Britons see US as vulgar empire builder

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Britons see US as vulgar empire builder

By Ben Fenton
(Filed: 03/07/2006)

Britons have never had such a low opinion of the leadership of the United States, a YouGov poll shows.

As Americans prepare to celebrate the 230th anniversary of their independence tomorrow, the poll found that only 12 per cent of Britons trust them to act wisely on the global stage. This is half the number who had faith in the Vietnam-scarred White House of 1975.

Most Britons see America as a cruel, vulgar, arrogant society, riven by class and racism, crime-ridden, obsessed with money and led by an incompetent hypocrite.

American troops are failing either to win "hearts and minds" in Iraq or bring democracy to that country.

More than two-thirds who offered an opinion said America is essentially an imperial power seeking world domination. And 81 per cent of those who took a view said President George W Bush hypocritically championed democracy as a cover for the pursuit of American self-interests.

A spokesman for the American embassy said that the poll's findings were contradicted by its own surveys.

"We question the judgment of anyone who asserts the world would be a better place with Saddam still terrorizing his own nation and threatening people well beyond Iraq's borders.

'With respect to the poll's assertions about American society, we bear some of the blame for not successfully communicating America's extraordinary dynamism.

'But frankly, so do you [the British press].'

telegraph

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What about the leadership of Britain? Are they happy about it? Laughing

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Quote:

President George W Bush hypocritically championed democracy as a cover for the pursuit of American self-interests

As a Brit, I share this view.

I also see him as an "incompetent hypocrite" but realise that this is not true of all Americans.

I share the anxiety of my American friends who await a change in president - anyone but that man (or his cronies Rumsfeld, Cheney, etc.) Rolling Eyes

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We have a good oral health program in America though. perhaps those polled were suffering from some sort of abcess, or maybe they missed chewing meat and were bitter about that.

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McGentrix or maybe...

We have an incompetent hypocrite in the Whitehouse ? Laughing

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McGentrix wrote:

We have a good oral health program in America though. perhaps those polled were suffering from some sort of abcess, or maybe they missed chewing meat and were bitter about that.

Oh, the old ones are always the best Laughing

Don't tell me, without the US...

wir wuerden alle Deutsch sprechen! Nicht wahr? Laughing

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McGentrix wrote:

We have a good oral health program in America though. perhaps those polled were suffering from some sort of abcess, or maybe they missed chewing meat and were bitter about that.

Ha! What would you know about chewing proper meat?

Do you want fries with that?

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Lord Ellpus wrote:

McGentrix wrote:
We have a good oral health program in America though. perhaps those polled were suffering from some sort of abcess, or maybe they missed chewing meat and were bitter about that.

Ha! What would you know about chewing proper meat?

Do you want fries with that?

Don't you mean chips?

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It's true, I haven't had a good piece of mutton for ages.

Is there a link to the poll questions? Or do Britons accept such wordy conclusions from patently biased writers without the raw data? I don't, despite my distraction with grubbing for money, whopping minorites over the head, being robbed, and practicing obscenities.

I wonder if these fellow got asked:

http://www.charleston.net/stories/?newsID=95262&section=editorials

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American polls about the president and his administration, are meaningless. So why should we regard popularity polls of our President and policies as having even that much value?

BTW, it is a truism that all governments adopt and follow policies that they believe to be in the best interests of their country and themselves. We shouldn't need a poll taken of football fans to know that. GB has an enviable record for standing firm for principles, even when her population might want an easy way out. Britain is a firm friend of the United States, and of the humanistic values we share. I might be worried if France suddenly wanted to be our friend again and Britain "cut and ran". The World Upside Down, indeed!

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This poll is rubbish on the whole, I think.

Well, apart from the "disliking Bush" parts.

Even then, half of the people taking part probably thought that particular question referred to intimate shaving habits.

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Quote:

Most Britons see America as a cruel, vulgar, arrogant society, riven by class and racism, crime-ridden, obsessed with money and led by an incompetent hypocrite.

