CJ,
I don't place any value judgement on any of the things we are discussing. Do I think that people will just sit back and think "oh well, I don't have a choice"? No, of course not!
Just to be clear and you probably already know this .. I didn't say it was good, bad, or anything. I'm not placing any value judgement on it. Just pointed out that it is. As we both know, none of this is new in the world. It's all relative. As I've said elsewhere, I don't think there's such a thing as a "best nation" or anything like that. I am not making any points to argue for why one country is BETTER than another.
Now ...
"American Imperialism". By what criteria is it "strong"? It's probably one of the weakest forms of imperialism to ever exist on Earth. Look at what "great powers" have done in the history of the world and the US stands out as being not so bad. The Spanish, British, French, English, Romans, Ottomans, Russians, and Germans used their power to subjugate people of foreign lands to their rule. They conquered and kept. Just to be sure, Empire is not dead. Just a few decades ago the Soviet Union was rumbling across Eastern Europe annexing countries. Maybe this is the source of the phrase "Pax America" and "New World Order". Empires of conquest will no longer be permitted in the world. We'll see.
This is why I call US actions as imperialism without colonialism. I do see them as imperialistic and I can see why people perceive the US in the way they do. I would also point out that this happened during VietNam. There were anti-US protests in Germany, for example. Waves of anti-Americanism have swept the world since World War II but for the first time since WW II, there is no balancing power. In my view, this permits attention to be focused more squarely on the US than ever before.
The US hasn't changed it's actions in the past four decades. It is involved in the same number of conflicts and wars as it always has been. Korea, VietNam, Gulf War I, Gulf War II. Grenada,
Haiti, Kosovo. Why the suddenly new wave of anti-americanism world-wide? Why the protests now? America hasn't changed. Same shit. Different decade. To me, the answer is the fall of the USSR. Anyone else have any thoughts on that?
Is Australia an imperialist power? It seems to send troops off to wherever the US does. What is the difference? The number of troops?
As far as "US imperialism causing 9/11". Every event was caused by some other event in someone's mind. One person can say "Hitler started World War II". Hitler said "The allies unfairly treated us at the end of World War I. THAT started World War II". One person says "America started this war". Another says "Saddam's actions started this war". It's all a matter of what starting point you choose.
What would have been the consequences of United States inaction the past five decades. A Japanese Empire? A stronger USSR? The spread of communism? One third or more of the world's oil in Saddam's hands? A conquered Israel? Nukes in Saddam's hands? Interesting choices.
We didn't start the fire. It was always burning.
Last edited by Colin at Apr 6 2003, 06:57 AM
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