THE ARROGANT AMERICANS

Somewhere along the line the people in the White House decided that we
would make all the rules for people to live by since we were the sole
super power. Rules of International law, formerly observed by
virtually all states, were flaunted or observed by us at our whim.
Attempts to kill heads of state of whom we disapproved were open and
notorious. Condemning aggression we nevertheless indulged in
anticipatory incursions, invading Panama, Granada and Iraq in
contravention of the law of nations. In other cases we openly fomented
revolution and furnished material support to revolutionary groups. All
of this we did because we knew that we would not be held to account.

The CIA sent poison cigars to Castro and financed other attempts to
kill him. We supported a military junta in Chile and were complicit in
the assassination of its head of state. Bombed Libya in an attempt to
kill Kadafi, kidnapped Noriega after invading Panama and invaded
Iraq, allegedly based on faulty intelligence when in fact the plan had
been in effect for over a year before the actual incursion.  An
alleged attempt on the life of one of our former presidents is however
advanced as one of the reasons for invading Iraq.

Abandoning our earlier commitment to self determination by sovereign
states, recognizing their right to a form a government of their
choosing,  we announced a policy of supporting regime change,
influencing or actually participating in the overthrow of governments
of which we did not approve. When not actually using force to effect
such change we engaged in economic warfare by means of imposing
embargoes and contributing financially and materially to internal
revolutionary movements.  Totalitarian states which chose to cooperate
with us were exempt from such treatment and enjoyed both economic and
diplomatic support from the United States.  Kingdoms like Saudi Arabia
we declare to be our steadfast friends, never mind the oppressive
aspects of their regime. Cuba, on the other hand is hammered with
sanctions for 50 years due to the political usefulness of a small
group of emigres in Miami.

We urge the establishment of democracies with broad participation of
its citizens in their affairs, yet when we dislike  their policies  we
withhold recognition.

Our recent heads of state are known more for their swagger than their
statesmanship. Threats of armed intervention, both express and
implicit, are preferred to diplomatic dialogue. The ultimate
arrogance, "we don't talk to evil " seems to be the mantra  of our
current diplomacy.

Yet we wonder, why are we no longer loved and respected as we once
were ? At the end of World War II, we were all but universally
regarded with admiration and affection, the bastion of democracy which
saved the civilized world. This attitude continued for a long time,
through the Korean War era and beyond.

In traveling abroad in the late 1960's and early 1970's I was struck
by how readily foreigners who disagreed with aspects of our
governmental policies always held the American people in high esteem.
Having little difficulty in distinguishing between individuals and
their government. Unhappily, several generations of insensitive,
boorish American tourists have done much to destroy this perception.
Too often, American tourists either uninformed or indifferent to the
customs and manners of  other cultures   have acted poorly abroad,
behaving with a total lack of concern or sensitivity for the
impression they were creating. The insults did not go unnoticed !
Behaving like the lords of creation and immune from the requirements
of civility they have created great damage to the American image
abroad and the healing will take much time.

Now, at the beginning of the 21st Century, many Americans wonder why
we are not appreciated for all the good we have achieved, why we are
so roundly disliked in most parts of the world.  A bit of
retrospection would supply most of the answer.