I can't help it. I love America and the people who live there (I married a wonderful girl from Kansas, and no I do not have or want a Green Card), but it is infuriating that they will not open their eyes. Why does the world seem to hate them? Or at least their policies?
Mach says "what about the foriegn aid? His taxes would go down if that was to stop!"
But the US gives the least foreign aid of all developed countries! (per capita) Most to Israel and Saudi Arabia. Very very little gets to help those who need it, and when it is given it is in the form of guns and bombs. Or they will dump a load of wheat (or whatever) into the market, selling it at subsidised prices (subsidised by the taxpayer!) to destroy the normal trade arrangements and make the dealers rich without helping those who need help. When the US pays their UN dues, and gets on board with the rest of the world, then they can brag.
Taxes? The Americans pay one of the highest taxes in the world, counting their multitude of taxes due to the feds, the State, the County, the City etc, and including the Payroll taxes, Sales Taxes, Gas, electricity, telephone, road tax and so on and so on. But what do they get for all that compared with other developed nations? Very little. I don't think that you would see a drop in your tax if the US stopped the piddling little bit of foreign aid they pay (less than 1% of GDP).
Mutual Defence? Have you seen the treaties, Mach? They are all written so that the US can assist a country under attack if it deems it necessary. There is no trigger. The treaties do not obligate the US to do anything, and everyone but the American public understands this. Nothing has changed since the last big war, when the US came in to help (to win according to the US) only when it suited themselves to do so. Never mind the treaties.
Juggling to keep peace? With your President siding openly with one side or the other? Supporting dictators only because they are not Socialists? (funny, that, since the US is so close to being Socialist itself). Getting involved by bombing milk factories when the Pres gets caught with his pants down?
Blamed for all the world's problems? No, I don't think that is true. Blame yourselves maybe. Help out? Sure, and don't forget that the US needs help once in a while too.
I think the US gets too much bad press in the rest of the world, and other countries are too-eager to respond with criticism. The good that the US does far outweighs its mistakes. The world would indeed be worse off without them. But the ignorance and arrogance of the US, especially as presented by their government and press, makes it hard for even those who do respect and care for them to hold back. It is like dealing with a teenage daughter; she can be so outrageous and stupid at times, but still you have to love her.
How does this impact on the China situation? Read the press reports, available on the web, to get the story as to how the US and China have been sparring for a long time, over human rights, Taiwan, espionage, illegal immigration, trade and such. You will not find it on CNN, or read it in the USA Today. But until you know the facts, how can you have an informed opinion?
I am not trying to dump on the US, but it is relevant to what has happened, and to what will happen again if the cycle is not broken. The US can be a full partner in the world, it can pull its weight and get the respect it wants. But it is up to the US.