Obama: 'Some May Disagree, But I Believe America Is Exceptional' (updated)

[ProSense]

Obama: 'Some May Disagree, But I Believe America Is Exceptional'

President Barack Obama reiterated Tuesday that America remains an "exceptional" nation, alluding indirectly to a recent New York Times editorial by Russian President Vladimir Putin that questioned America's unique nature on the world stage as tensions mounted over a possible military strike against Syria.

"The danger for the world is that the United States after a decade of war, is rightly concerned about issues back home," Obama said at a UN General Assembly meeting in New York. "Aware of the hostilities that our engagement in the region has engendered throughout the Muslim world, they disengage, creating a vacuum of leadership that no other nation is ready to fill.

"I believe that such disengagement would be a mistake," Obama added. "I believe America must remain engaged for our own security, but I also believe a world is better for it. Some may disagree, but I believe America is exceptional, in part because we have shown a willingness, to the sacrifice of blood and treasure to stand up, not only for our own interests, but for the interests of all."

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/obama-some-may-disagree-but-i-believe-america-is-exceptional

Updated to add:

Obama Announces $340 Million In Humanitarian Aid To Syria

President Barack Obama announced that the United States would be providing an additional $340 million in humanitarian aid to Syria in the aftermath of a bloody civil war resulting in tens of thousands of dead and millions more refugees.

Total U.S. funding for humanitarian assistance to the Syrian people, including food, clean water, shelter, medical care and relief supplies now stands at nearly $1.4 billion since the crisis began, according to the White House.

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/obama-announces-340-million-in-humanitarian-aid-to-syria

[former9thward]

1. America is not exceptional.

Countries that wish to bully the world have long told their people they were superior and "exceptional". They have said it was their duty to " sacrifice of blood and treasure" to dominant others. This is why we have a War budget which has grown out of control for decades.

[raccoon]

13. Well, if we just keep saying it over and over, maybe that'll make it true. :silly: nt

[leftstreet]

2. Clueless. 'We' are not 'willing' to 'sacrifice blood and treasure'

What part of that didn't he get?

[SomethingFishy]

3. We are exceptional at some things.. and we suck ass at others..

I have been to many many nations, and we aren't nearly as "exceptional" as we seem to think. Especially when it comes to taking care of our citizens.

[srican69]

4. we are exceptionally stupid when it comes to sensible gun control

[bunnies]

5. hammer time!

[joeybee12]

6. Other countries are also exceptional for many reasons...

And are really bad for others, just like us.

[karynnj]

7. I hate the statement that "America is exceptional" - which is a Republican theme

unless it is used as follows:

" The US is exceptional, when it does exceptional things". This converts the jingoist claim to a bear truism that actually calls on the US to do exceptional things if it wants to be genuinely exceptional. This statement was made at the point that the Republicans were using the claim Obama did not believe in American exceptionalism.

Needless to say, this elegant refuting the idea that America was be virtue of being America exceptional == while suggesting the obvious way it COULD be exceptional was from John Forbes Kerry.

[Warren Stupidity]

8. neocon bullshit. It is time to rejoin the community of nations as an equal.

[bluedeathray]

14. Yes

This bullshit exceptionalism is justification for increased drone attacks, growing the MIC, and expanding it's use around the world.

Not to mention the torture, lawlessness, and trampling of the Constitution of the former administration as well.

This is the type of bile being pumped out by the folks who envision America's Imperialism lasting forever.

Doesn't anybody own a freakin' history book anymore?

[avaistheone1]

15. That would be an important step towards world peace.

K&R

[whathehell]

16. Agreed. We need to stop that bs..

Especially since so much of late is turning out exceptionally bad.

I'm sure most countries regard themselves as "exceptional" in some ways.

Pushing this idea meme sounds like nothing more than sophomoric bragging.

[louis-t]

9. And repugs will say....................

"Obama has never said we're exceptional. He REFUSES to say we're exceptional!1!!1!11"









BENGHAZI!

[Rex]

10. The way we have outsourced jobs

and reduced the real wages of the working class is exceptional. The way we have with being the Police Force of the world is exceptional. Our tax havens and the VPs that hide in them are exceptional. The draconian policies put into place after 9/11 were exceptional for a democracy.

On a better note, the POTUSes polices toward LGBTs have been extremely exceptional and I would argue no other POTUS before showed even an ounce of this particular type of focus on equality. Our ability to thrive as a working class, even in a plutocracy is exceptional.

Wall Street is exceptionally corrupt.

[EgyptianDentist]

11. so stupid

oh yeah you are willing to die in the middle east not for oil or power, but for the interest of all people hahahahahahaha

[Scurrilous]

12. He's right.

K & R

[whathehell]

17. I doubt, somehow, that even he believes it.

He's a sophisticated guy -- Maybe he thinks the rest of us are rubes.