global survey; World Publics Reject US Role as the World Leader

[LynnTheDem]

In a global survey released last week, most countries polled believed that China would act more responsibly in the world than the United States.

In 10 out of 15 countries, the most common view is that the United States cannot be trusted to “act responsibly in the world.”
http://www.worldpublicopinion.org/pipa/articles/home_page/345.php?nid=&id=&pnt=345&lb=hmpg1

[Cleita]

1. I wouldn't put China up there as a paragon, but

many countries would be more responsible than our country has been as of late. We would probably be pretty low down there.

[Solon]

3. I think the best solution is for the United States to cede superpower status voluntarily...

We don't need to have military bases in 90% of all countries in the world. To be frank, we shouldn't extend our military beyond our own borders, period. The United States should be "just another nation", not the preeminent nation of the world. We need to learn that we should not meddle in the internal affairs of other nations, especially by ourselves.

To be honest, no single nation should be "responsible" to the world, it should be left up to the U.N., preferably after we can find a way to reform it to get rid of the veto power of the big 5 on the security council. We don't have "enemies" on this planet, we have rivals, its about time we learned the difference. You out compete rivals, in various ways, you don't go into a cold war with them and have an arms race. You don't threaten invasion, and you don't overthrow their governments to create "friendlier" ones who will stab you in the back, or have the people of the nation hate you.

If 9/11 is to teach us anything, its that our previous policy of intervention in foreign affairs damages our national security, it doesn't preserve it.

[Cleita]

4. You are so right and I hope that all Americans by and by

realize that this is the only conclusion to achieving world peace and prosperity for all, not just us.

[Solon]

5. I figure that the first step is to reestablish international legitimacy for the United States...

Iraq is the big blunder, I imagine the first thing we can do is basically beg the U.N. and our allies to "take over" security in Iraq. There is no "clean" way out of that country, its the closest to anarchy you can find right now. We may have to strike a deal to provide funds for the security, but its much better to pay in money than blood, and we should do it unconditionally. In addition, all the pro-U.S. interest laws and such that were passed in Iraq should be recinded, immediately, and we should foot the bill for reconstruction, without no-bid contracts, and no U.S. nor non-Iraqi companies should be paid for the reconstruction.

The next step would be to ratify the ICC, and support it without exceptions. This includes, if charges are brought against Bush or any other U.S. personnel for the Iraq war, we will not harbor them, but let them face the charges. We need a demonstration, a big one, to show that the United States is no longer above international law.

As far as Iran, the first talks actually can be a good first step, but it needs to be taken further, we need to normalize relations with Iran, period. No more threats. One of the biggest disasters of Bush is the fact that he openly threatened Iran, right when it was on the cusp of possibly redemocratizing, and he, of course, radicalized that country. Nothing like a threat from outside to tighten the grip of the Mullahs on that nation.

[Cleita]

7. Also, we need to stop building that Vatican sized embassy right

now and scale it down to what a normal embassy would be in such a country.

[ima_sinnic]

6. great post!

:yourock:

[Cleita]

2. Delete

double post.