Non-US Citizens: Does your country fear Bush?

[BedKnobbery2]

This is inspired by an off-shoot discussion in the 9/11 thread, and I'm curious about non-US citizen input.

Do you feel your country fears Bush, in a way favorable to the US? As in, he's such a strong, capable leader that he inspires other countries to fear his leadership?

My admittedly limited experience with non-US citizens leads me to believe no; but I'm truly curious about what you think.

And I realize, too, that American politics is not as of much interest to you as it is to those of us who live here.....but thought I'd ask anyway.

Thanks in advance for your input!

 

[GEM]

Originally posted by BedKnobbery2
. . . he inspires other countries to fear his leadership?

Hmmm . . . he definately inspires me to fear his leadership . . .

I'm a citizen, though. Does that count??

 

[CEDmom]

Originally posted by GEM
Hmmm . . . he definately inspires me to fear his leadership . . .

I'm a citizen, though. Does that count??

Gem,

LOL, I was going to say the same thing.

 

[Mskanga]

Spain doesn't fear his leadership, they fear that if he starts something in other countries, Spain is going to find herself in the middle of it.

 

[damo]

Most of the people I know think he is insane and that someone like that with the power he has is actually quite terrifying. They feel that nothing good is going to come of his leadership but actually quite the opposite.

 

[beattyfamily]

Wow, another President Bush-bashing thread... Do we really need yet another?

Since other US 'citizens' replied, I figured I would too.

I fear what will happen to our wonderful country if, God forbid, Kerry wins...oh the horror.

 

[AirForceRocks]

I'm with you, beattyfamily...

And until citizens of other countries are able to vote in our elections, I don't really care whether they like whom we choose or not. Just like I don't care who leads Britain, France, Germany, Spain, Canada, Mexico, etc. It truly makes no difference to me. Their country, their choice.

 

[faithinkarma]

And I realize, too, that American politics is not as of much interest to you as it is to those of us who live here.....but thought I'd ask anyway.

I think you may be mistaken about this. One of the first things I noticed when I moved here was the shortage of international news. For the most part, unless an American is involved in a news story that happens outside the US, it gets little if any coverage.

I don't mean to offend, it is just the way it is. And my point is that the rest of the world knows much more about Americans than Americans know about them.

And I agree with damo that president Bush is percieved as dangerous.

Wow, another President Bush-bashing thread

I don't believe this was intended to be bashing thread. Someone asked a legitimate question about how other people felt. The " bashing " could hardly have been predicted.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Most of the people I know realize that the true power of the government in the United States resides with Congress, and therefore and in turn, the people, where it belongs. It may take political process to change whatever needs to be changed (I'm not saying anything needs changing), but that's the way things work here.

 

[GEM]

Hmmm . . . . Just for clarificatin, then, AirForceRocks . . . .

You would have had no problem with Hittler leading Germany . . .

or with Kadafi leading Libya . . . .

or with Sadam leading Iraq . . .

OK. I apologize because I know this has nothing to do with the op's question. I was just honestly confused by the statement about not caring who leads any other countries.

 

[faithinkarma]

And until citizens of other countries are able to vote in our elections, I don't really care whether they like whom we choose or not.

I'm sorry, and what does someone else's not caring have to do with anything? There are lots of threads that do not interest me. I simply don't read them, and I certainly don't have any urge to enter and say that I don't care.

 

[AirForceRocks]

The " bashing " could hardly have been predicted.

You're kidding, right?

You would have had no problem with Hittler leading Germany . . .

I wouldn't have had a problem with it until it became obvious, as it soon did, that his leadership consisted of murdering his own citizens and trying to take over the world. At that point, it became an issue for the rest of the world.

or with Kadafi leading Libya . . .

Was he elected by the Libyan people in real elections?

or with Sadam leading Iraq . . .

Was he elected by the Iraqi people in real elections?

If Khadafi and Hussein were in fact elected in free elections, then no, like Hitler, their leadership would have been of no interest to me, right up until the point they began trying to take over their neighbors or in act in some other way that is threatening to the world.

 

[AirForceRocks]

Originally posted by faithinkarma
I'm sorry, and what does someone else's not caring have to do with anything? There are lots of threads that do not interest me. I simply don't read them, and I certainly don't have any urge to enter and say that I don't care.

If this thread didn't interest me, I wouldn't have responded. I didn't say that I didn't care about the thread, I said that I don't care whether citizens of other countries don't like our leaders. Unless they want to come here, become citizens and vote, their opinions are totally irrelevant to me.

 

[BibbidiBobbidiBOO]

I'm with beattyfamily on this one. TERRIFIED of Kerry. And may God be with us should he get elected.

 

[CEDmom]

Originally posted by faithinkarma
I think you may be mistaken about this. One of the first things I noticed when I moved here was the shortage of international news. For the most part, unless an American is involved in a news story that happens outside the US, it gets little if any coverage.

I don't mean to offend, it is just the way it is. And my point is that the rest of the world knows much more about Americans than Americans know about them.

You're right on the mark with this. I think it is one of the reason for much of the anti-american frenzy that is going on throughout the world.

 

[Planogirl]

I'm interested in what happens in other parts of the world but then I look at the world as a global place whose interactions affect us. I also have friends and family in other places and of course, I care about what happens to them.

As for Bush and Kerry, I won't comment. But I would like to know why Kerry is slammed so often. I don't know enough about him (yet) and wonder why some people assume that he would do or not do certain things.

 

[BedKnobbery2]

Thank you, faithinkarma; I did not intend this as a bashing thread, as was implied, but rather was truly curious. I'm not a Bush supporter, nor do I hide that fact, but I wondered about this topic. I tried to keep my question as non-inflammatory as possible.

I hope we do get some non-US respondants here, so far I can't tell if there have been any, based on the locations of the posters.

 

[adamak]

I live in this country, but my family and friends are back home in Asia. There is definitely a "concern" there, not as much a "fear" of Bush. It's the arrogance that people are concerned about. When Bush said "you're with us or you're against us", that was quite uncomfortable to my fellow friends. And when I heard that FBI rounded up hundreds of muslims and denied them access to lawyers, that worried me. Not a very American way IMHO.

 

[AirForceRocks]

When Bush said "you're with us or you're against us", that was quite uncomfortable to my fellow friends.

I've heard this same sentiment before, and it seems ridiculous to me. Why would that make anyone uncomfortable? I mean really, there are only two sides in the war against terrorism - with terrorists or against terrorists. If there is another side, I'd really love for someone to tell me what it is...

 

[Princess Aurora45]

People in the UK dont fear him, they think he is a really idot (sp?). Me on the other hand think he has done well considering everything he has been up against. It must be tough, it isn't a job I would like.

Obviously I am not talking about the whole of the UK.