Quote:
Originally Posted by pan6467
Until WE make sacrifices and show the world we mean what we say about freedom and take out these despots and murderous leaders who care nothing about civil rights (as hypocritical as that may sound), we look like fools and are indeed such and every bit as guilty as those leaders, moreso for letting it happen.
[...] If I turn a blind eye, my morals and ethics dictate that I am guiltier for letting that happen. I will have a hard time living with my conscience.
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Turning a blind eye happens every day. You can chalk this up to being human nature, or you can blame the construction known as the nation state and the nationalism that keeps it secure.
The questions arising in this thread are unanswered because there aren't any easy answers. Why are we letting the Somali civil war rage on twenty years and hundreds of thousands of lives later? The Prime Directive?
We wish to look after our own before we look after others. We won't do anything of real meaning unless there is a direct correlation. Unfortunately, it's becoming harder to deny direct correlations---at all. Somalia has pirates. North Korea has nukes. Iraq has oil. Afghanistan has ties to international terrorism.
I guess is all comes down to risk vs. reward. What is the cost/benefit of ending the 20-year civil war in Somalia vs. preventing one in Libya? What is the cost/benefit of regime change in North Korea vs. Libya?
It's not all about morals and ethics and what's right. It's about what leverage you can apply that will most benefit you and your benefactors.
Military forces aren't charitable organizations. Geopolitics aren't known for their moral integrity.
---------- Post added at 01:08 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:02 PM ----------
Quote:
Originally Posted by samcol
No respect for the rule of law. No declaration of war by the congress.
I guess it's OK since Bush did it too though. More wars more money for the military industrial complex. This is sickening.
Who's the dictator again?
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Bush Sr. had a UN resolution for the Gulf War. Bush Jr. had one for Afghanistan. Obama has one for a Libyan no-fly zone.
Rule of law? It's a UN Security Council resolution. What more do you need? Did the Bushes need Congress declarations? I didn't think so if it's under the Security Council.