[quote=llamabeast;652267I think this is a pity. The US makes a far bigger deal about its history of freedom and equality than in Europe while actually being not especially good at it. [/quote]
Llama, your post continue to bother me far after I had logged off.
So, I did some thinking:
League of Nations.
United Nations
Nato
Breton Woods
World Bank
IMF
GATT
the Internet
the Marshall Plan
the Outer Space treaty (non militarization)
the Red Cross
Kosovo
And I could continue with quite a few more. These were all instituted either by American lead or with significant american participation.
And I think they showcase American idealism. Frankly, I think they stand as markedly superior to the examples set by Europe or Britain. Very rarely I think has any state been more generous in promoting the general welfare - or promoting institutions which might circumscribe its own power.
The idea that there should be a forum for countries to get together and discuss matters. America, following the example of our European forbears could have claimed the moon - but *did not*. The outright gift of billions of dollars in aid in Europe.
Consider the treaty of Versailles - Wilson had tried to insist upon a 'peace without victory' provision - it was *europe* that insisted on ruinous reparations. Considers Russias rush to claim the under ice seabed.
Perhaps I *am* being parochial llama. America was a world player oh probably since WWI - Call it 100 years. Show me a similiar pattern of disinterested generosity by the British over 100 years.
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Also, bringing up the nazis is hardly fair. That is very much in the past and their behaviour is universally reviled, most especially in Germany.
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it was you who said "I would say that Guantanamo is a horror inconceivable by most Western European countries".
Inconceivable is it when it occured in the lifetimes of many people still living?
Inconceivable when the East German secret police were some of the most feared and abusive secret police 30 years ago killing *thousands* of people - including people that whose only crime was trying to flee to a better land.
Italy gave us Fascism - and Yugoslavia's Tito murdered gypsies.
And in fact there were noted secret police in Rumania, Bulgaria and albania even later.
To roughly quote the Princess Bride.. are you sure that word means what you think it means?
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Is guilt really assumed until proven innocent in France? That sounds very unlikely, but I confess I know nothing about it.
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There are two primary standards for justice in western civilization. One based on the Anglo-American model and one based on the Roman model.
Serious crimes in the Roman model feature a remand (incarceration) until proven innocent - and it led to an inquisitorial style of court used in France and elsewhere.
http://books.google.com/books?id=yjG...um=3&ct=result
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoleonic_Code