Ten inconvenient truths about the United States

11. "Democracy" as a smokescreen for Power Politics. The United States is not primarily interested in spreading democracy around the world. It is interested in propping up existing governments and creating new regimes that are friendly to Washington. If said regime just happens to be democratic, so much the better, but time and again, this has not proven to be a major necessity. The United States buddies up with some of the most repressive regimes in the world, such as Saudi Arabia and China, and continuously props up widely unpopular regimes like Mubarak's Egypt, and Musharaff's Pakistan. We had a consistent policy during the Cold War or supporting anti-communist regimes, many of which were no less oppressive towards their people, such as the Shah's Iran, Franco's Spain, Pinochet's Chile, and Menderes' Turkey, all of which were sympathetic towards Washington but visibly anti-democratic and guilty of widespread human rights abuses.

We also have the habit of calling for elections in many states, but refuse to acknowledge them as legitimate if the winning party is not American-friendly, such as the electoral victory of Hamas in Gaza. We will not push for open elections in Egypt, knowing the Muslim Brotherhood will win, and we will not push for elections in Pakistan, knowing pro-Taliban forces gain greater power. As far as the State Department is concerned, "democracy" and "pro-American" should be one and the same. If not, default to "pro-American".

Currently, we are punishing democratic Serbia for the sake of creating a parastate in Pristina by any means necessary. It matters little to Washington what happens in Kosovo, and who controls the government. It matters little that Thaci is, for all intents and purposes, no different than Arkan or Seselj, but because he buddied up to Washington, he's considered a "freedom fighter" and not a "terrorist". So long as we get our Camp Bondsteel and a government of overtly pro-American sentiment, so long as we gain a foothold in the Balkans and keep the Russians out, what do we care? In short, we are basically applying the same Cold War tactics of "support governments favorable to us", but pass it off as "nation-building". We're equally not interested in democracy in Baghdad, just a government that is pro-American and tacitly tolerant of Israel.

These shortsighted goals are the fundamental reasons why the rest of the world shows little trust and admiration for American foreign policy today. That we refuse to acknowledge

a) the Cold War is over
b) we are living in a multipolar world
c) American foreign policy is no longer absolute canon

Are just some more inconvenient truths about the United States.

Since we have had the usual stories of the nasty Serbs that saved 500 American pilots during ww2, can we have ten truths about Croatia and the Vatican perhaps from ww2 onwards. Perhaps that would be inconvenient

Well Mr Montgomery finally some truth about American ways when it comes to small defensless countries and American interest.

You confirmed what I always said. American people do not follow politecs and world affairs and that is why politiciens make terrible decisions which makes world hate US today. Isn't that a shame because American people are actually good people with big heart-it is just that the politiciens take adventage of their ignorance.

So Mr Montgomery you also wrote about Kosovo,Bosnia and Serbia-basically about terrible Serbs ofcause. I am still waiting to hear about 10 inconvenient points about Croatia and their attitude towards Serbs and Jews starting with WW2 up to present time. I am really curious how you judge their crimes against humanity-and I know their crime only too well unfotunately.

Thank you-Looking forward to reading more of you articles in the future.

There is one inconvenient truth Mr. Montgomery missed >> America all too often underestimates situations that later prove to be costly, fact in point is the current Kosovo situation. America has underestimated the short term and long term costs their recognition of Kosovo will have on the Balkans, Europe and even on America herself, by the time she realizes the mistake, it will be too late and the damage will have been done, much like Iraq. One is suppose to learn from one’s mistakes and not repeat them over and over again, like America does.

To: William Montgomery

First I appluad you for wrting about the 10 inconvenient truths about the U.S. I posted some opinions, but in no way am I trying to attack to offend you...cheers

1. I would have to disagree with you. Amendment II (the Second Amendment) of the United States Constitution, which is part of the Bill of Rights, declares a "well regulated militia" as "being necessary to the security of a free State", and prohibits infringement of "the right of the people to keep and bear arms."

People are not fanatical about this, it is their right. The reason for giving the people to bear arms is the right to protect the state. This does not mean to protect the government but to protect the state from a corrupt government. Also statistics have shown that places where fire arms are in abundance has actually decreased crime. The people, who choose to purchase a fire arm, are of sound mind and if that right is taken from them, the only individuals which will be left with fire arms, will be the criminals. Over-ruling the 2nd amendment will only have an affect on confiscating fire arms from honest citizens and not the criminals. Criminals will always find a way to obtain illegal fire arms. You are propagating a law that will lead the U.S. one step closer to a police state, where only the criminals and police can bear arms!

2. I would agree with this statement, but you forgot to add an important little factor. There is a lack of critical thinking when it comes to the American establishment and it’s so called democracy. First there is no such thing as a democracy. American democracy is an illusion. The two party systems is in fact a one party system, providing the citizens of the U.S. with the illusion that there are two views and sides to each issue. Two different ideologies, but in retrospect, both of them are working together in one common goal.

3. This statement doesn’t say much. The problem lies in the fact that your upper-class colleagues or lets call them elites, are working overtime to destroy the middle-class. The gap between lower and upper class has been increasing for the past decade. I wonder why?

4. I completely agree, but once again you do not explain why this is the trend. Let me explain in a very short paragraph. Socializing and family values are frowned upon by the establishment. What is the biggest threat to all ideologies? Communication! Where people get together and exchange ideas and thoughts within family groups or friends. So, by keeping the mind occupied by pointless materialistic needs and wants and keeping the mind and soul preoccupied by the desire to have more wealth, money and power, you can simply create a situation where you can direct people’s thoughts. Very good PR I would have to say.

5. Arrogance of power: well power corrupts all and to be frank, the U.S. mission was accomplished! America has set the Middle East in turmoil. Gas has reached record highs. Iran, Saudi Arabia, Syria..etc is next on the chopping block. The process of taking one country and splitting it up into several parts based upon secular beliefs has and will be accomplished. Oldest rule in the book, divide and conquer. Regime changes and puppet governments have been established, shall on go on!

