Thank you for your good wishes for the USA, Augo!

It was celebrated by the people not with military parades, but by watching televised events like international soccer and a Tall Ships Festival with spectacular sailing ships from Brazil, Mexico, Canada, and US; with family picnics, fireworks, and schoolyard baseball games. At the nation's capitol the televised ceremony showed no military or political leaders, but featured popular music about our country as well as our national anthems, official and adopted.
The President spoke at a military base where some in his audience wept, not at the irony of his words, but with joy that their loved ones had recently returned from military service. Outside protestors held up large posters criticizing war.

People are good. They are largely innocent and they want peace.  Many facets of Inter-dependence are scarey because change is required, but even Independence can be peaceful.

Thanks for the heart warming replies Betson and DocM

Oh gosh you have no idea how much America is admired in South Africa (well me for a start!)

The founding principles is what makes your Nation so great and strong.
The celebrations sounded great .. you have so much too be proud of America and i hope one day South Africa will rise, like the phoenix from the ashes, in your footsteps.

America's melody has a good vibration.

Hi Marilyn

i wouldn't worry about what the rest of the world's perception is of America.  If it is negative than i say it is based on a jealousy.  America has done so much for World aid and charity and you have good hearts America.  This is shown by the fact that you are concerned what the world thinks of you.  

You were blatantly attacked in your home; are you expected to feel guilty for this? nonono this behaviour of the terrorist is unacceptable and needed a show of strength to say this. What was the Bush administration supposed to do ... quite diplomatic negotiation .. hardly.  

The Shock and Awe move (20032003 quite a date) is a stand of diginity, strength and a message that terrorism is unacceptable. Iraq was in the hands of a mad man and yes, military action is awful and heartbreaking, it was the sacrifice of your sons and daughters as well though. The Iraq people were liberated from this dictatorship.  There is ethics and basic code of moral conduct that the civilised world holds dear.  i say hunt and route out the terrorist and the power mad dictator; the only way to do this is by a show of strength and force.  i often wish that America would drop by Zimbabwe and let Mugabe know that his dictatorship is unacceptable.

Some people may be offended by my outspokeness in the merit of war; one may be liberal to a point but there is a border that cannot be crossed .. and it is not okay to terrorise innocent people.  Shock and Awe showed this.  You might say that this then leads to further retaliation by the enemy.. but do we fear the coward .. i do not.

We may go into the politics .. supplying guns, the oil control but America has it's Founding Principles that intelligent people adhere too.  It is like here in SA we have our Freedom Charter this is our Founding Principles and this is what makes a country great with great leaders.

Thank you America; may God bless you in abundance and may the Eye of Providence be with you at all times. And the United Kingdom too; may you be blessed and looked after.

i hope the management does no think im being too political here as well as presuming that i may ask for God's blessing; this is my opinion that i have no qualms about expressing.