Edward (I think he wrote it) had a valid point. As long as there are people in the majority of the countries of the world fighting tooth and nail to relocate to the U.S., you cannot argue that it is not the most desired place to live.

Now, is the U.S. the best country in the world? As an American, I believe it is. I miss it when I am living or visiting any other country. I miss our rights and our freedoms and our opportunties. I would not live permanently anyplace else. However, most residents of every other European or democratic countries feel the same way about their country. In fact, you will even find people in other counries spouting the same words - their country is the best - while at the same time trying to relocate to the U.S. I met many myself. Go figure. Do we have problems? You bet we do. In some ways, our problems are worse than other locations simply because we are such a large and diverse country - and a young one.

No matter how great this country is, it is rude and even obscene to broadcast the obvious. It is similar to a rich kid broadcasting that he goes to the best school in the world to kids who don't have the same opportunity. What happens to him? Chances are he will meet a 'blanket party.' Those listening will resent it and nitpick any fault they can find with the school and do anything to make him suffer if possible.






>>>You make my point. I'm not saying we're perfect, we just happen to be at the top of the pile. I didn't have anything to do with that, and only by sheer luck was I born here. I am just thankful every day that it happened that way. I think we have a duty to the rest of the world to try to make things better, not worse, but that would be a whole other thread.
>>
>>I would agree the US is at the top of the military-power "pile". But when it comes to measures like Nobel prize winners it is more or less evenly split between the US and Europe for pole position. For the standard-of-living "pile" I think there are a number of European countries that could be argued as #1. For the debt pile the US is #1. So I guess it depends on what "pile" one is measuring. The specific article of this thread was about the military one. I think if you read it through then there is a danger and a caution that the author expresses which is not about Bush but about the spread of militarism in the US which extends back a long way, pre-Bush.
>
>Ok, no argument as to the fact that you have to consider which "pile" you are talking about. One note though, you are comparing all of Europe to the US. Last I checked Europe was a continent, not a county. Of course, there is a move toward unification but, I think they still have sovereign countries.