I keep out of the war threads. I'm young, I don't read the newspaper much, I don't know much about the situation, and I've no idea what a liberal is, nor do I care so please don't try to explain! :p

However one thing caught my eye in a thread I found myself reading..

This is the first I've heard of anything like this so thought I'd get some opinions.



Your homework for tonight is to answer these 3 questions FULLY trying to look at BOTH SIDES of the story:

1. Do you think America are the World's Policemen
2. Do you think America should be the World's Policemen, if so/not, why
3. How would this idea seem to the rest of the world that is being 'policed', eg Europe or the Middle East

Please, once you have given your answers, THAT'S IT! Don't post replies and counter-arguments. If you need to do that, you didn't think your answers through well enough!

I'm just trying to gather people's answers to the questions, not retorts or opinions on each other's answers.. I don't want this to turn into another 500-reply thread
Don't post news articles or anything, it's dull.
If it gets boring I'll probably just delete the thread!

good luck

Russ

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1. Do you think America are the World's Policemen
Yes, and we have been ever since the Second World War. Following the end of the war, most of the rest of the world's nations were weak enough that the threat of U.S. intervention (or, in cases such as Korea, the act of intervention) was perceived as the only barrier to being overtaken by the Soviet Union. The leadership of Western European nations in particular were fearful of falling to the same fate as much of Eastern Europe had at the time. Due to this, and due to the fact that the U.S. spearheaded the United Nations and had a personal stake in making it into a credible governmental body, we sort of slipped into the role.

2. Do you think America should be the World's Policemen, if so/not, why
The need certainly existed during the Cold War. After the fall of the Warsaw Pact, the need has become more debatable. Personally, I don't know what would happen if the U.S. retreated from that role, but the only thing I can readily think of is resuming the isolationist policy adapted between the First and Second World Wars, and IMHO that should be avoided. Quite simply, we've meshed outselves way too far into the global scene to be able to pull out without doing a lot of damage. While the world is more stable today than it was during the 1920's and especially during the Depression years, I still can't help but return to looking at that model as an example of the potential consequences of an isolationism policy on the part of the U.S.

So, in essence, yes. If we weren't currently in the position, I'm not sure what I'd think about the idea of the U.S. assuming the job, but we've taken the job and shouldn't leave now.

3. How would this idea seem to the rest of the world that is being 'policed', eg Europe or the Middle East
Due to the communist threat mentioned above, best I can tell, Europe welcomed the U.S. during the Cold War. But, now that the Cold War has been over for more than 10 years, it looks like Europeans are beginning to resent the U.S. influence in their lives. The Middle East, except for Israel, certainly doesn't want us there...but (and I think I'm in the minority on this board) I think we're doing the right thing helping to keep Israel secure.

BTW, some minor things may not be 100% accurate; I typed this up off the top of my head...but the basic concepts are my interpretation of recent history, and I'm sticking to it.

It's an interesting topic but given the stringent rules for participation (discussion not allowed ), I guess I'll pass...

Yeah we are and I am sick of it, let the UN (yeah right) do its job.

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We are not the world's policemen. We are the tool used by the Republican Party, which claims it is doing police work, while it actually is stealing oil and other raw materials from the rest of the world.

Cops on the take.

1. Us used to be the policemen but lost that job in 1991. Since then US has been behaving more like a thug then a policemen. Lack of involvement in Darfur is just the latest example of that. Police are supposed to serve and protect... Right now, US is more like a hulligan then a cop.


:. I may answer the rest of your questions later if that's allowed...

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RedMeat cartoon

I was surprised to read that more people have been killed by far in Sudan than by the tsunami.

Sounds like we're doing the research for your term paper, Russ

ha! no link yet....

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72 W114/M130

RedMeat cartoon

Is America the World's Policemen?

rofl, rofl.... that's great...

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72 W114/M130

RedMeat cartoon

heh. No, it didn't get nearly as complex as this in the Computer Systems Engineering masters degree I've just completed....!

__________________
190E's:
2.5-16v 1990 90,000m Astral Silver
2.0E 8v 1986 107,000m Black 2nd owner
http://www.maylane.demon.co.uk/190esmall.jpghttp://www.maylane.demon.co.uk/190esmall2.jpg

1. I think we do things in our own country's self-interest that people who must have labels distill mindlessly to 'policeman'. It's a dumb title.

2. We should always do things that are in our self-interest and never do anything that is not.

3. I don't care.