November 17, 2004
WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO CHANGE YOUR REGIME, PLEASE!
Global memo to Bush: Be involved, but not bossy (Peter Ford, Christian Science Monitor, November, 17th, 2004)
If there is one task to which foreigners would like to see Mr. Bush devote himself, to judge by dozens of interviews on four continents, it is to restore America's reputation as a fair and honest arbiter of world affairs, damaged by what many abroad see as the administration's tendency to throw its weight around in its own narrow interests."Given that [the president] heads the most powerful nation in the world but that it has the worst reputation of all time, there is a paradox," says Stanley Symington, a retired marketing executive in England. "He should pay more attention to restoring America's reputation in the world, rather than to guarding its security."
It would help, suggests Jagjit Bagga, as he walks around a fashionable shopping center in New Delhi, if the president adopted a more diplomatic tone with the rest of the world. "America shouldn't be arrogant when it deals with other countries," he says. "It comes across that what they choose to do, they will do it and then expect others to follow."
That perception undermines international support for American goals, though many people in many countries share them, says Jeanne Lescure, a retired French Metro worker. "I understand that [Bush] is worried about security," she says. "We are all worried about it. But he goes about things the wrong way."
A more productive approach, suggests Karsten Voigt, a top adviser to German Chancellor Gerhard Schrööder, would be to pay more attention to America's friends.
"In the end even the world superpower USA needs allies and they can't get any better ones than the Europeans," he told German radio on Wednesday. "And in order to have Europe on their side they need to keep an open ear to our arguments."
Kind of the like the Franks, Vandals, Goths and Visigoths getting together to whine about Roman manners.
Posted by Peter Burnet at November 17, 2004 2:56 PMI'd prefer an analogy on the upswing of the Roman Empire, if you don't mind. Say, "Carthaginians, Greeks, Gauls and Etruscans," or something.
Posted by: Timothy at November 17, 2004 3:11 PMPredictable. Boring.
Posted by: Robert Schwartz at November 17, 2004 3:16 PMDear Mr Voigt:
We've listened to your 'arguments'. You haven't convinced us.
Good luck in your future endeavors.
Sincerely,
The United States
Dear Mr Voigt:
We've listened to your 'arguments'. You haven't convinced us.
Good luck in your future endeavors.
Sincerely,
The United States
Dear Mr Voigt:
We've listened to your 'arguments'. You haven't convinced us.
Good luck in your future endeavors.
Sincerely,
The United States
We are listening to our friends.
And give up the JOOOOS..
SOSO.
Posted by: Sandy P. at November 17, 2004 3:46 PM"He should pay more attention to restoring America's reputation in the world, rather than to guarding its security."
Sorry Stanley, you have it exactly backwards.
"It comes across that what they choose to do, they will do it and then expect others to follow."
Follow or not -- we don't much care.
Posted by: jd watson at November 17, 2004 4:26 PMFrom further down in the article: It is not only the Israelis and Palestinians who need America to resolve their problems, argues Ms. Durandin, the French political analyst. Given its overwhelming power, "we all need America," she says. "And there is a great desire, all over the world, to recognize an America we can like."
Damned if we do, damned if we don't.
Posted by: at November 17, 2004 4:42 PMYou guys should lighten up. Surely you can see the ultimate compliment here.
Posted by: Peter B at November 17, 2004 6:16 PMTimothy:
Interesting point. I'll defer to Orrin on whether it's a question of rising or being granted a reprieve.
Posted by: Peter B at November 17, 2004 7:53 PM"Given that [the president] heads the most powerful nation in the world but that it has the worst reputation of all time, there is a paradox,"
Only if "paradox" means obvious causal relationship.
Posted by: David Cohen at November 17, 2004 8:44 PMThe interesting thing is that other than the Huns, the babarians that gave Rome trouble were those they invited across the border. Yet OJ does not seem perturbed that we are importing a Spanish speaking Quebec into our country.
We need to let assimilation do its work. Then we can bring in more.
Posted by: Chris Durnell at November 18, 2004 12:19 AMQuebec isn't sure that it wants to be part of Canada.
The Mexicans moving to the US might have an emotional fondness for the mother country, but they moved for a reason, and are well aware of it.
The Aztlan nitwits are middle class hispanic kids with too much time and daddy's money, and the movement isn't much more than a way to bed a hot college chica.
Posted by: Michael Herdegen at November 18, 2004 12:34 AMI chuckled the most at the claim that European allies are the best available. I think the EUlite would have a far better grasp of USA foreign policy if they got over that delusion.
Posted by: Annoying Old Guy at November 18, 2004 11:52 AM