<p>I couldn’t agree with you more, Hanna. When I said “if we’re looking for,” I should have said, “for those who are looking for.” What strikes me is that Obama seems to have more appeal than Hillary among many conservatives, but that Hillary would probably provide more of that fierce image they desire.</p>
<p>I don’t believe everyone “loved” us in the 90s. American policies are disliked by many people, worldwide, and have been for years. There are some here, including my immigrant husband, who say that the U.S. acts in its own interests around the world, period. He feels less bad when our actions don’t seem to live up to our stated ideals because he thinks our stated ideals are fiction. He is a happier person than I am!</p>
<p>There is no need to make things, worse, however, as the Bush presidency has, by starting unnecessary wars and killing thousands of Muslims.</p>
<p>Don’t worry: It doesn’t matter who you put up because anyone will be able to beat the republicans this go around and ESPECIALLY if there is a recession.</p>
<p>“There are some here, including my immigrant husband, who say that the U.S. acts in its own interests around the world, period.”</p>
<p>Could you or he provide an example of countries that don’t operate in their own best interests? </p>
<p>“There is no need to make things, worse, however, as the Bush presidency has, by starting unnecessary wars and killing thousands of Muslims.”</p>
<p>You are aware that most of the killing of Muslims has been by other Muslims, right? You are also aware that the Muslims that the US targets for killing are the Muslims that are killing the other Muslims, right?</p>
<p>My husband believes that all countries operate in their own best interests.</p>
<p>The killing of Muslims by other Muslims, said Muslims not being from the U.S., doesn’t affect our image overseas. I believe there is some consensus that we are justified in fighting terrorists/killers. I don’t think that going into Afghanistan hurt our image.</p>
<p>“What period of history are you referring to?”</p>
<p>Many periods, the Cold War being the most recent. It took a long time, but once the European Communists started building literal walls to try to hold back the people risking their lives to run from the Soviet side of the Iron Curtain to our side, it was beyond question that we would prevail in the end. Even under a system where news from the outside was severely restricted, people in the East knew they wanted to be on our side. They were paying a month’s salary for a pair of used Levi’s just for the cachet of wearing something American. That meant it was only a matter of time until the people overthrew their leaders; we never needed to invade. We had – for real – people’s hearts and minds.</p>
<p>Ah, the Cold War when Reagan put Pershing missiles in Europe and all of Europe protested the war mongering US president (sound familiar?). Reagan stood firm and we all know the result.</p>
<p>FundingFather, the title of the post was clearly “Dem supporters only” I think that doesn’t include you and you are crashing a party to which you were not invited. The nerve!</p>
<p>FF – The Supreme Court is far from infalliable. At one point in our history, the Supremes held that a black man is only 3/5’s of a person. They were wrong then; they are wrong now.</p>