6. Importance of lobbyists: it is not a belief that other countries have come to, but a fact. The U.S. government has always been for sale to the highest bidder. It is a disgrace! Senators, congressmen, do not represent the people who have elected them anymore but International corporations, Pharmaceutical companies, foreign governments…etc I do hope this will change in the near future, if not, we are all in for a ride!
Going once, going twice, sold!

7. Well I would guess it is not really hard to predict. The chips are all falling into place.
Only one suggestion; stop interfering in other countries internal affairs and stop with the double standards! The world never appointed America to be the babysitter.

8. Also that very small percentage of the population which does pay attention to world affairs and foreign policy has been fed propaganda. Mainstream media is a joke in America. There is no neutral opinion of world affairs in America. Free journalism and the freedom to express several point of views in mainstream media in America is completely non-existent. It is sad but true. Insularity is a problem in America. The first flaw is that most Americans and I would also include Canadians, base their opinion that the world revolves around them. I was dumb founded to notice how ill-informed they are when it comes to world affairs or even basic geography. Citizens in third world countries were more informed of current world events than the average university graduate in North America. Know that speaks volumes.

9. I applaud you for mentioning this fact.

“Impact of Terrorism. Thanks in large part to how the Bush Administration has reacted to September 11; Americans have willingly given up a significant percentage of their individual freedoms without any serious debate.”

Please next time try to point out of which freedoms and policy contributed to this affect.
The Patriot Act, new surveillance act, Transatlantic Alliance, North American Union (Nafta)…etc Oh we care a lot about it, but it doesn’t seem like the government or the congress really cares and I blame the media for not reporting these changes that infringe on the U.S. constitution and our rights and freedoms.

10. I agree!

You came clean about the faults of america and now its time that we serbian people should follow your example and come clean about our own faults. What a game!

I have lived in the USA all my life but I consider myself a Serb. I live near downtown los angeles where american hospitals routinely dump mental patients on the streets. They dont want to take care of them so they let them roam the streetS commiting crimes, killing themselves and making large swaths of los angeles unaproachable without armed escort.

I live near neighborhoods where the gang related death toll in a single year rivals that of kosovo. Brutal police crackdowns, overcrowded jails, giant festering ghettos-----and the same occurs all over the great american landscape.

America is a lie!

America is not an example for the world. If there were but a few honest journalists to documents the horrors that happen here the world would be shocked. But the so called free wetern press IS NOT HERE. iNCONVENIENT TRUTHS!

Perhaps b-92 could get a few bloggers from the US---we can tell you about the great democratic dream-the great lie. But I guess B-92 does not want to offend its sponsors.

Come to america-walk its streets, its neighborhoods, meet its people aND YOULL FIND OUT YOU HAVE NOTHING TO LEARN FROM THEM AND YOULL EMBRACE YOUR OWN CULTURE----AMERICA IS(ONCE AGAIN) A GIANT LIE

COME AND SEE FOR YOURSELF-STAY AWHILE

Nos. 2 and 5 should have been 1 and 2, respectively. It's exactly that kind of mindset that got us into the Yugoslavian/NATO fray in 1999 (and earlier, actually), and precisely that kind of thinking that keeps us as Americans from attributing to ourselves any amount of blame for that. The U.S. played a huge role, and not a pretty one, and rather than sweep it under the rug and cloak it in denial, I laud you for turning your considerable acumen toward exposing our shortcomings and weaknesses and telling it like it really is. Well done.

Joni Mueller
Texas

P.S. You may want to read some of the writings of Robert Jenson (UT-Austin Professor of Journalism) regarding U.S. imperialism. Thought-provoking stuff.

It's well written.
"So this week I have listed ten issues which makes the United States less than it could be, less than it should be. I would also add that would be easy for me to list at least one hundred qualities which makes me proud to be an American. "

I couldn't agree more. US (as a nation) has many qualities. I also agree that it's less than it could be, less than it should be. And that is part of the frustration for the others. Current administration's unilateralisam just mannaged to aggravate it further.
One can think of the US whatever one wants, the fact is that many of the problems we are collectivelly facing today are global problems, and cannot be adressed by any single government alone, but only throught the common effort of many. And weather some like it or not, we need to have US on board to tackle most of those issues.
Just take a look at global warming and possibility of rising sea levels. Imagine how serious about is a citizent of Netherlands where half of the country is bellow sea level? Try to imagine New Orleans in wake of Katrina hurricane multiplied several times.
Now, Dutch government can ban cars altogether if they want, it will still have very little impact on global warming.
We can't even think seriously about greenhouse gases reduction without US onboard.
Vice Versa, despite it's might and power US cannot solve this problem alone either.
Global problems of today are asking for global cooperation and global solutions.
I'm sure that many (me included) are hoping for US to be what it could be, what is should be, and to take its rightful place in the world.

I don't much care how America is run as I don't live there. However, I do care about America's foreign policy. Mr Montgomery fails to mention lack of respect for international law. This applies to the planned dismemberment of Serbia and also war crimes. America is guilty of war crimes in Vietnam, Iraq and Yugoslavia. However, this probably means nothing to Mr Montgomery as American policy is simply "might is right". To be honest, its quite sad that America has gone from being a respected country to what is probably the most hated country in the world.

Another thing I would like to add is that Mr Montgomery advocates the independence of Kosovo due to "mistreatment" of the Albanians by the Serbs. If this is the case, why was Germany never offered to the innocent Jews who were slaughtered during the second world war.

Funny, no mention of the American war crimes. You see, this man isn't much different from the Neo-Cons and their whole adventure in the Middle East. The Democrats have their own kind, and their playground is the Balkans. That's why you hear no mention of that, but only of Iraq in these articles. He is simply implying that the Americans were right in how they handled the Serbs and the whole Kosovo situation. In the end, he is the same Imperialist that Dick Cheney or Donald Rumsfeld are.

