Russia lays claim to the North Pole - and all its gas, oil, and diamonds

[politic_analyst]

Are we more arrogant than, say, the French?

Could you site some example of the french being arrogant?

 

[Kasmos]

They have a very long history of occupying sovereign nations, laying claim to their resources, and claiming that territory as their own. Perhaps you forgot that.



Yeah...about that...

Have they done this recently? I don't think many countries are looked down upon because of things they've done in the past, I mean look at our relationship with the British (and we had a war against them). What super power in the past few years have invaded a country? If the French did then I am mistaken.

 

[RightOfCenter]

Could you site some example of the french being arrogant?

Like a news article or something? No. But I have been there. And I thought it was just an agreed upon stereotype of the French, much like their surrendering.

 

[Red_Dave]

Have they done this recently? I don't think many countries are looked down upon because of things they've done in the past, I mean look at our relationship with the British (and we had a war against them). What super power in the past few years have invaded a country? If the French did then I am mistaken.

To be fair france is just as, if not more, neocolonialist as the united states. It was fighting a colonial war against algeria as recently as the 1950s and its frequently used coup d'états and support towards unpleasant regimes to cling on to its influence over its former colonys in much the same way as the U.S has in Latin america. The french government was complicit in the Rwandan genovide so its not like the U.S is the only culprit here,

 

[Vader]

I bet a lot of non-Americans feel the same way about Bush.

True, but we do not go around claiming neutral territory as part of the USA.

Putin is a fascist scumbag who needs a dirt nap.

:mrgreen:

 

[PeteEU]

To be fair france is just as, if not more, neocolonialist as the united states. It was fighting a colonial war against algeria as recently as the 1950s and its frequently used coup d'états and support towards unpleasant regimes to cling on to its influence over its former colonys in much the same way as the U.S has in Latin america. The french government was complicit in the Rwandan genovide so its not like the U.S is the only culprit here,

France has a very long history, just as the UK has and Spain and Portugal. They all acted like what we accuse the US of acting today.. hell even worse in many ways. Are the French arrogant? Yes because they are extremely proud of thier nation, and highly defensive of it if critized... remind you of anyone?

Lets come back in say 750 years and see what the USA has of a history.. they already got a good start on the "empire" attitude and I doubt that will last longer than it did for the other 4 "empires"...

And how was France complicit in the rwandan genocide?

 

[Red_Dave]

France has a very long history, just as the UK has and Spain and Portugal. They all acted like what we accuse the US of acting today.. hell even worse in many ways. Are the French arrogant? Yes because they are extremely proud of thier nation, and highly defensive of it if critized... remind you of anyone?

Lets come back in say 750 years and see what the USA has of a history.. they already got a good start on the "empire" attitude and I doubt that will last longer than it did for the other 4 "empires"...

And how was France complicit in the rwandan genocide?

There accused of having pretty stony links with the Interahamwe [see BBC NEWS | World | Africa | France issues Rwanda warrants ] Im as francophile as they come but im just making the point that the U.S isnt the only culprit.

 

[danarhea]

Are we more arrogant than, say, the French?

The French surrender more often. Surely, that must count for SOMETHING.

 

[Novan_Leon]

Since when does expansionism = arrogance?
Since when does Iraq War = arrogance?
Since when does patriotism = arrogance?

To say something is arrogance you have to understand the intentions of the people behind the action.

 

[Lerxst]

Have they done this recently? I don't think many countries are looked down upon because of things they've done in the past, I mean look at our relationship with the British (and we had a war against them). What super power in the past few years have invaded a country? If the French did then I am mistaken.

Hmmm....so current events are all that is relevant I see. Well in that case I see no reason to worry, this will all be water under the bridge soon enough then.

And it's not America that is arrogant, it's the Bush White House and the merry go round administration of his that is arrogant in their unilateral approach to international issues and very corporate worldview.

 

[MSgt]

Cool.

Our next war - American troops versus Santa and the Russians.

 

[WI Crippler]

Cool.

Our next war - American troops versus Santa and the Russians.

What makes you think Santa is going to side with the Russians??

 

[MSgt]

Does the French invade nations and cause civil unrest in a country like... oh... Iraq?

Wow. Even a fun sort of thread found its way to American criticism. I guess America is the gutter country in history because it took out a dictator in....oh...Iraq. We could just be a nation that installs dictators that brutally beats the diverse populations into peaceful submissions....but we did that during the Cold War and was criticized (after the fact) for that as well. Options...

1) Install the dictator.
2) Ignore the dictator.
3) Take out the dictator.

We've done all three. Funny how no matter what we do, there are legions of souls ready to pounce on the opportunity to define our morality in the worst way. And, of course, the vast majority of all criticisms comes from countries who's government simply look at the trouble spots and look away. You might want to look into the current activities of France, especially in former colonies and other allies that fly quite comfortably under the radar in today's news as they (and our own people) parade around "America the guilty."

The way people rant and rave about America, they would have us guilty of spreading all the weapons throughout the third world (other countries have done far more than us) and dabbling in foriegn politics to keep our enemies from getting the upper hand all by our lonesome (other countries are just as involved as us). But America is supposed to be perfect in it's mission to hold back the enemy in all four corners of the world. And of course, it is supposed to be perfect in it's quest to seek that diplomacy that, although keeps the world's free trade agreements moving forward and stays off the big wars (there have been no World Wars under our watch), winds up screwing countless souls that join the anti-American band wagon to become future enemies that are fixed on only us.

But America is so open about our business because "people have the right to know," that we are the only ones ever chastized for what everyone else does in the luxury of secrecy. Look into the arms deals around the world. Look into the current locations of our allies abroad in Africa and South America. Look into the complete nastiness that goes on throughout the world directly under everyone's noses and how the world responds to it. You might be surprised how much garabage is exaggerated to our side when ever America gets to share some blame - somehow, we seem to always get all of it.

