Elroy, I'm not talking about Bill Gates, IBM or any private philanthropist, I'm talking about the US military and its tentacles all over the planet. Furthermore, you have quite an arrogant attitude to think the world likes "our style",
You said the US should stay out of other country's business, I replied if we can improve the lot of other countries, we should get into "their business". Fine, so you want to limit the discussion to the military. I'll say the same thing, when the US military can improve the lot of other countries, it should. Whether a specific action is improving a situation can be discussed, but your blanket view that the US military should not be present at all in foreign countries is, IMO, wrong. Sometimes it should, sometimes it shouldn't.
I don't think I said anything about the world 'liking our style', so I don't know what you are going off about there.
other countries and cultures prefer their own methods and means to handle matters in their own part of the world.
Yeah, like the Soviets liked occupying Eastern Europe and the Caucuses for ~50 years until they finally changed their mind at the end of the Cold War. The Soviet "culture" wasn't very appealing for non-Russians like the people of the Baltic states, that Caucuses, Romania, Bulgaria, etc. Eventually, and in a large part thanks to US military presence in Europe, the Soviets gave up their unwanted colonial dominance of these countries and went home. Do you think the US military should NOT have been in Europe and the Soviets should perhaps still be, as you say, practicing their own local "culture" in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Khazakstan, Uzbekistan, etc. etc.?
As far as Korea, most of the S. Koreans would like to reunite w/N. Korea and would like us out of their country. We are there less for the S. Koreans and more for our own strategic interests.
As far as Korea, if not for US military presence overseas Korea would have been united back in 1950 under the rule of Mr. Kim's dad. It would all look like the hell that is North Korea today, rather than the normal place that is South Korea and the hell that is North Korea. Your desire to keep the US military out of oversease "local customs and cultures" in Korea would have doomed the people of today's South Korea to the pathetic lives lived by the people of today's North Korea.
You ask a lot of questions, I'll ask you a few: Would you like China to put in a military base in Venezuela? Would you like Iran to supply Cuba with missiles? How about having Hugh Chavez send money to the US to set up political parties advocating "socialism." (By the way the US sends money to endorse political parties in Venezuela).
I'm anxious to see you discuss those questions I've presented.
I think its desirable for the US political system, which declares all people to be equal regardless of race, religion and pretty much sex, and all individuals entitled to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, to spread around the globe. However, as for the political systems which have no pronouncements about equality of religion/sex (Iran), or no declaration of individual human rights (China), no, I don't think they should export their intolerant oppressive political systems. On the other hand if Iran or China can improve the lot of people in foreign countries, they should go ahead and do so.
First, however, if China and Iran want to have a greater influence on world affairs, let them find some cures for disease, let them give $ to help when natural disasters occur, and let them demonstrate something that indicates a non-Chinese or non-Iranian is equally entitled to as good a life as a Chinese or Iranian. When they have shown a generally altruistic view toward "foreigners", then is the time to start spreading their influence, not before.
As for Hugo Chavez sending money to the USA to promote his political agenda, go for it. He can send some to me today if he wants. I'll promote it right here on this board. |