But again, I like to see an American go into the various war crimes the US has been involved in. The last time I checked, the number of dead Iraqis from this illegal war and illegal occupation has resulted in tens of thousands of dead. I also see the US breaking international law to grant independence to Kosovo. So the way I see it, the USA has been breaking international law left and right. But this is the same country that will bomb a tiny nation like Serbia when it breaks international law, or when it causes a fraction of the disaster Iraq is.

Montgomery is really no different from what we have today in Washington. He simply talks softer, pretends to care, but also excuses American Imperialism and likes to use "Democracy" to sweeten it all up so that it goes down well.

Mr. Montgomery can you please write a blog titled

"confronting American foreign policy"

all this blog was about is the typical American.. but we already knew all that

"The Gun Culture. I confess that I do not fully understand it, but a large percentage of Americans are fanatical about their right to easily buy, own and carry every kind of firearm known to mankind. Assassinations of Presidents, killing of celebrities such as John Lennon, and massacres at schools and other places make absolutely no dent in this fundamental belief. Around 60 million people own guns and about 30,000 people each year die from them in suicides, murders, and accidents."

How is the free exercise of a natural right by 80 million Americans (not the 60 million you erroneously stated)an "inconvenient truth"? Should the 99% of us who never commit a crime with our firearms simply accept the neverending stream of unreasonable gun control laws put forth by the ignorant, just because 1% choose to criminally abuse firearms?

Banning guns would not stop assassinations. Only a fool would believe so. Firearms are just one type of weapon among many available. Bombs aren't particularly difficult to make and use, and have been implemented successfully in many assassinations.

School massacres occur not because of the availability of firearms, but because they are banned from "gun free school zones". It doesn't take a genius to figure out that a place where guns are prohibited presents an easy target for someone who wishes to commit mass murder with little opposition. How many mass murders have happened at police stations, gun shops, or National Guard armories?

My right (and yours) to be armed for my own defense is inalienable, and is in no way any less legitimate than it was 150 years ago, no matter how many criminals kill innocent people with firearms.

For the 1st time, I largely agree with this guy. Especially points 2, 3 and 5.

I really can't believe some of you people here when it comes to arms.
In last few years we have seen number of people killed by firearms in the US ranging between 25.000 and 30.000. In Britain last year there was 16.
There is a very clear relation between having a gun and using it (and, of course, not having it, and not using it).
I'm not talking about criminals here, and I agree that criminals will find the way to get weapons anyway.
I'm talking about two Average Joe's having an argument (under ifluence) in a bar.
If unarmed, their argument could lead to a brawl, without much consequence for any of them (black eye).
If armed, their argument could easily send one to cemetery, and the other one to jail.
It's simple logic. I don't think that being armed would prevent them from arguing, (and thus contribute to security). It will only make things more dangerous (not only for these two, but all others in the bar, too) and consequences greater.
I don't live in the US, but I'll imagine that I do for a while.

We had several people here taking about "free excersise of natural right of Americans to bear arms".
and we had Second Amendment quoted here.
"..prohibits infringement of "the right of the people to keep and bear arms."
and
"People are not fanatical about this, it is their right. The reason for giving the people to bear arms is the right to protect the state. This does not mean to protect the government but to protect the state from a corrupt government. "
and
"The people, who choose to purchase a fire arm, are of sound mind.."
Let's just imagine me, being a US citizent.
And I'm a person of a sound mind (let's pretend).
I would be entitled by Second Amendment to "keep and bear arms".
ARMS, not neccesarilly, fire-arms.
What if I choose to keep and bear chemical or biological weapons (that I produced in my basement lab). Or as Dave Robertson noticed "bombs aren't particularly difficult to make and use", so I've made a bomb that can blow half of the city.
And I want to "keep and bear" this weapon possibly because I fear North Korean invasion, and ability of my "corrupt government" to defend the country.
It is my right to be armed in any way I want, right?
You wouldn't infringe on my rights?
Or the right to be armed with nuclear weapons, if I manage to get a hold of some enriched Plutonium?
Of course, it all sounds crazy, but it would be my RIGHT to be armed.
And I could give you all those stories like:
"Bombs don't kill people. People kill people." , and I could use numerous arguments of type that abundance of nuclear bombs in people's homes makes America a safer place, despite of 1% of the people who would perhaps missuse it, etc. etc.
Would you rather infringe on my right?

RE: 11th Inconvenient Truth About America-GEOGRAPHY

Dear Ambassador Montgomery,

The lack of knowledge of what lies outside or even inside the US border is amazing.

1) A Philadelphia citizen had no clue that Philadelphia was part of the state of Pennsylvania. In fact, he did not even know the capital city (Allentown) He probably didnt' even know that Pittsburg was also in the same state, and or Villanova State University, Dupont Industries, etc.

(2) President Bill Clinton and George Bush still have difficulties finding out where Serbia and the former Yugoslav states are in a map. However, Clinton authorized the illegal boming of Serbia and Kosovo in 1999 without any knowledge of the area.

(3) The US still thinks Canada is the 51st state, the Canadian dollar in recent weeks has shot past the America dollar, but American retailers are still reluctant to give the correct exchange-American Arrogance, Stupidity or both?

The fact of the matter is that the US educational system in relation to Geography, World History and Politics is poor compared to the European standard.

United States of Arrogance - the hypocrisy of American democracy and foreign policy is alienating the world and creating new enemies daily, while thwarting global peace.

It seems the military-industrial complex finds war without end profitable and the United States an easy tool to wield against the world to keep waging war. America's motive to play the global police force being to keep the dollar and U.S. economy afloat.

Paul F. Davis - author of United States of Arrogance

www.PaulFDavis.com

Agree with Monty to an extent also agree with Mike's observations.

The thing that struck me though were the amount of people here willing to support the posession of weapons. One guy here even suggesting that there should be more guns in schools, rather than an effective ban on all weapons in schools. This along with suspicion of the UN...

