Why does the US HAVE TO BE by far the largest military and economical power??

[Vorsprung]

Why does the US HAVE TO BE by far the largest military and economical power?

OK, they are, and I don't have any problem with that, but it seems that they will HAVE TO stay that and see other nations growing big as a threat. To me, the US acts a bit like a control freak. It seems to me that they would never allow to let another nation grow bigger than they are. OK, if the nation is hostile to the US or an enemy, I can understand that, but I don't believe that is the case, they just have to be bigger. Just like during the cold war. If the soviets could destroy the US two times, they had to be able to destroy the USSR 4 times, what's the fucking use of that??? What's the problem with being #2 or #3? I live in a definitely not #1 country, but we still have quite a great life over here.
Of course being #1 boosts your ego, just like winning the World Cup boosts Brazil's ego, and the fact that we have the best speed skaters, might even boost our Dutch ego (not that anyone else gives a fuck about that)

Why is this an importan issuet? Well, I think this is probably the main reason for many non-USAers to dislike America. Their arrogance and their need to determine what is going to happen in this world. It is not what just envy, which what I read quite a few times from American journalists writing on this subject. Most don't have a problem with America's power (one has to be #1),it is the display of this power that others dislike. The unwillingness to cooperate in actions if these actions even MIGHT damage their supremacy, even though they will still remain the #1 country in the world.

[Angela Harlem]

I doubt its an ego thing. America is perhaps the world's biggest target? America protects not only itself, but many other countries as well. I would take fighting with America any day over actually fighting them.
Any country reaches a point where its proud of where it stands and what it achieves. You want to do everything you can to maintain that.

[Vorsprung]

You might also consider why America is the biggest target.

Also,I don't believe you necessarily have to be the biggest nation to protect yourself. No one would take up arms against Canada, India, China, The UK, France or even The Netherlands either. As I stated before, I have no problem with them being big or biggest, but they seem to have to stay the biggest (not just military) at all costs..

[speedracer]

I wouldn't feel threatened if the US were no longer the most powerful nation on Earth, but I would have felt that way had the Soviet Union been the most powerful, and I would feel that way if China were.

[Lemonite]

Originally posted by speedracer
I wouldn't feel threatened if the US were no longer the most powerful nation on Earth, but I would have felt that way had the Soviet Union been the most powerful, and I would feel that way if China were.

Exactly right.. I think this thread can now be closed.. Answer Given.. I even think we can give one of our FeedBack Creator Elvis' 'Boom'.. ah well maybe not, but this is exactly right.. And this is why we are, because we are not threatening to liberty.. in fact we are liberty.. and we will protect it.

That last part.. 'We WILL Protect it' reinforces the answer to this Thread's Question.. Why do we HAVE TO BE the largest military and economical power.. Because we are the protectors of liberty in the world.. Also as many countries would be too limp wristed to make those Decisive decisions that must be made during the course of History (See Atom Bomb.. Reagan's TAke down of the Soviet Union (And Please.. don't start to champion Gorbie as the Hero of the Cold War..))

In Fact.. Where is Elvis?.. Has anyone seen him?.. Last I heard he was questioning his existence.

L.Unplugged

[whiteflag]

Does the US really do everything and anything to keep other countries from becoming bigger?

I have one word to refute that possiblity.

China.

Because of our help, China is predicted to become the worlds largest economy sometime in the near future if they don't screw it up domestically. Our government has bent over backwards to help them (in order to gain acess to their markets) and there is no evidence that we are doing anything slow their growth at the same time.

Its just not in our economic interests to stunt the growth of other free market countries. These economies will then spend money on their miltaries as well as on our other products. They will probably come to us for miltary supllies as well

The only countries that really need to fear our interference are the baddies of the world like Iraq.

So it just doesn't make sense to me that the US is trying to stifle competition. Its just not the model of the world that we are working with. More sucessful free markets means more profit in the capitalist model.

I just wish that it wasn't true that China was one of our projects. Of course, I dont want the Chinese people to stay poor but I would love to see a much much tougher line taken with them about their human rights abuses, which are much worse than the other developed countries.

[Lemonite]

Originally posted by whiteflag
Does the US really do everything and anything to keep other countries from becoming bigger?

I have one word to refute that possiblity.

China.

Because of our help, China is predicted to become the worlds largest economy sometime in the near future if they don't screw it up domestically. Our government has bent over backwards to help them (in order to gain acess to their markets) and there is no evidence that we are doing anything slow their growth at the same time.

Ah Yes.. This is a great point.. I am very worried about China in the future myself.. They just dont' sit well with me.

Its just not in our economic interests to stunt the growth of other free market countries. These economies will then spend money on their miltaries as well as on our other products. They will probably come to us for miltary supllies as well

So it just doesn't make sense to me that the US is trying to stifle competition. Its just not the model of the world that we are working with. More sucessful free markets means more profit in the capitalist model.

Exactly!!!!!.. Great Point.. As I've said it before, we ultimately want a world of 'America's.. But beware Whiteflag..

