<Don't forget who actually has dropped the A bomb and used DU (depleted uranium) bullets on humans, civilians included as direct target and as residual effects. So as long as they are used by one of your favorites, then it's ok, huh?>
Yes Bubba, if the USA uses dirty great big nukes on Hu Jintao and Jiang Zemin in response to an attack by China on Taiwan, then I'd think it's fair enough. I like my side to do the using, not the bad guys.
Yes Bubba, the USA was the first country in the world to use nuclear weapons and it certainly had the desired effect, with a prompt unconditional surrender. Japan had been marauding across the Pacific, building an empire - a Greater Co-Prosperity Sphere. They had to be stopped, just as Hitler's Master Race had to be stopped. A nuke turned out to be a very good way of doing it.
Their empire was qualitatively different from the British Empire, which while based on force, as all political systems are, it's impetus was trade and that attracted the indigenous people to sign on. Maoris for example weren't forced into the Empire. They signed up for profit from trade, and peace with neighbouring tribes and to get access to a big economic system and freedom to travel. Maoris became British Subjects, the same as everyone else in the Empire.
The Japanese empire, on the other hand, was based on Ghengkis Khan principles [same as the Pakistani Khan selling his nukes] = give us your goods or we whack your head off with this sword. The locals didn't get invited to participate in the political process or share in the profits of being in the empire. The locals in the Japanese empire were little more than another natural resource to supply the goods to the Emperor and cronies. Even now, it's tough to become Japanese, even if you live in Japan. But Japanese can come here and become a Kiwi.
The American Empire is even better than the British Empire in some ways, though we don't have the freedom of travel and citizenship. I've signed up, voluntarily shipped my capital over there, pay taxes there and own a chunk of the colonisation of China, India, Japan and the rest [via QUALCOMM] and Iraq, Afghanistan and Liberia [via the Pentagon].
Some empires are good, some are just the old conquering, cannibalistic Maori-style tribal territorial alpha male chimpoid dominance hierarchy hunter-gatherer ugliness. There's a gradual shift from the Maori style to the civilized British and American style. Neither of which is perfect [conscription for example is just the same as the Maori style].
The underlying difference in empires and countries and political systems is the manifestation of free will. If a person is voluntarily trading their property and services, then it is a good thing and a free society. If they are not, but are coerced, then the relationship is that of master and slave.
The systems overlap a great deal and even the vaunted freedom of the USA is circumscribed. For example, people in this very stream are in favour of military conscription, which is the exact opposite of freedom, and fit only for Alice In Wonderland. All sorts of rules and regulations prevent manifestation of free will, voluntary exchange of property and services and self-determination in the "free" west.
So, the free west is not exactly free. Far from it. But it's a heck of a lot more free than the world of the Taleban and Islamic Jihad, Nazis, Stalin, Mao, Hirohito, Pol Pot and Saddam. Our bomb is good, their's is bad. The difference is the attitude to the individual shown in the political systems. It's not perfect in the "free" west, but it's a lot better than the alternatives. Those who enjoy subjugation can move to those places. Notice the direction of flow of emigration - it's not towards subjugation, other than in a few disturbed individuals who get into cult mind-set, like John Walker Linde.
Anyway, what's wrong with depleted uranium? Lead is poisonous and is used in bullets. [I assume depleted uranium is poisonous too, but don't know for sure].
Hoorary for noocular bombs on our side. We might need them to defend Taiwan and respond to Islamic Jihad coming out of Pakistan. If Jiang Zemin as ruler of the China military wants to end up looking like Hiroshima, he can go and look to see what the result is - it's just a quick plane trip away. If they stay in their box, the good guys' empire will leave them alone and remain the excellent customer they have become accustomed to dealing with. They'll continue to do well. They attacked Tibet, which was indefensible by the UN and Good Guy's Gang [GGG].
Taiwan is easily defended, though not economically - China doesn't have to trade with them. China can take over Taiwan the same way the USA has taken over me. Just lay economic bait and real them in. No need for militaristic MADness.
GGG Rulz OK,
Mqurice |