I'm surprised we havent had somebody turn up here and pronounce that UN troops are ready to invade the US and US citizens should hole themselves up in ranches armed to the teeth to resist the new world order... Maybe mass suicide would be in order.

I'd ask those far right wingers / libetarians or whatever they call themselves these days, if in war they supported the lifting of the arms embargo against Bosnia and Croatia and if not why not? Surely these people had a right to arm themselves to the teeth too? And, hell if thousands of more civilians were killed as a result, well thats a price willing to pay to be able to 'defend' oneself right?

These kinds of views are music to the ears of immoral arms dealers...

So, simple conclusion is that a country like this should not exist, let alone "lecture" others about democracy, human rights and all the other blah-blahs. What is more funny is that, while some other countries may blame their hostile neighbours or historical circumstances for the darkness they live in, USA has nobody else to blame for its own misery. So, sober-up USA, the World is watching you!

The author neglected to mention one other failing of America: the contempt with which our intellectual elites view the common citizen, as evidenced by this article and many of the comments which have been left, many of them presumably by other Americans.

well thought out and well expressed - Montgomery can be honest and frank; but the system which produces America ( the corporate system which has replaced the country and made most people irrelevant ) is alive and kicking and has done some irrepreable damage - Montgomery would make a good undersecretary of State with a specialty "sensibility" - once again it is not so much America which repoduces the culture of consumr-imperialism but the culture which produces, generates America, and the miscast faith in a government that generates the Bush oligarchy!

Just wanted to say that self criticism is a very valuable asset/tool to arrive at workable solutions. Regrettably haven't seen thus far many of such inward-looking constructive contributions. How come?

"Most Americans think very little about the rest of the world and are not really even very curious. What this means is that our foreign policy is largely developed by a very small percentage of the population. "

At least that small percantage of population is not ignorant about the world outside United States.
Just week ago Dick Cheney gave his oppinion about Hugo Chavez. He thought that Peruvians need new President...

Worded like any true Marxist. Americans may be stumbling around a lot, but the Leftist, Communist, plans over 50 years ago point to the same 10 problems with America. I know , I had family members discussing this stuff in front of a very listening little me. You can call me many negative names. It doesn't change the smell of the manure. Unfortunately, most of our "politicos" buy into the UN and the rest of the bildge.

What about health system ?
What about stock market frauds ?
What about Social care ?
What about pension system ?
What about immigrants since they make 30% of workers ?
There are too much questions then 10 reasons you have stated that acording to this are 0 aldo you are right in all 10 of them.

The mission accomplished sign on the aircraft carrier was NOT referring to the end of the war...but a naval tradition for a ship which has finished its combat tour...as this ship had. Investigate before you misspeak please.

JPW!
I'm not sure about what millions and millions of dollars in aid you are talking about, but I assume that you are right.
Keep in mind that those millions and millions in aid are comming after making billions and billions in demage.
It's like burning your house, then giving you blanket.
Wouldn't you hate that person?
It may look strange, but great majority of the people in Serbia don't hate Americans as a people.
US government, oh yeah!

Nice that this country that hates the U.S. so much will accept millions and millions and millions of dollars in AID money.

Government for sale

Bill,

As an inconvenient truth, your statement about lobbying does not belong to the litany of painfully true observations you have made about our mutual homeland. Lobbying in and of itself is not the Pernicious Evil you make it out to be… Used in a proper way, lobbying is sometimes the only way to bring attention to issues that tend to get lost in the flurry of words sweeping Capitol Hill.

Rather than extend this comment, let me refer you to another: http://www.farmer-spaic.co.yu/english/editorials_3.html or in Serbian: http://www.farmer-spaic.co.yu/srpski/uvodnici_3.html

Chris

Konstantin (comment#24),
Allentown is not the capital of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg is. And if a man who lives in Philadelphia did not know that his city was situated within the state of Pennsylvania, that man is clearly learning disabled and of below average intelligence, not representative of the average person. Americans are by no means aces at geography but the examples you cited, if they are even true, are obviously from a person who is mentally disabled.

I think that points 6 ("Importance of lobbyists") and 7 ("Lack of consistency in our foreign policy") are related. Together they are related to the one point that is missing: the importance of money in the US democratic proces.

Now that there is no overwhelming goal like the cold war any group that is willing to donate money has a good chance to influence foreign policy. Most people don't know or care much about what happens outside the borders of the US so the counterforces for consistency are weak (point 8). The strength of the US army means that there is no reality check either (your point 5). As a consequence US Balkan policy in the last two decades has been driven to a large extent by emigrant communities like the Croat Ustashas.

I think that that explains why the US has been (and still is) such an extremely destabilising force in the Balkans. See for example the recent Lajcak coup in Bosnia that was driven by American diplomats.

Konstantin (comment#24),
Allentown is not the capital of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg is. And if a man who lives in Philadelphia did not know that his city was situated within the state of Pennsylvania, that man is clearly learning disabled and of below average intelligence, not representative of the average person. Americans are by no means aces at geography but the examples you cited, if they are even true, are obviously from a person who is mentally disabled.
(Palilula, 1 December 2007 22:37)

The individual is a successful business man and can assure you had no mental sickness. My apologies, Harrisburg, was not born in PA.

Pakistan is the real problimatic country to the internatinal community. This is a save heaven for Taliban and Alqaida. The Pakistani mllitary and intelligence agency on one hand fully support them and on the other hand they show that they are fighting against them in order to get billion of Dollors. With the help of these gruops they destabilize the Afghan Govt., so they may bring a Govt. of their own choice whenever the international security forces will leave this country. These gruop are easily availble will trained and cheap army for Pakistan to attack Americans and destabliase india by attackings in Jammu and Kashmir. By killing a few of them Pakistan gets Billions of Dollors while in response recieving no harm as those are killed are innocent people that cannot do anything to take the revenge. The question arise that what will happen if some radicles in Pakistan army give nukes to the terrorist gruop. Why USA and other Europeans ignoring all these and helpin Pakistani to be strong to challenge the international communinty. What if Islaabad is being occupied by terrorists.

