Why Do Europeans Hate Bush So Much?

[Anonymous]

I was in Germany a while back. Several women I befriended while there would bring up politics and President Bush. They bluntly told me many Europeans do not respect Americans because we not only voted for Bush the first time, but even the second time. They asked me why. I was dumbfounded at how blunt they were with me. But I think they truly are confused with Americans.

So why do you think he is so hated by most of the world?

[Anonymous]

Because they can see him for what and who he really is. For some reason, many Americans have a harder time with that.

[Anonymous]

Um, how much time do you have? With eight years to recap, this could be a very long post.

[Anonymous]

They are blunt because that is the way they are. The rest of the world is not worried about being PC like we are. Our speech is not quite as free as theirs is.

[Anonymous]

I can say that Italians believe that Bush (and those who share his views, for that matter) is very egocentric and limited in his worldwide views. According to my Italian relatives, they believe that for such a young nation, we've bullied so many countries that are steeped in culture.

Instead of respecting differences, he's tried to "Americanize" the rest of the world. As a result of his actions, we've now alienated most of the world.

This is a very simplistic explanation, I realize. No one is defending acts of terrorism! But think back to 9-11 - how many other countries truly felt our pain. What has since happened to that international support?

With globalization, they believe we should take a more all-inclusive approach b/c the "divide and conquer" theory makes the US appear to be elitist.

[Anonymous]

Three words:
The Iraq War

1) Now the most expensive war in US history with the exception of World War II.

2) Based on a deeply flawed premise -- that Saddam had weapons of mass destruction -- which was shored up by distorted intelligence data that the White House bullied the CIA into providing -- which people knew at the time.

3) Bush's continual and cynical linking of Saddam to 9/11 when there was NO evidence that Iraq was involved AT ALL. Just because he never said Saddam directed the plot doesn't forgive him for continually citing 9/11 and then saying we must invade Iraq so it never happens again. This led many trusting Americans into believing that Saddam was responsible for 9/11, when it was obvious to anyone paying adequate attention that he was not. In Hitler's day, we called that "the big lie."

The real mystery is why Americans have any respect for him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Three words:
The Iraq War

1) Now the most expensive war in US history with the exception of World War II.

2) Based on a deeply flawed premise -- that Saddam had weapons of mass destruction -- which was shored up by distorted intelligence data that the White House bullied the CIA into providing -- which people knew at the time.

3) Bush's continual and cynical linking of Saddam to 9/11 when there was NO evidence that Iraq was involved AT ALL. Just because he never said Saddam directed the plot doesn't forgive him for continually citing 9/11 and then saying we must invade Iraq so it never happens again. This led many trusting Americans into believing that Saddam was responsible for 9/11, when it was obvious to anyone paying adequate attention that he was not. In Hitler's day, we called that "the big lie."

The real mystery is why Americans have any respect for him.

Most don't. Thank God!

[Anonymous]

The pervasiveness of American culture throughout the world is bound to lead to resentment. Apparently, Pakistanis love to watch American reality shows. I can't even imagine what wretched, self-centered idiots they must think we are if they think the housewives of Orange County represent average Americans. I hope it's clear that most Americans are as disgusted by these people's behavior as they are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Three words:
The Iraq War

1) Now the most expensive war in US history with the exception of World War II.

2) Based on a deeply flawed premise -- that Saddam had weapons of mass destruction -- which was shored up by distorted intelligence data that the White House bullied the CIA into providing -- which people knew at the time.

3) Bush's continual and cynical linking of Saddam to 9/11 when there was NO evidence that Iraq was involved AT ALL. Just because he never said Saddam directed the plot doesn't forgive him for continually citing 9/11 and then saying we must invade Iraq so it never happens again. This led many trusting Americans into believing that Saddam was responsible for 9/11, when it was obvious to anyone paying adequate attention that he was not. In Hitler's day, we called that "the big lie."

The real mystery is why Americans have any respect for him.

Most don't. Thank God!

I guess MOST don't, but there is still that 25%-30% approval rating. What in hell are they thinking? Is it just Bush's family members voting multiple times in the same polls to result in this continuous rating?

[Anonymous]

Hey, I don't have a lot of respect either for Americans who voted for Bush the first, and especially the second time either!!

[Anonymous]

I am German and I don't hate Bush. But I don't like him either. I have little to no respect for his politics over the last 8 years, and when he was reelected I was pretty damn close to throwing my greencard away and moving back to Germany. But we made it through it, and now my faith in Americans is restored.

I did not really care about him when he was first elected (didn't know I was gonna end up here) and I don't think many Germans did back then either. But when the hunt for terrorists who had attacked the US on 9/11 suddenly turned into a personal war of "Let's get Saddam instead" it just turned a lot of people off.

[Anonymous]

There are a lot of Europeans that hate America, not just bush, my answer to them is they should love the country that kept them from speaking German.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are a lot of Europeans that hate America, not just bush, my answer to them is they should love the country that kept them from speaking German.

Wow, so do you have a special respect for the French, since without them we would still be a British colony?

I think we cashed in on that WWII debt long ago. It is time for us to be judged by our current behavior as a country and stop trying to live off the reputation earned by the sacrifice of our grandfathers.

[Anonymous]

they hate him because they are mostly exposed to liberal media which hate bush so much too. that is your short answer. i am european, i do not hate bush...but i also do not watch cnn, and do not read washington post. your worldview depends on what info you are getting and from what channels.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:they hate him because they are mostly exposed to liberal media which hate bush so much too. that is your short answer. i am european, i do not hate bush...but i also do not watch cnn, and do not read washington post. your worldview depends on what info you are getting and from what channels.

Okay, so the others watch the liberal media and are influenced by it but are you saying you engage with the non-liberal media and are thinking for yourself -- or just that your views are shaped by the non-liberal media? (That's also assuming that the the WaPo is truly a liberal paper.)

I think a lot of people seek out the media that confirm views they already hold and that is true regardless of whether you are conservative or liberal.