It seems common among people who are some what left wing (especially notable in the young adult demographic) who are against American, or more specifically anti-Bush as it is kind of a pop culture phenomena right now. However the majority of these people probably don’t have specific reasons why they take this side. There are many different reasons for this, all individually important (political apathy, and a feeling of disconectedness from the “real world” for a few) however I don’t mean to address those here, I just intend to give reasons to those people.
America as a nation has always put its self on a pedestal of fighting for the just and right cause, more often than not using deceit if not out right lies to motivate its people and gain support. Take for example the Gulf of Tonkin in Vietnam where the opening attack by the Vietcong was fabricated, since than not much has changed. Although I don’t believe we know or are willing accept just how big a deception they present. For example they currently want us to support their attack on a group of rogue nations, the so called “axis of evil” consisting of Iraq, Iran and North Korea. According to the 2002 address to congress, by George W. Bush these are three “rogue states” which need to be taken down by the American Army for the good of the free world. This use of language is incredibly effective at gaining the support of the American public, especially when coupled with a catch fraise like “lets roll!” to turn the emotion into one similar to playing a heroic video game. Just as it was an effective rally point for Regans administration for gathering the American people together, united to fight the “Evil Empire” of the Soviet Union. However people are beginning to grow tired of this talk and see it for what it generally really is; a war waged for money and power, with nothing more than controlling motives. This is shown by a large Washington based survey on 17000 people in 15 countries. The basis of the study found that despite “growing concerns over Iran's nuclear ambitions, the US presence in Iraq is cited at least as often as Iran - and in many countries much more often - as a danger to world peace.” From 1999 to 2006 several European countries dropped well below a 50% favorable rating towards the US, with the acception of the UK which only dropped to 56%. As well several Muslim countries which the US had in the past held a strong relationship with slumped incredibly low, countries such as Indonesia falling from 75% to 30%, and Turkey from 52% to 12%. This is in no small part due to Iraq and the worlds opposition to the US lead invasion, however there are several other examples, which have been showing a trend in the policies of the US and which the general public seems to be unaware of. Several instances of the US acting in the face of the world, as a “rogue state” Here are just a few examples I took from an article by Richard Du Boff:
In December 2001, the United States officially withdrew from the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, gutting the landmark agreement- the frist time in the nuclear era that the US renounced a major arms control accord.
In 1972 the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention was ratified by 144 nations, including the United States. In July 2001, the US walked out of a London Conference to discuss a 1994 protocol designed to strengthen the convention by providing for on-site inspections. At Geneva in November 2001 US Undersecretary of State John Bolton Stated that “the protocol is dead,” at the same time accusing Iraq, Iran, North Korea, Libya, Sudan and Syria of violating the convention, but offering no specific allegations or supporting evidence.
The UN Agreement to curb the International flow of Illicit Small Arms was passed in July 2001, with the US the only nation to oppose it.
The US still has not ratified the 1989 UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which protects the economic and social rights of children. The only other country not to ratify it is Somalia, which has no functioning government.
In July 2001, the US was the only nation among the G8 group of industrial nations to refuse to support the proposed International Plan for Cleaner Energy.
The US refused in February 2001 to join 123 other nations pledged to ban the use and production of anti personnel bombs and mines, In September 2001, the US withdrew from the International Conference on Racism, which brought together 163 countries in durban, South Africa.
The land Mine Treaty, banning land mines, was signed in Ottawa in December 1997 by 122 nations. The United States refused to sign, along with Russia, China, India Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, Vietnam, Egypt, and Turkey. President Clinton rejected the Treaty, claiming the mines were needed to protect south Korea against North Korea’s “overwhelming military advantage.” He stated that the US would “eventually” comply in 2006, but his promise was disavowed by President George W Bush in August 2001.
There are several more examples of how the US has blatantly acted as a rogue state in the face of multinational organizations such as the UN, and basically all others trying to achieve stability, or peace. Not that countries the US has invaded (e.g.. Iraq) don’t need stability or help, but bombs are never an answer, especially when America does not have stability or self sufficiency in mind for any of them Iraq included.
So as we move into a millennium of greater interconnectedness and shared information we see ethics, public importance and truth maintain a back seat. And what are we going to do about it?
Information taken from
Richard Du Boff’s If you still don't see the US as a rouge nation, read this. (The Canadian Center for Policy Alternatives)
and Ewen MacAskill’s US viewed as bigger threat to peace that Iran, worldwide poll finds. (Guardian Weekly 06)