Every day waking up to yet another insane declaration from Trump. America is losing the respect of the world

[100A]

It's like a parallel universe - how did America come to this? So now he plans to ethnically cleanse Gaza we are told - to create the 'Riviera of the Middle East.' A golf course and hotels probably. The £2 million people can just go wherever. Wtf! AIBU to think America is imploding in on itself?

@Patterncarmen oh yes me too but I wasn't sure how much was bob? Did op quote bob then add her own sentiments?

I would (guess?) it's a transcription of something spoken. The quote marks at the beginning and end would imply that. The ones around words in the text should be single quotes, but it's still pretty clear that the poster didn't add anything.

beautiful is that all Rob, the quote marks are hard to follow.

Not that I mind, but it is slightly amusing to be calling out grammar with a typo 😅

@user44456b not at all I fucking hate the gammer police on here I have none and can't spell so I understand the ott reaction to a simple innocent question

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2025/feb/08/elon-musk-politics-doge

Just gonna leave this here.....

By soft power I meant not just cultural influence, which is waning anyway, but really essentially funding for education, health etc mostly through USAid (which provided a sizeable % of the budget for some countries, including Jordan).
As for Muslim countries hating the US, well it's not hard to see why they'd have such a complicated relationship with them. Personally, I think Iraq was the beginning of the end (but to be honest, US foreign policy has always been problematic, I am not an unconditional fan by any means)

It wasn't OTT. I was just trying to explain the quote marks, in answer to your question, and just found the typo funny. No need to get in a twist.

now known as "swasticars"

https://www.cia.gov/static/5c875f3ec660e092cf893f60b4a288df/SimpleSabotage.pdf

Declassified CIA manual on how to disrupt fascism, for those interested.

Apparently one of the most accessed documents in the last few weeks!

@StandFirm there is /was a excellent documentary on the USA meddling in other countries, stating for instance the fact they let saddam gas the kurds and didn't intervene they were critiqued and other awful instances but also they come under fire when they do

@user44456b but I don't care about typos or grammar it was a genuine question and instead of again just taking me at face value you're carrying on.
I just wouldn't dream of pulling people up about typos etc as I said I hate the grammar police on here.

I did take it at face value, as I provided a good faith answer to your questions on the quotation marks. So, you're welcome.

I apologise for not realising you're someone completely devoid of a sense of humour. FFS

Adding, that I've just edited out a typo. Had I not, and had you pointed it out, I would have thought it was funny, given the conversation.

That’s amazing!

I used to be a bit of a news junkie. Now I spend more time listening to ghost stories or podcasts about mysticism. And poetry. Got to preserve our sanity somehow!

oooh can you recommend a ghost story I can listen to please?

I dunno, it's not just those countries. I think us Europeans have a lot to grateful to the US for (e.g being a major funder and supplier of forces to defend countries on the Russian borders) but all they get in criticism and contempt. I can see why a lot of Americans might just end up thinking "well, fuck you then..."

When I say contempt, I'm thinking of things like the endless videos on the internet that basically consist of "look at these stupid Americans saying stupid things, aren't Americans just unbelievably stupid?'

As though Europe is solely populated by erudite polymaths.

I completely agree. Large numbers of people in the US clearly feel shafted. Trump pointed the finger at, well mostly immigrants really, and promised to make their lives better.

I don’t think you can just dismiss them as stupid.

I think us Europeans have a lot to grateful to the US for (e.g being a major funder and supplier of forces to defend countries on the Russian borders) but all they get in criticism and contempt. I can see why a lot of Americans might just end up thinking "well, fuck you then..."

Agree with that. That goes with the recent rise in anti American sentiment. US voters thinking good luck without our funding then.

At least 100 million Americans are eligible to be President. That’s a massive pool of talent. If, after a very lengthy selection process, Americans choose the likes of Trump and George W. Bush to lead and represent their country, they’re going to be fighting the assumption that Americans are not very bright. Is it an accurate assumption? Of course not, but it’s the first impression that many foreigners will have of them.

well your post is not lasting well is it. How gullible can you be?

What has he done which is positive - the tariffs he puts on products from other countries are then paid for by the American consumers. He’s not going to turn Canada into a US state or take Greenland. His comments regarding Gaza are appalling - it’s ethnic cleansing.

I’m avoiding the news now. It sends me into despair to be honest. I the combination of the far right rising in Europe, Trump, Elon, Putin…

I don’t think it’s looking good for any of us.

Oliver Stone's Untold History of the US?

JD Vance bringing US culture war tactics over here and lecturing European states with half truths.
Really have had enough of them already.

I think 'half truths' is being unnecessarily kind to him