraq was a different issue. The American may have believed that Saddam was connected with terrorism, which should not have been the case if they were not Joe the Plumber types and were a little more educated and realised that Rumsfeld would not be shaking hands with Saddam or supporting him against Iran, but the world realised it was but a hoax being perpetuated as it was proved later.
In fact, Bush's fraud over WMD ruined the little credibility that the US had and that is the beginning of the US losing its credibility sheen that it had held so far, inspite of all the Machiavellian sleight of hand perpetuated elsewhere as in Bosnia and elsewhere.
It is a misconception that the world is anti US. No, they are not. It is only when the US thinks that others are fools and the others are blind and so the US can do what they want to do, that people get het up! Who likes to be treated as fools and dolts or the village idiot?
One must realise those days when the non western world were naked natives running in the bush is over. We also understand the realities of the world and are not totally illiterate.
If there was no reason for the US to be in Afghanistan, then why should Obama state that the US policy is …to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and to prevent its capacity to threaten America and our allies in the future?
To the rest of the world, Obama appears more sane than that evangelist Bush!!
Maybe you could explain so that we realise where we missed something.
But if one made a mistake as the only superpower of the world (as the US like to claim and impress) and stayed and not cut and run, why blame the world?There was a good reason to invade. The question is whether there was a good reason to stay. Nobody seems able to provide one.
Cut and run. Become the butt of all jokes and incompetence and example of arrogance leading to abject failure and never to be trusted again for what the US says.
So, the US embarks on whim and fancies and totally rudderless in the final aim?Mission creep. Gradually and without effective assessment, the mission morphed into "keep Karzai in power". It's never been clear how that is supposed to benefit the US, and Americans are increasingly unconvinced that it's doing them any good.
I don't think so.
Americans are perfectly willing to fight when they perceive a threat to them. They are to a lesser extent willing to fight to gain something, though they are understandably reluctant to use public resources to fight for gains that would accrue mainly to oil or mining companies. In the absence of any convincing threat or prospect of gain, they are - quite sensibly - reluctant to get or stay involved.
So Americans are the bully of the block till they meet their match, even if they are smaller chaps but who are more agile and dexterous?
And that they work only because of greed and not on moral philosophy except as a cover or smokescreen for their greed, like bringing Freedom and Democracy as the missionaries brought civilisation to harvest pagan souls,who required no harvesting?!
And the US follows in true copybook manner what Bishop Desmond Tutu said - “When the missionaries came to Africa they had the Bible and we had the land. They said, 'Let us pray.' We closed our eyes. When we opened them we had the Bible and they had the land.”
and then messes even this!
:rofl:
Search me.If there's some compelling strategic or economic reason to be in Afghanistan, why is it being kept a secret?
I said what the world thinks, but you called it BS.
You tell us!
It is as good as the British nursery rhymeTrade, yes... but to hang an expeditionary force out in Afghanistan with Iran as the sole available route for support would be a very risky act, for anyone. The Iranians have their own interests, and there would be a quid pro quo, or more than one. Is Afghanistan important enough for anyone to put themselves in that position?
Half a pound of tuppenny rice,
Half a pound of treacle.
That’s the way the money goes,
Pop! goes the weasel.
Notwithstanding, I believe the US knows what they are doing even if many feel that they are just blathering and foaming at the bit!
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