Have Bush's failures in Iraq & elsewhere cost us our superpower status?

[mtnsnake]

I have no doubt that his failure in Iraq has led to so many unstable "lesser" countries like Lebanon, Iran, & North Korea thumbing their noses at us. Israel is no angel either. After all, why should any of them remain intimidated by anyone who can't even win a war against a little "flea" like Iraq. With our military stretched so thin in tiny little Iraq, and with the American people so sick and tired of further war, it looks to me like those countries mentioned are simply taking advantage of the pathetic situation Bush has put us into.

Iraq is a disaster, we're stretched thin in our military....so they've become unafraid of us. Very sad is this tragic journey Bush has taken our country. While the cat's away, the mice will play.

Whether or not Bush has transformed us from the mightiest superpower to just another dangerous player, I'm not sure, but he sure has made the world a much more dangerous place....and all because of a big fat super-lie....and super-greed.

Among all the other things he's at fault for, I also think Bush is directly responsible for the current mid-East crisis between Israel and Lebanon. If neocons can't understand that, then they don't have a clue how much respect we've lost by starting a war in Iraq that we can't finish. Lebanon, Iran, and North Korea are not our friends, nor are they role models for peace, just as Bush and Cheney aren't. However, because of Iraq, etc, we don't scare too many of the bad guys anymore. Only until the neocons realize the damage Bush has caused to our superpower status and to our "respect", only then will they turn on him for good.

So, has Bush cost us our superpower status or not? Are countries who used to "respect" our power no longer intimidated by us because of our failed efforts during Bush's reign?

[JDPriestly]

1. Yes. It's just a matter of time until some other superpower takes

over. Respect has to be earned. We earned the respect of the world. Bush lost it.

The Supreme Court lost it by deciding the 2000 election in his favor instead of affirming the choice of the majority of voters -- Al Gore.

[mtnsnake]

10. One thing sure does lead to another, doesn't it

It's sad how things have worked out and it's ironic how the big bad cowboy has made himself the puny little laughing stock of the world and given cowboys a bad name everywhere.

[MADem]

2. We still have the superpower status, but instead of being regarded

like SUPERMAN on the world stage, who stood up for truth, justice and the American way, we are now regarded as more of a surly, drunken, stumbling, rage-filled, distracted Lex Luther....shhhh, don't piss him off, he's CRAAAAAAAZY.....but still DANGEROUS....

[mtnsnake]

3. But even Bush's fanatical looking personna hasn't worked

His cowboy machoism going into Iraq has made him into the laughing stock of the unstable world. The "little" guys aren't scared of us anymore just because they think Bush is a fanatic.

[Toots]

4. We still possess the power to blow up the world a hundred times over

But we lost the respect that America once had. America once was an admired nation that stood for decency and good will. Now we are known for torture and indifference to suffering. We have become "The Ugly American"

[mtnsnake]

7. Absolutely, but Bush's failure in Iraq has made the fanatics bolder

It seems to me like they're perfectly willing now, after seeing how impotent Bush's war strategy is, to throw caution to the wind.

[MrBenchley]

5. Nixon said during Viet Nam that the US was

"a pitiful helpless giant"...which at the time was just a reflection of Nixon's peculiar mind. Today, Chimpy's actually made that come true.

We have a huge nuclear arsenal we cannot use without destroying ourselves as well....and meanwhile pipsqueaks like North Korea and Iran run wild, because we have no allies and no military capable of dealing with them. We don't even have enough National Guard left to have more than a photo-op at home when we try to confront penniless Mexican border-crossers.

[mtnsnake]

8. Exactly

We have a huge nuclear arsenal we cannot use without destroying ourselves as well....and meanwhile pipsqueaks like North Korea and Iran run wild, because we have no allies and no military capable of dealing with them.

Spot on, MrB. Those "pipsqueaks" aren't nearly as afraid of us, after seeing how we can't win in Iraq, as they were 6 years ago.

[MrBenchley]

12. And the public cowardice of young Republicans

is a fitting symbol of the failure of Republican defense policy.

[leesa]

6. Being a superpower is not a good thing anyhow. We are survivng on

smoke and mirrors and have been for a long time because of our massive debt. We still have lots of war toys, but if the outside world decides to cut off our fuel sources we would be defanged pretty quickly. We have earned our current place.

[Cha]

9. It's gettin' there..

That's the price of an American coup that allowed the damaged son of an ex-president to steal the white house..Karma's gonna get ya.

[gulliver]

11. I think so.

There have been huge losses to our country in every category since this Bush Disaster struck. Our rivals, including China, Russia, and even radical Islamism are full of joy at the sight of our failure, disgrace, and habitual debt under Bush. Troublemakers have free reign under President Bumbling Asshole.

The neocon leadership of the GOP knows full well how much damage their boneheaded president and their boneheaded ideas have caused America. They know Bush has lost us our place in the world. They know they are themselves to blame. They just won't recognize it publicly. But they know.