Of Europeans: Fact and Fiction, Duty and Destiny

[Guest Cancer Marney]

This rightly belongs in the War on Terror thread, but it would quickly get lost in there, so I'm posting it under its own topic.

It's important to remember our role in the world, our responsibilities, and how we're truly seen - not by the loud minority, the sneering armchair pundits of the superannuated European left, but by those who know that, whatever the differences across the Atlantic, at our core we share the same rich philosophical history.

And the same love of truth, liberty, justice, honour, and the American way.

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 

Marney,

 

I'm stopping posting on forums for the time being while i reasses my principles and beliefs, but just wanted to drop a quick line to let you know about the views i came across while backpacking through Italy these last couple of weeks, views which i found to be very interesting indeed.

 

Amongst the people I met from throughout Europe while staying at the hostels, there is huge opposition to a pre-emptive attack on Iraq, that much we knew already. But upon pursuing the debate to its limit, encompassing the ultimate notions of good and evil which both yourself and Dr Tom promote, and which has in the past annoyed me, i found that the majority of right thinking people completely agree with them. Underneath the petty corruptions and hypocricies which come part and parcel with any political animal, people simply accept the fact that at its very core, the United States of America is a great, great institution, 'the last, best hope of mankind' as hyperbole would have it. I have always desperately wanted to believe that the noble, ethical and virtuous elements of world politics could win out over the greed, deception, personal advancement, and self-serving economics which invariably blight it. It seems others do too, and from playing devil's advocate and adopting the pro-U.S. standpoint which i have in the past opposed, it was not hard to tip the balance of intelligent, politically aware people from cynics to flag-waving fanboys. Not hard at all. People want to believe.

 

At almost every conclusion to my discussions with fellow travellers, opposition remained firmly against pre-emptive strikes. What good would it do? What genuine alternative could be offered within such a diseased region which would remain strong long after its inception? How could Islamic countries ever accept a government which would pander to alien notions of western democracy? Nothing lasting could possibly come of it, other than laying a country to waste and producing yet more bitterness to fester and grow from the rubble which remained. What shocked me was the train of thought which followed. Given of the wholeheatrted belief in America's founding ideals and vision of freedom, coupled with a convenient history lesson on the greatness and the lasting civilising impact of Rome, this cross-section believed not that the U.S. should back off, but that they should not fuck around, simply invade Iraq and establish a satellite American government with a strong military presence, remaining there as long as it takes to bring real change to a culture of oppression and misery, and then continue the crusade until the world is free of these diseased regimes which plague it. Liberals would publicly wring their hands, and fuss and fret, while privately glorying in the fact that America had the balls and the motivation to carry their aggrandised War On Terror through to its natural conclusion and simply make the world a better, more democratic, free, safe place, a mission which would undoubtedly be the crowning glory to date of mankind's jounrey in this world, a mission which The U.N. will never have the backbone to implement itself. This blew my mind. With the scarcest touch of coersion and propaganda mixed in which a genuine dose of belief and inspiration, I found people from all walks of life literally gagging for America to defy The U.N. and go for a full on invasion followed by a sustained crusade of righteousness throughout the region. Incredible. Messing around without clear goal or purpose, however, is just seen to be a vague waste of everyone's time. The people of Europe, apparently, want to believe in America's heart and soul, they want America to go all the way and live up to the potential it was created for and seems destined to deliever. And from promoting that line of thinking to people merely as an experiment in reaction, I can wholeheartedly now say that I do too.

 

Anyway, as the poster on the forum for whom I had the most respect, and, from what I could tell, the only poster who may have actual influence, I just thought I'd share these random observations from the downtrodden backstreets of the continent before I go away and have a long, hard think about things. So, God Bless America, I guess, and God bless you and those who share your passion and ideals. If talk becomes action, loyalty is there for the taking.

 

Cheers,

Struan Mackenzie.

[Guest Mystery Eskimo]

I'm glad this was posted; it says my attitude a lot better than I could, really.

 

Here in Britain, there is both support and opposition for an attack on Iraq amongst the people. But I believe, as Deputy wrote, that the liberals opposing action would indeed secretly love to see the U.S. push onwards.

 

I myself am glad that America is setting the pace and keeping it. And I'm proud that Blair is leading Britain alongside you.

 

I'm still not convinced on the worthiness of Bush to be most powerful man on the planet, but he's certainly got a chance to impress now.

 

Hope you come back soon, Deputy.