No, they'd all fight back. You don't think the Africans would?
And, with proper PR and assurances, the worthwhile areas might come in willingly. Canada is effectively a 51st state with no representation already.
But we were talking imperialism here. Empires are bought with blood.
<i.It was during that discussion that X got dumped on for saying that we shouldn't intervene in Somalia despite the slavery going on there, part of the reason her values are questioned, I suppose. I remember agreeing with her on Somalia.
And I agree with X's position also. Did any of the opponents say they volunteered for the Army while that was going on? If someone means something like that, they should be willing to lead the first charge.
Would it be smart or moral for us to take it preemptively? Smart? No. Much grief would come of that. And I think your do-gooder instincts are MUCH too strong. Moral? Except in extreme cases like genocide (and maybe not then), what has morality got to do with realpolitik?
You know, with Africa weakened due to ineptitude and AIDS, maybe in ten or twenty years, China might start thinking that Africa would be a good place for its people to spread out. Africa's a sitting duck. What, if anything, would we do about that? That's what all those weapons are for. |