RE: 11th Inconvenient Truth About America-GEOGRAPHY

Dear Ambassador Montgomery,

The lack of knowledge of what lies outside or even inside the US border is amazing.

1) A Philadelphia citizen had no clue that Philadelphia was part of the state of Pennsylvania. In fact, he did not even know the capital city (Allentown) He probably didnt' even know that Pittsburg was also in the same state, and or Villanova State University, Dupont Industries, etc.

(2) President Bill Clinton and George Bush still have difficulties finding out where Serbia and the former Yugoslav states are in a map. However, Clinton authorized the illegal boming of Serbia and Kosovo in 1999 without any knowledge of the area.

(3) The US still thinks Canada is the 51st state, the Canadian dollar in recent weeks has shot past the America dollar, but American retailers are still reluctant to give the correct exchange-American Arrogance, Stupidity or both?

The fact of the matter is that the US educational system in relation to Geography, World History and Politics is poor compared to the European standard.

Well Mr Montgomery finally some truth about American ways when it comes to small defensless countries and American interest.

You confirmed what I always said. American people do not follow politecs and world affairs and that is why politiciens make terrible decisions which makes world hate US today. Isn't that a shame because American people are actually good people with big heart-it is just that the politiciens take adventage of their ignorance.

So Mr Montgomery you also wrote about Kosovo,Bosnia and Serbia-basically about terrible Serbs ofcause. I am still waiting to hear about 10 inconvenient points about Croatia and their attitude towards Serbs and Jews starting with WW2 up to present time. I am really curious how you judge their crimes against humanity-and I know their crime only too well unfotunately.

Thank you-Looking forward to reading more of you articles in the future.

"The Gun Culture. I confess that I do not fully understand it, but a large percentage of Americans are fanatical about their right to easily buy, own and carry every kind of firearm known to mankind. Assassinations of Presidents, killing of celebrities such as John Lennon, and massacres at schools and other places make absolutely no dent in this fundamental belief. Around 60 million people own guns and about 30,000 people each year die from them in suicides, murders, and accidents."

How is the free exercise of a natural right by 80 million Americans (not the 60 million you erroneously stated)an "inconvenient truth"? Should the 99% of us who never commit a crime with our firearms simply accept the neverending stream of unreasonable gun control laws put forth by the ignorant, just because 1% choose to criminally abuse firearms?

Banning guns would not stop assassinations. Only a fool would believe so. Firearms are just one type of weapon among many available. Bombs aren't particularly difficult to make and use, and have been implemented successfully in many assassinations.

School massacres occur not because of the availability of firearms, but because they are banned from "gun free school zones". It doesn't take a genius to figure out that a place where guns are prohibited presents an easy target for someone who wishes to commit mass murder with little opposition. How many mass murders have happened at police stations, gun shops, or National Guard armories?

My right (and yours) to be armed for my own defense is inalienable, and is in no way any less legitimate than it was 150 years ago, no matter how many criminals kill innocent people with firearms.

I really can't believe some of you people here when it comes to arms.
In last few years we have seen number of people killed by firearms in the US ranging between 25.000 and 30.000. In Britain last year there was 16.
There is a very clear relation between having a gun and using it (and, of course, not having it, and not using it).
I'm not talking about criminals here, and I agree that criminals will find the way to get weapons anyway.
I'm talking about two Average Joe's having an argument (under ifluence) in a bar.
If unarmed, their argument could lead to a brawl, without much consequence for any of them (black eye).
If armed, their argument could easily send one to cemetery, and the other one to jail.
It's simple logic. I don't think that being armed would prevent them from arguing, (and thus contribute to security). It will only make things more dangerous (not only for these two, but all others in the bar, too) and consequences greater.
I don't live in the US, but I'll imagine that I do for a while.

We had several people here taking about "free excersise of natural right of Americans to bear arms".
and we had Second Amendment quoted here.
"..prohibits infringement of "the right of the people to keep and bear arms."
and
"People are not fanatical about this, it is their right. The reason for giving the people to bear arms is the right to protect the state. This does not mean to protect the government but to protect the state from a corrupt government. "
and
"The people, who choose to purchase a fire arm, are of sound mind.."
Let's just imagine me, being a US citizent.
And I'm a person of a sound mind (let's pretend).
I would be entitled by Second Amendment to "keep and bear arms".
ARMS, not neccesarilly, fire-arms.
What if I choose to keep and bear chemical or biological weapons (that I produced in my basement lab). Or as Dave Robertson noticed "bombs aren't particularly difficult to make and use", so I've made a bomb that can blow half of the city.
And I want to "keep and bear" this weapon possibly because I fear North Korean invasion, and ability of my "corrupt government" to defend the country.
It is my right to be armed in any way I want, right?
You wouldn't infringe on my rights?
Or the right to be armed with nuclear weapons, if I manage to get a hold of some enriched Plutonium?
Of course, it all sounds crazy, but it would be my RIGHT to be armed.
And I could give you all those stories like:
"Bombs don't kill people. People kill people." , and I could use numerous arguments of type that abundance of nuclear bombs in people's homes makes America a safer place, despite of 1% of the people who would perhaps missuse it, etc. etc.
Would you rather infringe on my right?

Funny, no mention of the American war crimes. You see, this man isn't much different from the Neo-Cons and their whole adventure in the Middle East. The Democrats have their own kind, and their playground is the Balkans. That's why you hear no mention of that, but only of Iraq in these articles. He is simply implying that the Americans were right in how they handled the Serbs and the whole Kosovo situation. In the end, he is the same Imperialist that Dick Cheney or Donald Rumsfeld are.

But again, I like to see an American go into the various war crimes the US has been involved in. The last time I checked, the number of dead Iraqis from this illegal war and illegal occupation has resulted in tens of thousands of dead. I also see the US breaking international law to grant independence to Kosovo. So the way I see it, the USA has been breaking international law left and right. But this is the same country that will bomb a tiny nation like Serbia when it breaks international law, or when it causes a fraction of the disaster Iraq is.

