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> I’m just going to say everyone is pretty bad and we are no better or worse than anyone else. That is probably the closest to the truth. People in power will

by vaidhy 4y ago

> I’m just going to say everyone is pretty bad and we are no better or worse than anyone else. That is probably the closest to the truth. People in power will do things because they can and they are trying to extract the resources as much as they can. US has been in war pretty much all its history (except for 17 years)[0] It is nice to think we are different, but both history and political studies disagree. I think you want to be blinded by this because the war is not happening on US soil (not after WW2). In the recent times, it is the US who has been the aggressor. [0] - https://www.warhistoryonline.com/instant-articles/usa-only-17-years-of-peace.html https://www.warhistoryonline.com/instant-articles/usa-only-1...

ericmay 4y ago
> I think you want to be blinded by this because the war is not happening on US soil (not after WW2). I know. I was in the United States Army :). I’m very much anti-war and I don’t like the excursions we’ve made across the globe. On the other hand, maybe we should leave NATO and stop putting ourselves and our values in a position where they can come under attack? These two things go hand in hand. You cannot have one without the other. Anyway, my point wasn’t that the US doesn’t do bad or dumb things. It’s that I do not accept singling out America here when someone is claiming we would literally drop nuclear bombs on half of the world if only those pesky Russians and Chinese didn’t have nukes too. It’s especially irritating when the United States has had that opportunity and rejected it, meanwhile regimes in both China and Russia in the nuclear age have killed millions of their own citizens. And moreso, historically many countries that we would talk about here have been far worse actors on the global stage. Personally, the past is the past. But if you (not you specifically) are going to single out the US it just doesn’t sit well with me.
- vaidhy 4y ago
  I did not read it as anyone singling out US. I read it as a statement that any country having absolute power would not be good for the world and act without impunity. BTW, on NATO, the only country that has invoked article 5 (for mutual protection) is US for the war on Afghanistan. All of these might not be news to you. I am very confused in the role US should play on the world stage. I think the optimism and the aspiration of "can do anything" is very positive. However, I look at the US as it has turned out now and I feel depressed. I feel we have lost our compassion and humanity while being focused on building moats and walls.

by vaidhy 4y ago

ericmay 4y ago

> I think you want to be blinded by this because the war is not happening on US soil (not after WW2). I know. I was in the United States Army :). I’m very much anti-war and I don’t like the excursions we’ve made across the globe. On the other hand, maybe we should leave NATO and stop putting ourselves and our values in a position where they can come under attack? These two things go hand in hand. You cannot have one without the other. Anyway, my point wasn’t that the US doesn’t do bad or dumb things. It’s that I do not accept singling out America here when someone is claiming we would literally drop nuclear bombs on half of the world if only those pesky Russians and Chinese didn’t have nukes too. It’s especially irritating when the United States has had that opportunity and rejected it, meanwhile regimes in both China and Russia in the nuclear age have killed millions of their own citizens. And moreso, historically many countries that we would talk about here have been far worse actors on the global stage. Personally, the past is the past. But if you (not you specifically) are going to single out the US it just doesn’t sit well with me.

vaidhy 4y ago
I did not read it as anyone singling out US. I read it as a statement that any country having absolute power would not be good for the world and act without impunity. BTW, on NATO, the only country that has invoked article 5 (for mutual protection) is US for the war on Afghanistan. All of these might not be news to you. I am very confused in the role US should play on the world stage. I think the optimism and the aspiration of "can do anything" is very positive. However, I look at the US as it has turned out now and I feel depressed. I feel we have lost our compassion and humanity while being focused on building moats and walls.