Should the United States Police the World?

[Alex_Spider]

Found this interesting video. Even more interesting is this comment.

How can Americans trust the US government after this? To think of the balls on leaders like Bush & his cronies to make jokes at the cost of our family members, just to oust an uncooperative dictator, steal resources and turn a buck for rich corporations! Events like this will continue, for as long as America continues to ignore history and allow our leaders to overwhelm us with fear instead of using common sense! We were once a great nation until greed trumped integrity! We can be again someday!

Rumsfeld & Bush admit NO WMD's IN FOUND IN IRAQ
[YT]k8JGd74dmRM[/YT]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8JGd74dmRM

This video goes to show how a "good" man Bush is, like a poster said in some pages back, cracking jokes about where the WMDs could be hiding and such at 03:55, while thousands of innocent civilians and US soldiers have died. Yep, a truly holy man he is

Also love the backlash of the Bush regime in their face near the end from American protestors

 

[Smashlilman]

Many people in the U.S and overseas don't like the idea of anyone state acting as policeman of the world.

If anything the actions from this ideology tends to damage the U.S ad their allies image in many parts of the world.

Foreign intervention should be based on what is practical and what would genuinely help or resolve the situation in that region/nation.

That's too bad. We only intervene when there is something in it for us or our allies.

 

[redhawk23]

And reality shows and celebrity news also. I agree with your points but I am a guy of activism instead of politics. Politics is just endless talking and public relations. It doesn't really solve problems at the core. But combine positive action and community activism and you got something there.

But it is ultimately the politicians who pass policy. And there is often a lot of gamesmanship involved in doing so.

 

[Schlosser85]

Found this interesting video. Even more interesting is this comment.



Rumsfeld & Bush admit NO WMD's IN FOUND IN IRAQ
[YT]k8JGd74dmRM[/YT]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8JGd74dmRM

This video goes to show how a "good" man Bush is, like a poster said in some pages back, cracking jokes about where the WMDs could be hiding and such at 03:55, while thousands of innocent civilians and US soldiers have died. Yep, a truly holy man he is

Also love the backlash of the Bush regime in their face near the end from American protestors

Bush is about as Christian as a horse's ass.

 

[Cosmic]

Very much true. It was done as an alternative to an invasion that would have likely killed ten times (at least) as many people as the atomic bombings did. Okinawa in June resulted in nearly 200,000 military casualties between both sides, and an additional approximately 150,000 Japanese civilians. Far more than both atomic bombings put together. And this was over invading a small island chain. It isn't hard to imagine what the casualties would be like invading Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu.

Also, even without the atomic bombings Nagasaki and Hiroshima were military targets that would have been bombed anyways (they were deliberately avoided so as to maximize the impact of the atomic bombs), only with hundreds of small bombs instead of one big one. As we know from the firebombings that had been going on for months, the casualties would have been just as high.

As an aside, it wasn't a purely American endeavor in the first place, but a joint effort between the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada. The bombs were originally meant to be dropped on Germany, but weren't completed until after Germany was already beaten.

The only thing that would have saved those civilians were if the Japanese government surrendered unconditionally, and they were given plenty of chances to do so. Dropping those bombs saved potentially millions of lives.

I understand that this is the traditional view which is commonly taught and regurgitated, but unfortunately it is rarely challenged. Instead of insisting on unconditional surrender, the Allies could have demanded reasonable conditions for Japanese surrender at Potsdam in 1945. By the summer of 1945, the Japanese armed forces were basically beaten, broken, and isolated. The major cities were demolished. The dovish factions of the Japanese government were attempting to negotiate conditions for an honorable defeat. I don't believe they would've fought to the bitter end, as we're told, but instead the vast majority would've accepted surrender with honor at the command of Emperor Hirohito.

 

[chamber-music]

The only truthful thing Assad has said is the middle east is a powder keg and Syria being attacked could start a chain reaction.

The reality is the U.S or France dropping a few bombs on Syria isn't going to solve anything and with so many players with a hand in this conflict it easily escalate into something far far worst than it already is.

