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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group
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To: Ilaine who wrote (44135)9/18/2002 1:42:22 AM
From: D. Long  Read Replies (1) of 281500
 
It might be wise to recall at this point that the US has never hesitated to install or prop up dictators in 3rd world countries, any time it suited our immediate interest to do so.
Yes, this is exactly the criticism I referred to in my immediately prior post. I've read that thought expressed thousands of times, and you've made it so many times yourself that it simply flows out fully formed in one sentence. Well said.

Now, here is the question. Did we do it out of sheer fuggheaded meanness, did we pick the biggest bastard we could find in order to grind the populace down? Or did we pick the best of a bad bunch?

We really have three choices when dealing with dictatorial regimes:

1. deal with the power structure currently in place and make the best of the situation

2. coercively change the regime to one closer to your ideals

3. don't deal with them at all and go elsewhere

During the Cold War, which is the period always referred to when talking about all the dictators we support, #3 wasn't an option. The Left doesn't like #1 OR #2. Which generally leaves the protester without a viable option to offer.

Even today, when presented with a vital national interest in a less than savory nation, #3 isn't always an option. I'd say Saudi Arabia falls in this category right now.

Derek
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