The Arrogance and Ignorance of Blaming the USA for Everything

I'm sure everyone here has seen countless examples of ANY and ALL world events/situations being blamed on the US. Isis? Of course the US created/funded it! AIDS? Of course it was the US! Seriously, every single last negative event that has ever happened since the US gained superpower status has been blamed on the US by certain types of people.

For people outside the US blaming them for all the world's ills, it's a nice convenient exterior boogeyman to blame all your problems on. It's a way to release yourself, your countrymen and women, and your whole nation from any sort of responsibility. Because after all, it's all the US's fault. There's no arguing that plenty of people around the world have been personally and negatively effected by the actions of the US, although the same can also be said for Russia, China, Japan, really ANY nation with any global importance. You have global reach, you can and will hurt people globally.

But for people inside the US who hold it responsible for everything in the world, it's a display of extreme arrogance, the same type of "American Arrogance" these types claim to hate. To blame the US for everything says that nobody else in the world is real, nobody else has their own goals, ambition, drive, or evil desires. Everybody else is so meek and worthless they couldn't possibly have any sort of effect on the world. If something important happens, it can only be the actions of the US, because the US is the only important nation on the planet, naturally.

The ISIS situation is a perfect example. The boards are clogged with one line posts of people expressing (with varying degrees of wit) that ISIS is a creation of the US. The US is known for funding various nefarious groups so it's not impossible. But did Saudi Arabia ever enter into these people's minds? Saudi Arabia is a very wealthy regional power. They have their own goals, and their own ends they would like to see met. One of their goals happens to be destroying their religious rivals. While it's reasonable to consider the US as being behind ISIS, it's at LEAST as reasonable to suggest they are funded by SA. Yet mention of SA is few and far between compared to the number of folks rambling on about how the magical US has it's fingers up the butt of ISIS.

I'm not making a statement about the ISIS situation one way or the other, it's just an example to show how so many people just immediately jump to blaming the US for literally EVERYTHING that happens ANYWHERE. Even earthquakes, floods, etc are now the fault of the US and it's supposed ability own the weather on this planet.

My point is, the people blaming the US for everything are insulting everyone else in the world. They are saying that nobody else has the ability to effect this world other than the US. Instead of educating themselves about things (like sunni vs shiite) that may give them better perspective on a situation, they take the lazy, ignorant, and arrogant way out of simply throwing the blame at the feet of the US.

Do the people of the mid east not have any of their own plans or wants? Are they all just one dimensional characters, not real people or something? Or are they all bumbling idiots that can't figure out how to tie their shoes? Because that's the implication when blaming everything on the US, that nobody else is capable of behaving as a real actor in the real world and can't have any real effect. Because the truth is, the people in the mid east are real people. They have their own lives, their own weaknesses, their own evil acts. They do things because THEY want to do them, they care about things because it's important to them.

Implying the US commands the actions of everybody in the mid east seems incredibly insulting, to imply nothing they do is of their own will or choice. They are all just avatars sitting around playing someone else's game. That isn't the case. The French funded the US during it's revolution, do these people think that the revolution was a plot orchestrated by the French? That all the colonists were just sitting around until the french came along and told them what to do?

Anyone see what I'm getting at?

I live in the US and even I blame us for most of the crap that happens in the world. It wasn't always that way, but with the current Government and enslavement of the population we pretty much are the problem.

Well it's either blame the US or Bush and Bush has to get a break every now and then.

Blaming others is something all humans are very adept at. It's one of the very first things we learn how to do as children and we spend the rest of our lives perfecting it. All people in all countries are guilty of it in some form or another and the US gets the brunt of it because we do interject ourselves into every little thing that occurs regardless of where it occurs. We make ourselves a target. The easiest target will always be picked and we are indeed an easy target.

Some of it we deserve and some of it we don't.

I'm not really sure what we could do to correct it, but we could start by minding our own business. If we could accomplish that for a while, people would be forced to find another piñata.

We helped make the bed, now we get to sleep in it until things change.

your government made your bed....

now lay on it.....sleep tight....a reply to: James1982

originally posted by: Kangaruex4Ewe
Well it's either blame the US or Bush and Bush has to get a break every now and then.

Blaming others is something all humans are very adept at. It's one of the very first things we learn how to do as children and we spend the rest of our lives perfecting it. All people in all countries are guilty of it in some form or another and the US gets the brunt of it because we do interject ourselves into every little thing that occurs regardless of where it occurs. We make ourselves a target. Does that make it right? No. But the easiest target will always be picked and we are indeed an easy target.

Some of it we deserve and some of it we don't.

I'm not really sure what we could do to correct it, but we could start by minding our own business. If we could accomplish that for a while, people would be forced to find another piñata.

