05-06-2009, 12:26 PM
Quote:If you are the most powerful nation in the world, the only way to go is to behave correctly....all other options will make you lose credibility and support.
And who decides "correctly". The Chinese wouldn't think we behave correctly. Most of Europe has never felt we have either. We are at the same time too liberal and too conservative. We have been accused of using our power too quickly and not using it quickly enough. We've been asked to help police the world and we've been asked to "keep your interfering nose out of that situation" on the same situation by close allies who you would think agree with us.
You can not make a statement like that. You may have been trying to convey that you have to take the moral high ground when you have the strength to do whatever you want. But do the correct thing is a very poor way to state it.
Even morally. Is it better to spend many lives now on a chance that removing some leader who is doing horrible things will stick? Is the morality measured by the total amounts of lives saved or lost by making a change or doing nothing? Oh and just saying "Oh you're bad" isn't doing anything. Developed countries that do that and then increase trade levels or sell them weapons annoy me. And yes I'm annoyed by the United States a lot on that front too.
I don't disagree that the US should try to be as moral and open as possible. But there is no universally accepted agreement on what that is.
Oh and you're little PS, I wanted to think you were joking but based on past comments you've made I think you were serious. So yeah, everything in this country is controlled by the almighty dollar and people will do horrendous things just for status symbols. Yep, that controls EVERYTHING you are so right on. < /sarcasm >
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It's all just zeroes and ones and duct tape in the end.
It's all just zeroes and ones and duct tape in the end.