Hi Walter,

Actually, the US Navy was first on the scene for a lot of the tsunami victims and the federal government came in shortly thereafter. I dunno if you remember, but former Presidents Bush and Clinton joined up and spearheaded a monster relief effort. Furthermore, the USGS spent millions upgrading warning systems and helping Pacific Rim nations improve their reponsiveness.

Imperialism? Uh, hello, what? This must be a definition of imperialism new to me. Do you want to compare America's role in the development of the Phillipines with ... sayyy ... the Dutch East Indies, oh, I'm sorry, Indonesia. Or Dutch Guiana ... whoops again ... Suriname.

I'll grant you Katrina. That was a mess at all levels of government. The Dutch (and others) helped out because they are our allies and offered.

I'll also agree that a majority of Americans are culturally ignorant of the rest of the world.

I honestly don't know what drives European resentment of America. Seems to me we've spent a lot of time, money, and lives revitalizing Europe over the past 100 years.

>>Perry, it seems to me that it "scares" you anytime anyone does anything to protect this country.
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>What does invading iraq have to do with protecting this country, other than economical matters. It is all about imperialism.
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>>Let me remind you of something: America is the greatest force for good in the world. Period. When an earthquake strikes or other disaster we are the first on the ground to help.
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>Hmmmm, I remember the tsunami at xmas 2005 (?).... Your country certain was not quick to provide a massive amount of help. I remember that bush waited a long time to promise a relative low amount for help.
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>And what about in your own country in new orleans. Why were there foreign forces (like the dutch) needed in New orleans to help out. And what about the very slow recovery?
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>>The conservatives you whine and moan about would be the first to arms and first to fight should fascism or military takeover ever threaten this country. What would you do? Cry?
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>Yet look at what they do to their own country. Are you saying that democracy and peace was improved the last 8 years ?
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>>You just don't understand, do you? Read the Federalist Papers. Read history. Read something, for God's sake, rather than being the simpering, weak-kneed, self-hating person posts like this make you out to be.
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>John, it only takes a critical look arround. If you go arround the world and look at how people look at your country and the way they live, you might get a better understanding. Too many americans are living in a bubble believing that the american way of living, culture and economy is the world standard. There is a whole world outside of the US that has a total different view on those matters.
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>I don't hope for the american people that the euro is going to overtake the dollar as the worlds trading currency, because then the US will really have to do something about their trade deficiency in stead of just printing billions of additional dollars. The US will not be able to pay anything anymore and certainly will lose its role as superpower. Its fate is in the hands of asian and middle east countries. If the OPEC is going to decide to use the euro for their transactions.....