I don’t see why you should care about “standing up for freedom” if your definition of freedom is “not caring what other people think”. Tracking down Osama is looking out for your own interests, and can as such be justified, but if it is done in interest of the world’s freedom, you must care about what other people think. Or if you don’t, at least discard the whole “saving the world’s butt” attitude.

America didn’t interfere during WWI, when the world desperately needed help. They interfered in WWII but only when they were first attacked. I can hardly call this heroism, even if their intererence helped end WWII. Prior to WWI they were isolationist, looking out for only their own needs. And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.

Sadly, there is a lot of anti-Americanism outside the US. If any of you have travelled, you have probably encountered it. Though you may not be concerned one way or the other, not all of us feel that way.

Incredibly, after the 2004 election, some self-loathing American lefties posted images of themselves holding the word “sorry”.

you poor slob, it is the feeding of the rest of the world and accomdating them that has depleted your wealth. the best thing in the world for your 401K is to cut the umbilical cord to the ‘rest of the world’. Letting the ‘rest of the world’ in (mainly mexico and asians) is exactly why America is headed toward 3rd world status now.

They need us, not the other way around. If you understood that, you would probably be the boss

Wow, this sums up what was wrong with the Bush administration very well, and so succinctly too.

Who gives a hell what the rest of the world thinks. Classic. Just a popularity contest really.

Don’t have time to explain the merits of diplomacy on a social and moral perspective.

But from an economic point of view, in the age of globalization we truly need a president that cares what the rest of the world thinks. Isolationism seals our doors and our fate.

In a global equities market, what the rest of the world thinks about us influences everything from the value of our dollar to the value of our 401k.

Embrace the future.

- Jimbo

That is exactly what freedom means, you are free to make a choice regardless of what others think. You are also free to live with the results of your decision, good or bad.
Having been to some 34 countries around the world, I can definitely say I don’t care what they want us to do. If they don’t care what I want them to do, that’s their own business.
As for “fair”, when has life ever been fair? Mine never has. Fair is what losers cry about when the winner is walking away with the prize.

Is that really what freedom means? I can think of plenty of things other people want me to do or tell me to do that I have to do, unless I want to lose my job or get arrested.

Having said that, I guess if we Americans don’t care what the rest of the world wants us to do, then the rest of the world shouldn’t have to care what Americans want them to do. Doesn’t that seem fair?

Not really, the thing about freedom is that you don’t have to do what other people want. Do I get asked my feelings when other countries elect their leaders? Until I do, I really could care less who they want elected as my leader.

How do you stand up for freedom in the world if you don’t care what anyone in the world thinks about us? Isn’t there a basic contradiction there?