Leanne writes:
that is the most puffed-up, self-aggrandizing piece of commentary I have read in a long time; and Americans wonder why the rest of the world thinks Americans are so arrogant it makes the rest of us want to puke… So, do they think there was no world history before they came into being??? Talk about idolatry…
Let’s take Leanne’s points one at a time:
…the most puffed-up, self-aggrandizing piece of commentary I have read in a long time…
On the contrary, it struck me as a rather dry recital of recent history as a commentary on the American declaration of war on Iraq, which concludes by saying that that stated reasons for the war have been shown to be utterly reasonable.
…Americans wonder why the rest of the world thinks Americans are so arrogant it makes the rest of us want to puke…
Speak for yourself! Some points here about the common stereotype of the arrogant American:
- America was founded by people who left Europe because they wished more freedom: economic, political and religious. Thus a negative attitude to the places they left behind is understandable, and in light of their reasons for leaving, entirely justified.
- Americans are portrayed as being provincial and ignorant. In light of the point above, why should they bother learning anything about socialist elitist atheistic Europe? America in fact has about the same land area as Europe, a wide variety of landscapes, climates, cultures and other touristy things — it often strikes me that criticism of America is more aesthetic than anything else; Europeans wonder why Americans don’t swoon over all the nifty food and castles and stuff.
- America was founded as a grand experiment, to see if a totally new kind of society and government could be created. It’s lasted for over two centuries, longer than any other regime that currently exists. You’d think the rest of the world would acknowledge that America had actually got something right!
- In the last century America has, not to put too fine a point on it, saved the world not once, not twice, but three times. You’d think this would inspire not only gratitude but again, some sort of acknowledgement that America had gotten something right.
So, do they think there was no world history before they came into being?
I have no idea what relevance this has to the US declaration of war on Iraq. The relevant history started, oh, around 1990 or so. And the fact that America is the oldest political system currently extant should say something about America’s relationship to history.
Speaking of history, here are some key dates: April 6, 1917. December 7, 1941. November 9, 1989. September 11, 2001.
Talk about idolatry…
If you have something relevant and logical to say, feel free.
P.S. Couple of links to articles about life in Iraq under the hideous Imperial Amerikkan bootheel:
Update: Arab reactions to Bush’s speech yesterday, which marked an historic sea-change in American foreign policy.