4 ms·

I don't like it but without SA, what allies does the US even have in the area? I wish Iraq would have turned out differently.

aesh2Xa1 4y ago
Israel and Kuwait are both considered allies to the US within the region. Maybe others, but those come to mind. Saudi Arabia's GDP is worth double and quadruple those, respectively. However, that number isn't so far ahead as to be irreplaceable. Relationships change, too. The movement in Iran now has the West's popular interest and support.
rakoo 4y ago
So, do we agree that personal interests are more important than human rights for the US government? I don't agree with that view but at least it's honest to admit it.
- JumpCrisscross 4y ago
  > we agree that personal interests are more important than human rights for the US government Yes? Is this in question? Obviously. That doesn’t make human rights irrelevant.
comte7092 4y ago
Basically every country sans Iran… (with some other small exceptions)
miguelazo 4y ago
Wish that Iraq had turned out differently? The outcome was extremely predictable. But that didn’t stop us from trying again in Libya and Syria!
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
JumpCrisscross 4y ago
> without SA, what allies does the US even have in the area? Egypt, Israel, Kuwait and Qatar. Less reliably: Jordan, the U.A.E. and Turkey. Not great, but not untenable.
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
sobkas 4y ago
> I don't like it but without SA, what allies does the US even have in the area? > I wish Iraq would have turned out differently. US doesn't have allies, like every empire it has interests. Sometimes this interests overlap with other entities (be it countries, or not). This interests can be long term, but sooner or later interests change and suddenly entities no longer have any support ( or become enemies). And US have no qualms doing so.
- seanmcdirmid 4y ago
  Since when did the USA count as an empire?
  - SapporoChris 4y ago
    https://en.wikipedia.org//wiki/American_imperialism https://en.wikipedia.org//wiki/American_imperialism https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/American_Empire https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/American_Empire https://warontherocks.com/2015/08/is-america-an-empire/ https://warontherocks.com/2015/08/is-america-an-empire/ There's lots of things pointing towards USA being considered an empire. It is of course open to debate.
    - seanmcdirmid 4y ago
      So is the claim that countries like the KSA are American vassals rather than its allies? I mean, as I understand it, an empire consists of multiple countries.
      - mathgorges 4y ago
        America does consist of multiple countries. Please consider that the United States acquired most of it’s territory at the expense of Native Americans¹ which are officially “domestic dependent nations”². 1: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Indian_Wars https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Indian_Wars 2: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tribal_sovereignty_in_the_United_States https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tribal_sovereignty_in_the_Unit...

aesh2Xa1 4y ago

Israel and Kuwait are both considered allies to the US within the region. Maybe others, but those come to mind. Saudi Arabia's GDP is worth double and quadruple those, respectively. However, that number isn't so far ahead as to be irreplaceable. Relationships change, too. The movement in Iran now has the West's popular interest and support.

rakoo 4y ago

So, do we agree that personal interests are more important than human rights for the US government? I don't agree with that view but at least it's honest to admit it.

JumpCrisscross 4y ago
> we agree that personal interests are more important than human rights for the US government Yes? Is this in question? Obviously. That doesn’t make human rights irrelevant.

comte7092 4y ago

Basically every country sans Iran… (with some other small exceptions)

miguelazo 4y ago

Wish that Iraq had turned out differently? The outcome was extremely predictable. But that didn’t stop us from trying again in Libya and Syria!

deleted 4y ago
[deleted]

JumpCrisscross 4y ago

> without SA, what allies does the US even have in the area? Egypt, Israel, Kuwait and Qatar. Less reliably: Jordan, the U.A.E. and Turkey. Not great, but not untenable.

deleted 4y ago
[deleted]

sobkas 4y ago

> I don't like it but without SA, what allies does the US even have in the area? > I wish Iraq would have turned out differently. US doesn't have allies, like every empire it has interests. Sometimes this interests overlap with other entities (be it countries, or not). This interests can be long term, but sooner or later interests change and suddenly entities no longer have any support ( or become enemies). And US have no qualms doing so.

seanmcdirmid 4y ago
Since when did the USA count as an empire?
- SapporoChris 4y ago
  https://en.wikipedia.org//wiki/American_imperialism https://en.wikipedia.org//wiki/American_imperialism https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/American_Empire https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/American_Empire https://warontherocks.com/2015/08/is-america-an-empire/ https://warontherocks.com/2015/08/is-america-an-empire/ There's lots of things pointing towards USA being considered an empire. It is of course open to debate.
  - seanmcdirmid 4y ago
    So is the claim that countries like the KSA are American vassals rather than its allies? I mean, as I understand it, an empire consists of multiple countries.
    - mathgorges 4y ago
      America does consist of multiple countries. Please consider that the United States acquired most of it’s territory at the expense of Native Americans¹ which are officially “domestic dependent nations”². 1: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Indian_Wars https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Indian_Wars 2: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tribal_sovereignty_in_the_United_States https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tribal_sovereignty_in_the_Unit...