22 ms·

I know nothing about why the administration is doing this. It feels though like a rather flaccid show of power — like the school bully trying to show how tough

I know nothing about why the administration is doing this. It feels though like a rather flaccid show of power — like the school bully trying to show how tough they are by beating up a Kindergartener or something. Using your authority to order others killed is a very sobering responsibility. And I guess I don't see the graveness I would expect in the administration's actions.

i80and 1y ago
I really want to know what's going on inside the military. Of course I'm not naive enough to expect anybody outside of a few noble souls to actually disobey orders when push comes to shove, but for years people in and around the military have assured me that officers do training to prepare for rejecting illegal orders, and so I shouldn't worry. And these orders seem pretty prima facie blatantly illegal.
forgotoldacc 1y ago
There are many, many corners of the internet with people actively celebrating every boat bombing. Evidence of a crime isn't necessary. Beyond just the boat bombings, we're in an era where you can see HD footage of actual people crying, begging for their lives, and being blown up by governments. Half the world loves seeing it so long as it's preceded with a disclaimer, true or not, that "these are (people who are against you in some way)". It's a modern day Roman colosseum event. Human lives are throwaway entertainment, and the more you kill, the more your political base gets fired up and outright overjoyed. From a political standpoint, there's no longer any consequence for killing small time nobodies with no name. It's only beneficial for a politician. And this phenomenon is spreading to more and more countries. But those same people who are celebrating these killings, the same people who are ordering killings for their political gain, will say "It's time we come together to condemn political violence" when a small guy strikes someone else. It's interesting.
UncleMeat 1y ago
The reason why is very clear: Stephen Miller hates brown people (charitably he just hates illegal immigrants, but the reality is clear). There were reports of Miller asking whether the administration could simply blow up boats that were presumably bringing illegal immigrants to the US during the first Trump admin. Now they are doing it but with the cover of "these are drug traffickers."

i80and 1y ago

I really want to know what's going on inside the military. Of course I'm not naive enough to expect anybody outside of a few noble souls to actually disobey orders when push comes to shove, but for years people in and around the military have assured me that officers do training to prepare for rejecting illegal orders, and so I shouldn't worry. And these orders seem pretty prima facie blatantly illegal.

forgotoldacc 1y ago

There are many, many corners of the internet with people actively celebrating every boat bombing. Evidence of a crime isn't necessary. Beyond just the boat bombings, we're in an era where you can see HD footage of actual people crying, begging for their lives, and being blown up by governments. Half the world loves seeing it so long as it's preceded with a disclaimer, true or not, that "these are (people who are against you in some way)". It's a modern day Roman colosseum event. Human lives are throwaway entertainment, and the more you kill, the more your political base gets fired up and outright overjoyed. From a political standpoint, there's no longer any consequence for killing small time nobodies with no name. It's only beneficial for a politician. And this phenomenon is spreading to more and more countries. But those same people who are celebrating these killings, the same people who are ordering killings for their political gain, will say "It's time we come together to condemn political violence" when a small guy strikes someone else. It's interesting.

UncleMeat 1y ago

The reason why is very clear: Stephen Miller hates brown people (charitably he just hates illegal immigrants, but the reality is clear). There were reports of Miller asking whether the administration could simply blow up boats that were presumably bringing illegal immigrants to the US during the first Trump admin. Now they are doing it but with the cover of "these are drug traffickers."