"I know we are the greatest nation in the world"

[TheStinger]

Originally posted by Ethelred


Rubbish. The Supreme Court knocks down laws every single year.

As do the courts in the UK

[Ethelred]

Originally posted by MOBIUS
Britain doesn't do those things (at least actively try not to!), what you're talking about happened 57 years ago. What you did say clearly is that we did resort to the same tactics the US did. I'm not proud of what the UK did on that fateful day - you don't seem to care!

Of course I care. The US doesn't do those things either.

57 years ago its still a fact that Britain did it. Its also a fact that Britain AND the US are not doing it now.

I don't dispute the fact that US doesn't intentionally kill civilians - what I do dispute is whether they overly care if they happen to kill civilians...

Is that why we use very expensive missles and smart weapons? Just to make sure we have accidents?

Thats not disputing thats inventing something that is clearly not true.

In that regard, we are not like the US and don't intend to be - why is also probably a good reason as to why we've never had 4 passenger planes hijacked and rammed into several of our national landmarks...

More likely you just have a shortage of good targets and jets.

Get with the program - nobody will like US in the rest of the World while it continues it's arrogant 'we are the greatest BS'...

Oh dear. Some Eurowhimp might get upset if they notice the US telling the truth. I am devastated. Mind your own politics. That speech wasn't for the UN or Europe. It was a standard phrase in US politics. Has been for a long time. Its just that now the Europeans can't deny the truth of it and they are hoping that complaining will make the truth go away.

[TheStinger]

What sort of politician stands up and says his country isn't the best in the world when speaking to a domestic audiance.

[Q Classic]

What sort of politician stands up and says his country isn't the best in the world when speaking to a domestic audiance.

a) an honest politician, or b) a politician that won't get reelected.

those two things are often found in the same person.

seriously, i think it's kinda funny how people view other countries' leaders. for one thing, kim daejung seems to be extremely well regarded outside of korea-- so much so that he got a nobel peace prize.
thing is, nobody in skorea likes him. he's a poor leader, he's a corrupt hypocrite, and he hasn't done squat for the economy.

just goes to show that whether you like a leader or not is entirely contingent upon whether you live in the country and agree with his politics.

that said, bush appeals to the conservatives and those americans who are knee-jerk patriots. he also appeals to a lot of somewhat moderate conservatives. so i'm not surprised he said somethign along the lines of the us being the best country in the world-- it's something americans have started to believe about themselves, which kinda is detrimental to foreign relations. even if the us is the best, rubbing it in as so many americans do isn't the way to make friends.

but see, the thing is, you have to realize, politics is all about the spin: what you say, who you say it to, and how you say it. bush's speech was to allay the fears of his own people that the us economy would tank, etc., and not for the un, not for the eu, not for the pacific rim, and definitely not for latin america, africa, and s asia. it's just like reagan's old "god bless you, america" phrase he threw into every speech at the end-- one could say that god blesses every country and every person, but in politics, it doesn't matter what the facts are. all that matters is spin.

[TheStinger]

Exactly

everybody knows they just want your vote, People on the whole wnat to hear that where they live is the best they can expect

[DinoDoc]

Originally posted by red_jon
We are all too aware of the consequences ... too much government power.

Since when?

[Deathwalker]

A politician's ultimate goal is to stay in office, so that why they do what they do. Its the same for all contries

[chequita guevara]

notyoueither, stop speaking for us. Thank you very much.

[Sikander]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
notyoueither, stop speaking for us. Thank you very much.

He has as much right to kibbitz as the eurowhiners.

[Sava]

Bush talking about Corporate Responsibility is like...
Ray Charles endorsing contact lenses...
OJ Simpson speaking out against domestic violence...
Ted Kazinksy calling for the capture of the anthrax mailer...

insert other analogies at your leisure

[DinoDoc]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
notyoueither, stop speaking for us. Thank you very much.

He has as much right to feed trolls as anyone else.

[Solly]

Originally posted by Sava
Bush talking about Corporate Responsibility is like...
Ray Charles endorsing contact lenses...
OJ Simpson speaking out against domestic violence...
Ted Kazinksy calling for the capture of the anthrax mailer...

insert other analogies at your leisure

So true, so true...

Although Mobius has been making some great points, I'd like to distance myself (being a fellow Englishman and all) from this comment:

In that regard, we are not like the US and don't intend to be - why is also probably a good reason as to why we've never had 4 passenger planes hijacked and rammed into several of our national landmarks...

[Roland]

"Rubbish. The Supreme Court knocks down laws every single year."

Which proves exactly squat.

"It was a standard phrase in US politics. Has been for a long time."

Absolutely. But still I don't quite understand this american inferiority complex.

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by Sikander
He has as much right to kibbitz as the eurowhiners.

It's not that he's speaking his mind that I mind. It's that he's speaking for us. And frankly, I find his stance a little hypocritical, talking about how great we are cuz we kick ass when his country lives in our shadow and doesn't do anything.

[Ethelred]

Originally posted by Roland
"Rubbish. The Supreme Court knocks down laws every single year."

Which proves exactly squat.

It shows you are wrong. If you can't see that then you are merely trolling. Which is likely the case.

