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We have never invaded any countries for purely human-rights oriented reasons. There is always a larger element of preservation of power structures and capture o

We have never invaded any countries for purely human-rights oriented reasons. There is always a larger element of preservation of power structures and capture of wealth. But both of those reasons would also align with an intervention in China. The true answer to why we haven't intervened is both mundane and terrifying: China has nuclear weapons.

asdfasgasdgasdg 6y ago
Even without the nukes, there is no practical way for the U.S. to project enough force to China to compel it to do anything. The Chinese people would not likely thank us for doing so if we tried. Not only that, it would be grossly disproportionate considering there are hundreds of millions of people in dozens of countries living under authoritarian rule elsewhere. All those states combined would probably make a softer target than China. So as long as we are planning to cure the world's ills with our guns let's start in Eritrea or something.
- petre 6y ago
  You'd think? The US is the only nation that is in a position to do anything about it. While sanctions won't compel the CCP, it could hurt them enough to prevent further cementing their hegemony.
  - asdfasgasdgasdg 6y ago
    Economic force is a completely different matter. It's basically orthogonal to nukes. Tbh I doubt that would work either, and it would hurt the West tremendously. But it's at least something that is not totally absurd on its face.
  - ekianjo 6y ago
    > Just try US sanctions and pushing the EU, Australia, Japan, Canada not to conduct any business with China. You dont to sanctions to countries that provide most of your goods without a viable alternative. Sanctionning Iran does not change your daily life. Sanctionning China would suddenly make a large impact as to what you can actually buy and at what price.
    - petre 6y ago
      So we trade out future freedom for currently cheap goods? I'd rather buy stuff from Taiwan and other places in SE Asia.
      - ekianjo 6y ago
        Taiwan can't compare with China in terms of production capabilities right now. And other countries in Asia don't produce the same goods as China either.
    - darksaints 6y ago
      The way to do that is to simultaneously open up trade with anybody else. Literally offer a free trade agreement with anybody that also sanctions china.
- skissane 6y ago
  What would happen if the US redeployed troops to Taiwan, and announced it was recognising it as an independent state? Beijing would be forced into a very difficult position - attack US forces in Taiwan, leading to massive military escalation, or lose face by allowing the US and Taiwan to call Beijing’s bluff
jariel 6y ago
"The true answer to why we haven't intervened is both mundane and terrifying" No it's not. That China has nukes is not relevant because there's no impetus for the US to be 'invading' China whatsoever. Other than of course a standoff in Korea 60 years ago, the US and China are not military adversaries.
- darksaints 6y ago
  The US and Hussein's Iraq were not military adversaries until Iraq invaded Kuwait. China absolutely is a geopolitical rival with militaristic and global hegemonic ambitions, and they have already committed to actions that we have gone to war over in the past. And they are on the cusp of a handful of actions that would have triggered a world war if they were done in the past. But nothing will happen to China for the same reason that nothing happened to Russia during the cold war. Because they have nukes.

asdfasgasdgasdg 6y ago

Even without the nukes, there is no practical way for the U.S. to project enough force to China to compel it to do anything. The Chinese people would not likely thank us for doing so if we tried. Not only that, it would be grossly disproportionate considering there are hundreds of millions of people in dozens of countries living under authoritarian rule elsewhere. All those states combined would probably make a softer target than China. So as long as we are planning to cure the world's ills with our guns let's start in Eritrea or something.

petre 6y ago
You'd think? The US is the only nation that is in a position to do anything about it. While sanctions won't compel the CCP, it could hurt them enough to prevent further cementing their hegemony.
- asdfasgasdgasdg 6y ago
  Economic force is a completely different matter. It's basically orthogonal to nukes. Tbh I doubt that would work either, and it would hurt the West tremendously. But it's at least something that is not totally absurd on its face.
- ekianjo 6y ago
  > Just try US sanctions and pushing the EU, Australia, Japan, Canada not to conduct any business with China. You dont to sanctions to countries that provide most of your goods without a viable alternative. Sanctionning Iran does not change your daily life. Sanctionning China would suddenly make a large impact as to what you can actually buy and at what price.
  - petre 6y ago
    So we trade out future freedom for currently cheap goods? I'd rather buy stuff from Taiwan and other places in SE Asia.
    - ekianjo 6y ago
      Taiwan can't compare with China in terms of production capabilities right now. And other countries in Asia don't produce the same goods as China either.
  - darksaints 6y ago
    The way to do that is to simultaneously open up trade with anybody else. Literally offer a free trade agreement with anybody that also sanctions china.
skissane 6y ago
What would happen if the US redeployed troops to Taiwan, and announced it was recognising it as an independent state? Beijing would be forced into a very difficult position - attack US forces in Taiwan, leading to massive military escalation, or lose face by allowing the US and Taiwan to call Beijing’s bluff

jariel 6y ago

"The true answer to why we haven't intervened is both mundane and terrifying" No it's not. That China has nukes is not relevant because there's no impetus for the US to be 'invading' China whatsoever. Other than of course a standoff in Korea 60 years ago, the US and China are not military adversaries.

darksaints 6y ago
The US and Hussein's Iraq were not military adversaries until Iraq invaded Kuwait. China absolutely is a geopolitical rival with militaristic and global hegemonic ambitions, and they have already committed to actions that we have gone to war over in the past. And they are on the cusp of a handful of actions that would have triggered a world war if they were done in the past. But nothing will happen to China for the same reason that nothing happened to Russia during the cold war. Because they have nukes.