Montgomery is really no different from what we have today in Washington. He simply talks softer, pretends to care, but also excuses American Imperialism and likes to use "Democracy" to sweeten it all up so that it goes down well.

You came clean about the faults of america and now its time that we serbian people should follow your example and come clean about our own faults. What a game!

I have lived in the USA all my life but I consider myself a Serb. I live near downtown los angeles where american hospitals routinely dump mental patients on the streets. They dont want to take care of them so they let them roam the streetS commiting crimes, killing themselves and making large swaths of los angeles unaproachable without armed escort.

I live near neighborhoods where the gang related death toll in a single year rivals that of kosovo. Brutal police crackdowns, overcrowded jails, giant festering ghettos-----and the same occurs all over the great american landscape.

America is a lie!

America is not an example for the world. If there were but a few honest journalists to documents the horrors that happen here the world would be shocked. But the so called free wetern press IS NOT HERE. iNCONVENIENT TRUTHS!

Perhaps b-92 could get a few bloggers from the US---we can tell you about the great democratic dream-the great lie. But I guess B-92 does not want to offend its sponsors.

Come to america-walk its streets, its neighborhoods, meet its people aND YOULL FIND OUT YOU HAVE NOTHING TO LEARN FROM THEM AND YOULL EMBRACE YOUR OWN CULTURE----AMERICA IS(ONCE AGAIN) A GIANT LIE

COME AND SEE FOR YOURSELF-STAY AWHILE

11. "Democracy" as a smokescreen for Power Politics. The United States is not primarily interested in spreading democracy around the world. It is interested in propping up existing governments and creating new regimes that are friendly to Washington. If said regime just happens to be democratic, so much the better, but time and again, this has not proven to be a major necessity. The United States buddies up with some of the most repressive regimes in the world, such as Saudi Arabia and China, and continuously props up widely unpopular regimes like Mubarak's Egypt, and Musharaff's Pakistan. We had a consistent policy during the Cold War or supporting anti-communist regimes, many of which were no less oppressive towards their people, such as the Shah's Iran, Franco's Spain, Pinochet's Chile, and Menderes' Turkey, all of which were sympathetic towards Washington but visibly anti-democratic and guilty of widespread human rights abuses.

We also have the habit of calling for elections in many states, but refuse to acknowledge them as legitimate if the winning party is not American-friendly, such as the electoral victory of Hamas in Gaza. We will not push for open elections in Egypt, knowing the Muslim Brotherhood will win, and we will not push for elections in Pakistan, knowing pro-Taliban forces gain greater power. As far as the State Department is concerned, "democracy" and "pro-American" should be one and the same. If not, default to "pro-American".

Currently, we are punishing democratic Serbia for the sake of creating a parastate in Pristina by any means necessary. It matters little to Washington what happens in Kosovo, and who controls the government. It matters little that Thaci is, for all intents and purposes, no different than Arkan or Seselj, but because he buddied up to Washington, he's considered a "freedom fighter" and not a "terrorist". So long as we get our Camp Bondsteel and a government of overtly pro-American sentiment, so long as we gain a foothold in the Balkans and keep the Russians out, what do we care? In short, we are basically applying the same Cold War tactics of "support governments favorable to us", but pass it off as "nation-building". We're equally not interested in democracy in Baghdad, just a government that is pro-American and tacitly tolerant of Israel.

These shortsighted goals are the fundamental reasons why the rest of the world shows little trust and admiration for American foreign policy today. That we refuse to acknowledge

a) the Cold War is over
b) we are living in a multipolar world
c) American foreign policy is no longer absolute canon

Are just some more inconvenient truths about the United States.

Nos. 2 and 5 should have been 1 and 2, respectively. It's exactly that kind of mindset that got us into the Yugoslavian/NATO fray in 1999 (and earlier, actually), and precisely that kind of thinking that keeps us as Americans from attributing to ourselves any amount of blame for that. The U.S. played a huge role, and not a pretty one, and rather than sweep it under the rug and cloak it in denial, I laud you for turning your considerable acumen toward exposing our shortcomings and weaknesses and telling it like it really is. Well done.

Joni Mueller
Texas

P.S. You may want to read some of the writings of Robert Jenson (UT-Austin Professor of Journalism) regarding U.S. imperialism. Thought-provoking stuff.

Since we have had the usual stories of the nasty Serbs that saved 500 American pilots during ww2, can we have ten truths about Croatia and the Vatican perhaps from ww2 onwards. Perhaps that would be inconvenient

Worded like any true Marxist. Americans may be stumbling around a lot, but the Leftist, Communist, plans over 50 years ago point to the same 10 problems with America. I know , I had family members discussing this stuff in front of a very listening little me. You can call me many negative names. It doesn't change the smell of the manure. Unfortunately, most of our "politicos" buy into the UN and the rest of the bildge.

Just wanted to say that self criticism is a very valuable asset/tool to arrive at workable solutions. Regrettably haven't seen thus far many of such inward-looking constructive contributions. How come?

There is one inconvenient truth Mr. Montgomery missed >> America all too often underestimates situations that later prove to be costly, fact in point is the current Kosovo situation. America has underestimated the short term and long term costs their recognition of Kosovo will have on the Balkans, Europe and even on America herself, by the time she realizes the mistake, it will be too late and the damage will have been done, much like Iraq. One is suppose to learn from one’s mistakes and not repeat them over and over again, like America does.