This from a country that still honors the monarchy,and has a "House of Lords" to help set policy?

A country that seems to live,eat,and sleep every little thing the monarchy does.
Didnt the Brits make a big deal about the Queens 80th birthday?
Why do that,if class doesnt matter?

Why was there such a big deal when Chuck and Di got married?
You would have thoought it was on international importance that they got married.

When the Brits have a truly classless society,when the Brits get rid of the Monarchy,the nobility,the house of lords,and all of the trappings that go along with that archaic system,then they can preach to another country about "class".

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Bushie and Blair conspired to lie the world into war in Iraq. That was cruel, vulgar, arrogant and reason enough for both men to rot to death in prison. Instead Bushie and Blair have used fear to lead their countries into police states.

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Asherman wrote:

. . . GB has an enviable record for standing firm for principles . . . .

And what principles are you talking about? The principle that he may imprison people indefinitely and torture detainees in violation of the law? The principle that he may spy on American citizens without judicial oversight in violation of the law? The principle that news reporters ought to be thrown in jail for informing the public about his misconduct?

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Debra_Law wrote:

Asherman wrote:
. . . GB has an enviable record for standing firm for principles . . . .

And what principles are you talking about? The principle that he may imprison people indefinitely and torture detainees in violation of the law? The principle that he may spy on American citizens without judicial oversight in violation of the law? The principle that news reporters ought to be thrown in jail for informing the public about his misconduct?

Boy, it sure sounds bad when you add so much hyperbole. I guess that is the effect you intended, right? To make the talking points simple and egregious?

It's terrorists, not "people" that are being held, no one has been tortured under any officially sanctioned orders from the President. Terrorists have been spied on as the "terrorist surviellence" program has been intended with legallity, and to my knowledge, no reporters have been put in jail.

Huh. When you remove the hyperbole, looks like the President and the administration is looking after the welfare of the American citizens, as he should be.

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Crap. I thought this was to be a fun thread.

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The Brits are just mad cause we're better vulgar empire builders that they were.

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Actually, I meant Great Britain in that sentence, not George Bush. I would have thought that evident from the context of the paragraph. Silly me.

What lies did the President and Prime Minister conspire at? A lie is to knowingly speak an un-truth. Can you show where either of these two world leaders knowingly told an untruth to justify taking long overdue action against one of Southwest Asias worst dictarors?

I really doubt that the administration has the least interest in secretly monitoring the private words of most American citizens. On the other hand, I hope they are doing a really great job of watching those few who are working to destroy the nation and kill our people. To aid and abet the enemy during times of war has traditionally been a capitol offense, and I really doubt whether Maj. Andre' was "read his rights" before being hung for his complicity in the treason of General Arnold. Had Arnold been captured, I further doubt that Washington would have hesitated hanging him too in very short order. Betray your country and suffer the consequences ... and that applies in every country, though here we only lock them up for a few years.

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edgarblythe wrote:

Crap. I thought this was to be a fun thread.

Lol!

It is extremely worrying to me because I find myself in some amused agreement with MM. Given that I was in agreement with O'Bill the other day, I can only suspect that I am in the grip of a terminal illness.

But, sort of semi-seriously, this sort of poll, while clearly nonsensical, does make me wonder if the teaching of serious history has become as non-existent in the UK as it seems to be here?

I really do wonder how many of the polled were seriously aware of Britain's imperialist history?

The class thing makes me wonder a lot about the poll questions.

I know it is as hard to "see" our own culture as to see the air we breathe, but surely the Brits should blush to criticise another country re class discrimination?

I dunno...I know the barriers are breaking down in the UK, while, it seems to me, they rise in Oz and the USA (I see Oz, eg., as heading for a permanent, if permeable, generational under class as we speak) but to foreign eyes the UK is certainly still very class ridden...much more so than Oz, Canada and the US, at least.

I doubt they are jealous because the USA is a BETTER vulgar empire builder than they, but perhaps they are because the USA is a CONTEMPORARY vulgar empire builder.

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Britons see US as vulgar empire builder

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