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You really think anyone who isn't already sucking up to him cares what Vlad is saying? The US could probably do anything in Russia right now short of using a di

by sgift 3y ago

You really think anyone who isn't already sucking up to him cares what Vlad is saying? The US could probably do anything in Russia right now short of using a dirty bomb (and even then, as long as there are no US markings ..) and nothing would change.

Mountain_Skies 3y ago
Yes, many care, just like they did during the Cold War when the US and USSR would battle for the hearts of non-aligned countries. Much of the world is wary of the United States and thinks it is an out-of-control bully that answers to no one. That Russia invaded Ukraine isn't unnoticed by these countries but that doesn't give the US a free pass to do whatever it wants, wherever it wants. Lots of countries would like to see the US embarrassed for its continued overreach and bullying of smaller countries. Trying to conduct covert operations inside of Russia and getting caught would be a huge positive in the eyes of those who are routinely victimized by the meddling of the United State in everyone's affairs.
- deaddodo 3y ago
  > Much of the world is wary of the United States and thinks it is an out-of-control bully that answers to no one. I mean, bully is an emotionally weighted term; but that is precisely the situation. They're the hegemon/sole superpower. It's what nations in that position have done since time immemorial. On the flipside, Pax Americana has been undeniably the most peaceful time in recorded human history. Conquest is nigh nonexistant, most empires are dead and war, poverty and sickness are at an all-time low. With many of the geopolitical and technological advances that led to that directly attributable to the United States and it's allies. The question isn't whether they are "bullies" or not, it's whether or not you think they're abusing that status and that the other options are nicer bullies. Empires fall throughout history, them losing superpower status would just be a footnote for those people's "gotcha"; so they better be sure the alternative is an improvement. > That Russia invaded Ukraine isn't unnoticed by these countries but that doesn't give the US a free pass to do whatever it wants, wherever it wants. Clearly it does. Unless/until someone wants to dismantle their position. Are they playing with fire by overutilizing that position? Certainly. But they're willing to risk that when it is particularly beneficial for them/their allies. What is Cuba, North Korea, Iran, Mexico, etc going to do about it? > Lots of countries would like to see the US embarrassed for its continued overreach and bullying of smaller countries. Lots of countries would like to see them embarrassed even if they did absolutely nothing. Again, that's the risk of being hegemon.
  - chx 3y ago
    This is a lot more complex than just praising the US for the state of affairs past World War II. Bootstrapping Europe with the Marshall plan was great. But Western European peace is largely entrenched thanks to the Schuman Plan leading to the formation of the Steel And Coal Community eventually mutating into the European Union. US efforts elsewhere are ... not great? While the US involvement in the 1949 coup in Syria is not clear, it's certainly sus how quickly the president approved a pipeline. Then there was Iran shortly after with Mossadegh (https://www.npr.org/2019/01/31/690363402/how-the-cia-overthrew-irans-democracy-in-four-days https://www.npr.org/2019/01/31/690363402/how-the-cia-overthr...) etc Central and Southern America , well , can we even name a country where they haven't intervened for the worse?
    - deaddodo 3y ago
      I didn't praise the US anywhere in that post. I simply stated that the geopolitical situation resulting from their being "numbah one" (Pax Americana) has been, pretty much without question, the most warless, healthy, prosperous and equitable time in history. And that a significant portion of that is directly correlated to their political, militaristic and technological motives. When their direct/closest allies are added in, that grows to the vast majority. Nothing about that is praise, it's just fact. Hating them is worth nothing, if the replacement (and it's geopolitical aura) is worse; beyond a "gotcha murricans" that would fade in a decade. Few would argue for the world being better if the Soviet Union "won" the Cold War and the US collapsed, especially given the current situation. That all being said, we could easily take this offline and have a direct conversation on Latin America and how there are hundreds of ways it was positively affected by Pax Americana (even in a net positive, for most), despite the terrible things it's done. And how all of the other regional powers were acting in the exact same manner (worse, in many cases), but receive far less attention in the shadow of the US. My degree/education is in precisely that field, after all.

