Nation-states are not people. The people running the nation of which I'm a citizen have interests that are not fully aligned with my personal interests, and to

Nation-states are not people. The people running the nation of which I'm a citizen have interests that are not fully aligned with my personal interests, and to the extent that the nation itself can be said to have interests, those are also not fully aligned with me or the current leaders. Also, tit-for-tat may be emotionally satisfying, but it isn't a universal strategy for all situations. There are frequently better ways to get what you want.