I've Been Remiss

But it's all the fault of the movie-making gods - there are none by the way, none benevolent, that is. They are evil-devils those puppeteers.

Speaking of puppeteers, had an interesting conversation with our production designer over lunchtime. She's South Korean and has fairly clear and strong opinions about America and our role in Korea. She, like many South Koreans, do not like the US Military in South Korea. The troops are rude and according to her, commit crimes. I've heard of rape, but she mentioned murder. I find it hard to believe a troop murdered someone and did not get severely punished, but she seems to think it happened.

Anyhow, she likes some thing about the United States, but in the end, thinks we're bullies. She doesn't like the hardline stance we take against North Korea. It scares her. She doesn't think our motivations for being in Korea are sound - she thinks we force the South Koreans to purchase crappy, old military equipment, in essence, paying us off for protection. I don't find this hard to believe.

In the end, she, like many in the world, feel emasculated by the power of the United States. This is not an issue brought up in political discussion, but seems to me the root of the deep-seeded anger the rest of the world feels towards us. They may guise it in Bush-bashing, and say they feel good about Clinton and other politicians who can make us feel safe and loved...but the "root cause" is the exercise of power (economic and social and military) we do all around the world. The practical difference in foreign policy between Bush and Clinton are not, I think, tremendous. What is different in the manner in which we conduct ourselves and the perception countries have of us.

In the middle east, emasculation has turned to humiliation and has spawned Islamic Terrorism. In addition to addressing autocratic governments, terrorist groups, terrorist ideology, and terrorist money, we must address this issue of humiliation, which for my money has been the root psychological cause of much of the violence in the 20th and 21st century.