[martinkallstrom]

In essence, the US government (not it's people) could be regarded as the global bully. It's probably because bullying works and is economical. It makes sense for them and the world where the US would have to apologize for it's behaviour is not the world we live in, no matter how much we would want to.

But isn't it also a slight sign of weakness? Comparing to China, it's apparent that US more often resorts to bullying tactics. Especially if you count in military operations in that spectrum. If the US were an economical power the bullying would not be more economical than a more long-term, silent and behind the scenes overtaking of the global economy. Which is what China is engaged in and US has been in the past.

[kcorbitt]

Historically speaking, it's hard to find a nation that with broad power outside its own borders that has not used that power to bully others.

[rainsford]

And also historically speaking, nations with the kind of relative power that the United States has have behaved far, far worse towards other countries. There are things the US could improve upon, but the bar has been set impressively low by those who have held power before (including the United States of years past).

[rmc]

Basically every great power has been described as a bully. The USA is no real exception.

[ankitml]

China is also a big bully, just the bullying is restricted to areas around china. US on the other hand is a global bully

[pekk]

"Areas around China" suggests perhaps Chinese waters, or a limited distance from them - rather than India, the Koreas, half the Pacific, all of Southeast Asia...

[tome]

If and when China is at the same level of military capability as the US, do you believe it will refrain from "bullying" to protect its national interests?

[cmdkeen]

Given what China has done to Tibet over the past few decades it is safe to say the difference is night and day between the levels of "bullying" that occur.

[fnordfnordfnord]

US treatment of American Indians? Slavery in America?

[mpyne]

Oh, if we're allowed to go that far back in history, why don't we take a stopover to, say, 1939-1945 or so?

[fnordfnordfnord]

Japanese internment?

[mpyne]

Yes, that happened. Was anything else going on in the world, perhaps more irreversible? One of the American internees later captained USS Excelsior, after all.

[diminoten]

The people of the US know we're considered a "bully" and intentionally elect people to federal government so as to maintain that status.

A label you use derisively is a point of pride in the American psyche.