The Clashing "Civilization"

George W. Bush, President, United States of America, 2000-2004, Speech to German Bundestag, Berlin, May 23, 2002:

“In this war we defend not just America or Europe; we are defending civilization, itself… America and the nations in Europe are more than military allies, we're more than trading partners; we are heirs to the same civilization. The pledges of the Magna Charta, the learning of Athens, the creativity of Paris, the unbending conscience of Luther, the gentle faith of St. Francis—all of these are part of the American soul. The New World has succeeded by holding to the values of the Old… These convictions bind our civilization together and set our enemies against us.”

Richard “Dick” Cheney, Vice President, United States of America, 2000-2004:

“…the world has seen that America acts not to conquer, but to liberate.”

Donald Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, George W. Bush Administration, 2000-2004:

“…whenever it occurred down the road that the United States was under some sort of a threat or attack, that the United States would be leaning forward, not back,”

Madeleine Albright, Secretary of State, Clinton Administration, 1996-2000:

“If we have to use force, it is because we are America. We are the indispensable nation. We stand tall. We see further into the future.”

Colin Powell, Joint Chiefs of Staff, George Bush Administration, 1988-1992, on Iraqi casualties in the Persian Gulf War:

“That is really not a matter I am terribly interested in.”

Robert F. Kennedy, on Vietnam, 1968:

“At stake is not only the leadership of a party or the leadership of a country—at stake is our claim to the moral leadership of the world.”

Theodore Roosevelt, President, United States of America,

“Our nation is the one among all nations of the earth which holds in its hands the fate of the coming years.”

Sources for some of the above:

Some responses:

Nelson Mandela:

“…the attitude of the United States of America is a threat to world peace.”

William Sloan Coffin:

“The United States does not have to lead the human race. It has to join it.”

From “The Dangers of Self-Righteousness.” http://www.fccb.org/sermons/s99/sr990214.html

M. K. Gandhi, on being asked about western civilization:

"It would be a good idea.”