Absolutely. But still I don't quite understand this american inferiority complex.

Thats you inferiority complex you are thinking with. It was a simple statement by a politician to the home audience. Its wasn't a knock on your tiny little island or its lack of consititutional protections of civil rights nor was it a knock on the Official Secrets Act that you are burdnened with and unable to overturn via that constitution you don't have.

[Shi Huangdi]

"Absolutely. But still I don't quite understand this american inferiority complex."

Hardly an inferority complex. It's just a matter of us knowing we are the best.

[chequita guevara]

We are the best.

[Q Classic]

america has an inferiority complex? perhaps. if by inferiority complex you mean superiority complex.

there is a theory out there which states that all superiority complexes are actually in their roots an inferiority complex.

pfeh, sounds like some loser idea to me.

[Faeelin]

You know, let's be honest for a moment.

The USA is the strongest country in the world, correct? (The EU *might* be stronger, but since they're still incredibly disunited when it comes to military & foreign policy, the whole is less than the sum of its parts for the moment).

Couldn't you translate strongest into best?

[Roland]

"It shows you are wrong."

I think you anglos call that "non sequitur". It isn't a troll either as the SC has let loads of limitations on rights pass. It is, in fact, useless.

"It was a simple statement by a politician to the home audience."

I know. It's still strange.

"Its wasn't a knock on your tiny little island or its lack of consititutional protections of civil rights..."

As I am living in a country that is
a) landlocked, and
b) "invented" the specialised Constitutional Court in 1920,

I have to say you don't make any sense.

"...and unable to overturn via that constitution you don't have."

Are you talking about the UK ? I suggest you do some reading on EU law in the UK, esp post Factortame, and the Human Rights Act.

Shi Huangdi:

"Hardly an inferority complex. It's just a matter of us knowing we are the best."

Well if you and your country were only half as good as you claim, there would be no need to blah about it all the time. It looks like desparate self assurance, keeping the common delusions together.

[chequita guevara]

You leave our delusions alone, man. We're very happy together.

[Roland]

If you had proper beer you wouldn't need those artificial delusions.

Cheers.

[Caligastia]

The US is #1, its a fact. If that makes you upset then thats just too bad.

[Ethelred]

Originally posted by Roland
"It shows you are wrong."

I think you anglos call that "non sequitur". It isn't a troll either as the SC has let loads of limitations on rights pass. It is, in fact, useless.

It hasn't let loads of limitions on the Constitution pass. Perhaps you are talking about foreigners that aren't citizens of the US and therefor don't fall under the full protection of the US Constitution. If they want to live here they should become citizens. Till then they can behave themselves and follow US laws. Including not coming here illegaly.

"It was a simple statement by a politician to the home audience."

I know. It's still strange.

Its normal. What country is so humble humble that the leader is going to call it second rate unless said leader is looking to spend more money.

"Its wasn't a knock on your tiny little island or its lack of consititutional protections of civil rights..."

As I am living in a country that is
a) landlocked, and
b) "invented" the specialised Constitutional Court in 1920,

Sorry I mistook you for a Brit. A specialized Constitutional Court implies that you have a rather detailed and extensive constitution. One is not needed in the US.

I have to say you don't make any sense.

"...and unable to overturn via that constitution you don't have."

Are you talking about the UK ? I suggest you do some reading on EU law in the UK, esp post Factortame, and the Human Rights Act.

Yes I was talking about the UK. They don't have a Constitution. Any law in the UK can be changed by a simple majority of Parliment.

Well if you and your country were only half as good as you claim, there would be no need to blah about it all the time. It looks like desparate self assurance, keeping the common delusions together.

Sure are touchy about US internal politics aren't you? Its like a band claiming in every city that it has the best audience. Except in this case Bush is, in at least some sense, right. For once.

[Dauphin]

Yes I was talking about the UK. They don't have a Constitution. Any law in the UK can be changed by a simple majority of Parliment

No, it can't.

[ThePantaloonDog]

The US Constitution has allowed a lot of protections such as allowing US citizens to be jailed for an indefinite amount of time for the "War Agaisnt Terror".

[DinoDoc]

Originally posted by Boddington's
In that regard, we are not like the US and don't intend to be - why is also probably a good reason as to why we've never had 4 passenger planes hijacked and rammed into several of our national landmarks...

You just tend to get yourselves blown up by the odd Irishman now and then.

[DanS]

This is a funny thread. I like NYE's style. The Eurowhiners keep widening the circle of topics because they haven't found something to hang their hats on yet.

The "we are the best" is political ceremony for a country that is based on nothing more than ideals.

[rah]

Agreed, it's pretty funny watching them whine because a politician said his country is the best. NEWS FLASH stop the presses I do believe it speaks more of their insecurities.


Waiting for someone to ask me to define country

[Dauphin]

You just tend to get yourselves blown up by the odd Irishman now and then

In honesty, i.e not troll mode. How do you think the rest of Europe, the USA and the rest of the world would have reacted to occupation of the Republic of Ireland on the grounds of anti-terrorism.

I could only see UK interests and reputation evaporating quicker than a puddle in a drought.