Harold Pinter speaks up. Is he right?

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Harold Pinter in this address, explains why the US is not liked or trusted very much around the world.

All the talk about 'birthday of democracy' or 'champion of liberty and justice' does not hide the embarrassing truth about US foreign policies.

The article is long and the first part is not very interesting, but it turns into a passionate accusation.

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Harold Pinter, British playwright and this year's Nobel Literature prize winner, on Wednesday delivered a searing attack on US foreign policy.
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excerpts:
You have to hand it to America. It has exercised a quite clinical manipulation of power worldwide while masquerading as a force for universal good. It's a brilliant, even witty, highly successful act of hypnosis.
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I put to you that the United States is without doubt the greatest show on the road.
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http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/0,1518,389251,00.html

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detano inipo

I've read his speach, detano inipo, and totally agree with what he has to say. Ugly times we live in, hey?

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Of course he won the nobel prize ... he hates the US. That's the first requirement for real consideration, isn't it?

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I doubt it.

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Seems like it to me.

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Of course he won the nobel prize ... he hates the US. That's the first requirement for real consideration, isn't it?

Not really. They gave the Nobel Peace Prize to Kissinger, that was a joke. If they are anti-American, they don't show it.

It will be difficult to prove Pinter wrong, his argument is quite compelling.

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Ticomaya wrote:

Seems like it to me.

Well of course it does, tico. You've wrapped your noggin in a coat of laquered patriotism as thick as any 1930s fatherland-loving German or any Koran-worshipping Muslim. You're a believer. Ain't nuthin comin down the pike gonna shake your faith that god set up house in Dodge City.

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Quote:

As every single person here knows, the justification for the invasion of Iraq was that Saddam Hussein possessed a highly dangerous body of weapons of mass destruction, some of which could be fired in 45 minutes, bringing about appalling devastation. We were assured that was true. It was not true. We were told that Iraq had a relationship with Al Quaeda and shared responsibility for the atrocity in New York of September 11th 2001. We were assured that this was true. It was not true. We were told that Iraq threatened the security of the world. We were assured it was true. It was not true.

The truth is something entirely different. The truth is to do with how the United States understands its role in the world and how it chooses to embody it.

That's a fine analysis. By fine, I mean perceptive and reflecting what is true.

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Ticomaya wrote:

Of course he won the nobel prize ... he hates the US. That's the first requirement for real consideration, isn't it?

It's heartbreaking to see such a nice guy indulge in such obviously wrong statements...

Why is that someone who criticizes the policy of the government of the USA, automatically hates America?

It's beyond me...

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francis

Tico is a nice guy. I think most everyone in our community fits that description too (I've met some 30 and disliked only one, but he was not cruel nor malicious nor insane, just an ass).

And that's true of my experience with all Americans and all people. I've bumped into very little cruelty or malice anywhere. I absolutely love the people of New York.

But many americans swim inside a set of mythologies about their country and do not - cannot - perceive realities which do not correspond with those mythologies. A fundamental element in that set of mythologies is that negative evaluations or serious criticism of America MUST BE wrong and MUST BE driven by irrational hate. That notion allows the others to remain in place because it gives permission to not bother actually looking. It fosters precisely the complacency which Pinter speaks of.

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Thank you for you insight, Blatham, I sensed something was up...

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francis

When I compose a post here, I set out with the goal of writing something which everyone else already knows but using only words and phrases found in the manual that came with my refrigerator.

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Francis wrote:

Ticomaya wrote:
Of course he won the nobel prize ... he hates the US. That's the first requirement for real consideration, isn't it?

It's heartbreaking to see such a nice guy indulge in such obviously wrong statements...

Why is that someone who criticizes the policy of the government of the USA, automatically hates America?

It's beyond me...

I'll accept your recharacterization of the requirements to win the prize: The first requirement is you must criticize the policy of the government of the USA.

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So, Tico, in your hilarious contention (you are never far from the idiotic when you start playing word games in order to avoid substance), how do you explain the award of a Peace Prize to Theodore Roosevelt, or to James Earl Carter?

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blatham wrote:

Tico is a nice guy.

I don't think you should be making wild and unsubstantiated statements like this willy-nilly, Mr. Mountie.

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Every complaint Pinter has for the US could be applied to Britain before 1915. Hegemons get all the benefits but they also have to do the dirty work. As the US benefited from Britain's primacy in the 19th century, Britain benefited from the primacy of the US in the 20th century and neither as much to complain about.

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This person, makes the same, tired argument that every other Bushwacker has been trying to make.

I discount him as just another "flake" looking for headlines and bashing the US to get them.

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I'm sure he will personally be shattered to learn as much . . .

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Setanta wrote:

I'm sure he will personally be shattered to learn as much . . .

I doubt it. He cares as much for my opinion of him as I do of his opinion.

And each carry the same weight.......NONE!!!

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You're half right . . .

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Harold Pinter speaks up. Is he right?

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