Why does the world really hate the USA

This is not a sarcastic copy of the russian thread but I do ask myself why is it that America is so hated. I mean for me I do see alot of things, but what else does the USA do that another countries dont do.

This is Yahoo Uk vote system that talks about why to hate the USA.
why all the world hate USA?

So it just confuses me, why is it, people vote on it, people talk about it but why, what do you all believe or think now?

Well it depends who you ask. I guarantee you'll hear various contradictory statements. Sometimes from the same person. We are at the same time the worlds greatest solution and the worlds greatest problem. The world believes that their are somethings that only America can do. And when we don't do them the world scratches its head and screams at us for not making the world perfect. No exagerration here. A significant part of the world believes the US alone is the root of all evil in the world a similar portion believes the US has the ability to solve all the worlds problems. And when people don't see their problems being solved they blame the nation that they believe could have and should have solved them.

Even though the US is the figure head of globalization China and the EU are very willing partners but receive comparatively little critcism(despite China's human rights abuses and the EU's outrageous subsidies). America's relationship with Israel is another flashpoint especially in europe and the mid-east. Anti-Americanism runs hand in hand with Anti-Semitism. Several prominent scholars have noticed striking similarities between prejudices and stereotypes now faced by Americans that were previously only associated with Jews and Gypsies.

Much of the world is envious of America. Europhile intellectuals while taking every possible chance to criticize the US envy our national unity and the identity that Americans possess that Europe as a whole lacks. America defines herself by her achievements in peace and in war. While nations such as China and various others(certain balkan nations come to mind)define themselves by ancient glories and historical grudges. America has a relatively short collective memory. We've become cuddly with Vietnam the nation unquestionably responsible for our worst defeat. Older nations maintain anamosity down the generations.

Whilst I am not going to engage fully in this debate (I do not hate America, just disagree with certain foreign policies, as I'm sure many Americans do), I just wanted to query/point out one thing....


Why does criticism of Israel equate to Anti-Semitism? Why is it when Israel is the subject, do people hide behind the banner of anti-semitism?

I think there should be a great distinction between Israel and Judaism. Israel is a country and as such is not immune to international scrutiny or complaints. The Jewish people are all over the world, not just in Israel.

Just because most of Israel is Jewish, it does not mean that when people complain about Israel's actions that we're being anti-semitic, for the exact same reason why when people complain about Iran, their not (on the whole) being anti-Islamic.

There are valid concerns for both parties, but hiding behind the banner of discrimination only serves to irritate those with legitimate complaints and doesn;t address very valid complaints.

I don't think this is a fair question. DOES the world hate the US? AND by the US, what does that mean? The gov't? The people? The system? What exactly?

Originally posted by stumason
Why does criticism of Israel equate to Anti-Semitism? Why is it when Israel is the subject, do people hide behind the banner of anti-semitism?

Did I say that? You can criticize Israel and not be anti-semitic for sure. You can criticize the US and not be anti-american as well. I think anti-semitism used by some pro-israeli groups as a shield. But that doesn't mean that anti-semitism isn't around or even growing. As for whats anti-semitic and whats anti-american would to a degree depend on the point of view of the individual.

Originally posted by stumason
I think there should be a great distinction between Israel and Judaism. Israel is a country and as such is not immune to international scrutiny or complaints. The Jewish people are all over the world, not just in Israel.

Sure and from what I've seen Israel is getting bashed in the world press. And they deserve a fair amount of bashing they're currently receiving(I'm not getting the surgical strike feeling I usually get when the USAF is in action). But I don't think Hezbollah or Hamas is getting nearly what they deserve from the world media.

As far as hating America goes there has always been a bit of disgust with American intervention in the past, but now with the advent of Bushco™ and his cowboy arrogance and just plain kick-ass approach to things, and just the general dis-honesty and ne-er do well goings on, well, I think the world is justified in hating Bushco™ .

The other thing people hate is those who support his regime, not every American, just the Bush Administration and those who are their tools.

People expect better from 'The good ole' USA, but unfortunately, as long as Bushco™ runs the corporation into the ground, from henceforth it will be until further notice, be in peoples minds
'the bad new USA'

And that's a fact Jack!
Sad but true

Has been their support of Israel’s war. Sending Israel aid worth 3 billion dollars a year is an old thing, supporting them over bombing Lebanon (includes airport, power stations, and other ant civilian methods) was a predictable thing. Sending Israel a shipment of weapons (no doubt some of which will be retailed to China in spite of our protests) was a new thing.
Could it be that the U.S is the world’s biggest arms exporter, polluter, invader? Well the invasions are kind of justified by lies, the arms exports are the practice of every country, the pollution just shows those in government don’t really care about the future of mankind (but neither do those in most governments). So it has to be America’s support of Israel which has DemoRep’s clearest finger prints. And when you’re talking about war on terror I reckon Al Qaeda would kind of agree.


