America needs a world image makeover

[ahurtt]

I've been hearing on the news lately how Bush has tasked Condoleeza Rice with being America's makeover artist. Do you think there is really anything that can be done to improve America's current image in the world or do you think people who have decided it is hip and cool to hate / bash America have already made up their minds? Is this a thankless task to be charged with? Will anything we do actually work or will we end up making ourselves look insincere and make things worse in the process? What are some people's suggestions about what, if anything, we can do that would actually work to change people's minds for the better about America? Should we just sit back and stoically accept all the pokes and jabs from the rest of the world and hope that people will eventually forget their ill feelings once all this Iraq mess blows over years down the road? No matter what you do, you will always make some people happy and tick off others so should this be something we actively pursue trying to change? Do I ask too many questions? Discuss. . .

 

[conjur]

It's all smoke and mirrors. Now Karen Hughes has been added to the mix to help repair the PR damage the Iraqi invasion has caused.

Bush screwed the pooch, imo.

 

[StageLeft]

Honestly, until bush is out of office the US will not be seen in much of a better light in the rest of the world.

 

[Darkhawk28]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
Honestly, until bush is out of office the US will not be seen in much of a better light in the rest of the world.

I'll have to agree with that. The rest of the world opened its arms after 9/11, but Bush really alienated everybody with his "cowboy" mentality.

 

[ahurtt]

Originally posted by: Darkhawk28

Originally posted by: Skoorb
Honestly, until bush is out of office the US will not be seen in much of a better light in the rest of the world.

I'll have to agree with that. The rest of the world opened its arms after 9/11, but Bush really alienated everybody with his "cowboy" mentality.

Yeah it really is a shame that many people in the world seem to think that George W. Bush is a synonym for America. What saddens me more is that we made it tha way by electing him twice.

 

[DealMonkey]

Karen Hughes is a freaking joke. Why haven't they considered, oh I don't know, an ARAB for the job?!? Christ, do I seriously have to do all of the heavy thinking for this administration?

 

[ahurtt]

Originally posted by: DealMonkey
Karen Hughes is a freaking joke. Why haven't they considered, oh I don't know, an ARAB for the job?!? Christ, do I seriously have to do all of the heavy thinking for this administration?

Would the Arab people really respect what an Arab working for the US gov't had to say or just see that person as a puppet and assassinate him / her. Kind of like the way the insurgents in Iraq see the "new Iraq" administration as puppets of America? How could you put an Arab in this job and avoid them being labeled a "sell out?"

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: ahurtt

Originally posted by: Darkhawk28

Originally posted by: Skoorb
Honestly, until bush is out of office the US will not be seen in much of a better light in the rest of the world.

I'll have to agree with that. The rest of the world opened its arms after 9/11, but Bush really alienated everybody with his "cowboy" mentality.

Yeah it really is a shame that many people in the world seem to think that George W. Bush is a synonym for America. What saddens me more is that we made it tha way by electing him twice.

Yeah, I think the second electing of him did show people that "YES, this is the guy who represents us. We didn't screw up with the first one." If the US elects a democrat next time, it will help, but I feel that if kerry was elected this last time it would have really wiped the slate clean. I'm not saying kerry was the best, but from a PR perspective he sure was.

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: ahurtt

Originally posted by: DealMonkey
Karen Hughes is a freaking joke. Why haven't they considered, oh I don't know, an ARAB for the job?!? Christ, do I seriously have to do all of the heavy thinking for this administration?

Would the Arab people really respect what an Arab working for the US gov't had to say or just see that person as a puppet and assassinate him / her. Kind of like the way the insurgents in Iraq see the "new Iraq" administration as puppets of America? How could you put an Arab in this job and avoid them being labeled a "sell out?"

Hell, condie and powell are just the white man's puppet, so I'm sure that an arab working in this capacity would receive no better welcome. It would be seen as disingenuous, quite likely.

 

[ahurtt]

Originally posted by: Skoorb

Originally posted by: ahurtt

Originally posted by: DealMonkey
Karen Hughes is a freaking joke. Why haven't they considered, oh I don't know, an ARAB for the job?!? Christ, do I seriously have to do all of the heavy thinking for this administration?

Would the Arab people really respect what an Arab working for the US gov't had to say or just see that person as a puppet and assassinate him / her. Kind of like the way the insurgents in Iraq see the "new Iraq" administration as puppets of America? How could you put an Arab in this job and avoid them being labeled a "sell out?"

Hell, condie and powell are just the white man's puppet, so I'm sure that an arab working in this capacity would receive no better welcome. It would be seen as disingenuous, quite likely.

Yeah I find it kinda interesting too how Bush decided to "outsource" the job rather than taking a more active roll in it personally himself. Just asking somebody else to clean up his mess is uncool. . .I suppose is totally dumbfounded about how to do it so he makes it somebody else's problem.

 

[Phokus]

Start by firing rice and bush. America's popularity points will instantly double.

