Can someone please explain to me why it is, that whenever this kind of thread comes up, there is always someone who implies that America is 'taking over the world' and their actions are responsible for most of its problems?
I thought that was the job of the terrorists. Alan, all due respect to you, it is obvious from the standard of your posts that you are an intelligent person. However, although 'labor' is spelt that way in the USA, it does not mean that you are obliged to spell it that way in Australasia or the UK. I really consider that those kinds of 'digs' are a little out of order. I really don't believe that people in America look upon Australasia or the UK as 'under the American thumb.' Most people here look upon those people as their closest friends in the world, who generally stick together through thick and thin. You should hear how they speak about the French!
America has become the most powerful nation the world has ever known. They have managed to do this without widespread colonisation as all the previous great powers of the world did, including, may I say, England.:engsmil: I know that Britain was the last great power and I suppose many people there feel that power has been usurped by America, but they didn't come over, conquer us and beat us into submission. I am also aware that Americans are inclined to be insular and many of them are unaware just how the other half of the world live and how living standards have dropped in other countries, including the UK. They are not to blame for it though, that has been handled very capably by the many Borough Councils such as Hyndburn and successive poor economic strategies by governments of both parties. America fought the 2nd. world war alongside her closest alies and together we were victorious. If you look at the two defeated countries, Germany and Japan, I'm sure you'll agree that they're doing very well indeed within the grand scheme of things. I'm very sure we would not have done so well if the wars had gone the other way against those powers. This says more about our countries than any rhetoric spouted by today's detractors and/or terrorists. We English-speaking nations (I use the term loosely)
are very much the same kind of people with the same kind of goals, hopes and fears. I would like to think that most people in Australasia and the UK look upon the American people as their friends, because that is certainly how you are looked upon here. I have a great love for both the UK and America and am truly saddened when I feel any sourness brought to the relationship.
We are never going to put the world to rights, but together, perhaps we can keep our own houses in some kind of order and attempt to preserve our individual ways of life, which, despite some differences, are very similar.
Yours in friendship,