America is preeminently dominant by default and not by design

Submitted by David Thomson (United States), Jan 14, 2003 at 13:43

Many Europeans are envious and bitter concerning our dominance on the world stage. The irony, however, is that the United States is the preeminent leader more by default than design. We really didn’t wish to be top dog. The Europeans freely chose not to take a stand and engage in any significant self sacrifice. They couldn’t even adequately respond to the Balkans conflict that occurred in their own back yard. The American military had to save their bacon. Currently, the USA’s predicament involving Iraq is somewhat similar to the sheriff portrayed by Gary Cooper in "High Noon" who is compelled to act unilaterally because the cowardly townspeople refuse to multilaterally confront the lawbreakers.

These Europeans have also been seduced by utopian ideologies claiming that human beings are innately good. War is supposedly caused only by a failure to dialogue. Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden don’t have enough love in their lives. A little affection on our part should solve everything, and it is our fault if the thugs still desire to do us harm. War is not a last resort--it’s an option that is not to be truly considered. Am I indulging in hyperbole and oversimplification? Nope, I sincerely believe that these Leftist Europeans are on a gut level, if not even consciously, that childishly immature and naive.

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