 

[Kibbo]

I think that America's international reputation is actually improving.

It'll be a slow climb, but it's coming.

 

[Stunt]

Originally posted by: Kibbo
I think that America's international reputation is actually improving.

It'll be a slow climb, but it's coming.

Improving from mid bush term?, end of clinton's term?
There is no way to guage American reputation...unless you can justify your reasoning?

 

[Kibbo]

Oh, I meant from the post-invasion basement.

I think that some of the limited successes in the Middle East have moderated the opposition to US forieng policy.

Also, I see on both sides a willingness to admit that the pan-Atlantic alliance is here to stay, and a greater willingness to work within that framework. But that hasn't been tested yet.

 

[DealMonkey]

If, and this is a big if, the Palestinians and Israel truly work something out together (Palestinian state anyone?), if Iraqi democracy truly takes hold, and if Syrian troops withdraw from Lebanon and the people elect a responsible gov't, I feel like America's image will be much improved -- especially in the Muslim world. In other words, actions speak louder than Karen Hughes.

 

[WooDaddy]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
Would the Arab people really respect what an Arab working for the US gov't had to say or just see that person as a puppet and assassinate him / her. Kind of like the way the insurgents in Iraq see the "new Iraq" administration as puppets of America? How could you put an Arab in this job and avoid them being labeled a "sell out?"

Hell, condie and powell are just the white man's puppet, so I'm sure that an arab working in this capacity would receive no better welcome. It would be seen as disingenuous, quite likely.
[/quote]

The arab nations and the rest of the world will only be happy when Bush is out. BTW, $10 says democracy doesn't last in Iraq once Bush is out. $20 if sooner.

 

[Buck Armstrong]

Originally posted by: Skoorb

Originally posted by: ahurtt

Originally posted by: DealMonkey
Karen Hughes is a freaking joke. Why haven't they considered, oh I don't know, an ARAB for the job?!? Christ, do I seriously have to do all of the heavy thinking for this administration?

Would the Arab people really respect what an Arab working for the US gov't had to say or just see that person as a puppet and assassinate him / her. Kind of like the way the insurgents in Iraq see the "new Iraq" administration as puppets of America? How could you put an Arab in this job and avoid them being labeled a "sell out?"

Hell, condie and powell are just the white man's puppet, so I'm sure that an arab working in this capacity would receive no better welcome. It would be seen as disingenuous, quite likely.

I completely agree that our image is just not repairable until Bush leaves office.

But I really don't like the "Uncle Tom" claim. Democrats are always clamoring for more minorities in power, but change their story as soon as its a minority who doesn't agree with them. Its bvllshit. All black people, or all women, have differing opinions just like all white males. So even if they don't agree with you, it still counts IMO. To write them all off as puppets is to me as racist and/or sexist as not appointing any.

 

[Riprorin]

It's the rest of the world that needs the makeover.

 

[MCWAR]

posted by: WooDaddy
quote:
The arab nations and the rest of the world will only be happy when Bush is out. BTW, $10 says democracy doesn't last in Iraq once Bush is out. $20 if sooner
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

you are correct! If we dare elect another status quo democrat 40 years of failure party, things will revert to the old status quo.

 

[Kibbo]

Originally posted by: Riprorin
It's the rest of the world that needs the makeover.

Good thing you have the testicular fortitude to make it happen, like it or not.

 

[DealMonkey]

Originally posted by: Riprorin
It's the rest of the world that needs the makeover.

Kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity, eh Rip?

 

[piasabird]

I think it is the French and the Germans that need an image makeover. They keep investigating this Oil-For-Food Bribery-Gate and they are all guilty of prividing Iraq with the blood money they used to buy all the Arms and Ammunition. The UN is in Shambles and should be ashamed of its own behaviour

 

[ahurtt]

Originally posted by: DealMonkey
If, and this is a big if, the Palestinians and Israel truly work something out together (Palestinian state anyone?), if Iraqi democracy truly takes hold, and if Syrian troops withdraw from Lebanon and the people elect a responsible gov't, I feel like America's image will be much improved -- especially in the Muslim world. In other words, actions speak louder than Karen Hughes.

When exactly did America's popularity start hinging on whether or not Syrian troops withdraw from Lebanon? I thought that was just mostly a domestic issue for them so far that was sparked off when that guy got assassinated right after he retired. Has this suddenly become America's problem too?

 

[novon]

How about stop bombing people? Think that will help the image?

 

[Sunbird]

Originally posted by: ahurtt

Originally posted by: Darkhawk28

Originally posted by: Skoorb
Honestly, until bush is out of office the US will not be seen in much of a better light in the rest of the world.

I'll have to agree with that. The rest of the world opened its arms after 9/11, but Bush really alienated everybody with his "cowboy" mentality.

Yeah it really is a shame that many people in the world seem to think that George W. Bush is a synonym for America. What saddens me more is that we made it tha way by electing him twice.

Thats why I have what I have in my signature.