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Poland's overall view on the US? [38]
We rebuild their cities. We have contractors kidnapped and killed trying to put the pieces back together for them. Soldiers are there protecting them the best they can. Setting up checkpoints into their cities to protect THEM! Troops are greeted by groups of children that end up being terrorists themselves.
I don't understand much about the war and what is really going on but I have met soldiers, my cousin one of them, and they do their best to protect. I have heard the stories and seen pictures. I think the US is bound to be attacked no matter what we do.
At the expense of sounding cynical. That's the least you can do after bombing them. I'm sure the soldiers you met are trying their best to rebuild it there, but after 5 years it becomes really simple for the average Iraqi to make up an opinion.
It's all about every day life. They didn't have free elections with Saddam, but at least they had water, food, electricity, a job, cultural passtime, sports, their children went to school & they could go outside to the market without the fear of being bombed. Now all of that is gone but they have free elections. Millions have fled the country allready.
The People of Iraq hated Saddam, they were afraid of him, he was a tyran. But at least they could lead their lives. In our Western eyes it's easy to say they are better off now in a democracy. But if I imagine myself in their place, I'd rather live without voting than not living at all.
And as things stand now, there's haven't been any advencements the past 4 years.
I suppose being in the US when they attacked, I know the fear that was brought on. I remember that day perfectly well. I visited New York shortly after and although I was not directly efftected by the attack, my cousin was deployed shortly after. He will be able to sleep in his own bed this Sunday after 7 months.
Since we are the Super Power who out there is going to worry about our children and interests if we don't?
"They"? If I didn't know any better I'd say you've been watching too much Fox News. Iraq didn't plan the 9/11 attacks. Usama Bin Laden & his al-Qaida did. That's why the U.S.A. invaded Afghanistan.
Altough many in Europe were against this as well, I must say that I "felt" that a majority of Europeans agreed that the U.S.A. had to strike back in Afghanistan. That's where the attacks were planned & where Bin-Laden resided.
Saddam Hussein had
absolutely nothing to do with that. It doesn't matter how much you despise the man, he hadn't anything to do with it. Saddam Hussein was far from being a militant moslim! He had a huge collection of wines, wasn't afraid of a prostitute or 2 and lots of other Western novelties that'd be condamned by militant muslims.
Iraq was officialy attacked because of WMD's. I'm almost afraid to ask.. but.. Where are those anyway? Right, there are none. Bush was quick to admit that there weren't any and he even stated that even if he'd knew beforehand there weren't any, he'd have attacked anyway!
streaming.americanprogress.org/ThinkProgress/2005/invasion.320.240.mov .htm
So what was this war about again? 9/11 ? no WMD? no Why? Seriously. Was it all to remove a dictator that opresses his people? Altough that's a noble cause & Americans are generally noble people, I think it's very "picky" (to say the least) to remove one dictator, but support an other. So why?
Geo-political control. Being able to have a bastion of power everywhere in the world. And you can't do anything about it, since that's what superpowers do. That's what the Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese did for hundreds of years. That's what Europeans did with African colonies & it's what Russia & the USA did the last century. A superpower must remain a superpower through geo-political control.
As far as your first question goes: I live in both Poland & Belgium, I travel back & forth for my job. The general attitude towards Americans before Iraq was one of "Well, they are crazy capitalists, but hey, we don't hate em. Be welcome."
Of course, after Iraq that drastically changed. The days where we looked up at your country when we saw a film or a skyline of San Francisco are basically gone.
Altough Poles used to have a more favourable opinion of Americans than other Europeans that is now slowly fading away.
In 2002 79% of Poles had a favourable opinion of the USA, in 2005 that's only 62%
To the question "Does US foreign policy consider other's intrests?" only 13% of Poles answered yes.
These numbers are from this survey about the foreigner's views of the USA & Bush
pewglobal.org/reports/display.php?ReportID=247 you might want to check it out.