But hey, I guess all the overwhelming dirt of our allies year after year is washed away, because America took down a dictator in 2003 that rubbed his **** in the UN's face for over a decade. Perhaps we could simply watch the Middle East eat itself away through dictators and religious freaks as we "mind our own business" and hope that the world's oil needs go uninterrupted as those dictators die and the religious freaks take completely over. Maybe there's a world war in it.

 

[danarhea]

What makes you think Santa is going to side with the Russians??

Santa Claus wears a red suit
He must be a Communist
What's in the pipe that he's smoking?

-Arlo Guthrie

 

[Lerxst]

Wow. Even a fun sort of thread found its way to American criticism. I guess America is the gutter country in history because it took out a dictator in....oh...Iraq. We could just be a nation that installs dictators that brutally beats the diverse populations into peaceful submissions....but we did that during the Cold War and was criticized (after the fact) for that as well. Options...

1) Install the dictator.
2) Ignore the dictator.
3) Take out the dictator.

We've done all three. Funny how no matter what we do, there are legions of souls ready to pounce on the opportunity to define our morality in the worst way. And, of course, the vast majority of all criticisms comes from countries who's government simply look at the trouble spots and look away. You might want to look into the current activities of France, especially in former colonies and other allies that fly quite comfortably under the radar in today's news as they (and our own people) parade around "America the guilty."

The way people rant and rave about America, they would have us guilty of spreading all the weapons throughout the third world (other countries have done far more than us) and dabbling in foriegn politics to keep our enemies from getting the upper hand all by our lonesome (other countries are just as involved as us). But America is supposed to be perfect in it's mission to hold back the enemy in all four corners of the world. And of course, it is supposed to be perfect in it's quest to seek that diplomacy that, although keeps the world's free trade agreements moving forward and stays off the big wars (there have been no World Wars under our watch), winds up screwing countless souls that join the anti-American band wagon to become future enemies that are fixed on only us.

But America is so open about our business because "people have the right to know," that we are the only ones ever chastized for what everyone else does in the luxury of secrecy. Look into the arms deals around the world. Look into the current locations of our allies abroad in Africa and South America. Look into the complete nastiness that goes on throughout the world directly under everyone's noses and how the world responds to it. You might be surprised how much garabage is exaggerated to our side when ever America gets to share some blame - somehow, we seem to always get all of it.

But hey, I guess all the overwhelming dirt of our allies year after year is washed away, because America took down a dictator in 2003 that rubbed his **** in the UN's face for over a decade. Perhaps we could simply watch the Middle East eat itself away through dictators and religious freaks as we "mind our own business" and hope that the world's oil needs go uninterrupted as those dictators die and the religious freaks take completely over. Maybe there's a world war in it.

Gunny don't play y'all....:shoot

 

[Kasmos]

Wow. Even a fun sort of thread found its way to American criticism. I guess America is the gutter country in history because it took out a dictator in....oh...Iraq. We could just be a nation that installs dictators that brutally beats the diverse populations into peaceful submissions....but we did that during the Cold War and was criticized (after the fact) for that as well. Options...

1) Install the dictator.
2) Ignore the dictator.
3) Take out the dictator.

We've done all three. Funny how no matter what we do, there are legions of souls ready to pounce on the opportunity to define our morality in the worst way. And, of course, the vast majority of all criticisms comes from countries who's government simply look at the trouble spots and look away. You might want to look into the current activities of France, especially in former colonies and other allies that fly quite comfortably under the radar in today's news as they (and our own people) parade around "America the guilty."

The way people rant and rave about America, they would have us guilty of spreading all the weapons throughout the third world (other countries have done far more than us) and dabbling in foriegn politics to keep our enemies from getting the upper hand all by our lonesome (other countries are just as involved as us). But America is supposed to be perfect in it's mission to hold back the enemy in all four corners of the world. And of course, it is supposed to be perfect in it's quest to seek that diplomacy that, although keeps the world's free trade agreements moving forward and stays off the big wars (there have been no World Wars under our watch), winds up screwing countless souls that join the anti-American band wagon to become future enemies that are fixed on only us.

But America is so open about our business because "people have the right to know," that we are the only ones ever chastized for what everyone else does in the luxury of secrecy. Look into the arms deals around the world. Look into the current locations of our allies abroad in Africa and South America. Look into the complete nastiness that goes on throughout the world directly under everyone's noses and how the world responds to it. You might be surprised how much garabage is exaggerated to our side when ever America gets to share some blame - somehow, we seem to always get all of it.

But hey, I guess all the overwhelming dirt of our allies year after year is washed away, because America took down a dictator in 2003 that rubbed his **** in the UN's face for over a decade. Perhaps we could simply watch the Middle East eat itself away through dictators and religious freaks as we "mind our own business" and hope that the world's oil needs go uninterrupted as those dictators die and the religious freaks take completely over. Maybe there's a world war in it.

First of all, the first post I made in here WAS a joke.

Then TheNextEra stated, in regards to what I said about a lot of countries not agreeing with us (which is true... isn't it?), that it could be our arrogance, which, jokingly, I responded, "Nah.... it couldn't be! America isn't arrogant at all!"

Then RightofCenter mentioned the French, in which I replied with the comment you quoted.

So I asked you, what's wrong with seeing the fact that many countries DO think we are arrogant? When a country (like America), invades a country (like Iraq), without the support of many nations (which was the case), I would think that would be called arrogance.

But hey, that's just me. I still love America as much as I did before we invaded Iraq, but at the same time, I can see why many countries think we are arrogant (because of our current administration). Do you not agree?