We helped make the bed, now we get to sleep in it until things change.

It's not about blaming others, it's about what it truly means if the US is responsible for everything that happens, it means the US is the only nation on the planet with the ability to effect the world. That simply isn't true, at all.

originally posted by: tri-lobe-1
your government made your bed....

now lie in it.....a reply to: James1982

I make my own bed, thank you, and I'm not currently tired.

a reply to: James1982

No, it's not true. But perception is unfortunately reality for most.

You have to remember what other countries see on their news. Drones killing women and children, torture, etc. that's what they see. That's all they know. Until those higher up give a damn about changing perception, I am afraid we are stuck in this rut. It's not fair by any means most of the time, but there's not a lot we can do.

It's also an easy out for most and that doesn't help the situation. I understand what you are saying... I just don't think it will be rectified any time soon sadly enough.

originally posted by: Metallicus
I live in the US and even I blame us for most of the crap that happens in the world. It wasn't always that way, but with the current Government and enslavement of the population we pretty much are the problem.

"the problem"

What is that? Do you mean "violence in the middle east" Because if so, the middle east was a violent place before any European set foot on American shores to give rise to the US, so the US can't be the cause of that. Want to talk about recent issues? OK. Russia played just as hard in the ME as we did, possibly even harder. They get a pass because their empire fell apart and they lose their vassal states? They are still playing, you know. Russia was very used to the idea of Muslim extremists white it was nothing more than a plot device in action movies here in the US.

The US needs to leave the world alone. I agree. But that's because it will make America stronger, not the world better.. We step back from the world stage, someone else will come in and be just as bad, if not worse than us. Then quickly the world forgets about big bad America and now they all hate whoever the new kid on the block is (my money's on China)

You don't believe that powerful wealthy people with a strong hatred for another group would seek to destroy the other group, without the US being involved? It's just an impossible scenario without the US causing it somehow, because nobody else wants to kill anyone, or hold power over anyone?

a reply to: Kangaruex4Ewe

Acting like the federal government represents America is the biggest tragedy of all.

I get sick of getting boxed in by "holier than thou" types who infer I am somehow guilty by association. Trashing my country, it's history and my heritage with some BS political spin. As if we are the damned devil; evil incarnate.

I can tell you with complete certainty; the bunch of foolish and selfish imbeciles that "rule" on Capitol Hill do not represent me; nor the American people. I am weary; the blame game has taken its toll. I see my country led by ignorance and persecuted by the ignorant. An ironic state of affairs manifested indiscriminately.

Minding our own business sounds like a good start. Let's start with each other....

a reply to: James1982

Is it actually wrong to blame the US government when they are conducting covert opperations by aiding ISIS as they did in Joran in 2012? The US had two camps in Jordan where they trained ISIS fractions.

Is it wrong to blame the US when they create false information for the soul purpose of going to war With Iraq?

Do you know what it means when a US presiden tell the world that the US will do anything to fight for US interests around the world? Does that sound like pease to you?

a reply to: TiedDestructor

I get it. Seriously. You don't know how many times I sit and hope that those outside of the US somehow KNOW that the recent decisions/invasions (fill in your soup d'jour) etc. was made purely by those in office and not the actual citizens. I cringe wondering what those (who don't realize that) must be thinking of our entire population.

I would like to distance myself from our government the way the kids distance themselves from creepy Uncle Buck during holiday get togethers. You know... the one nobody wants to claim.

I do think most understand that, and I am glad for it. But I know there has to be many that do not and that is embarrassing and tragic at the same time IMO.

For those that do understand, you then have to wonder what they think about us for allowing these people to continue to be voted in term after term. What kind of citizens keep voting these people in then sit idly by while they do what they do?

Either way you look at it.... We are definitely poorly represented to the rest of the world currently. And while this isn't the first time, the stakes somehow seem higher.

I don't want anyone speaking up for me that has any kind of tie to Washington for sure. They wouldn't even be in my top 1 million choices for who I would put on my resume as a reference for sure.

a reply to: James1982
Actually....
All of the worlds problems are because of the US......
Well as long as you don't travel so far down the rabbit hole as to find AIPAC that is.
But yeah, we have some enablers here.

a reply to: James1982

We can blame the entire world for all I care but when it comes down to it, the USA made up lies to invade Iraq, Democracy is non-existent in Iraq and the Iraqi people would be better off under Saddam's dictatorship which was also funded and armed by the USA.

At the same time I'm from Australia and we are also to blame because we followed the USA and England into Iraq. This isn't just about the USA. Though the USA may of been the initial instigators when it comes to Iraq, many countries have contributed to the issues in the Middle East and equally deserve condemnation for what has transpired over the last decade.

a reply to: James1982

I'd argue that the people who dont consider the US as a suspect are the ones being ignorant.

