What makes America right?

[Phaser]

U.S.-led invasion: All Arabs Kurds
Was right 48% 40% 87%
Was wrong 39 46 9

Liberated Iraq 42% 33% 82%
Humiliated Iraq 41 48 11

Presence of coalition forces:
Support 39% 30% 82%
Oppose 51 60 12

Attacks on coalition forces:
Acceptable 17% 21% 2%
Unacceptable 78 74 96

Wha...? Where did you get that from? Don't tell me its the same sources, your CNN, CBS, NBC and other news agencies that are not to be trusted when it comes to reporting "accurate" facts regarding the conditions in Iraq . Seriously, tell me, where did you get these results from? What does this source of yours tell of the prevailing conditions in Iraq?

 

[maxwell's demon]

its from abc:

http://abcnews.go.com/sections/world/GoodMorningAmerica/Iraq_anniversary_poll_040314.html

from the article:

"More Iraqis say the United States was right than say it was wrong to lead the invasion, but by just 48 percent to 39 percent, with 13 percent expressing no opinion — hardly the unreserved welcome some U.S. policymakers had anticipated.

As many Iraqis say the war "humiliated" Iraq as say it "liberated" the country; more oppose than support the presence of coalition forces there now (although most also say they should stay for the time being); and relatively few express confidence in those forces, in the U.S.-led Coalition Provisional Authority, or in the Iraqi Governing Council."

 

[CrAzYMoFo]

What I think makes us right is how we are the most powerful country in the world. We obviously have to be doing something right.

 

[maxwell's demon]

it should also be noted that, as the article states- the kurds make up a small minority (17%) of the population, and were the only big supporters of the US in the poll.

 

[maxwell's demon]

What I think makes us right is how we are the most powerful country in the world. We obviously have to be doing something right.

???

 

[strike-hard]

Wha...? Where did you get that from? Don't tell me its the same sources, your CNN, CBS, NBC and other news agencies that are not to be trusted when it comes to reporting "accurate" facts regarding the conditions in Iraq . Seriously, tell me, where did you get these results from? What does this source of yours tell of the prevailing conditions in Iraq?

Course you liberals only want to take in what you want, everything else that goes against your views you block out.

 

[maxwell's demon]

"Power is not revealed by striking hard or often, but by striking true."
- Honore de Balzac

 

[Phaser]

its from abc:

http://abcnews.go.com/sections/world/GoodMorningAmerica/Iraq_anniversary_poll_040314.html

from the article:

"More Iraqis say the United States was right than say it was wrong to lead the invasion, but by just 48 percent to 39 percent, with 13 percent expressing no opinion — hardly the unreserved welcome some U.S. policymakers had anticipated.

As many Iraqis say the war "humiliated" Iraq as say it "liberated" the country; more oppose than support the presence of coalition forces there now (although most also say they should stay for the time being); and relatively few express confidence in those forces, in the U.S.-led Coalition Provisional Authority, or in the Iraqi Governing Council."

Regardless of what CBS and CNN tell you, I have seen and heard from planty of Iraqis who have embraced America and are full of life now that they have a chance at freedom. The vast majority of Iraq is not trying to throw us out, rather they are supporting us. That is what makes us, America, right. the fact that we have enough honor and respect for freedom to take it to people who could never get it on there own

Well? As far as those polls show, that's hardly a majority. Even then, the survey doesn't exactly represent an accurate and completely reliable picture of the Middle-eastern/Iraqi viewpoint on the U.S led invasion.

 

[maxwell's demon]

Course you liberals only want to take in what you want, everything else that goes against your views you block out.

psst...i think thats actually what you did buddy (but shhh- lets keep it a secret)

 

[Phaser]

Course you liberals only want to take in what you want, everything else that goes against your views you block out.

Liberal? BWAHAHAHAHA!!

Just because I don't like Bush that automatically makes me a liberal? I'm not even an American to begin with.

 

[bored]

What I think makes us right is how we are the most powerful country in the world. We obviously have to be doing something right.

like, say, bullying? i'm sure i'll get flamed for that, but you know it's true.

 

[bored]

Right is right.

Left is wrong.

take ya all day to think of that?

 

[cryptic name]

And onto the issue of the topic...

I must say there really is NOTHING that says we are right or wrong. Every person believes a different thing, and every person acts differently.

If person one believes that Tacos are delicious.
Then person two thinks they are disgusting, and prefers Burritos, it doesn't necessarily mean his opinion is any more right then person number one.

But why do we THINK we are right? Because it's in human nature. Religions and Nations alike all think they are right, and all think that "Good" is on their side.

In World War 2, we believed we had the side of good and God on our side (or some supreme being), and that we would prevail over the evil. In Germany, the Nazis believed they were on the side of good and were doing Gods will. Were they right or wrong? In my belief, the Nazis were the bad guys. But that doesn't neccessarily mean I am right.

There's a counter to every arguement.

Nothing is ever black and white, the world is Grey. This discussion is more of a philisophical question than a political question, and honestly I'm no Philisoph, so I couldn't answer the question any better than anyone else can.

(Excuse me if I typod... It'd Midnight and I'm tired.)

the problem is that there is a definite right and wrong. i think grey is an excuse for ambiguity. the nazis were wrong because they were killing millions of people, not just jews, but protestants, catholics, anybody that got in their way. that's wrong and we stopped them, that was right.

now someone's probably going to try to connect this to what we are doing in iraq. don't. even if you did want to liken them you would be reaching considerably.

 

[vegeta21]

America isn't "right", nor is America "wrong". America just is.

 

[Doomed_hero]

I think the question that is asked is all about point of view of what right is. and in that way a bit to vague.

 

[vegeta21]

Right and Wrong can be very vague sometimes.

