All
In my experience, US culture, society and politics has the best and worst of everything. I am yet to hear any of the US media ask WHY this tragedy has happened, and ask what the US has done to deserve this.
The US is not beyond reproach in this, both internally and externally which, by saying so, may be an afront to US patriotism. People suffer and benefit from different cultural, societial and political regimes. Some regimes produce more suffering/benefit than others. The lack of decent social support structures while there is flagrant displays of excessive wealth will produce people that are disenfranchised with the system. The cultural concept of the "American Dream", if not achieved (or provided by someone else) will produce people that are disenfranchised with the system. (Oklahoma City and Columbine are some examples of the results). My own personal severe mugging in San Francisco (robbery was the motive) which left me unconscious, and hospitalised with a fractured foot, 10 facial fractures and severe head gashes is another example of the results. A society where crack cocaine is a five minute cab ride away.
Internal US politics survives on and craves the need for a common enemy. There is nothing like the provision of an "enemy" (perceived or real) to polarise the vote in your favour, and cloud/lessen the more important volatile internal political issues that can lose elections. (Australia is also not immune to this philosophy). Recent events will further polarise the US vote now, by the provision of this additional enemy, to the benefit of the political incumbent.
To me, US foreign policy is selective at the best of times, and is certainly not innocent in it's support of political regimes that engage in terror and genocide. The recent terror campaigns in Aceh and genocide in East Timor by the Indonesian military come to mind. (10’s of thousands killed) Indonesia is the largest muslim country in the world (210 million people). There is more US military stationed in Indonesia, than the entire Australian armed forces. All this by a government supported militarily and politically by the US and by a government that provides the US with the facilities for strategic, financial and commercial influence in the region, in return for assistance and support with political dominance (and the turn of a blind eye). A government whose recently deposed president sought refuge in the United States under the guise of “medical treatment” immediately upon being deposed. A president who was responsible for that country’s military activities. The genocide in East Timor occurred because the peoples of East Timor did not support the Indonesian Government. I doubt whether many Americans even know where Aceh or East Timor is.
Others that come to mind are US support of the Sandinista in Nicaragua, intervention in Grenada, and remember, the US support of the Taliban during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in the first place, only to leave behind political regimes that were as bad as the ones deposed, with the only difference now being Nicaragua’s support of the US government (militarily and economically) and in the case of Afgahnistan and Grenada, to kick the commie can.. Even the CIA has been implicated (though not proven) in the downfall of the Australian left wing government in 1975, because it was the government’s policy to require Australian access and knowledge of activities of Australian based US military facilities that are strategic to the US influence in the Asian region.
The ability to have an opinion, state that opinion, and vote accordingly without fear of retribution, or censorship are principles of life I value and cherish. I will support any political regime that values these principles, and will support those political regimes with the ability and determination to provide these principles for all the people.. However I will not support a regime where that regime acts only on the basis of internal commercial, financial, political, or military motives as the reason for intervention/non-intervention in world affairs. The US is guilty of both these modes of operation. I support the US in her current determination to weed out and eradicate terrorism but this must not be done on a selective basis, and also must be done where US political, military, or commercial interests may be compromised.
The best weapon any democracy has is the vote. With a country such as the US, with it's capability to influence world affairs (be it strategically, financially, politically, militarily or humanitarianly motivated), it shocks me that only around 50% of people actually participate in the US democratic system. (ie vote). In Australia, it is compulsory to attend the polling booth for all three levels of government (local, state & federal) at election time.
I, as a non American citizen, cannot have a say in the matters of the US, or in the actions that will be taken. I must place my trust and faith in the US to do what is necessary. I do urge all US citizens to become more politically aware, and use all the facilities available to your democracy to influence your government to do what it right for the world, not just the US.
More than 100 Australians are listed as killed or missing in these latest acts of terror. This far outranks any single event of disaster involving Australians (both here and overseas) in peace times, including fire, earthquake, plane/train crash, the lot.
The Australian Government has pledged all the support it can provide to the US in this time of crisis, and I do support the support of the Australian Government. However I will be using all the democratic processes available to me to ensure my government’s support is provided on the basis of the best interests of the world, and not just the US.
The price of freedom is eternal vigilance