Re: Listen to the Aussie
Hmmm,
I've been about a bit. I spent six years resident in the Middle East and traveled once to Ireland, to Africa, a couple of times to Oman, and twice to the Philippines.
I have never felt any sort of seething anti-Americanism. In fact, a buddy of mine tells me immediately after 9/11 the students (in Dubai) were saddened and it was Euros and Soviet Canuckistanis who were telling him the USA deserved it.
The only time I detected any sort of rage/resentment over the USA was mostly when Israel was in the news in some sort of big way.
The taxi drivers who were mostly Bathanis aka Pashtuns and most of them seemed at least friendly if not openly admiring of the USA. However, I have heard stories that some of the taxi drivers are open Taliban supporters and I have heard stories about fares cutting their rides short to get out of a clearly hostile environment. Also, people told me of an area around Muscat where most people who were not Shiite best not go to.
Still, given those stories I think the idea the world hates the USA is overblown and is not so up and down as the Democrats are trying to make us think. If one looks closely one can find lots of resentment and gall being directed to the USA during the Clinton years.
I've been about a bit. I spent six years resident in the Middle East and traveled once to Ireland, to Africa, a couple of times to Oman, and twice to the Philippines.
I have never felt any sort of seething anti-Americanism. In fact, a buddy of mine tells me immediately after 9/11 the students (in Dubai) were saddened and it was Euros and Soviet Canuckistanis who were telling him the USA deserved it.
The only time I detected any sort of rage/resentment over the USA was mostly when Israel was in the news in some sort of big way.
The taxi drivers who were mostly Bathanis aka Pashtuns and most of them seemed at least friendly if not openly admiring of the USA. However, I have heard stories that some of the taxi drivers are open Taliban supporters and I have heard stories about fares cutting their rides short to get out of a clearly hostile environment. Also, people told me of an area around Muscat where most people who were not Shiite best not go to.
Still, given those stories I think the idea the world hates the USA is overblown and is not so up and down as the Democrats are trying to make us think. If one looks closely one can find lots of resentment and gall being directed to the USA during the Clinton years.
posted by Marcus Aurelius @ 9:10 PM
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