1 of 1- Goose
- Cogito ergo sum
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- Registered: 1/29/2015
- Posts: 13,427
Through American Eyes
In one sense, this is typical Trump. He blames the current demonstrations in Iran on the Policies of President Obama.
Of course, last month when there were NO demonstrations in Iran, that was Obama's fault as well.
Typical nonsense. Typical Trump.
But, in another way there is nothing new here. Since the Second World War Americans have looked at events all over the world through a lens that attempts to fit those world events into America domestic and partisan politics. This is uniquely American. I can Guarantee that it does not happen in Italy.
If you are a student of history, you might remember the furious Who lost China debate that pitted Republicans against Democrats in the 1950s. This followed the unexpected (By americans at least) victory by Chinese Communists over the Nationalists in 1949. The United States had supported the Nationalists. Their loss was viewed, in Washington, as not a Chinese event, but a defeat of American foreign policy by the communists. In reality, events there were really out of our hands.
But, no one recognized that. In fact, We began to think that any world movement or event was under our control. And, if it didn't go in a way satisfactory to us, then it was the fault of the Democrats or the Republicans, based upon your own tribal affiliation.
This attitude grew out of our tremendous victory in WWII. The US was preeminent among the allies that defeated Japan and Germany. And, our mainland was not a battlefield of that war. Our civilian population was intact, and well-fed. Our Factories, bridges, roads, and ports were standing. Thus, we enjoyed an unprecedented economic dominance as well as a military one.
I think that this dominance has led to hubris, and ignorance.
You cannot truly understand the forces shaping world event by looking at them through the paradigm of American domestic politics. There are aspirations, agendas, religious politics, ancient greivances that you have no clue of.
Of course, many of us only care about world events for the purpose of hurling invective at domestic rivals.
This is dangerous.
Trump Reiterates Support for Iranian Protesters, but Also Criticizes Obama
Excerpted
Mr. Trump himself sought to link the grievances of the Iranian demonstrators to his predecessor’s policies, saying that the corruption of Iran’s leadership had been fueled by the benefits of the nuclear deal negotiated by the Obama administration.
“The people of Iran are finally acting against the brutal and corrupt Iranian regime,” he said in an early-morning tweet. “All of the money that President Obama so foolishly gave them went into terrorism and into their ‘pockets,’” he added, apparently referring to the Iranian funds that were freed up when Iran agreed to constraints on its nuclear program.
Last edited by Goose (1/03/2018 7:25 am)
We live in a time in which decent and otherwise sensible people are surrendering too easily to the hectoring of morons or extremists.