And just as a little addendum, with all this proposed regulation to our own economy.. i'll just quote ya whiteflag if I may with a bit of liberty..... Its just not in our economic interests to stunt the growth of our free market economy.


L.Unplugged

[Achtung Bubba]

Originally posted by whiteflag
Does the US really do everything and anything to keep other countries from becoming bigger?

I have one word to refute that possiblity.

China.

Don't forget Japan and West Germany. Japan and Germany were absolutely smashed during WWII (and East Germany wasn't helped to much by Soviet control), and the United States led the way to bringing both back into the realm of prosperity.

The results?

Japan has become one of the most powerful economies in the world, the "Big Dog" in the Pacific Rim, and powerful enough to join what is now the G-8.

And a restored Germany (restored because of the fall of Communism, which many attribute to the efforts of people like U.S. President Reagan) is now the Big Dog in Europe.

Neither of which have gone to war in the sixty years since, and both of which are now considered among the United States' strongest allies.

That certainly doesn't make the U.S. look power-hungry.


As to the specific complaint, the United States made an effort to indisputably win the arms race against the Soviet Union because LOSING that race would have been unthinkable. Even now, with possible emerging tensions with China, there is something to be said for overwhelming force - a large enough military that no sane countrywould dare attack.

And if the U.S. is not to be the world's sole superpower, who?

Realistically, if not us, it would be Communist China. I believe we're a much safer choice for democracy.


And vorsprung, certainly no one will attack the Netherlands or invade France (again) any time soon. But the sheer military might of their allies (specifically the U.S. and U.K.) help ensure that in the long term.

And while the Netherlands is safe, Israel certainly isn't. And God help Israel if it had to depend on FRANCE for military assistance.

[U2002revolution!]

Originally posted by Angela Harlem
I doubt its an ego thing. America is perhaps the world's biggest target? America protects not only itself, but many other countries as well.

[U2ME3]

Originally posted by Achtung Bubba

And God help Israel if it had to depend on FRANCE for military assistance.

That's the funniest thing I've heard in a long time!

[Lilly]

china does look like it will become a bigger power than it already is. and of course america is going to protect her assets, what country wouldn't?


i don't think that we do everything in our power to be the biggest and best militarily. the logistics of it show that we need a big army, as we are a big country. there is a lot to protect here. and yes, we just upped our military spending by a few hundred million dollars. however, major funding has not been spent on the military since just before operation desert storm ( ). our service men and women were vastly underpaid and we needed to spend on basic things.

Originally posted by Achtung Bubba


Don't forget Japan and West Germany. Japan and Germany were absolutely smashed during WWII (and East Germany wasn't helped to much by Soviet control), and the United States led the way to bringing both back into the realm of prosperity.

bubba...reference WWI. the treaty of versailles just killed germany. it was one of the main reasons hitler came into power (economic depression, bitter people, hitler offered someone to blame and...yeah). so really, post-WWII actions and treaties were made with that in mind. the allies knew that too severe a punishment would bring this cycle back, thus the aid.

[rafmed]

Originally posted by Lilly
bubba...reference WWI. the treaty of versailles just killed germany. it was one of the main reasons hitler came into power (economic depression, bitter people, hitler offered someone to blame and...yeah). so really, post-WWII actions and treaties were made with that in mind. the allies knew that too severe a punishment would bring this cycle back, thus the aid.

[pax]

No one would take up arms against Canada, India, China, The UK, France or even The Netherlands either.

With regards to India, have you spoken to any Pakistanis lately?

[Achtung Bubba]

Originally posted by Lilly
bubba...reference WWI. the treaty of versailles just killed germany. it was one of the main reasons hitler came into power (economic depression, bitter people, hitler offered someone to blame and...yeah). so really, post-WWII actions and treaties were made with that in mind. the allies knew that too severe a punishment would bring this cycle back, thus the aid.

Oh, I agree, absolutely. But, either way, I think it illustrates that our first interest is certainly NOT arrogant one-upmanship.

Certainly, we may have helped restore the former Axis powers to avoid a third war - and were thus motivated by self-interest. But self-interest is not a bad thing.


Note that Bono's appealling to that same self-interest when he asserts (correctly or not) that Africa has a dozen Afghanistans waiting to erupt.

On the flip side of that is this observation: we decimated Germany and Japan before rebuilding them - as we did, in smaller scale, with Afghanistan. We did not negotiate with the Nazis, Japanes imperialists, or the Taliban.

So sending more aid to African countries still being run by thugs will likely do nothing to get the thugs out or pursuade them to reform. The political change will probably need to precede the aid, rather than the aid cause the reform.

[Lemonite]

Originally posted by Achtung Bubba


On the flip side of that is this observation: we decimated Germany and Japan before rebuilding them - as we did, in smaller scale, with Afghanistan. We did not negotiate with the Nazis, Japanes imperialists, or the Taliban.

Geezus I feel like a fucking cheerleader in this thread.. But just another extension of this thought.. Substitute 'Palestine' with Germany and Japan.. and the 'We' of the next sentence with 'Israel'. And you have your only solution for peace in that area.

L.Unplugged