Why Do Western Nations Nerf Their Military Responses?

[Elok]

Installing democracy in tyrannical states is not forcing our image on anyone. It's liberation, they can finally create their own image. Let's not pretend that I am suggesting we invade Greece and institute fiscal responsibility.

You'll notice that, after the better part of a decade, the government of Iraq is an extremely tenuous and unstable coalition, while that of Afghanistan is a crooked quasi-despotic joke that can barely maintain power. If we left both now, I believe Afghanistan would be toppled by rebels in short order while Iraq would turn to civil war. American democracy works, more or less, because we fought to get it and to maintain it. These people never asked for our way of life, few of them want it, and they're only giving it a whirl now because we're feeding it to them on the end of a bayonet. You can't achieve lasting, positive change in that manner, no matter how noble your goals may be.

China kills illegal immigrants; yet, we get crap about asking people if they are illegal when they get arrested. People say stuff like "thankully, we have China". If the US ran any of our institutions as China does, the world would be a much darker place.

Who, besides the executives in charge of imports for places like Wal-Mart, says "thankfully, we have China?" And who suggested that we'd be better off running our country like China?

[Elok]

Nation building is folly since some nations/regions are basically unfixable.

People who live in Balkan houses should not throw stones at unfixable tribalism.

[OneFootInTheGrave]

In yet another example of a Western or Westernized nation backing down and essentially doing nothing in the face of aggression, South Korea has concluded North Korea intentionally sunk a South Korean warship, but is not willing to respond militarily.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/18/AR2010051803094.html?hpid=topnews

Bunch of ****ing pussies, if you ask me. What good is having a military - a superior military, for that matter - if you aren't going to use it?

I mean, if, say, the PRC intentionally sunk a USN warship, I would expect military strikes to begin immediately. Not that that would happen, of course, because the US doesn't have the balls anymore to do so.

You know what started this bull****? Proportionate response doctrines. But **** that. In the nation-state/global sense, if you punch me in the face, I'm going to make you bite the curb while I stomp on the back of your head, straight up American History X style. That's how you stop a global bully - you ****ing kill him.

I think you are in urgent need to go to Iraq and do some peacekeeping there to bring you back to this earth.

[OzzyKP]

You'll notice that, after the better part of a decade, the government of Iraq is an extremely tenuous and unstable coalition, while that of Afghanistan is a crooked quasi-despotic joke that can barely maintain power. If we left both now, I believe Afghanistan would be toppled by rebels in short order while Iraq would turn to civil war. American democracy works, more or less, because we fought to get it and to maintain it. These people never asked for our way of life, few of them want it, and they're only giving it a whirl now because we're feeding it to them on the end of a bayonet. You can't achieve lasting, positive change in that manner, no matter how noble your goals may be.

qft

[HalfLotus]

You'll notice that, after the better part of a decade, the government of Iraq is an extremely tenuous and unstable coalition, while that of Afghanistan is a crooked quasi-despotic joke that can barely maintain power. If we left both now, I believe Afghanistan would be toppled by rebels in short order while Iraq would turn to civil war. American democracy works, more or less, because we fought to get it and to maintain it. These people never asked for our way of life, few of them want it, and they're only giving it a whirl now because we're feeding it to them on the end of a bayonet. You can't achieve lasting, positive change in that manner, no matter how noble your goals may be.

Elok

[Ecofarm]

Why are you talking about China? This tangent transcends your usual retardation.

It's not colonialism unless we usurp the native population. So far the US doesn't have the balls to do that. Thank God for China.

Who's retarded? Learn to fkn read you dimwit.

These people never asked for our way of life, few of them want it, and they're only giving it a whirl now because we're feeding it to them on the end of a bayonet.

Many asked for help to establish representation in their government, including the Kurds and Marsh Arabs who suffered genocide at the hands of Saddam. Your assertion that anyone does not want to be free is pathetic BS. It is human nature to possess self-determination and have a voice in one's authority. Living under a totalitarian is not a "preferred state of being" for anyone.

Saddam was put to death by his own people. Case closed.

We're not feeding via bayonet. We are in Iraq at the request of their elected government and will leave upon their request.

Who, besides the executives in charge of imports for places like Wal-Mart, says "thankfully, we have China?"

See bolded, above. (and IKEA)

[giblets]

On which planet does "China does something that I consider bad, so it's okay for the US to invade other countries" make sense?

[giblets]

It is human nature to possess self-determination and have a voice in one's authority.

That sure explains why democracy hasn't been the norm, historically.

[BeBMan]

Two wars are enough right now.

The next US pres will have to start three in a row for a Nobel Peace Price

[Ecofarm]

On which planet does "China does something that I consider bad, so it's okay for the US to invade other countries" make sense?

I dunno. What planet did you get that quote from?

That sure explains why democracy hasn't been the norm, historically.

You really cannot figure out any of the mechanisms of state that might be used to usurp a person's right to self-determination?

Or do you presume that satisfying one's own need for free will necessarily entail helping others achieve such a state?


Either way, I'm done talking to you. You're too dumb to be badgering me. If any of the crap you spew at me ever was the slightest bit insightful, logical or well-thought I might continue to bother, but that's not the case. In the future, feel free to take my total lack of interest in your posts as a sure sign of you having vanquished me.

[giblets]

Sorry, I was assuming your comments about China were somehow relevant to the topic.

[Guynemer]

Needs more pedophilia.

[giblets]

Dashi asserts that China is preventing the US from engaging in colonialism, and pedotard responds with some article about China not accepting North Korean refugees. Does this make sense to anyone?

[Wezil]

We are in Iraq at the request of their elected government and will leave upon their request.

Priceless.

[Thoth]

We are in Iraq at the request of their elected government and will leave upon their request.