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Now, a legitimate reason would include low crime, high literacy, good economy, high standard of living, etc

Beautiful...

Reactionary, anyone could easily interpret those "reasons" for the top reasons the US is the worst country in the world. Military? A good military is not necessarily the greatest thing in the world. A McDonald's in the midst of a hitherto traditional-looking German village is likewise not good. And I fail to see how movies and American Internet sites back up this "America is the best" attitude.

Now, a legitimate reason would include low crime, high literacy, good economy, high standard of living, etc. And all these things don't apply to the US. The slums in our inner cities are large enough to dwarf some major European cities. And those same inner cities are the source of most of our crimes (case in point: LA). Our economy may be on the mend, but our per capita GNP is no longer the highest in the world. I believe that honor goes to Luxembourg. Sure, we have the most millionares in the world, but that comes at the expense of having so many people who can barely afford food. America is simply not the greatest nation in the world. Yet if you asked me which country was the greatest, I don't think I'd be able to give you an answer.

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Empires invade and annex land. America does not.

You're not stupid enough to not know what I meant.

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Originally posted by CelticNewAger:
All empires fall.

Empires invade and annex land. America does not.

All empires fall.

And read the post below the one you wrote.

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Originally posted by reactionary05:
Physical: This is what we have been talking about. The American military is the best trained, best equipped, and best led the world has ever seen.
Economic: American corporate interests span the globe. McDonalds in Moscow, Coca-Cola in Jerusalem, and Wal-Mart in Beijing.
Cultural: No other countries media extends as far as America's. Hollywood films are seen around the world, the internet is dominated by major sites founded by Americans, & the greatest artists in the world flock to New York.

Riskbreaker, do these no count?

Oh for god's sake, stop looking at America as if it's WAAAAAAAAY up high above everyone else and all the other countries are at its foot. That's not the reality, in fact in some places people live better than in the US.

Note: this intended to everyone who stupidly claims America is the best country on the planet.

America may be great, but its not number one, it is nothing unique to any height of total wonder such as the Roman empire. Infact everything it stands for originated in Europe....democracy is European, liberalism is European, capitalism is European and the concept of Freedom is innately human.

Also what you would judge to be great effects matters. Scandinavian countries run amazing economies, their standars of living are through the roof and their crime rates are low. They don't cause international disputes and keep to themselves. In todays world this is what makes a country great, although i would hate to see the UK in this position it is only because i hate to see a country with such a glorious past on the world stage become so remote and inward. Yet if everybody stopped thinking with their hearts and started thinking with their brains we could all follow small peace loving areas such as Scandinavia and countries such as Switzerland and live a much better life.

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Actually, it's the cover of P's CD. P is the band Johnny Depp is in. It came out in 1995 or something.

there you go, I knew it wasn't a picasso. The colour choice still looks really eighties to me.

To my knowledge, you only gave one, and you gave it in the form of a question, which was not what I was looking for when I asked my question. But what are the other two, if you could be so kind as to enlighten us?

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Originally posted by riskbreaker86:
So i've yet to hear a good example of what makes America so great?

Did I not give you three?

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it's obviously a modern piece you blithering inept. I don't think it's picasso, the colours would be wrong, and the style looks eighties, but it is modern.

Actually, it's the cover of P's CD. P is the band Johnny Depp is in. It came out in 1995 or something.

it's obviously a modern piece you blithering inept. I don't think it's picasso, the colours would be wrong, and the style looks eighties, but it is modern.

QOH what is your avatar? hahaha

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So i've yet to hear a good example of what makes America so great?

I can't think of a good reason why America's so great. But there's no good reason for why any place is so great.

So i've yet to hear a good example of what makes America so great?

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especially in a time of world war.

This isn't a world war.

And all empires fall. History proves that countless times.

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I'm more of a Sun Tzu kinda guy.

and I thought he was uncultured...some of the stuff in that book is totally peposterous.

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Originally posted by clpo13:
I am attempting to argue on your terms here. You obviously won't try to see it my way, so I'm trying to see it your way.

Then I will make a note to debate secularly in our next encounter. But that is true about Jesus, you took his quote out of context. He was not refering to international relations when he made that comment, but rather on talking with other Jews (the Jewish and Christian religions were not seperated for a couple hundred years later).

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True achievement is conquering an area twice the size of the United States with around 50,000 troops armed with bronze weapons as did Alexander the Great. And again, the sole reason America holds sway over the rest of the world is its weapons, and its threat of using them.

America holds sway over other countries because it controls the three branches on the influence tree.
Physical: This is what we have been talking about. The American military is the best trained, best equipped, and best led the world has ever seen.
Economic: American corporate interests span the globe. McDonalds in Moscow, Coca-Cola in Jerusalem, and Wal-Mart in Beijing.
Cultural: No other countries media extends as far as America's. Hollywood films are seen around the world, the internet is dominated by major sites founded by Americans, & the greatest artists in the world flock to New York.

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You should read up on Alexander some time. A fascinating man.

I'm more of a Sun Tzu kinda guy.

quote:

Originally posted by riskbreaker86:
Much like the Vietnam or Korean war. Humiliating campaign on both occaisions.

that is different though. In both those wars, the nations we were fighting against were only a viel for a Chinese-American conflict. Both of these nations are vast powers, and they were duking it out over some rice patties and mud and daub hovels on the beaches.