 

[Thundercrack85]

I understand that this is the traditional view which is commonly taught and regurgitated, but unfortunately it is rarely challenged. Instead of insisting on unconditional surrender, the Allies could have demanded reasonable conditions for Japanese surrender at Potsdam in 1945. By the summer of 1945, the Japanese armed forces were basically beaten, broken, and isolated. The major cities were demolished. The dovish factions of the Japanese government were attempting to negotiate conditions for an honorable defeat. I don't believe they would've fought to the bitter end, as we're told, but instead the vast majority would've accepted surrender with honor at the command of Emperor Hirohito.

Too many bridges had been burned for a conditional surrender.

Now, it could be argued that the second atomic bomb was unnecessary, but that's a different argument.

The US would also have to deal with the Soviets possibly taking Hokkaido if the war had gone on.

 

[Alex_Spider]

10 Reasons Why A Diplomatic Solution To The Syria Crisis Is Extremely Unlikely

Read more http://www.trueactivist.com/10-reasons-why-a-diplomatic-solution-to-the-syria-crisis-is-extremely-unlikely

 

[Cosmic]

Too many bridges had been burned for a conditional surrender.

Now, it could be argued that the second atomic bomb was unnecessary, but that's a different argument.

The US would also have to deal with the Soviets possibly taking Hokkaido if the war had gone on.

After the second bomb, the Soviets declared war anyway, and only then did Japan surrender. After the surrender, Hirohito even remained in place as the Emperor. Think about what this means. Not only was the second bomb unnecessary to end the war, but the first bomb was also unnecessary. Maybe it's something about our own national pride that makes it so difficult to admit, but it's the truth.

 

[Kahran Ramsus]

The Soviets declared war after the first bomb, not the second. The second was dropped because a surrender didn't appear to be forthcoming even after the first bomb was dropped and the Soviets had invaded Manchuria. After the second bomb, the Emperor finally agreed to surrender although there was still an attempted coup by the military to try and prevent it, which thankfully failed.

Japanese terms for a negotiated peace, which started with keeping the captured territories still under their control, were completely unacceptable.

It is hard for people to admit that dropping the bombs saved millions of lives, and it certainly wasn't an easy decision to make. It is easier to close your eyes and pretend it wasn't necessary. But the truth is it was. Or at least it was better than the alternatives.

 

[Kelly]

The Soviets declared war after the first bomb, not the second. The second was dropped because a surrender didn't appear to be forthcoming even after the first bomb was dropped and the Soviets had invaded Manchuria. After the second bomb, the Emperor finally agreed to surrender although there was still an attempted coup by the military to try and prevent it, which thankfully failed.

Japanese terms for a negotiated peace, which started with keeping the captured territories still under their control, were completely unacceptable.

It is hard for people to admit that dropping the bombs saved millions of lives, and it certainly wasn't an easy decision to make. It is easier to close your eyes and pretend it wasn't necessary. But the truth is it was. Or at least it was better than the alternatives.

According to Truman's writings it was a horrible, horrible decision to have to make....but he truly saw no other way to end a war where millions more would die.

Hate it that it happened, hell I hate war in general....I wish we still held our Isolationist foreign policy, but we didn't and that was a decision that probably had to be made and carried out as it was.....terrible, but I don't see any other alternative.

 

[Cosmic]

Thanks for the correction. The Soviets invaded three days after Hiroshima. I don't think most people find it hard to believe that the bombs saved millions of lives, since this seems to be the most widely accepted narrative. But the civilian leadership in the Supreme Council was trying to negotiate an end to the war, months before the bombs dropped. We had their codes cracked, so it's not like we didn't know that they were actually looking for a way out, despite what they were saying in public.

I don't know how hard it was to decide to nuke Japan, and I'm not sure why that matters. At the end of the day, they wiped out massive populations of noncoms in a single blow, and caused many survivors to suffer from radiation sickness. I just don't believe anymore that this was the only way to end the war without killing even more people.

 

[Rocanrol]

No, because the US don't act like a "police", more like an global bully. Untrustful, unreliable, warmongering bully. And worst of all, it has been doing this for the last 50/60 years.