[edit on 090705 by Liberal1984]

People the world over probably resent Americans because we are (generally) spoiled beyond belief, clueless, disproportionately wealthy (compared to the average counterpart), hypocritical on many levels, generally ignorant of all other cultures and quick to pull the trigger. In short, Americans seem to be afflicted by the fever which causes us to think the world revolves around us. I would say that's understandable.

The world hates the US goverment not united states it's self, not the people, and who would hurt it's people just to get back at the US goverment are to be condemned, regular bob or regular joe does not take decisions that influences the world, plus america is a nation of emigrants, to hate united states is like hating the world.

Originally posted by EastCoastKid
People the world over probably resent Americans because we are (generally) spoiled beyond belief, clueless, disproportionately wealthy (compared to the average counterpart), hypocritical on many levels, generally ignorant of all other cultures and quick to pull the trigger. In short, Americans seem to be afflicted by the fever which causes us to think the world revolves around us. I would say that's understandable.

I would like to add to this. Pepsi's right. People are angry at our government far more than with we, the people. However, when groups plot to harm the USA, it usually entails average citizens. So, what our government does in our name, does affect us, too.

If people hated the U.S for being rich then wouldn’t they start on the people in their own country first? Hay if true we could be in midst’s of a world about to go through a wave of socialist (even communist) revolutions.
But we aren’t?

When it comes to Americans; at worst you’re a source of amusement, the stereotypical American is fat, cigar smoking, bossy-arrogant and Evangelical. Though bad; this is not a good enough reason to hate someone; more crucially its a great thought to have a laugh over. I know that even in Iran the U.S was once very popular; and with large chunks of the younger generation it still is.
The people who did the terrorist attacks you did it in the hope that you the people would change the government, get it to stop doing some of its pro Israeli funding, arms exports or (in historical terms) near constant export of military action; its hardly like America can say the reverse is true (especially as this is the goal of all terrorism).

What the people in Al Qaeda don’t realise is that their terrorism has done nothing but unite the people around the government; cementing a bond whose foundations are the concrete of fear. It’s for this reason that many people think George Bush and not Al Qaeda was responsible for 9/11.
And it reveals the stupidity-lack of context for this sort of terrorism. And it’s almost a good thing; because if this wasn’t the American peoples action then almost the whole world (apart from the Westernised bits) would be plotting action against you (although arguably that would be almost a good thing because under this analogy you would at least be ridding the world (and yourselves) of the Demo-Rep problem in the long run.

the thread was focus on U.S.A. in general, the people the government and so on, it is a deep question, but I mean anyone can answer it in any which part they want, some of us might just disagree with the government adn others the people and some both or even more.

sorry I was not clear on that statement, thanks for pointing it out.

Why do people hate the U.S.A.? (Meaning the U.S. government and corporations, of course.)

Because:

1. The country is incredibly powerful; and

2. American power is used to implement international policies that serve the selfish interests of American corporations, often to the detriment of foreign peoples (especially those living in countries that aren't powerful enough to resist this).

We support tyrants. (Like Saddam Hussein before he became inconvenient.) We encourage those tyrants to sell us oil and other natural resources cheaply, and to crack down on their own people so our manufacturers can employ dirt-cheap labor.

This is something American citizens seldom see. Go to work for an American corporation inside the United States, and you have a guaranteed minimum wage, overtime pay when worked more than 40 hours a week, unemployment insurance if you get laid off, a guaranteed right to form a union and bargain collectively, the right to family leave time at need, and (by custom rather than law) often health insurance and paid vacation.

But that's not what people living in foreign countries see. Go to work for an American corporation in China or Indonesia or Bangladesh, and you work incredibly long hours for very low pay under dreadful conditions with hardly any rights at all. Your own government enforces policies that see to this -- but it is American power that pressures your government to do it.

As a side note, this trend is why real working-class income has been declining in the U.S. for some 20-odd years.

More on the topic, it's the biggest reason why people hate America. Add in the frequent military interventions, and the support for Israel, and you have a pretty complete picture.