by sgift 3y ago

Mountain_Skies 3y ago

Yes, many care, just like they did during the Cold War when the US and USSR would battle for the hearts of non-aligned countries. Much of the world is wary of the United States and thinks it is an out-of-control bully that answers to no one. That Russia invaded Ukraine isn't unnoticed by these countries but that doesn't give the US a free pass to do whatever it wants, wherever it wants. Lots of countries would like to see the US embarrassed for its continued overreach and bullying of smaller countries. Trying to conduct covert operations inside of Russia and getting caught would be a huge positive in the eyes of those who are routinely victimized by the meddling of the United State in everyone's affairs.

deaddodo 3y ago
> Much of the world is wary of the United States and thinks it is an out-of-control bully that answers to no one. I mean, bully is an emotionally weighted term; but that is precisely the situation. They're the hegemon/sole superpower. It's what nations in that position have done since time immemorial. On the flipside, Pax Americana has been undeniably the most peaceful time in recorded human history. Conquest is nigh nonexistant, most empires are dead and war, poverty and sickness are at an all-time low. With many of the geopolitical and technological advances that led to that directly attributable to the United States and it's allies. The question isn't whether they are "bullies" or not, it's whether or not you think they're abusing that status and that the other options are nicer bullies. Empires fall throughout history, them losing superpower status would just be a footnote for those people's "gotcha"; so they better be sure the alternative is an improvement. > That Russia invaded Ukraine isn't unnoticed by these countries but that doesn't give the US a free pass to do whatever it wants, wherever it wants. Clearly it does. Unless/until someone wants to dismantle their position. Are they playing with fire by overutilizing that position? Certainly. But they're willing to risk that when it is particularly beneficial for them/their allies. What is Cuba, North Korea, Iran, Mexico, etc going to do about it? > Lots of countries would like to see the US embarrassed for its continued overreach and bullying of smaller countries. Lots of countries would like to see them embarrassed even if they did absolutely nothing. Again, that's the risk of being hegemon.
- chx 3y ago
  This is a lot more complex than just praising the US for the state of affairs past World War II. Bootstrapping Europe with the Marshall plan was great. But Western European peace is largely entrenched thanks to the Schuman Plan leading to the formation of the Steel And Coal Community eventually mutating into the European Union. US efforts elsewhere are ... not great? While the US involvement in the 1949 coup in Syria is not clear, it's certainly sus how quickly the president approved a pipeline. Then there was Iran shortly after with Mossadegh (https://www.npr.org/2019/01/31/690363402/how-the-cia-overthrew-irans-democracy-in-four-days https://www.npr.org/2019/01/31/690363402/how-the-cia-overthr...) etc Central and Southern America , well , can we even name a country where they haven't intervened for the worse?
  - deaddodo 3y ago
    I didn't praise the US anywhere in that post. I simply stated that the geopolitical situation resulting from their being "numbah one" (Pax Americana) has been, pretty much without question, the most warless, healthy, prosperous and equitable time in history. And that a significant portion of that is directly correlated to their political, militaristic and technological motives. When their direct/closest allies are added in, that grows to the vast majority. Nothing about that is praise, it's just fact. Hating them is worth nothing, if the replacement (and it's geopolitical aura) is worse; beyond a "gotcha murricans" that would fade in a decade. Few would argue for the world being better if the Soviet Union "won" the Cold War and the US collapsed, especially given the current situation. That all being said, we could easily take this offline and have a direct conversation on Latin America and how there are hundreds of ways it was positively affected by Pax Americana (even in a net positive, for most), despite the terrible things it's done. And how all of the other regional powers were acting in the exact same manner (worse, in many cases), but receive far less attention in the shadow of the US. My degree/education is in precisely that field, after all.