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Originally Posted by Yakk
The rational response to a superpower who will "lie cheat and steal" on a whim is to build nuclear weapons, aim them at the superpower, and say "do you feel lucky, punk?"
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You inserted "whim" I did not. There are certain situations that I personally take serious. When people threaten to kill me, my family, Americans simply because we exist, is a problem. Personally, I am willing to do what it takes to protect my family and other Americans, even torture. I have no problem with the Patriot Act, and no problem with the Bush Admin. wire-taps or holding suspected terrorists without trial. I know not everyone feels this way and I am more extreme than most, but that is why i need folks like you. But on the otherhand you need folks like me, even if you don't understand why.
If other nations want an arms race, I say bring it on. We won one in the past, we can do it again. Like I have written before we are the top dog. We are going to remain the top dog.
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The rational response to a superpower who acts in a predictable, rule-of-law, justified manner is to engage in dialog and economic exchange.
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When you study history, you know that power struggles have never been rational.
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Which of these two worlds would you rather live in? The one where the rational response is to ally with the USA, or the one where the rational response is to aim nukes at the USA?
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We live in a world where "nukes" are aimed at the USA. This is a false choice.
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Enlightened self-interest argues that behaving honourably is in your own best interest, above and beyond the moral reasons to behave honourably.
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In theory I agree. I wish we did live in a world where we did not have to get our "hands dirty".
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Responding to an attack that is nearly completely based on Fear with "lie, cheat and steal" tactics is not just morally repugnant, but politicaly stupid. The USA is not in serious danger from any terrorist tactic -- if a 9/11 sized event happened every single year, the cost of life and economic damage from automobile accidents would still be greater by an order of magnitude.
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If you were President and we were at the verge of war, would you authorize a spy program against our potential enemy? Would you spy program involve under-cover agents who lied, cheated and stole information?
Your "morally repugnant" comment strikes me as pollyannish. But you are a liberal.
P.S. Please feel free to avoid the questions on the spy program, I would not want you to get lost deeper into the fog.