No need to visualize it, look around you, you have become exactly what you fought against, it's that simple.
"Power mad"?? We're only trying to preserve the world order that has existed since the end of WWII.
It just amazes me to see the stupidity that is displayed by people who obviously have no understanding of history or realpolitik.
If this country had retreated to it's previous isolationist stance I really don't see how we'd have maintained any semblance of our democratic values in the face of the totalitarian forces arrayed against the West over the past 60 years. There would have been no cold war.. It would have been hot as nuclear hellfire and billions of people would have been caught square int the middle.
Instead, we created the foundation for global conflict resolution (league of nations, then UN) and collective security. Our biggest mistake was permitting non-democratic states to hold permanent member status on the UNSC with automatic veto power. For that very reason the UN has been dysfunctional since it's formation.
Mish is telling us that we should make the world "pay" us for our services. It easy to see why some would actually perceive some merit in that, especially given that the Saudis and Kuwaitis paid all the costs of Desert Storm in 1991. The problem in that specific example is that we didn't have much ability to dictate the final disposition. The Saudis and Kuwaitis wanted Saddam out of Kuwait, but they also wanted him to remain as a buffer against the Iranians, which only delayed the inevitable outcome and rewarded his aggression.
Americans must fight for principals, not merely as the mercenaries of non-democratic regimes when they get themselves in trouble. If we have to get involved and spill our blood and/or treasure, then we should have a right in influencing the final outcome and post-war security structure in order to ensure that we aren't forced to do it again in the near future.
Israel and the USA are power mad and expansionary running roughshod all over the world, stealing natural resources, propping up dictators, seeking new markets for the corporations and banks that run America
This myopic view TOTALLY IGNORES THE AMBITIONS OF OTHER GOVERNMENTS AND REGIMES. As we saw in Iraq, France, Russia, and China were DELIBERATELY CIRCUMVENTING UNSC SANCTIONS in order to conduct illicit business with Saddam. We didn't discover the Oil For Food Scandal until AFTER Saddam had been overthrown. For YEARS these nations had been attempting to ingratiate themselves to Saddam's regime in order to secure future oil concessions. They ACTIVELY worked to undermine those sanctions and even get them lifted so they could return to "business as usual" in the region.
China's activities in Africa are utterly exploitive. They are turning Africans into slave labor to provide the raw materials that China's economy craves. No attempt to create social and economic development, just exploitation of resources. Little, or no, accountability of either the African or Chinese governments with regard to the safety and welfare of the people.
dailymail.co.uk
ipsnews.net
news.bbc.co.uk
You cannot see that the America of today is NOT the America that brought many fine things to the world in the past.
As I've said.. we're not perfect.. We have our arrogance of ideas. We consider ourselves "special", and to an extent that's a justifiable attitude. Just ask the millions of people doing about anything to gain access to this country and the lack of Americans seeking to emigrate (unless they're wealthy people trying to avoid taxes). They're leaving the land of their birth to seek their fortune in the US FOR A REASON. The reasons that YOU CANNOT, OR REFUSE TO SEE.
And I've talked to my share of Iranians during my life. NONE OF THEM have shown any loyalty, or love, for the current regime there. And I sincerely hope the Iranians overthrow their government in coming months. They've lived under its oppression for far too many years.
But one has to wonder if they would even have the nerve to attempt such an act if they didn't believe the US and other democracies wouldn't be standing by to assist them.
especially when they protect our values and interests.
Our values mean nothing if we're not prepared to assist others in adopting them as well. And they certainly mean nothing when we're not willing to assist others in defending shared values.
And MOST IMPORTANTLY, I don't see the global economy becoming more stable and interlocked by encouraging a return to a multi-polar political system.
So while I'm fully in agreement that our allies need to pay more of their fair share in global security responsibilities, we're the only country powerful enough to unite them in a common cause.
Maybe you need to watch a lot less "24" and get out there and see the world for the way it ACTUALLY IS.
Hawk |
