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Unites states assassinates 'enemy combatants' without any judge or jury hearing their case. If I was on a US govt shit list I would be very weary of traveling t

by fsloth 9y ago

Unites states assassinates 'enemy combatants' without any judge or jury hearing their case. If I was on a US govt shit list I would be very weary of traveling to places where US drones can operate without impunity. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disposition_Matrix https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disposition_Matrix Sure, with US this is more or less open policy but it does not really make it any more respectable. It just shows US has the propaganda advantage. China represses their own citizens, US blows other countries citizens to bits. I still value US military assets in Europe and elsewhere but the question is not really about who has intrinsically higher morals. I.e a region always has someone with the biggest capability of violence and of the current geopolitical players, I would prefer the US camp. But this does not make them the 'good guys', rather, generally the least evil.

semperdark 9y ago
As I mentioned elsewhere, I will never defend illegal actions taken by the US government. I'm genuinely aghast at many of the things that have been uncovered. That said, the numbers of people harmed by the US and China are not remotely comparable. Bringing up the US in a discussion about China does nothing but give cover to a country which continues to repress a fifth of the world's population. Europe and the US have plenty of moral failings. Using those to undermine every criticism of far worse countries is itself a failing. Claiming relativism between imperfect nations and tyrants helps only the tyrants.
- fsloth 9y ago
  I totally agree about relativism not being a credible defense in any circumstance. I was not very verbose. My aim was to point out nation states are not that different in their capability to sacrifice moral for power. That in itself does not excuse any malfeasance.
  - semperdark 9y ago
    I understand. In my original reply, I actually wrote in and then deleted a sentence saying that I didn't mean to accuse you specifically of doing so.
travmatt 9y ago
China represses it’s own citizens and would gladly blow other countries citizens to bits too

by fsloth 9y ago

semperdark 9y ago

As I mentioned elsewhere, I will never defend illegal actions taken by the US government. I'm genuinely aghast at many of the things that have been uncovered. That said, the numbers of people harmed by the US and China are not remotely comparable. Bringing up the US in a discussion about China does nothing but give cover to a country which continues to repress a fifth of the world's population. Europe and the US have plenty of moral failings. Using those to undermine every criticism of far worse countries is itself a failing. Claiming relativism between imperfect nations and tyrants helps only the tyrants.

fsloth 9y ago
I totally agree about relativism not being a credible defense in any circumstance. I was not very verbose. My aim was to point out nation states are not that different in their capability to sacrifice moral for power. That in itself does not excuse any malfeasance.
- semperdark 9y ago
  I understand. In my original reply, I actually wrote in and then deleted a sentence saying that I didn't mean to accuse you specifically of doing so.

travmatt 9y ago

China represses it’s own citizens and would gladly blow other countries citizens to bits too