Why are other countries so interested in Americas next president?

What happens in the United States has a huge impact on the rest of the world. For instance, your current leader, one George W. Bush, decided to invade Iraq. The consequences there included increased acts of terrorism against not just the US but any and all other nations seen by fundamentalists as aligned with the US. Even Bush had said that those (nations) that were not for the American invasion of Iraq were, therefore, against the US with the unspoken understanding that those nations were also aligned with the terrorists.
Sad to say, but if we as a planet want to survive, we have to have a fairly good grasp of what goes on in the US.

Sadly, too many Americans are raised to see themselves as the only truly important show on the planet and so will spend no time at all attempting to teach kids about other lands. This partly explains why too few Americans have a clue about other countries.

Finally, I know you're not bashing anyone as doing so will result in someone bashing you back. American policies (especially foreign ones), culture, values and other defining characteristics of the US make many people cagey; and not just non-Americans but plenty of Americans as well.

Will you see a lot of American news on the television? Probably but only because what happens in the US affects everyone else, especially Canadians. But, don't despair, if you tune in to CBC, you will catch plenty of Canadian news.

About the best thing you can do is take the time to learn about Canada for yourself. You can't change what a nation does but you can change what you do and, so far as you're concerned, that's all you can do!

Welcome to Canada - bring some warm gloves and good snow shovel!

belairjr

without sounding preachy,traveling around the world as I did,people from other countrys have a real curiosity about the U.S. we really are like no other country. and the fact is almost everyone Ive met when overseas has a relative or friend here.

BOOMER SOONER FAN!!!

America is the most influential country on the planet everybody is wanting to know what we will do next and why

stuckindaburbs

because America has had tremundus influence on the whole world and we will for a very long time.

Also, in my school, at least, we learn a lot about different countries. we don't go indepth into EVERY ruler that EVERY country has had, but we learn about most of them.

Chris B

Because what happens in America and what America does affects everyone else. The mortgage crisis in America hugely affected the economy of the UK for example.

Persepolis

In Canada, a lot of our media is American... so knowledge of the elections is really accessible. There is Canadian news, but they do lots of coverage about america too.
America is currently one biggest economic powers in the world, and what they do greatly affects other countries. With the war and the election and george bush royally screwing it all up, its fascinating. its not just the usa either, we are aware of the big news in many countries.
No offense, but american media is really egocentric and do not do coverage of our elections or of other countries to the same extent.

Butterfly

The international media is USA obsessed. (Wow. I've never seen a veteran get their panties so bunched up over something a little gal had to say. You got downright abusive awfullly quick. Talk about a hair trigger temper! Who in their right mind would issue you a gun?)

Razor Jim

I couldn't get past your first paragraph.."Americas are brought up to learn nothing but American history"

Where the heck did you learn that?

Here are some of the classes I took in high school:

Rise and fall of the third Reich
Communism
Karl Marx
The Czars of Russia
The Roman Empire
Greek Mythology
History of Europe
Spanish I
Spanish ll
When you make wild assumptions about an entire country you come off sounding like a troll.

Lori K

Because worldwide, the media is American dominated. It's difficult to go to any country and not watch American programming on the television or to find a newstand that doesn't have multiple American newspapers. Other news sources, such as Yahoo and AOL are also American institutions.

Americans are NOT brought up to "learn nothing but American history and significant events in world history." Perhaps your schooling was lacking, but mine was not. How wonderful that you have a couple of Canadian friends. It's very lucky for you that they are willing to "slum" academically and intellectually in their choices of associates.

I have also traveled extensively. My time in foreign countries is not limited to military bases and the people I've encountered do not seem more "educated" or "aware" of things outside their own country than Americans on average. They may think they do, but they don't. (LOL) The only exception that I've seen to that is that people educated in Great Britain seem to have a more extensive classical education than anywhere else in the world. They are the exception, not the rule.

communist

NOT EVERY COUNTRY I COULD CARE LESS

D L

the US is arguably the most powerful nation on the planet. They look at us like hollywood stars. Sometimes good. Sometimes bad. But always star quality.

Now... which administration would you rather negotiate your next peace treaty/trade deficit/arms sale with if you were from Country XYZ??? Clinton, Obama or McCain?

justice

Other countries are waiting to see if we will defend ourselves or not.

We are the leader of the free world as such we are the envy of some, the targets of many.

Sophie B

Because America has so much social and political influence on other countries....Britan and other countries rely on us to help lead the world! more people from other countries are more interested in our politics than their own, which might be why they have a crappy goverment...hope this helps!

CCC

hi i moved to canada and they know more about us than they do about themselves. they are obsessed with us and have a serious love hate relationship with us.

they study us like crazy in jr high and hs but then they get mad that we do not study them.

you will see a lot of neg us news first then some local canadian news and only a weebit of other canadian news. many canadians from say ontario could care less about the rest of the country. that bugs me. then they get mad at us for being patriotic.

go to www.google.ca and see anti americanism in canada

there are many americans who live in canada but many expats form groups and do not always mingle with other canadians because they will start anti us political stuff uninvited and ithink it is rude and ill mannered.

i had some nut following me and would not shut up across a big parking lot, another cashier go on and one etc.

i am back in the usa.

if you want to go to www.canada.gc.ca the govt of canada site see study in canada.

it is not that easy. also see www.yahoo.ca the canadian yahoo and google

we say good things about them but not the other way around. they see as a goliath trying to squash them.

Marty Ratcliffe

I think you are wrong about how Americans are taught in school. I certainly didn't get the education that you describe. Most people are primarily interested in news from their own country. Most news also provides international news. America happens to be covered very often.

Now, just a word of advice. If you are going to play with the big kids in the politics forum, and especially in immigration, you've got to grow a thicker skin. Otherwise, it's not the place for you.

darwinsfriend3 AM

Because many things that happen politically in America can and do have worldwide repercussions.
The illegal invasion of Iraq being a prime example.

flapjackfreak

because america is BIG- we're the #1 nation- in good and also some bad things. the next president 4 us doesn't just affect us- it affects the whole world- if we protect others, if we give to others, if they're gullible and they have an oppurtunity to bomb us....(cough-cough-barack obama- cough-cough)

abilicious

because our current president isn't just recking our economy, he has a huge influence in world wide economies. they want a good president so the world doesn't go into a second depression

East Lansing Brat

They're worried the next leader will bomb and invade them for the wrong reasons. So, they are very concerned who will be in the White House next year.

maxmom

Because, as one of the wealthiest and most powerful countries in the world, what we do impacts the rest of the world.

This is especially true in regards to foreign policy and trade.

We spend as much as the rest of the world combined on the military. When we went into Iraq, we did not have enthusiastic support from other countries. Britain went along because we are such close allies, but the other alliance countries contributed minuscule amounts of people and arms.

Not to say they were not valuable, but they were very reluctant.

That is why most of the world is pulling for Obama. They don't want to see more international aggression.

Me Vale

Hon, the rest of the worlds market depends on what we do. Everyone is interested in what happens here! EVERYONE! The economy of the world is very delicate and America plays a great part in it! I am glad you are a kid and not an adult. I would have really been ashamed if you were. Don't listen to the immature adults bashing you, shame on them because they should know better!

tomcostigan

because one blundering fool gets elected as president and boom! the whole world is in danger from american paranoia, war, credit crunch, disconcern for the environment, invading countries for oil e.t.c

Ken

No matter if you think it's good or bad, The US is the only remaining super power right now. That may change. But the rest of the world has a legitimate interest in the Presidency.

Many believe the current President messed up a sizable chunk of the world.

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