America involves itself in other countries' affairs when those countries have a direct impact on our way of life. On the surface we are in a unique position to take the moral high ground. But realistically, we (like any other country) are motivated by self-preservation. Ours is a market economy, and all global actions are in reaction to preserving our interests.
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Name : Josh, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 28, City : Spokane, State : WA Country : United States, Occupation : military (USAF), Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class, Noha: Americans are taught from an early age that we are virtuous, envied by everyone, and all-powerful. Why else would people from all over the world try so hard to emigrate here? Unfortunately, our Protestant Christian origins, luxurious lifestyle, and powerful military serve to reinforce these beliefs. And since we have had several military successes - including the American Revolutionary War, World Wars I and II, and the Gulf War - some Americans feel it is our destiny to be the reigning world power. I can still remember from my childhood when world maps were designed with the United States placed directly in the middle -- thus slicing the continent of Asia in half! (That's not really done any more.) In the meantime, our entire culture has absorbed the idea that 'we are always good.' And that means that sometimes we go too far in our efforts to do good around the world. More specifically, sometimes our 'leaders' go too far. Noha, I can't tell you that I disagree with the war that Prez Bush is now leading, but I can tell you that his approach has been callous, ill-mannered, arrogant, and narrow-minded. However, as I'm not someone whom the Prez likes to listen to (a San Francisco Democrat), I am in the same position as you. We will both have to wait to see what he does next, and hope too many people aren't hurt.
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Name : jimmy30533, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 37, City : San Francisco, State : CA Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, I am so sick of the liberal left suggesting that 'most Americans' don't agree with the current administration and we are all somehow helpless victims going along on some hellish ride with GWB at the wheel. If that is truely the case, why did the Republican party all but sweep the democrats in the recent november elections. They point to 'peace protests' that claim to have drawn hundreds of thousands. Peace protests, which I might add have produced 2 instances of police horses being beaten by 'pacifists' and another instance where a 9/11 memorial was torn down and desicrated. What they fail to mention is that roughly 89 million Americans did not attend! I am all for peace. However, I would rather have a real peace where we are not expected to put our heads in the sand and pretend that Saddam Hussein is not a ruthless dictator on par with Stalin. And while we are at it let's pretend he doesn't have any weapons of mass destruction. Even the Germans and French know this to be true. They still have the receipts to prove it. To those of you who denounce us so harshly now (including those in this country), we will accept your apology, as usual, when we once again liberate an oppressed country and thier citizens, once again, dance in the streets. And don't worry...as long as there are democrats still holding offcies in this country...I am sure your foreign aid check will be in the mail as scheduled.
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Name : George21667, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Catholic, Age : 31, City : Manchester, State : NH Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, I agree with you for the most part, but I have to object the you saying America is 'creating problems out of nothing'. While I don't believe we should have invaded Iraq I certainly don't think we created a problem out of nothing. Saddaam Hussein was a brutal dictator who oppressed his country, he tortured political dissidents and gassed whole Kurdish cities- that isn't nothing. Invading France because they didn't do what we wanted would have been making something out of nothing.
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Name : peabody19827, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Episcopalian, Age : 22, City : Philadelphia, State : PA Country : United States, Occupation : student, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, With the US being considered by most of the world as a super power, other countries always look to us when in need. Fortunately, we are a rich country and are able to help. Whether it's due to natural disasters (we always send money and people) or due to some type of oppression, we are the first that help is requested from. An example would be certain countries in Africa that were experiencing ethnic cleansing. It just seems to me that if we ignore the cries for help, we're horrible. But if we heed the cries for help, we're warmongers and accused of creating problems out of nothing. Please remember that the places we've stepped into are places that were already experiencing serious unrest and/or murders, rapes, etc. I don't think it's necessarily a matter of being ignorant or overly aggressive. As far as Iraq is concerned, and I do believe the invasion of Iraq is the driving force behind your question, I believe that it began as an emotional reaction and a demand for some type of 'spanking' to punish for the horrors experienced from 9/11. It eventually became a matter of not backing down, which is why I feel we are still there. I don't know how much this helped as it is all just opinion!
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Name : Mary, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Catholic, Age : 35, City : Bradenton, State : FL Country : United States, Occupation : Benefits Services, Education level : Technical School, Social class : Middle class, i dont think this is the case when we have a republican majority and a republican president our foreign policy tends to be take care of home. but there is still the left over from our last president who was a democrate and they tend to think that those who have need to give out of compassion. the problem with this is we tend to help someone then it snowballs and we end up helping everyone. example: when colin powel went to africa and got booed off the stage because we didnt send the president of the us. everyone thinks the aids problem in africa is americas problem to deal with. but this shouldnt be the case. i think we should pull all help from there and other countries so they will have to handle their own problems.
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Name : John29202, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 24, City : Phoenix, State : AZ Country : United States, Occupation : Sales, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, We tried isolationism and it didn't work worth a damn. We tried to stay out of World Wars I and II, but all we accomplished by waiting was fighting a much stronger foe. It seems that no matter what we do, we are criticized, so we might as well do what we feel is right. We are criticized for medling in countries like Somalia and we are criticized because we don't get involved in countries like Rwanda or Sudan. It is particularly irritating when we hear bitching from counties like France. We have spent the last half century trying to clean up the mess they made in their former colonies, not to mention saving their ass in two world wars earlier in the 20th century. I don't expect them to agree with everything we do, but at least have the decency to shut up and stay out of the way.
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Name : Cal23822, Gender : M, City : Lakewood, State : CA Country : United States, It is true that going into difficult regions like the Mid-east has proven to be very controversial. The fact remains : we are where we are. We cannot undo what we have already done. So now what? Well, now we deal with it the best we can. I was reading an article in a business magazine, and it was talking about how America's economic situation is not so different from other countries in Westeren Europe and Asia. Times are changing, and so is the world.
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Name : Casey-Flanigon, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Catholic, Age : 31, City : Peoria, State : IL Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, Though no one has dropped a nuclear bomb, don't forget we were the first to drop the next thing to it.
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Name : Jason20796, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Unitarian, Age : 24, City : Johnson City, State : TN Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 
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