 

[Spider-Fett]

Why are we the good guys? What is your answer to this. What makes us the good guys as a general rule?

The stories are written by the winners. Therefore the winners are always "right".

 

[Spider-Fett]

U.S.-led invasion: All Arabs Kurds
Was right 48% 40% 87%
Was wrong 39 46 9

Liberated Iraq 42% 33% 82%
Humiliated Iraq 41 48 11

Presence of coalition forces:
Support 39% 30% 82%
Oppose 51 60 12

Attacks on coalition forces:
Acceptable 17% 21% 2%
Unacceptable 78 74 96

Did you know that 87% of all statistics are made up?

 

[vegeta21]

There's alot of wrongs with humanity in general. America's biggest fault is that its a powerul country run by humans.

 

[The Democrat]

What I was trying to acheive with this thread before it became a flame war was to see where people sense of morality was. Morality on a larger more complex scale than rape or murder. There are clear definate lines of morality yes. I suppose the question was to vague but I felt that most people would get what I meant.


This thread is obviously dead so I'll answer my own question.

I find in morally reprehensible to stand by while clear wrongs are being committed. I don't however believe we have the right to police the world. I feel that America should only invade a nation, go to war when it is presented with a clear threat (such as Afghanistan) or when a majority of the worlds nations agree on war. I feel that America no longer holds the high ground in today's world. That even with all the good we have done, with all the right that we've done our military actions since 1963 with few exceptions have been though well intended ultimately wrong. We should be a society of diplomats. We should be able to work out our differances like a rational, mature society. I think view points like those of a certain poster in here are dangerous and if we continue carrying out assault after assualt, war after war it will be the end of our nation.

There are clear threats, not only to our nation but to the very cause of freedom, that need to be dealt with that are not being dealt with. Ignoring countries with nuclear weapons regardless of the conflict of intrest presented by our own stockpiles is a fool hearty and disasterous. Allowing new nuclear weapons to be developed in nations hostile to the western world is out of the question. It threatens not only our nation but the entire world. The western society is not what we protect, it is not what we defend it is, rather, the world that we must protect, it is the world that we must defend. It is our power or rather in our use of power that we hold or more appropriately once held the moral high ground. We cannot go blundering about, swinging Teddy Roosevelts big stick. We must show integrity in our pursuit of a more perfect world. We must be honorable and then and only then will we have honorable ends to our wars, our conflicts. It all comes down to our fundemental purpose as the sole Super Power reflected best by John F. Kennedy when he said in a speech to students at American University on June 10, 1963:

"There are few earthly things more beautiful than a university," wrote John Mansfield, in his tribute to English universities--and his words are equally true today. He did not refer to spires and towers, to campus greens and ivied walls. He admired the splendid beauty of the university, he said, because it was "a place where those who hate ignorance may strive to know, where those who perceive truth may strive to make others see."
I have, therefore, chosen this time and this place to discuss a topic on which ignorance too often abounds and the truth is too rarely perceived--yet it is the most important topic on earth: world peace.

What kind of peace do I mean? What kind of peace do we seek? Not a Pax Americana enforced on the world by American weapons of war. Not the peace of the grave or the security of the slave. I am talking about genuine peace, the kind of peace that makes life on earth worth living, the kind that enables men and nations to grow and to hope and to build a better life for their children--not merely peace for Americans but peace for all men and women--not merely peace in our time but peace for all time."

---The Democrat (A.K.A. Joshua)

 

[DIZZY MOONBEAM]

neither of those answer the question though. I'm asking a serious question. What makes America right? What allows us to walk the moral high ground?

We don't really have the right, but it does'nt help when every countrie in the world has borrowed money from us, or we give it to them in relief. It's kinda like your mom when she gives you money (if you have moved out) until you start flying on your own without her help she feels as if she has a right to police you.

And I don't think we police the world. We do what we need to do to make sure we and our allies are safe. And the world knows this. We may not be the super power we used to be but we can still hold our own and yours if you mess with us, and everyone knows this. And they know it because they have seen it on the news. It's not a matter of policing anybody anymore it's a matter of life or death.

And I know you won't agree, it's just my thinking that's all.

 

[bored]

you are aware that we've borrowed money from other countries as well, right? and i do believe we still owe a bit of it.

 

[LordSimen]

the problem is that there is a definite right and wrong. i think grey is an excuse for ambiguity. the nazis were wrong because they were killing millions of people, not just jews, but protestants, catholics, anybody that got in their way. that's wrong and we stopped them, that was right.

now someone's probably going to try to connect this to what we are doing in iraq. don't. even if you did want to liken them you would be reaching considerably.

While I agree that in my opinion that is wrong, the only reason it is wrong is because we are in power.

If the Nazis had won, and they were in power, they'd be the right ones and we'd be the wrong ones.

So there is no definite "Right" or "Wrong," just what the individual believes.

 

[TheSumOfGod]

The great tragedy and historical irony of America is that you use to be the good guys, and you had the potential to change the world for the better, but now you're just a rampaging war machine fueled by fear, greed and consumerism. Sigh.

Now, if Bush is re-elected and attempts to impose his neo-con evangelical christian agenda upon the rest of the world, the rest of the world is gonna have to gather some nuts and kick your ass like the Allied Forces did the Nazis in WWII.

 

[SoulManX]

I will put this in comic terms...America is Superman
The rest of the world is Lex Luthor.

As Superman has done in the past is take matters into his own hands. Superman does not ask the police to take down super villians because he knows what they can do. Like Superman we take matters into our hands. Right or wrong we are the SUPER POWERED NATION. Get rid of the useless U.N. and let the American Empire Rule The World. We'll do a better job at it, like our country.