 

[SV Fan]

No, because the US don't act like a "police", more like an global bully. Untrustful, unreliable, warmongering bully. And worst of all, it has been doing this for the last 50/60 years.

Bill Maher did a pretty funny bit on Friday's show about how America is the only country that openly talks about bombing people and how it makes them look like a Bully.

On the subject of Syria, I am getting a good chuckle out of all the Republicans who were against doing anything but are now finding reason to put down Obama for basically getting Syria to get rid of all their chemical weapons without doing much(claiming he gave into the Syrians). As somebody who doesn't want to go to Syria, i have to call that a win, even if Syria doesn't hold their side of the deal, basically you get them to give up the weapons and do nothing at the same time, how can anybody complain about that if they wanted to do nothing in the first place, what do you have to lose? If they don't hold their side of the deal then they look bad and you can get more of the world on your side(so it's win win). I at least give Credit to warhawks like Graham and McCain, while I 100% disagree with their views at least they consistent with their beliefs before and after the deal that we should physically attack them.

 

[Kelly]

I did not agree with the President on bombing in Syria and made that quite clear....so I am happy that that is not going to happen.

The problem I see is a World perception problem now, and now the world doesn't just see us as a Bully, they also see us as that Bully that in reality is a wimp. : )

Perception is people's truth, and I think that is probably this President's weakest point as far as leadership, I don't think he understands that concept.

 

[SV Fan]

The problem I see is a World perception problem now, and now the world doesn't just see us as a Bully, they also see us as that Bully that in reality is a wimp.

I don't see being viewed a bit wimpier as a bad thing given how much a bully the US is looked at for the past while

 

[Thundercrack85]

I don't see being viewed a bit wimpier as a bad thing given how much a bully the US is looked at for the past while

You really don't see that?

It's one thing to be disliked and be taken seriously. Another to be disliked and not taken seriously.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

In what way do we look like wimps?

We just strong armed Syria into giving up their chemical weapons.

 

[Thundercrack85]

In what way do we look like wimps?

We just strong armed Syria into giving up their chemical weapons.

Please tell me you're joking here.

 

[Kelly]

In what way do we look like wimps?

We just strong armed Syria into giving up their chemical weapons.

No we didn't, we had absolutely nothing to do with that....that was all Putin and Russia. We are just tagging along.

 

[SV Fan]

No we didn't, we had absolutely nothing to do with that....that was all Putin and Russia. We are just tagging along.

Do you think Syria would have willingly given them up if Obama didn't threaten them? Obama basically got his desired goal with doing nothing, that's a win in my books(now should we have threatened them in the first place is another debate)

 

[Kelly]

Do you think Syria would have willingly given them up if Obama didn't threaten them? Obama basically got his desired goal with doing nothing, that's a win in my books(now should we have threatened them in the first place is another debate)

Obama didn't threaten ****...the fact that their biggest friend in the world Russia said that they needed to get rid of them and they are complying with their biggest buyer of oil, and biggest weapons friend.

 

[Kahran Ramsus]

The problem I see is a World perception problem now, and now the world doesn't just see us as a Bully, they also see us as that Bully that in reality is a wimp. : )

That's a minor issue though. Better than getting involved in another war in the Middle East.

We can't just bomb people to put fear in them.

 

[SV Fan]

Obama didn't threaten ****...the fact that their biggest friend in the world Russia said that they needed to get rid of them and they are complying with their biggest buyer of oil, and biggest weapons friend.

So you are saying it's just a coincidence that Syria decided to give them up while Russia jumped in a a go between a couple weeks after Obama threatened bombing them?

 

[Kelly]

I don't call it coincidence at all, I call it, their biggest ally in the world, the BIGGEST ally that is allowing them to continue their attacks, continue to win in their civil war, continue to give the leadership of Syria the chance to STAY IN LEADERSHIP asked them to do this, and Putin did it with a very well scripted op ed (which he was helped in writing by a well known publicity group that Russia uses here in the US) to make the US look as weak as possible....yes, we look weak. : )