It's well written.
"So this week I have listed ten issues which makes the United States less than it could be, less than it should be. I would also add that would be easy for me to list at least one hundred qualities which makes me proud to be an American. "

I couldn't agree more. US (as a nation) has many qualities. I also agree that it's less than it could be, less than it should be. And that is part of the frustration for the others. Current administration's unilateralisam just mannaged to aggravate it further.
One can think of the US whatever one wants, the fact is that many of the problems we are collectivelly facing today are global problems, and cannot be adressed by any single government alone, but only throught the common effort of many. And weather some like it or not, we need to have US on board to tackle most of those issues.
Just take a look at global warming and possibility of rising sea levels. Imagine how serious about is a citizent of Netherlands where half of the country is bellow sea level? Try to imagine New Orleans in wake of Katrina hurricane multiplied several times.
Now, Dutch government can ban cars altogether if they want, it will still have very little impact on global warming.
We can't even think seriously about greenhouse gases reduction without US onboard.
Vice Versa, despite it's might and power US cannot solve this problem alone either.
Global problems of today are asking for global cooperation and global solutions.
I'm sure that many (me included) are hoping for US to be what it could be, what is should be, and to take its rightful place in the world.

For the 1st time, I largely agree with this guy. Especially points 2, 3 and 5.

To: William Montgomery

First I appluad you for wrting about the 10 inconvenient truths about the U.S. I posted some opinions, but in no way am I trying to attack to offend you...cheers

1. I would have to disagree with you. Amendment II (the Second Amendment) of the United States Constitution, which is part of the Bill of Rights, declares a "well regulated militia" as "being necessary to the security of a free State", and prohibits infringement of "the right of the people to keep and bear arms."

People are not fanatical about this, it is their right. The reason for giving the people to bear arms is the right to protect the state. This does not mean to protect the government but to protect the state from a corrupt government. Also statistics have shown that places where fire arms are in abundance has actually decreased crime. The people, who choose to purchase a fire arm, are of sound mind and if that right is taken from them, the only individuals which will be left with fire arms, will be the criminals. Over-ruling the 2nd amendment will only have an affect on confiscating fire arms from honest citizens and not the criminals. Criminals will always find a way to obtain illegal fire arms. You are propagating a law that will lead the U.S. one step closer to a police state, where only the criminals and police can bear arms!

2. I would agree with this statement, but you forgot to add an important little factor. There is a lack of critical thinking when it comes to the American establishment and it’s so called democracy. First there is no such thing as a democracy. American democracy is an illusion. The two party systems is in fact a one party system, providing the citizens of the U.S. with the illusion that there are two views and sides to each issue. Two different ideologies, but in retrospect, both of them are working together in one common goal.

3. This statement doesn’t say much. The problem lies in the fact that your upper-class colleagues or lets call them elites, are working overtime to destroy the middle-class. The gap between lower and upper class has been increasing for the past decade. I wonder why?

4. I completely agree, but once again you do not explain why this is the trend. Let me explain in a very short paragraph. Socializing and family values are frowned upon by the establishment. What is the biggest threat to all ideologies? Communication! Where people get together and exchange ideas and thoughts within family groups or friends. So, by keeping the mind occupied by pointless materialistic needs and wants and keeping the mind and soul preoccupied by the desire to have more wealth, money and power, you can simply create a situation where you can direct people’s thoughts. Very good PR I would have to say.

5. Arrogance of power: well power corrupts all and to be frank, the U.S. mission was accomplished! America has set the Middle East in turmoil. Gas has reached record highs. Iran, Saudi Arabia, Syria..etc is next on the chopping block. The process of taking one country and splitting it up into several parts based upon secular beliefs has and will be accomplished. Oldest rule in the book, divide and conquer. Regime changes and puppet governments have been established, shall on go on!

6. Importance of lobbyists: it is not a belief that other countries have come to, but a fact. The U.S. government has always been for sale to the highest bidder. It is a disgrace! Senators, congressmen, do not represent the people who have elected them anymore but International corporations, Pharmaceutical companies, foreign governments…etc I do hope this will change in the near future, if not, we are all in for a ride!
Going once, going twice, sold!

7. Well I would guess it is not really hard to predict. The chips are all falling into place.
Only one suggestion; stop interfering in other countries internal affairs and stop with the double standards! The world never appointed America to be the babysitter.

8. Also that very small percentage of the population which does pay attention to world affairs and foreign policy has been fed propaganda. Mainstream media is a joke in America. There is no neutral opinion of world affairs in America. Free journalism and the freedom to express several point of views in mainstream media in America is completely non-existent. It is sad but true. Insularity is a problem in America. The first flaw is that most Americans and I would also include Canadians, base their opinion that the world revolves around them. I was dumb founded to notice how ill-informed they are when it comes to world affairs or even basic geography. Citizens in third world countries were more informed of current world events than the average university graduate in North America. Know that speaks volumes.

9. I applaud you for mentioning this fact.

“Impact of Terrorism. Thanks in large part to how the Bush Administration has reacted to September 11; Americans have willingly given up a significant percentage of their individual freedoms without any serious debate.”

Please next time try to point out of which freedoms and policy contributed to this affect.
The Patriot Act, new surveillance act, Transatlantic Alliance, North American Union (Nafta)…etc Oh we care a lot about it, but it doesn’t seem like the government or the congress really cares and I blame the media for not reporting these changes that infringe on the U.S. constitution and our rights and freedoms.

10. I agree!

well thought out and well expressed - Montgomery can be honest and frank; but the system which produces America ( the corporate system which has replaced the country and made most people irrelevant ) is alive and kicking and has done some irrepreable damage - Montgomery would make a good undersecretary of State with a specialty "sensibility" - once again it is not so much America which repoduces the culture of consumr-imperialism but the culture which produces, generates America, and the miscast faith in a government that generates the Bush oligarchy!

United States of Arrogance - the hypocrisy of American democracy and foreign policy is alienating the world and creating new enemies daily, while thwarting global peace.

It seems the military-industrial complex finds war without end profitable and the United States an easy tool to wield against the world to keep waging war. America's motive to play the global police force being to keep the dollar and U.S. economy afloat.

Paul F. Davis - author of United States of Arrogance

www.PaulFDavis.com

I don't much care how America is run as I don't live there. However, I do care about America's foreign policy. Mr Montgomery fails to mention lack of respect for international law. This applies to the planned dismemberment of Serbia and also war crimes. America is guilty of war crimes in Vietnam, Iraq and Yugoslavia. However, this probably means nothing to Mr Montgomery as American policy is simply "might is right". To be honest, its quite sad that America has gone from being a respected country to what is probably the most hated country in the world.

