I never post on FB but felt it was time to sound off. As most of you know, I’m currently at the Fuhrungsakadamie der Bundeswehr in Hamburg Germany attending the German military staff college. There are 75 German officers and 17 international students in my class. As my class began three weeks ago the United States govt was on the brink of war with Syria with no clear mission and no allies. From the very beginning I was questioned by both my international class mates and German students as to what the heck the US was doing in Syria, but then it just continued to pretty much every facet of American policy, foreign and domestic. I was stationed in Germany when the current president was elected the first time. At that time all the Europeans loved him and thought America was suddenly enlightened. What a difference 4 years make. On my first day of class I was berated by a Polish officer as to how stupid Americans were to re-elect someone who could have been a part of the politburo of Poland in the 1980s, his words, not mine. Then almost immediately a Lithuanian officer asked me to explain what our foreign policy was regarding Libya and Syria especially after losing our ambassador last year, and I couldn’t answer as I had no idea. The British and Spanish then started in on the health care debacle and asked why Americans were so stupid. Govt controlled health care is the biggest contributing factor in the debt of their countries and why was America going that way. Mind you this was 0730 in the morning on day one. I had just met these guys and they just saw an American and went off. Since that day three weeks ago I’ve had countless discussions with officers from all over the world and all I can say is America isn’t thought of the way it is portrayed in America. To synthesize my experiences thus far, at least in the international military community, has been embarrassing. America is viewed as a powerful country that is governed by imbeciles. I’ve been in the military off and on for a long time. I’ve served under Reagan, both Bush’s, Clinton and now the current regime. Throughout it all America was always viewed with respect and maybe with a little envy and fear, but now it’s viewed as incompetent. I can’t believe that as I walk into class I’m actually looked at with pity almost as someone from an abusive relationship. No one understands how the greatness of America has slipped to the point of obscurity. I’ve actually heard people say sentences asking who the new leader in the world is now that America has abdicated all leadership. Frankly, I almost feel ashamed for my country. How’s that hope and change working out?
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