4 ms·
> fifty years ago if you were a US citizen in a foreign nation you were nigh untouchable This is very much an exaggeration. Plenty of Americans were arrested a
by Mediterraneo10 6y ago
> fifty years ago if you were a US citizen in a foreign nation you were nigh untouchable
This is very much an exaggeration. Plenty of Americans were arrested along the Istanbul–Kathmandu trail 50 years ago for drug possession and spent some time in local jails, for example. And back then, if an American was arrested for drug infractions, he or she could expect as little sympathy from the local US consulate as today. Yes, for other sorts of crime, Americans might have been the beneficiaries of a very active consulate with some sway over local police and politicians, but Americans were hardly untouchable.
- nimbius 6y agoAgreed, and this was in the service of US drug policy. it worked in the interests of the US government and was permissible. To contrast, nationalizing a US citizens foreign property and ousting them from the country was impermissible. Much of Latin America was brought to heel under overwhelming sustained violence in the service of maintaining the US Citizens unspoken right to operate with impunity in any nation they saw fit. In short, the US can and has starved and destroyed entire nations for offending the interests of their citizens.
- smoe 6y agoI don't think the USs influence in Latin America had/has much to do with US citizens interests as such but US corporations interests.
- vidanay 6y ago"Have you ever been in a Turkish prison?" is a 40 year old movie quote referencing a 50 year old event, so....yeah.