4th May 2003, 5:34 AM
Weltall, please take the time to read my posts. You have continually dodged all of the good points that I have made in the Debate forum. It's frustrating.
What do you see as the United States' role in the world?
Should we be the police, the enforcer of international law, the instrument of justice?
Should we be self-focused, only acting in situations that threaten our interests, only enforcing law when it benefits us, making friends that benefit us and dumping friends that threaten us?
Should we be the parent, the entity that helps the world to grow through a mixture of discipline and kindness? And as a father, should we determine what the world should look like?
Should we be selfless, unwilling to take the spoils of our power, acting for higher principles?
Should we be a friend, a supporting person that has limited power in forming the world, but shares his opinion?
We have tried to be all of these in the recent past, and so we are a convoluted entity. We are the corrupt policeman who acts as the judge, jury, and executioner. We are the selfish boy that veils his narcissism with the pretense of justice. We are the brutal father that is unwilling to listen to his child. We are the fallen angel. We are the deceptive friend. Where we try to be everything, we fail at everything.
So what is the United States, Weltall?
Quote:But you have no basis for this. We are the power of the world, in every aspect. We, for the most part, do not need other nations to prosper, as we are more than capable of producing much of what we need ourselves. What you keep refusing to acknowledge is the fact that the relationship between the U.S. and the rest of the world is hardly a dichotomy. We do not depend on other nations for much that is extremely important. However, other nations DO depend on us for a lot. There are more than a few nations that exist only because we help them to financially. There will be effects of what we are doing, but nothing catastrophic, If other nations refuse to cooperate with us, so be it. The hugely successful war that we fought with little help proves just how much we actually need other countries to support us.
What I'm trying to say is that this nation is in a place in the world where it does not require the favorable opinion of the world to do what needs to be done. Would it be nice if they agreed with us more? Sure. But necessary? Absolutely not.
Again, keep in mind: The rest of the world needs us more than we need them.
What do you see as the United States' role in the world?
Should we be the police, the enforcer of international law, the instrument of justice?
Should we be self-focused, only acting in situations that threaten our interests, only enforcing law when it benefits us, making friends that benefit us and dumping friends that threaten us?
Should we be the parent, the entity that helps the world to grow through a mixture of discipline and kindness? And as a father, should we determine what the world should look like?
Should we be selfless, unwilling to take the spoils of our power, acting for higher principles?
Should we be a friend, a supporting person that has limited power in forming the world, but shares his opinion?
We have tried to be all of these in the recent past, and so we are a convoluted entity. We are the corrupt policeman who acts as the judge, jury, and executioner. We are the selfish boy that veils his narcissism with the pretense of justice. We are the brutal father that is unwilling to listen to his child. We are the fallen angel. We are the deceptive friend. Where we try to be everything, we fail at everything.
So what is the United States, Weltall?