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I do worry that American culture brain washes children at an early age to consider America superior in all respects to other countries. Can you see English children clasping their hand to their heart and swearing 'God Bless Britain'? I think this attitude is at the very core the way American people and American politics interact with the world. I also think that history has taught us that no matter how strong a nation or empire becomes, eventually it collapses.
Roy Matthews, UK
I think that America's nose has grown too long and they insist on sticking it into place where it doesn't belong. Did they bother to ask the Iraqi people if they wanted 'liberating' ? Of course not - President Bush firmly believes that his opinion is the only one that has any validity and that America should rule the world. The real problem is that they are too much more powerful than anyone else and no-one is strong enough to say no.
Steve, U.K.
I think that America really was once the one land of freedom, but I think most Americans don't realize that the a lot of the rest of the world has caught up, and in many ways surpassed the original...And really, what kind of a democracy is a two party system?
Eric P, London, UK
The USA is great in terms of resources and productivity, and has contributed much to art as well as technology. However, US policy seems to presume that the powerful are always right (because they have God on their side, apparently) and is often blind to the plight of the weak. This has been consistently seen in US foreign policy and trade agreements, as well as in domestic problems with ghettos, the death sentence, 'Christian' fundamentalism and some forms of racism. What stops the US being truly great is the failure to recognise its weaknesses - this makes all their global policing look like hypocrisy.
Heather, UK
I regard America as a land of contradictions. Founded as the 'land of the free' where it is 'held to be self evident that all men are born equal', slavery continued long after the British Empire had abolished it. It trumpets a democracy which is so dominated by money and corporate interest that conservatism is the default state. It is proud of its anti-imperialist ideology yet it faced down the Soviet Union in what was a conflict between Empires in all but name. America is no different than Britain before it; some noble intentions, some real achievements but an imperial power nonetheless.
Roger, UK
The US is the biggest threat to everyones way of life. They are imposing GM Crops on us, they are imposing "justice" on the world by dropping bombs on innocent people. What right to the Americans have to interfere in any country but their own. They have used the Veto more than any other security council member. They pollute more than anyone else. They refuse to ratify Kyoto and refuse to join the ICC. In my opinion the rest of the world should kick the USA out of the UN and leave them on their own.
Dave, UK
Liberty schmiberty. There is a con-artist woven into every thread of the fabric of American society. Banks, the government, employers, and insurance companies pursue everyone's purse from birth to death. No wonder this culture is so hollow and the people so broken. The entities that demand our servitude are crushing us. S.U.V.s, guns, and plastic surgery. Mentally ill indigents living on the sidewalks in their own urine. What is that stench? I reckon it's the smell of greed.
Fred Martich, USA
Home of junk food? Yes. Land of the free? Sorry, no - try saying anything against Iraq-war! The greatest American was President Lincoln. The best contribution of America is "Technology" and the worst is "Misuse of technology"!
Dr. Saroj K. Das, India
I think that the USA need to realise that their way is not the only way.
CB, Ireland
Love it or hate it, America represents the current zenith of mankind's ongoing struggle to live free of the dictates and whims of rulers and despots.
Chris, US
Chris, US: Do you really believe that that is what the US stands for? The US has never meddled so blatantly with the affairs of other nations and its people as it is doing now. What ever happened to self determination? Or is it self determination in accordance to US foreign policy?
Alfred, Spain
Bully.
Akanksha, United Arab Emirates
I'm a patriot American. I see that our country has been taken over at the highest levels of federal government by dictatorial power hungry world rulers and the American people are like sheep. They are too shallow to care much less recognize this fact. Our constitution means nothing to the federal government. We are no different than the communist or 1950`s and 60`s.
Kirk Cramer, USA
No nation has ever killed so many through its policies, or crushed freedom to such an extent. A world without America would be a paradise indeed. All the wars and violence are caused by America's domination. No righteous person can feel anything but blind rage at them.
Khamal Khan, London, England
America is the bully of the world.
Ekrem Sarac, Turkey
What do I think of America? I'm going to Canada to ask for political asylum!
Ian Kenney, Missouri, USA
A superpower that one day will destroy itself like all the superpowers before them.
Adi, Malaysia
As others have noted, the historical American achievements especially their constitution and bill of rights have been icons of inspiration to many dreamers around the world. That was then and this is now... In the same way that the German people can not be held accountable ad infinitum for the crimes of their forefathers, then USA can not be congratulated ad infinitum for the achievements of their forefathers without looking at who currently in power creating tomorrow's reputation for them... Wake up USA, save yourselves and in doing so you will save the rest of us... you were once Great...
AG, France
As a non-American I recently discovered that what I think makes no difference whatsoever.
Annika, Russia
To the citizens of the world: Please do not group all Americans in the same class. Not everyone supports the deleterious rule of George W. Everyone must realize that we Americans are no more homogeneous than, say, the Brits, the French or the Germans. We have many different people who all feel differently about the world and about the conditions under which we live. It is not the "Americans" who pose a threat to the world. Rather it is the American government. Thanks!
Eric Spears, USA
So, what do YOU think of America? Is it really becoming the world's bully? Is it hypocritical? Is it becoming the new Soviet Union?