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The Forum > Article Comments > Exceptionalism: America’s right to rule and order the world > Comments

Exceptionalism: America’s right to rule and order the world : Comments

By John Pilger, published 10/8/2009

President Obama is the embodiment of Americanism: an ideology distinguished by its myths and the denial that it exists.

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I am currently writing a response to Pilger which hopefully will be published On Line opinion if good enough.

The US does deserve some defence as suggested by a couple of comments to Pilger's article which I shall also take up.
Posted by Chris Lewis, Tuesday, 11 August 2009 2:47:13 PM
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Col
With respect, you always manage to reduce issues to right/left wing ideology. It is a legitimate question to ask - does another nation have the right to intervene in the affairs of others under false pretences?

The irony is while you reduce everything in purely ideological terms, the US has often supported corrupt dictatorships and totalitarian regimes with not a skerrick of democracy to be seen.

Venezuela is one example where socialism and democracy have been retained and yet still came under fire from the US who sought to protect their interests. Democracy is the least of the US concerns internationally unless it serves an economic purpose.
Posted by pelican, Tuesday, 11 August 2009 2:56:47 PM
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Pelican “The irony is while you reduce everything in purely ideological terms, the US has often supported corrupt dictatorships and totalitarian regimes with not a skerrick of democracy to be seen.”

Maybe you could identify, from my post on this thread, where I have attempted to defend the position of USA on anything, except the vitriolic and biased attack of an individual who seems to have forgotten about the system which supports his privileged lifestyle.

That I criticize the socialist side of politics is my personal right, regardless of the position of USA.

Even if USA was run by a bunch of corrupt lefties (oh tautology) I would still criticize Pilger as an example of rank hypocrisy.

As for the US support of corrupt regimes.. politics is not a clean game… sometimes the choices are not clear or apparent and not all the cards are laid out for all to see…. Like the corruption at the heart of Venezuela and sometimes it is a simple choice to merely support the lesser of two evils…. Stalin over Hitler for instance.

From my comment I see very little to suggest I have offered support for USA, other than remind some folk of some of the realities of recent history and the lies and despicable attitudes of the left side of politics, against whom I will always protest because, under the style of politics I support, I am allowed to.

Where as, if they (the leftwing swill) ever prevailed I would be denied my right to complain
Posted by Col Rouge, Tuesday, 11 August 2009 4:34:42 PM
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Col
I will always support your right to argue against socialism but, while we read the same article, I could not see the relevance. But fire away by all means.

According to some on OLO we are already under the threat of socialist government with our illustrious PM and your rights to free speech are still preserved.

I think you will find that extreme right wing 'swill' as with all corrupt and extreme regimes would deny you the right of free speech in exactly the same way.
Posted by pelican, Tuesday, 11 August 2009 6:02:07 PM
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Many thanks, SJF, must admit that my analogy is simply from the philosophies of history, as taught in Mature Age studies.

Unfortunately many modernians now tend to sling off at history, saying it's better to look ahead than behind.

But back in the 1930's there came a saying - one thing about motor vehicles, they do have a rear vision mirror, which unfortunately you do not have in a horse-drawn wagon.

Certainly you would think that such modernity would have given even politicians more commonsense but the way the world is going it does not look much like it?

So it seems the more modern we get unfortunately, the less we take lessons from history, just as my grandkids tell me -

Granpa you are just lost in the past!
Posted by bushbred, Tuesday, 11 August 2009 7:23:28 PM
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Col,

How does telling the truth make Pilger a hypocrite?

A hypocrite would be promoting all the good things while knowing them to be false or deliberately avoiding all those things that are bad.

Even Pilger doesn't suggest that only one side of politics is corrupt.

A healthy democracy demands that citizens stay vigilant and expose the truth about their leaders, good and bad.

Maybe taking the money and keeping quiet absolves you of the need for honesty?

Right is right even if nobody's doing it, just as wrong is still wrong even if everybody's doing it.
Posted by rache, Wednesday, 12 August 2009 12:50:41 AM
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