Does the U.S. really have the righ tto impose our democratic way of life on other countries and cultures?

What if we weren't the superpower that we are, and it was another country who ruled by dictatorship. What if they wanted us to convert to their way of life. Wouldn't we battle tooth and nail to oppose their thinking, even employing terrorist tactics? In three thousand years we haven't changed much as far as relationships between countries, tribes go have we? What does everyone think?

Does the U.S. really have the righ tto impose our democratic way of life on other countries and cultures?
Morally, no nation has the right to impose it's will on another.





Militarily, the US has the power to make other nations do as it pleases.





Throughout history, might has usually made right. However, there are usually consequences for enforcing one's will on another nation. In time, nations/empires that impose their will usually collapse because of weakened infrastructure, citizen apathy, and internal rebellion against tyranny.





I'm really confused as to why we(the human race) have not worked to build a better world. I think we're trying, but there are so many man made obstacles in our way that prevent us from building the most human friendly world.





I think we'll get there, or kill ourselves in the process. Keep working to make the world a better place is all I can say.
Reply:I agree, its all a part of manifest destiny, the only reason to crave power is to spread your own idealistics, but what makes people think that you have a right with power?





P.S. The CIA and FBI (and possibly ATP) are now moitering everything we do....
Reply:Well, I don't think it really has anything to do with manifest destiny, since md refers to a time when people believed it was our divine right to own "from sea to shining sea." Since we've already accomplished this, I would call it something else.





It's not such a doomsday senario that everyone makes it out to be. Of course I think it's wrong of us to impose our way of life on people who don't want democracy. Although I completely disagree with the war in Iraq and it's based on a complete fabrication of lies, it is nice to see that some good has come out of it. That is, that some people aren't still being persecuted.





The fact of the matter is that we live in an age where there is a ton of international communication and cooperation. Anything that is done should be considered by our international superpowers. This war would be so much more efficient if there was international support.
Reply:As a non-American (English) I wholeheartedly agree. It's as much our fault I suppose, but over the past forty plus years I have seen the English way of life eroded and a 'little America' substituted. E.g. our country is a mere fraction of the size of the US - we simply don't need a car each to get around, but it seems we have to follow our richer American cousins...





And again - once ours was called 'the mother of Parliaments' and it did have its merits. Gradually though it has become a pale imitation of the US system. Now we're thinking of abandoning wigs and gowns in our courts and introducing trials without jury. Instead of considering the old adage "horses for courses" and building our own future we have been sucked in to accepting and adopting your norms.





Still, at least the other nations in the UK seem (Scotland and Wales especially) to be managing to restore their own culture and democratic systems... In my view though it's not just terrorist tactics but commercial interests and 'special relationships' that have destroyed the traditions and freedoms once enjoyed by your allies as much as among 'enemies'.





I can understand why there are some who regard America as the true 'evil empire'. Most of us love Americans, and the US (as a place) though - its just the system and our unthinking adoption of it we loathe!





Actually I am beginning to realise that I deeply regret that we Brits colonised North America in the first place - probably the worst idea ever! I suppose you're entitled to get your own back - but enough is enough... time to forget world domination; to live and let live and to enjoy diversity while we still have it!
Reply:Open your eyes....allow your brain to control you, just for a minute. We are not imposing a way of life on anyone. In Iraq we are opening the door for local self control. The process is in motion %26amp; far from being finished. Try a few minutes in a history book.....we have been here way less than three thousand years. When using the word "IF" try this. If the queen had balls she'd be king.
Reply:I don't believe the US has any right to impose its standards on another country. The current situation in Iraq is a misguided effort to force our way of life on another culture - democracy has NO place in Islam and never will, so the American effort in Iraq is doomed to failure; similarly, the demands for democratic Palestinian elections backfired when Hamas won the vote, but just because they did not give us the results we wanted does not give us the right to go in and meddle further. Not every culture is like the US or shares our ideals. The US would be a lot better off if it expanded as much energy improving things at home as it does meddling in the affairs of other nations. This would not stop terrorist attacks because other impoverished people would see the wealth and lifestyle of Americans and want to destroy it because if they cannot have it why should we? They never stop to think that they might be able to make a better life for themselves if they did not spend all day, every day, reciting and memorizing verses from the Qur'an. If that's all you do all day then you are bound to be broke and impoverished, and this is the crux of the problem. The way I feel about it is if you want to live your life that way and be broke and have nothing, then go ahead, but don't drag your sorry a.s.s over here and blow up buildings and kill people who do not share your narrow views. THAT is grounds for massive retaliation, and to me the world would loose little if the ignorant, vicious, Qur'an-thumping fanatics were wiped off the face of the earth.
Reply:No! If you are talking about DEMOCRACY then no one have any right at any level to impose anything to anyone. And as far as the American claim to be so called DEMOCRATIC is concerned, it is the only DICTATOR state/country that exists. I know my above statement would annoy a lot of people but, thats true!
Reply:First, if you look at the new Iraq constitution, it is set up on the European model of a Republic and not on the Amreican model.





Second, I am not sure if any of the Middle Eastern countries have enough history of self-government for a Republic to work properly. They would be better off in a Monarchy like Saudi Arabia and Jordan have. BTW, these are the only two countries in the region that have had a stable government for nearly 100 years and both are friendly to the West.





Iran was stable until the Shah was overthrown in the early 1980's, and Jimmy Carter and the then Democrat Congress did more to get him deposed than the Iranian people did, by forcing him to adopt democratic reforms.





Third, the US has the right to keep itself, its citizens, and its allies and their citizens safe from foreign attacks. It's not like we attacked either country without provocation (if Sadam didn't have WMD's then why didn't he let the inspectors do their jobs, personally I think he moved them into Syria), I also think N. Korea and Iran will force us into their countries over their nuclear programs before it's overwith. I am not looking forward to this, but I do not think country will be secure if those countries aquire nuclear weapons.





Fourth, it was a mistake by Clinton to recognize the PLO as anything ligitimate. By allowing Araft the privileges of speaking on behalf of Palestine just like he was a president or prime minister, would be like letting the leader of the Bloods speak on behalf of the citizens of California. He was nothing more than the leader of the most powerful gang in Palestine and an international terrorist. By giving him legitimacy, Clinton opened the door for the PLO and Hamas to become "upstanding" political parties.
Reply:Our form of government is a government, of the people, by the people, for the people1 if properly administered the people have the power. It's not always immediate and it has lots of flaws. Take example the diminutive fat-body down in Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, who has destroyed a democracy and virtually turned it into a dictatorship. This is an example of democracy gone bad, and a citizen population not courageous enough to do anything about it. In the meantime, this dweeb is spreading his cancer throughout the region. The best he can hope for is to make Venezuela another Cuba. Now there's another success story!


In the meantime, if countries expect our support dollars, they can expect political suggestions along with the money.


By the way, this country is only 230 years old, you're off a bit, like 2700 years.