Do you think the World has become a less safe place since the fall of the USSR?
916845
I think the change in balance of power is a problem and the rest of the world either hates the U. S. or they fear us and neither is really good for the world and while I am an American, I do realize that we all occupy the planet and we all need to get along, not out of fear but out of respect.
73075
I think we're seeing the trend to the opposite  because so much of the world see's the U.S. that way.  And, the U.S. citizens are not the least bit happy about being seen that way.  If we wanted to rule the world we'd probably go ahead and become aggressive toward the whole world.  Unfortunately we're wrapped up in situations like Iraq only because we made the mistake of getting involved with the middle east after world war II.  Now we're so involved we can't get out without the middle east self destructing.  We can't leave or Israel would be a parking lot. So it's those things that keep us policing the world while we all hope in vain that the U.N. will start filling it's purpose.
261023
The USSR was actually the best thing to happen to the US.\n\nAt least the US had an ostensible enemy, and since a Mutual Assured Destruction was the only way to fight this enemy, War needed to be "defered" indefinately.\n\nNow, unfortunately - With the downfall of the USSR, the US has not only become a super-power, it has become a  "HYPER-power."\n\nThis makes other countries worry about our presence.\nThey believe that the US is out the "take over the world!"\n\nHell...  They can't even feed Detroit!!!!\n\nYou honestly think the US wants to take care of a bunch goat-eating Muslims who do nothing but sit in dirt all day and hum a bunch of sh-t?!?!??!?!?\n\nBelieve me, if the US wants the world,\nI'd be going to Katmandu on a domestic flight tomorrow.\n\nLighten up, world!
185846
It was an bad idea when it started and it is a bad idea now. When and if we leave it will go back to the way it was before. The strong will take control and we will be right back where we started with a dictator in charge.
327797
Not at all.\n\nIn Afghanistan, the Taliban is actually making a bit of a comeback this month.  Most of the country is under the control of warlords with just a small portion around Kabul that is actually controlled by the American forces and the Afghani government that they installed.  The rest of the country is pure chaos.  (Kabul isn't much better).\n\nIn Iraq, the "coaltion" forces have done a pretty good job of securing the single square mile in central Bagdad known as the Green Zone, and now most of the road to the airport is reasonable secure as well.  Unfortunately, they have "secured" the Green Zone by shooting anybody who tries to enter, so that's maybe not a great example of "controlling the situation".\n\nSadly, neither country is even close to being secure, despite the lies that come out of Washington.  Does the term "lipstick on a pig" mean anything to you?  This particular pig has been run over, disembowled, set on fire and sexually assaulted.  But my! doesn't that lipstick look pretty!
450195
No. Lots of countries have WMD.\nWhat are we waiting for, let's get N. Korea and Iran!!!\n\nIt actually WAS our duty to act as the police of the world but now it is not since we are not moral anymore--I.E. torture of prisoners, locking them away without trials or lawyers or telling them the charges, etc.\n\nWe no longer have the moral high ground in the world.\nWe are no better than a third world country morally now.
143853
I think the US has proven to be a more unstable country than any other in the history of modern politics.\n\nInvading 2 countries, throwing out their leadership and installing their own leaders, monopolyzing all corporate interests in those countries (oil, road, electric, etc.) and lying to its own people about its intents ("terror" "weapons of mass destruction" etc.).\n\nUSA is a frightening place to the International arena it would seem.\n\nName any country that has caused so much destruction.
553724
I hear you loud and clear.The social collapse is happening as we speak.It's just that at the rate it's happening it looks like slow motion.I think that one day we will be living in a different country and will have happened right in front of us.It's a gradual process.The new world order is for the world to be under one government.I don't know if that will ever happen.I do see that everyday Americans are powerless to do anything to stop what's happening.To me that's a scary thing.
1134287
I do not think it is a nation that is the big threat to peace.  Religion is the threat and has been for one heck of a long time.  There are many other factors as well such as language, customs and economy.  Nations get caught up in wars and other conflicts due to one or all of these and more reasons.  I keep hearing and Reading how bed things are now.  Do any of you read and understand history at all.  There is more peace on this earth now than there has been for over three thousand years.  This is a fact, it is true.  What is causing all this fear is the fact that now anything that happens any place on earth and beyond can be shown to the entire world in a matter of minutes.  The news media spends very little time reporting the good. Good does not earn enough money so it is the bad that people want to see and hear about.  I know most will not believe what I say because most are not able to think for themselves.
391324
I don't today's average citizen is as concerned about an attack as they were during the cold war.  But the Russians had such a massive army, the threat of a wide scale invasion seemed plausible.  With terrorists, the attacks are usually held to a small area.  \n\nThat's just my speculation.  You don't see people really preparing for terrorist attacks like they did during the cold war.  Our children are not being taught it in school.
676566
I don't think so.Terrorism based on religion used to be a lot worse in the past(think of what was happening in Europe in Medeaval times).It's just that we feel more secure now from other things and that's why we think this kind of terrorism is increasing.
723302
Probably most of them, but it was the first time a soviet president backed down from the US and gave us a huge advantage psychologically.\n\nI don't think it reduced tensions, but at least Kennedy had a TV broadcast where he showed the world photographs taken form a U2of Soviet missles being set up in Cuba and on Ships.\n\nEven though almost 40 years later, Bush couldn't show us any evidence of anything. He damn sure had no photographs.
856565
Half of those countries are now secular enemies , so I wouldn't worry to much about a reforming of the soviet union . But Russia will never be a close friend of the US , they don't trust us and maybe they shouldn't
404607
I think it's intuitive that more countries with nukes is something that should be discouraged by the world community, but the countries that already have them don’t want to get rid of them unless its mutual as with Russia and the US over the past decade.  I also think it’s a matter of the stability of the countries that now may obtain nuclear weapons.  Russia and China are downright stable compared to Iran and N Korea.
95927
Brother, Our freedoms have ended long back. Its a country where people with doubts and critical thoughts are labeled nut jobs and discounted. you know what I mean. It can only get worse unfortunately unless we actively do something about it.
552617
you are not along in this thought but it does not means the same to every one in this country ,the diversity of people in the last 7o year has change . you know why is scary 70 year of bad international politics double cross , and 70 year of imposing  bad policy on country and ignoring that in 70 more year every thing comes down on the people and swiping everything under the carpet capitalism is good but at the cost of what. HISTORY TELL US THAT EVEN THE GREATS NATION DO NT LAST 4 EVER.
539868
Don't know about the U.S., was on the opposite side during the cold war. For us, the opposite side, the effects were unpleasant: because the economy was so militarized, we had deficits of consumer goods. Could have lived better but for the competition with America. Maybe indirectly it caused the disintegration of the whole country and the collapse of the whole economy. In addition, everyone was afraid of any bang - what if that was the American bomb exploding? I know that the same was happening in the West - everyone was afraid of the Soviet bombs that could have started falling any moment.