Krugman: America's Lost Respect

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/01/opinion/01krugman.html?hp=&pagewanted=print&position=

As a result of the American military," President Bush declared last week, "the Taliban is no longer in existence."

It's unclear whether Mr. Bush misspoke, or whether he really is that clueless. But his claim was in keeping with his re-election strategy, demonstrated once again in last night's debate: a president who has done immense damage to America's position in the world hopes to brazen it out by claiming that failure is success.

Three years ago, the United States was both feared and respected: feared because of its military supremacy, respected because of its traditional commitment to democracy and the rule of law.

Since then, Iraq has demonstrated the limits of American military power, and has tied up much of that power in a grinding guerrilla war. This has emboldened regimes that pose a real threat. Three years ago, would North Korea have felt so free to trumpet its conversion of fuel rods into bombs?

But even more important is the loss of respect. After the official rationales for the Iraq war proved false, and after America failed to make good on its promise to foster democracy in either Afghanistan or Iraq - and, not least, after Abu Ghraib - the world no longer believes that we are the good guys.

[stopbush]

1. Spectacular column. You beat me to it by 2 minutes.

Everyone should take a debate break and read it.

[Dudley_DUright]

2. Good advice, I will do so right now

[gottaB]

3. "extraordinary rendition"

Why are Republicans supporting the torture provision? Has torture become popular?

[ixion]

4. neocons have made barbarianism fashionable

which I find disgusting. :puke:

[gottaB]

6. well, who needs a bunch of chichi barbarians

They need to be called out. I just can't believe that this is widely popular.

[bogey18]

5. Neocons like to think of themselves as realists

and the rest of us as sort of goofy, out of the loop idealists. They think it takes a Saddam to beat a Saddam - that if we aren't willing to wield our power for violence and destructio we will be overrun by those who are willing.

The thought of doing something simply because it is the right thing to do, of taking the moral high ground, of pursuing policies that should truly benefit all people in the long run (such as leadership on the issue of global warming)instead of short term policies that benefit the few, are concepts as foreign to them as mercy and kindness are to a rattlesnake.