I started to say that maybe the US wasnt as involved 60, 70 years ago but I had to stop myself.

Even then they were overthrowing democratically elected governments and installing dictators, Operation Ajax Iran 1953 and CIA United Fruit Company in Guatemala 1954 come to mind.

But it goes further back than that. As Major General Smedley Butler said in his expose, War is a Racket:

I spent 33 years and four months in active military service and during that period I spent most of my time as a high class muscle man for Big Business, for Wall Street and the bankers. In short, I was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism.

I helped make Mexico and especially Tampico safe for American oil interests in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. I helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefit of Wall Street. I helped purify Nicaragua for the International Banking House of Brown Brothers in 1902–1912. I brought light to the Dominican Republic for the American sugar interests in 1916. I helped make Honduras right for the American fruit companies in 1903. In China in 1927 I helped see to it that Standard Oil went on its way unmolested.

Looking back on it, I might have given Al Capone a few hints. The best he could do was to operate his racket in three districts. I operated on three continents.

And its not as though the US has scaled back operations. We occupy (have military bases in) more nations and are spending even more money on war profiteering.

Its hard to imagine an event anywhere in the World that the US isnt involved in or at MINIMUM, is aware of.

The Middle East? Forget about it. The ME is 100% US run with isreal and the Military Industrial Complex pulling the strings. Of-course the UK and NATO play their parts but to a lesser degree.

And to answer your question, of-course they're bumbling idiots. They cant complete a single operation without the USA's, CIA's, FBI's help/planning.

Even at the HEIGHT of their power, the 1991 ground "war" in Iraq lasted 100 hours. ONE HUNDRED HOURS. It was a slaughter, crimes against humanity.

They are a complete joke, why is why its so laughable when I see educated Americans buying into the "threat" of the Moslem boogeyman.

originally posted by: gladtobehere
The Middle East? Forget about it. Thats 100% US run with isreal and the Military Industrial Complex pulling the strings. Of-course the UK and NATO play their parts but to a lesser degree.

To be honest, I think it is this type of blinkered comment the OP is on about. If you knew anything about the Middle East you would know how wrong this statement was. Think it through. If Israel was running the show they would not be in the parlous position they are in.

Regards

a reply to: paraphi

Wrong, where?

Everything I stated was historical fact from the US overthrowing governments in the ME to installing dictators (Operation Ajax, Saddam, Mubarak etc.) to creating Al-CIAeda to invading and attacking Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan, drone bombing Yemen, Pakistan to having dozens of military bases etc.

Israel is in peril? From whom? Where? When? In peril from the Palestinians who launch home made firecrackers over a 50 foot wall?

Israel who has 500 nukes (at minimum) and the most modern US military hardware and tax payer funds.

Who knew that reality was still so elusive in this day and age...

They only have themselves to blame. Probs time they denounced their centre of the universe throne!

I get all my news about America from this very site...ATS...
I read the opinions of the American members who are much more informed about their country than I am...

a lot of the times it aint good news....its dam right depressing to be honest...
there appears to be a lot of hate and anger in America.....just look at all the derogatory terms that Americans use to describe the people that their bitching about.....their own countrymen and women....truly hateful..

everything in America seems to be at the extremes....lots of violence, corruption and dog eat dog mentality....

all the above is what I get from the postings of the American members on this site....so maybe it's the American members on this site that are giving your country a bad name along with the overseas actions of your fellow countrymen and women.

I've visited quiet a few different countries and have a broadmind.....but i'll never visit your country...it sounds horrible...
I'm sure it has a lot of natural beauty....but it's not the sort of place that I care to experience....

so thankyou American members of ATS for you opinions of your bestest country in the whole wide world....

a reply to: James1982

Well, we have been meddling in other nations business since the end of WW2. Perhaps you should google all the dictators we set up with money and guns since then. We are responsible for not letting this religious war play out a long time ago. We are responsible for believing in nation building and trying to shove democracy down religious zealots throats.

And now the "arrogant and ignorant" american has bondaged their children to war debt the rest of their lives. We will learn humility when we lose all we had for foreign soil and oil.

a reply to: gladtobehere

No, you said the Middle East is 100% run by the US and Israel, which it is not. You are lost in your negativity of the US and Israel to understand and appreciate the geopolitics of it all and that different parts of the Muslim world, split down denominational lines, like to kill each other. This has been going on for centuries and would be going on regardless of actual or perceived interference by the US, UK, Russia, China or any number of nations who involve themselves in ME affairs.

Also, a word of advice. You call Muslims "Moslems". You may think it clever to use an alternative spelling, but according to a Muslim chap at work it is often considered as an insulting, or derogatory way to spell Muslim, which is why it has fallen out of common use.

Regards