Another thing I would like to add is that Mr Montgomery advocates the independence of Kosovo due to "mistreatment" of the Albanians by the Serbs. If this is the case, why was Germany never offered to the innocent Jews who were slaughtered during the second world war.

Mr. Montgomery can you please write a blog titled

"confronting American foreign policy"

all this blog was about is the typical American.. but we already knew all that

Agree with Monty to an extent also agree with Mike's observations.

The thing that struck me though were the amount of people here willing to support the posession of weapons. One guy here even suggesting that there should be more guns in schools, rather than an effective ban on all weapons in schools. This along with suspicion of the UN...

I'm surprised we havent had somebody turn up here and pronounce that UN troops are ready to invade the US and US citizens should hole themselves up in ranches armed to the teeth to resist the new world order... Maybe mass suicide would be in order.

I'd ask those far right wingers / libetarians or whatever they call themselves these days, if in war they supported the lifting of the arms embargo against Bosnia and Croatia and if not why not? Surely these people had a right to arm themselves to the teeth too? And, hell if thousands of more civilians were killed as a result, well thats a price willing to pay to be able to 'defend' oneself right?

These kinds of views are music to the ears of immoral arms dealers...

"Most Americans think very little about the rest of the world and are not really even very curious. What this means is that our foreign policy is largely developed by a very small percentage of the population. "

At least that small percantage of population is not ignorant about the world outside United States.
Just week ago Dick Cheney gave his oppinion about Hugo Chavez. He thought that Peruvians need new President...

So, simple conclusion is that a country like this should not exist, let alone "lecture" others about democracy, human rights and all the other blah-blahs. What is more funny is that, while some other countries may blame their hostile neighbours or historical circumstances for the darkness they live in, USA has nobody else to blame for its own misery. So, sober-up USA, the World is watching you!

What about health system ?
What about stock market frauds ?
What about Social care ?
What about pension system ?
What about immigrants since they make 30% of workers ?
There are too much questions then 10 reasons you have stated that acording to this are 0 aldo you are right in all 10 of them.

The mission accomplished sign on the aircraft carrier was NOT referring to the end of the war...but a naval tradition for a ship which has finished its combat tour...as this ship had. Investigate before you misspeak please.

The author neglected to mention one other failing of America: the contempt with which our intellectual elites view the common citizen, as evidenced by this article and many of the comments which have been left, many of them presumably by other Americans.

Nice that this country that hates the U.S. so much will accept millions and millions and millions of dollars in AID money.

Government for sale

Bill,

As an inconvenient truth, your statement about lobbying does not belong to the litany of painfully true observations you have made about our mutual homeland. Lobbying in and of itself is not the Pernicious Evil you make it out to be… Used in a proper way, lobbying is sometimes the only way to bring attention to issues that tend to get lost in the flurry of words sweeping Capitol Hill.

Rather than extend this comment, let me refer you to another: http://www.farmer-spaic.co.yu/english/editorials_3.html or in Serbian: http://www.farmer-spaic.co.yu/srpski/uvodnici_3.html

Chris

JPW!
I'm not sure about what millions and millions of dollars in aid you are talking about, but I assume that you are right.
Keep in mind that those millions and millions in aid are comming after making billions and billions in demage.
It's like burning your house, then giving you blanket.
Wouldn't you hate that person?
It may look strange, but great majority of the people in Serbia don't hate Americans as a people.
US government, oh yeah!

Konstantin (comment#24),
Allentown is not the capital of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg is. And if a man who lives in Philadelphia did not know that his city was situated within the state of Pennsylvania, that man is clearly learning disabled and of below average intelligence, not representative of the average person. Americans are by no means aces at geography but the examples you cited, if they are even true, are obviously from a person who is mentally disabled.

I think that points 6 ("Importance of lobbyists") and 7 ("Lack of consistency in our foreign policy") are related. Together they are related to the one point that is missing: the importance of money in the US democratic proces.

Now that there is no overwhelming goal like the cold war any group that is willing to donate money has a good chance to influence foreign policy. Most people don't know or care much about what happens outside the borders of the US so the counterforces for consistency are weak (point 8). The strength of the US army means that there is no reality check either (your point 5). As a consequence US Balkan policy in the last two decades has been driven to a large extent by emigrant communities like the Croat Ustashas.

I think that that explains why the US has been (and still is) such an extremely destabilising force in the Balkans. See for example the recent Lajcak coup in Bosnia that was driven by American diplomats.

Konstantin (comment#24),
Allentown is not the capital of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg is. And if a man who lives in Philadelphia did not know that his city was situated within the state of Pennsylvania, that man is clearly learning disabled and of below average intelligence, not representative of the average person. Americans are by no means aces at geography but the examples you cited, if they are even true, are obviously from a person who is mentally disabled.
(Palilula, 1 December 2007 22:37)

The individual is a successful business man and can assure you had no mental sickness. My apologies, Harrisburg, was not born in PA.

Pakistan is the real problimatic country to the internatinal community. This is a save heaven for Taliban and Alqaida. The Pakistani mllitary and intelligence agency on one hand fully support them and on the other hand they show that they are fighting against them in order to get billion of Dollors. With the help of these gruops they destabilize the Afghan Govt., so they may bring a Govt. of their own choice whenever the international security forces will leave this country. These gruop are easily availble will trained and cheap army for Pakistan to attack Americans and destabliase india by attackings in Jammu and Kashmir. By killing a few of them Pakistan gets Billions of Dollors while in response recieving no harm as those are killed are innocent people that cannot do anything to take the revenge. The question arise that what will happen if some radicles in Pakistan army give nukes to the terrorist gruop. Why USA and other Europeans ignoring all these and helpin Pakistani to be strong to challenge the international communinty. What if Islaabad is being occupied by terrorists.