It's Amazing How Little Foreign Leaders Understand Us

PittsburghAfterDark

CAGiversary!
I came across this article and quote about Vladimir Putin and something he said to George Bush, "We didn't criticize you when you fired those reporters at CBS."

Now, if foreign leaders can't grasp how a basic measure of American society works how can they ever understand us? Now we're accused of being insensitive, intrusive, overbearing etc. but if this isn't a leader believing his own narrow view of the world applies to every nation on Earth I don't know what does.


Exerpted
By Richard Wolffe
Newsweek


March 7 issue - It was meant to be a heart-to-heart: just the two presidents and their translators, sitting alone inside the historic castle that overlooks the Slovak capital of Bratislava. Four years earlier, in another castle in Central Europe, George W. Bush looked Vladimir Putin in the eye and saw his trustworthy soul. But what he saw inside Putin last week was far less comforting. When Bush confronted his Russian counterpart about the freedom of the press in Russia, Putin shot back with an attack of his own: "We didn't criticize you when you fired those reporters at CBS."

It's not clear how well Putin understands the controversy that led to the dismissal of four CBS journalists over the discredited report on Bush's National Guard service. Yet it's all too clear how Putin sees the relationship between Bush and the American media—just like his own. Bush's aides have long feared that former KGB officers in Putin's inner circle are painting a twisted picture of U.S. policy. So Bush explained how he had no power to fire American journalists. It made little difference. When the two presidents emerged for their joint press conference, one Russian reporter repeated Putin's language about journalists getting fired. Bush (already hot after an earlier question about his spying on U.S. citizens) asked the reporter if he felt free. "They obviously planted the question," said one of Bush's senior aides.

Newsweek Article
 
The USSR is back.

I love how "free" other "free" countries are. In Canada radio stations have to have 30% of their linup Candain artist by law. What the fuck is that? Not their fault that the people have a half a brain and hate Candain music.
 
[quote name='David85']The USSR is back.

I love how "free" other "free" countries are. In Canada radio stations have to have 30% of their linup Candain artist by law. What the shaq-fu is that? Not their fault that the people have a half a brain and hate Candain music.[/quote]

Brian Adams needs his royalty check somehow and you know we sure as heck don't play his stuff anymore.
 
[quote name='David85']The USSR is back.

I love how "free" other "free" countries are. In Canada radio stations have to have 30% of their linup Candain artist by law. What the shaq-fu is that? Not their fault that the people have a half a brain and hate Candain music.[/quote]

Well, soon gay marriage will be legal all throughout canada (instead of just some provinces), that probably outweighs the radio thing. There isn't any country that is the most free across the board. Then again, no one ever held up russia as an example of freedom.
 
[quote name='David85']
I love how "free" other "free" countries are. In Canada radio stations have to have 30% of their linup Candain artist by law. What the shaq-fu is that? Not their fault that the people have a half a brain and hate Candain music.[/quote]
Don't they have something like that with Canadian TV also?
 
Wow a cultural misunderstanding, let call in the National Guard....oh wait nevermind we already did. I am sure everyone on this site understands every other aspect of Russian culture perfectly. Shit happens and you deal.
 
[quote name='alonzomourning23']Well, soon gay marriage will be legal all throughout canada (instead of just some provinces)[/quote]

Dammit. There goes America's place as the number one supplier of hollywood stars. The interior decorator and hairdressing industries will also be hard hit.

Oh well - with all fashion sense leaving America maybe my beer holster foam hat will finally come back in style (heck I'll wear it to the museum - it says Artsy Fartsy right on the front)

That Canadian radio thing is total BS. Like when France outlaws people posting English sighs/advertisements - cultural embargoes rarely work (look at the popularity of blue jeans in soviet russia...)
 
[quote name='PittsburghAfterDark']Now, if foreign leaders can't grasp how a basic measure of American society works how can they ever understand us? Now we're accused of being insensitive, intrusive, overbearing etc. but if this isn't a leader believing his own narrow view of the world applies to every nation on Earth I don't know what does.[/quote]
Here's the 200 billion dollar question: is he going to invade any countries based on his inability to understand other cultures?

All this does is demonstrate the huge flaw in the NeoCon philosphy: different cultures have vastly different understandings of what 'freedom' is. This incident is a demonstration of how different of an understanding Russia has of freedom - this despite the fact that, culturally and historically, they're a whole lot closer to us than Asia and the Middle East are. If you just pop into countries and say "Congratulations, you're free!", you shouldn't necessarily count on the people there being ready to set up a nice peaceful democracy. They may simply not be culturally ready for it and simply wind up voting in a nice Iranian theocracy (that's going to end well, I'm sure...)
 
[quote name='Drocket'][quote name='PittsburghAfterDark']Now, if foreign leaders can't grasp how a basic measure of American society works how can they ever understand us? Now we're accused of being insensitive, intrusive, overbearing etc. but if this isn't a leader believing his own narrow view of the world applies to every nation on Earth I don't know what does.[/quote]
Here's the 200 billion dollar question: is he going to invade any countries based on his inability to understand other cultures?

All this does is demonstrate the huge flaw in the NeoCon philosphy: different cultures have vastly different understandings of what 'freedom' is. This incident is a demonstration of how different of an understanding Russia has of freedom - this despite the fact that, culturally and historically, they're a whole lot closer to us than Asia and the Middle East are. If you just pop into countries and say "Congratulations, you're free!", you shouldn't necessarily count on the people there being ready to set up a nice peaceful democracy. They may simply not be culturally ready for it and simply wind up voting in a nice Iranian theocracy (that's going to end well, I'm sure...)[/quote]

I hate to ask this question, since I generally agree with what you said, but who claimed russians thinks this is an example of freedom?
 
Nobody, really, but I think his views are pretty typical of the Russian culture. Actually, the fact that Putin, who has VASTLY more experience and interaction with the US than the average Russian, so badly misunderstands the way that things work here really does make you wonder a bit more about the specifics of what the average Russian thinks of freedom.

Of course, its also possible that Putin has inside information and there actually WAS background manipulation to force CBS to fire the reporters :p
 
If Americans weren't so woefully ignorant of pretty much every other country, this thread would be less funny.
 
[quote name='usickenme']If Americans weren't so woefully ignorant of pretty much every other country, this thread would be less funny.[/quote]

Meh, people in just about every country are pretty woefully ignorant about most other countries. If you ever go to Europe, you'll find they have a lot of misperceptions about the U.S., I would daresay as many as people do here.
 
[quote name='elprincipe'][quote name='usickenme']If Americans weren't so woefully ignorant of pretty much every other country, this thread would be less funny.[/quote]

Meh, people in just about every country are pretty woefully ignorant about most other countries. If you ever go to Europe, you'll find they have a lot of misperceptions about the U.S., I would daresay as many as people do here.[/quote]

I wholly disagree. I've been to Europe. They do have some misconceptions but they are generally more aware of us and other countries. Some of the has to do with the power the US has worldwide and the geography of Europe.
 
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