That just made my evening.

@ OP

There exist so many stereotypes about the people of the US, so I think it's just better to boil them all down. Here's what they come down to for me: materialism, shortsightedness and stupidity. Of course, this isn't the case for every american, far from it, but the ones it is the case for usually get high exposition, so you can't blame the rest of us.

EDIT: Oh, and I'm from Denmark.

Why the fuck are people debating about China when it's about the US of A? Not to mention the Chinese people are as much arrogant and racist as Americans, I'd know, I've seen too many and I'm Chinese lol. Also, the more advanced parts are generally the east coast and some of the southern parts, the mid-west to west sections are generally piles of shit in China, and it's like the country doesn't know what a developed sewer system is because they are so late to the game. I mean shit, they skipped right to cell phones and don't even have proper land lines pulled for the most part lol.

Ah. Wasn't quite sure what you meant there. But yes, the US government was probably not particularly eager to hand control of the canal over to Panama.

Well, sure. And here's where I'll admit that the US has some serious problems. Just look at the elections now, and who could become the next president. Most politicians here are self centered and arrogant. You don't see many good (read: honest) guys get into politics and when they do, they get ripped apart by the jerks. This wouldn't be a problem if people would think for themselves and get involved in politics, but so many people here just don't care. They start paying attention after the two candidates are chosen (I also dislike the two party system we have... it is very limited), and then just choose whoever sounds/looks best. So, to a large extent, it is our fault and I can't blame others for thinking the way they do about the US.

It is also your economic system mate. Politicians may have the best intentions but other agents have more power, for example I do believe Obama wasn't as bad as he turned out he just had to report to powerful capitalists. This ain't a socialist argument, it happens in most of the world, but US corporations are just way too powerful, and in the end they are the ones pulling the strings. I don't really want to go deeper as this is .... a light thread, then I'll just say that you have nice people spoiled by a system (call it economic, politic, social, lol i think the whole structure is fucked up) :)

I think that many of the problems be traced back to the political system. You say that other agents have more power... but they only have that power in the government because they were given that power by the politicians. All of the lobbyists and whatnot in Congress are there because that is an effective method of getting politicians on their side... but the politicians are the one who decide to listen. I'm not saying that nothing is wrong with anything else, but I do think that the solution begins with fixing the government. And I could go into a lot more detail too, but you're right. That's best left for another thread.

China is actually the largest contributor of foreign aid to Africa, surpassing the US in 2008 - but China has always had a history there including funding the construction of railroads back in the 1970's. While US foreign aid is declining, China's is skyrocketing at a rate of nearly 30% per year and will very soon be the largest contributor of foreign aid in entire the world. China also lends out more money than any other country in the world (and only follows Japan in total amounts lent): the US alone owes China 1.4 trillion dollars. During the Mao years, China was also the largest contributor of foreign aid to Eastern European countries and communities.

China gives about half its foreign aid to Africa, while the US gives about half its foreign aid to Israel.

Many Americans also support Libertarianism and laissez faire economy, and don't think the government should give out any foreign aid, or even aid their own people. That's the US for you.

And that's OUR fault?  I must have missed the part where we stared two world wars, a revolution in Russia which led to the realization of communism as a political system, and endless conflicts, mass genocide, and ethnic cleansing in Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe and parts of Asia, just to name a few things that have transpired over the past century.

Yeah I think we need to be so blind...

Its easy to blame America for everything it did wrong but I wonder how history would be different.

Possibile situations could be a evil Japan or a strong evil Germany and Communism still being commonplace in the world.

Americans are misguided, ill informed, brainwashed by the system into fearing their government.
"We trained ourselves to fear our enemies and translated it into a fear of our own government.
We trained ourselves to fear other Americans.
We believe that a crippling political stalemate is somehow a victory.
We are distrustful of the very things that could save us: long-term government funded development of new industries, to replace our military dependence, healthcare that is affordable and available, increasing taxes on the richest.
Instead we deregulate businesses that have proven unworthy of trust, subsidize industries that don't need it but cry foul when the government saves a failing industry.
We are doing it to ourselves. All based on an ideological war that is over. We turned that war into a holy crusade and we still cannot turn away from it. We still distrust each other after the chaos that was the sixties and seventies we are now in danger of losing ourselves."
http://voices.yahoo.com/stalins-revenge-why-america-losing-cold-7899978.html

As an Australian, I think very fondly of the USA. Australia and the US have a lot in common and share most of the same values. I think Australia has joined the US in almost every war they have entered into, and I think it's very important that the US has a big presence in our region now that China is becoming more ambitious. American tourists are always welcome in Australia.

Australia PM Speech to Congress: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqWO1bURJM4

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia%E2%80%93United_States_relations